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The House On Rockaway Beach
A gripping tale of family secrets, sibling rivalry and summer romance, set against the backdrop of New York's sizzling urban beach. Sisters Sophie and Celia haven't been on speaking terms for years. So it's a huge shock when they discover their grandmother has left them her quirky old house on Rockaway Beach, New York. Just a stone's throw from the bright lights of Manhattan, they spent many idyllic summers there as children, swimming in the Atlantic ocean, playing in the sand and watching day trippers come and go. Then suddenly, the visits stopped. Sophie knows her mother and grandmother fell out, but has never found out why. Together, the sisters return to Rockaway, and can't agree on anything. Sophie wants to keep the house, Celia's determined to sell. It seems they'll never see eye to eye, until Sophie makes a shattering discovery that forces her to question everything... Why do she and Celia have such different memories of their grandmother? What caused the rift with their mother? Can Sophie trust the handsome stranger who seems to take such an interest in her? And who is the mysterious old woman watching them from afar? Praise for The House on Rockaway Beach :
'Brilliant' Phillipa Ashley
'A novel to lose yourself in' Faith Hogan
'Step into a world of pure escapism in this gripping tale of family secrets, sibling rivalry and summer romance' Chat Magazine Praise for Emma
'A charming, warm-hearted read... Pure escapism' Alice Peterson
'Burstall is a great writer, and this is not your usual run-of-the-mill chick lit... I was gripped from the start' Daily Mail
'Burstall has a true knack for transporting you to her world' Jane Corry
'Brilliant' Phillipa Ashley
'A novel to lose yourself in' Faith Hogan
'Step into a world of pure escapism in this gripping tale of family secrets, sibling rivalry and summer romance' Chat Magazine Praise for Emma
'A charming, warm-hearted read... Pure escapism' Alice Peterson
'Burstall is a great writer, and this is not your usual run-of-the-mill chick lit... I was gripped from the start' Daily Mail
'Burstall has a true knack for transporting you to her world' Jane Corry
- GenresAudiobook
336 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2022
68 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
Emma Burstall
25 books136 followersEmma is the author of nine novels including her bestselling Cornish series, Tremarnock. These books in order are - Starting Over In Cornwall, Christmas At The Cornish Guest House, A Summer in Cornwall, A Cornish Secret and The Girl Who Came Home To Cornwall.
Her latest book, The House On Rockaway Beach, came out in September 2022 and she's currently working on the next one.
Emma read English at Cambridge University and began her career as a cub reporter on the Western Morning News in Plymouth, later becoming features editor of Woman and Family Circle.
She loves films and the theatre, yoga, pilates, wild swimming, hiking and spending time with family and friends.
She lives in South West London and has three children and two grandchildren.
Her latest book, The House On Rockaway Beach, came out in September 2022 and she's currently working on the next one.
Emma read English at Cambridge University and began her career as a cub reporter on the Western Morning News in Plymouth, later becoming features editor of Woman and Family Circle.
She loves films and the theatre, yoga, pilates, wild swimming, hiking and spending time with family and friends.
She lives in South West London and has three children and two grandchildren.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
August 16, 2022
Estranged sisters, family secrets and unexpected inheritances ~ perfect ingredients for a great story.
For those of us who have a less than stellar relationship with a sibling, this story will resonate to the point where we’ll be thinking of similar familial situations and nodding our heads. The author has captured the essence of the awkwardness between two very different siblings. It isn’t until readers get well into the book that they see the big picture. It was good for me to step back, have a coffee and think about the big picture in my own relationship with my sister. I’d like to think it gave me a little more understanding. There’s always a reason for a behavior!
The past refuses to be buried and Piping Plover House is holding some secrets. Author Emma Burstall explores family relationships, the faces we front to protect us from hurt, and the secrets we keep. She reminds us that appearances can be deceiving.
One only has to Google ‘Piping Plover’ to see why the author chose this name for the house!
I was gifted this advance copy by Aria & Aries and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
For those of us who have a less than stellar relationship with a sibling, this story will resonate to the point where we’ll be thinking of similar familial situations and nodding our heads. The author has captured the essence of the awkwardness between two very different siblings. It isn’t until readers get well into the book that they see the big picture. It was good for me to step back, have a coffee and think about the big picture in my own relationship with my sister. I’d like to think it gave me a little more understanding. There’s always a reason for a behavior!
The past refuses to be buried and Piping Plover House is holding some secrets. Author Emma Burstall explores family relationships, the faces we front to protect us from hurt, and the secrets we keep. She reminds us that appearances can be deceiving.
One only has to Google ‘Piping Plover’ to see why the author chose this name for the house!
I was gifted this advance copy by Aria & Aries and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
September 14, 2022
“A gripping tale of family secrets, sibling rivalry and summer romance”
Sometimes, when a combination of the summer heatwave and the stresses and strains of everyday life get me down, even I might be persuaded that a ‘comfort blanket’ story might be exactly what I am secretly craving. I really appreciated this lovely story, which although I was surprised I had finished in just a couple of average length sittings, seemed like such a much needed, leisurely paced, feel-good interlude, which cleared my mind and fed my soul.
Here is a brief overview of the story, so as not to give away too many spoilers...
...
Sophie and Celia are two middle-aged sisters, who were born and raised in England by parents of mixed heritage, their father Paul being English and their mother Teresa having Irish/American roots, although they both died young. It seems as though that’s all the girls have in common however, as they are completely unalike in all other respects and there has never really been any love lost between them. The elder sister, Sophie was never anything but troubled and rebellious as a child, didn’t achieve educationally, hasn’t been able to hold down a decent job, can’t make a relationship last and is a single parent to a young adult daughter, who although having benefitted from her mother’s unswerving love, has never really had a life role model to look up to. Celia has the seemingly perfect life, she a successful family doctor, married to a wealthy financial businessman, living in the perfect dream home with their two aspiring sons who have succeeded educationally and never brought any trouble to the door. She thrives on success, control and achievement, whether it be her own or someone else’s in her family.
Not having spoken, much less seen each other, for several years, the sisters find themselves making a transatlantic crossing to their mother, Teresa’s, family home at Rockaway Beach, where their grandmother has recently died and in her will has left her home to her two granddaughters. When they were young children, the trip to Long Island was an annual holiday event, however a family falling out with her devoutly Catholic father, meant that Teresa was no longer welcome to visit with her family. Celia wants nothing more than to get the place cleared out and sold, as for her the property holds no memories. However, Sophie remembers the house and her grandmother with much more affection, ideals she somehow needs to cling to, and would like to put down roots, renovate the place and turn it into an artist’s retreat.
With absence definitely not having made the heart grow fonder, the two are at each other’s throats from the word go. It is obvious that Celia has massive mental health problems she is trying to deal with alone and has been hiding from her family for years, or at least she thinks she has. Meanwhile Sophie finds an old letter in amongst her grandmother’s things which draws into question all the niggling doubts she has long harboured about her past. Just to add fuel to the fire, Local artist, Joe, seems to have the eye for Sophie, which doesn’t sit well with Celia, who although not really contemplating an extra-marital fling, does everything in her power to distract Joe’s attention from Sophie. When tempers finally flare, Celia drops a bombshell which rocks Sophie’s world to the core and leaves her desolate with the realisation that everything she had ever been brought up to believe, was in fact, based on lies and half-truths. For Sophie. much of her father’s cool, non-committal behaviour towards her over the years, is suddenly explained. But even then Celia has to make it all about her, saying that Sophie has no idea just how difficult it was always being in the spotlight, having to live up to the high expectations her father had set for her and how under-achieving was never an option in his eyes.
Having delivered such a devastating blow, Celia calmly packs her bags and heads off home, leaving a distraught Sophie to complete the clear-out alone. True to form, she embarks on yet another disastrous relationship, although the new quirky friends she makes, on whom she knows she can totally rely, help to set her on the straight and narrow before she gets hurt. Without Celia around to muddy the waters, Sophie and Joe are able to set their own pace for whatever happens between them and together they manage to open contact with a part of Sophie’s past, who will hopefully fill in some of the missing pieces of her life and give her the chance to build some of the childhood memories which have so far eluded her. Celia has also been doing some serious soul-searching and has concluded that keeping such a secret for her father for all those years, has damaged so many lives, including her own. She has a frank discussion with her husband about all her problems and together they decide on a plan of action, which includes Celia having that same difficult conversation with Sophie’s daughter Layla.
The steps they all take next may not be an instant fix solution for anybody, but can it show the way forwards to a new understanding, the building of bonds and dreams and the forging of new aspirations and challenges?
...
Whilst on the whole, yes, this was quite a predictable and formulaic storyline and I knew exactly how everything was all meant to end, there were one or two twists which added extra unique and intriguing layers, which didn’t fully work themselves out until the end of the story, keeping me avidly turning the pages and engaged throughout. Author Emma Burstall has a fluent, compelling and evocative style of storytelling, whilst managing to create a truly beguiling and immersive experience, which is rich in atmosphere and beautifully textured.
This is a story of new beginnings, accepting your own failings without the need to punish yourself for them; whilst also accepting the failures of others, without feeling the need to pass judgement or admonishment. Of the true meaning of family, taking into account the damage keeping secrets from one another can do, when well-meaning motives go awry. Chasing a dream if it is at all attainable and you don’t damage anyone else in the process and maybe being generous enough to help someone else to fulfil their own aspirations along the way, if you are able to. Learning how good life in a relationship can be if both people are singing from the same song sheet and the giving isn’t all one sided. It also highlights the long-term misunderstandings and indeed damage, which can be done in crisis, when children are not treated with the honesty and respect they deserve as small adults, as half heard and imagined truths, seen and heard by a child, will often be remembered completely out of context. But most importantly of all, after the love of family are the lasting and enduring friendships we make along our way through life.
The story was narrated in short, seamless chapters, which kept everything moving forward towards its conclusion at a steady pace, whilst some lyrically descriptive passages were seamlessly woven in, bringing to life the charming coastal location of this lovely oasis, so close to the skyscrapers and concrete walkways of Manhattan. Despite the undoubted hustle and bustle of the summer rush to escape from the mainland, everything managed to exude a calming aura of peace and serenity, a soothing balm, conducive to the healing of a damaged spirit. This together with places names which were real and enabled me to track my journey, meant that my ‘armchair traveller’ needs, were more than satisfied.
A quite large cast of engaging and well-developed characters are reliable, authentic, easy to connect with and relate to, despite their complex individual idiosyncrasies and vulnerabilities, sharing some great dynamics, energy and synergy between them. I guess the one person who bucked the trend was Terrell, who might possibly be considered a distraction in the overall storyline, although he did highlight how easily one determined and scheming person can so easily take advantage of someone in a more vulnerable state of mind. He was simply a self-centred individual, full of his own importance and ego, who felt that by clicking his fingers and saying all the right words, he would have Sophie begging for his favours, until he tired of her.
I really enjoyed author Emma Burstall’s seemingly effortless, relaxed style of writing and although this is the first of her books to date I have read, I shall most definitely be adding some of her previously published stories into my schedule. I read for a whole range of reasons, but amongst them are enjoyment, entertainment, escapism and emotion. This story soundly ticked all those boxes and more besides, and I thoroughly enjoyed my journey.
Sometimes, when a combination of the summer heatwave and the stresses and strains of everyday life get me down, even I might be persuaded that a ‘comfort blanket’ story might be exactly what I am secretly craving. I really appreciated this lovely story, which although I was surprised I had finished in just a couple of average length sittings, seemed like such a much needed, leisurely paced, feel-good interlude, which cleared my mind and fed my soul.
Here is a brief overview of the story, so as not to give away too many spoilers...
...
Sophie and Celia are two middle-aged sisters, who were born and raised in England by parents of mixed heritage, their father Paul being English and their mother Teresa having Irish/American roots, although they both died young. It seems as though that’s all the girls have in common however, as they are completely unalike in all other respects and there has never really been any love lost between them. The elder sister, Sophie was never anything but troubled and rebellious as a child, didn’t achieve educationally, hasn’t been able to hold down a decent job, can’t make a relationship last and is a single parent to a young adult daughter, who although having benefitted from her mother’s unswerving love, has never really had a life role model to look up to. Celia has the seemingly perfect life, she a successful family doctor, married to a wealthy financial businessman, living in the perfect dream home with their two aspiring sons who have succeeded educationally and never brought any trouble to the door. She thrives on success, control and achievement, whether it be her own or someone else’s in her family.
Not having spoken, much less seen each other, for several years, the sisters find themselves making a transatlantic crossing to their mother, Teresa’s, family home at Rockaway Beach, where their grandmother has recently died and in her will has left her home to her two granddaughters. When they were young children, the trip to Long Island was an annual holiday event, however a family falling out with her devoutly Catholic father, meant that Teresa was no longer welcome to visit with her family. Celia wants nothing more than to get the place cleared out and sold, as for her the property holds no memories. However, Sophie remembers the house and her grandmother with much more affection, ideals she somehow needs to cling to, and would like to put down roots, renovate the place and turn it into an artist’s retreat.
With absence definitely not having made the heart grow fonder, the two are at each other’s throats from the word go. It is obvious that Celia has massive mental health problems she is trying to deal with alone and has been hiding from her family for years, or at least she thinks she has. Meanwhile Sophie finds an old letter in amongst her grandmother’s things which draws into question all the niggling doubts she has long harboured about her past. Just to add fuel to the fire, Local artist, Joe, seems to have the eye for Sophie, which doesn’t sit well with Celia, who although not really contemplating an extra-marital fling, does everything in her power to distract Joe’s attention from Sophie. When tempers finally flare, Celia drops a bombshell which rocks Sophie’s world to the core and leaves her desolate with the realisation that everything she had ever been brought up to believe, was in fact, based on lies and half-truths. For Sophie. much of her father’s cool, non-committal behaviour towards her over the years, is suddenly explained. But even then Celia has to make it all about her, saying that Sophie has no idea just how difficult it was always being in the spotlight, having to live up to the high expectations her father had set for her and how under-achieving was never an option in his eyes.
Having delivered such a devastating blow, Celia calmly packs her bags and heads off home, leaving a distraught Sophie to complete the clear-out alone. True to form, she embarks on yet another disastrous relationship, although the new quirky friends she makes, on whom she knows she can totally rely, help to set her on the straight and narrow before she gets hurt. Without Celia around to muddy the waters, Sophie and Joe are able to set their own pace for whatever happens between them and together they manage to open contact with a part of Sophie’s past, who will hopefully fill in some of the missing pieces of her life and give her the chance to build some of the childhood memories which have so far eluded her. Celia has also been doing some serious soul-searching and has concluded that keeping such a secret for her father for all those years, has damaged so many lives, including her own. She has a frank discussion with her husband about all her problems and together they decide on a plan of action, which includes Celia having that same difficult conversation with Sophie’s daughter Layla.
The steps they all take next may not be an instant fix solution for anybody, but can it show the way forwards to a new understanding, the building of bonds and dreams and the forging of new aspirations and challenges?
...
Whilst on the whole, yes, this was quite a predictable and formulaic storyline and I knew exactly how everything was all meant to end, there were one or two twists which added extra unique and intriguing layers, which didn’t fully work themselves out until the end of the story, keeping me avidly turning the pages and engaged throughout. Author Emma Burstall has a fluent, compelling and evocative style of storytelling, whilst managing to create a truly beguiling and immersive experience, which is rich in atmosphere and beautifully textured.
This is a story of new beginnings, accepting your own failings without the need to punish yourself for them; whilst also accepting the failures of others, without feeling the need to pass judgement or admonishment. Of the true meaning of family, taking into account the damage keeping secrets from one another can do, when well-meaning motives go awry. Chasing a dream if it is at all attainable and you don’t damage anyone else in the process and maybe being generous enough to help someone else to fulfil their own aspirations along the way, if you are able to. Learning how good life in a relationship can be if both people are singing from the same song sheet and the giving isn’t all one sided. It also highlights the long-term misunderstandings and indeed damage, which can be done in crisis, when children are not treated with the honesty and respect they deserve as small adults, as half heard and imagined truths, seen and heard by a child, will often be remembered completely out of context. But most importantly of all, after the love of family are the lasting and enduring friendships we make along our way through life.
The story was narrated in short, seamless chapters, which kept everything moving forward towards its conclusion at a steady pace, whilst some lyrically descriptive passages were seamlessly woven in, bringing to life the charming coastal location of this lovely oasis, so close to the skyscrapers and concrete walkways of Manhattan. Despite the undoubted hustle and bustle of the summer rush to escape from the mainland, everything managed to exude a calming aura of peace and serenity, a soothing balm, conducive to the healing of a damaged spirit. This together with places names which were real and enabled me to track my journey, meant that my ‘armchair traveller’ needs, were more than satisfied.
A quite large cast of engaging and well-developed characters are reliable, authentic, easy to connect with and relate to, despite their complex individual idiosyncrasies and vulnerabilities, sharing some great dynamics, energy and synergy between them. I guess the one person who bucked the trend was Terrell, who might possibly be considered a distraction in the overall storyline, although he did highlight how easily one determined and scheming person can so easily take advantage of someone in a more vulnerable state of mind. He was simply a self-centred individual, full of his own importance and ego, who felt that by clicking his fingers and saying all the right words, he would have Sophie begging for his favours, until he tired of her.
I really enjoyed author Emma Burstall’s seemingly effortless, relaxed style of writing and although this is the first of her books to date I have read, I shall most definitely be adding some of her previously published stories into my schedule. I read for a whole range of reasons, but amongst them are enjoyment, entertainment, escapism and emotion. This story soundly ticked all those boxes and more besides, and I thoroughly enjoyed my journey.
August 31, 2022
The instant I finished The House on Rockaway Beach I was sad that the story was over. I wanted more of these characters and the special setting of Rockaway Beach! The book revolves around 2 estranged sisters, Sophie and Celia. Sophie and Celia are adults with very different lives. Sophie lives in London with her adult daughter who can't find a job she likes and seems to always be unhappy. Celia is a doctor as is her husband and they have 2 college aged boys. They live in a big home and never have to worry about money. Sophie and her daughter are always worried about money.
When Sophie and Celia's grandmother dies, they find out that she has left her house to them both. The house in at Rockaway Beach, a quaint beach town that Sophie has very fond memories of. Sophie fell in love with the town and her grandmother's house as a child when she would spend summer there. Celia doesn't have fond memories of those summers and wants to sell her half of the house. Sophie can't afford to buy her out, so even though she's extremely sad, she doesn't see any other way. The sisters both travel to Rockaway Beach and begin to clean out the house. Sophie is thrilled to be back and swims in the ocean most days, while Celia doesn't enjoy the experience at all.
As Sophie finds a letter in her grandmother's sewing kit, new discoveries about what she thought she knew come to light. Sophie and Celia's mother died recently and they find out new things about her while cleaning out the house. Celia has been keeping a big secret from Sophie about the family she thinks she knows. What is the secret? Will it change things between them? Will it change Sophie for the better or worse? Why did Celia keep such a huge secret all of these years? Will they really sell the house? Will they find away back to being real sisters who share things? This book had me laughing out loud at times and crying at other times. Sophie meets someone while at Rockaway Beach. Will she find a way to open her heart to love again?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would love to see a follow up book with the same characters. There's so much more to their stories. I've never read a book by Emma Burstall but I will be adding her to my list of must read authors. The House on Rockaway Beach comes out on September 1, 2022 so be sure to pick it up. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Aria & Aries for an advanced copy of The House on Rockaway Beach in exchange for a fair review. #NetGalley #TheHouseonRockawayBeach
When Sophie and Celia's grandmother dies, they find out that she has left her house to them both. The house in at Rockaway Beach, a quaint beach town that Sophie has very fond memories of. Sophie fell in love with the town and her grandmother's house as a child when she would spend summer there. Celia doesn't have fond memories of those summers and wants to sell her half of the house. Sophie can't afford to buy her out, so even though she's extremely sad, she doesn't see any other way. The sisters both travel to Rockaway Beach and begin to clean out the house. Sophie is thrilled to be back and swims in the ocean most days, while Celia doesn't enjoy the experience at all.
As Sophie finds a letter in her grandmother's sewing kit, new discoveries about what she thought she knew come to light. Sophie and Celia's mother died recently and they find out new things about her while cleaning out the house. Celia has been keeping a big secret from Sophie about the family she thinks she knows. What is the secret? Will it change things between them? Will it change Sophie for the better or worse? Why did Celia keep such a huge secret all of these years? Will they really sell the house? Will they find away back to being real sisters who share things? This book had me laughing out loud at times and crying at other times. Sophie meets someone while at Rockaway Beach. Will she find a way to open her heart to love again?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would love to see a follow up book with the same characters. There's so much more to their stories. I've never read a book by Emma Burstall but I will be adding her to my list of must read authors. The House on Rockaway Beach comes out on September 1, 2022 so be sure to pick it up. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Aria & Aries for an advanced copy of The House on Rockaway Beach in exchange for a fair review. #NetGalley #TheHouseonRockawayBeach
August 10, 2022
What to say about this book... It's rare to read a book where you dislike the majority of the characters. Very few of them had any redeeming qualities. I know we're all flawed individuals, but wow...
The writing was okay and there were moments that I liked, but they were few and far between... On the whole, I found the characters disappointing and few of them took volition over their own life. And many of the reconciliations seemed too easy.
I also found it especially grating when the American characters used what would typically be considered British phrases instead of saying things the way an American normally would. I don't know if it was an error on the editor's part or trying too hard on the character's part. But it just didn't work.
Regardless, I would like to thank Emma Burstall, Aria & Aries, and NetGalley for an advance review copy.
The writing was okay and there were moments that I liked, but they were few and far between... On the whole, I found the characters disappointing and few of them took volition over their own life. And many of the reconciliations seemed too easy.
I also found it especially grating when the American characters used what would typically be considered British phrases instead of saying things the way an American normally would. I don't know if it was an error on the editor's part or trying too hard on the character's part. But it just didn't work.
Regardless, I would like to thank Emma Burstall, Aria & Aries, and NetGalley for an advance review copy.
August 31, 2022
There was one reason why I wanted to read this book and that is because I am born and raise spending my summers in Rockaway! The House on Rockaway Beach was a lovely story but really didn’t depict Rockaway very well. (Obviously this is only an issue for me and anybody else who reads it from Rockaway but for most people I don’t think they will care) Also I love a trope of sisters overcoming family trauma together. Emma Burstall wrote a really thoughtful and complicated take on the relationship sisters have with each other and the secrets we keep. The way we present to the world is not always how we truly are in our hearts. I did find a plot a little confusing at times but the story presented well. Additionally the American/British confusion was sometimes hard to overcome. All in all I always enjoy a story focused on sister relationships.
Thank you #Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you #Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 4, 2022
Oh, I so wanted to love this book. The idea of family secrets, sibling rivalry and summer romance shouted to me. But sadly it never reached its potential. The story feels thin, with no depth to the characters or the history. The plot actually moves along really quickly and confrontations and reconciliations feel unrealistic. The characters are plentiful but lacking in purpose, in particular the Terrell character; his swift exit was as confusing as his presence in the first place.
I’m gutted not to have found more in this book. But you can’t love them all.
I’m gutted not to have found more in this book. But you can’t love them all.
September 1, 2022
Sisters Sophie and Celia have been estranged for years, but are thrown back together when their American grandmother unexpectedly leaves them her dilapidated beach-side home on the Rockaway Peninsula, New York. It is a long time since the sisters have been to this house, because their mother fell out with her parents when they were young, but it is filled with memories of summers spent swimming in the Atlantic Ocean and playing in the sand. For Sophie, this house holds tender memories of her grandmother Pampy and the holidays that became a refuge from her strict father, but for Celia who was the apple of their father's eye, this is a place that unsettles her and reminds her of a secret she has never shared with her sister.
Almost as soon as the sisters reunite they fall back into their well-worn roles as adversaries. There is a lot to sort out both inside and out of Piping Plover House, and both of them anticipate that the next few days are going to be rocky - especially since Sophie would dearly love to keep the house and Celia wants to sell it as soon as possible.
As the women sift through their grandmother's possessions, old rivalries and perceived injustices raise their ugly heads. Sophie thinks she may have discovered what caused their mother to break off relations with her parents, but it is not until Celia, in a moment of anger, drops the secret she has kept since childhood that Sophie is forced to rethink everything she thought she knew about their lives.
The House on Rockaway Beach is a rambling tale that delves into the impact of family secrets, and how the strain of keeping them can affect the generations that follow. Sisters Sophie and Celia have never seen eye to eye, and as adults have been content to maintain a distance between each other. As the story slowly unfurls through little clues left behind at Piping Plover House, and from conversations with some of the long-standing residents at Rockaway Beach, Burstall breaks up the flow with sharply poignant moments of clarity that help you understand how the past has never really given the sisters a chance to be close.
Burstall handles the dynamics of many of the family relationships in this story well, and I really enjoyed how the reunion of the sisters and the subsequent revelation of family secrets helps to break down the barriers that have built up between them. This brings in some very heartwarming moments of reconciliation at the conclusion of the book that leaves you with a feeling of hope for the future, which was lovely.
There are quite a few characters in this tale, and I liked how many of them contribute to how this story plays out. I did not know anything about Manhattan's beach-side resort of Rockaway Beach, and the characters give you a fascinating glimpse into the kind of life that people live here, and create the perfect atmosphere for a place that mixes big city life and holiday vibes. I loved Gigi's little family, and there is romance in the air too... but no spoilers here! Burstall also covers a lot of ground in the issues she touches upon, especially in the way they affect family life. There were times when I thought these could have been explored in a little more depth to enhance the emotional impact of the story, as they were sometimes resolved a little too neatly, but this does keep the story flowing at a fast pace and the pages certainly fly by.
This is a gentle and comforting book that fits the bill as a late summer read in an unconventional sea-side setting. Tuck yourself up with a cuppa and take yourself off to Rockaway Beach for a charming bit of escapism!
Almost as soon as the sisters reunite they fall back into their well-worn roles as adversaries. There is a lot to sort out both inside and out of Piping Plover House, and both of them anticipate that the next few days are going to be rocky - especially since Sophie would dearly love to keep the house and Celia wants to sell it as soon as possible.
As the women sift through their grandmother's possessions, old rivalries and perceived injustices raise their ugly heads. Sophie thinks she may have discovered what caused their mother to break off relations with her parents, but it is not until Celia, in a moment of anger, drops the secret she has kept since childhood that Sophie is forced to rethink everything she thought she knew about their lives.
The House on Rockaway Beach is a rambling tale that delves into the impact of family secrets, and how the strain of keeping them can affect the generations that follow. Sisters Sophie and Celia have never seen eye to eye, and as adults have been content to maintain a distance between each other. As the story slowly unfurls through little clues left behind at Piping Plover House, and from conversations with some of the long-standing residents at Rockaway Beach, Burstall breaks up the flow with sharply poignant moments of clarity that help you understand how the past has never really given the sisters a chance to be close.
Burstall handles the dynamics of many of the family relationships in this story well, and I really enjoyed how the reunion of the sisters and the subsequent revelation of family secrets helps to break down the barriers that have built up between them. This brings in some very heartwarming moments of reconciliation at the conclusion of the book that leaves you with a feeling of hope for the future, which was lovely.
There are quite a few characters in this tale, and I liked how many of them contribute to how this story plays out. I did not know anything about Manhattan's beach-side resort of Rockaway Beach, and the characters give you a fascinating glimpse into the kind of life that people live here, and create the perfect atmosphere for a place that mixes big city life and holiday vibes. I loved Gigi's little family, and there is romance in the air too... but no spoilers here! Burstall also covers a lot of ground in the issues she touches upon, especially in the way they affect family life. There were times when I thought these could have been explored in a little more depth to enhance the emotional impact of the story, as they were sometimes resolved a little too neatly, but this does keep the story flowing at a fast pace and the pages certainly fly by.
This is a gentle and comforting book that fits the bill as a late summer read in an unconventional sea-side setting. Tuck yourself up with a cuppa and take yourself off to Rockaway Beach for a charming bit of escapism!
November 2, 2023
Hier ist allein das Cover schon verheissungsvoll: wir sind direkt am Meer, und für mich war allein diese aufbeschworene Stimmung vielversprechend. Wir sind auch fast die ganze Zeit in diesem Roman am Meer, am Rockaway Beach, in der Nähe zu New York. Sophie und ihre jüngere Schwester Celia, beide aus London, haben hier viele Sommer in ihrer Kindheit bei ihrer Grossmutter verbracht. Irgendwann gab es dann familiär einen Cut, und die Sommerurlaube fielen kommentarlos aus. Und nun, fast 40 Jahre später, sind die beiden Schwestern wieder in Rockaway beach: Grossmama Pampy ist gestorben, und hat ihr Haus den beiden vermacht. Das ist auch der Punkt, an dem der Roman beginnt. Nach Jahren sehen sich Celia und Sophie wieder, um eben gemeinsam das Häuschen auszuräumen und zu verkaufen. Und während Celia auch genau das vorhat, nämlich so schnell wie möglich an einen Makler zu übergeben und in ihr wohlgeordnetes upper-class-Leben zurück zu kehren, ist Sophie eher emotional-sentimental und würde das geliebte Haus gerne behalten. Und wir als Leser steigen gleich ein in das Leben der beiden so extrem ungleichen Schwestern: kaum sehen sie sich wieder, fallen sie auch gleich wieder in alte Kindheitsmuster, und es scheint nichts zu geben, auf dass sie sich einigen können. Und während Sophie in Kindheitserinnerungen schwelgt, scheint Celia nie glücklich in den Sommern am Rockaway Beach gewesen zu sein. Peu a peu rollt sich dann auch die Familiengeschichte auf, und die Vergangenheit holt natürlich die Schwestern ein. Das fand ich richtig spannend gemacht. Das alte Häuschen gibt ein paar Geheimnisse preis, und es ist faszinierend, was die Schwestern daraus machen. Beide sind auch ein bisschen an einem Wendepunkt in ihrem Leben angelangt, beide um die 50, können sie ihrem Leben auch noch mal einen neuen Dreh verpassen – und vielleicht auch wieder einen Weg zueinander finden?
Diese Konstellationen fand ich, ich wiederhole mich, spannend. 2 Schwestern, vom Alter her relativ nahe beieinander, und doch so komplett unterschiedlich, und nicht nur in ihrem Wesen und Charakter, sondern vor allem auch in ihrer Wahrnehmung ihrer Kindheitserlebnisse. Einiges in der Familie war ziemlich dysfunktional, und im Laufe des Romans ziehen Celia und Sophie so einige Leichen aus dem Keller. Wer sich für ich sag mal interessante Familienkonstellationen und die emotionalen Verhältnisse speziell zwischen Geschwistern interessiert, der wird dieses Buch lieben, allein von dieser Grundidee her.
Das hört sich jetzt recht ernst an, tatsächlich ist das Buch aber mit leichter Feder und viel Humor geschrieben. Viele Dialoge, und das traumhafte Setting am Strand, am Meer, in der niedlichen Kleinstadt Rockaway, das alles ist sehr fernwehfördernd-positive-Energie-ausstrahlend. Also ernste Themen leicht verpackt, und wunderbar flüssig geschrieben, ich bin als Nicht-Muttersprachlerin durch den Roman geflogen.
Natürlich haben wir auch eine Menge interessanter Nebendarsteller, eine Romanze, und neue Freundschaften, und das alles war wunderbar stimmig.
Das Ende hat mich dann auch wieder voll abgeholt – ganz viele offene Enden, die sich verknüpft haben.
Ja, mein Fazit: bitte lesen. Ich fand es toll. Teils sehr ernste Themen mit wunderbarer Leichtigkeit erzählt, aber ohne die Tiefe zu verlieren. Grosse Erzählkunst!
Diese Konstellationen fand ich, ich wiederhole mich, spannend. 2 Schwestern, vom Alter her relativ nahe beieinander, und doch so komplett unterschiedlich, und nicht nur in ihrem Wesen und Charakter, sondern vor allem auch in ihrer Wahrnehmung ihrer Kindheitserlebnisse. Einiges in der Familie war ziemlich dysfunktional, und im Laufe des Romans ziehen Celia und Sophie so einige Leichen aus dem Keller. Wer sich für ich sag mal interessante Familienkonstellationen und die emotionalen Verhältnisse speziell zwischen Geschwistern interessiert, der wird dieses Buch lieben, allein von dieser Grundidee her.
Das hört sich jetzt recht ernst an, tatsächlich ist das Buch aber mit leichter Feder und viel Humor geschrieben. Viele Dialoge, und das traumhafte Setting am Strand, am Meer, in der niedlichen Kleinstadt Rockaway, das alles ist sehr fernwehfördernd-positive-Energie-ausstrahlend. Also ernste Themen leicht verpackt, und wunderbar flüssig geschrieben, ich bin als Nicht-Muttersprachlerin durch den Roman geflogen.
Natürlich haben wir auch eine Menge interessanter Nebendarsteller, eine Romanze, und neue Freundschaften, und das alles war wunderbar stimmig.
Das Ende hat mich dann auch wieder voll abgeholt – ganz viele offene Enden, die sich verknüpft haben.
Ja, mein Fazit: bitte lesen. Ich fand es toll. Teils sehr ernste Themen mit wunderbarer Leichtigkeit erzählt, aber ohne die Tiefe zu verlieren. Grosse Erzählkunst!
August 12, 2022
This is the story of two sisters.
How their family seemed to fall apart at the seams.
And just how they were going to repair the damage made.
I was cleverly transported into a different world as I began to read this book. Emma has a real knack for rich descriptions.
Making the scenery and surroundings so clear and vibrant.
Right from the beginning, I was whisked away to somewhere else.
Siblings Celia and Sophie have travelled from England to Rockaway Beach, New York to sort out their Grandmother's beloved home, Piping Plover House, a place that they've inherited together despite being quite estranged as the years have gone by.
Told from both women's points of view, it is clear early on that this pair have very little in common if you discount the fact that they are related.
Celia is more prim and proper, a successful doctor, she likes things done a certain way and there is very little room for mistakes to be made. But although she has a husband and two children are at home waiting for her, I couldn't help but feel sad as clearly this was the life that she thought she should have, not necessarily the life she dreamed of.
Sophie on the other hand is much more carefree, willing to take a chance and go with the flow. A single parent to her daughter Layla, she lives with very little money to her name but isn't afraid to see where life takes her. However she too lives with regrets.
No life is perfect.
The intention for them both is to clear and clean the house and eventually put it up for sale. Not something Sophie wants but she doesn't put up much of a fight with her stubborn sister to keep the house and its memories.
As furniture is moved and items are uncovered, family secrets once hidden begin to pour out of the cracks and the space between these sisters begins to widen further as truths are told, leaving Sophie's world quite literally turned upside down and both ladies re-evaluating their lives, their past actions and their future desires.
I loved reading this book.
The family dramas were actually a small part of the tale.
What stood out for me was the love for the destination, almost an ode to the beach, the unsung character within this tale.
Emma has real knack for writing something that I could highly imagine to be real. It was a joy to see the character's journeys, the growth and strides made with each chapter. The emotions felt pure, honest and my heart was truly warmed by the closing chapters.
The House on Rockaway Beach is a cosy and inviting book just waiting to be read.
How their family seemed to fall apart at the seams.
And just how they were going to repair the damage made.
I was cleverly transported into a different world as I began to read this book. Emma has a real knack for rich descriptions.
Making the scenery and surroundings so clear and vibrant.
Right from the beginning, I was whisked away to somewhere else.
Siblings Celia and Sophie have travelled from England to Rockaway Beach, New York to sort out their Grandmother's beloved home, Piping Plover House, a place that they've inherited together despite being quite estranged as the years have gone by.
Told from both women's points of view, it is clear early on that this pair have very little in common if you discount the fact that they are related.
Celia is more prim and proper, a successful doctor, she likes things done a certain way and there is very little room for mistakes to be made. But although she has a husband and two children are at home waiting for her, I couldn't help but feel sad as clearly this was the life that she thought she should have, not necessarily the life she dreamed of.
Sophie on the other hand is much more carefree, willing to take a chance and go with the flow. A single parent to her daughter Layla, she lives with very little money to her name but isn't afraid to see where life takes her. However she too lives with regrets.
No life is perfect.
The intention for them both is to clear and clean the house and eventually put it up for sale. Not something Sophie wants but she doesn't put up much of a fight with her stubborn sister to keep the house and its memories.
As furniture is moved and items are uncovered, family secrets once hidden begin to pour out of the cracks and the space between these sisters begins to widen further as truths are told, leaving Sophie's world quite literally turned upside down and both ladies re-evaluating their lives, their past actions and their future desires.
I loved reading this book.
The family dramas were actually a small part of the tale.
What stood out for me was the love for the destination, almost an ode to the beach, the unsung character within this tale.
Emma has real knack for writing something that I could highly imagine to be real. It was a joy to see the character's journeys, the growth and strides made with each chapter. The emotions felt pure, honest and my heart was truly warmed by the closing chapters.
The House on Rockaway Beach is a cosy and inviting book just waiting to be read.
November 6, 2022
Two warring sisters are left Piping Plover House at Rockaway Beach by their maternal grandmother. Whilst the house, the area and their grandmother was very much part of their childhood, suddenly the visits stopped and it is many many years since they have been at the house or even visited their grandmother before she dies. Why would they be left the house now?
Flying out, Sophie and Celia turn up to clear everything out and put the house on the market to sell, splitting the money and going their separate ways. Celia wants the money to set her sons up in homes. Sophie is just looking for that something to help her settle. Celia it seems has the perfect life.
Nothing is as it seems between the two sisters, the house they are emptying or even the local residents of Rockaway Beach who welcome them albeit temporarily. When Sophie discovers a letter and then Celia drops her own bombshell and then promptly returns to the UK. Sophie is left stranded not knowing where to turn to find out the truth or if she even wants to know it.
Each sister seems to have different memories of their childhood and the events that took place, and it has perhaps formed their actions in their adult lives. Interactions between siblings are always a fascinating read when you are an only child, this book was no different. I did not warm at the beginning to either sister, one seemed to highly string, the other too wishy washy to stick at anything. However as the book progresses, along with the reader the main characters see their failings and also their strengths and how they can all perhaps start again.
Having read all of this authors books and delight at how they are all so different, the focus o the turbulence of friendships and relationships whether that be with family or not is at the centre of all her writing. She is not afraid to show the reality of such relationships and that not all of life can be wrapped up in a happy ending.
A great book to be swept away with.
Flying out, Sophie and Celia turn up to clear everything out and put the house on the market to sell, splitting the money and going their separate ways. Celia wants the money to set her sons up in homes. Sophie is just looking for that something to help her settle. Celia it seems has the perfect life.
Nothing is as it seems between the two sisters, the house they are emptying or even the local residents of Rockaway Beach who welcome them albeit temporarily. When Sophie discovers a letter and then Celia drops her own bombshell and then promptly returns to the UK. Sophie is left stranded not knowing where to turn to find out the truth or if she even wants to know it.
Each sister seems to have different memories of their childhood and the events that took place, and it has perhaps formed their actions in their adult lives. Interactions between siblings are always a fascinating read when you are an only child, this book was no different. I did not warm at the beginning to either sister, one seemed to highly string, the other too wishy washy to stick at anything. However as the book progresses, along with the reader the main characters see their failings and also their strengths and how they can all perhaps start again.
Having read all of this authors books and delight at how they are all so different, the focus o the turbulence of friendships and relationships whether that be with family or not is at the centre of all her writing. She is not afraid to show the reality of such relationships and that not all of life can be wrapped up in a happy ending.
A great book to be swept away with.
August 5, 2022
Following their grandmother’s death, Celia and Sophie discover that they have inherited her beloved home, ‘Piping Plover House’. Though they are sisters they have nothing in common. Celia is a doctor, with a husband and two grown sons living in a beautiful house. Her feet are firmly on the ground, and she likes to give the impression that everything in her world is wonderful. Whilst Sophie is a single parent of one grown daughter, both of whom have very little money and seem to be a little flighty.
Piping Plover House is on Rockaway Beach, New York and has seen better days. The sisters travel there with the intention of clearing the house and putting it up for sale. On arriving, the house brings back lots of memories of spending many fun-filled childhood summers there, on the beach and playing with the local children, but the visits suddenly stopped. Sophie’s memories are much fonder than Celia’s and she decides she would love to keep the house, whilst Celia just wants to rid her hands of it. A poorly disclosed family secret leads to the gap widening between the sisters, leaving Sophie’s world upturned and requiring her to revaluate her life.
Emma’s books drag you so far into the story that you can picture everything in your mind’s eye. I loved reading this book and thoroughly enjoyed the plot. It’s a warm and cosy read whether you are snuggled in the armchair or lazing on the garden. Yet another enjoyable book to add to Emma’s already amazing catalogue!
Piping Plover House is on Rockaway Beach, New York and has seen better days. The sisters travel there with the intention of clearing the house and putting it up for sale. On arriving, the house brings back lots of memories of spending many fun-filled childhood summers there, on the beach and playing with the local children, but the visits suddenly stopped. Sophie’s memories are much fonder than Celia’s and she decides she would love to keep the house, whilst Celia just wants to rid her hands of it. A poorly disclosed family secret leads to the gap widening between the sisters, leaving Sophie’s world upturned and requiring her to revaluate her life.
Emma’s books drag you so far into the story that you can picture everything in your mind’s eye. I loved reading this book and thoroughly enjoyed the plot. It’s a warm and cosy read whether you are snuggled in the armchair or lazing on the garden. Yet another enjoyable book to add to Emma’s already amazing catalogue!
August 23, 2022
Sophie spent many happy summers as a child at Rockaway Beach. Visiting her beloved grandmother and taking in all the ambiance of a summer seaside resort. Then one summer the holidays stopped and all Sophie knew was that her mother and her grandmother had really fallen out.
A couple of decades later and Sophie is back at Rockaway Beach with her sister Celia. When her grandmother died she left them both her house on the beach. It is a complex relationship between the two sisters and thrown together in such an emotional maelstrom it isn’t long before the sparks start to fly.
The House on Rockaway Beach was pitched as a tale of family secrets, sibling rivalry and summer romance. And indeed it does cover all of these bases but I wanted it to do a little more. For me it feels like the characters don’t quite have the depth to them that I was expecting and everything that happens is very quick and full on. There are some very complex back stories in the generations before them that feel a bit too glossed over. The newer and current relationships similarly never take on any real gravitas.
If you are looking for a fairly lighthearted beach read then this is the book for you. I didn’t know much about the Rockaway Beach area before I picked up this book and enjoyed having a good look round the real thing on Google!
Supplied by Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
A couple of decades later and Sophie is back at Rockaway Beach with her sister Celia. When her grandmother died she left them both her house on the beach. It is a complex relationship between the two sisters and thrown together in such an emotional maelstrom it isn’t long before the sparks start to fly.
The House on Rockaway Beach was pitched as a tale of family secrets, sibling rivalry and summer romance. And indeed it does cover all of these bases but I wanted it to do a little more. For me it feels like the characters don’t quite have the depth to them that I was expecting and everything that happens is very quick and full on. There are some very complex back stories in the generations before them that feel a bit too glossed over. The newer and current relationships similarly never take on any real gravitas.
If you are looking for a fairly lighthearted beach read then this is the book for you. I didn’t know much about the Rockaway Beach area before I picked up this book and enjoyed having a good look round the real thing on Google!
Supplied by Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2022
When you are young your family seems perfect and lovely. But the mirage starts disappearing as we start growing up, the little imperfections, little lies and sometimes really dark secrets that should have been hidden forever.
This is the story of two sisters; Sophie and Celia, who decided to keep their differences apart for two weeks and clean their grandmother’s house. A house full of memories… but are all they good or their family has more secrets than they ever expected?
I have to say that it was really easy to enter this story, told between the two sisters point of view and opposite thoughts. We really don’t know why these two sisters hate each other so much, but believe me, the hate is there and so strong that you can almost touch it!
As the story progresses, more characters are involved in the story, all of them will have a little part in the plot; the past or the present. But, this is not a story for you to love the characters but to feel intrigued with the situation and wanting to know more about Sophie and Celia’s stories and how they have grown hating each other so much.
There’s no perfect family and it’s never easy to discover how you’ve been lied to all your childhood. But accepting there’s a problem and trying to repair it, is the first step to reconciliation, don’t you think?
Are you ready to discover all the secrets on “The House on Rockaway Beach”?
This is the story of two sisters; Sophie and Celia, who decided to keep their differences apart for two weeks and clean their grandmother’s house. A house full of memories… but are all they good or their family has more secrets than they ever expected?
I have to say that it was really easy to enter this story, told between the two sisters point of view and opposite thoughts. We really don’t know why these two sisters hate each other so much, but believe me, the hate is there and so strong that you can almost touch it!
As the story progresses, more characters are involved in the story, all of them will have a little part in the plot; the past or the present. But, this is not a story for you to love the characters but to feel intrigued with the situation and wanting to know more about Sophie and Celia’s stories and how they have grown hating each other so much.
There’s no perfect family and it’s never easy to discover how you’ve been lied to all your childhood. But accepting there’s a problem and trying to repair it, is the first step to reconciliation, don’t you think?
Are you ready to discover all the secrets on “The House on Rockaway Beach”?
June 30, 2023
Beautiful, tantalising and full of sunshine!
I have only read one other Emma Burstall book previously to this, but I knew that this was going to be magical as I loved other, so I was thrilled to be reading this one and I am pleased to say that I was not disappointed, The House on Rockaway Beach is beautiful.
I loved the setting, I have a secret love of New York set stories so to pick one up which shows that city in a different light this time via an idyllic beach not too far away then I was hooked. The descriptions are wonderful, you feel as though you are standing there on the shore watching the waves rippling across the sand, take a deep breath and you may even breathe in the summery sunshine.
I liked the plot of the estranged sisters coming together with family secrets circling around in the background, I don't have siblings but even I could understand and feel the tension and slight awkwardness between them and I think it's beautifully written it captures each emotion with sensitivity and realism.
I thought it was a little slow in pacing for my liking but I think this particular story needed that more relaxed pacing.
Overall, a heartwarming story of family and it the complex relationship between the people within the family circle, which as we all know is fraught with so many hidden emotions, a well-written and enjoyable read!
I have only read one other Emma Burstall book previously to this, but I knew that this was going to be magical as I loved other, so I was thrilled to be reading this one and I am pleased to say that I was not disappointed, The House on Rockaway Beach is beautiful.
I loved the setting, I have a secret love of New York set stories so to pick one up which shows that city in a different light this time via an idyllic beach not too far away then I was hooked. The descriptions are wonderful, you feel as though you are standing there on the shore watching the waves rippling across the sand, take a deep breath and you may even breathe in the summery sunshine.
I liked the plot of the estranged sisters coming together with family secrets circling around in the background, I don't have siblings but even I could understand and feel the tension and slight awkwardness between them and I think it's beautifully written it captures each emotion with sensitivity and realism.
I thought it was a little slow in pacing for my liking but I think this particular story needed that more relaxed pacing.
Overall, a heartwarming story of family and it the complex relationship between the people within the family circle, which as we all know is fraught with so many hidden emotions, a well-written and enjoyable read!
September 12, 2022
This is a gentle, captivating read about two sisters and how the past has impacted on their lives. It is clear from early on that Celia and Sophie have a difficult relationship and live quite separate lives. At first, it appears that they have quite different values but as the story evolves, you come to understand the two women more, and can see that Celia, in particular, has many vulnerabilities and self-destructive behaviours.
The setting in Rockaway Beach is always present in the story, especially the beach and the coastline. You can totally understand why Sophie loves the area so much. All the characters who Sophie and Celia meet add something to the story. There is also a sense that people from the past have something to say and that secrets from the past which have been so destructive, cannot stay hidden for ever and will emerge into the daylight. This is an enjoyable story with complicated central characters and a gorgeous setting.
In short: Secrets from the past are uncovered
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book
The setting in Rockaway Beach is always present in the story, especially the beach and the coastline. You can totally understand why Sophie loves the area so much. All the characters who Sophie and Celia meet add something to the story. There is also a sense that people from the past have something to say and that secrets from the past which have been so destructive, cannot stay hidden for ever and will emerge into the daylight. This is an enjoyable story with complicated central characters and a gorgeous setting.
In short: Secrets from the past are uncovered
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book
August 17, 2023
Two British sisters return to an American beach resort to visit the house they have inherited. They spent several childhood holidays there but the holidays stopped when they reached their teens for reasons which are eventually explained. As I have some experience of this scenario, I was intrigued by the opening and could picture the old wooden house very clearly.
The two sisters are incompatible: Sophie was a rebellious teenager whereas Celia worked hard at school to eventually become a GP. Celia is a more complex character than Sophie and becomes more sympathetic as the story develops. Sophie, with her lack of purpose and failed relationships, becomes less likeable.
As flagged up in the blurb, there is at least one family secret. This gets revealed piecemeal and does throw up some moral issues: is trying to correct a mistake made several years ago justifiable if it affects other people's lives? The author ducks that discussion which turns the secret into a damp squib.
There are several minor characters with some irrelevant scenes so that the book, which is not very well written, drags in parts. Fewer side characters and plots and more focus on the main story would make this a much better book.
The two sisters are incompatible: Sophie was a rebellious teenager whereas Celia worked hard at school to eventually become a GP. Celia is a more complex character than Sophie and becomes more sympathetic as the story develops. Sophie, with her lack of purpose and failed relationships, becomes less likeable.
As flagged up in the blurb, there is at least one family secret. This gets revealed piecemeal and does throw up some moral issues: is trying to correct a mistake made several years ago justifiable if it affects other people's lives? The author ducks that discussion which turns the secret into a damp squib.
There are several minor characters with some irrelevant scenes so that the book, which is not very well written, drags in parts. Fewer side characters and plots and more focus on the main story would make this a much better book.
August 27, 2022
I enjoy women’s fiction, so there was a lot about the plot that drew me in: a woman facing personal challenges, an inherited beach house and family secrets. I also enjoy New York’s Rockaway beach as a New York City get-away, so the idea of a story set in this location, among local residents, appealed.
While the story progresses well and the main protagonist, Sophie, a Londoner who is eager to set down roots in her new community, undergoes dramatic personal growth, the characters felt a bit flat for me. The sibling rivalry between Sophie and Clelia began well, but Clelia seemed the more interesting character of the two, and she disappeared pretty quickly to return to London.
Sophie was more bland as a character and sometimes seemed too young and immature for her age. I probably would have enjoyed the dynamic of the two sisters continuing to work together to settle the house and to tell the story through their perspectives. All in all, a pleasant story with an enjoyable setting and a love angle, but I didn’t feel particularly drawn to the main character or invested in her personal journey.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy - all thoughts are my own.
While the story progresses well and the main protagonist, Sophie, a Londoner who is eager to set down roots in her new community, undergoes dramatic personal growth, the characters felt a bit flat for me. The sibling rivalry between Sophie and Clelia began well, but Clelia seemed the more interesting character of the two, and she disappeared pretty quickly to return to London.
Sophie was more bland as a character and sometimes seemed too young and immature for her age. I probably would have enjoyed the dynamic of the two sisters continuing to work together to settle the house and to tell the story through their perspectives. All in all, a pleasant story with an enjoyable setting and a love angle, but I didn’t feel particularly drawn to the main character or invested in her personal journey.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy - all thoughts are my own.
August 17, 2022
Oh my goodness…..the two sisters in the story sure do argue and bicker!!! The first few pages were just a bit too much for me. As I read on, things settled down a bit between them.
So the story is about two sisters who have not seen nor talked to each other for years. When their grandmother dies and leaves her house to them, they must come together to decide what to do with the house. As they begin cleaning out the house, a family secret is revealed to them.
With one sister wanting to keep the house and the other wants to sell it….friction and bad feelings arise.
A nice book to relax with on a beach or by the pool.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
So the story is about two sisters who have not seen nor talked to each other for years. When their grandmother dies and leaves her house to them, they must come together to decide what to do with the house. As they begin cleaning out the house, a family secret is revealed to them.
With one sister wanting to keep the house and the other wants to sell it….friction and bad feelings arise.
A nice book to relax with on a beach or by the pool.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 5, 2022
Sisters Celia and Sophie couldn't be more different. Celia is disciplined, regimented, and scheduled. Sophie is a free spirit. The two sisters have been estranged, and must come together after their grandmother dies, and leaves her house to them.
They hadn't seen their grandmother for years, since they were children, and their mother had a falling out with her parents.
Celia wants to sell, Sophie wants to keep the house. While they are cleaning out the house, a shocking family secret come to light. Can the two sisters find their way back to each other, and possibly overcome years of bad feelings and resentments?
They hadn't seen their grandmother for years, since they were children, and their mother had a falling out with her parents.
Celia wants to sell, Sophie wants to keep the house. While they are cleaning out the house, a shocking family secret come to light. Can the two sisters find their way back to each other, and possibly overcome years of bad feelings and resentments?
August 17, 2022
The preview made it sound much better than it was. Not my favorite book lately. The characters are awkward and not fleshed out completely - they seem flat, and didn't make me interested in the story. Gigi seemed like she had depth but the rest were blah. The storyline has potential - two estranged sisters inheriting their grandmother's house and meet after years apart to decide what to do with it. But then there is the ongoing bickering, Ceilia's character seems really shallow and annoying. Just wasn't what I thought it would be.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a digital, temporary ARC in return for my review.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a digital, temporary ARC in return for my review.
August 18, 2022
A very, very lovely novel exploring the relationship of two very different sisters and of their difficulties in getting along. The effects their father had on each of them bore out in their lifestyles and traits. Celia is the by the arrow one living up to exaggerated expectations. Sophie is a free spirit living her own life. They come together at their grandmother’s house to dispose of it and find their mutual dislike still flourishes. The undercurrents of their aggravations bubble to the surface and change the course of everything.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 29, 2022
Family dissension has been a way of life for both Celia and Sophie. There never cared for each other, their mother was estranged from their grandmother, and so were the sisters. Until their grandmother died and left them her beach house in New York.
It’s a pleasant read, despite all the exchanges barbs. Celia reveals a deep secret to Sophie.
It’s simple straightforward writing, but I did think some of the plot lines were a bit rushed and glossed over.
Thanks to Aria and NetGalley for the early read.
It’s a pleasant read, despite all the exchanges barbs. Celia reveals a deep secret to Sophie.
It’s simple straightforward writing, but I did think some of the plot lines were a bit rushed and glossed over.
Thanks to Aria and NetGalley for the early read.
August 31, 2022
Thank you Netgalley and Aria & Aries for the chance to read an advance copy of The House on Rockaway Beach by Emma Burstall. 'This was a new author for me, but the premise sounded like the perfect summer read that I wanted to read it. Two sisters must come together when their Grandmother passes away. As children they loved visiting their Grandmother at the beach but suddenly their Mother stopped the visits. Now they must found out why and decide how to move forward. While I enjoyed the book, I found the bickering between the sisters annoying.
September 1, 2022
What a beautiful and heart warming story. The story flowed so easily that I was half way through before I realised it. The self discovery of the sisters Sophie and Celia was amazing and at time identifiable. We all have moments when we see ourselves and our relationships differently. The twists and turns about Sophie’s dad was interesting I liked how she went about finding him. Her friendship with Gigi and her family was lovely. Joe was a great character, he is a quiet strength that Sophie needs.
Beautiful from start to finish, I really hope we get to go back there again.
Beautiful from start to finish, I really hope we get to go back there again.
November 12, 2022
I really liked this book and was a nice easy read.
Sophie & Celia are sisters who have inherited the house they went on holiday from their Grandmother they have not always seen eye to eye. They want different things for the house and don’t really agree on what they want. There are things they keep secret from each other.
This book is about how secrets are best out in the open and how each of the sister’s were jealous of each other.. There were other characters that were nice in the book.
It kept you wondering what was going to happen and liked how the book flowed.
Sophie & Celia are sisters who have inherited the house they went on holiday from their Grandmother they have not always seen eye to eye. They want different things for the house and don’t really agree on what they want. There are things they keep secret from each other.
This book is about how secrets are best out in the open and how each of the sister’s were jealous of each other.. There were other characters that were nice in the book.
It kept you wondering what was going to happen and liked how the book flowed.
November 24, 2025
The House on Rockaway Beach is a heartfelt, atmospheric story that blends family secrets, emotional healing, and the pull of the past with a vivid sense of place. For me, this novel held an especially meaningful charm. I spent my summers in Rockaway growing up, and Burstall’s portrayal of the beaches, the boardwalk, and the unique rhythm of the community brought back a wave of memories. Few books truly capture the feel of that area—or the way it shapes the people who pass through it—but Burstall does so beautifully.
September 6, 2022
Two sisters inherit their estranged grandmother's American home. The sisters are not close and it's clear this is going to be a tough time as they clear out their late grandmother's belongings and disagree on what to do with the property.
Secrets come out, and mysteries unfold in this wonderful story of how relationships within families can be allowed to deteriorate when lies are left for decades without being rectified.
Secrets come out, and mysteries unfold in this wonderful story of how relationships within families can be allowed to deteriorate when lies are left for decades without being rectified.
September 14, 2022
A beautifully written story, The House on Rockaway Beacb is a character led read full of emotion and history. Memories are intertwined with the current day as Sophie and Chloe fight to remember their past and shared experiences. The descriptions of Rockaway were beautiful- the calmness of the water on the beach and the community spirit of the town all added to the chilled feel of the story that both Sophie and Chloe were in need of.
The mystery of their childhood days was well thought through and I loved seeing how the memories impacted both the women in different ways.
A stunning read.
The mystery of their childhood days was well thought through and I loved seeing how the memories impacted both the women in different ways.
A stunning read.
February 7, 2023
Read a few of Emma’s Cornish novels which are great stories. I wasn’t sure how I’d like the American side to the stories but the blend of English and USA was well received and was believable. Could really relate to the sisters issues as I’m the youngest of four girls and only 2 of us speak. I also liked the love interest in Joe and there was a good balance with creepy one. Loved it so much I wish I had a holiday home there
July 9, 2023
This was such a perfect beach read. Such a beautiful little story with a predictable yet heart warming ending. I loved Sophie. My heart felt for her through this story. The only thing I wish for more of was Joe and Sophie. Their love story was slow to start and I craved for more. Joes seemed like a laid back, guy next store that fits perfectly into the world of Rockaway beach. It made me yearn for a little coastal town tucked away from the commercialized world.
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