Good Reads: "The Beach House" by Jane Green

"Known in Nantucket as the crazy woman who lives in the rambling house atop the bluff, Nan doesn’t care what people think. At sixty-five-years old, her husband died twenty years ago, her beauty has faded, and her family has flown. If her neighbors are away, why shouldn’t she skinny dip in their swimming pools and help herself to their flowers? But when she discovers the money she thought would last forever is dwindling and she could lose her beloved house, Nan knows she has to make drastic changes.

So Nan takes out an ad: Rooms to rent for the summer in a beautiful old Nantucket home with water views and direct access to the beach. Slowly, people start moving into the house, filling it with noise, with laughter, and with tears. As the house comes alive again, Nan finds her family expanding. Her son comes home for the summer, and then an unexpected visitor turns all their lives upside-down."

(courtesy of Jane Green's website)



I loooooooooved this story!! I literally could not put it down. I completed it within 2 weeks- I think that's a record for me! Something about the Nantucket location (Josh and I visited Nantucket on our honeymoon) and the quirky characters made me feel like I was home with family again.

The characters were all very different from one another and I enjoyed reading from each of their perspectives. They all had their own challenges to face in their personal lives which lead them to renting a room from Nan's home. Together they discover their true selves through dealing with their past and celebrating new beginnings.

To me this book was about facing harsh realities, growing from your mistakes and being comfortable with a new you. It exposes issues from death to divorce, to raising children and having an affair. Whether it's the character or the issue, you are sure to relate somehow and grow from reading this!