#beachread

All Ruth wants to do as she arrives in Provincetown is to settle into her new, albeit temporary, home. She has just sold her lucrative cosmetics business and is searching for her forever home in this place where her happiest memories were borne; a place to gather her thoughts to focus on her next phase of life. She also sees this as an opportunity to reflect on her past and to potentially rectify her errors. As she approaches the lovely rental home where she will spend the summer, she is immediately met with frustration. Where are the keys to her home that were supposed to be in the mailbox? And, more dramatically, who is this baby who’s been abandoned at her front door? This is most definitely more than she bargained for, but yet it may be just what she needs to heal.

This is a delightful summer/beach read, taking place in one of the summeriest, beachiest spots I know. While Ruth is struggling to reconcile her workaholic past, one that has overshadowed her relationship with both her ex-husband and her daughter, she is also met with a warm cast of characters who are reconciling struggles of their own. She meets Elise and Fern, a couple who have been tortured by infertility that is threatening their very marriage. She meets the warm Barros family, a close-knit, traditional Portuguese family who embrace Ruth and quickly include her as one of their own. And she is fortunate enough to befriend Amelia, who is a virtual mother to all: kind and wise, guiding all around her with patience. And this, all while trying to repair the damage she feels she’s caused to her relationship with her daughter. I challenge you not to love each of these characters.

It also doesn’t hurt that it does take place in one of my favorite places. References to Commercial Street, the Red Inn, and Herring Cove bring back warm memories for me. Provincetown is a place where one can be whoever they are – truly anything goes! And it’s dazzling.

A lovely read. Warm, cozy, and yes, a bit corny – but isn’t that what summers are for???