The Last Hurrah!
By Patrice Riordan McCannby McCann
Labor Day is right around the corner, and we are in the home stretch for summer reading! Therefore, I have some fun and fluffy reads to suggest. These are all set at the beach!
“Malibu Rising” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This one is a terrific beach read. Set in California in 1983, the famous Riva siblings are throwing their annual end of the summer bash. They are the children of a legendary singer, and the world watches their every move. Nina, a famous model, just had her marriage fall apart, then the other three have their own secrets. Things, of course, don’t go exactly as planned, and it ends up being the hottest party Malibu has ever seen. There are fun 1980’s pop culture references, but ultimately it’s about family and siblings. It’s about how people care for and sometimes hurt the ones they love. I recommend this one. Toss it right in your beach bag!
“Same Time Next Summer” by Annabel Monaghan
This was the first book I read this summer, and it was a great one! I loved it! Sam is all grown up. She is a Human Resources consultant. She reads serious biographies and she wears sunscreen. She even has a dermatologist fiancé who frowns on any sun exposure. She’s hesitant to set the wedding plans though. Her parents have a house on the beach in Long Island. There is sand on the floor and a noisy screen door. Bathing suits should be worn all day and shoes are optional. Sam and the dermatologist go out to look at a reception venue. Sam’s first love Wyatt also just happens to be next door. She hasn’t seen him in 14 years since he broke her heart. Now, he’s hanging out in a treehouse, strumming his guitar. What could possibly go wrong? It may have been the timing that made me love this book so much, but it was a perfect summer read as I sat on my sandy deck in my bare feet. I was also lucky enough to marry my summer love, so the nostalgia factor here was great. Highly recommend. Thumbs up!
“The Matchmaker” by Elin Hilderbrand
One can’t go wrong with a book by the queen of summer beach reads. As usual, we are on Nantucket. Dabney is known to be responsible for 43 happy couples. She has a knack for playing cupid, although her own love life has been rocky. She is married to Box, and they have an adult daughter. Suddenly, her high school flame, Clen, appears back on Nantucket, and Dabney finds herself in a quandary. Is Clen really her true love? Is Box secretly in love with his co-worker? And why is her daughter Agnes marrying the wrong man? Dabney has a lot on her plate, and then she starts to not feel well. This one made me laugh and cry! It is a poignant story about love lost and found. Give it a try!
Enjoy the sunny days! Summer went too fast, just like always. Don’t forget the sunscreen!
