Mansion Beach

by Meg Mitchell Moore

From national bestselling author Meg Mitchell Moore comes a sparkling new novel following a young woman entwined in the opulent lives of her neighbors on Block Island, set against a backdrop of scandal, secrets, and a not-so-subtle love triangle, perfect for readers of Pineapple Street and Sex and Vanity.

“An unputdownable modern-day take on The Great Gatsby. I gobbled it up.” —J. Courtney Sullivan, New York Times bestselling author

It’s the beginning of the summer, and Nicola Carr has just arrived on Block Island, RI, eager for a fresh start and some R&R. But her plans for a tranquil summer are derailed as the extravagant parties from the grand home next door pique her curiosity. She soon discovers the home belongs to Juliana George, an enigmatic entrepreneur with a past shrouded in mystery.

Juliana George, CEO and founder of a hot fashion-tech company, is at the top of her game. She’s spending the summer on Block Island preparing for a major IPO. But she’s chasing her dreams in more ways than one. This summer she hopes to rekindle a flame with a man from her past—a man who has a surprising connection to her neighbor Nicola.

Taylor Buchanan, the wife of Nicola’s cousin, is second-in-command of a real estate empire. Her life is exactly the way she planned it: she has the wealth, the family, the prestige, and the power. And there’s nothing she’ll let get in her way of Having It All. But when everything suddenly verges on the edge of collapse, she has no choice but to take matters into her own hands.

As Nicola, Juliana, and Taylor’s summers unfold, the three women are set on a collision course that leads to inevitable self-discovery, unforgivable betrayal, an unavoidable love triangle—and, most unexpectedly, a dead body.

A sophisticated escapist novel filled with light humor and surprising observations, Mansion Beach explores the depth of human relationships, our cruelly classist society, and the price of secrets that refuse to stay buried.

Genres: Fiction, Summer, Romance, Beach Reads, Summer Reads, Audiobook, Contemporary

329 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 27, 2025

About the author

Meg Mitchell Moore is the author of eight novels. Her ninth, MANSION BEACH, will be published in May 2025. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and whichever of her three high school- and college-aged daughters is home, as well two golden retrievers who shed a lot and don't read at all.

Reviews

[Rachel Hanes · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this was another book that took me an exceptionally long time to read. The chapters were super long (a major pet peeve of mine), and there was only one character that I connected with (which wasn’t enough to save this book for me unfortunately). The storyline flipped back and forth a little bit between time periods, with no heading on the chapters informing you of the time period (of course, as you began reading you could figure it out). This book also seemed to be a bit repetitious, and I couldn’t wait for the big reveal to happen (which wasn’t a very big shock or reveal at all).

This story focuses on Nicola moving to Block Island for the summer. Nicola is able to stay for free, at her very wealthy cousin David’s cottage. We come to find out that David has money because he married into wealth, which is Taylor Buchanan. Next door to Nicola’s cottage, many parties are taking place at Juliana George’s home. Juliana is the founder of LookBook, a hot fashion-tech company.

Throughout the book, we learn about the current and backstories of everyone involved. I rolled my eyes more than I can count. Nicola is a 29 year old woman, who in my opinion was very immature. She moved to Block Island for a fresh start, but she sure had lots of growing up to do. No other character in this book was likable. In fact, they were all pompous and self-righteous, except that of Juliana. If it wasn’t for Juliana’s character, I probably would have DNF’ed this book. She was the only relatable character.

After finally finishing this story and reading the Acknowledgements, I read that this story was inspired by The Great Gatsby. I hate to admit this, but I’ve never read The Great Gatsby- and maybe if I had I would have enjoyed this story more. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I was hoping to enjoy this book more, as I have read one other book by this author and really enjoyed that one. This book however, just didn’t work so well for me.
(2.5 stars)

Many thanks to Goodreads, HarperCollins Publishers, and the author for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Publication date: May, 2025

[lauren‎♡₊˚ 🦢・₊✧ (semi-ia) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4💫

absolutely LOVED this modern day retelling of the great gatsby!!! i recommend audiobooking this one because the chapters are a bit long, but her take on this story was perfect!! she added in her own elements and gave bigger backstories to her characters to make it more of her own, but i loved being able to make the connections to the great gatsby!!

[Brandice · Rating 2 out of 5]

With loosely tied-in themes to The Great Gatsby, Mansion Beach is a summer story of wealth, privilege, and trying to fit in. The setting is Block Island, a location Moore returns to from her previous work.

Nicola is new to town. She knows her cousin, David, and his wife, Taylor, and is staying at Taylor’s cottage for the summer while working at an aquarium. As Nicola settles in, she learns all isn’t as it seems. Block Island is full of secrets, past and present.

Nicola felt immature for most of this story and I didn’t like her as much as I hoped to. Though I felt for the things they were going through, I didn’t find most of the other characters likable either.

Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy Mansion Beach nearly as much as Moore’s other 4 books I’ve read, though she still delivers the seasonal summer vibes here — 2.5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow Books for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Elle G. Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve enjoyed Meg Mitchell Moore’s books in the past, but I had a hard time with the writing style in this one. It was so wordy, and I kept having to read back to make sure I understood what was going on. This took away from what could have been a fun summer read for me. I love books with scandals and messy characters so once I got a hang of the “wordiness” I enjoyed the plot. None of the characters were all that likeable but the juiciness and bad behavior was fun.

𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars.

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was god awful. The characters are all terrible, the conversations and “banter” are cheesy as hell, the plot is just the Great Gatsby, but with like no literary quality, I just hated it. Listened at 2.5 speed to save myself from having to spend more time with this story than necessary.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley, for this uncorrected digital ARC of 'Mansion Beach' by Meg Mitchell Moore - expected release date 05/27/2025

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to be accepted for this ARC because I've read all Moore's books and didn't want to wait months for this to come out!

Her books typically use Block Island as the main setting, similar to Elin Hilderbrand using Nantucket. Unfortunately, this book didn't really resonate with me like her past books. I couldn't find it in me to like any of the characters and the storyline is one that's been done and done and done again, in other author's books.

The interactions between Jack and Nicola didn't feel hopeful for a budding relationship, definitely gave off situationship vibes. Nicola used the word love to describe her feelings towards Jack, yet all he did was ghost her, booty call her, and not respect her work or day to day life. Moore did a good job of giving readers the ability to see that Jack was the worst (this is confirmed for sure at the end of the book) - THANK GOD Nicola didn't end up with him, just for happy endings sake. I really wish Moore would have written a better ending for Nicola, though, and had her pursue the schooling at URI rather than just giving up on everything and moving home to Minnesota.

There was podcast data dropped in here and there, with interviews of people in the community, speaking about the deceased and their association with the deceased. I felt like that could've been left out completely, it just kinda muddled up the story with interactions that really didn't matter and wasn't really necessary to the storyline. Toward the end, Moore wrote a chapter from Shelly's POV in which it explains her drunken exploits and confirmed she was the deceased. All that build up as to who it was, I don't know, I just kinda felt like it being her wasn't that climactic.

It was a little strange that Nicola's dad and 2 additional sisters weren't mentioned until the last 10 pages of the book. You'd think they should've been mentioned early on, her mom and a sister Shauna were talked about throughout, may be better to introduce all family members somehow at the same time?

Overall the storyline wasn't really the greatest, the revelations weren't very exciting and the book maybe needs some cleaning up or better organization?

[Christina (Confessions of a Book Addict) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicola Carr is leaving her stressful job behind in Boston for life on Block Island. She is taking a marine biology internship and staying at her cousin David's cottage. David has married into the wealthy Buchanan family, and her life is vastly different than his. David and his wife, Taylor, are hosting Jack Baker, a pro golfer, in their guest house this summer. As Nicola spends more time with David and their group of friends, she realizes that Juliana George, a fashion CEO, is living next door to her cottage and is responsible for all of those lavish parties. Juliana appears to have it all, but the story dives into her point of view, and readers realize that isn't the case. Throw in excerpts from a podcast about the events from that summer and hints at a mysterious murder, and readers have themselves a lavish beach read in Mansion Beach by Meg Mitchell Moore that is reminiscent of The Great Gatsby.
Read the rest of my review here: http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.c...

[Jennifer Cash · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this modern-day reimagining of THE GREAT GATSBY, Meg Mitchell Moore draws inspiration from the American classic and presents a new, yet similar story set on Block Island, Rhode Island. If you are familiar with The Great Gatsby, you will immediately recognize the similarities. However, there are plenty of twists to keep you reading to find out what happens next. As with the original novel, there are lavish parties, rich people behaving badly, affairs, love triangles, and of course, a dead body.

Thank you to William Morrow for a gifted copy of this book!

[Phoebe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Talk about LACKLUSTER, yuck. I soldiered through the bad writing and gross characters in hopes something interesting would happen, spoiler: nothing happened and all of them are losers. Not even the Block Island setting could redeem this waste of time hodgepodge of absolute nonsense. Never reading an Elin recommendation ever again.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great pick for a summer beach read—it has a little something for everyone. The setting is ideal, there’s romance, complicated family dynamics, complex friendship dynamics, and even a light mystery surrounding the death of a resident. What more could you want? For me, in a summer read, nothing honestly.

There are three women at the center of the story—Juliana, Taylor, and Nicola—and I thought all three were fairly well-developed and interesting in their own right. I’ve seen a couple of people say this one is wordy, and maybe it is a little bit, but I got strong Elin Hilderbrand vibes from all the detailed descriptions—not just of the current setting and events, but also of the women’s pasts.

I enjoyed how their storylines intertwined and loved the sometimes dramatic twists the story took. All in all, this was an easy summer read with some depth and smarts that I really enjoyed.

[Merry Bergan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just silly - a great gatsby inspired story taking place on block? Also mansion beach doesn’t even play a role in the plot? Also going to PPP for mudslides ?

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meg Mitchell Moore’s latest novel, “Mansion Beach,” set on Block Island, contains her usual mix of complex characters, vivid descriptions of life in an island tourist community and great dialog. Added to the mix is a mystery involving the death of one of the characters, which is hinted at throughout the book.

The two primary characters are Nicola and Juliana. Nicola recently quit her job with a prominent law firm in Providence, Rhode Island, broke up with her live in boyfriend, and moved to a cottage on Block Island owned by her cousin David’s rich in-laws, the Buchanans. Nicola left her high pressure job to work as an intern for the Block Island Maritime Institute, where she can enjoy nature.

Juliana, who owns a startup involving the purchase of low priced designer clothes, lives in the mansion next door to Nicola’s cottage, where Nicola is often disturbed by late night parties. Shortly after the first party, Juliana’s assistant invites Nicola to one of the legendary parties where Nicola meets and befriends Juliana. Shortly afterwards, an intermediary asks Nicola to invite her cousin David to her cottage for cocktails and also invite Juliana. It is then that Nicola discovers that David and Juliana met shortly before David married Taylor, and immediately fell in love.

Interspersed thought out the book are short transcripts of a podcast where the town council members are interviewed about the mysterious drowning incident, and the attempts by the Buchanan family to get zoning approval for tearing down an old hotel and building a spa complex in its place. These snippets of information adds intrigue as the reader tries to guess the identity of the mysterious drowning victim.

The book also contains a nod to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby,” with Juliana as a Gatsby figure, Nicola as the “Nick” character, and David as Daisy. There is even a green light at the end of David’s dock, which Juliana watches from her own dock across the lake. I particularly loved these references since “The Great Gatsby” is one of my all time favorite books.

My only quibble with this book is that it contained a lot of “parenthetical” comments, which is one of my pet peeves, since I feel that it breaks up the the narrative flow. But again, this is a minor, personal grievance and would probably not detract others from the book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes novels with strong, complex characters involved in emotionally charged situations with a hint of mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.1 ⭐️ a wannabe modern retelling of Great Gatsby except boring characters, cheesy dialogue, and just an overall annoying writing style.

[Katy O. · Rating 4 out of 5]

(free review copy) A summer on Block Island, a mysterious death and a torrid affair, woven throughout with Gatsby-esque references. YES PLEASE. This one won’t be for everyone, but if you enjoy Elin Hilderbrand’s more suspenseful Nantucket books, I think this might suck you right in! I so appreciated the setting and originality from one of my favorite summertime authors.

Source: digital review copy via Edelweiss

[Bill Silva · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author claims only that her novel is “inspired” by The Great Gatsby…but it reads more like a clumsy pastiche, with changes and “updates” that have curiosity value only and in no way deepen or illuminate Fitzgerald’s classic. By the time we’re introduced to this novel’s Myrtle…as a randomly appearing black dog owned by an equally randomly appearing character who happens to be named Catherine McKee…I could barely contain my annoyance. 🤦‍♂️

[Mary Nolan-Fesmire · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a hard book to rate. I liked the main character the most, but felt like none of the characters were likeable. I assume that the book was written this way, but it made it hard to read when I could not relate to any of the them!

[Diane Goodman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable. Not memorable

[Jennifer B]

Had so much more depth than expected from the cover . 5* summer read.

[Taylor Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 / 5 Stars Rounded Up ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If Queen Elin Hildebrand says read it, I read it 🫡 Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher and the author for the ARC!

I was super excited to read this one—
✔️stunning coastal setting
✔️modernized Gatsby take
✔️secrets grave enough to ruin reputations
✔️class disparities

I’m not sure if it’s because I’m watching it right now but in a way this book gave White Lotus vibes? And I loved it. The book revolves around the people of Block Island—their drama, their love lives, their work, etc—and all the while we know someone ends up dead. By the end of the book all the secrets are on the table and the mystery death is revealed.

I had so much fun getting to know all of these characters and watching how their summers evolved. The author does an incredible job at capturing each of their stories and making you understand them on a personal level. All of the Great Gatsby references were an unexpected surprise too that I really enjoyed. One small gripe I had were two of the main characters names—Juliana and Nicola—I honestly got the two confused so much in the beginning because of their names both ending in -a. Probably just a me thing but with a lot of characters thrust on you at once it would’ve made it easier to distinguish had it been different. I wish the ending was a bit more dramatic to match the characters but overall I’d definitely recommend. This is a great beach read to add to your list if you’re a fan of coastal settings with rich people and even richer drama.

[Nicole Caldwell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for Mansion Beach, but unfortunately, it didn’t live up to expectations. A lot of the plot felt disconnected and didn’t seem to contribute meaningfully to the overall story. Shelly’s death, for example—spoiler alert—felt so inconsequential, I honestly didn’t care.

It was clear that the author was trying to craft a modern spin on The Great Gatsby, but it came off as more of a poor imitation. The green light, the lavish parties, even the character names like Daisy and Buchanan? Too much of a stretch. It just didn’t feel original.

The affair between David and Juliana also felt so unnecessary by the end, even though it took up so much of the storyline. It didn’t add anything to the plot, and I was left wondering why it was even included.

And don’t even get me started on the characters—they were all incredibly hard to like, making it difficult to care about any of them or their journeys. Overall, Mansion Beach didn’t do it for me. It lacked depth, and the connections just weren’t there.

[Laura Wonderchick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect summer beach read! For anyone who is a fan of Elin Hilderbrand you will like this. The setting and dynamic is spot on! Thanks to the publisher a d netgalley for this copy for read and review

[Danielle Brody · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is like a cloudy day on the beach - disappointing! Poorly written, confusing, and long-winded. All of the characters were unlikable and did things that didn't make sense. I finished it quickly, but I was bored. The major plot points didn't make much sense. The dialogue was awkward, and everyone took so long to get to the point. The ending left me with nothing.

There's randomly dialogue from a podcast interwoven into the book featuring randos, which I disliked. It took you out of the story and was confusing.

I did like that it was a twist on the Great Gatsby story and that I could imagine this beach town. Some of the characters were well-developed, but I still disliked all of them. I'm not sure if I was supposed to like any of them? I don't recommend this.

[Caitlyn Clapp · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I hadn’t known that it was a modern take on The Great Gatsby, especially since it wasn’t until the end of the book in the Author’s Note that she explained it was not a retelling of Gatsby, just inspired by it. Thinking it was a full retelling had me a bit distracted from the plot and thinking that I knew how the story was going to end.

However, I enjoyed the backstories given on a lot of the reimagined characters. I thought it gave more depth and understanding to the actions and motives of everyone involved.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins Publishing for an advanced reader’s copy.

[Lauren Levinson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this entire thing but I’m not convinced I did because none of it made sense??? So many plot lines but no real conclusions? Felt like she was trying to write a new version of Big Little Lies and drastically under delivered.

[Carol Perreault · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read story of class differences and life struggles on an island.

[Julie Whitworth · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF after 70%, I wasn’t interested enough to continue, I didn’t care enough about the characters to keep going.

[The Bookish Elf · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Mansion Beach, Meg Mitchell Moore delivers a breezy yet sharply intelligent exploration of ambition, identity, and class through the intertwined lives of three women converging on the storied shores of Block Island. Rich with subtext and laced with humor, Moore’s ninth novel continues her streak of keenly observed literary fiction, seamlessly blending domestic drama with incisive commentary on wealth and womanhood.

Having built her career with thoughtful summer novels like Vacationland, The Islanders, and Summer Stage, Moore once again proves her authority in creating character-driven narratives that are both escapist and emotionally resonant. Mansion Beach stands comfortably among her best, offering both style and substance.

Setting the Scene: Block Island’s Duality

Block Island, a recurring character in Moore’s oeuvre, is rendered here with lush intimacy. It’s both idyllic and quietly claustrophobic, its beauty juxtaposed with the undercurrents of elitism and secrecy. This contrast serves the novel’s central theme well: paradise is rarely perfect.

From extravagant beach parties to contentious town hall meetings, Moore expertly stages her drama in a world where appearances matter more than truths. Her background as a journalist shines through in the meticulous attention to place, atmosphere, and dialogue. The inclusion of fictional podcast transcripts and town council interviews adds narrative texture, evoking the storytelling style of Liane Moriarty and Celeste Ng.

The Power Triangle: Nicola, Juliana, Taylor
Nicola Carr: The Reluctant Returnee

Nicola Carr is our quiet anchor—empathetic, observant, and deeply human. Having retreated to Block Island for a restful escape after personal upheaval, she finds herself drawn into a world of opulence and conflict that challenges her understanding of both herself and her family. Moore paints Nicola with exquisite sensitivity, balancing vulnerability with growing agency.

Nicola’s voice is introspective but never indulgent. Through her eyes, we experience not just her cousin Taylor’s high-stakes power games, but also Juliana’s precarious reinvention. She is the moral lens of the novel, a character through whom Moore gently critiques privilege and ambition.

Juliana George: A Past Rewritten

Juliana is the most enigmatic of the three—a self-made fashion-tech mogul preparing for a massive IPO. But beneath the CEO polish lies Jade Gordon, a working-class scholarship student with a buried scandal. Her name change is more than symbolic; it’s a rebirth forged from trauma, manipulation, and reinvention.

Juliana’s character arc is the novel’s most gripping, blending classic Gatsby-esque reinvention with modern startup hustle. Moore’s handling of Juliana’s duality—especially her entanglement with a man from her past (who happens to be Taylor’s husband)—is nuanced and emotionally raw. Her secrets are carefully unpacked, not for shock, but to explore the cost of ambition and the loneliness of upward mobility.

Taylor Buchanan: The Heir Apparent

Taylor Buchanan is perhaps the novel’s most thematically complex character. Groomed by her domineering father to run the family’s real estate empire, Taylor is equal parts razor-sharp executive and emotionally neglected daughter. Moore gives her an entire section—“Taylor’s Version”—and it’s a triumph of layered characterization.

Taylor’s internal monologue reveals the crushing pressure of balancing career, motherhood, and marriage, all while fronting an image of effortless control. Her narrative voice is whip-smart and brittle, offering biting commentary on legacy, gender roles, and class entitlement. Her unraveling over the course of the novel—through PR disasters, community backlash, and marital strain—is at once tragic and deeply earned.

Plot Threads and Structure: A Slow-Burning Collision

Mansion Beach is elegantly structured around three months—June, July, and August—each acting as a chapter in the emotional unraveling of its protagonists. The pacing is deliberate but absorbing. There is no cheap suspense here; instead, Moore cultivates tension through character interactions, past revelations, and the slow build-up to a death that haunts the narrative from the start.

Key plot elements include:

- Juliana’s IPO and her secret past
- Taylor’s crumbling marriage and the Buchanan family legacy
- Nicola’s discovery of her cousin’s betrayals and her growing entanglement with Juliana’s life
- A mysterious death that slowly reveals its roots in buried secrets and old grudges

While the novel leans literary, there are enough domestic thriller beats—secrets, identity changes, moral gray areas—to keep readers turning pages.

Themes Explored

1. Reinvention and Identity

Moore questions whether we can truly outrun the past. Juliana’s transformation from Jade Gordon is more than a name change—it’s an attempt to erase class stigma, loss, and exploitation. But as the past resurfaces, we see that reinvention always comes at a cost.

2. Motherhood and Feminism

Taylor’s storyline serves as a cutting commentary on the "have-it-all" myth sold to modern women. Her aching desire to succeed in both boardroom and nursery—without permission to falter—feels painfully real.

3. Class and Power

From Juliana’s imposter syndrome to Nicola’s understated privilege and Taylor’s inherited empire, Mansion Beach never loses sight of the social structures that shape women’s lives. Moore interrogates how wealth shields and isolates in equal measure.

4. Secrets and Their Cost

Whether it’s Taylor’s sabotage, Juliana’s backstory, or Nicola’s silence, Mansion Beach illustrates how secrets fester, especially in communities where reputation is currency.

Writing Style: Wit, Warmth, and Literary Poise

Meg Mitchell Moore’s prose is precise, lyrical, and deceptively light. Her skill lies in writing dialogue that feels organic and observations that strike emotional chords without melodrama. The humor—sometimes dark, often dry—gives the novel buoyancy, even as it grapples with heavy topics like betrayal, grief, and gender inequality.

Her literary influences are subtly felt, with The Great Gatsby evoked through Juliana’s self-invention and green-light symbolism, and Joan Didion’s cool detachment lingering over Nicola’s introspective moments.

Moore’s background in journalism lends her writing a clarity and structure that feels trustworthy. Yet her ability to probe emotional depths with restraint shows her mastery as a novelist.

Notable Highlights

- The "Taylor’s Version" section is a structural standout—both a character study and an indictment of generational conditioning.

- The unraveling of Juliana’s identity is handled with rare empathy and narrative finesse.

- The portrayal of Block Island’s summer elite is both glamorous and grotesque—a mirror held up to privilege and its rot.

- Nicola’s evolving perspective provides a moral compass without becoming didactic.

Critiques and Weak Spots

While Mansion Beach is consistently engaging, a few elements merit critique:

- Pacing in the middle third slows slightly as Moore shifts between perspectives. Some readers may find the tension lags before the final convergence.

- Secondary characters like Shelly and David, though memorable, sometimes serve as plot devices more than fully realized individuals.

- The final reveal of the death—while thematically resonant—feels understated and may leave suspense-loving readers wanting a sharper climax.

These are minor quibbles, however, in a novel that otherwise excels in emotional resonance and structural polish.

Final Thoughts: A Summer Read with Substance

Mansion Beach is more than a summer escape. It’s a character-driven literary drama that peels back the layers of wealth, love, and ambition to reveal what lies beneath. With her signature insight, Meg Mitchell Moore invites us to question not only who we are, but who we pretend to be in order to survive.

[Meg Paisley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A modern Gatsby retelling… but make it beachy, gender-swapped, and filled with ambition, secrets, and a splash of murder? Consider me intrigued.

In Mansion Beach, we follow three women spending the summer on Block Island: Nicola, in need of a quiet escape; Juliana George, a fashion-tech CEO throwing fabulous parties and harboring big dreams/ bigger secrets and maybe a romantic rekindling and Taylor Buchanan, the polished real estate queen whose picture-perfect life is threatening to unravel. Their paths slowly (and messily) intersect as the story builds toward betrayal, heartbreak, self-discovery and yes, a dead body.

The Gatsby references are everywhere — from the extravagant parties to the longing stares across the water (complete with a literal green light). I’m a sucker for a classic retelling, so I couldn’t help but smile at all the little nods. That said, some of the connections felt more distracting than clever like the name swaps: Nicola for Nick, Juliana George for Jay Gatsby, and the Buchanans just… still being the Buchanans 😅. It teetered between homage and parody at times, but in a way that still kept me turning the pages.

My biggest gripe? The chapter lengths. I love sinking into a story, but when chapters stretch too long, my attention starts drifting like a beach umbrella on a windy day. Still, the intrigue, the setting, and the juicy tension between these characters made up for it.

This wasn’t a five star read, but it was a fun one where you bring to the pool or the patio, flip open with a cold drink in hand, and disappear into for an afternoon. If you love Gatsby-inspired drama, power-hungry women, mysterious neighbors, and the kind of summer secrets that demand to be spilled, Mansion Beach might be worth the trip to Block Island.

Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow Publishing for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book starts out as essentially a gender-flipped modern day version of the Great Gatsby, set on Block Island. (A real island off of Rhode Island, and randomly the second book I read this week set there.) So basically an exploration of wealth, obsession, love, the American dream, rich people behaving badly, etc.

I absolutely love The Great Gatsby, and I enjoy retellings, so that’s what drew me to this book. Yet at the start, I was a little distracted by the Gatsby of it all - Juliana Gordon instead of Jay Gatsby, Nicola instead of Nick, David instead of Daisy etc etc. And actually it was as the book diverged more from the plot of Gatsby that it became more interesting to me. Which I suppose makes it more inspired by than a retelling? Well, whatever it was, it was a fun read! And I’d love to do a deep dive with anyone else who is a Gatsby fan so we can compare and contrast!