Beach Heart

by Grace Greene

Emma Deveraux married Gregory Dance soon after college and now, thirteen years later, she is a widow and about to be homeless. Her husband’s long illness has left her broken financially and emotionally devastated. Over the angry objections of her grown stepson, Macon, she has sold the family home to pay the debts and now, it’s moving-out day, surely the lowest point of her almost thirty-eight years of life. But on this day when nothing good could possibly be expected to happen, she receives a last-minute delivery: legal documents transferring ownership of Beach Heart to her. It’s a special delivery that promises hope and a fresh chance at a future. But a beachfront duplex is a valuable property, so what’s the catch?

As a child, Emma spent holidays and summers with her great aunt Eva at Beach Heart in Emerald Isle, NC and made many happy memories but high school, college, and then marriage, took her away to a different life. For undisclosed reasons, the distant relative who inherited Beach Heart from Aunt Eva has chosen to transfer the property to Emma and the attorney handling the conveyance will only say that the owner is in poor health and wishes to divest himself of the property. It’s a gift that Emma can’t quite trust – but a place at the beach – paid for and hers - as a soft landing place for her to hide while she regroups and gets her health back and finds employment – is too tempting to resist. At Beach Heart Emma sees no sign that this is a trick or a scam and she’s feeling almost as good as she did when she stayed here as a kid – and if finding recovery, in part, in the friendship of a handsome red-headed neighbor and his dog, Starfish, a golden retriever - along with finding a job at the Front Street Gallery in Beaufort.

Her life and health are rebounding more quickly than she could’ve imagined, until she discovers secrets about her past, and that there’s more to the property transfer than simple goodwill. The betrayal she experienced with her husband and then her stepson, comes back full force. Can she find forgiveness for those who have hurt her? And can she forgive herself?

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

413 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 7, 2022

About the author

Grace Greene writes fiction with romance, suspense and inspiration ~ The Emerald Isle, NC Stories Series includes Beach Rental, Beach Winds, Beach Wedding, along with the Christmas novellas, Beach Christmas and Beach Walk. Her Virginia books are Women's Fiction with romance, suspense and mystery. Most are set in rural Cub Creek and include her bestselling The Memory of Butterflies and The Happiness In Between which were released in 2017. Three new Cub Creek books were released in 2019 - The Wildflower House Series: Wildflower Heart, Wildflower Hope and Wildflower Christmas, and Wildflower Wedding, A Light Last Seen was released in Feb. 2020. A Barefoot Tide and A Dancing Tide brought a new character from Cub Creek to the beach at Emerald Isle with beloved crossover characters from both settings. Beach Heart and Emerald Heart are single titles set in Emerald Isle, NC. Grace's newest, A HEART BEYOND, will be released on September 3rd, 2024.

Grace is also an artist and photographer and these interests show up on the pages of the stories. She lives in central Virginia. You'll find Grace here:

Website: http://www.gracegreene.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GraceGreeneB...
Author Central: http://amazon.com/author/gracegreene

Reviews

[Karen McQuestion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace Greene is the queen of comfort reads. Her beach books make me feel like I've taken a trip to the beach--her characters are generally likeable, and her endings are always satisfying. This one, her latest, delivers on all counts!

[Sheri P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beach Heart is exactly what I expect from a Grace Greene book. Her descriptive writing leads the reader to feel the call of the oceans healing energy. We meet Emma, who is reeling from her husbands death and unsure what is in store for her next. She gets notice that her great aunts property, Beach Heart, is being turned over to her. Emma is anxious and alone, but as she settles in at Beach Heart, she begins to heal and finds hope for the future. This heartwarming read is about family, secrets and doing our very best. It will keep readers invested in Emma’s story until the last page.
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read an advanced copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Melissa Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story that pulls at your heart. Filled with deep heartache, the story brought me tears in places. At other times, I was filled with compassion for the main character. Author Grace Greene has written a story dealing with honest emotions and the power of hope for the future. A great read. I received a complimentary copy of the book. No review was required.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful book. I always enjoy this authors books as she writes from the heart. I felt like I was right there where the main character was experiencing the things she was. Wonderful characters and a few plot twists. Thanks to the author for allowing me to read an early copy. You will absolutely love this one.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace Greene is an amazing author. So talented. You start out thinking you’re just reading a story about someone who’s having a hard time, suffered a loss, is sad. But then you realize it’s become more than just a story to you: you’re immersed in the lives of the characters. You’re in their surroundings, feeling their feelings – the full range of happy, sad, scared, brave, hopeful or hopeless.

Beach Heart starts out feeling just that way – hopeless – and the depressing sadness Emma feels is almost overwhelming. She’s broken, regretful, guilt-ridden and “just move on” or “you’ll be happy again before you know it” are not concepts within her grasp. She married young and was widowed young. The husband who died was nothing like the happy man she married. She’s been forced to sell their home, their furnishings, everything. And all she keeps saying to herself over and over is that she should have known it, she should have seen it, she should have figured out what was wrong.

Emma has happy childhood memories of time at the beach at Emerald Isle, NC with her great aunt Eva at her aunt’s home, Beach Heart, but that seems like a long time ago. When she’s at the end of her rope with nothing left but personal items and one lone chair, with nowhere to go, and estranged from her stepson and too uncomfortable and ashamed to share details with her mother, she learns she has been given Beach Heart. Is it a miracle, an escape, a hideout, or will it turn out to be too much of a burden?

Emma tries to hide out but her neighbor, Jake, and his dog, Starfish, keep popping up. She needs a job, which leads to a possible new friend. But she also discovers there are secrets being kept by people she’s always trusted and by people she was just beginning to trust. Will it be too much for her to bear after everything else she’s been through?

At the beginning of Beach Heart, Emma is buffeted by all the grief and misfortune she’s had to endure, but then little by little the sharp edges smooth out. It starts to seem like maybe there is a little bit of life worth living after all. It's subtle, but the feeling of hope sneaks up on you. This is the magic of a Grace Greene novel. What at first seems destined to be forever lost becomes possible, people care, people help, and those in despair find strength and resolve.

Beach Heart may be my favorite Grace Greene book yet. The plot is complex with many intersections and surprises but leads to a very believable and satisfactory ending. Things are uncertain and unknown and truly sad at times, but as the story progresses you start to fill up with hope and the comfort of relationships and the possibility of love. Many thanks to the author for providing an advance copy of Beach Heart for my reading pleasure and honest opinion. Everything author Greene writes is amazing and Beach Heart is no exception. I recommend it without hesitation. All opinions are my own.

[ROBIN RUIZ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Grace Greene you shattered me !
Emma Greene has been through all that she can handle. Her husband died, her stepson is angry with her, Her husband’s illness left her in a mountain of debt. She doesn’t know what her next move will be when she receives a letter from a lawyer that she inherited her beloved aunts beloved Beach house!
This place Holds so many happy memories for Emma, but it holds many, many secrets that she is unaware of.
It took me a while to warm up to Emma she was angry, closed off, wouldn’t trust anyone, and had huge walls up… Somewhere along the line Emma and I became very close friends, and I wanted everything to work out for her.

Written in the true style of this author you will feel every emotion, hear every wave, feel the sand between your toes, and just want you run away to the beach!
I loved this book!

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

Just when Emma is at her lowest point and has lost everything and everyone she loves, she gains back the one happy part of her childhood, Beach Heart—the beach cottage where she spent her young summers wrapped in the loving arms of her aunt.

Once again, Grace Greene has swept her readers to the wonderful Emerald Isle, with its beautiful beaches and kindhearted residents. This stand-alone novel is a delightful way to start your summer reading, as you explore the community and get to know Emma and understand her troubles. The people she meets and the connections she makes, make this story just that more enjoyable. I truly loved everything about this book, even down to the enthusiastic dog who lives down the beach.

Beach Heart should be at the top of your summer reading list. It's beautifully written and exactly the escape read everyone needs right now. I highly recommend it!

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beach Heart was a heartfelt read of Emma finding herself. I enjoyed the unraveling of Emma's story and the journey she had in this book. A beautiful setting with real and believable characters that I would love to read more about.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. This is my honest review.

[Glenda Noetzel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

As a storyteller Grace Greene is a queen. I love the calm manner in the way she writes, even when her characters are facing challenges and upheavals in their lives. Beach Heart is yet another story to tug at your heart, make you smile when the words remind you of your own childhood but most of all Grace Greene delivers hope.

[Anne Zimmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beach Heart was a great book. I always enjoy Grace's books, but especially the beach books since the beach is my happy place and close to my heart. I enjoyed the new characters, and having one of my favorite characters from other books return! There were a few twists which kept me guessing. I would highly recommend this book and would love to see a follow up book to see what happens next with the characters, so much potential!

[Terrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read in one sitting.

I waited with great anticipation for this book to be released. As always, Grace Greene does NOT disappoint. I sat down to read this book and didn’t stir until I finished it. I love the Emerald Isle series. Thank you, thank you!

[Sandy Collier]

Beach heart

A very unusual story, but a story I can relate too. I had a husband who left me with enormous debt, but he didn't die he left me for another woman. It took me over 10 years to get a new life that made me happy.

[Sue Librandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

All of Grace Greene's books are on top of my reading list. This book is no exception. It is a good summer read. Emma Dance's life is at the lowest point. She lost her husband, her house, her step-son and most of her money. Being in Emerald Isle is a new beginning. It keeps getting better until one day it didn't. Everything seems to crash around her. This book will make you loose sleep because you have to see how it ends.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written book. Grace Greene has the depth of emotion in her writing that evokes all the feels right into you. This book covers alot of topics and all done well. I highly recommend it and hope it touched you as deeply as it did me. Hopefully there will be a sequel. Thank you to the Publishers and Grace Greene for the opertunity to beta read this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

[Deena Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abrupt ending

It was a great book right up until the end. I wasn’t expecting it to end so Abruptly. I still have it 5 stars because it was still a good book.

[Phyllis Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

5 stars for Beach Heart. A heartwarming story of losing it all and when you're at the bottom of life, learning how to put your life back together and learn to live again.

[Claudia Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace Greene returns us to beautiful Emerald Isle, North Carolina and Beaufort, North Carolina in Beach Heart. Her characters, as always, are so interesting. Starfish is one of my favorites. In this read we encounter tragedy and joy, misunderstandings and realizations, problems and unforeseen solutions, and grief and healing. After caring for her husband for several years before he died, Emma has to try to get ahead of the debt her husband created by poor decisions. Having to sell the family home was tragic to Emma but she does get the chance to return to her aunt’s beach house in Emerald Isle, where she had been happiest as a child. Emma does not trust herself or anyone else and needs to learn to live again.
I do definitely recommend this book as Ms Greene takes through the twists and turns, the surprises, and a bit of mystery.

I read this book as an ARC and wish to thank Grace Greene and the publishers for the opportunity. The ideas in this review are strictly my own.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Chair Comes Too! Yes, the title of this review is a reference to a minor yet great element of this particular tale, one that I can relate to a great deal. In this case, the chair in question is where our lead was sitting when she found out some momentous news, at a point where she was at her lowest. In my own case, my grandmother had a bench on her front porch for years that she or I would sit on while we talked as she smoked her cigarettes - and that very bench now sits in my house. For both of us, these furniture pieces come to serve as a reminder of both devastation and healing, of fond memories and the moments they were ripped away - but ultimately, of a strength neither of us knew at the time that we possessed. And yes, this book also serves as a great introduction to Greene's style for those who have never read her books before as well as a familiar voice telling a new story with some wrinkles we don't always see even from Greene herself. Truly an outstanding book, one great to read on a beach somewhere if you get a chance - or anywhere else if you don't. Very much recommened.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is nothing like a summertime beach house story! It is my favorite thing!

Emma, (the main character) has not had an easy life and when she finds herself back at her childhood beach cottage, she realizes that only time will help her to trust, heal and love again.
But... it is not all that easy, as she seeks the answers to some delicate information she has recently found.

Grace Greene never fails to write a story that has me hooked and invested in her characters.
I will admit, I shed some tears a few times.
The emotions that Emma was feeling, really did transfer to me, the reader.

There is friendship, family, hope, doubt and kindness in this novel.

I do hope that we can see how Emma and Starfish are managing in the future.
Perfectly done!

Thank you to the author for allowing me to read this ARC and provide my own review.

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed Grace Greene's Cub Creek, Wildflower House, and Barefoot Tides series, but had never read her Emerald Isle, North Carolina series. Beach Heart is an Emerald Isle, NC single title novel, but is related to her Emerald Isle series. Like all of her other books, the characters in this book quickly become your friends. You will cheer for them and cry with them as they face life's challenges and pleasures. Beach Heart might come across as just another beach vacation read, but don't be fooled by the cover. The words of wisdom shared in this story are meaningful, heart-warming, and truly inspiring. I give this book five stars, and most highly recommend it, as I do each of the books in the series mentioned above.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of this book from the author without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

[Kristyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a struggle from the start. I kept contemplating, wanting it to give me something to change my rating. But no. Every dramatic turn ends up being nothing. I would say at the end of the day nothing happens in this book. The repetitiveness in the beginning was pushing me to DNF but I thought I better give it the chance since it was relatively short at 300ish pages. But no. Reading the author’s notes at the end makes me think this very well may just not be her best work. But I can’t say I’m inclined to give another opportunity. The main character reminded me of people with way too much anxiety about minor things and nothing. Which was intentional sure. The discussion questions said this was caused by Emma’s traumatic experiences. But she really had minimal trauma in life. She made every molehill into a mountain.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beach Heart is a Grace Green stand-alone novel that will take you back to beautiful Emerald Isle while you sink your heart into Emma’s story. You will find yourself wishing that you could have a Great Aunt Eva who loved you. You will imagine yourself at Beach Heart, walking along the beaches with Emma. Soon enough, you will become one with the story, which happens with all of Grace Green’s books. Her beautiful prose will paint you right into her story once again. Emma’s story is full of highs and lows, sadness and joy, dogs and children. It is the perfect book for a summer afternoon. I highly recommend it! I hope you make it your next book to read. You won’t regret reading a Grace Green novel!

[Carol Deegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very pleased to receive an ARC of this book from NetGalley as Grace Greene is one of my favorite authors. Feeling bereft because her husband’s bad decisions and death have left her with almost nothing, Emma is surprised to be gifted the beach house everyone thought she would inherit from her aunt10 years earlier. The beach, the ocean, the picture from her childhood that Emma decides to refurbish, the art gallery where she is eventually hired, along with her thoughts as she finds out her life may not be exactly what she thought it was are all presented so well you feel like you’re there with Emma. All the characters are very likable and become friends. I recommend this book to anyone who likes reading romance and inspirational books.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grateful to the author and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of Beach Heart. I am a huge fan of Grace Greene. This is a wonderful series and the latest book in it is just incredible. It really has everything you could want in it. It starts off with loss and ends with hope. And also ends leaving you anxiously awaiting the next book in the series. I was shocked at the twist in it, did not see it coming. So this is much more than just a beach read, so much more ! Grace Greene writes a story so beautifully you want to vacation in or move to wherever she writes about. Her characters are complex and interesting. I highly recommend this book and all of her other series as well.

[Nick Swaika · Rating 1 out of 5]

A neurotic downer

A book about a woman with a series of unfortunate events, becomes so wrapped up in her misfortune, she presumes she will have nothing but bad events happen to her. She trusts no one, note even herself. Prejudges all whom she meets, even members of her own family, living and dead. I was read to give the book up because it was affecting my daily outlook but saw I read over 70% of the story. Figured the misery wouldn't last much longer. But I was wrong. It took another nearly 20% of the book for our 'heroine' to wrangle here overactive imagination to reasonable sense. And, voila, happiness prevails, mostly. What a tedious book.

[Sheila Penwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this story about Emma and her Aunt Eva's Beach House. This house was suppose to go to Emma upon her death but she gave it to her husband's relative to take care of it until her husband was out of the picture. It Emma is at the Beach house then he is. His death was hard on Emma so after that she was notified that Beach Heart was being given to her. This story tells how it all comes about. Does she stay at Beach Heart ? Does she make friends? So many questions in this story. It is a VERY GOOD READ.

[Joan mooney · Rating 5 out of 5]

difficult to review this is a difficult book to describe.

This is a difficult book to describe. Did I like it. Yes. Definitely. Grace Greene is an excellent writer. All of her stories have so much feeling, emotion, and heart. Beach a Heart is so simple. I felt like I was floating through Emma’s life watching her change and grow. She quietly faced her demons and conquered in an unassuming way. Simple as this story was, there were some profound life statements made. I enjoyed the story and was surprised at the end. But the ending suited the story and the girl.

[Cathy Garrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace Greene always delivers! Beach Heart took me on a roller coaster of emotions with Emma Deveraux. A story of love, loss, and the journey back to finding happiness with several twists thrown into the mix. The descriptions throughout made me feel as if I was walking on the beach and meeting the most fabulously named golden retriever, Starfish and her owner. Take a walk on Emerald Isle and then sit back and enjoy Emma’s journey. Thank you so much to the publisher and author for my requested copy of Beach Heart in exchange for my honest opinion.

[John Boyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read for an overcast Texas day.

I liked that the stories and characters fitted so well into my life as a retired RN born in Australia in 1943. Have outlived all my known ancestors by years and am moving to Boston with my second husband in the next few weeks. We swim in a local indoor pool twice a week , two oldies in the deep end of the pool. Splashing each other and having fun. My five year younger husband shakes his head at my inner child. We are definitely blessed .!!!

[Therese Messier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved Beach Heart. I didn’t want to put it down when I had things I had to do. I wanted to see how Emma, the main character, faired and how this book about family, secrets and doing our best would all play out.

This was the first book I’ve read by Grace Greene. I loved her style of writing and I was really impressed when the story came to an end and the author wrote “The End.” And “Thank you for reading Beach Heart. I hope you enjoyed it.” I never saw an author thank their readers before.