From the New York Times bestselling author of Beach Blues comes a novel of summers you never forget and friendships that never fade.
After a heartbreaking summer on the Connecticut shore, a group of beach friends is as adrift as an unmoored rowboat. When a dismayed Jason Barlow drives as far away from the sea as he can, leaving behind his wife, Maris, as well as their stately cottage on the bluff, that news hits like a sudden wave. Gathering over an intimate meal in a coastal diner, the friends make a solemn pact to lean on each other and not make any more rash decisions.
Which is all well and good, until each friend wavers--testing relationships, commitments, and especially love in the little beach community of Stony Point. But can the magic of the weathered boardwalk, whispering lagoon grasses, and sweet salt air cure what ails them?
Like a swaying seashell wind chime, Beach Breeze is a book that leaves echoes of summer's sweetness and sadness, long after the last page is turned.
The Seaside Saga Reading Order: 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 And more Seaside Saga Books
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.
Having read all DeMaio’s books, was anxious to catch up with the characters we have come to love and care about, as family and close friends. There has been a lot of tragedy and some of the characters (more than others), are having a very difficult time with their grief and loss.
An entire community has been shaken to the core, with the loss of a dear friend, Salvatore Deluca. He came into their lives and brought second chances to many. He made a huge impact (larger than life attitude, touching many), and his presence will not soon be forgotten.
Jason is having a particularly hard time. He had a second chance to live when his brother Neil died nine years earlier in an accident. He was able, to walk away after the wreck with the help of a prosthetic leg, below the knee. He also was given a chance at love two years earlier when Maris unexpectedly returned to Stony Point and his life. They married a year earlier.
Then Sal came into their lives like a breath of fresh air. Someone for Jason to fish with. Someone to talk with about construction, design, his father’s Vietnam war stories, and his brother. It felt as though Neil had returned in the guise of Sal. He had just given the eulogy and left shortly afterward.
He was asking himself if he had run out of chances. Everyone was concerned about him but he was not ready to face everyone and his grief. He is not sure he will be anytime soon. He did not get to say good-bye to his friend. He feels cheated. Jason feels as though he has lost his brother all over again.
. . . “In his happiness, he’d been foolish enough to forget one important lesson: On any given day, hour, or minute, life can spin out from under you. It happened nine years ago, when he lost his brother, and Jason nearly didn’t survive the day. So it’s important to be wary and not trust happiness, not too much.”
In addition, Sal’s mom Elsa is also making some drastic decisions, since the passing of her son. She had planned to renovate the Bed and Breakfast Inn (the old Foley’s cottage) and Jason was the architect. However, now she is putting a stop to the project and putting it up for sale; ready to return to Italy.
Celia is also filled with sadness over the life she and Sal will never have. She is also considering going back to Addison. Their engagement only last two days before Sal’s heart surgery. Sal, age 36, would be dearly missed by everyone. Even though his visit to their town this past summer was brief.
Maris is also making changes in her life. She had returned to Stony Point from a Chicago fashion career to settle her father’s estate and reunited with her sister Eva. Now Maris is considering quitting her job since it appears the people in town need her more now than ever.
Everyone was supposed to make a pack not to make any sudden grief-motivated decision that they would regret in time. Not until at least six months had passed. There were many who wanted to pack up and leave their paradise to escape their loss and pain.
Michael, Sal’s friend from New York is back in town to deliver all of Sal’s messages and letters, as well as few surprises for those he left behind. Emotions run high. Jason is out of control and pushing everyone away.
Cliff and the entire community hold an inn-intervention. The entire family is in crisis. They try and stop the tag sale. Elsa does not want to think about the business team: Jason, Celia, and Lauren. It was to be the future Ocean Star Inn, and now Sal was gone, Celia has left, and her dream had evaporated into the sea’s midst.
Jason is also upset thinking he no longer hears his brother for inspiration. Now Elsa DeLuca no longer needs his service. He had been so excited about the plans.
Everyone is concerned about the Inn and their loss. A place that holds all their friend’s history. However, will Jason and Elsa be able to bond and carry on with their dreams in Sal’s loving memory as well as the rest of their friends and community?
“It’s never the end, even when we really believe it is.”
Just when Jason thinks he has reached his lowest, Sal has a surprise for him to honor his brother. He had written special notes for everyone. Where second chances happen in the most unexpected ways. New beginnings.
From sadness, love, loss, friends, and special memories of the sea, we get a sneak peak (excerpt) from Joanne’s upcoming book, THE BEACH INN, coming May 16. Where we continue with the special friends of this charming seaside community. Coming up is "Operation, Heal Jason’s heart."
Appears there are some big changes coming. The toughest challenge―learning to heal, love and trust again. Looking forward to seeing what lies ahead.
"A new season of love, adventure, and heart-healing awaits in the quaint seaside village of Stony Point. So pull up a sand chair and book your stay for a page-turning getaway in The Beach Inn."
If you have not read Joanne Demaio’s books, you are missing a rare treat. Full of emotion, heart, and soul, with vivid descriptions and settings, memorable characters and sea breezes which transport you.
Highly recommend reading in order, to enhance your overall reading experience. Still hoping for a Hallmark TV series.
I have loved this series, in fact I have loved all Joanne’s books. I knew this book would pick up right where the last one left off from the synopsis but I never imagined how difficult it was going for me to read. As Beach Blues ends Sal DeLuca had just died and left the gang at Stony Point reeling. Elsa lost her son, Celia lost her true love, Jason lost a man that he had grown as close to as a brother and the rest lost their friend.
I clearly identified with Elsa, she has just lost her son. I know that raw pain and her grief brought mine careening back. I was shaken and found myself sobbing. At first I thought I need to just put the book away, I just wasn’t ready to read something so vivid that was making my responses so raw. But I kept on thinking just maybe Elsa would help me see a way through my own pain. We didn’t make it there yet but maybe as her story continues we will both continue to heal.
I was also moved by how each character dealt with their grief differently, just like in real life. My husband, my children, his child, his nephews, our extended family, and my son’s friends. Everyone of us is still grieving all in our own ways. By dealing with this close death so recently I can say the author has written this story so truthfully. People try to move forward, some making huge decisions that shouldn’t be made quickly or at a stressful time like this. Others want to just hide away and be alone, they is where I started my journey too. Others seem perfectly fine until something triggers a memory that can take you right back to the beginning all over again. These characters show how necessary it is to be there to support each other. It doesn’t have to be a major undertaking, sometimes a hug, a little joke that can bring a smile. You may not always get it right but it is important to keep trying.
Joanne DeMaio has taken us on a journey with these characters that is far from complete. She takes us through the good times, this group has had many good times. But she also takes us through the bad. They have had their share of those too. This is the first book though that was dealing with a really bad time for the entire book. Yes, there is just a little bit of uplifting at the end. Like real life though the death of someone special sticks with you forever. You hear all about the stages of grief but I now know they do not stay true to any order and you do not work through them and get over it. I know this author will remember that as the series moves forward.
A moving, heartfelt story. Have the tissues ready.
Every once in a while an author comes along who weaves stories that simply pulls at the heartstrings and stirs the soul, for me, this author is Joanne DeMaio.
In Beach Breeze, author Joanne DeMaio transports the reader back to the tranquil seashore town of Stony Point, Connecticut, where the reader catches up with the lives of friends: Maris, Eva, Matt, Jason, Kyle, Lauren, Elsa, Cliff, and Celia after the sudden death of Elsa's son and Celia's fiance, Salvatore DeLuca.
Just like the ebb and flow of the tide, life brings issues and changes to one's life, but the bonds of friendship, sea air and salt water are cleansing, they cure what ails you. For this group of old friends, the summer's end and the heart wrenching death of Sal will bring them together, but the bonds of friendship and personal relationships will be tested with personal secrets and life issues that surface and swirl around in the shimmering denim blue sea, yet its calming effect will offer them another chance of hope, love, family, friendship, forgiveness, and redemption.
So 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, Beach Breeze.
Beach Breeze is a poignant story of friendship and family, dealing with heartbreak, death, grief, life's experiences and personal issues that will tug at your heartstrings. Author Joanne DeMaio weaves an emotional tale written in the third person narrative, that 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, Elsa, and Cliff as they each deal with challenges of real life, loss, love, heartbreak, secrets, and personal demons.
Author Joanne DeMaio easily captivates her readers' attention with this beautifully written and emotional tale through a seamless and flowing storyline, and with a wonderful description of a tranquil beach setting that wraps itself around the reader like a sun-warmed beach towel. The characters draw you into their lives with a strong emotional pull, their complexities and flaws are true-to-life, it is easy to relate to them with compassion, empathy and hope. With a mixture of intrigue, suspense, drama, humor, heartache, hidden secrets, romance, and a strong bond of friendship, this story takes you on an emotional roller coaster ride that will keep you turning the pages until the satisfying conclusion.
Beach Breeze is an intricate story of interweaving friendships and real life challenges that is both heart wrenching and inspirational. It is a powerful and compelling story that will have you feeling the full gamut of emotions while soothing your soul. It is a wonderful story that demonstrates the power of the magical sweet salt air that will cure what ails you, and it will resonate with you long after the last word has been read.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour hosted by author Joanne DeMaio.
After a heartbreaking summer on the Connecticut shore, a group of beach friends is as adrift as an unmoored rowboat. When a dismayed Jason Barlow drives as far away from the sea as he can, leaving behind his wife, Maris, as well as their stately cottage on the bluff, that news hits like a sudden wave. Gathering over an intimate meal in a coastal diner, the friends make a solemn pact to lean on each other and not make any more rash decisions.
Which is all well and good, until each friend wavers--testing relationships, commitments, and especially love in the little beach community of Stony Point. But can the magic of the weathered boardwalk, whispering lagoon grasses, and sweet salt air cure what ails them?
My Thoughts: Reconnecting with the residents of Stony Point brought this reader back into all of their lives during a huge loss that seemingly took them each off course.
Jason Barlow was especially impacted by the sudden death of his new friend Sal DeLuca, who had become like a stand-in for Jason’s lost brother Neil. Struggling with his walled-off feelings, he takes to the road without a backward glance. But then he is brought up hard by the swell of his feelings, and calls his wife. Maris and her sister Eva join him, and for a bit, it seems as though Jason might have reached a defining moment.
But more will happen in the days and weeks ahead that will remind them all that sadness and sorrow are not easily forgotten.
Each member of the community is affected by Sal’s loss, and his mother Elsa shows just how much she is changed by it when she suddenly decides not to continue the beach inn renovation. A decision that will hit Jason hard, especially, as he was counting on the work, as were his employees. From one rash decision to another, the friendships are slowly unraveling, and their desperate effort to make changes leads to a pact. One that might curtail future wrong moves.
But will their pact help them move on, or will they have to take drastic steps to right the wrong choices they are making?
A beautifully written story that showed the strength of their bonds in the wake of tragedy, Beach Breeze carried me through to the final moments of an unforgettable summer…and earned 5 stars.
Reading Beach Breeze whisks me away to the beautiful sights and sounds of the familiar CT shoreline, the vintage cottages, the seagulls, the shimmering waves, to the continuing saga of Jason, Maris, Kyle, Sal, Elsa and all the others of Stony Point. The story captures me, feeling the joy of the characters who say that you never can keep a secret from anyone here, then the intrigue starts when suddenly Jason leaves Maris. Emotions and deep buried events, questions arise, loyalties on the brink of disaster and when another person leaves the separation divides lives. Feeling their emotions brings tears yet the fun of the gatherings, and the descriptions of the food, and the blending of personalities make you want to sit down and join in the gaiety. "Amici e vini sono meglio vechi "and "Sorridi"....good friends and wine go together...smile. I loved this book, it captured my emotions, took me on a journey looking for Stony Point although I know its fictional. I am lucky enough to live along the shoreline of CT, Joanne DeMaio's descriptions make it seem even more real. I loved Beach Blues, Beach Breeze and can't wait for Beach Inn to see what happens next!
Beach Breeze continues the story of the residents of Stony Point, a beach town on the coast of Connecticut. This book picks up where Beach Blues left off, as the friends mourn the loss of one of their own. The death of their friend has left all of them reeling, trying to pick up the pieces of their lives, filling the void. Rash decisions and questionable choices are made, but in true Stony Point fashion the friends band together to help each other get through. Beach Breeze, like the other books in this series, truly takes the reader to this coastal town, as the setting is an integral part of this story. The true heart of the story are the friendships, which are so honest and sincere. Although this book is part of a series, it can stand on its own, as the author does a great job of providing back story without bogging the reader down. But, I love a good series, and I encourage you to start this story at its beginning with the previous books!
Book 4......leaving me wanting more of this story. Book 5 is on its way vis USPS. This book finds the Stony Point group processing the loss of Sal. He has such a brief presence in this Community yet his presence impacted everyone’s lives. Jason, Celia and Elsa find moving on the hardest. Will Elsa really sell what was to be the Ocean Stars Inn, will Celia never return, will Jason be able to reconcile yet another loss. The ending will answer one of these questions and hopefully the next books will answer the other big questions. This community draws me in due to my love of the ocean and all things BEACH. These books take me to the Beach and provide the experience in a virtual way. Thank you, Joanne for another great story. Waiting for book 5 to arrive.
A good sequel to Beach Blues and leaving me wanting to read The Beach Inn. They are quick easy reads and while I read this in winter, it takes you back to summertime and wishing for those warm days.
Author Joanne DeMaio takes readers on an adrenaline-fueled ride from the opening paragraph to the last line. The story moves at a good pace while holding readers captive with the unfolding events. Taking a good dose of heartache and blending it nicely with friendship and determination, the author creates a roller coaster ride of emotions. The characters stand on their own and as a group of dedicated friends. The conflicts and care among the characters bounces off the pages through the author’s vivid descriptions and eye for detail. DeMaio lets her characters experience the joys and sorrows of life so readers can live through them. This is an emotional story that will tug at your heartstrings and have you reaching out to your best friend to reassure that link is still strong. Readers can read this story on its own but a much greater understanding would come about from reading the books in order. This is a touching story that will stay with you long after you finish the last line. There’s also a sneak peek at the end concerning the next story to come dealing with these amazing friends. FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the author. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.
Joanne DeMaio proves once again why she is a New York Times best selling author. She drew me in and quickly became one of my all-time favorite authors, and I get so excited when it is time for her to release a new exciting novel. I particularly love this series. It is set in Stony Point, Connecticut, a charming, quaint beach town. She has created a special cast of characters that form a unique close bond of friendship. They are always supportive and always available to lend a helping hand in good times and bad. Joanne’s descriptions are so perfect that I can feel the warm beach breezes, hear the rolling tides of the ocean and taste the salty air.
After the tragic death of one of their closest friends in the previous book, BEACH BREEZE continues with how each of these lovable characters are affected and how they help each other heal. This is a very special book about friendship and love. You definitely need to read this emotional, heartwarming series. Returning to Stony Point is like attending a family reunion. Don’t Miss It!
Beach Breeze is the fourth book in Joanne Demaios' beach friends saga. It takes place at Stony Point, along the Connecticut shoreline. Although it can be read as a standalone, I can't fathom why you wouldn't want to read them all. Once you start, you're going to be hooked! Joanne's writing technique makes the characters come to life. I feel as if I know each and everyone of them, their personalities, their appearance, and their mannerisms. She writes about real life. She not only takes us through the good times, but also through the bad. This particular book deals with the aftermath of losing someone that is very near and dear to them. She shows how everyone deals with grief in different ways. It is a very emotional story. The fact that all the friends vow to stick together and support each other through the pain also proves it to be very inspirational. Not only will you come to love the characters, but also the location. The way she describes everything in such detail, it's as if you're seeing it with your own eyes. I have really enjoyed reading about these beach friends at Stony Point and am looking forward to seeing what's to come in The Beach Inn.
When I finished reading Barnes and Noble's Aug 2019 Serial Reads, Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans, I checked Goodreads to discover just how many books are in DeMaio's Seaside Saga and I checked my library to see which of those books my library had available. I had previously read #3 so my next read was this #4. I like the characters DeMaio has created in this series. I find it intriguing to follow how each characters is reacting to the death of Sal even though they agree to a pact where they will wait a year before making any life-altering choices; but do they stick to that agreement? This is entertaining and a chance to live vicariously through the strong emotions of fictional characters.
The story of the Stony Point friends continues. They are all reeling from Sal's death and each one has to come to terms with it in their own way. The beach friends are all there for each other as they battle their grief and try to move on with their lives. Their struggles are so real and I could really feel their emotions and confusion over losing someone they loved. I've read a lot of books in my life, but I can honestly say this is the best series I've ever read. Joanne draws me into the story and I live with the characters - they are so real and her writing is so descriptive. I cannot wait to read The Beach Inn to see what happens to my friends next.
Another fantastic book, in the beach friends series! Joanne can write! This book was a little more somber and emotional, but that's to be expected because of what happened in the previous book. She let us get to know a few of the characters more, their inner emotions and hidden feelings. The group of friends really stick together through thick and thin. Good and bad. Once again, she transports you to the beach with her writing style and prose. You can smell the salt air, feel the sea breeze, hear the seagulls, see the waves crashing to shore and almost taste a lobster roll, made by Kyle, Elsa or from the Sand Bar. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series called, The Beach Inn.
This is the third book I have read in Joanne Demaio Beach Series, and I have loved all three of them, the characters, the town, her descriptions makes me want to pack up and move to this quaint little town in Connecticut. We are having a terrible cold snap so I have been reading of warm sunny days, and being taken to the ocean where the air smells of a sea breeze and food is plenty, and a group of friends are left to deal with the tragedy of the summer before, and convince one resident to not make any rash decisions while her grief is still to raw, to understand what she decides now may be a decision she regrets later, this is a nice relaxing read!
......to the lives of such close friends and family. Sal was only there for the summer, but what a legacy he left! You can't help but get caught up in each person's life when reading this story. You feel for each and every one of them...especially Jason. He is suffering so much, and doesn't seem to know where to turn for help. This book is part of a series that truly captures a beach town and the nuances of beach town life. This isn't really a sunny beach read, but seems to show how friendship and family pull together in dark stormy times. I really liked this book and am looking forward to the next one.
I realize this is the third book in the series. I probably should have started with the first book. I had trouble relating to this group of characters and felt the plot was a little tedious, as it really moved a bit slowly. I am sure there are many fans of this author who will disagree. I did associate with the characters in some fashion since most of them were dealing with grief following the loss of their friend, as I have also had to deal with the losses of several family members. But overall, while I stuck with the book, I just felt this story did not really resolve the issues that the characters faced.
Another book in her beach series. Her new beach books seem to take up where the last one left off so it is like a continuing serial. Her last book ended with the death of one of the people that this group was very close to and this book basically revealed how that persons death affected them and their relationships. There was an excerpt of the next book in the back and it continues the story when it comes out. It's different in the way it does not feature just one couple but the continuing lives of all of them. I liked it. Will be looking forward to the next book.
I gave this book a rating of five because I immensely enjoy reading Ms. DeMaio's books. I can easily lose myself for a few hours in her books. It is always difficult to lose someone,especially in a close group of friends. It is interesting and reassuring to see how these close friends help each other through a difficult time. I also enjoy the scenery she sets up in each book. Beach towns are special places and will always have a special spot in my heart. I can really connect with her characters.
As always this series does not disappoint. Continues right after Beach Blues. I just loved it as I do all of Joanne's books. I do not want to say much as to not give away any of the story. This is a MUST read especially if you are reading the series. I can not wait to read The Beach Inn, which is the next in the series. I have a good feeling something great is going to happen (hoping anyway). I'm loving the characters and the setting for these stories. Wish I had visited some of these Northern seaside towns while still living up North.
Sal did not make it through his heart surgery. The beach friends are dealing with it each in his or her own way. Jason is hit very hard, he feels he has lost another brother and takes off. Maris remains there for him. The group makes a pact to make no major decisions for a year. Lots of sadness and anger. Elsa doesn't want to proceed with her plans. When Sal's New York friend comes to bring them Sal's messages and gifts will it bring healing or anger. The friends tey to help but will it be sucessful. Beach Bliss by Joanne DeMaio is in the series.
Wow, what a great book. This has so much setting and emotion written to grab your heart and soul to make you feel it all..this story. I wanted this story to keep going for 40 million more pages. You must read the books in order so you get the full affect of Ms. DeMaio's writing talent. It is very special to each of us who read her books. I am totally addicted.
Beach Breeze starts out where Beach Blues leaves up. The Stony Point gang are devastated by recent events. Especially Jason. They all make a pact not to make any rash moves or decisions until they've come to grips with all that has happened. But some of them find it hard to keep their promise. Another awesome read, but the ending just leads to the next book! Nuts! I am hooked and I can't wait to get into Beach Inn to find out how all this plays out.
I always enjoy Ms DeMaio's books, but this one took me awhile to get hooked. I think it was all the sadness and grief felt by the tight Connecticut beach community when on their group dies. Sal is an Italian stock broker that gives up the fast-paced New York life for the salt air and peace of the beach. The story opens just after his funeral. The sadness is overwhelming. But if you hang in there, the mood gets brighter.
Having read the beach saga in order, I felt this was should have been titled Beach Blues since it was the fallout after Sal's death. Possibly both Beach Breeze and Blues should be one book, but I guess 2 books make more money than 1. I enjoyed the character development and seeing how each person dealt with death differently. It was sad, but realistic. I definitely read these 2 faster than I did the first two. Now onto Beach Inn.
Wow, this seaside saga is getting very emotional and physical. The end of the last book, we lost one of the newbies at the beach. His death is tragic and it effects everyone. The aftermath is this book. Everyone handles death differently, but it hits Jason I think the hardest. It is like he lost his brother twice. As we move through the book, we see and feel how each person is touched by Sal's death. Very moving story, and I know it continues into the next book. Powerful!
I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed driving under that stone railroad trestle to get to Stony Point in my mind. It’s been a couple years since I’ve read about the gang, but it didn’t take long and I was right back there. I really could feel the emotions the gang were going through after Sal’s death. This story was all about friendship, family, love and dealing with grief. I was so entranced that I read this very quickly. Love this series.
This is the 4th book in the Seaside Saga series. In this book, the fabric of this close knit group of friends begins to unravel & each one in turn feels like they have been set adrift when their world, their boat, is rocked by the death of one friend. Dreams are tossed out, relationships pushed aside, as they each try to deal with the present & the past in order to find their way back to each other & their futures. Emotional & heartwarming!
This book was my introduction to the author and she made a great impression.
I chose this rating because I was caught up in this story from chapter one and my interest never waned. The characters were compelling and achingly human. I will follow this author and add her to my personal list of favorites.
Part of the Beach Inn series....read them all...and do not want to say too much as I now know whole story...unless Joanne decides to add on more which she could easily do with this series..loved the characters with all their strengths and weaknesses...chatted with Joanne as there was a point where I did not like Jason very much...she told me to be patient....