The New York Times bestselling Beach House series returns with this tender and compassionate novel following the Rutledge family as they face a summer of upheaval and change with perseverance, unity, and a dose of humor, discovering unexpected joys and lessons that will endure long past the season.
The coming of Spring usually means renewal, but for Linnea Rutledge, Spring 2020 threatens stagnation. Linnea faces another layoff, this time from the aquarium she adores. For her—and her family—finances, emotions, and health teeter at the brink. To complicate matters, her new love interest, Gordon, struggles to return to the Isle of Palms from England. Meanwhile, her old flame, John, turns up from California and is quarantining next door. She tries to ignore him, but when he sends her plaintive notes in the form of paper airplanes, old sparks ignite. When Gordon at last reaches the island, Linnea wonders—is it possible to love two men at the same time?
Love in the time of the coronavirus proves challenging, at times humorous, and ever changing. Relationships are redefined, friendships made and broken, and marriages tested. As the weeks turn to months, and another sea turtle season comes to a close, Linnea learns there are more meaningful lessons learned during this summer than opportunities lost, that summer is a time of wonder, and that the exotic lives in our own back yards. In The Summer of Lost and Found, Linnea and the Rutledge family continue to face their challenges with the strength, faith, and commitment that has inspired fans for decades.
Mary Alice Monroe once again delves into the complexities of family relationships and brings her signature “sensitive and true” (Dorothea Benton Frank, New York Times bestselling author) storytelling to this poignant and timely novel of love, courage, and resilience.
Praise for The Summer of Lost and Found
“Mary Alice Monroe takes you on a trip to the idyllic sun, sand, and gracious lifestyle of a Southern summer. This season’s must-read!” —Nancy Thayer, New York Times bestselling author of Surfside Sisters
“Mary Alice Monroe‘s inspired choice to write about the pandemic during the pandemic has paid off in this next installment of her acclaimed Beach House series, which can easily be read as a stand-alone, too. Quarantine isn’t so much an issue as it is a setting in the book, bringing unlikely housemates together into a gathering storm of questions and consequences, as the youngest members of Monroe’s beloved Rutledge family try to find their proverbial way from sand to sea, just like the turtle hatchlings Monroe writes so vividly about. A novel of growing up, saying goodbye to the past, and learning to ask yourself the hard questions, including one of the most vital of all: ‘Who do you really want to be?’” —Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars
Praise for Other Works by New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe
"Like so many of you, I start my summer season with the enchanting novels of Mary Alice Monroe. I'm a devoted fan of her magical depictions of the lowcountry and the charms of her characters."—Elin Hilderbrand, #1 New York Times bestselling author of 28 Summers
“Magical! Mary Alice Monroe’s writing is always sensitive and true, and as inspiring as the natural wonder about which she writes.” –New York Times bestselling author Dorothea Benton Frank
"Mary Alice Monroe writes gorgeously, with authority and tenderness, about the natural world and its power to inspire, transport, and to heal." –#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs
“Readers come for the characters but stay for the animals.” –New York Times
"Fast-paced and fluid, heartache as well as joy make this a most enjoyable read." –New York Journal of Books
“Loyal readers will recognize Monroe’s signature love of animals, while fans of Elin Hilderbrand and Wendy Wax will enjoy the picturesque setting and heartwarmingly intertwined character arcs.” –Booklist
“Saving our wildlife... one book at a time” –Southern Living
“It’s hard to describe the beauty of Monroe’s work. The words on the pages flow from the author’s eyes to create a world of rare enchantment. Next, Monroe’s brain assembles a plot that moves the characters from one amazing event to another. Then from Monroe’s heart comes the passion for the story, one that is rich with love and depth.” –Huffington Post
"You might pick up her books for escapism, but you'll be more environmentally aware by its end." –Chattanooga Times Free Press
“A poignant and compelling story of self-discovery, love and redemption." –Jacksonville Journal-Courier
"Monroe's trademark mix of environmental awareness, coastal nostalgia, and gentle wish fulfillment should be catnip for the hordes of recreational readers who've made her a New York Times bestseller." –Wilmington Star-News
