Beach Girls

Thought I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Good Job! Ms. Rice. Would highly recommend it to someone else for an enjoyable read.

Since I am spending my summer layoff on the beach, I bought this book and I really liked it. I felt connected with the characters right away, which is a big part of whether or not I even finish reading a book. I laughed and cried a little as I read about the adventures of the 'Beach Girls' - as they were and what they became. The use of flashbacks is a clever tool, the characters are closely intertwined. Young Nell is a spitfire and helps to bring it all together, with some help from the mysterious Stevie. I will definitely be checking out more from this author.

This story was so well written I felt I was one of the Beach Girls. It is a very sensitive story about how trauma and love gone wrong effects people. The beauty of it is in the telling of how they heal and go on with their lives. It is not maudlin at all but very smooth and lovely in the telling. You will like this story if you enjoy the beach scenes and nature and you will even taste a bit of Scotland's beaches too. The story evokes a sense of peace and beauty as the creative works of the artists come together and love remains.

My first experience of Luanne Rice nets a treasure on so many different levels. I picked this volume up at a second hand store - the cover attracted me and I was looking for an "entertainment only" read. What I wasn't expecting and was thrilled to find was a discussion of the arts, what is sacred, what is failure and what is success, and how important it is to keep human - actually all being - connections alive. Yes, it is classified as a "Romance" but the "Romance" is as much about Romancing Life - Romancing a child's heart - as it is a romance between a man or woman. Perhaps its Romance among Men, Women, and the breath of Life itself. This is an excellent example of a "simple, entertaining read" being so much more for the willing, open reader. Thank you, Ms. Rice - for bringing me such a delightful gift - exactly the words I needed wrapped up in a lush package of fiction.

Every summer, Luanne Rice releases a PB book which usually has some connection to the previous summer's release. BEACH GIRLS is no exception, with references to Bay & Tara who first appeared in last year's PERFECT SUMMER (2003), and even a small reference to Mrs. Renwick, who first appeared in FIREFLY BEACH, then later in PERFECT SUMMER. The PB novels, which are released every summer, don't usually excite me as much or grab my attention the way that Luanne Rice's HC releases do each Jan/Feb. (I have to admit - I never even finished reading FIREFLY BEACH because I just couldn't get into it!). BEACH GIRLS was another story, however. This story seemed to follow the same pattern that Luanne Rice's HC books seem to go, with a heavier, emotionally charged story with several characters intertwined and connected by the heart. I was pleasantly surprised. I have been reading Luanne Rice since a friend loaned me their copy of CLOUD NINE shortly after its original release. I have been hooked ever since, and have become quite the fan. The PB books which she releases in the summer always seem to be a fast paced, light-hearted read, meant to be read quickly, and then seem to be soon-forgotten. They aren't as emotionally charged as her HC books are, but BEACH GIRLS was different. I don't think I would compare this book to the Ya-Ya books (as some have done here), although it does refer to the bonds between Best Friends. I do find similarities to Judy Blume's SUMMER SISTERS, Debbie Macomber's SHOP ON BLOSSOM STREET and BETWEEN FRIENDS, and Kristin Hannah's THINGS WE DO FOR LOVE. These are some of my favorite authors/books, and now BEACH GIRLS is right up there, earning a high rating and recommendation from me. Anyone who enjoys a story about true friendship, and the love and bonds between family & friends, will thoroughly enjoy this book. It's all there - the three best friends who grew up spending summers together on the beach; a close brother/sister relationship which is put to the test when one of the siblings feels betrayed by the other; the tender and innocent child who brings them all together. It's all there for readers to enjoy, without being overly melodramatic. Of course it's predictable. Luanne Rice has been writing women's fiction for more than 10 years now, and all of her stories carry the same themes and are meant to pull at the reader's heartstrings. With all the connections to previous novels, what does one expect? I don't think that Luanne Rice's summer PBs are the best novels to draw in new fans and attract readers - I think the HC books are much better at grabbing readers' attention and stopping their hearts. But BEACH GIRLS was different, and I think that someone who has never read a Luanne Rice novel before, would be easily enticed into picking up another one of her previous books - perhaps even reading PERFECT SUMMER, in order to get the background on Bay & Tara!! But if a new reader isn't interested in going back