Customer Reviews

The Beach House

5 star:		(57)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the first Mary Alice Monroe book I've ever read-and let me tell you I definitely plan to read her other works, too. From the very first page it's like the story and characters catch your attention right away. The info that heads each chapter regarding the sea turtles is actually quite interesting, and I was saddened to read at the end of the book how they are quickly becoming an endangered species. This story of how Cara Rutledge, after losing her job at a Chicago advertising firm, returns home to her mother's beach house in Isle of Palms, SC, is a very warm, touching one that explains how she finally bonds with her seriously ill mother-Olivia(Lovie)Rutledge, having left home at 18 due to constantly fighting with her father. Cara reconnects with her childhood best pal Emmi, plus finds true love when least expected. Lovie's houseguest(and caretaker)Toy Sooner is another memorable character-her initial meeting up with Cara is not a good one but soon the two of them learn to accept one another as well as become fast friends. This story is one you'll definitely remember long after the last page has been turned. Very highly recommended.

It's not often that a book brings me to Amazon.com and makes me want to write a review. I read other reviews constantly, but I don't often write them. Well, I loved this book so much, I just had to share. I loved the whole beach theme, I loved learning about the loggerhead turtles and their significance to the story, I loved that Cara was not a whimp (especially when she confronts Richard towards to end), who could not love Brett???, I loved the way Mary Alice Monroe makes you feel you are right there on the beach and the way she makes you truly FEEL for these characters. I loved the way the author had several stories going on a once and concluded them all in a fine manner. This was a truly wonderful read and I highly recommend it - get lost in South Carolina on the Isle of Palms with the loggerhead turtles and some fine characters. ENJOY!!

If you left home at 18 because your father emotionally abused you and you hated your mother for not protecting you, should you go home again? If you find yourself at the height of your career in fast-paced Chicago, should you return to the laid-back life of the South Carolina low country? If your name is Cara Rutledge, the answer to both questions is yes. When Cara finds herself ousted from her ad agency position, her ongoing love affair not fulfilling, and nowhere else to turn, she reluctantly answers her mother's call to come for a visit.

The reader will be drawn immediately into this story mainly because of well-defined characters who tug at your heartstrings. From the headstrong yet vulnerable Cara to her terminally ill mother Lovie and the pregnant teenager Toy, readers will bond with these multi-faceted characters as they try to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives and each moves on with the support of the others.

This book is a great tribute to the eternal bond between mothers and daughters as it examines the actions that part us from our loved ones and the painful road back to rediscovering love. It is also a great love story as Cara finds her soulmate in the most unexpected place, her mother reveals a long-held secret love affair,and Toy faces some serious truths about the father of her unborn child. It is also a story about turtles. Yes, turtles. Specifically, the loggerhead turtles who travel hundreds of miles to hatch their young along the South Carolina coast each year. Even if you've never given the first thought to turtles, you will be captivated by the turtle trivia that fills this book.

I highly recommend you curl up in your favorite reading spot for a most enjoyable read about an unforgettable family. And don't forget the tissues.

I read this book while vacationing at the Isle of Palms - it was wonderful! The settings, descriptions of the area, and especially the information about the loggerhead turtles - all were things I could identify and experience, and made me appreciate our week at the beach even more. A delightful read!

Mary Alice Monroe has the ability to make you love her characters despite their flaws. Cara is a 40-year-old woman who was so caught up in her career in Chicago that she did not reflect on how the rat race was affecting her ability to connect with people, family and most of all herself. Returning to her home in SC changed her life. If you love the beach, particular South Carolina, you will love this book!

The lesson--it is never to late to make things right with the important people in your life. As Monroe superimposes the life cycle of the endangered loggerhead turtle on the life cycle of the heroic characters, she reveals the human connection between natural instinct and the sacrifices mothers make to protect their offspring. The misunderstood mother in this text has more than one interesting secret to reveal. As usual, Monroe's characters are people we would love to be friends with, and the situations in which she places them are real to many of us. I highly recommend this book.

I love stories about the complexities of mother-daughter relationships, especially when childhood issues that once divided them are reconciled when seen through the daughter's adult eyes. Mary Alice Monroe has quickly become one of my favorite authors because of the touchingly brilliant way her characters interact with each other - it's highly romantic without being a romance novel. The setting of this book, on the Isle of Palms and the turtle rescue mission, added interest and depth to the story, as did the colorful secondary characters and the lowcountry lifestyle. One of the best books I've read this year!

This book was highly advertised the last time I was in Charleston, SC. Being in need of something new to read, I bought it from the area Barnes and Noble dealer. I have to say that this is one of the best books I have ever read. The story line is such a strong one that it made me want to try to do a lot more with my own mother because you just never know when something could happen to any of us. In addition, the book draws wonderful parallels to the life of the loggerhead turtles, one of my favorite animals. These gracious animals need good people to help them become a revived species, and Ms. Monroe does a beautiful job of describing the activities of the Turtle Team and makes you, the reader, want to help out! The turtles, along with Lovie, are gracious beings that spread goodness throughout the entire book. Again, it makes the reader want to be a decent and kind human being. This book is a must read. I am keeping it and sharing it with my mother hoping she will enjoy it as much as I did.

A wonderful book and true to the last detail of "Low Country" living. Yes, Florida reader, the sun does set over the Atlantic Ocean if you are lucky enough to be on a "Barrier Island". The movie "Baggar Vance" which was filmed on Kiawah Island, SC has a fabulous sunset scene over the Atlantic Ocean. Some of our barrier islands run East-West and magnificient sunsets can been seen most nights. I loved the book and love being lucky enough to live on a barrier island until the next hurricane.

I don't usually take time to write reviews. I just tell all my friends when I find a great book - but in this case, I'm doing both! This is a well-balanced book with strong characters and a well-written, believable story. Its the kind of book you just won't want to put down after you get into it. And, if you're interested in sea turtles, there is lots of well-researched information about the loggerheads and their place in our world. As a turtle watcher in Florida, I appreciated the author's ability to weave information about the turtles and their struggle to survive into the storyline - and to make me realize how interwoven our lives are with nature.
If the book has a flaw, its that Brett, the protagonist's love interest, is just too good to be true. Fortunately, this doesn't interfere with the basic story line and may actually make the book even more enjoyable. After all, it is nice to dream about the "perfect" man even when we know he doesn't exist (or maybe he does on the South Carolina coast!)
Overall, thoroughly enjoyable reading for a summer weekend at the beach or a rainy day in the mountains. Just don't plan on doing anything else once you get started!