Welcome to Seagull Street: That Summer in Ocean City, Maryland

by Alissa Arford

That summer in Ocean City, Maryland… What if starting over meant facing everything you thought you’d left behind?

In Ocean City, the summer sun doesn’t just shine, it sparkles with potential. Sunrises over the waves, sunsets melting into the bay. The Boardwalk buzzes with energy. Ice cream melts too fast. Strangers meet. Hearts break and mend. And under the two watchful eyes of a pair of oddball seagulls, anything can happen. During a summer like this one, the possibilities feel limitless.

Just a few blocks from the crashing waves and soft sand, on a quiet little bayside street, three lives are about to tangle in ways that will change them forever.

Ray Anders is a cybersecurity analyst specializing in election security, working behind the scenes to help protect the integrity of the voting process. After losing so much during the pandemic, she retreats to her grandparents’ old beach house on Seagull Street, hoping to disappear for a while. No connections. No noise. Just her dog Charlie, the water, her thoughts, and the steady comfort of birds overhead.

Then Olivia McNalley moves in next door.

A fast-talking, big-hearted third-grade teacher turned summer waitress, Olivia is rebuilding after a divorce that left her shaken and watchful. Her ex-husband didn’t just change, he radicalized. Pulled deep into online forums and grievance-fueled “patriot” fantasies, he became someone Olivia no longer recognized... or felt safe around. Ocean City is supposed to be her reset. What she doesn’t expect is an instant, easy friendship with Ray, or the realization that home might be something she can choose for herself.

Enter Evan Michaels: an Eastern Shore native, marketing manager by day, surfer by weekend, and friend-to-all by default. Newly single and learning to redefine his own story, Evan sees what others don’ the way Ray flinches when someone gets too close, and how Olivia’s bright smile hides something darker.

Then things start to unravel.

Catfishing. Theft. A Boardwalk tram hijacking. And threats that hit far too close to home. As the summer heats up, so does the tension, and the past each of them thought they’d left behind begins creeping back like the next high tide.

In a summer of second chances, can three unlikely allies rewrite their stories… or will everything they’ve built wash away before Labor Day?

Told like a diary of summer 2023, with warmth, wit, and a touch of suspense, Welcome to Seagull Street is a slice-of-life beach read where romance, mystery, and unexpected friendship collide. Set against the backdrop of Ocean City, Maryland, it’s a story of fresh starts, personal resilience, and deep-rooted social issues that shape our everyday lives. Through it all, two peculiar seagulls—one with a missing foot, the other with a beak that curves just so—keep silent watch from the rooftops, witnesses to every twist, turn, and truth revealed.

Featuring original cover art by Ocean City’s own Marc Emond, editorial cartoonist and creator of Stinky Beach Studio.

367 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 24, 2025

About the author

Alissa Arford is a Maryland native, lifelong writer, and marketing communications leader with a passion for storytelling. A proud third-generation Terp, she earned her journalism degree and later an executive MBA from the University of Maryland—continuing a family tradition that now includes her two children as fourth-generation Terps.

With a career spanning journalism, digital marketing, and branding, Alissa has held senior leadership roles in professional tech consulting firms, SaaS finance apps, nonprofits, and higher education. She founded Red Hill Creek Enterprises, LLC, a consulting and publishing company, in 2023. Throughout her career, she has combined her love of writing, technology, and strategy to create compelling brand narratives and data-driven marketing solutions.

Reviews

[Erin Grunden · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book because I’m a local of Ocean City, but it just didn’t work for me. The constant name dropping was distracting, and I found myself getting annoyed with how often the pandemic and Covid were brought up. For those of us who live here, that period didn’t have nearly the same impact as the book made it seem. On top of that, I didn’t care for the way politics were woven into the story—it felt unnecessary and took away from the enjoyment. Overall, the book focused too much on Covid and politics, rather than capturing the true spirit of our town.

[Andrea Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading Welcome to Seagull Street today.

The author filled the book with tons of nuggets of information, local flavor, and “current” events throughout. She crafted the storyline of each character into a fantastic total story. Humor, romance, drama, it had it all! Ms. Arford’s attention to detail associated with the characters, setting and plot line was impeccable!

I absolutely loved this book! A must-read for all Marylanders!!!

[Sharon Mccloud · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the book. It started out slow but if you hang in there it picks up. I am an avid visitor of Ocean City MD so I knew a lot of the places that are described in the book and enjoyed reading someone else’s take on this beautiful place.
The characters are cute, but sometimes predictable the storyline is up-to-date in current times and refers to a lot of things that have and could still happens in the world today. Looking forward to more books from this author and continuing of the story.

[Kolby Kramer]

Sapwood book club

[Charissa Costa Bauhaus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This lovely story is set in our beloved Ocean City, Maryland, and what a treat! This coming-of-age saga follows a group of young adults moving to OC after the Covid pandemic and shutdown, each with their own reasons for starting over. Fun times and chaos abound, and I was both thrilled and surprised when the story, which initially felt like women’s fiction meets romance, took an unexpected turn into full-fledged action and adventure!! I didn’t see that coming!

What I loved most of all was Alissa’s unique take on everything Ocean City. She effortlessly weaves in local history, surf schedules, landmarks, and yes… even the iconic Jesus sandcastle! Looking for Dumpster’s Ice Cream and Thrasher’s Fries? Berlin and Assateague? Candy Kitchen and the arcades? It’s all here!!

WELCOME TO SEAGULL STREET isn’t just an entertaining story, it’s a love letter to Ocean City. Marylanders will enjoy the local references woven throughout, and those of you who don’t live here will want to plan your next vacation ‘down the ocean’. WELCOME TO SEAGULL STREET is a delightful, fun read for anyone craving Maryland-centric stories. Thanks, Alissa!!!

[Derrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alissa Arford’s debut novel is a summertime story set in Ocean City, Maryland. Here is a novel that not only captures the essence of a mid-Atlantic beach town, but it also shows the reader a full picture of summertime at the beach. Welcome To Seagull Street is at once idyllic and adventurous, and the author employs stellar fiction writing techniques when detailing the friendships and rivalries that unfold in exciting, almost never predictable ways. Alissa Arford portrays the lives of young professionals and sun seekers, putting her home state of Maryland and Ocean City on the literary map. This novel encompasses many journeys with a close focus on modern day professional Ray Anders, who comes to the Maryland beach town to get away but ends up being the central character in a slice of life story about, love, choices, and reinvention.

I am quite partial to beach reads and over the years have spent time in Los Angeles since I was young. My take on Seagull Street is that Arford brings a cool, cosmopolitan flair that makes this novel even more enjoyable. Her central characters are thoughtful and concerned about how their actions affect others, at least most of time. As a first novel about second chances, Alissa Arford has authored a story populated by hip, worldly characters who might just as easily be found on a more trendy or famous beach. Ocean City, MD is often not experienced by visitors or even residents beyond a certain touristy surface level, but this book takes the reader to an Ocean City experience as unique and surprising as Maryland’s beloved beach town itself. East Coast tested, and West Coast approved. A big Mahalo to the author for the helpful book club questions at the end!

[Andrea | andidireadies · Rating 2 out of 5]

Being a born and raised Marylander, I really wanted to love this book... but I just didn't. I did enjoy some of the local OC references to real places that only Marylanders would get, and I like that this could bring interest into MD culture. BUT the plot was chaotic, sometimes wildly unbelievable, and the entire book was aggressively, excessively political in regards to both traditional politics and Covid, to the point where it's annoying no matter which side you fall on. I told my friend about this book and we were both laughing hysterically while I was trying to explain the plot because there is just SO much going on.

And on top of that, the audiobook is computer narrated (can someone provide context on whether or not that would be AI?) which I didn't know before purchasing it, and it was absolutely awful. It's painfully clear that the author didn't listen to all (if any) of the audio before publishing it. There are SO many mispronunciations, not only of just text message lingo, but also Maryland city names, and even just standard English language words. For example, one I noticed repeatedly was "content" which should have been prnounced in the context of social media content, rather than feeling content and at ease. Another one of many that really upset me was Ellicott City (and this is AFTER I heard the SAME mispronunciation error in another book that DID have a real live person narrate it, but that one was excusable because I'm not dumb enough to believe everyone over the US knows how to pronounce it, though I do think the author should have noticed and made a point to have ti corrected) Another issue was the computer pausing after every period thinking a sentence ended, whereas many of them were just included due to an abbreviation or title (for example, Roe v. Wade [TWICE], and Mrs. Anders, etc.)

[Lisa Wild · Rating 2 out of 5]

First let me say that I admire anyone who writes a book. It's a big challenge to be sure.

I really wanted to like this book, set downy ocean, but it was just ok. I think that it really needed additional editing. There was an awful lot of exposition and name dropping (which is fun, in moderation) but little plot. It meandered along, trying to touch on too many current events at once (COVID, January 6) and giving too much detail through telling us things instead of showing us through character actions. It was difficult to connect to any character emotionally and therefore it was difficult to care what happened to them. When the one of the characters was arrested, that seemed like a logic place to wrap the story up, but it kept going. When I was finished reading, I didn't feel anything other than glad it was over.

I would be really interested in reading the next book in the series because it's always fun to read a book set in a place one loves in a time period (the 80s) one looks at with fondness, but I hope that the author finds an editor that can get the ideas across with fewer words and more focus.

[Mary Kendall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to Seagull Street is such a fun read. As a Maryland native and beach lover, the local setting of Ocean City, Maryland with all its bells and whistles, was nostalgic comfort food---a treat!

Layered into that setting is an interesting time capsule of pandemic life. Details of that time period such as the Barbie movie and the Canadian wildfire hazes are skillfully woven into the narrative and serve as a remembrance of what that fairly recent but intense time period was like; the good, the bad and the ugly.

Another enjoyable aspect was getting to know the crew of 20 somethings on Seagull Street, all with their own unique quirks and personalities. Anyone who has lived through those years can well appreciate the challenges that the novel’s characters face as they navigate through careers, relationships and adulting, in general.

The author notes at the story’s end that a sequel is in the works and I look forward to spending time with these folks again!

[Alissa Arford]

As the author, I won’t rate this and I’ll leave that to readers. But I will say this: Welcome to Seagull Street is my love letter to Ocean City, Maryland, and to the kind of summer that changes everything.

As a trained journalist stepping into fiction, I wrote this story as a snapshot of life during the summer of 2023. I tried to capture the everyday moments, small shifts, and human connections that began to return as people emerged from isolation. It’s about friendship, starting over, and finding light in unexpected places.

I hope it reads like a time capsule of a very real, very human summer.

[Mandy Annah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to Seagull Street perfectly captures the charm of Ocean City summers,the salt air, the friendships, and the feeling that anything can happen. I loved how Alissa Arford wove together Ray, Olivia, and Evan’s stories with warmth and suspense. The characters feel real and relatable, and the seaside setting almost becomes its own character. It’s a beautiful mix of humor, heart, and healing, with just enough mystery to keep you turning the pages. Highly recommend this to anyone who loves beach reads with depth and soul!

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book! I live in the area. Met the author. Starts out slow and is very wordy. Three sentences to say what could have been said in one. But, it really does pick up. At one point, it’s barreling toward the end. Enjoyed reading about many familiar places. Very descriptive. It was very easy to visualize so many places. Made you feel as though you were right there, especially the Boardwalk chase. Olivia is a hoot!
Would have given it 5 stars if it weren’t for the wordiness and the reminder that you don’t write her and. That happens a few times. It’s she and!

[Elizabeth Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to Seagull Street swept me right into Ocean City’s charm. The setting feels so real you can almost hear the waves and smell the salty air. Ray, Olivia, and Evan are characters you can’t help but root for, each with their own struggles and hopes.

It’s heartfelt, a little suspenseful, and full of warmth—like spending the perfect summer with friends you’ll never forget. And those quirky seagulls? Absolutely adorable. A beautiful story about second chances and finding where you belong.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Alissa Arford, enter indie author! I love to support indie authors and as a bonus she’s from my home state! I picked up this book at the cutest boutique in Ocean City Maryland for a beach read.

🌊new beginnings
☀️ found family
👙post pandemic
☀️beach town
🌊 stalker

This story follows the lives ofRay, Ethan, and Olivia after they all start over after the Covid-19 Pandemic. Each in different spots in their lives, their paths cross in Ocean City Maryland.

If you love OCMD, you will enjoy this book. All the local joints spotlighted. Her book can be found on Amazon for purchase by ebook or paperback. She is working on book two which features OC in the 80s!

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m very familiar with Ocean City, MD, the setting of this book. From that perspective, I enjoyed all the references to things unique and special about OCMD. But I felt the dialogue was too “trendy” in that it was heavy on current slang/jargon which leaned toward being inauthentic. Also, the plot was very predictable. But it is a simple, easy beach book, for what it’s worth.

[Kelly Fitzgibbons · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute story set ‘downy ocean,’ in Ocean City, Maryland. If you know the area, you’ll love the references to everything from Fishers popcorn to Assateague. There are multiple plot lines, a surprising amount of politics, and several characters with big personalities.

[Phyllis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! If you’ve ever spent time in Ocean City, MD in the summertime, you’ll enjoy reading about people and places that will be very familiar! I loved the and will miss them- they felt like friends by the end of the book! A fun summer read!

[Poskana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book felt like a summer I didn’t want to end.
The friendships, emotions, and second chances were beautifully written.
I loved how real and relatable each character felt.
A heartfelt beach read I highly recommend.

[Traci Wayen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story captures the magic and messiness of starting over.
The setting is vivid, and the characters stay with you.
I loved the balance of light summer vibes and deeper issues.
Highly recommended for anyone who loves emotional, character driven reads.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

An ode to Ocean City where the town is a character too. I can almost taste the salty fries. Loved it!

[Margie Wiedel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reads like a stream of consciousness…almost like reading someone’s diary. It was cool to read about all the places and events in OC that I have come to know over my lifetime.

[Nita · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun read - especially if you have ever been to Ocean City! I could actually picture the places mentioned, and have wonderful memories from a lot of them!

[Maryb · Rating 5 out of 5]

A winner of a book! An action-packed story of love and OC adventure during those dreaded early COVID years. Looking forward to what's next! This Ocean City girl can't wait.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story was slow and bogged down with too much detail about the current political climate. I read romance to escape that, so sadly I did not finish.

[Julie Purcell · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not interested in reading about the pandemic or what others feel about it