Exploring how life has a way of throwing us curveballs that completely change our outlook and destiny, this emotionally charged family drama lifts you up and drops you back down like the ocean waves that flow through its pages.
After their grandmother’s death, estranged sisters Sophie and Celia are left the charismatic New York beach house where they holidayed as children. Begrudgingly brought together to sort through their grandmother’s possessions, old rivalries and difficult memories quickly bubble to the surface. Throw in the unearthing of a mysterious letter, more than one love interest and a pretty seismic family revelation and the scene is set for this captivating and heartfelt story.
Like much of Emma Burstall’s writing, this is a novel that centres on the lives of women and their relationships with other women: sisters, mothers, grandmothers. Don’t expect everything to be sugar and spice, though; The House on Rockaway Beach touches on some deeply emotive subjects – harassment, religion and emotional abuse to name a few. But what shines through above all else is the beautiful sense of place and community that Burstall has created. A few chapters in and you can almost smell the salt in the air, the waves lapping around your feet, drawing you out to the ocean. And you’ll certainly be yearning to visit Rockaway for yourself particularly if there’s a chance of bumping into hunky fisherman, Joe, or sharing a gelato with the exuberant Gigi and family! A delightful and enchanting novel to devour in one fell swoop.
'I loved it!' - Phillipa Ashley
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 MagazinePraise for Emma Burstall:
'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
