I have never read a Shelley Noble novel before, but I sure am glad I gave
WHISPER BEACH a try. The story takes place in the small New Jersey
shore town of Whisper Beach where everyone knows everyone else, and
they are all in each other's business. I grew up in a small town in New
Jersey, and I know exactly how that feels. Vanessa survived a rough
childhood and as soon as she could, she left and never said goodbye to
anyone. No one knew where she went or why. Some people thought she
had died.
Fast forward, twelve years later and Van is back in WHISPER BEACH for
the funeral of her cousin's husband. She thinks she can just sneak in and
out and no one will say anything to her. She couldn't be more wrong. Her
past is coming back in a big way. Before she left, something tragic
happened and she knew she had to get away. She left behind her
boyfriend Joe, and while she has supposedly gotten over the past, Joe has
never really let her and their memories go.
My heart was breaking for Joe and at times I wanted to shake some sense
into Van. How could she leave someone as perfect as Joe behind? Dorie,
who was the woman Van always ran to when things got tough, invites
Van to stay for a few days and work through some issues. Dorie's husband
has blown through all of their money from the restaurant Dorie owns, and
she is now nearly bankrupt. Van decides to help Dorie get her finances in
order and begin making money again, all the while trying to hide from Joe,
and it is not going well.
WHISPER BEACH is a wonderful story of friendship but also about learning
to let go of the past and moving on. Each of the characters come to terms
with their memories and take a second look at their loyalty and friendship to
one another. I love how Shelley Noble described life in a small town because she
is spot on. Please do not think WHISPER BEACH is your typical beach
read. It is so much more and as soon as you start reading you will find the
hours slipping away, and you won't be able to turn the pages fast enough to
see what is going to happen next. I can't wait to read more by Shelley
Noble.
When a group of friends reunite in the idyllic beach town where they grew
up, they must reevaluate their loyalty to one another or lose their friendship
forever
Twelve years ago, Vanessa "Van" Moran fell in love and lost her virginity—but
not to the same boy. She fled Whisper Beach desperate and pregnant, never
telling a soul about her secret. Now a professional Manhattan organizer, she
must return home for the first time to attend the funeral of her best friend's
husband. Van intends to only stay for a weekend, but her plans fall by the
wayside as the troubles of this coastal town draw her in.
Dorie, the owner of the pier's infamous Blue Crab Restaurant where Van and her
friends worked as teenagers, enlists Van's help to save the nearly bankrupt
eatery. While Van throws herself into this new task, the man she once loved
reenters her life, willing to pick up where they left off.
As the restaurant begins to thrive and Van reconnects with old friends, trouble
comes from an unexpected source and she realizes she must face the decisions of
her past or sacrifice this new life she has so carefully built.
For Van, this summer will test the meaning of friendship and trust—and how far
love can bend before it breaks.
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