Last summer the must-read book was ‘The Cottage By The Sea’. I waited (not so patiently) for my turn to check it out from my local library. It was so worth the wait, much as any book written by Debbie Macomber certainly is. In light of the fact that she has no fewer than ten books out this last summer and coming fall, I thought a Friday Flashback would be enjoyable.
Annie has endured incredible loss. In one fell swoop, her entire family is killed in a freak landslide during the early morning hours of a Thanksgiving that she had decided she would not be attending. Spreading her adult wings she had made other plans for the weekend, which only adds to her survivor’s guilt as she moves back home to find her way through the legal mess that the tragedy has left behind.
As time goes on, she finds herself unable to work and depression has taken hold of her life. A chance memory of a loved family vacation spot sends her to a small beachside community. Her family’s favorite vacation cottage is empty and she easily finds a job reinforcing the idea that coming to this place is the right move for her.
Oceanside, is filled with many wonderful characters that the reader will both instantly fall in love with or want to avoid. Annie finds she isn’t the only person in need of healing and as wonderful as she finds her new town, she soon realizes it isn’t a place that makes that happen, but rather the people you surround yourself with. As Annie makes an impact on the lives of those around her, she finds that they have touched her in a special way as well. She is faced with some tough choices as she is given the chance to realize a dream she didn’t know she still had, even if it means leaving behind those she has come to love.
It is a fantastically told story with a full range of emotions.
I Read What You Write! 