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The Beach Lane Collection
The Hamptons are hot—and Mara, Eliza, and Jacqui are hitting the beach for four sizzling summers in this complete collection of the Beach Lane series.
Mara Walters, Eliza Thompson, and Jacqui Velasco first meet as newly hired au pairs for a wealthy family summering in the Hamptons. But babysitting takes a backseat to romance as the girls explore the local nightlife and pursue their dreams of having it all. And though it seems like their summers are golden, they’ll have to be careful—because sometimes when the sun shines, it scorches.
This complete eBook collection of the Beach lane series includes Beach Lane, Skinny-Dipping, Sun-Kissed, and Crazy Hot.
The Beach Lane series is created by Alloy Entertainment, producer of bestselling teen and middle grade series including The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Gossip Girl, The Vampire Diaries, and Pretty Little Liars.
Originally published as the Au Pairs series.
Mara Walters, Eliza Thompson, and Jacqui Velasco first meet as newly hired au pairs for a wealthy family summering in the Hamptons. But babysitting takes a backseat to romance as the girls explore the local nightlife and pursue their dreams of having it all. And though it seems like their summers are golden, they’ll have to be careful—because sometimes when the sun shines, it scorches.
This complete eBook collection of the Beach lane series includes Beach Lane, Skinny-Dipping, Sun-Kissed, and Crazy Hot.
The Beach Lane series is created by Alloy Entertainment, producer of bestselling teen and middle grade series including The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Gossip Girl, The Vampire Diaries, and Pretty Little Liars.
Originally published as the Au Pairs series.
1248 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 9, 2013
16 people are currently reading
698 people want to read
About the author
Melissa de la Cruz
187 books15.9k followersMelissa de la Cruz is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for teens including The Au Pairs series, the Blue Bloods series, the Ashleys series, the Angels on Sunset Boulevard series and the semi-autobiographical novel Fresh off the Boat.
Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.
She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.
Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).
She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.
Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.
She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.
Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).
She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 21, 2022
Embarrassed to say I read this in a day. But the heart wants what the heart wants.
September 20, 2018
This was a cutesy read. I don’t have the. Rest in the series. If I did I would probably red them but I won’t go out of my way to buy them. Maybe I can find than at the library. Also I think the old title is better, let’s you know more of what the story is actually about. Beach Lane didn’t even make an appearance in the story.
October 20, 2014
I only read the first book, and i love it.
Spoiler:
There's a lot of heartbreaks in it.
I don't like how Jacqui use to date older guys and let guys do whatever thwy want to her, towards the end of the book one, she change. when Luke called at the party, i thought Jacqui was going to forgive him or whatever. but she just hang up, and i like it. i even thought she would start dating Nacho, but she didn't!
Eliza, a bitch at first, but soon, she change. I like the fact that shes dating Jeremy instead of Charlie.
Lastly, Mara. My favourite character. she's so natural, unlike the other girls.
i do to, like the fact that shes with Ryan. Yay!
Spoiler:
There's a lot of heartbreaks in it.
I don't like how Jacqui use to date older guys and let guys do whatever thwy want to her, towards the end of the book one, she change. when Luke called at the party, i thought Jacqui was going to forgive him or whatever. but she just hang up, and i like it. i even thought she would start dating Nacho, but she didn't!
Eliza, a bitch at first, but soon, she change. I like the fact that shes dating Jeremy instead of Charlie.
Lastly, Mara. My favourite character. she's so natural, unlike the other girls.
i do to, like the fact that shes with Ryan. Yay!
July 25, 2022
well that was a quick read. predictable but super cute and summery. fun because i’m literally au pairing in the hamptons for the summer lol so i loved all the references.
October 23, 2017
Beach Lane, formerly published as Au Pairs, was written by Melissa de la Cruz. Three girls travel to the Hamptons as au pairs. Eliza, Mara, and Jacqui all have their different reasons and situations of being an au pair. Eliza, a rich, upper class, IT girl who lived in New York who has it all, but had to move away due to financial issues. Mara, a small town girl from a poor family in Sturbridge, Massachusetts is hardworking and natural. Jacqui, exotic, beautiful, and from Brazil has all boys chasing after her. Eliza hopes to hide her new job as an au pair from her old friends as she moves back into the spotlight. Mara just wants to get away from the plain and boring Massachusetts. Finally, Jacqui becomes an au pair to find her boyfriend, Luca. The three girls try to balance new romances, the Hamptons social life, and their new job. Together by sticking together and helping each other, Eliza, Mara, and Jacqui find a way to solve their problems. In Beach Lane, Eliza’s character developed into a more caring and nice person. Mara began as a calm and goody-two-shoes type of girl into a party girl. Lastly, Jacqui did not appear much in the book. She had only become an au pair to chase after the boy of her dreams, and later became mentally stronger. Something I did not like about the book was Kevin Perry, the employer hit on Jacqui, even when he knew her age. I would recommend Beach Lane for a light vacation read.
April 3, 2019
I recently borrowed this from the library because I enjoyed it as a teenager. It was certainly written for a younger demographic. It was silly and somewhat enjoyable, but overall the characters vapid behaviors weren’t relatable.
July 2, 2023
Cute young chick lit read. 3 girls working as au pairs for the summer. Learning lessons along the way about relationships and finding themselves.
April 28, 2025
Easy beach read. Loved how simple and mindless it was, but still kept my attention.
July 23, 2025
so fun😛😛😛💋💋👄🫦🫦🫦💄
August 23, 2024
This a pretty good read! At the beginning I wasn’t really in to the story line, but by the end I was attached to the characters and couldn’t put the book down! Great summertime book!
November 3, 2013
Rory Lake
Ms. Hayes
Honors English 1
11 - 3- 13
In the best seller Beach Lane by Melissa de la Cruz, three teenage girls with different personalities and interests accept au pair jobs in the Hamptons. The three girls came from different backgrounds and circumstances: Mara from a poor family in Sturbridge Massachusetts, Eliza from an upper class New York City family who recently lost their money, and Jacqui from Brazil. Throughout the book, they will accept both invitations to A list parties and dates with popular boys from boarding schools. Though the girls will all accept the invitations, they will do so for different reasons: Eliza will try to fit in and try to find new friends, while Jacqui is trying to find a boyfriend, and Mara will focus more on her job which had brought her there.
In the novel, my favorite character was Mara. Mara is my favorite girl out of the three in the story because she not only took the job for where it was, but also to have amazing summer away from her Massachusetts town that she never leaves. In the story she is a very hard worker and grows a true love for the kids who she really didn’t like in the beginning. Mara had been walking the six year old daughter Zoe of the couple that she works for to the bathroom. Mara had done so because Zoe’s mom and dad never taught her to use the bathroom. Mara said “Time to go to the bathroom” (103). Mara does so because Zoe is not potty trained and if she wets the bed she will be embarrassed, so by walking her to the bathroom she won’t wet the bed. ” Maybe next time you won’t need me to wake you up “she said to Zoe (104) when she put her back to bed because she felt she needed some comfort and hope since her parents aren’t helping her with the issue. Mara had stated to really love her and truly cared about her.
My overall thoughts of this book were that I thought it was interesting in some parts of the book and others did not capture my attention. I did not like how the story was written and how the author jumped from one character to another, in some cases I thought it was very confusing. The places in the book I did like were great very shocking and were endings of chapters that left you wondering what would happen next. This book was not that great to me but doesn’t mean someone else won’t find it interesting. The book was ok and others might like a little better than I did.
Ms. Hayes
Honors English 1
11 - 3- 13
In the best seller Beach Lane by Melissa de la Cruz, three teenage girls with different personalities and interests accept au pair jobs in the Hamptons. The three girls came from different backgrounds and circumstances: Mara from a poor family in Sturbridge Massachusetts, Eliza from an upper class New York City family who recently lost their money, and Jacqui from Brazil. Throughout the book, they will accept both invitations to A list parties and dates with popular boys from boarding schools. Though the girls will all accept the invitations, they will do so for different reasons: Eliza will try to fit in and try to find new friends, while Jacqui is trying to find a boyfriend, and Mara will focus more on her job which had brought her there.
In the novel, my favorite character was Mara. Mara is my favorite girl out of the three in the story because she not only took the job for where it was, but also to have amazing summer away from her Massachusetts town that she never leaves. In the story she is a very hard worker and grows a true love for the kids who she really didn’t like in the beginning. Mara had been walking the six year old daughter Zoe of the couple that she works for to the bathroom. Mara had done so because Zoe’s mom and dad never taught her to use the bathroom. Mara said “Time to go to the bathroom” (103). Mara does so because Zoe is not potty trained and if she wets the bed she will be embarrassed, so by walking her to the bathroom she won’t wet the bed. ” Maybe next time you won’t need me to wake you up “she said to Zoe (104) when she put her back to bed because she felt she needed some comfort and hope since her parents aren’t helping her with the issue. Mara had stated to really love her and truly cared about her.
My overall thoughts of this book were that I thought it was interesting in some parts of the book and others did not capture my attention. I did not like how the story was written and how the author jumped from one character to another, in some cases I thought it was very confusing. The places in the book I did like were great very shocking and were endings of chapters that left you wondering what would happen next. This book was not that great to me but doesn’t mean someone else won’t find it interesting. The book was ok and others might like a little better than I did.
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December 2, 2014Beach Lane is about three girls from three totally different worlds, Eliza is a girl who once had it all, she was rich and believed the world revolved around her. Until the day her family lost it all and Eliza's rich "Friends" treated Eliza as if she were below them now. Jacqui is a very pretty girl from Brazil, is searching for her lost "love of her life" who went back to america, without a goodbye. Then there is Mara who is your average girl. These three girls have to learn to come together as au pairs in the Hamptons and care for a rich family's very spoiled children. As the story goes on the girls have to learn how to work together and learn that they are not so different after all.
- Beginning of the story interview with Mara.
How do you think this summer is going to go?
Good, well I hope. Im not sure as of now. I think that it is going to be very exhausting... I mean I'm the only one doing the work around here. While Eliza and Jacqui go out to party. Whats the big to do about that anyway?
-How do you like these girls you are working with?
Oh.... Well they are nothing like me, we don't seem to get along, there are to busy in their own worlds and think they are above me... Its ridiculous. Eliza and her parties and Jacqui and her "love"
- Why did you take this job as an au pair?
I wanted to do something that would change up and make my summer and make it interesting this year, the Hamptons are very different from back at home in Massachusetts.
- Beginning of the story interview with Mara.
How do you think this summer is going to go?
Good, well I hope. Im not sure as of now. I think that it is going to be very exhausting... I mean I'm the only one doing the work around here. While Eliza and Jacqui go out to party. Whats the big to do about that anyway?
-How do you like these girls you are working with?
Oh.... Well they are nothing like me, we don't seem to get along, there are to busy in their own worlds and think they are above me... Its ridiculous. Eliza and her parties and Jacqui and her "love"
- Why did you take this job as an au pair?
I wanted to do something that would change up and make my summer and make it interesting this year, the Hamptons are very different from back at home in Massachusetts.
November 29, 2016
This was an interesting read. Things happen quickly, although the characters are a bit shallow. I don't know the Hamptons scene, so I'm not sure how accurate the book is. But the author does her homework, and I can fathom the norms of such a community.
I'm not bothered by the underage drinking. But the fact that Jacqui constantly flirts with older men is icky. Especially the boss Kevin Perry, who knows how old she is. I also don't buy that Eliza is nice and her only fault is that she speaks without thinking. She despises people who are below upper middle class and has a serious shopping problem.
I'm not bothered by the underage drinking. But the fact that Jacqui constantly flirts with older men is icky. Especially the boss Kevin Perry, who knows how old she is. I also don't buy that Eliza is nice and her only fault is that she speaks without thinking. She despises people who are below upper middle class and has a serious shopping problem.
April 3, 2014
I really enjoyed this series as a fluffy holiday read. The characters are bold, the story moved quickly and all of the books are current in their fashion, technology and issues.
It's a bit of a fantastical view into how rich people live with romance and many first world problems thrown in which appeal to the YA readers.
It's a bit of a fantastical view into how rich people live with romance and many first world problems thrown in which appeal to the YA readers.
August 2, 2013
Great book 1st in the series
July 16, 2014
A very light, fun summer read! Very fluffy and a bit too quick and random with its romance, The Beach Lane series, book one is far from perfect, but a great poolside read!
Happy reading!
Happy reading!
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July 27, 2014Awesome
November 17, 2016
This book was amazing! I don't even have words-speechless. I would read this book again in a heartbeat, I was so good.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews