Beach Vibes - Fiction Review

Goodreads:  Beach Vibes by Susan Mallery

Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  While Beth is proud of her Malibu beach shop, Surf Sandwiches, she's even prouder of her charismatic brother, Rick, who rose from foster care all the way through surgical residency. She makes subs, he saves lives. Things takes a turn for the happy after she finds out Rick is dating her new best friend, Jana. Then Jana’s handsome brother adds even more sparkle to Beth’s days…and nights.

But when she catches Rick with another woman—like, with with—her visions of an idyllic family future disappear in one awful instant. Either she betrays her brother or she keeps his secret and risks losing the man she loves and her best friend.

Genre: Fiction - Contemporary

Why I Picked This Book:  I've enjoyed other standalone books by this author and I couldn't resist the cover.

My Impression: When the email from the publisher arrived it was cold and gray and generally dreary.  There was no way I could resist a warm beachy looking cover!  Luckily, I've had pretty good luck with this author and the blurb did appeal to me.  

I liked this one but it wasn't the most standout read to me.  I really liked Jana.  She's a determined woman who has made some mistakes but is turning her life around.  She has a supportive and warm relationship with her brother and his kids as well as her own daughter.  She has her pride but doesn't sabotage herself unnecessarily.   I didn't warm up to Beth as much.  She's very stuck in life and can get very repetitive with her concerns and issues.  Also, her relationship with her brother Rick and her giant blind spot when it came to him got a bit annoying.  The character development was a bit shallow and there were times when all the dialogue felt a bit much.  

It took me about 10% to get into the story but once I did I pretty much flew through it.  What's described in the blurb doesn't really fit what the bulk of the book is about.  This is a story more about developing friendships as an adult, dealing with consequences and changing how you see someone you grew up with.  While it won't make my favorites list I did enjoy it and look forward to reading more from this author.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? I would.  This author's not necessarily an auto-buy but it's a good escapist read.

Would I Recommend this Book? If you like stories about relationships and are looking for a lighter read this might be a choice you'd enjoy.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *