Summer by the Sea by Jenny Hale

If you’re looking for a charming romance novel to take to the beach or patio this summer, Summer by the Sea is for you.  This is a story of family,  forgiveness and moving forward, set in a beachside community.

Plot Summary

Faith is a kindergarten teacher who is invited to attend her Nan’s 90th birthday celebration in the same beachside community that her family spent many of their summer vacations.  Faith hasn’t seen her family much over the past few years and has avoided her sister Casey for many years.   In fact, she’s hardly seen Casey since she married Scott, Faith’s teenage boyfriend.  Despite the distance of time, Faith still feels the betrayal of her sister’s actions.  Still, she’s looking forward to 2 weeks at the beachside community which holds many memories for her.

Jake is the owner of the cottage Faith and her family will be staying in.  She feels an immediate attraction and the two beginning spending time together.  But this romance is not easy.  While the two have many things in common, they have vastly different viewpoints on what is best for this community.

Will this two week vacation finally reunite these sisters and allow Faith to open her heart to find love?

Book Review

I really enjoy stories of family that are relatable and Summer by the Sea is one such book.  The characters are all interesting and likeable and the story is entertaining.  I particularly appreciate the respectful way that Nan is written – she’s seen as a valued, contributing member of the family.  The memories and feelings expressed by Faith regarding the charm of this community are ones that are likely familiar to many of us.

The underlying theme of this book is well captured.  Faith, while watching the breakwater from the shore, recalls the times she swam through the difficult challenge of the breakwater to get to calmer waters.  She realizes that life is like this as well- the waters will not always be calm, but if we can get through the difficult times we can once again return to easier days.

What I Liked About Summer by the Sea:

• The closeness of this family with respect given to the older generations.
• The emphasis on the  importance of communication and forgiveness
• The descriptions of the beachside community reminiscent of my own experiences.

I Recommend This Book To:

Those that enjoy stories of family and romance similar to Hallmark movies.

My Rating:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Add Summer by the Sea to your Goodreads shelf

Acknowledgments:

Thank you to Forever Publishing for the finished copy of this book in exchange for the honest review provided here.

Similar Books I’ve Reviewed:

Forever Friends by Sarah Mackenzie

The Summer Cottage by Annie Rains

Coming Home to Seashell Harbor by Miranda Liasson

Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!  Does this book sound like one that you would enjoy?  Let me know in the comments.  As always, I hope that you have a wonderful day.