The Beach House

I loved this book! Could picture myself and a few friends doing the same thing! Showed how friendships can be repaired and hearts healed. Anyone in their late 30's to mid 40's could probably relate to one of the characters and enjoy this read. Whether you're married, single, in a strained relationship, etc...this will encourage you.

Reviewed by Cherri Vanover and Kim Peterson for Reader Views (12/06) A beach house in San Diego provides the setting for the reunion of childhood best friends Jo, Andie, Molly and Char. A feeling of homesickness while looking at an old photograph prompts Jo to invite the group to California to rekindle their friendship. The women celebrate their fortieth birthdays together. The friends have all but drifted apart in the twelve years that have slipped by since they were last together at Molly's wedding. Although they feel delighted to reconnect, getting away doesn't bring the escape from everyday life that they expected. Their past link is influenced by their present situations. The once spunky Andie has faded into a fearful, mousy person under the influence of disparaging husband Paul. Molly and Scott are redefining their marriage now that the former stay-at-home mom and pastor's wife works outside the home as a substitute teacher. A single doctor, Jo struggles to keep from drowning her guilt about past career and relationship choices with alcohol. Neglected dentist's wife and mother Char seems to be overly friendly with her next door neighbor, Todd. While the beach house setting encourages readers to visit, it is John's characters who invite them to stay. Jo, Andie, Molly and Char seem like real women with real problems readers can relate to and learn from in their own daily lives. Upon finding herself in a predicament that she doesn't like yet believes to be God's will, Molly prays, "Change my heart. Please change my heart." As Andie attempts to check off items on her "Adventure List," she hears in her spirit, "All you have to do is let go." John uses her characters' conflicts to share her faith with her audience in a situational rather than preachy way. What Christian fiction often aims at but struggles to do, John seems to accomplish with ease. This conversational style not only keeps the reader turning pages but also empowers readers to consider and listen for spiritual solutions to their own problems. John creates a delightfully inviting setting, endearing main characters, intriguing secondary characters and a faith-based story with a message that lingers long after the last page. Fans of women's contemporary Christian fiction will find "The Beach House" a satisfying read.

What an awesome book. It is such a great story of friendship, and what friendship is really about for women. Celebrating all that we are, our differences, our sameness. I laughed, I cried, - A great story. This author does a great job. I'm going to find more of her books. Oh and by the way, a great guideline for turning corners!

I have been a long time reader of Sally John's books, and never once have I been disappointed. In The Beach House, Sally John weaves a lovely story of four childhood friends who have just turned 40, but have lost contact over the last twelve years. To celebrate their respective birthdays, they agree to share a beach house for one week and re-connect. Each woman is experiencing a time of trial, and Sally's expertise and style of writing sweeps the reader along in a medley of emotion, spiritual encouragement, and laughter. What more could a reader want?

When four women reunite to celebrate their fortieth birthdays in San Diego, past meets present, and their lives are changed forever. An irresistible desire for the closeness they used to share prompts Dr. Jo Zambruski to invite her childhood friends Char, Molly and Andie to California. The women look forward to the camaraderie of old friends and escape from everyday life, but inevitably, relaxation turns to reflection, and each guest must face t\he struggles and decisions she brought along with her sandals and sunglasses. What's in this house by the sea that helps four old friends reconnect? If they give each other a week to be transparent with one another, will long-hidden secrets finally be revealed? Will they find the answers together they have struggled to find alone? Talented author Sally John weaves a web around her readers, drawing them into her characters' world. I read this book in two sittings, unable to put it down. These ladies came alive, each with a crossroads-crisis in her life. John offers wonderful insight into each woman's make up, and how she handles her problems. I loved how she portrays Molly's faith: strong for others, but her own in peril. Andie struggles with debilitating fear; Char, temptation from a marriage that's stagnant, and Jo is caught in a tidal wave of emotions, carried on the crest by guilt. Sally John seamlessly ties the sub-plots together through masterful writing. Her secondary characters are just as delightful as the main ones and tote a tad of mystery around them. When I turned the last page of The Beach House, I sighed. I didn't want it to end. I wanted to know more about these ladies. But, oh, what a satisfying read-one of the best of the year. This was the first novel I'd read by Sally John, but you can bet I'll seek out other novels by her. She's hooked another fan!