THE BEACH TREES
Karen White
ISBN: 978-0-451-23307-3  (Trade Paperback)
ASIN: B004RKXN7G (Kindle eBook)
May 2011 (Trade Paperback)
May 2011 (Kindle)
Penguin Putnam/NAL
Contemporary Women’s Fiction

Julie Holt and Monica Guidry become best friends with the young artist Monica, who because of artistry and zest for life had reminded Julie of her long lost sister who had disappeared some 17 years ago and whom Julie was still looking for.  After Monica, who had congestive heart failure died, Julie received a legacy of a beach house as well as guardianship of Monica’s five year old son Beau.  Julie decided to head to Biloxi and discover the beach house Monica had so loved and to discover why Monica had run and hid from her family for years; the same family whom she regaled with such heart warming memories of her family life and love.   What Julie finds is a decades old mystery of love, betrayal, murder, and a powerful bond of family, strength, and endurance that gives her the power to let go of guilt and resume a life that had been stagnant for far too long.

*** First of all – THE BEACH TREES was an absolutely phenomenal read!  It was extremely hard to put down and even harder still to stay away from as their were two subplots with main characters Julie in the present, and Aimee’s story from the 1950’s which were absolutely riveting.   Normally I hate stories that go back and forth, but in this case it was what moved the entire plot along.

Ms. White did a marvelous job writing THE BEACH TREES and I especially enjoyed the way she treated Aimee’s story with exceptional pacing that allowed Aimee (now an elderly woman) to remember all the good times as well as opening up and letting her memories come together to forge the pieces of a puzzle from long ago fit together.   It was emotional, sensitive and thoroughly entertaining.

Ms. White fashioned all of the supporting characters (Aimee, Beau, Trey, Gary, Ray Von and Wes) as essential in helping to move the story forward while allowing Julie to finally come and face some bitter truths about her own search for her long lost sister all of these years, intent on blaming herself for not watching her sister more carefully.   The setting of  Louisiana, (post Katrina) was a study in the Southern culture and a glimpse of the fortitude of the people who live there who hold dearly to their ancestry and love of their homeland in spite of the occasional hurricane that rips apart what they treasure most.

Bottom line: As mentioned in the beginning, this book is a phenomenal read with a powerful message of faith, and determination.  THE BEACH TREES is highly recommended reading!

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

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I started reviewing books many years ago - but my love of reading began as soon as I could read and that’s a long time! From my very first library card, I would spend my summers at the local library rather than outside playing. My tastes ran from every horse book I could find, to dog books, then gothic romances, and now historical romances with the Regency period having a very close spot in my heart. [Many of my friends, who really know me, say I was born in the wrong era - they’re probably right.] Now that I am retired, and busier than ever, I read almost all genres with the exception of hard core erotica, horror and anything involving more than one sex partner! I am loyal to my tried and true favorite auto-buy authors but love discovering the newer authors as well. I was once a very impatient person, but now retired, and with a book, an audio, or my Kindle by my side - I am the epitome of infinite patience to sit and wait for whatever comes next be it for the light to change, a doctor’s appointment, or a commercial break on the television!

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