Title: Welcome to Beach TownAuthor: Susan Wiggs
Published by: William Morrow on Jun. 20, 2023
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction
Pages: 336
Format: Hardcover
Source: Uplit Reads
Book Rating: 8.5/10
Every town has its secrets… In idyllic Alara Cove, a California beach town known for its sunny charm and chill surfer vibe, it’s graduation day at the elite Thornton Academy.
At Thornton, the students are the worldly and overindulged children who live in gated enclaves with spectacular views. But the class valedictorian is Nikki Graziola, a surfer’s daughter who is there on scholarship. To the shock of everyone in the audience, Nikki veers off script while giving her commencement address and reveals a secret that breaks open the whole community. As her truth explodes into the light, Alara Cove will face a reckoning. Nikki Graziola’s accusation shakes the foundation of Alara Cove, pitting her against the wealthy family whose money runs the town. Her new notoriety sends Nikki into exile for years, where she finds fame—but not fortune—overseas as a competition surfer…until a personal tragedy compels her to return to Alara Cove.
As Nikki struggles to rebuild her future, she finds that the people of the town have not forgotten her. But time has changed Alara Cove, and old friendships, rivalries, and an unexpected romance draw her back into the life of the beach town she’s never quite forgotten, and where joy and redemption may be possible after all.
Review:
Sincere, heart-tugging, and rewarding!
Welcome to Beach Town is an emotional, immersive, heartwarming tale that takes us into the life of the sweet, vulnerable Nikki Graziola as she struggles to juggle returning to her hometown that’s laced with tragic memories and a place she hoped she’d never have to live again, the overwhelming grief caused by the sudden loss of the love of her life, a strained relationship with a father she hardly knows, a determination to finally uncover all the secrets hidden by those in power, and a newly budding attraction to a friend she was pretty close with in the past.
The writing is sentimental and engaging. The characters are layered, supportive, and generous. And the plot is a touching tale of family, friendship, self-discovery, happiness, heartbreak, taking chances, growth, healing, revelations, tender moments, light drama, greed, corruption, selflessness, romance, and new beginnings.
Overall, Welcome to Beach Town is another heartwarming, uplifting, nostalgic tale that reminds us that the true meaning of family is unconditionally respecting, loving, supporting, and accepting each other through all the highs and lows. It’s the perfect read for summer that proves once again that when it comes to writing heartfelt, moving stories with characters you can’t help but root for, Wiggs is one of the best.
This novel is available now.
Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.
Thank you to Uplit Reads for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
About Susan Wiggs
Susan Wiggs's life is all about family, friends…and fiction. She lives at the water's edge on an island in Puget Sound, and in good weather, she commutes to her writers' group in a 21-foot motorboat. She’s been featured in the national media, including NPR, PRI, and USA Today, has given programs for the US Embassies in Buenos Aires and Montevideo, and is a popular speaker locally, nationally, internationally, and on the high seas.
From the very start, her writings have illuminated the everyday dramas of ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances. Her books celebrate the power of love, the timeless bonds of family and the fascinating nuances of human nature. Today, she is an international best-selling, award-winning author, with millions of copies of her books in print in numerous countries and languages. According to Publishers Weekly, Wiggs writes with "refreshingly honest emotion," and the Salem Statesman Journal adds that she is "one of our best observers of stories of the heart [who] knows how to capture emotion on virtually every page of every book." Booklist characterizes her books as "real and true and unforgettable."
Her novels have appeared in the #1 spot on the New York Times Bestseller List, and have captured readers’ hearts around the globe with translations into more than 20 languages and 30 countries. She is a three-time winner of the RITA Award,. Her recent novel, The Apple Orchard, is currently being made into a film, and The Lakeshore Chronicles has been optioned for adaptation into a series.
The author is a former teacher, a Harvard graduate, an avid hiker, an amateur photographer, a good skier and terrible golfer, yet her favorite form of exercise is curling up with a good book. She lives on an island in Puget Sound, where she divides her time between sleeping and waking.
