Sunset Beach by Trish Perry

I've reviewed for Trish Perry before. She is a fun writer and "The Beach House" series has been full of takeaway.

First, the back cover copy:

In the popular Beach House series (more than 60,000 copies sold), a worn and comfortable coastal home in San Diego intersects with charming, contemporary stories—Sally John’s The Beach House and Castles in the Sand followed by Trish Perry’s Beach Dreams. In Sunset Beach, Perry delights fans by returning to the beloved backdrop where women gather and lives change.

Meet Sonny Miller, a recent college graduate with plans to get her master’s degree in psychology. With the intention of resolving some family drama and putting her academic interests to the test, Sonny cleverly invites her mother, Teresa, and her mother’s estranged twin, Aunt Melanie, to the quiet and quirky beach house. They both show up...and with surprises of their own.

Teresa, a successful classical singer, brings her latest protégé, Irina, and Melanie brings along secrets about Teresa and the identity of Sonny’s long–gone father. The strong personalities cause some big waves, and Sonny is in over her head. Soon she is drawn to Irina and Irina’s charming brother, Grigori. Her faith is strengthened by their story of being adopted as children from a Russian orphanage by a Christian couple from America.

Readers will love being a guest alongside these characters. Between each sunrise and sunset is another day for healing, laughter, rediscovering the importance of family, and embracing the hope of God’s care.

And now, my review:

I've always had an interest in psychology, so I found the counseling aspect of the story (between Sonny and her mother and aunt) very interesting. But Trish doesn't leave her fiction there in a sort of non-fiction-esque place. :-) She includes relationship reality, secrets, even a dash of romance. Irina, the adult Russian orphan, was a fascinating character with her own psychological problems. I wondered how much research Trish had to do and found the story rich with takeaway.

With a gorgeous cover like Sunset Beach has (as with all the books in this series), you'd think you're getting a light read about a simple vacation. Not so with this book. Though I wasn't expecting it, it happened--ministry! Right in the middle of the story. Lines I wish I'd had a highlighter on hand to underline. Nuggets of wisdom presented in such a non-preachy way you just ingest them. And laugh-out-loud moments, as well! Trish's sense of humor is so much fun!

I highly recommend this read for so many reasons. Grab your favorite lounge chair, find the nearest beach and enjoy. And if you don't live near a beach, don't worry. The book will take you there.

Learn more about Trish Perry by visiting her Web site.