An emotionally thought-provoking novel about two entangled couples who face a betrayal that tests their love and loyalty.
Susan Mallery takes a surprisingly deep
dive into the complicated dynamics of family and friendship in her emotionally
resonant novel, Beach Vibes.
Two sets of adult siblings--two women and
their two brothers--anchor the story, which centers on Beth Nield, a recently
divorced, 38-year-old who owns and operates Surf Sandwiches, an eatery in
Malibu, Calif.
Workaholic Beth now lives with her
67-year-old, widowed Aunt Agatha who took in Beth and Rick, her younger brother
by three years, when they were just children. Protective, self-sacrificing Beth
always looked out for Rick—proudly rooting on her smart, good-looking,
charmingly single brother, who is now a “big-shot surgeon.” When Beth starts to
volunteer at a local food bank, she meets Jana Mead, a hard-working medical
billing clerk who dreams of becoming a nurse. Jana is a single mother to a
precocious four-year-old and lives with her widowed brother, Teddy, and his
four children. As Beth and Jana strike up a friendship, Beth realizes that Jana
is actually dating her brother, Rick. The lives of these four people intersect
and overlap, and Beth starts a romance with Teddy. Problems arise, however,
when a betrayal amidst the quartet raises questions surrounding love and
loyalty, while also testing the bonds of family and friendship.
A welcome wave of thought-provoking dilemmas washes over what initially appears a breezy beach read. First-rate storyteller Mallery (One Big Happy Family) intimately plumbs the depths of perception and self-discovery.
Canary Street Press, $30.00 hardcover, 9781335402530, 384 pages
Publication Date: March 18, 2025Learn more about Susan Mallery HERE
