Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Book Review: Meet Me at Pebble Beach


By Sara Steven

When Regan gets pranked, she finds herself jobless, homeless and boyfriendless in one fell swoop.

Luckily her friendly seaside community provides a beacon of hope, proving to Regan that sometimes you really can rely on the kindness of others – and one local in particular, a handsome fireman called Charlie, helps Regan realise that this could be her chance for a fresh start.

Armed with a list of ways to change her life, Regan decides it’s time to step out of her comfort zone. Because – as Charlie knows all too well – life is for living . . .
(Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads)

Meet Me At Pebble Beach
was a pleasant surprise, and here’s why: At first, it appeared as though the reader would delve into a book that is all romantic comedy, yet it turns out there is so much more depth and emotion to it that goes far beyond humor and romance.

As the synopsis indicates, Regan finds herself without a job, a home, or a boyfriend after she is pranked by a coworker. The prank itself was very cleverly done and not expected, and while I had an idea that it really was all just some prank, part of me wondered, much like Regan had with her eternal optimism, if whether or not the prank had been a real windfall for her or not. Of course, it’s not, and this sets off an explosive chain of events that brings her to one of the most unexpected places in order to have a roof over her head. What I kept thinking about as I saw Regan work through her predicament, is how life will push you forward even when you try your damnedest for it not to. So much of the life she’s been living isn’t really where she wants to be at all, so in many ways, where she is after the prank becomes a clean slate into finding a new path.

This is where the story turns into a very touching experience. From the relationships had with unexpected individuals, to the bond formed with her friends and the budding friendship with Charlie, there is continual growth in so many ways for Regan! She starts out as someone who lets life happen to her, and then we get to see the sort of impact she has on her own life and the others around her. Her discovered passions are unconventional, so reading the scenes where she’s chugging along and working hard felt inspirational. It made me reflect on my own direction and the paths I want to go down, in my own unconventional world. 

While Pebble Beach still very much fulfilled the humor and romance aspect that is well anticipated in a romantic comedy novel, it’s in the many underlying emotional and heartfelt moments that made this book a lovely read.
  
Thanks to HarperCollins UK for the book in exchange for an honest review. 

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