A Week at the Shore: A Novel

A Week at the Shore by Barbara Delinsky has Mallory Aldiss, a real estate photographer, heading back to Bay Bluff, Rhode Island with her daughter. Mallory dreads returning to her hometown, but she is worried about her father after receiving a disturbing phone call. Joy, Mallory’s thirteen-year-old daughter, is thrilled to finally visit her mother’s hometown. Joy wants to connect with her grandfather and aunt who live there. Soon, Mallory’s older sister, Margo arrives, and it is a full-fledged family reunion. Mallory will finally have to deal with the memories and feelings that she has kept suppressed for the last twenty years. Seven days in Bay Bluff is a chance to spend time with her family and forge a new future. I was expecting a breezy summer novel when I began A Week at the Shore. This story did not feel as if it was written by Barbara Delinsky. I struggled to get through this book (it was a chore). The characters felt flat and lifeless except for Joy. Joy did not act like a teenager most of the time. It seemed as if Joy ran the household instead of Mallory. Mallory (I did not like her) was all over the place. I wish the author had taken the time to introduce the main characters in the beginning (what I call “setting the stage”). The author tackles various subjects in A Week at the Shore. There is no subtlety. I felt like each issue was being attacked with a sledgehammer. There is a sweet pit bull in the story and Mallory goes on a rant about their dangers, etc. I am not sure what Jack saw in Mallory (or what she saw in him). The pacing in A Week at the Shore is slow (I have seen snails move faster) and it lacked a good flow. The mystery of the missing woman was disappointing. The ending was rushed (if you get that far), but it was better than the rest of the book. While I have enjoyed other novels by Barbara Delinsky, this one was not for me. A Week at the Shore is a dramatic family tale with a missing woman, a father’s illness, an old boyfriend, and sisters.

4.5 stars. A Week at the Beach by Barbara Delinsky is a heartfelt family-centric novel of forgiveness and healing. Middle sister Mallory Aldiss finds herself returning to the hometown she left twenty years ago. Mallory and her thirteen year old daughter Joy are soon off to spend a week with her dad retired judge Tom Aldis and her younger sister Anne. Her decision is prompted by a troubling phone call from her long ago boyfriend Jack Sabathian alerting her to possible trouble with her father. Anne is not exactly happy with what she views as her older sister’s interference but she is delighted to spend time with her niece. Mallory still plays peacemaker, but she would like to understand why Tom always treated her differently than Anne and their older sister Margo. She is also hoping to find out what exactly happened with her father and Jack’s mother Elizabeth who vanished during a boat trip with Tom. This long unanswered question is the catalyst that tore the family apart with two of the sisters took opposite sides. Mallory is the bridge between her sisters, but will the information they learn bring them together or widen the rift between them? Mallory is a successful photographer who has blossomed once leaving home. She and Joy are close and she understands her daughter’s need to learn more about her family. Mallory hopes to get to the truth about her family’s past, but she is a little shocked at how fast her father’s health has declined. She still pushes for answers about what happened the night Elizabeth disappeared but will Mallory be able to make sense of what he is telling her? Immediately running into Jack again, Mallory realizes her feelings for him have not changed over the years. But as they spend time together, their troubled past looms large. Jack is much more settled than he was while they were growing up, but he still clings his version of what he believes transpired between his mother and Tom. With their friendship renewed, will Jack be able to move forward if he does not learn the truth about his mother? Mallory and Anne’s relationship is a little tenuous as they settle into an uneasy routine. Although completely thrilled with Joy, Anne is defensive and quick tempered with Mallory. She is also reluctant to face the truth about their father so their discussions about his health quickly devolve. Can they move past old hurts and the delicate situation with their father’s failing health? A Week at the Beach is a captivating novel with an idyllic setting and engrossing plot. The characters are multi-faceted and although imperfect, they are likable. The storyline is interesting with fractured relationships to heal, secrets to uncover and an intriguing mystery to (hopefully) solve. Barbara Delinsky brings this poignant novel to an uplifting and satisfying conclusion. I greatly enjoyed and highly recommend this charming novel to fans of the genre. I received a complimentary copy for review.

A great beach read by Barbara Delinsky, A Week at the Shore. A story of going back, family issues and possible new beginnings.