Just a Fun Time at the Beach!

  This novel Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan tells the story of the Kellehers who own beach front property in Maine.  Is there more to the property then meets the eye?

Synopsis:

Alice and Daniel Kelleher win a piece of land in a high stakes poker game.  They decide to keep the property and summer up in Maine.  As the years go by the family continues to grow.  The motivations of the family for visiting Maine changes over time.  Their son Patrick and his wife Ann Marie create a schedule for when each member of the family can come.  Could there be more to his motivation?  His sisters Claire and Kathleen certainly think so!  His mother Alice just wants her family together.  What could Alice’s perception mean for the beach house over time?  Is there something from the past that could change everything?

My Thoughts: 

This was my first J. Courtney Sullivan novel.  I listened to the narration of the novel, and it was excellent!  This narrator did a great job of capturing each character.   I just didn’t enjoy this novel as much as I thought it would.

The novel is told from three different points of view:  Alice the matriarch, Anne-Marie her daughter-in-law, Kathleen her daughter and Maggie her grand-daughter.  I am familiar with this style of storytelling.  Some other authors use this style of storytelling Elin Hilderbrand, Catherine McKenzie, and Jennifer Weiner.  I am not a fan of this style of storytelling.  I wish the story would be told straight out.   

When you read the blurb it mentions a horrible accident.  You don’t find out about this horrible accident until the climax.  I had hoped the ending would be better.

Rating:

4/5

Please visit J. Courtney Sullivan on her Facebook Page, Twitter, and Her Website.