It’s said no man is an island. But writer Parish Adams is out to prove them wrong. Broken and unable to bear the violent death of his child, he’s isolated himself on a private beach in Maine. He finds no comfort in the warmth of relationships. For Parish, the cold Atlantic Ocean is company enough.Scarlett Lyon’s life has taken a dramatic turn. Single and independent, living in Montana, nothing … nothing was tying her down. Then her sister’s fatal accident changes everything. She finds herself guardian for her nephew Sam. Now she must relocate to Martin’s Beach. And more jarring than that, become a mother figure.
Three wounded hearts. Two passionate souls. One tempestuous Beach In Winter.
more
When the opportunity presented itself to sign up for a Leslie Pike arc I just clicked without knowing anything about the upcoming book. I didn’t need a blurb to know that whatever story Leslie decided to tell it’s going to be well written with well crafted believable characters. And she did just that. Delivered a great story.
The Beach in Winter was a bittersweet story.
Bitter because it was about great losses, deep pain, some guilt and a lot of loneliness. About feeling weak and lost and angry.
But it was also sweet because it was about finding meaningful friendships, to find the courage to face your own demons and cope anyway, to find your strenght amidst great challenges.
Sweet because it says love makes everything possible. It heals you whatever great your loss is. All you have to do is let love in and it will do its magic. Of course it’s easier said than done.
What I liked most about this book was it showed all the steps and trips, the ups and downs three different people took to find the courage to let love in and heal their souls.
I loved the writing and all the characters. There was this unique understanding between them derived from the losses they suffered. I liked this kind of slow burn passion between Scarlett and Parish – Great name by the way!
All in all it was a very good read.
5* Grieving Stars
I was lucky enough to win a copy of The Beach in Winter and I am so happy that I did because I have been introduced to a new Author and I really enjoyed her writing style and story telling.
This book was full of feels. It is a story of deep loss, heartbreak and finding love when you least expect it.
From the moment you start reading you are submerged into the tragic circumstances and grief that surround Parish, Scarlett and Sam. All the characters in the book are so likeable and realistic and you will fall in love with them quickly. I enjoyed reading how together they learn to heal each other and how love blossoms.
I highly recommend this emotionally charged story. The cover of the book is also beautiful.
Amazing read! I was sucked in from the first page and couldn’t put it down. A story of love, loss, and one with all the feels. Parish, Sam and Scarlett are wonderful, realistic and believable characters that I fell in love with. A beautiful and heartwarming story that I highly recommend.
I feel like this review should be alternately titled: True Confessions – don’t judge a book by the first 2 chapters.
Those who love to talk books and follow me here, know one thing: Karen doesn’t do angst.
Unless you are Claudia Burgoa and I allow her to get away with that nonsense.
The next part of ‘forgive me book world for I have sinned’ is that I picked up and started this book over not once, not twice but too many to remember. I mean this book – is sad. Not a little sad. I mean full on, this is so sad, oh my god this is so so sad.
Then something happens.
A spark.
A glimmer that yes, this will be a book I will long remember after I am done reading. And yes reader friends, like me you need to be in the right frame of mind for this beautifully told ‘friends-to-lovers’ tale. Although it starts out with pulverizing the organ in your chest, it has wonderful moments of laughter and banter, sexy smoldering times that make up for the loss you endure watching these characters adapt to. No one ever recovers from grief < that is one of the takeaways from the story. It's how you let grief move you onto the next chapter in the lives of those left behind. Parish was an amazing hero. Ms. Pike really gave a multifaceted look at his story arc. At times you wanted to smack him and at others protect his heart. Scarlett was 'every woman'. She's the one trying to keep everything and everyone together. And who is looking after her? My heart equally hurt for Sam. He approaches wanting to be independent but held back by his grief. I am still not sure who needed the other more: Parish or Sam. Having to the privilege to read their story add so much to 'just a romance.' This is a standalone you want to read when you are ready. And trust me. You want to take the time to read their story. Rating: Buy
I have read a few books by Leslie Pike before, but none quite this emotional. This plot was one that grabbed onto me and just wouldn’t let go. Between Parish and the loss that he suffered, as well as Scarlett and Sam and what they endured, The Beach in Winter touched me deeply.
I absolutely loved the plot, the characters were wonderful, and the writing was done well. I will say that, for me, the story moved a little too slowly, but I loved how everything came together in the end. I definitely recommend The Beach in Winter!
Leslie’s writing is phenomenal, I was completely hooked from the first page. A story about surviving tragedy and finding love.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Parish Adams is a man living a sad and lonely existence. He’s just drifting and letting pain take a prominent place in his every day way of life. Scarlett Lyon is like a fish out of water. She’s never been in that type of situation before and doesn’t know what to do. We have a third main character and his name is Sam. He had me rubbing my heart – it hurt for him. As the story goes on you’ll come to realize how important he is.
What seems like a heavy subject, our author has the time to sneak in some chuckle moments. It was a great way to lighten the mood. At one time Scarlett had me wondering if I should keep a cold bottle of water handy. The tide turns and things change but it all feels so natural. The author eased into it, which makes this story seem so realistic.
I loved what was going on and then she stops me in my tracks. Our reality sneaks in and will have you think about how quickly things in our lives can change. Sometimes we may go back a step or two – sometimes it’s easier to fall back than to soldier on. So if you’re dealing with some recent agony, this may be a tough read.
It was interesting to watch how the author created her story. It’s a great vehicle for her creativity and we get the rewards. She also knew exactly what was needed in order to get our own emotions involved – never mind her characters. This includes the ending because you may have a smile on your face but there may be a couple of tears close at hand as well. My dilemma will be in seeing how Ms. Pike is going to top this one when the next book comes out.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
This is a story about loss, about friendship, and about the kind of love that takes time to cultivate and grow from companionship.
Parish has been suffering the loss of his child for too long, wanting nothing more than to go himself, in come Sam and Scarlett into his life to turn it upside down…or is it right side up? Sam has lost his parents, Scarlett lost her sister and brother-in-law and is now the guardian of her nephew Sam.
These three souls are suffering yet find the way to connect and bring out the best in each other. I loved seeing the friendship that formed between Sam and Parish. He became somewhat of a friend/father figure for Sam and that helped both come out of their solitude. Scarlett and Parish’s relationship started off slowly but then quickly turned into something more.
I loved the secondary characters as well. Scarlett’s brothers and parents were hilarious and the scenes with them were always a nice reprieve from the sadness enveloping Sam, Scarlett, and Parish.
Leslie did a fantastic job with this story. Bringing the reader into the lives of these characters and sharing their grief and their happy moments. The story was well written and the characters were developed nicely.
Fantastic story! An inspirational blend of loss and love – brilliantly woven together in one remarkable read!
Leslie Pike has a gift for evoking ALL THE FEELS with her beautifully articulated words and perfectly detailed stories. Her talent is endless. Creativity and attention to specifics are EVERYTHING and this magnificent story will leave you wrung out and in absolute awe.
Parish & Sam strike up a friendship. Parish able to offer Sam a man’s perspective and advice. Sam able to offer Parish a teenager’s point of view. They develop a bond that is just what the other needs. There for each other in a way no one else is. It’s so relatable and genuine – love this aspect of their story.
Scarlett & Parish have this fantastically simmering chemistry (whistles) that is so unexpected. Absolutely BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN and gives this otherwise sad time in both of their lives a real heart warming, hopeful VIBE. A much needed reprieve from the tragedies they’ve navigated. Giving them both the will to move on and find more than what life has dealt them so far.
These characters are unique and expertly written. Parish, Scarlett and Sam have all suffered soul crushing loss. They’ve all found themselves holed up on the same beach nursing their broken hearts. The bond and friendship they find is filled with wit, compassion and the strength they can lend to one another. Despite their feelings of uncertainty or sheer inexperience – they each have something to offer. The journey all three embark on is one of healing and charting a new path in life. Letting go of what was and embracing what is. Finding love and a new sense of family when hope had been lost. Through the inevitable ups and downs of the story, I found myself rooting for these three! You will too!
A beautifully written story of Loss, Friendship and Love. These is a story of Parish, Scarlett and Sam. Three people who have experienced tragic losses come together and help each other cope with it. Couldn’t get enough of this, loved it from beginning to end.
I win an ARC and volunteered to leave a review.
Blog Sol and Us
EN/PT-BR
____________________________
The Beach In Winter
Leslie Pike
I’ll start with the title. This is possibly the most beautiful title I have ever seen. The Beach in Winter. How poetic.
The Dedication and the Acknowledgments don’t stay behind. They are touching.
And in the midst of them, a story about three characters that will steal your hearts.
The Beach in Winter is an emotional and brilliant book. It felt like Leslie Pike wrote it with all her heart.
Parish, Sam and Scarlett are realistics, believable, easy to love.
The Beach in Winter is a perfect example of the kind of book that I like.
I hope Leslie Pike capture your hearts like she did with mine.
Good reading.
Thank you for generously providing me this ARC in exchange of a honest review.
Follow Sol and Us around: https://linktr.ee/solandus2
____________________________
The Beach In Winter
Leslie Pike
Vou começar com o título. É possível que esse seja o título mais bonito que eu já vi. The Beach in Winter. Que poético.
A Dedicatória e os Agradecimentos não ficam para trás. Eles são tocantes.
E em meio a eles, uma história sobre três personagens que vão roubar seus corações.
The Beach in Winter é um livro emocionante e brilhante. Pareceu que a Leslie Pike o escreveu com todo seu coração.
O Parish, o Sam e a Scarllet são realistas, críveis e fáceis de amar.
The Beach in Winter é um exemplo perfeito do tipo de livro que eu gosto.
Eu espero que a Leslie Pike capture seus corções como ela fez com o meu.
Boa leitura.
Agradeço por ter, generosamente, me fornecido o ARC em troca de uma resenha honesta.
Sigam Sol and Us por aí: https://linktr.ee/solandus2
The Beach in Winter is a tragic and beautiful love story. It is a story that explores the grief that individuals experience whilst finding comfort with each other. Leslie Pike has done an incredible job with this story. The emotions poured through the pages throughout the story creating an touching and poignant read.
This book was very well written and compelling. How Leslie captured the vast array of complex emotions was fantastic. She takes each of the characters on an emotional journey and there was this unique bond and understanding between them that centred from the losses they had suffered. Great characters and a story that grabs you from the start.
My heart needed this book right now.
Parish has been dealing with the worst grief imaginable for 5 years and is spiraling. Sam and Scarlet are a aunt/nephew pair living next door and dealing with their own heartache.
It was a joy to watch Parish, Scarlet, and Sam interact with each other. The gradual formation of friendships then more showed how giving someone purpose can help beat back demons.
Well written and compelling, Ms Pike did a wonderful job of capturing an array of complex emotions. She takes the characters on a journey that the three of them are uniquely qualified to help each other with.
All of the primary characters are likable and relatable. I found myself rooting for them while also understanding their ups and downs. The small secondary cast is centered on Scarlet’s family – her brothers are definitely people I’d like to know better.
Another Excellently executed book by Leslie Pike, just make sure you have your tissues ready.
I was so moved by this emotional compelling story of Heartbreak, grief, loss, friendship and Love. Three people engulfed in their grief, a beach bringing them together, finding a way to help each other heal from the emptiness that loss has left them with.
A beautifully crafted piece of writing, with realistic and relatable character’s that will have you feeling so deeply for them. Like the waves on the ocean you will become swept away by Parish, Scarlett and Sam’s journey though the tragedy of loss, the darkness of grief and the hope that even after heartbreak so painful, you can learn to Love Again.
A brilliant book.
Loved it and highly recommend it.
What an emotional read by Leslie Pike. Scarlett, Parish, and Sam are all going through and dealing with their tragedies in their own individual ways. And this story shows how these three help heal one another while living at the beach in the wintertime. Their loss and pain feels so real at times that the tears will just keep coming while their joyous and happy times bring big smiles to your face. I loved the ups and downs of all of the relationships because they felt real. Such a good read!
Wow this was such a wonderful story of the power of love, the depths of loss, and the strength of friendship. This story follows three characters that have experienced unthinkable losses and are all coping and trying to navigate through their new normal in their own way. Ultimately they find strength and comfort in each other through love and friendship.
Parish our hero is such a broken soul when we meet him but quickly becomes a mentor and friend to Sam (the heroines nephew) and their bond is absolutely amazing to watch develop, and extremely important for each of them to climb out of their shells. He’s also got that broody swoony thing happening and his relationship with Scarlett is so dang sweet. I really loved Parish.
Scarlett our heroine was such a great and fun character, she was uprooted and given this huge responsibility all while also mourning her loss. Seeing her push through, sacrifice, and then find her happiness was so wonderful and I really enjoyed her development.
Sam is the nephew of Scarlett but plays a key role in the story- I really enjoyed his teenage attitude and snarky remarks. It was good to see him open up and come out of his shell with both Parish and Scarlett
I honestly also loved the scenes with Scarletts whole family as well, they were so fun and brought good humor to the story.
Absolutely loved this book! It definitely hit me in the feels hard in the beginning breaking my heart but then it was ultimately put back together much like these characters.
This story had some heart breaking moments in it but I absolutely loved this book. Leslie always writes the perfect stories. Parish rubbed me the wrong way in the beginning but after hearing why he was the way he was I totally understood him and by the end of the book I really liked his character. He overcame a lot. I loved Sam’s character, he had some funny and heart breaking moments too. And poor Scarlett and her cooking and her just trying to figure out her new life. Overall I great read!
Grab several boxes of kleenexes. Not one box or tissue, but a truckload. This story is heartbreakingly beautiful about how tragedy takes you into a dark hole, but how sharing your grief with others allows you to heal. You may never completely heal, scars will run deep, but you will be able to continue on by adding more light into your life every day. Parish is a passionate writer that has experienced a tragedy like no other. His grief overwhelms him, but when he meets Scarlett and Sam and finds out about the horrible loss they’re experiencing, he steps up and helps them. By sharing his experience and relating to their broken hearts, he finds himself on the way to recovery. Scarlett is put in a new situation. She has to take on the role of a mom and discovers a new side of herself during this process. By putting her nephew first, she forgets that she also needs to heal and live. Scarlett has the support of her family and the open heart of Parish to help her heal and find her way. The Beach in Winter is the perfect title for this incredibly touching and heart-rending story. It is a must-read, especially for those who need a good cry or are experiencing a loss that they can’t seem to heal from.
This book is a bit of a tear jerker! But a must read! Parish and Scarlett meet under tough circumstances. Scarlett has just lost her sister and brother in law, and has custody of her nephew Sam. Moving to Maine to keep him in the family’s home is where she meets Parish, who is hiding from the world after his own devastating loss. Scarlet being her usual self tries to forge a friendship since they are neighbors. That friendship begins to bring healing to one another as well as Sam as they spend time together. A beautiful relationship forms between them and an amazing bond between Sam and Parish. Their relationship is tested many times, but each time they work through it, until one suspenseful afternoon on the beach. Love ultimately wins for these two. Great characters and a very captivating story!
Three broken souls find each other and learn to love again. Actually, it’s four. Can’t forget Boo. Plenty of ups and downs within the pages, just like the waves of the ocean they live by. I felt excitement, sadness, anger and edge-of-your-seat adrenaline while reading this. And there’s definitely some heat in here as well! Don’t pass this one up!