Customer Reviews

Life's a Beach

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Protagonist Ginger Walsh is a forty-something, single woman who finds herself living in her parents F.R.O.G (Finished Room Over the Garage). She's got a boyfriend with commitment issues, an artistic cat semi-sarcastically named Boyfriend, and she is working on a half-hearted attempt at a career making jewelry out of beach glass. Her aging hippie mother wants to sell the house and move to a retirement community but her dad is determined to stay right where they are.

Proclaiming herself childfree by choice, Ginger nevertheless spends much of her time babysitting for her sister Geri's kids. So it just seems natural for her to shepherd nephew Riley out to Cape Cod when he gets a small part in a B-movie. On the set she meets a handsome gaffer and succumbs to his charms just a little, which leads to insinuations by the other mothers on just how Riley got his part. Sister Geri is so wrapped up in her upcoming 50th birthday that she can't focus on anything else, unless of course it's berating Ginger about her poor life choices.

This is one of those books that makes for the perfect beach read. It's not too long, not too intellectually demanding, and yet the characters are engaging and funny and just a little over-the-top. A warm and witty romantic comedy with just the right amount of serious relationship insight. Sisters will recognize each other in these pages, as they watch Geri and Ginger find themselves and each other.

I'm a fan of the author. I want to be clear about that and I truly have enjoyed other books written by her. This one, however, did not grab me. I read it completely through, trying to give it a fair shot.

Most of the book revolves around two sisters, primarily the wilder sister, Ginger, who is in her 40s and still single. Although the book gives details about her boyfriend, Noah, and her parents and sister, she spends most of the time watching over her young nephew, who has a part in a low budget film.

I had two major problems with this book:
1. The plot wasn't full of enough action
2. The characterizations weren't detailed or believable. They just didn't grab me.

In the end, I didn't find this a compelling read. But I'm looking forward to the author's next book.

I spend nine months a year mostly reading business related books. But the months of June, July and August are for pleasure reading.

This weekend I picked up a copy of Life's a Beach to officially start off my summer reading. And I am very glad that I did. The book made me laugh right from the first pages. I loved the quick pace and the characters - I really couldn't put it down. It's a treat to read a book where I care about what is going to happen to the characters.

This one is going to be hard to top as a perfect summer read.

Someone should tell the author that her plot is missing. The protagonist, Ginger (40-something, unmarried, commitment-phobic) spends much of her time scooting on her bottom across a beach looking for pieces of sea glass to make into earrings. At other times, she is being berated for not doing anything with her life by her "quirky" family members (read quirky as ridiculous and annoyingly unbelievable). And sometimes she takes her cat for a walk. Can you stand all that action? I bought this book at a store in Nantucket while on vacation, thinking that it'd have a great Cape Cod feel. Well, it doesn't. I expected to hear that unique New England voice. I didn't. It is, however, a quick read, so if you like silly books that don't clutter up your mind with anything worthwhile, go for it. I'd recommend getting it from the library or at a second-hand bookstore.

I read the entire book today on the beach. I loved every page. It was cute, funny, heartwarming...everything you want in a "beach book". I highly recommend you take this book with you where ever you go this summer, the beach, the lake, the pool, etc. You will not be sorry you bought it.

This book is very light and completely predictable. I think that the new word I've seen thrown around in reviews is "beacher" and this book fits that description perfectly. Don't expect a complex plot, well drawn characters, well executed action, or any surprises. This book is as bland and predictable as white toast from a pop-up toaster. But it isn't bad either, it just is what it is - a beacher. I would try to find a copy from a used source, since this isn't the kind of paperback that you're going to want to hang on to for another read. You will probably enjoy the book while you are reading it but five minutes after you turn the last page you will have forgotten all about it. It just isn't the kind of book that stays with you.

Not among my favorite books, but okay as a quick read. The narrator, Ginger Walsh, is not an especially endearing character, she's just kind of forgettable. As a matter of fact, all of the players in this book are pretty forgettable. Perhaps, like 'Must Love Dogs', this would make a better movie than book. I'd borrow this one, rather than buy it.

The Chick Lit Book Club I lead read Life's A Beach for our June, 2008 selection. The general agreement was that it wasn't a "bad" book and actually had a few funny parts but overall it was pretty forgettable.

What's Good About It:
Claire Cook does a great job of portraying family relationships. The characters are very realistic. The interaction between parents, mom and daughters, sisters, and siblings are pretty accurate and most of gals in the book club could relate to those aspects.

What's So-So About It:
It's kind of boring. Nothing major happens...there is a small family crisis here and there. Nobody's life is usually as interesting as books make them out to be but this novel fell a little flat.

The other major flaw is character development and believability. The relationship between Ginger and her boyfriend Noah isn't there...there were more sparks with the Gaffer, whose name escapes me. The passion wasn't there. In addition the characters didn't seem to change or grow that much at all. Ginger comes to realize a few things at the end of the book but big whoop, if she had half a brain she's have figured things out sooner.

I'm not saying that Claire Cook isn't talented it's just that normally the gals in the book club are clamoring for the list of other books by the author and in this case we ended earlier and had moved on to next month.

not a serious read. Def. a 'beach book.' I didn't enjoy the characters or relate to them. But nonetheless, its like a bad comedy, its mind numbing and good timepass. Its a happy book, i.e. if your low and dont want something to depress you further, this is good.

Despite the sunburn that came with it, I'd definitely recommend picking up a copy of Life's a Beach for your next trip to the beach. I took it out the first day and couldn't put it down - I was totally engaged in the humor, the family relationships and rooting for Ginger all the way! Great summer read, every beach tote should have a copy!