ISBN: 978-1501125461
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication Date: 6/20/2017
Format: Hardcover
My Rating: 5 Stars Two women. One summer. One very special house. Two women from different generations are bound together by a beloved beach house. Cara Rutledge, 50, rents her quaint beach house on Isle of Palms to Heather Wyatt, 26, for the summer. Heather’s anxiety keeps her indoors with her caged canaries until the shorebirds–and a man who rescues them–lure her out to the beach.
As the summer progresses and Heather’s heart opens to the rhythms of the island, Cara’s life reels with sudden tragedy. When their worlds shift like the sand under their feet these two very different women come together to discover their common bonds and unique strengths. So at summer’s end they, like the migrating shorebirds that come to the island every summer, too, can take flight.
A special thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an early reading copy. Review to follow.
Praise
"Reading this novel feels like a long, luxurious trip to the beach. Mary Alice Monroe writes gorgeously, with authority and tenderness, about the natural world and its power to inspire, transport, and to heal. Readers will love this story of two unforgettable women–one reeling from an unexpected tragedy, the other drawn into a daring and passionate new love." (--#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs)
"Mary Alice Monroe understands that a house is never just a house. As we revisit The Beach House we are immersed in the heartbeat and pulse of her South Carolina Lowcountry as never before. Monroe’s singular ability to blend the natural world with the emotional world allows for a gorgeous novel, wondrously both bittersweet and also life-affirming. The story reveals its secrets with shorebirds and human hearts at the center of its graceful axis. No one else tells an insightful and powerful story quite like Mary Alice Monroe—and in BEACH HOUSE FOR RENT, you won’t be able to stop reading--for even that glass of sweet tea.” (--New York Times bestselling author Patti Callahan Henry)
“BEACH HOUSE FOR RENT is a story woven with passion for the diversity of shorebirds and seabirds that live on South Carolina beaches. From brown pelicans that nest on the outer edges of our coast to red knots stopping to feed on their way to artic breeding grounds, Monroe’s thoroughly researched information about these bird’s behaviors and conservation status will inspire any reader to share the beach with the feathered creatures that make the ocean’s edge their home.” –Felicia Sanders, South Carolina Shorebird Coordinator (SCDNR)
“Readers interested in environmental fiction highlighting endangered birds, turtles, and lands will delight in this latest novel featuring women who need the healing power of nature.” —Library Journal, starred review
“It is a wholesome, uplifting novel that demonstrates the emotional strength that love can give, and reminds us of the kindness we can share with others. It’s easy to see what this author holds close to her heart. She begs us to take better care of our wildlife, especially along our shores. She teaches us about brown pelicans, red knots and sea turtles, and she schools us on the correlation between the shore bird population and ocean health … prepare yourself for a masterpiece of imagery.” –Brian Favretto, Manasquan Life Magazine 08742 Living Magazine
About the Author
New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe found her true calling in environmental fiction when she moved to coastal South Carolina. Already a successful author, she was captivated by the beauty and fragility of her new home. Her experiences living in the midst of a habitat that was quickly changing gave her a strong and important focus for her novels.
Mary Alice Monroe writes richly textured books that delve into the complexities of interpersonal relationships and the parallels between the land and life. Monroe’s novels are published worldwide. With the same heart of conservation, Monroe has written two children’s picture books as well.
Her novels have achieved many lists, including the New York Times, USA Today and SIBA. She has received numerous awards, including several Readers’ Choice Awards; the 2014 SC Book Festival Award for Excellence in Writing; the 2015 SW Florida Book Festival Distinguished Author Award; RT Lifetime Achievement Award; and the 2008 South Carolina Center for the Book Award for Writing.
Monroe was also featured at the National Festival of the Book. In 2011, her novel The Butterfly’s Daughter won the International Book Award for Green Fiction. It was also selected as a finalist for the 2012 Book of the Year by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA).
Monroe’s novel The Beach House will be adapted into a Hallmark Channel Original Movie, starring three-time Golden Globe nominee Andie MacDowell and premiering exclusively on the network in 2016.
Monroe lives with her family on a barrier island outside Charleston, South Carolina. She is an active conservationist and serves on the Board of the South Carolina Aquarium, The Leatherback Trust, and Charleston Literacy Volunteers. She is a frequent speaker at book festivals, conferences, and private events. Monroe is also a frequent contributor to magazines and blogs. Read More
