Author: Cathy Holton
Genre: Chick Lit, Standalone
Published: 2009
Personal Rating: 3.75/5 (better than good)
Yearly Count: 70
From the cover:
For four college friends, a beach trip promises a chance to reconnect and reminisce. Having traveled distinct and diverse paths in the early 1980s and their freshman days at a small southern women's college, the quartet -- now in their forties -- reunites for the first time in North Carolina's Outer Banks. Over the course of a week they eat, drink, laugh and cry. But one by one each reveals the hardship she's hidden from the others. And one secret threatens to change their lives, and their bond, forever.
If you are female and/or have lived on a college campus, you most likely will relate to the women in Beach Trip - in one way or another. The four women are unique (aren't we all?) and together make up an interesting group. Each individual woman's voice is heard via their background and current life situations as the author takes you back as early as 1981 during their college days to the more recent 2005 trip together to the beach. In addition, when in the year of 2005, there is reminiscing as well.
What I liked most was the author's ability to tell four different detailed stories of these women - with some being individualized and some being enmeshed with others. I didn't anticipate them to have as much depth as they turned out to have; however, I didn't anticipate them to be constantly drinking on the trip either. Despite the drinking, it was a good read for exploring friendships of the past and a hope for the future, with a healthy dose of reality thrown in. A reality that began during the most free, yet tumultuous time of their lives - living on their own for the first time.
This is not Cathy Holton's debut novel as she has already published two others: Revenge of the Kudzu Debutantes and Secret Lives of the Kudzu Debutantes.
MORE TOUR STOPS:Thursday, June 25th: Books and Cooks
Friday, June 26th: Peeking Between the Pages
Monday, June 29th: It’s All About Books
Tuesday, June 30th: Bermuda Onion
Thank you, Lisa from TLC Book Tours for inviting me to join in on this tour.
I am looking forward to this one - drinking is okay with me as long as they're not driving ;)
ReplyDeleteThis one looks fun, and the drinking doesn't bother me at all.
ReplyDeleteStacybuckeye ~ It hurts every time I type bu...c...k...eye! (Remember - I'm a Wolverine!) *grin*
ReplyDeleteThis was a good, solid chick-lit. I hope you like it, too. LOL @ your drinking and driving comment. I do concur.
Beth F ~ It is fun, but it is serious as well - it's not all fluff as some chick-lits can be.
I think I need to clarify my drinking statement. I could care less if people want to drink and get sloshed every evening (and not drive!); however, for a book I thought it was redundant. Also, with so much drinking, I had to hear about their hangovers, too, and that didn't interest me.
I'm on page 64 and so far, I'm enjoying Beach Trip too!
ReplyDeleteI didn't personally have a problem with the drinking because it seemed to fit the setting- a girlfriends' trip to the beach for a week, with no driving or responsibilities of any kind and others to do the mundane tasks of shopping and cooking and cleaning up! I'd probably find myself drinking in that setting too!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joy, for all the time and effort that went into reading and reviewing Beach Trip! It is very much appreciated.
Bermudaonion ~ That's great! I'm sure you'll enjoy the rest. :)
ReplyDeleteLisamm ~ Oh, I agree that the setting was very fitting. The author provided responsible behavior on the character's part. And, it was fine that they drank, I just thought it was repetitive. I still enjoyed the book - thanks again, Lisa.
Oh yeah, I was disappointed to not get to the gathering you had on your blog about Beach Trip, but I still want to get over there and read what was said.
I love chick lit that's a bit deeper, I've added this one to my wishlist!
ReplyDeleteIn all honesty, I doubt this book would ever have normally caught my eye. But I've got to say that I think I might really enjoy this. Ahhh, you just have to love this bloggy world, don't you? Thanks, Joy!
ReplyDeleteJoanna ~ Then this would be a perfect fit for you. :) I hope you get a chance to read it.
ReplyDeleteDebi ~ Oh yes - the bloggy world is somethin' else! :) I'm glad this has now made your radar.
lol-I was a little surprised at all the drinking they did too. I wouldn't have enjoyed the week drinking that much but then I wouldn't have woken up either. I really enjoyed the book.
ReplyDeleteDar ~ LOL Yeah, either not waking up or getting sick. Not fun.
ReplyDelete