Same Beach, Next Year: A Novel by Dorothea Benton Frank

(Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

New York Times bestselling author Dorothea Benton Frank returns to her magical Lowcountry of South Carolina in this bewitching story of marriage, love, family, and friendship that is infused with her warm and engaging earthy humor and generous heart.

One enchanted summer, two couples begin a friendship that will last more than twenty years and transform their lives.

A chance meeting on the Isle of Palms, one of Charleston’s most stunning barrier islands, brings former sweethearts, Adam Stanley and Eve Landers together again. Their respective spouses, Eliza and Carl, fight sparks of jealousy flaring from their imagined rekindling of old flames. As Adam and Eve get caught up on their lives, their partners strike up a deep friendship—and flirt with an unexpected attraction—of their own.

Year after year, Adam, Eliza, Eve, and Carl eagerly await their reunion at Wild Dunes, a condominium complex at the island’s tip end, where they grow closer with each passing day, building a friendship that will withstand financial catastrophe, family tragedy, and devastating heartbreak. The devotion and love they share will help them weather the vagaries of time and enrich their lives as circumstances change, their children grow up and leave home, and their twilight years approach.

Bursting with the intoxicating richness of Dorothea Benton Frank’s beloved Lowcountry—the sultry sunshine, cool ocean breezes, icy cocktails, and starry velvet skies—Same Beach, Next Year is a dazzling celebration of the infrangible power of friendship, the enduring promise of summer, and the indelible bonds of love.


my thoughts:

Okay, so I hadn't planned on reading anymore books by Dorothea Benton Frank (DBF) after the last one (All Summer Long), which I disliked so much that I couldn't even finish it (yes, it was that bad).  Luckily, I forgot about that plan and agreed to read her latest book, Same Beach, Next Year.  I say luckily, because I thoroughly enjoyed the book - it was the perfect summer beach read.  I'm serious.  I loved the writing, the characters, the low country setting/feel of the book, and the story itself. Same Beach, Next Year was a fantastic read and I enjoyed every minute I spent with it.

Adam and Eliza are on vacation with their kids.  They are having fun in the sun.  And then one day they meet Carl and Eve, another married couple on vacation.  Adam and Eve claim to have been friends once upon a time.  Except, that's not the whole truth.  Nope.  Adam and Eve were more than just friends once upon a time and the attraction they once had manages to spark right in front of their spouses.  Yep.  Talk about jealousy!  And yet, the foursome remain friends and continue to meet up every summer to vacation together.  Decades pass by and secrets are revealed.  People change and so do relationships.  Something happens that threatens to ruin the happy foursome.  And that is all I will say.

Talk about addictive! How could I not fall in deep with this book?  It tackles love, friendship, marriage, and self-discovery.  Its the perfect book to settle down with under the hot Florida sun and get lost in. I just loved it!  And, now I can't wait to read more of DBF's books - yep, I will definitely be giving her other books a chance now.  I would definitely recommend Same Beach, Next Year to fans of DBF and anyone looking for their next great read - you will LOVE this book!!

Here's the link to the TLC Book Tour schedule for: Same Beach, Next Year

Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!