"A wonderful tale of keeping your eye on the prize and accepting unforeseen circumstances."
Reviewed by Sandra Wurman
Posted June 20, 2023
Women's Fiction Family Life | Women's Fiction
Few authors hold your attention and devotion for an ineffable number of years. Susan Wiggs is definitely one. Haven’t met a Susan Wiggs book that isn’t dog-eared from multiple reads. WELCOME TO BEACH TOWN is fated to become the latest in that category.
Visions, Susan Wiggs' books create visions with her use of scenery, of course, but more so with her use of thoughts and dialog. You would be amazed at what her characters think about, these are the insights into who they are, what they have experienced, and possibly what their future looks like.
Small examples of lines that just make you smile. For example. A bookstore in this small town The White Rabbit Bookstore with signage that says "feed your head." You are probably smiling already.
Beach Town is small but pretty mighty when you consider its history and attractions, especially for those that love anything surf related. Nikki and her dad Guy have made it their hometown. Life has given both of them some major heartaches, but they have learned to keep their heads above water. The surf is their lifeblood. And in WELCOME TO BEACH TOWN, Susan Wiggs tells the story of this father and daughter duo that has something incredibly special. Not a demonstrative love like some families. A unique bond that has stood the trials of life and time.
Folks make mistakes, take risky chances but in the end, it is those that form the basis of their true character. Nikki and Guy are great characters, and candidly great folk. They don’t see how wonderful they are. But we do.
WELCOME TO BEACH TOWN is a look at Nikki’s life starting as a teen girl with a single dad. It was as unconventional as could be and yet Nikki was a star. Independent as could be. Devoted friend. Intelligent and committed to being number one. Competition was in her veins. But the one thing she couldn’t do was change her status in Beach Town. She was a townie. No wealth, no important name, no status.
In short, Nikki was always looking for a way out of this town. But as luck would have it, she short-circuited her one golden ticket. She took a risk. And it totally changed the trajectory of her life plan. Time for a new one perhaps.
Life sometimes moves in a circle bringing you back to the beginning and hopefully directing you to new chances. In WELCOME TO BEACH TOWN, we get to watch the lives of several folks that live in this small shore town as they experience many life-altering events.
Simply put, this is a wonderful tale of keeping your eye on the prize and at the same time accepting unforeseen circumstances. Positively masterfully crafted by Susan Wiggs.
SUMMARY
Beloved New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs returns with a compulsively readable tale of an idyllic California beach town forced to reckon with scandal when a high school valedictorian’s speech reveals secrets that shake the town to its core.
Every town has its secrets...
In idyllic Alara Cove, a California beach town known for its sunny charm and chill surfer vibe, it’s graduation day at the elite Thornton Academy. At Thornton, the students are the worldly and overindulged children who live in gated enclaves with spectacular views. But the class valedictorian is Nikki Graziola, a surfer’s daughter who is there on scholarship. To the shock of everyone in the audience, Nikki veers off script while giving her commencement address and reveals a secret that breaks open the whole community. As her truth explodes into the light, Alara Cove will face a reckoning.
Nikki Graziola’s accusation shakes the foundation of Alara Cove, pitting her against the wealthy family whose money runs the town. Her new notoriety sends Nikki into exile for years, where she finds fame—but not fortune—overseas as a competition surfer...until a personal tragedy compels her to return to Alara Cove.
As Nikki struggles to rebuild her future, she finds that the people of the town have not forgotten her. But time has changed Alara Cove, and old friendships, rivalries, and an unexpected romance draw her back into the life of the beach town she’s never quite forgotten, and where joy and redemption may be possible after all.
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