In Little Beach Bungalow, the beach friends' story continues where Night Beach left off. Author Joanne DeMaio transports the reader back to the tranquil seashore town of Stony Point, Connecticut, where the summer season is coming to a close. The story picks up with the lives of friends: Maris, Jason, Eva, Matt, Kyle, Lauren, Elsa, Cliff, Nick, Paige, Vinny, and Celia. But in this installment of the popular Seaside Saga Series, the focus is on Kyle's estranged brother Shane Bradford.

In Little Beach Bungalow, Author Joanne DeMaio easily captivates her readers' attention with this beautifully written tale through a seamless and flowing storyline, and with a wonderful description of a tranquil beach setting that wraps itself around the reader like a sun-warmed beach towel. The characters draw you into their lives with a strong emotional pull, their complexities and flaws are true-to-life, it is easy to relate to them with compassion, empathy, and hope.

With a mixture of intrigue, suspense, drama, humor, heartache, hidden secrets, romance, and a strong bond of friendship, this story takes you on an emotional roller coaster ride revolving around Kyle and Shane's estranged brotherly relationship. The close of the summer season and Shane's appearance and decision to rent a shabby little beach bungalow brings old memories, long held secrets, past hurts, and an entwined history among the beach friends. As time heals all wounds, so does the sea air, and this group of friends lives by the credo: "salt air, not a care" and "cast away your troubles straight into the sea." The shimmering denim blue sea with its calming effect will offer them another summer season of hope, love, family, friendship, heartache, mistakes, forgiveness, redemption, and blissful new beginnings. But alas, mistakes, secrets, past painful issues, and a surprising cliffhanger will leave the reader impatiently waiting to read more about Shane in Every Summer, the next installment in The Seaside Saga Series. So now that I have whet your interest in the beach friends latest comings and goings, drive under the railroad trestle and enter the enchanting beach town of Stony Point ... pull up a beach chair ... and visit with the close-knit longtime friends in author Joanne DeMaio's delightful novel, Little Beach Bungalow.

Little Beach Bungalow is an intricate story of interweaving friendships, life events, and deep family secrets and drama. It is a wonderful story that continues to demonstrate the power of the magical sweet salt air that will cure what ails you.

The Seaside Sage Series is a heartwarming series of stories of friendship, family, painful secrets, new beginnings and second chances. Author Joanne DeMaio weaves a wonderful tale written in the third person narrative, that is set in the present with flashbacks to the past. The reader is transported to the tranquil seashore town of Stony Point, Connecticut, where they follow along with Celia, Maris, Eva, Matt, Jason, Kyle, Lauren, Nick, Elsa, and Cliff as their lives change like the tide's ebb and flow on their little tranquil coastal town.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2019/06/little-beach-bungalow-by-joan... ( )

I still love Joanne DeMaio books but Little Beach Bungalow left me worrying about Maris at the end of the story. I loved that Cecila got out her anger that Salvador De Luca had died. She was angry that he had kept his heart condition from her and did not propose marriage to her until it was too late. Cecila raged at him with Shane present and later at the whole plan to get her come back and dissuade Elsa from selling. In truth, I think that Cecila needed more time to herself to recover from her loss and more time to think for herself, For me that was the best part of the book.

The main part of this book focuses on the fact that Shane did not leave. Jason's brother, Shane did not feel like he was ready. He wanted to stay. I was undecided about Shane in the previous book but now disturbed by him. He picked up Cliff's lucky domino and never returned it. He told his brother about being engaged to Maris long ago. He did not tell Kyle ahead of time that he was invited and coming to the Kyle and Lauren's renewal of wedding vows. I felt that he did have time while traveling to contact Kyle but he did not. I really enjoyed the scene of Kyle including a big surprise in Shane's sandwich. I laughed and laughed.

Usually I do not tell so much of what goes on when I review a book, but I felt it was importanr to explain my feelings This got to me personally, I am hopeful in the next book, Every Summer will leave me with a more comfortable feeling.

I received an Advance Copy of this book from the author and my thoughts and feelings in this review are my own. ( )

Little Beach Bungalow by Joanne DeMaio
Story picks up where the last one left off but can be read as a standalone because you are given vague glimpses into the past.
Right off the bat I'm loving the new words I'm learning and how at ease I feel as if I'm right there at the shoreline.
It's a dreary, in the 40's kind of day and I feel the warmth from their sun.
This book encompasses many lives and as an extra bonus the manuscript is being urned into a book. There are so many sides to this book, can't get enough of it.
At times I feel so sad for the scenes unfolding in front of me, I hurt and ache for them, for the people involved, at times laughing so hard at the pranks and the lifelong friends over the years. Still learning about all the secrets.
Twists and turns as people come back into their lifes leaving a mark...
So many misunderstandings that need to be fixed...
The next book is highlighted at the end. About the author is also included.
I was given this review copy by the author via Book Fun (The Book Club Network) and this is my honest opinion ( )