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| The Beach House | 
 enlarge | Author: Jane Green
Publisher: Viking Adult
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  137 reviews
Sales Rank: 641
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 352
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.5
ISBN: 0670018856
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN: 9780670018857
ASIN: 0670018856
Publication Date: June 17, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
The perfect title for the perfect beach read from the New York Times bestselling Author
Jane Green is one of the preeminent authors of womens fiction today, and with each new novel, her audience grows. Greens avid and loyal fans follow her because she writes about the true-to-life dilemmas of womenand The Beach House will not disappoint.
Known in Nantucket as the crazy woman who lives in the rambling house atop the bluff, Nan doesnt care what people think. At sixty-five-years old, her husband died twenty years ago, her beauty has faded, and her family has flown. If her neighbors are away, why shouldnt she skinny dip in their swimming pools and help herself to their flowers? But when she discovers the money she thought would last forever is dwindling and she could lose her beloved house, Nan knows she has to make drastic changes.
So Nan takes out an ad: Rooms to rent for the summer in a beautiful old Nantucket home with water views and direct access to the beach. Slowly, people start moving into the house, filling it with noise, with laughter, and with tears. As the house comes alive again, Nan finds her family expanding. Her son comes home for the summer, and then an unexpected visitor turns all their lives upside-down.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 132 more reviews...
 Beach house foam July 14, 2008
50 out of 54 found this review helpful
Jane Green tends to write write fluffy beach reads, the sort of books that get turned into equally fluffy TV movies.
And in "The Beach House," she links together a series of storylines that could have easily made up their own books, with a warm'n'fuzzy sentimental core in an ancient Nantucket house. Unfortunately it begins to come unravelled about halfway through, and some of those storylines simply rush to the finish line without bothering to spin up a satisfactory conclusion.
Eccentric widow Nan Powell is faced with selling her beloved old house Windermere, with its memories of her beloved albeit gambling-addicted hubby. The alternative: take in boarders for money, and fend off the developers who want to tear down Windermere for McMansions.
At about this time, her son Michael returns home after an ill-fated affair with his boss's clingy wife, who now wants a commitment from him. And among the boarders are Daff, a newly-divorced wife and mother who is seeking "herself," and Daniel, a nervy young man who has just realized that he is gay, and is struggling to deal with this. His young wife Bee, who is understandably upset by her husband's distance, is still ignorant of this.
As time winds on -- and the developers circle around Nan's run-down mansion -- the various people begin to relax and open up to each other, like members of a family. But then a series of crises hit -- Bee's father is badly injured, Daff's daughter is arrested, and Michael's desperate former lover shows up with some shocking news for him (yes, you can probably guess what). And even Nan is faced with an old face from her past, who she thought was gone forever....
"The Beach House" has more than enough plot -- any of its subplots would make a decent novel, and Green winds together a series of them with some tenuous links. Jewelry stores, yuppie marriage counseling, and an empty house post-divorce are all explored in detail, as the characters' lives start spinning out of control. And she tackles some of the nastier aspects of adultery and moving on, such as disaster dates and a tantrum-throwing teenager.
But when all the characters get to Nantucket, Green seems to lose some of her inspiration. She rushes through the last quarter of the book after a leisurely build-up. And she seems vaguely embarrassed by the prospect of a big emotional scene -- big shattering events are dealt with via a phone call, a horrifying betrayal is handled by a few sniping comments and general shunning. One character even conveniently expires to avoid dealing with the general baggage.
This is particularly troublesome in Daniel's story -- his coming-out and tentative explorations into the gay subculture is both wrenching and intriguing, as you wonder what this loving father will do to avoid hurting his wife and kids. But once he's out'n'proud, then Green shies away from actually dealing with it, or with his attraction to the conveniently hunky Matt. The drippy "let's not have sex because I want a commitment" scene is simply absurd.
As for the characters, they're a mixed bag. Nan is the biggest problem -- she's not really eccentric, and she's not really nurturing. Yet Green has her randomly flip-flop between being an eccentric old free spirit, and being an earth mother-type. Not that it's very plausible that her tomato garden could instantly turn a spoiled, shrieking, shoplifting regressed teenager into a little angel overnight.
On the other hand, Daniel and Bee are explored with painful, beautiful detail, as he struggles to deal with his homosexuality and she struggles with the revelations about what their marriage was, and where this leaves her as a desirable woman. Too bad Michael is an insensitive and self-absorbed jerk who strings along a married woman until she ditches her hubby, and Daff loses her tragic wronged-woman dimensions as soon as she shrugs off Michael's adulterous liaison. Who cares if that's the sort of thing that broke up her marriage? He's hot and has tight abs!
"The Beach House" has potential and plot to burn, but the rushed final lap and a couple puttered-out storylines leave you frustrated. Here's hoping the next try is longer and more passionate.
 Loved this book and I don't read Chick-lit (THANKS for putting it on the KINDLE!) June 30, 2008
39 out of 53 found this review helpful
I don't read Chick Lit or romance novels and I usually read non fiction. So this was a total departure for me... but I read a review for this recently and thought I wanted a light read and the Kindle price was right on.
I have a Kindle (OMG if you don't have one RUN to the home page and order it!!!).. This edition came out a few days after the publication..
I loved the story and I couldnt wait to get back to it.. I was up way too late finishing it in one day.. its not a tough read but you fall in love with these people.. its a great beach read but its not "dumbed" down as so many books in this type of genre are so I am off to find more Jane Green, this is the first one of hers I have read and I really really enjoyed it! And again thanks for the Kindle Edition. I wouldnt have considered buying this before.. Kindle changed that, and introduced me to new authors such as this one.
Summer fun June 23, 2008
18 out of 21 found this review helpful
Grab your beach chair and prepare to be entertained! Reading Jane Green's latest novel brought back wonderful memories of a Nantucket summer vacation spent in our own beach cottage. While reading this story I was easily absoarbed into the world of Ms. Green's characters and the wisdom of a wonderful woman I wish I would be lucky enough to rent a room from. I recommend you tell the kids to order pizza and spend a few hours with your nose stuck in this book.
I Didn't Like It June 23, 2008
13 out of 15 found this review helpful
I was most disappointed in this book, especially given how many raves it received. I had a problem with the fact that everyone in the book was getting divorced or having an affair. No one had a normal, healthy relationship. Also, I thought the characters were flat and the ending was very trite and predictable. Give me the old Jane Green any day.
Another bestseller for Jane Green June 20, 2008
12 out of 15 found this review helpful
Jane Green has presented her legion of fans with another hit. Green has an art for bringing her characters to life and a gift of storytelling. Having read every single one of Green's novels, I have found The Beach House to be just as enjoyable and entertaining.
I am confidant that The Beach House will prove to be another bestseller for Jane Green. Keep them coming and we'll keep on reading.
Hildee Weiss
www.myspace.com/triangelmom
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