Release date: May 27, 2025
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Synopsis:
It’s the beginning of the summer, and Nicola Carr has just arrived on Block Island, RI, eager for a fresh start and some R&R. But her plans for a tranquil summer are derailed as the extravagant parties from the grand home next door pique her curiosity. She soon discovers the home belongs to Juliana George, an enigmatic entrepreneur with a past shrouded in mystery.
Juliana George, CEO and founder of a hot fashion-tech company, is at the top of her game. She’s spending the summer on Block Island preparing for a major IPO. But she’s chasing her dreams in more ways than one. This summer she hopes to rekindle a flame with a man from her past—a man who has a surprising connection to her neighbor Nicola.
Taylor Buchanan, the wife of Nicola’s cousin, is second-in-command of a real estate empire. Her life is exactly the way she planned it: she has the wealth, the family, the prestige, and the power. And there’s nothing she’ll let get in her way of Having It All. But when everything suddenly verges on the edge of collapse, she has no choice but to take matters into her own hands.
As Nicola, Juliana, and Taylor’s summers unfold, the three women are set on a collision course that leads to inevitable self-discovery, unforgivable betrayal, an unavoidable love triangle—and, most unexpectedly, a dead body.
A sophisticated escapist novel filled with light humor and surprising observations, Mansion Beach explores the depth of human relationships, our cruelly classist society, and the price of secrets that refuse to stay buried.
Review:
This is a great pick for a summer beach read—it has a little something for everyone. The setting is ideal, there’s romance, complicated family dynamics, complex friendship dynamics, and even a light mystery surrounding the death of a resident. What more could you want? For me, in a summer read, nothing honestly.
There are three women at the center of the story—Juliana, Taylor, and Nicola—and I thought all three were fairly well-developed and interesting in their own right. I’ve seen a couple of people say this one is wordy, and maybe it is a little bit, but I got strong Elin Hilderbrand vibes from all the detailed descriptions—not just of the current setting and events, but also of the women’s pasts.
I enjoyed how their storylines intertwined and loved the sometimes dramatic twists the story took. All in all, this was an easy summer read with some depth and smarts that I really enjoyed.
Overall rating: 4/5
Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
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