The Shack

The Seaside Saga #23

by Joanne DeMaio

From New York Times bestselling author Joanne DeMaio comes The Shack, Book 23 of The Seaside Saga.

In a shocking twist, a day goes so wrong and alters the lives of several beach friends in its wake. All that's left is to pick up the pieces. And each individual does in ways unexpected. One sheds tears. Some offer a shoulder, an embrace. One tries to help, only to hit a brick wall. One finds difficult acceptance. Still one harbors deep, stinging regret. Where do they go from here?

And The Seaside Saga continues.

The Seaside Saga Reading
Book 1 - Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans
Book 2 - The Denim Blue Sea
Book 3 - Beach Blues
Book 4 - Beach Breeze
Book 5 - The Beach Inn
Book 6 - Beach Bliss
Book 7 - Castaway Cottage
Book 8 - Night Beach
Book 9 - Little Beach Bungalow
Book 10 - Every Summer
Book 11 - Salt Air Secrets
Book 12 - Stony Point Summer
Book 13 - The Beachgoers
Book 14 - Shore Road
Book 15 - The Wait
Book 16 - The Goodbye
Book 17 - The Barlows
Book 18 - The Visitor
Book 19 - Stairway to the Sea
Book 20 - The Liars
Book 21 - The Mistake
Book 22 - Miss Moonchild Starbeam
Book 23 - The Shack
And more Seaside Saga Books

296 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 3, 2025

About the author

Joanne DeMaio is the prolific New York Times bestselling author of The Seaside Saga and other novels. She lives with her family in Connecticut and is currently at work on upcoming books.

Joanne enjoys hearing from readers at Facebook.com/JoanneDeMaioAuthor.

Reviews

[Margie Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shack is the 23rd book in Joanne DeMaio’s seaside saga. I have read each and every book in this series and over time I have grown to love and care about all of these characters. They have become so real to me that some feel like family while others are like really close friends. Besides feeling such a connection with the characters, the setting which takes place in Stony Point, Connecticut which is right along the waters edge sounds absolutely beautiful. I love to read about the oceans stars, the dune grasses swaying in the breeze and being able to imagine smelling the sweet salt air. This particular book centers around 3 of my favorite characters and a trip they take to San Francisco. Elsa goes to meet up with an old college girlfriend named Wren while Celia secretly hopes to reconnect with her mother who abandoned her many years ago. Shane is there too unbeknownst to Elsa for some much needed moral support for Celia. It’s a story that’s filled with indecision, regrets and so much remorse. The way this book ends leaves me feeling very hopeful and optimistic and I can’t wait to read the next installment, August Dove which is set to release on June 10,2025. This is a series I highly recommend and I’m giving this book a 5 star rating.

[Susan Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

old friends

The Shack, like all the rest of the books in this series, is not just a novel filled with characters and their stories. These characters have become old friends now, after spending so much time with them. Their troubles are mine, their loves are mine, their joys and sorrows are mine. I’m completely invested in them, and since Shane and Celia are my favorite couple, I get twisted in knots when things go wrong, and I celebrate with them when things go right. The ending of this book took me totally by surprise, so I’ll be anxiously awaiting its sequel.

[Elyse Mcnulty · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shack by Joanne DeMaio is #23 in her Seaside Saga. If you have read any of these, you know this reads like a TV series with a cliffhanger at the end of each book. Once again, we are left wondering what will happen next. Celia and Elsa take a trip to San Francisco. Elsa is meeting up with a long lost friend and Celia is trying to find her mother who walked out on her and her father years ago. Unbeknownst to Elsa, Shane also takes the trip to support Sylvia. Things do not go as planned.
Meanwhile, back at the beach, the great shack reveal is about to happen. If you’re wondering what this means, you will just have to read the books. I love this recent installation as I have loved all the other book and look forward to the next one to be released in May. If you have not started the series, start from the beginning and enjoy !!!

[Susan (The Book Bag) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The drama on Stony Point continues, feelings are felt, words are said, and lives move on. And I'm there for every bit of it! I love my visits to Stony Point, as I enjoy catching up with the gang and all that they've got going on. I know when I start one of Joanne's books, that I am going to enjoy a little escape from my world as I settle into hers.

The Shack did not disappoint and I thoroughly enjoyed all the drama and love that I witnessed between all the residents.. Joanne writes her characters with such beautiful feelings and emotions, I feel like I would totally love to be their friends IRL.

I highly recommend The Shack and this entire series. If you haven't read them yet, you need to get started with book one and catch up. Book #24, August Dove will be released on June 10th!

[Joanne Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holding my breath

I can't get enough of the Seaside Saga Series! The Shack takes us back to beautiful Stony Point and the people who have become like family to all of it's readership.
In particular, I enjoyed traveling to San Francisco with Elsa and Ceclia. Sharing the sights and stories from Elsa's past brought me back to that time. It is also an emotional time for Ceclia. Will she get the answers she has been searching for? Will she have her dream come true? Stay tuned for Joanne DeMaio's Book 24 to find out. Well worth waiting for.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love catching up with the beach Loved how Jason and Elsa were “cutting a rug”!.Like how key elements from previous novels are included in the current storyline.Best part was the shacks color reveal!Amazing how the covers contain points from the storyline.Anxious to see how the meeting between mother and daughter goes.At some point Shane must make a decision.Although I love it when it refers to Maine.It is true when a moose is in the road ,you wait until it moves.

[Kristen Karter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shack really warms the readers hearts with the love that is felt between Shane and Celia and Maris and Jason, the authors description of the Long Island Sound fall makes readers feel as though they are within the story watching the leaves changing, feel as if they are a part of the local Harvest Fest and so on. The cliffhanger towards the end really puts the readers on the edge of their seats and makes them want more. Highly recommend to all Long Island Sound fanatics and romance lovers.

[Christie Marks · Rating 5 out of 5]

TARFU

I’m always happy to immerse myself with the friends of Stony Point. This visit is no exception, although I think the title is a bit of a red herring - it’s about so much more than the shack. I was happy with Celia’s coming to terms with her visit with her mom. And as expected, this installment ends with a cliffhanger, but I totally did not see this one coming. To add to the military acronyms mentioned, Things Are Really F’d Up.

[Paulette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book of our friends at Stony Point. But this time with more heartache for Celia. She had hopeful dreams of a reunion with the one person who was almost a distant memory to her, But it did not turn out as she expected. Yet her friends, are there for her, especially Elsa and secretly Shane. But no one could fathom what is ahead for Celia. The author has written a real unexpected cliffhanger this time and her next book cannot come quick enough.

[Becky Rathke · Rating 5 out of 5]

So gut wrenching the fallout from California trip all the secrets and a light almost ending with the blind date set up! Finally we know the color of the guard shack! And the newest visitor to the neighborhood cliffhanger!! Can’t wait to read the next installment.. so happy I don’t have to wait too long it comes out in a few weeks!

[Constance · Rating 5 out of 5]

just two sentences

And off I went , to sea spray, sea breeze, and the love that lead to anew adventure. Now the characters have developed and left me wanting more. Thank you very much 😻

[Tracy Lowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really good and makes you not want to put it down. Can’t wait to find out what happens in the next book August Dove that comes out in May. I love this beach series and all of Joanne Demaio books.

[Penny Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Seaside Saga series is hands down my favorite! It is sheer torture waiting for the next release.
Joanne has created an amazing cast of characters that quickly come to life and you feel like you are right in the mist of the excitement with them. They are a group of loyal and supportive friends that are always available to lend a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on. Stony Point is a charming New England beach town that Joanne has described so beautifully. I would love to visit. Watching these characters lives unfold through many ups and downs, and seeing these characters love and support their many friends is enlightening.
Joanne has created a magnificent series that you must read!! It is so good that many don’t want the series to end.
Do yourself a favor and click book #1 in this series if you haven’t already, and quickly work yourself through this incredible series!

[Kathi Rutherford · Rating 5 out of 5]

An unexpected turn of events.

Once again,Joanne has delivered another continuation of her beach friends’ lives!So many twists and turns this time.Just when you think you’ve figured things out…a surprising visitor arrives!Will heartbreak return?

[Cindy Reddick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great continuation of our seaside saga friends. Jason and Maris made me so happy, love seeing them work through life. The guard shack color is revealed and I love it!! Looking forward to the next book!

[Donna Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read my way through all these books. They were good until about 11-12. The last ten books or so were all on the same day. Sooooo slow at times with overly flowery language. This latest one was like someone wrote an essay that needed to have 10,000 words. The repetitive phrases kill me. They’ve gotten to boring. The first books developed the characters well and I was invested in them. The later ones, not so much. They seem to be all over the place. Not enough attention to any character. I’ll probably read the next couple but I wonder if they’re winding down since it says book 24/25. They need to really examine their writing and plot development to keto things fresh.

[Phylis Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another awesome book about our Stony
Point friends. If you haven't started this series, you honestly should. I have read every book and all I can say is they sure are good.

I can't believe she ended it like this. Now I have to sit patiently waiting on the next book to release.

[Amy Mahaffey-Vazquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another colorful addition to the Seaside Saga!

The lives of our Seaside friends are in full color in this book! Congrats Joanne on another beautiful addition to this awesome series.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Shack, the beach friends' story continues where Miss Moonchild Starbeam left off. Author Joanne DeMaio transports the reader back to the tranquil seashore town of Stony Point, Connecticut. The story takes place in early October, and the readers will catch up with the beach friends' lives.

The Shack is an intricate story of interweaving friendships and ever-changing life events. In this twenty-third installment in The Seaside Saga Series, the author continues to weave a story that focuses on Elsa, Celia, and Shane. On the girl's trip to San Francisco, Elsa reconnected with Wren, her college roommate from their time in San Francisco, while Celia tried to reconnect with her estranged mom, Heather, who owns a jewelry store called August Dove. Celia doesn't tell Elsa about her side plan, but she does tell Shane, and he accompanied Celia and baby Aria, but they have to make sure that they keep their secret relationship from Elsa. While the trip to San Francisco is magical for Elsa as she reconnects with Wren and reminisces about their college days, Celia's plans to reconnect with her estranged mom doesn't go as well, and neither does keeping her and Shane's relationship a secret. Now on the way home, all three are plagued by the "what ifs" when it comes to their actions/inactions during the trip. With drama, secrets, heartache, choices, decisions and regrets, can Elsa, Celia and Shane pick up the pieces of their lives and move forward?

I loved how this installment focused on Elsa, Celia, and Shane. I loved how Elsa reconnected with her college roommate Wren, and how she got the nickname, Miss Moonchild Starbeam. For Elsa, the trip was very much needed after a difficult year, and it was wonderful to follow along as she enjoyed spending time with Wren. But there is one thing that Elsa didn't expect, she is surprised when she sees Celia upset and in Shane's arms on the street, and she goes home worried about what happened between Celia and Shane.

For Celia, her plan to try and reconnect with her estranged mom didn't go as well. Shane had a bad feeling it wouldn't go well, and he tried to talk Celia out of visiting her mom, but she was adamant, so Shane was determined to protect her at all costs. You can't help but feel the full gamut of emotions as Celia struggled with her decision to visit with her mom, it will pull at your heartstrings. You just know that it wasn't easy for Celia to relive the past hurt that her mom caused her family, it is the most heart wrenching decision that had my eyes tearing up when she tells Shane what happened in the past. With a lot of emotions, Celia and Shane are plagued by their decisions during the visit to her mom's shop, and it remains with them as they travel home.

The author teases her readers with another cliffhanger ending that keeps the reader waiting to see what happens in the aftermath of the San Francisco trip, and how Elsa, Celia and Shane deal with their issues. Let's just say the cliffhanger ending left me in shock! I guess we'll just have to wait and see what is revealed in August Dove, the twenty-fourth installment of the series ... sigh.

In this installment in the series, the reader follows along with the beach friends' lives that are full of friendship, love, secrets, lies, mistakes, regrets, challenges, heartbreak, grief, surprises, and second chances. As you read this installment, the beach friends continue along in their life journey in Stony Point. I loved that Maris and Jason are finally in a good place in their marriage, it was nice to see that after so much of the story was filled with emotional turmoil.

So now that I have whet your interest in the beach friends' latest comings and goings, drive under the railroad trestle and enter the enchanting beach town of Stony Point ... pull up a beach chair ... and visit with the close-knit longtime friends in author Joanne DeMaio's delightful novel, The Shack.

The Seaside Saga Series is a heartwarming series of stories of friendship, family, painful secrets, lies, and regrets, new beginnings and second chances. Author Joanne DeMaio weaves a wonderful tale written in the third person narrative, which is set in the present with flashbacks to the past. The reader is transported to the tranquil seashore town of Stony Point, Connecticut, where they follow along with Celia, Maris, Eva, Matt, Jason, Kyle, Lauren, Nick, Elsa, Cliff, Mitch, and Shane as their lives change like the tide's ebb and flow on their little tranquil coastal town.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

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[Mitchy Beach · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love when the new books from the Seaside Saga series come out. I have read them all and look forward to seeing what is happening with my fictional friends. "The Shack" did not disappoint! It's nice to see Jason and Maris back in a stable relationship after all the turmoil they faced in the last few books. Shane and Celia are a wonderful couple, I just wish they would let their relationship come out in the open. I truly think the other characters would love to see both of them so in love and happy. Elsa is still struggling to find her way a year after the death of her son. Intertwined in the drama of the story is a lighter aspect with the revealing of the color of the guard shack. The author's writing is so riveting and real. I look forward to the next book in this series!

[Julie Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shack by Joanne DeMaio
This story picks up where the last left off. They arrive back in CT to their community and find a few anges. Elsa is very upset but she doesn't know why, the secrets and truth will come out eventually.
Other groups of the people in the community are shared. Love the connections of some who are very close, closer than the blood relative.
Very emotional, tender moments, harsh reality sinks in.
Love hearing all about the harvest festival and the options Shane has in Maine and the things he does there, Opens so much more of his life there.
Another cliff hanger at the end, til the next book in the 23 book series. Wish they were more often.

[Darcy · Rating 1 out of 5]

the reason I’m only giving it a 1 is that I did not realize that this was a book in a series —let alone number 23. I was so completely lost… Now that I’ve come here to put in a review I realize that I need to go back and just read the whole series. I got halfway through this book really struggling but now I’m excited to go back and just read the whole series.

[Lynn Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could give this book more than a 5 star review.I absolutely love this series! It's one of the best series that I've ever read. I hope Joanne writes another series and it is as good as or better than this one. The characters have become alive and like family to me with their family problems and how they solve them. I have laughed and cried with them and gotten angry at them at times for making stupid decisions. Like I said, just like family!! Pick up the first book and find a nice warm quiet place to get comfy in and hide away and start to love this family too, you won't be sorry. Thank you so very much Joanne for giving us another best seller ❤️❤️!!

[Sharon Schaffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun but thought provoking story. It was a great story and I really can't wait for the next one to see what Shane and Celia are going to do. I hope they share their info with Elsa soon too, although it does keep us thinking.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited when the next Chapter of my friends at the beach was finally coming out. I have read each and every one of them, I’ve laughed with them and cried with them! This is the most captivating series I’ve ever read. You won’t be sorry to give it a try!
Thank you for your review.

[COLLEEN D UPTON · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life

Life happens. Its beautiful beach time! Sand on your toes, warm salty water, sun sparkling on the water near by. The breeze is blowing around me AND I feel breathless with the beauty that surrounds !r😊🌻

[Katrina Murray-Hesterlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved 😍
Can't wait for the next one!
👏👏🙏💐

[Lisa Heiser · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series and the author always leaves me wanting the next one!

[Wanda Golding · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joanne Demaio

You've done it again......and now I wait for the next chapter in the lives of a great group of friends that I wish I was part of!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get better and better!!

They just get better and better…can’t put them down and can’t wait for the next one!! Love this wonderful series!