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Lowcountry Tales #12
Same Beach, Next Year
New York Times bestselling author Dorothea Benton Frank returns to her magical Lowcountry of South Carolina in this bewitching story of marriage, love, family, and friendship that is infused with her warm and engaging earthy humor and generous heart.
One enchanted summer, two couples begin a friendship that will last more than twenty years and transform their lives.
A chance meeting on the Isle of Palms, one of Charleston’s most stunning barrier islands, brings former sweethearts, Adam Stanley and Eve Landers together again. Their respective spouses, Eliza and Carl, fight sparks of jealousy flaring from their imagined rekindling of old flames. As Adam and Eve get caught up on their lives, their partners strike up a deep friendship—and flirt with an unexpected attraction—of their own.
Year after year, Adam, Eliza, Eve, and Carl eagerly await their reunion at Wild Dunes, a condominium complex at the island’s tip end, where they grow closer with each passing day, building a friendship that will withstand financial catastrophe, family tragedy, and devastating heartbreak. The devotion and love they share will help them weather the vagaries of time and enrich their lives as circumstances change, their children grow up and leave home, and their twilight years approach.
Bursting with the intoxicating richness of Dorothea Benton Frank’s beloved Lowcountry—the sultry sunshine, cool ocean breezes, icy cocktails, and starry velvet skies—Same Beach, Next Year is a dazzling celebration of the infrangible power of friendship, the enduring promise of summer, and the indelible bonds of love.
One enchanted summer, two couples begin a friendship that will last more than twenty years and transform their lives.
A chance meeting on the Isle of Palms, one of Charleston’s most stunning barrier islands, brings former sweethearts, Adam Stanley and Eve Landers together again. Their respective spouses, Eliza and Carl, fight sparks of jealousy flaring from their imagined rekindling of old flames. As Adam and Eve get caught up on their lives, their partners strike up a deep friendship—and flirt with an unexpected attraction—of their own.
Year after year, Adam, Eliza, Eve, and Carl eagerly await their reunion at Wild Dunes, a condominium complex at the island’s tip end, where they grow closer with each passing day, building a friendship that will withstand financial catastrophe, family tragedy, and devastating heartbreak. The devotion and love they share will help them weather the vagaries of time and enrich their lives as circumstances change, their children grow up and leave home, and their twilight years approach.
Bursting with the intoxicating richness of Dorothea Benton Frank’s beloved Lowcountry—the sultry sunshine, cool ocean breezes, icy cocktails, and starry velvet skies—Same Beach, Next Year is a dazzling celebration of the infrangible power of friendship, the enduring promise of summer, and the indelible bonds of love.
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First published May 16, 2017
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About the author
Dorothea Benton Frank
61 books5,184 followersDorothea Benton Frank was a New York Times best-selling American novelist of Southern fiction. She worked in the apparel industry from 1972 until 1985 and then organized fundraisers as a volunteer, before becoming a novelist.
She is best known as the author of twenty novels placed in and around the Lowcountry of South Carolina.
She is best known as the author of twenty novels placed in and around the Lowcountry of South Carolina.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,479 reviews
May 22, 2017
Seriously? I can't even do a "normal" review on this one.
Ugh. How silly are you that you are easily convinced that no one speaks your language in a foreign country? That's what Google translate is for.
And what kind of self righteous pig are you married to who thinks its okay to lust after his first girlfriend for 25+ years and think you haven't done anything wrong?
Instead of enjoying this, I just read it with a confused face.
Maybe the next one will be better.
Ugh. How silly are you that you are easily convinced that no one speaks your language in a foreign country? That's what Google translate is for.
And what kind of self righteous pig are you married to who thinks its okay to lust after his first girlfriend for 25+ years and think you haven't done anything wrong?
Instead of enjoying this, I just read it with a confused face.
Maybe the next one will be better.
June 4, 2017
The language the characters used felt contrived, the plot line obvious, and mostly the characters were unlikeable. Not a fan of this one.
June 2, 2017
I only give this book two stars begrudgingly because of the beautiful South Caroline low country back drop. This was the sappiest piece of drivel I have read in a long time....horrible plot lines and predictable characters. Sad that this is such a popular book!
May 21, 2017
Y'all? I'm not sure there's any "chick lit" better than Dot Frank. The stories are DAMN GOOD. Always.
June 10, 2017
Dorothea Benton Frank usually oozes Southern charm and personality into her characters, but this is not the case with Same Beach, Next Year. The characters and plot failed to grasp my attention, perhaps because they both lacked dimension. If felt like I was watching a firm reel titled "This is your life Adam, Eliza, Eve, and Carl." In an attempt to bring readers into the story, the author suffered from too much information, but not enough substance. I wish that Dorothea Benton Frank would recapture the magic from her first few books, as those of late seem to be filled with characters that lack imagination and are superficial.
April 27, 2018
Favorite Quotes:
He was with a woman, a very large woman, who had to be at least ten years older than him, if not twenty. She was towering over a grinning Ted, wearing a black mink coat to the ground, high heels that could produce altitude sickness, and enough makeup to scare the hell out of Estee Lauder… “Merry Christmas, y’all!” she said in a smoky voice that suggested a lifetime of dedication to tobacco products.
Let’s be honest. Who could please Cookie? She’d find fault with the pope himself! He’d come to dinner and bring baked ziti and she’d hate it! She’d hate the pope’s baked ziti! She’d tell him it tasted like dog shit. Believe me! I’ve given this a lot of thought!
The air was thick with contentment, something you might run through your fingers if you held your hand outside the window. I wished I could grab some, put it in a jar, and keep it with me.
My Review:
I always eagerly anticipate reading a Dorothea Benton Frank book as I admire and relish her easy pace, bright wit, observant insightfulness, relatable plots, and twists of clever irony. She is a skilled illusionist and uses colorful distractions and crafty sleight of hand to keep us guessing; things are seldom what they seem. I adore her quirky and vibrant characters who aren’t always likable or admirable but take Southern eccentricity to a new level of entertainment. Reading her books is like going on a fun yet relaxing vacation with a seldom seen but trusted friend.
He was with a woman, a very large woman, who had to be at least ten years older than him, if not twenty. She was towering over a grinning Ted, wearing a black mink coat to the ground, high heels that could produce altitude sickness, and enough makeup to scare the hell out of Estee Lauder… “Merry Christmas, y’all!” she said in a smoky voice that suggested a lifetime of dedication to tobacco products.
Let’s be honest. Who could please Cookie? She’d find fault with the pope himself! He’d come to dinner and bring baked ziti and she’d hate it! She’d hate the pope’s baked ziti! She’d tell him it tasted like dog shit. Believe me! I’ve given this a lot of thought!
The air was thick with contentment, something you might run through your fingers if you held your hand outside the window. I wished I could grab some, put it in a jar, and keep it with me.
My Review:
I always eagerly anticipate reading a Dorothea Benton Frank book as I admire and relish her easy pace, bright wit, observant insightfulness, relatable plots, and twists of clever irony. She is a skilled illusionist and uses colorful distractions and crafty sleight of hand to keep us guessing; things are seldom what they seem. I adore her quirky and vibrant characters who aren’t always likable or admirable but take Southern eccentricity to a new level of entertainment. Reading her books is like going on a fun yet relaxing vacation with a seldom seen but trusted friend.
March 12, 2018
I think this will be my last DBF book. Technically her writing has really gone downhill, with timeline errors, typos, repeated phrases. Not sure if that is on her or her editors.
The tone of her last few books has been very mean-spirited and shallow and this book is no exception. Without meeting her, the main character decides that her husband's high school sweetheart is a slut, yet she is lusting after the friend's husband. She is extremely judgemental, yet criticizes others for their "un-Christian" behavior of judging others.
An inordinate amount of time is spent on describing clothes and food, and most of the characters are unlikable.
The ending is implausible and rushed. Such a shame, because her books used to be so good.
The tone of her last few books has been very mean-spirited and shallow and this book is no exception. Without meeting her, the main character decides that her husband's high school sweetheart is a slut, yet she is lusting after the friend's husband. She is extremely judgemental, yet criticizes others for their "un-Christian" behavior of judging others.
An inordinate amount of time is spent on describing clothes and food, and most of the characters are unlikable.
The ending is implausible and rushed. Such a shame, because her books used to be so good.
April 9, 2023
Just a perfect book for the friendship tag. This is the story of two couples, friends who have been entwined in each others lives for years, with knotty and complicated, yet devoted and loving intertwines. It's the portrait of two to three marriages, and lovers and friends who weather storms together. You can smell and feel the sensual writing in the Isle of Palms (Lowcountry) as well as in Greece. She comes alive in both settings, with humor, and complicated characters and dynamics. I have owned this book for a long time, and am glad to have finally read it. I enjoyed it and read it in an overnight/weekend. Very much enjoyed.
July 20, 2017
I took “Same Beach, Next Year” with me on my beach trip this past week thinking it would be a great beach read. I was wrong! I had to force myself to finish this book and the only reason I did not put it aside is because it was the only book I brought with me and I never go without a book. The countless pages of dialogue (which seemed unnatural at times), the main characters, the plot, especially the premise Adam and Eve were just awful!! I really have no words to describe how much I disliked this book and I am surprised to see so many four and five stars. This book (and her last one, “All Summer Long”) have now convinced me that I no longer want to continue to read any of Dorothea Benton Franks’ books.
June 20, 2017
This was dreadful. She spends the first half of the book patting herself on the back about their wonderful life and listing all the lovely things that they own. Not ONE of the characters is particularly likable (except for Ted and Clarabeth and the Greek family). There is no connection or character development. Eve's daughter is almost a complete non-entity and suddenly she's marrying Max. I saw no development of the undying friendship between the couples. This is a book peopled by stick figures.
May 18, 2017
It's almost a shame that Dorothea Benton Frank's books always have such gorgeous covers because every year when I buy the newest one, I inevitably mess up the pretty covers with sunscreen. I guess she shares some of the blame, after all, her books are a summer right of passage. Summer has not officially arrived until I have the latest Dorothea Benton Frank book in my beach bag.
This summer's book is Same Beach, Next Year set in her beloved Lowcountry of South Carolina. Each year Adam and Eliza and their young twin boys Luke and Max spend a few weeks at a vacation condo not far from home. Adam is a hardworking successful construction business owner and Eliza is a fabulous cook, who yearns to write a cookbook.
One year, a new couple takes the condo next door and it turns out the woman is Eve, Adam's first love. Eve is married to Carl, a hardworking, successful pediatrician and they have a young daughter, Daphne, about the twins' age, and they are joined by with Eve's mother Cookie.
The two couples get along famously, and although Eliza has her antenna up a bit about Adam and Eve, the fact that Carl is extremely handsome and shamelessly flirts with her distracts her somewhat.
The four become fast friends, and along with Ted, Adam's father, and Ted's girlfriend Clarabeth, it's one big happy family as they meet every year for two weeks and swim together, golf together and eat together.
Cookie likes to stir trouble, and she is hyper-critical of her daughter, which literally drives Eve to drink. Time flies by and Eve turns to Adam when she fears that Carl has been cheating on her. That sets in motion an incident that threatens two marriages and their friendship.
One of the things I love best about Frank's book is that she makes her characters relatable. Eliza has two sons (so do I), her dog Rufus is her best friend (mine was Malcolm, my late beloved basset hound) and Eliza loves to cook, as do I (well, most of the time).
This book is written from the perspectives of both Eliza and Adam, and I found it intriguing how Frank got into Adam's mindset. I have to say, though, I found his behavior and rationalizations puzzling, although I think each character makes some head-shaking choices here.
Since Eliza is a cook, we get some wonderfully descriptive foodie scenes, from Eliza's trip to the Piggly Wiggly grocery store to Eliza's family Christmas breakfast (I could almost smell the cinnamon on the page) to the feast that Eliza has with her Greek family in Corfu.
Same Beach, Next Year is another Dorothea Benton Frank winner, it's got everything you want in a summer beach read- great characters, sassy dialogue, interesting family and friend dynamics and a road trip to Greece. Maybe I should try covering my book in plastic so the sunscreen doesn't ruin the beautiful cover.
You may recognize the book's title- an homage to the Alan Alda-Ellen Burstyn movie, Same Time, Next Year, which if you haven't seen, you should. (It was a play first.)
This summer's book is Same Beach, Next Year set in her beloved Lowcountry of South Carolina. Each year Adam and Eliza and their young twin boys Luke and Max spend a few weeks at a vacation condo not far from home. Adam is a hardworking successful construction business owner and Eliza is a fabulous cook, who yearns to write a cookbook.
One year, a new couple takes the condo next door and it turns out the woman is Eve, Adam's first love. Eve is married to Carl, a hardworking, successful pediatrician and they have a young daughter, Daphne, about the twins' age, and they are joined by with Eve's mother Cookie.
The two couples get along famously, and although Eliza has her antenna up a bit about Adam and Eve, the fact that Carl is extremely handsome and shamelessly flirts with her distracts her somewhat.
The four become fast friends, and along with Ted, Adam's father, and Ted's girlfriend Clarabeth, it's one big happy family as they meet every year for two weeks and swim together, golf together and eat together.
Cookie likes to stir trouble, and she is hyper-critical of her daughter, which literally drives Eve to drink. Time flies by and Eve turns to Adam when she fears that Carl has been cheating on her. That sets in motion an incident that threatens two marriages and their friendship.
One of the things I love best about Frank's book is that she makes her characters relatable. Eliza has two sons (so do I), her dog Rufus is her best friend (mine was Malcolm, my late beloved basset hound) and Eliza loves to cook, as do I (well, most of the time).
This book is written from the perspectives of both Eliza and Adam, and I found it intriguing how Frank got into Adam's mindset. I have to say, though, I found his behavior and rationalizations puzzling, although I think each character makes some head-shaking choices here.
Since Eliza is a cook, we get some wonderfully descriptive foodie scenes, from Eliza's trip to the Piggly Wiggly grocery store to Eliza's family Christmas breakfast (I could almost smell the cinnamon on the page) to the feast that Eliza has with her Greek family in Corfu.
Same Beach, Next Year is another Dorothea Benton Frank winner, it's got everything you want in a summer beach read- great characters, sassy dialogue, interesting family and friend dynamics and a road trip to Greece. Maybe I should try covering my book in plastic so the sunscreen doesn't ruin the beautiful cover.
You may recognize the book's title- an homage to the Alan Alda-Ellen Burstyn movie, Same Time, Next Year, which if you haven't seen, you should. (It was a play first.)
September 2, 2017
I wish I would've kept track of how many times I rolled my eyes while reading this one. It reads as though it is written by a middle-aged, wealthy, Southern woman who went to Greece one time. And I don't mean that in a good way.
July 20, 2017
I saw some really potential when reading the synopsis of this book. It was quirky, had the promise of some real struggle of heart and morality and self-discovery. But as I read on, I was thoroughly disappointed by the lack of depth for most of the characters. Eliza was probably the most interesting character with the most compelling storyline, and the rest were somewhat entertaining. But the extremely annoying part throughout the entire is her husband Adam. He is such a narcissistic, immature man with no real crisis other than the "grass is greener" syndrome. There is no real climactic, lethargic scene for this guy, as there should have been. Yes, there is a somewhat eye-opening event that could or could not have caused him to reevaluate his perspective and his value of what he has, but we doing really get to see the transformation.
The book kind of fell flat for me. Adam and Eve .... ugh. Bunch of self-centered jerks. Never really get any kind of karma-related repercussions for their idiotic behavior.
The book kind of fell flat for me. Adam and Eve .... ugh. Bunch of self-centered jerks. Never really get any kind of karma-related repercussions for their idiotic behavior.
June 9, 2017
This was a particularly bad novel with pages of pablum for content. I almost feel sorry for the sad little women who read this and think of this as something good. They obviously haven't devoured a truly well-written book. Oh well. Pablum is good, I suppose until one has had a big juicy steak.
August 28, 2017
I love beach books and this one had some great qualities. However, the characters were not very relatable. Also, it seemed like some events were rushed and not realistic.
May 16, 2017
I am a real fan of Dot Frank and know that when her new book comes out every spring, it's time for summer and the beach! I have enjoyed all of her books but this is one of my favorites -- but I think that I say that every time I read one of her books.
Eliza and Adam had been happily married for several years and were spending their vacation on the Isle of Palms with their toddler twin sons when Adam sees Eve - his first love from high school. Eve is at the same vacation complex with her husband Carl and their young daughter. They make plans for the two families to meet for drinks and even though they both tell their spouses that they were friends from high school, neither goes into detail about how deep their love for each other was. Sparks fly between Adam and Eve, even though they are both happily married, and it's apparent to Eliza and Carl that they were more than friends years ago. They manage to build a friendship between the four of them and they meet at the same complex at Isle of Palms every year until something happens years later to ruin the friendship and possibly the marriages. Will they be able to overcome the transgression that appeared to happen and become friends again?
This is a lovely novel about love and friendship and keeping marriages happy as people head into their later years. I enjoyed all four of the characters but thought that Eliza was the most real and the best of the four. She grew more as a character and was able to learn to be herself and love who she was as a person and not just as a wife and mother. I also, as always, loved the setting. I love books about the SC Lowcountry - the beach and the sand and the feeling of being there with the characters always makes me enjoy a book even more.
Eliza and Adam had been happily married for several years and were spending their vacation on the Isle of Palms with their toddler twin sons when Adam sees Eve - his first love from high school. Eve is at the same vacation complex with her husband Carl and their young daughter. They make plans for the two families to meet for drinks and even though they both tell their spouses that they were friends from high school, neither goes into detail about how deep their love for each other was. Sparks fly between Adam and Eve, even though they are both happily married, and it's apparent to Eliza and Carl that they were more than friends years ago. They manage to build a friendship between the four of them and they meet at the same complex at Isle of Palms every year until something happens years later to ruin the friendship and possibly the marriages. Will they be able to overcome the transgression that appeared to happen and become friends again?
This is a lovely novel about love and friendship and keeping marriages happy as people head into their later years. I enjoyed all four of the characters but thought that Eliza was the most real and the best of the four. She grew more as a character and was able to learn to be herself and love who she was as a person and not just as a wife and mother. I also, as always, loved the setting. I love books about the SC Lowcountry - the beach and the sand and the feeling of being there with the characters always makes me enjoy a book even more.
August 30, 2017
So I didn't hate this book as much as I did her past 2. I wanted something light and frothy and summer-ish. The story was entertaining enough, I loved the Lowcountry setting, and then we were on to Greece, my favorite part of the story. DBF's sass and sarcasm is always a delight to me. Eliza did have me laughing out loud. Then the book got kind of dopey. The ending was just thrown together and awful. Just not my cup of sweet tea, y'all.
March 11, 2018
Don't waste your time. I skimmed through the last half to find out what happened, basically hating all the characters except the twin sons.
May 22, 2017
I was excited to receive this Hardcover copy from the publisher in the mail. I opened the package and started reading it and did not stop! Nothing says summer is coming and makes me want to sit by the beach that a book by Dorothea Benton Frank.
Review:
I thought the format of the book really worked, we heard both sides of this sometimes hilarious , other times serious tale. Adam and his wife Eliza are the narrators of this story that spans about two decades. The formula for the book is typical Dorothea Benton Frank but that is all. The story is a departure from her usual books. I found this to be a very deep and moving story. Adam and Eve are first loves and they both seem to be caught in the past. I felt that Adam wanted to recapture his youth and Eve was just plain shallow and seemed unsure of her marriage to Stanley who is a successful Doctor and a huge flirt. I found myself wanting to smack Adam most of the book for not truly appreciating Eliza. Adam kept manipulating ways to see Eve every summer and Eliza seemed to realize this but at the same time put up with it but kept an eagle eye on the situation. I found Cookie, Eve's mom, both mean and hilarious at the same time. Some of the things that Cookie came out with had me laughing out loud!
Eliza was of course the voice of reason in this story and my favorite character as well as an amazing cook. What more could Adam want? His youth that's what! Their was lots of side drama involving Cookie, Adams Father and his girlfriend, a larger than life character.
I also liked how the story follows the relationships of the two couples through their ups and downs. I really had no idea how it would all come to end but I thoroughly enjoyed going along on the ride and I absolutely hated for this book to end.
This book is more than just the authors' usual "beach read" , it was a moving story about marriage and friendship.This review was originally posted on Cindy's Book Binge
Review:
I thought the format of the book really worked, we heard both sides of this sometimes hilarious , other times serious tale. Adam and his wife Eliza are the narrators of this story that spans about two decades. The formula for the book is typical Dorothea Benton Frank but that is all. The story is a departure from her usual books. I found this to be a very deep and moving story. Adam and Eve are first loves and they both seem to be caught in the past. I felt that Adam wanted to recapture his youth and Eve was just plain shallow and seemed unsure of her marriage to Stanley who is a successful Doctor and a huge flirt. I found myself wanting to smack Adam most of the book for not truly appreciating Eliza. Adam kept manipulating ways to see Eve every summer and Eliza seemed to realize this but at the same time put up with it but kept an eagle eye on the situation. I found Cookie, Eve's mom, both mean and hilarious at the same time. Some of the things that Cookie came out with had me laughing out loud!
Eliza was of course the voice of reason in this story and my favorite character as well as an amazing cook. What more could Adam want? His youth that's what! Their was lots of side drama involving Cookie, Adams Father and his girlfriend, a larger than life character.
I also liked how the story follows the relationships of the two couples through their ups and downs. I really had no idea how it would all come to end but I thoroughly enjoyed going along on the ride and I absolutely hated for this book to end.
This book is more than just the authors' usual "beach read" , it was a moving story about marriage and friendship.This review was originally posted on Cindy's Book Binge
August 4, 2017
Same Beach, Next Year by Dorothea Benton Frank is a must read if you like novels which grab you from the first page, and don't let go until the last! This one was a departure for Frank, as it was less funny and sassy, and more sophisticated and deep. Eliza and Adam & Eve and Carl (or is it Adam and Eve and Eliza and Carl?) are neighbors each year at their beach rentals in coastal South Carolina. During their first summer there, Adam discovers that Eve is his long ago, deeply loved and lost girlfriend. He never mentioned her existence to his wonderful wife, Eliza, whom Adam does truly love. However, there is always something about that first BIG love, and that is true in this case. Meanwhile, there are some sparks between Carl and Eliza. Will any of them cross the line, or will they remain loyal to their spouses and keep their families in tact? Adam and Carl form a close friendship and the families become closer every year. At the start, Eliza and Adam have five year old twin boys, and Eve and Carl have a little girl about the same age. The children love their summer visits. The story goes forward in time until the couples are in their 50's and their children are twenty one! Many things happen over the years to the main characters and their extended families, including Adam's widowed father, Ted, and Eve's snarky (read that as RUDE and meddlesome) mother, Cookie. The characters are so well drawn, and there are many surprises along the way, including time spent in Corfu, Greece! I absolutely loved this novel, and am sad that I finished it because it was such a pleasure to be immersed in its pages. 5 stars all the way!
March 18, 2018
........as corny as Kansas in August! Betty Crocker meets Rock Hudson with the strains of Lawrence Welk in the background, just as Ozzie and Harriet drop by for a glass of wine. Very 50’s and ridiculously sappy. Everything was constantly repeated, as if it wasn’t bad enough the first time. The dialogue was super stupid and the characters like cut-out paper dolls. I would have drown the twins. I have read all her previous books but no more. I only finished this because I was away from home with no option.
August 3, 2017
I liked the cover and the setting, South Carolina Lowcountry. Both were pretty. I didn't like the characters or the story. The characters were bland and annoying. The story didn't go the way I wanted it to go. A very disappointing book.
April 21, 2019
Not one of my favorite Dorothea Benton Frank books. This book was too me boring and slow.
October 1, 2020
2.5 stars. Predictable and boring in places. Too neatly packaged.
July 13, 2022
ok was this book good ? no. was it what my mom had at the beach ? yes. but honestly for a dumb summer read it wasn’t horrible. like i wouldn’t recommend it but it did keep me entertained
April 26, 2018
While vacationing on the Isle of Palms, Adam and Eliza Stanley strike up a friendship with Carl and Eve Landers—something Eliza didn’t expect to happen, given that Adam and Eve were once childhood sweethearts. Despite an awkward beginning marked by Adam acting like a besotted school boy with Eve, as well as Carl’s shameless flirting with Eliza, the unlikely friends spent the next two decades vacationing together with their families. But when two of them are found in a compromising situation, the bonds of couples’ long friendship—not to mention their marriages—are tested as never before.
I greatly enjoyed reading Same Beach, Next Year. Frank has long been one of my favorite Southern writers, and I am always equally entertained by the characters as well as the location(s) the story takes place in. This novel proved to be a double delight concerning the latter—much of the story takes place in the familiar Lowcountry setting, while other portions are featured in Greece. (Corfu, to be exact… and it’s putting it mildly to say I was completely enchanted by it.)
The story is told from both Adam and Eliza’s viewpoints, and it has a kind of he said/she said vibe at certain points in the story. This is a good thing, in my view, particularly when it came to things that were an issue between them.
There is a fairly large cast of characters included in the book. Most of them have a minor role, however, so there’s no risk of forgetting who they are. (Although, there were certain characters that I wished had played a bigger role in the story if only to learn a bit more about them. They didn’t need to have a larger part in the story, I was simply curious to know more.)
There were a few instances where I read about something that happened, or was said, that felt unnecessary to the overall story—for me, at least. This is probably down to my personal preferences, rather than any actual issues with the story itself, though. In any case, when something felt off, it wasn’t to the detriment of the story, and it didn’t lessen my enjoyment of it.
Final Thoughts
This was a fun read that kept me engaged throughout, with characters I was fully invested in. The plot was interesting, with a central conflict that was believable. The resolution wasn’t quite what I expected, but it was effective and tied up all the remaining loose ends in a satisfying manner.
Recommended for fans of women’s fiction.
I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of William Morrow Paperbacks via TLC Book Tours.
I greatly enjoyed reading Same Beach, Next Year. Frank has long been one of my favorite Southern writers, and I am always equally entertained by the characters as well as the location(s) the story takes place in. This novel proved to be a double delight concerning the latter—much of the story takes place in the familiar Lowcountry setting, while other portions are featured in Greece. (Corfu, to be exact… and it’s putting it mildly to say I was completely enchanted by it.)
The story is told from both Adam and Eliza’s viewpoints, and it has a kind of he said/she said vibe at certain points in the story. This is a good thing, in my view, particularly when it came to things that were an issue between them.
There is a fairly large cast of characters included in the book. Most of them have a minor role, however, so there’s no risk of forgetting who they are. (Although, there were certain characters that I wished had played a bigger role in the story if only to learn a bit more about them. They didn’t need to have a larger part in the story, I was simply curious to know more.)
There were a few instances where I read about something that happened, or was said, that felt unnecessary to the overall story—for me, at least. This is probably down to my personal preferences, rather than any actual issues with the story itself, though. In any case, when something felt off, it wasn’t to the detriment of the story, and it didn’t lessen my enjoyment of it.
Final Thoughts
This was a fun read that kept me engaged throughout, with characters I was fully invested in. The plot was interesting, with a central conflict that was believable. The resolution wasn’t quite what I expected, but it was effective and tied up all the remaining loose ends in a satisfying manner.
Recommended for fans of women’s fiction.
I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of William Morrow Paperbacks via TLC Book Tours.
October 25, 2017
I was disappointed with this book. I didn't like the characters and couldn't relate to them. I love Dorothea Benton Frank's books, but not this one.
August 12, 2017
A couple vacations on the Isle of Palm in South Carolina. When Adam sees his high school love, Eve walk across the parking lot of the condo complex, it is almost as if he has fallen in love all over again. Eliza and Carl, their spouses can't help but notice the fire that starts burning right before their eyes. As unlikely as it seems, the two couples enjoy each other's company and continue to come to the condos together for two weeks every summer. Enter into the mix Adam's father and his girlfriend and Eve's mother and life becomes even more complicated. Life is full of ups and downs, bitter and sweet and the lives of Adam and Eliza and Eve and Carl are no different. But can you ever let go of the sweetness of a first love and thoughts of what might have been? Can you keep yourself from temptation?
I have enjoyed many of Frank's books and this was no exception. I loved the real emotions of the characters and meeting characters that you love and one that you want to slap. As someone who has spent a winter on the Isle of Palms at the Wild Dunes Resort, I enjoyed revisiting spots that I had been. Truly an enjoyable novel.
I have enjoyed many of Frank's books and this was no exception. I loved the real emotions of the characters and meeting characters that you love and one that you want to slap. As someone who has spent a winter on the Isle of Palms at the Wild Dunes Resort, I enjoyed revisiting spots that I had been. Truly an enjoyable novel.
October 30, 2017
I don't think DFB can write a bad book. This is another huge winner. I look forward to the yearly offering from the low country and they never miss.
July 19, 2017
Same Beach, Next Year Written By Dorothea Benton Frank
This was my first time reading any of this author's books and it was a surprisingly light addictive read in the genre of Women's fiction. It is the story of two couple's who by chance meet at the Isle of Psalm's condos in the low country of Charlestown. Eliza and Adam vacation there with their two young son's Luke and Max. Eve and Carl Landers turn up at the same condo beach resort. Eve and Adam have been sweethearts when they were a lot younger.
Eve and Adam have a night that they spend together where Adam spends the night sleeping upright while Eve cries on Adam's shoulder in a silk bathrobe. Eliza and Carl both show up and assumptions are made. Eve thinks Carl is having an affair with one of his young nurses. I thought that Adam's rationalizations about not being sorry because nothing sexual happened only added fuel to Eliza's feelings of betrayal. At this point Adam and Eliza's two son's are off at college and she decides to fulfill a life long dream of going to Greece.
This is most definitely very light beach reading written for women. The pacing was fast and the dialogue was snappy. I will try this author again when life gets hectic and I want a beach read. I would rate this 3.5 stars rounded up to four for it's entertaining story about family, friendship, aging and comic relief.
This was my first time reading any of this author's books and it was a surprisingly light addictive read in the genre of Women's fiction. It is the story of two couple's who by chance meet at the Isle of Psalm's condos in the low country of Charlestown. Eliza and Adam vacation there with their two young son's Luke and Max. Eve and Carl Landers turn up at the same condo beach resort. Eve and Adam have been sweethearts when they were a lot younger.
Eve and Adam have a night that they spend together where Adam spends the night sleeping upright while Eve cries on Adam's shoulder in a silk bathrobe. Eliza and Carl both show up and assumptions are made. Eve thinks Carl is having an affair with one of his young nurses. I thought that Adam's rationalizations about not being sorry because nothing sexual happened only added fuel to Eliza's feelings of betrayal. At this point Adam and Eliza's two son's are off at college and she decides to fulfill a life long dream of going to Greece.
This is most definitely very light beach reading written for women. The pacing was fast and the dialogue was snappy. I will try this author again when life gets hectic and I want a beach read. I would rate this 3.5 stars rounded up to four for it's entertaining story about family, friendship, aging and comic relief.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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