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    Return to the Beach House
    Return to the Beach House
    Return to the Beach House
    Audiobook9 hours

    Return to the Beach House

    Written by Georgia Bockoven

    Narrated by Joell A. Jacob

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Alison arrives at the beach house in June to spend a month with her restless grandson before he leaves for his freshman year in college. Over a decade before, Alison lost her beloved husband and has faced life alone ever since. Now she discovers a new life and a possible new love.

    August brings together four college friends facing a milestone. Across summer's final days, they share laughter, tears, and love-revealing long-held secrets and creating new and even more powerful bonds.

    World-class wildlife photographer Matthew and award-winning war photographer Lindsey arrive at the beach house in January, each harboring the very real fear that it will mark the end of their decade-long love affair. Alone in the house's warm peace, they will be forced to truly look at who they are and what they want.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateOct 20, 2014
    ISBN9781494575038
    Return to the Beach House
    Author

    Georgia Bockoven

    Georgia Bockoven is an award-winning author who began writing fiction after a successful career as a freelance journalist and photographer. Her books have sold more than three million copies worldwide. The mother of two, she resides in Northern California with her husband, John.

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    Reviews for Return to the Beach House

    4/5

    46 ratings18 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      I liked how the author wrote this book. The book is divided into parts; each part represents a summer month. During the month, different renters reside in the beach house and the reader is allowed a glimpse into their lives. Near month’s end, the current renters prepare the house for the new renters, as everyone knows one another.It was though I was reading three short stories in one book, however the author did a fantastic job of tying the renters’ stories together. The Beach House is about picking up the pieces after a loss and beginning again.
    • 4/5
      Received pre-publication copy from TheReadingRoom and HarperCollins Publishers.I know that many readers pay very close attention to book covers. I usually do not. However, I was very attracted to this cover from first glance, and then the description captivated my attention to request the novel and I was lucky enough to receive a copy.Publisher's description:"Over the course of one year, in a charming cottage by the sea, eight people will discover love and remembrance, reconciliation and reunion, beginnings and endings in this unforgettable sequel to Georgia Bockhoven's 'The Beach House' and 'Another Summer'..."The illustration on the title page is the image in my mind as I reflect on treasured vacation memories and the dreams of vacation times yet to be. The illustration is then repeated on the pages that introduce Part 1: June; Part 2: August; and Part 3: January. There is also an illustration of a seashell which opens the first paragraph of each chapter. I became thoroughly ensconced in Part 1 and was absolutely taken by surprise when it came to a crashing halt. I immediately identified with the owner of the beach house as I turned the same age this year. Then as Alison, the first rental client met the next-door neighbor Grace with the perfectly organized binder to welcome Alison 'home' to the beach house, the story that evolved became a page-turner for me. I had long forgotten the publisher's description and didn't read the back cover of the book before reading the novel so I missed the clues that Part 1 would come to as crashing a halt as the crashing ocean waves on the jetty.Although I could appreciate the friendship of the women being introduced in Part 2, I wasn't ready to meet them as I was still longing to read more about Alison, Grace, Kyle, and Christopher. But as I began Part 3, I truly understood that I had started to think about the novel from the wrong perspective. As I adjusted my thoughts to the part of treasured vacation memories from early adulthood, I remembered the years that my Mother and I returned to the same beach house rental each summer after my Father died. It was a very cathartic time for us - still enjoying vacation time at the beloved ocean shore but in a different neighboring beach community to create new memories of our own and to share that special bond in the same beach house rental each year with the owners that Mother and I had developed our own unique relationship.As I came to the different perspective to the author's presentation of the story, I can say that I loved the novel in its entirety. The author and publisher gave me a special gift in receiving this novel - not only for the gift of a beautifully illustrated paperback with perfect touches to envelope me as a reader into the setting of the story but also to ponder that there are many twists and turns in life where a brief change of perspective can bring new delights and appreciation to our world if only we were always open to more possibilities. The novel touched my heart in ways I couldn't have even perceived possible when I requested a copy to read. I can't wait to read 'The Beach House', 'Another Summer' and more titles written by Georgia Bockoven.
    • 2/5
      I am going to start out by saying I was disappointed with this book. I wanted the story of the characters in the Beach House to continue. I wanted to know what happened to Peter and Katherine and Chris. But, that wasn't the way this book worked. You do find out about Julia - she still owns the house. But she isn't really a character in this story.

      The format is the same with different tenants each month of summer. The continuing characters are the girls who live next door and help care for the house instead of Julia.

      Again, I cared about the characters. But, not as much.
      I felt a little cheated.
      I am a series gal - I like stories that continue through volumes like Harry Potter and Gabladon's Outlander series.
      I am not so interested in vignettes.

      So - although the book was fun to read. It was also ok to end.

      My 4th vacation book!! Yippee!!
    • 4/5
      Three novellas wrapped up together in a beach house on the coast of California. The book is a follow up to The Beach House, but it wasn't necessary to have read the first. The tales are of a grandmother and her college age grandson, four women holding a reunion, and two photographers who have always put their jobs before their relationship. The stories follow each other over the course of one year in the life of the house. I enjoyed the descriptions of the coastline and the warmth of the stories. The ages of the characters were varied and the stories differed as a result. While I'm not a big fan of novellas, I spend a couple of pleasant evening reading this book.
    • 5/5
      This novel made me smile, a continuation from THE BEACH HOUSE and ANOTHER SUMMER, I believe. It involved new people and old coming together once again to share in different phases of their life. This one dealt with younger adults starting their life so it will be a great addition to my 21 year old daughters christmas stocking.
    • 5/5
      I am not usually one to read a book that is part of a series without first reading the rest of the series but this book is a great stand alone book. It is a book that includes a few takes revolving around one beach house. The characters in the book were well developed and I felt I really had time to get to know each one even though the book was really three short stories in one. I would definatly recommend this book to others.
    • 4/5
      I hate starting in the middle of a series so I was happy to find that Return to the Beach House stands alone very nicely. The author does throw a lot of names at you at the beginning of each of the three short stories, but it’s manageable. With all the different characters in each story, I thought the author did a great job sharing everyone’s perspectives and transitioning smoothly between characters.

      My one complaint with this book is that it was simply too short. I loved that each story involved characters dealing with relatable life challenges. They were all very emotional and really pulled me in. However, the short length made it inevitable that conflicts would often be tied up too neatly or inadequately. That meant this book fell squarely in the light, feel-good, beach read category for me. I was still impressed by some of the tough topics that were tackled though and overall I found the book a fun, enjoyable read.

      This review first published at Doing Dewey.
    • 5/5
      This is a most entertaining read. Two two-somes and a quartet rent the same beach house at different times of the year. The first is a grandmother and her grandson who both fall in love quickly, she with a used car salesman (who is much more) and he with the girl next door. The quartet is a group of four college friends who are having a reunion after a long absence with each other. They re-learn how to lean on each other in times of need. The last couple are lovers who see each other infrequently because of their demanding careers. This time in the beach house could heal their relationship or finish them forever. The overall theme is love and reconciliation, finding out what is really important. The beach can do that for you. This book can get you started. It's a one evening read of pure pleasure. My thanks to the author and The Reading Room for a complimentary copy.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this very good beach read. Return to the Beach House was more than good and I especially liked the characters and the beach location. Being a grandmother myself, I thought the relationship between grandmother and grandson was interesting. Since the summer beach season is upon us, readers who like this genre won' go wrong taking this novel with them to the beach!
    • 4/5
      Received pre-publication copy from TheReadingRoom and HarperCollins Publishers.

      I know that many readers pay very close attention to book covers. I usually do not. However, I was very attracted to this cover from first glance, and then the description captivated my attention to request the novel and I was lucky enough to receive a copy.

      Publisher's description:
      "Over the course of one year, in a charming cottage by the sea, eight people will discover love and remembrance, reconciliation and reunion, beginnings and endings in this unforgettable sequel to Georgia Bockhoven's 'The Beach House' and 'Another Summer'..."
      The illustration on the title page is the image in my mind as I reflect on treasured vacation memories and the dreams of vacation times yet to be. The illustration is then repeated on the pages that introduce Part 1: June; Part 2: August; and Part 3: January. There is also an illustration of a seashell which opens the first paragraph of each chapter. I became thoroughly ensconced in Part 1 and was absolutely taken by surprise when it came to a crashing halt. I immediately identified with the owner of the beach house as I turned the same age this year. Then as Alison, the first rental client met the next-door neighbor Grace with the perfectly organized binder to welcome Alison 'home' to the beach house, the story that evolved became a page-turner for me. I had long forgotten the publisher's description and didn't read the back cover of the book before reading the novel so I missed the clues that Part 1 would come to as crashing a halt as the crashing ocean waves on the jetty.

      Although I could appreciate the friendship of the women being introduced in Part 2, I wasn't ready to meet them as I was still longing to read more about Alison, Grace, Kyle, and Christopher. But as I began Part 3, I truly understood that I had started to think about the novel from the wrong perspective. As I adjusted my thoughts to the part of treasured vacation memories from early adulthood, I remembered the years that my Mother and I returned to the same beach house rental each summer after my Father died. It was a very cathartic time for us - still enjoying vacation time at the beloved ocean shore but in a different neighboring beach community to create new memories of our own and to share that special bond in the same beach house rental each year with the owners that Mother and I had developed our own unique relationship.

      As I came to the different perspective to the author's presentation of the story, I can say that I loved the novel in its entirety. The author and publisher gave me a special gift in receiving this novel - not only for the gift of a beautifully illustrated paperback with perfect touches to envelope me as a reader into the setting of the story but also to ponder that there are many twists and turns in life where a brief change of perspective can bring new delights and appreciation to our world if only we were always open to more possibilities. The novel touched my heart in ways I couldn't have even perceived possible when I requested a copy to read. I can't wait to read 'The Beach House', 'Another Summer' and more titles written by Georgia Bockoven.
    • 4/5
      Before I started this one I had to read the book that comes before this (The Beach House)! I am so glad that I did. I loved this story, from the setting to the characters to the storyline...all of it. It is a book that makes you crave warm weather and summer. But it was more than that...the story made you savor each word because you cared about what happened to all these characters. What a great read. I recommend this series for a great summer read. 4 stars
    • 4/5
      When I read The Beach House by Bockoven, I really enjoyed the story, the setting and the main character, young widow, Julia, who decided to rent out her California beach house. The book is comprised of stories of the different couples/people who rented the house and how it changed their lives. In Return to the Beach House, Bockoven continues the same theme and it is every bit as wonderful as the first book.

      I think I really liked the first story best; Allison, who lost both her son and husband in a tragedy, wants to spend a month getting in some quality time with her grandson before he goes off to college. Bockoven does an amazing job at bringing these characters to life while showing their inner emotions and how they coped with changes in their life. Such a heartwarming story!

      The next story was about four college friends who have had some adverse things in life to cope with. Some fun times, some very emotional times and some secrets are shared.

      The last story is about two lovers, one a photographer and one a war weary photo=journalist. They finally make some time to come together, put their jobs aside for the present and come to realize what is most important in their lives.

      All three stories are very entertaining with the magic of the setting and the house itself helping to heal and nurture. Bockoven fleshes out each character to the fullest and I was really invested emotionally in their lives. Recommended for readers who love family/friends' stories, coming of age and love stories.

      Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.
    • 5/5
      As I am writing this review, I see that the star rating is at 3.4. Well, my rating is five (5) stars. Return to the Beach House was so enjoyable to me. The setting was lovely, the characters so very likeable, and the plot was interesting. With the summer beach season coming, readers who enjoy this genre can't go wrong picking this book up.

      My one regret is that I didn't read the first book in the series before reading this. Nonetheless, I did love this story.
    • 3/5
      I really wanted to love this book. Some characters, especially Grace, grabbed at my heart with two swift hands and never let go. The settIng was lovely, and I want a week at the beach house myself. But despite my wish, I did not love this book. There were just too many holes in the story for me.

      The book is a sequel, and the prologue requires more of the story than the reader is given. Who were Joe and Maggie? Her first in-laws? Caretakers of the house? Previous owners? I have no idea. Grace is introduce with lovely description and back story, then two-thirds of the way through the book her stepsister Rebecca appears, also with an interesting story, but out of nowhere. I even re-read the prologue to try to find her but she truly landed from a past unknown to the reader of the current book.

      The structure of the book was clever and promising. The stories of the beach house renters, two summer and one winter, build a novel that was more like a collection of novellas flanked by the thoughts of the owner at beginning and end. I loved all of the renters as well as the others who enter their lives, but that became my second complaint. For the first two rental stories, I felt like the door was slammed in my face at the last moment. After investing in the characters, the story built toward climax then cut abruptly to the resolution, leaving the reader to scurry behind wondering what happened. The third story was different and did involve the reader through until the natural end of the problems, and it was very gracefully done.

      The book has so much promise. I know I would like it better if I had read the first book immediately beforehand, but I did expect the book to be able to stand alone a bit better.

      Note: I received an advanced copy of this book through the LibraryThing early reviewer program in return for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      Return To The Beach House by Georgia Bockoven
      I have not read the first book in this series but will probably get it to read as I like this one so much.
      Story starts out in June with Aliison Kirpatrick and she's vacationing on the west coast where her grandson joins her for a month before he heads off to college.
      He's into horses and he meets up with Grace-who's cooking for her dad next door who's into surfing and tending the orchid nursery. They trade horse lessons for surfing lessons.
      What I love about this is the lessons about riding a horse-what not to do. I can't wait to try it for myself, when I do get to go. Love that Alison also has a life and love her exploring of the area as the places she's going to, describing were ones we didn't stop at on our trip up the PCH.
      This book is broken up into sections where each section is about a different couple that are staying at the beach house at a different time during the year.
      So interesting to learn about them all, their careers and what they love about the ocean and surrounding areas. He learns things about his father and grandfather that help him to stir himself into a new direction after the summer ends.
      Alison realizes some truths also....
      August story: Four women who went to college reunite at the beach house and catch up on why they didn't get together at the 5 year mark. So many different problems. Love the secret they've carried with them for years.
      Sad to hear of some of their secrets but glad when others are revealed.
      January story: Love that this story starts out with an update from the first story! This one is about a photographer who's at the airport to meet his girlfriend.
      Love the stories of the photography part. Lindsey is not adjusting to being back in the states and does not want to go back to the war zone.
      House seems so different to all the occupants but it makes them feel like they are home with just one item.
      They must come to terms about their relationship and work....
      End of the book has the author's other works which I'll be checking into myself.
      I received this book from Library Thing via the author in exchange for my honest review.
    • 4/5
      Definitely a good choice for your summer reading pleasure. Three different stories all connected to the Beach House. Different people, but they all interconnect. This book held my attention, and I liked the fact that the setting was the same with different characters. Each had their own challenges, but it is an upbeat book and well worth the read. Highly recommended.
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed the first story very much...warm, believe able. When story two started, I had a bit of trouble adjusting. Your phrase about the names being alphabetical was clever and helped me make the flip over. Story three, felt like grasping for straws to fill a chapter...not believe able and I couldn't put this couple in that beach house.
    • 3/5
      Return To The Beach House covers a year in the life of a Beach House and the people who stay there, their histories of joy and sorrow, friendship, and love. There are three different stories with interwoven characters from the neighborhood, who form relationships with the guests.I enjoyed the last two stories best. It's an easy read.