Book Review | The Beach House | By Jenny Hale

My thoughts 

Narrative and Plot 

Melanie is our main character, who moves into the Beach House in Rosemary Bay. She is an engaging narrator who keeps the momentum going and makes you want to read more even if the pacing is too uneven. The story takes place within the span of a few weeks. However, there’s a flashback which plays a significant role in the story.

The idea and the concept is terrific and heartwarming. However, the execution of the same is not as perfect as one would expect to be. The story spends a lot of time on the technicalities of renovation. And the readers are robbed out of the opportunity to peer into Melanie’s own goals and pursuit of them.

Characters and Conflicts

Melanie carries the entire weight of the story on her shoulders and she is a fleshed out character who has the strength to do that. However, the reluctance of the main character and the constant self doubt about the mission that she is carrying on wears the reader down at some point. It feels like the main character is stuck in a job that she doesn’t want and is going on anyway because the story said so.

The romance felt a bit forced in the beginning but the main characters  – Melanie and Josh – sure had the chemistry to keep things interesting. However, the problem with Josh is similar to what I had with the author’s other book Christmas at Fireside Cabins. He is too emotionally unavailable and while men like that are real, I am not exactly onboard with romanticizing that aspect of a person. Other than that, the ensemble characters were all great and a pleasure to read too.

Conclusion

The Beach House was a one time read for me. It takes the idea of love that goes beyond generations and lives in through the people who come after us. The book has a wonderful philosophy and concept. The execution however, was a bit lackluster.

About the Author

I received an e-Arc of the book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.