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Book Review: Beach Trip by Cathy Holton

June 29, 2009 by Darlene

Beach Trip by Cathy Holton is a great example of why I love women’s fiction. What a great read that I thoroughly enjoyed! I think this novel would make a great beach read with a story that you can really sink into and lose yourself in for a while. I really enjoy novels centered on the friendships of women and Beach Trip is one that shows the enduring and powerful bonds of those friendships.

The novel is about four women: Sara, Lola, Mel and Annie. They were college roomates in the 1980’s and now, almost 25 years later, they are going to get together to put the past behind them and enjoy themselves at the beach for a week. These are four such different women that I found it interesting that they were friends at all but despite what the years had brought them all through, they still had a strong bond with each other.

The story takes us back and forth between the past and the present and I found that really added a lot of substance to the novel and to the characters. It allowed me to really get to know them, what they thought and felt, what their dreams had been and where they had ultimately ended up. What I liked is that each of the women came to the beach with a secret. A secret they weren’t quite sure if they would share. At first the women aren’t too inclined to be nice to each other, let alone share any secrets but as the week passes they start opening up to each other more and more and I think realizing why they had all been friends in the first place.

My favorite characters were Annie and Sara. They both seemed so real and vulnerable. Annie is an obsessive compulsive who can’t stop cleaning. Everything has to be perfect in her world but there’s another side to Annie and over the course of the week she manages to find this person within herself. Sara is a lawyer with two kids and a husband who seems to have it all together but there is trouble with her kids and a world of hurt to settle between her and Mel. Mel is a character like none other. She is the party animal of the group, the unsettled one. She has gone through a few failed marriages and has decided to focus more energy on her writing career. I thought her to be a bit of a lost soul but I think by the end of the book she too finds herself in a way she didn’t think she would. Lola is another I thought to be lost within the confines of a not so good marriage that she was pretty much forced into after college. Her hubby Briggs is a forceful brute who has led her around all the years of her marriage. Does Lola intend to put up with it for the rest of her life or will the trip to the beach open up another avenue for her?

The week brings all the women together closer than ever. It was a time for healing and learning things about each other. I enjoyed how the author, Cathy Holton developed these women, how she let us into their lives in order to understand them and their choices better. I had been pretty sure where the novel was heading in terms of the twist within it’s pages although I didn’t have the last of the novel figured out until much towards the last few chapters and I loved it! This novel is well worth the read if you’re looking for something a little more deep than your average chick-lit novel!

I’d like to thank Lisa at TLC Book Tours for inviting me to participate in this tour. You can see the complete list of tour stops for Beach Trip by Cathy Holton here and be sure to visit Cathy’s website here.

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Filed Under: 100+ Reading Challenge 2009, 2009 ARC Reading Challenge, 2009 Book Reviews, TLC Tours

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. bermudaonion says

    June 29, 2009 at 12:50 pm

    This book was a lot of fun – Annie and Sara were my favorites too!

  2. Thoughts of Joy says

    June 29, 2009 at 1:40 pm

    I like that it had more depth than your average chick-lit. I loved revisiting college days, too. 🙂

  3. Kaye says

    June 29, 2009 at 2:16 pm

    I just sort of skimmed the review because I haven't read this one yet but I'm glad to see you liked it.

    Have a good week and happy reading!

  4. Blodeuedd says

    June 29, 2009 at 2:21 pm

    Seems like a nice read. And you did seem to enjoy it. I will keep her in mind

  5. lisamm says

    June 29, 2009 at 3:25 pm

    Hi Dar! Great review. I'm so glad you liked the book!

    Thanks so much for your participation in the tour. I appreciate all the time and energy you always put in to reading and writing reviews. THANK YOU!!

  6. Alyce says

    June 29, 2009 at 4:09 pm

    A book about women's friendships and secrets? How fun!

  7. Suzanne says

    June 29, 2009 at 4:21 pm

    Hi Dar!
    Thanks for the great review! I like books centered around women's friendships too! And this sounds like a great read! I love the cover of the book too!

    Happy reading!

  8. MISSY says

    June 29, 2009 at 5:42 pm

    I have given you an award. You can pick it up at http://missysbooknook.blogspot.com.

    🙂

  9. Jess says

    June 29, 2009 at 7:02 pm

    Dar,
    Great review. I liked this book too. I found the middle a little slow, but the ending completely made up for it. Definitely more character development than average chick-lit.

  10. Yvonne says

    June 30, 2009 at 1:26 am

    This sounds wonderful! I've been in the chick lit move lately, so this would be perfect.

  11. Lisa says

    June 30, 2009 at 7:50 am

    Great review, Dar! I agree with Jess – I found it a bit slow in the middle as well, but I was completely satisfied with the unexpected ending.

  12. Alice Teh says

    June 30, 2009 at 1:43 pm

    I love women's fiction too, especially meaningful ones. Great review!

  13. Melody says

    July 1, 2009 at 2:51 am

    I've read several good reviews about this book! So I'll definitely look out for it. Thanks for the lovely review, Dar!

  14. Sheila DeChantal says

    July 1, 2009 at 6:07 am

    This sounds so good! I love this kind of read. I read the Wednesday Sisters by Meg Watt Clayton and this reminds me a lot of that.

    Strong women characters are always a great read for me!

  15. Belinda M says

    July 2, 2009 at 3:05 am

    Please include me in your giveaway.

    Canadian Contests, Freebies, Coupons, Deals, Games and Chat – join us at CoolCanucks.ca

    bluebelle0367(at)hotmail(dot)com

  16. Belinda M says

    July 2, 2009 at 3:05 am

    I follow your blog

    Canadian Contests, Freebies, Coupons, Deals, Games and Chat – join us at CoolCanucks.ca

    bluebelle0367(at)hotmail(dot)com

  17. Veens says

    July 2, 2009 at 3:48 am

    🙂 Awesome! and yes I like women fiction too!

  18. Zibilee says

    July 3, 2009 at 11:50 pm

    This sounds like another book I read a few months ago called The Necklace. Have you read that one yet? I am betting that if you really liked this one, you would enjoy it too. Great review, by the way!

  19. Dar says

    July 4, 2009 at 12:20 am

    Thanks everyone for your comments!

    Suzanne, I love the cover as well. Makes me want to be out there on the beach too reading a book!

    Jess, Lisa, some parts did seem slower but it never really bothered me. I just kind of went with it. I was surprised though at the length of the book and the author's ability to keep everyone interested. I really loved the ending!

    Heather, I haven't read The Necklace but I'll check it out. Thanks 🙂

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