Let's start with what is very right with this book. The ending.

I love a good satisfying and believable ending, and this book delivers. When you shut the cover (ok, it was an e-book, but you get my drift), you just feel like everything is resolved and resolved in a satisfactory way, and all is right with the world.

On Folly Beach really is two stories that weave together. One takes place during WWII and the other is present day. It is a mystery, and one woman, Emmy, in the present day is trying to unravel a series of messages that were delivered in book margins from the WWII. The part set during WWII basically helps the reader really care about the characters who wrote the messages. In addition, both the WWII section and the present day section deal with loss and how people handle the loss of people they love.

This book really did have a lot to offer:

The part set in WWII is a very engaging story of an orphaned girl, the sister trying to raise her, and a wayward cousin. The sister has a love interest, and their story is the crux of the mystery that is being solved in the present day. I felt this part was very well done, and really the whole book could have been happily set in this period, and it might have ended up being a five star read for me.

In addition, there's a bookstore. And hence, tons and tons of literary references and a general love for books that permeates the entire storyline. I found this to be enjoyable as a book lover.

The plot had some unexpected turns, and I felt that the author did a nice job of building suspense overall.

The reason it only ended up being a three star book for me was that the present day story really wasn't very compelling. The main character, Emmy, is somewhat depressed after the loss of her husband in Afghanistan, and a lot of the story tries to develop her as someone who is getting over that loss. I didn't much like her, and I didn't much care if she was sad or happy. The other present day characters with the exception of one that bridges both the past and the present just weren't that interesting to me. I felt like the present day "amateur detective vibe" just kind of marked time until I could get back to the part that was truly gripping, the WWII part.

All in all, worthwhile and enjoyable reading - - but I did feel like it didn't quite reach my criteria for a 4 in terms of being a book I'd be likely to recommend or one that would stay with me for a long time after reading it. ( )

A bit draggy and obvious but decent story. ( )

3.5 stars ( )

When Emmy Hamilton's mother encourages her to buy the local book store, Folly's Finds, she hopes it will distract her daughter from the loss of her husband. But the seller has one condition: Emmy must allow Lulu, the late owner's difficult elderly sister, to continue working there. For the most part Emmy ignores Lulu, but a bundle of love letters she finds in a box help her better understand Lulu. As details of a possible murder and a mysterious disappearance during WWII are revealed, the two women discover that fate has brought them together.

It started slow for me, but once I got into it, I found it really interesting. I love the way the story is told from 2 different timeframes (present and past) and the historical features about WWII. ( )

I loved this book! It's a little bit mystery; a little bit romance; and mostly about family and relationships. It is a story of love and letting go.

"How do you know when it's been long enough?" This quote from the book weaves its way throughout the story and made an indelible impression on me. I think this is an important question to ask yourself, not just in regards to loss.

I would highly recommend reading this book! ( )