Beach House Memories (The Beach House)

Mary Alice Monroe is no stranger to the South Carolina Lowcountry having regularly looked to the area as the setting for her novels. In Beach House Memories she not only returns to the area but she also turns back the clock more than a quarter of a century to offer an intimate glimpse of a landscape that will never been seen again. Then, as a bonus, Monroe also spotlights a cause that is near and dear not only to her, but also to many in the Lowcountry.Mary Alice Monroe is devoted to the sea turtle. Through coastal development the very existence of the sea turtle has come into jeopardy. I won't go into great detail but will say if you're curious, a great place to start is Beach House Memories.Beach House Memories is also a return to some familiar characters. If you've read Monroe's earlier work, The Beach House, it will likely be as if you're visiting some old friends.Beach House Memories starts out with a present day, elderly Olivia "Lovie" Rutledge staring out into the Atlantic from her Isle of Palms beach house.In a matter of pages we're back in 1974.While the Charleston, South Carolina of 2012 is similar to the Charleston of 1974, much has changed and one of the areas with the most change is the Isle of Palms.Today the Isle of Palms is a world-renowned vacation destination visited by thousands each year. It's home to thousands of year round residents, is the site of championship golf, water sports, live music and dining and it also holds more memories per square foot than one could begin to imagine.For Lovie Rutledge 1974 served as the launching pad for many of the memories she holds so dear today.In the 1970's the Isle of Palms was a sleepy South Carolina Barrier Island with few more than perhaps a thousand residents and many of these weren't full time.It was common in the 1970's (and still today) for Charleston families to have a summer house on one of the area islands and to take up residence at the beach from Memorial Day to Labor Day though the present ease of travel from Charleston to the barrier islands has made the trip frequently one of a weekend getaway.However in 1974 Lovie Rutledge loaded up her Buick and together with her two children, headed to her family beach house for the entire summer. Little did she know as Charleston grew smaller in her rearview mirror that she was forever leaving behind the life she had known.Lovie's world was in a state of flux. As was common in the 70's she was as stay at home mother. Her husband, Stratton Rutledge, was old Charleston tracing his heritage back to a signer of the Declaration of Independence (not as farfetched as one may think). Lovie had married young, had children and now, well in her 30's is struggling to find her real identity, to learn after all these years who she really is.However, Lovie is not without passion.One of the forces that drives her is her love of the Loggerhead Sea turtle. Every summer she spends her time plotting, monitoring and protecting the sites where the sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs on the Isle of Palms. She's been doing this so long and with such a passion she's earned the nickname, "The Turtle Lady."The summer of 1974 starts as many summers of the past have for Lovie, after all, she's been coming to the Isle of Palms every summer for her entire life, but this summer will be different.Change is coming to the island by way of development - development that will change the look and future of the island forever.Before the development can start, the developers must study the habits of the sea turtles to make arrangements for them in their development. Lovie, with her lifelong experience, finds herself in the middle of this research working together with a handsome marine biologist who specializes in the sea turtle.I was curious how Monroe would weave in a cause so obviously near and dear to her heart - the cause of the Loggerhead; however, the fashion in which she built the engaging and compelling plot that is Beach House Memories made everything that happened seem completely natural.Monroe takes the reader from the comfort of their world and gently places them in the most wonderful of places - a sand dune in a summer storm, the warm Atlantic waters on a summer afternoon, a maritime forest as the morning sun weaves through the tree canopy, an open convertible as the aroma of the marsh and ocean rides the air.Monroe's ability to capture the setting of the South Carolina Lowcountry is alone reason enough to pick up this book immediately; however, as rare as it is to find an author capable of such literary transport, once Monroe takes you to the Isle of Palms, the characters to whom she introduces you will leave you longing for more.As I said before, for fans of Monroe it will be like visiting old friends. The ability to create such familiar characters is something not to be taken for granted.Monroe has traditionally written strong female leads. Beach House Memories is no different and, without giving away any of the plot, it will come as no surprise that at its core, the tale is a love story. However, to call Beach House Memories simply a love story and be done would be to sell the book short.Monroe's sense of character is perhaps the strongest quality of the book. In a seamless fashion she puts together a cast that embodies both depth and spontaneity.Yes, the book is a love story, but it is also a tale of coming of age, of regret, of living with choices - not always the right ones, of longing, and, through it all, of hope.Monroe makes it easy to identify with her characters. She makes it easy for the reader to understand the emotions the characters feel but not simply the emotion, but why the character is feeling or reacting as they may.Monroe has once again written a book that will undoubtedly be along a beach or pool during the coming summer; however, to wait until you travel to the beach to read Beach House Memories would just mean you've waited too long. Or perhaps you can use the book as an excuse (like we need one) for a trip to the beach to create some memories of your own.Fans of southern fiction, novels with strong female leads, love stories, and those who love to read about the South Carolina Lowcountry should Beach House Memories as soon as possible.

I loved this entire series, if I were younger, I know I would want to read it again!Read and enjoy the heart of the South!

Become involved with the characters and live a summer on the beach. Great stories from beginning to the end. 5 stars

I have always been a reader of mysteries and suspense books, although I always made time for good novels. At 65, I became increasingly disabled and knew my days of walking on the beach - heck, even being capable of riding long enough to get to the beach - were over. For me, losing that ability and the ability to swim are the most painful things about being disabled. I read about this book and decided to get it out of the library. I figured if I couldn't go to the Beach, I'd bring the beach to me.I've read all the books in the Beach House series but this is my favorite, having read it 3 times. I will download it to my Kindle Fire instead of getting it at the Library, because it's a book I can pick up at any time and enjoy it.The main character of the book is Olivia, who is the matriarch of all the rest of this series. Monroe is a master at describing her characters without you even realizing that's what she's doing. She captures the mystique of the sea the same way. By describing her characters' reaction to their settings, she manages to capture Olivia's love of the Isle of Palms, an Island in the Outer Banks of South Carolina, but also what it looks like. I knew she loved the sea because they are the only ones who relish the scent of "Pluff Mud," or "Sea Turn," as we call it in New England. :)Additionally, this book examines the role Southern women were expected to play in a marriage in 1974. It was far different from that of Northern women and that plays a huge role in the book. Olivia had already broken out of the mould by becoming ensconced in saving the Loggerhead Turtles' nests and babies and is known on the island as The Turtle Lady. Her greatest desire is to interest her daughter, Cara, in them but she fears she never will.The book is based on Olivia's love of her children, the sea, and what she sees as her duty as a Southern wife. It educates the reader about the importance of conservation and the role the Loggerheads play in it. It has romance, education, humor, and made this lady who is so homesick for the ocean, happy.I have gone on to read all of Mary Alice Monroe's books that take place on the Isles of Palms and others that take place elsewhere. I love that I learn more about conservation, a cause that is dear to my heart, Southern life and culture. Her books never fail to capture me.I would give this book ten stars, if I could, because it spoke to me in a way no book has, in a very long time. Obviously, I strongly recommend it to women of all ages, teens and up!

I purchased this book because I had already read Book One (The Beach House) However, would have preferred to have read Beach House Memories book before The Beach House when the children of the story are grown up. Lovely writing and handles difficult subjects from the era of 1950s to 1970s in Southern America very well,

I have to say I did not think I would enjoy this book. Surprise I did! Monroe is gifted with descriptions. You feel you are there. Even knowing parts Lovie’s story from the first book, this was given enough detail and an expansion of characters story lines to make it a very enjoyable read.

A well written book that is also a page turner. Loved it. Will read more of this author. A great find

Ik vind elk deel van deze serie even mooi. Er wordt ook veel aandacht besteed aan het behoud van de zee-schildpadden in Zuid Carolina. Een bedreigde diersoort en daarom fijn te lezen dat er nog zoveel mensen zich om deze dieren bekommeren.

I like this story and the way it's told. You can dive into a world of love, family, desire, pride, nature and feelings. The author describes the scenery, the charcters and the circumstances so well, you can almost feel the sand between your own toes. The memories shared with the reader paint a picture of turtles and environmental change, a family with their own issues, an exciting project and people, who care for each other, for nature and for the future generations. This book is like a short vacation on an island far away.