She nodded, sitting down on the sand, oblivious to the gales coming off the gulf, completely dazed by everything. It didn’t matter to her that Josh was standing there or that she probably seemed like she had no idea what she was doing. The truth was, she didn’t. She shouldn’t have bought this house. It was too much to take on. Unable to cope with the absolute anxiety of it all, Melanie put her face in her hands and started to cry.
Josh hovered over her, seemingly hesitating as if he were going to say something. She felt his movement toward her, and for a second, she anticipated his arms encircling her and him telling her it would be okay. But then, without warning, he went inside, the door clapping shut behind him. She hadn’t been looking for sympathy, but she would’ve welcomed even a little compassion.
The Beach House is one amazing and delightful romance story.
When her gram passes away, Melanie Simpson feels utterly lost. But her grandmother’s will gives her a purpose: an inheritance to buy a crumbling house in Rosemary Bay. Returning to the village where she’d spent summers with gram and walking the beach where they’d had so many fun-filled days brings Melanie comfort as well as hope.
On her first night in her new hometown, Melanie meets local contractor and landowner Josh Claiborne, whose eyes match the dazzling sea. Melanie plans to restore the beach house to its original glory, and Josh is the perfect person to help renovate the wrap-around porch weathered by the coastal breeze and the peeling white paint faded by the sun.
But hiding in a closet is a yellowing stack of letters that could change everything. The looping handwriting reveals the mystery of the rickety house—a long-lost secret that touches everyone in Rosemary Bay. Will its revelations bring Melanie and Josh together or tear them apart?
This book just made me feel oh so happy! I will warn you there will be some major gushing in this review from me. I love a Jenny Hale book; she is one of my insta buy authors. I always know when I read one of her books that I will be left feeling happy and content. I could not put this book down. It is so easy to just sink into this story and let all that warmth and charm wrap around me like a cozy blanket. The Beach House has it all; there is humour, romance, mystery, excitement, and drama. Everything in this story is so well balanced and well-timed. The unexpected twists or romantic moments happen at just the right time to keep readers on their toes or get their hearts pitter-patter faster. Melanie is wonderful, and I loved the bond she shared with her grandma. Her heartfelt journey of dealing with her grief of losing her grandma and figuring out what she wants to do with her was lovely to watch. You really can’t help but root for her.
If you are a fan of any home reno tv shows, you will love The Beach House. At the beginning of the book, Melanie buys this run-down house that needs a lot of attention. She has no idea where to start and ends up roping in Josh to help her with the renos. I love a good home/business makeover story, which meant I devoured all the reno shenanigans in this book.
This tragic mysterious love story is also attached to this house. Alfred Ellis, the house’s original owner, was shunned by everyone in town who thought he was this cranky and crazy old man. Josh’s family, in particular, really hates Ellis, and that hatred is one of the reasons why he is so reluctant to work on the house. Near the beginning of the book, Melanie finds a stack of letters that Ellis wrote to a mysterious woman who appears to be the love of his life. Melanie knows there is more to Ellis’ story and is determined to figure out who this mysterious woman is. I loved investigating Ellis’ past and how it connects to present-day characters in the book. Jenny did a great job at intertwining this mystery with the overall story.
Josh and Melanie’s love story is delightful. These two come together when Josh loses a bet and has to help Melanie with her home renos. For most of this book, Melanie doesn’t know where she stands with Josh; one moment, he is kind and sweet to her, and the next, he is abrupt and moody. Whenever Josh’s attitude changed towards Melanie, the song Hot N Cold by Katy Perry would start playing in my head. The man was all over the map regarding his feelings for Melanie. Usually, that hot and cold attitude drives me crazy, but in this case, I didn’t mind it. There are reasons why Josh acts the way he does, and he really is a likeable character. I loved how Melanie handled Josh when he was being moody and how understanding she was with him. The romance in this story is typical for a Jenny Hale book, which means there are plenty of sweet, heartfelt moments, and know you will get that HEA that will make your heart melt.
If you are looking for the perfect escapist romance read, you should pick up Jenny Hale’s latest book, The Beach House.
Thank you, Forever, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
