Sneak peek–read Chapter One of The Seaside Sisters, releasing June 4!

I’m so excited for you to read my newest book, The Seaside Sisters, set on Cape Cod, in Chatham. As many of you know, I grew up on the Cape, so it has been wonderful to set several new books here. If you haven’t already read the first, The Bookshop by the Bay released last June. This new book is also a standalone but the bookshop returns as do several characters.

Here’s the blurb, and below that, a sneak peek of the opening scene….which was based on a real life event that happened to me soon after my mother passed…I thought I was doing just fine. 

Brooklyn-based Hannah is a bestselling author struggling to write her second book after personal losses. Her older sister, Sara, still lives in Chatham, Cape Cod, where they grew up, and is married with four children. Once a dedicated librarian, Sara dreams of reviving her love affair with literature, but instead, she is stuck with too many family responsibilities and a fizzling marriage.

When Hannah gets the chance to retreat to her aunt’s oceanfront house in Chatham for the summer, it seems like just the thing to get her creative juices flowing. And she’ll be able to spend more time with Sara, who is eager to find her way back into the workforce, to do something rewarding and book-related. The pair will spend the summer making friends, rekindling romance— especially Spencer, an old acquaintance from high school-turned very hot grump— and opening themselves up to the magic of books and the beach.

Perfect for fans of Mary Kay Andrews, Susan Mallery and Brenda Novak, The Seaside Sisters will delight and charm you as easily as an ocean breeze.

Excerpt

“Good news. You’re not having a heart attack.”

Hannah Brewster felt equally embarrassed and relieved. At the age of thirty, she’d doubted she was having a heart attack, but her friend Lucy had insisted that she go to the ER and get checked out.

They’d been sitting in Hannah’s Brooklyn apartment, drinking tea and chatting, when Hannah’s literary agent, who was also her aunt, had called to let her know that Hannah had hit the New York Times list. Her first book, a beachy romantic comedy, had been out for a few months and it was selling reasonably well for a debut book, but over the past two weeks word of mouth had kicked in and it went viral on TikTok. That sent sales soaring.

After she and Lucy were done screaming, Hannah’s first impulse was to call her mother and share the news. But that wasn’t possible. And just like that, her mood deflated like a balloon that someone had stepped on. Her mother had died six weeks ago and even though they’d known the lung cancer would take her, it was still hard to believe she was gone. And she and Hannah had been so close.

As Hannah sat in her tiny Brooklyn kitchen, sipping her tea, she’d felt her chest tighten so much that it was hard to catch her breath. Her chest ached and when she turned she felt a sharp pain under her ribs. She’d also felt a little dizzy and light-headed. She ate a cookie, hoping that might settle things. Eating was generally her solution to every problem—they called it comfort food for a reason.

But Lucy could tell something was wrong. When Hannah described her symptoms, Lucy immediately tried to get her to go to the ER.

“I’m too young for a heart attack,” Hannah had protested.

“Probably, but it happens. Let’s go get you checked out. You don’t mess around with chest pain.”

Hannah insisted on waiting for a half hour to see if the pain calmed down. But the more she focused on it, the more anxious she felt, and her mind went to her deadline, which she’d been stressing about all day as well. She was so behind on this book. It was supposed to be a spin-off, another romantic comedy with the heroine’s best friend, but Hannah couldn’t figure out what to do with her. Her mind and her page were a blank and as she thought about it another wave of pain tightened across her chest as she breathed in. Lucy saw her face, stood and grabbed her car keys, and this time Hannah didn’t protest. She let Lucy drive her to the nearest hospital.

In the ER, as soon as Hannah muttered the words “chest pain,” they brought her in immediately and did an EKG and checked her vital signs. An hour later she was brought into a room, had blood drawn, and was sent for a chest X-ray.

An hour and a half later, the doctor came in and asked what had brought her into the ER. Hannah told him her symptoms and he nodded.

“Your EKG, blood work, and X-ray all came back fine. Have you been under any stress lately?” The doctor was about her age, and his eyes were sympathetic as he asked his questions.

Hannah nodded. “My mother passed away recently, I just ended a two-year relationship, and I have a publishing deadline hanging over me and I can’t seem to write.”

He smiled and his eyes were kind as he spoke calmly, his tone immediately reassuring. “That sounds like the kind of perfect stress storm that can lead to a panic attack. And to costochondritis—that’s the chest pain you are feeling. It’s from stress and the tightening of your chest muscles. It can mimic the feeling of a heart attack. So, it’s a good thing you came in. You should always be evaluated for any chest pain.”

Hannah relaxed and some of her chest pain seemed to instantly ease. “Will this happen again? What do I do about it?”

“It’s possible. The best way to make sure it doesn’t happen is to alleviate your stress. Do whatever you can to lower your stress levels. I can write you a prescription for Ativan. It’s a mild relaxer that will calm your anxiety and ease your muscles. You can use it as needed, and just take it when you’re feeling more stressed than usual.”

Forty-five minutes later, Hannah was discharged with a prescription for Ativan and Lucy took her to Duane Reade on the way home to get it filled.

“Do you want me to stay?” Lucy asked as she pulled up to Hannah’s building.

Hannah shook her head. “No, thank you. I’m going to go crawl into bed and watch Netflix until I fall asleep. Thank you for making me go and for taking me there.”

Lucy pulled her in for a hug. “Rest up and call me tomorrow. I’m so glad it was nothing serious.”

 ~~~

Hannah made her way up to her third-floor apartment. Her place was small, like most apartments in the city, but it was cozy and it had high ceilings, which made it feel a bit more spacious. It also had a tiny deck, with just enough room for two small chairs and a table between them. In nice weather, she spent a lot of time on that deck. She’d been in Brooklyn for almost ten years and it was home.

When she’d gotten her advance for the first book, it was large enough that she’d quit her administrative job so she could write full-time, and she’d gone shopping at Pottery Barn for furniture to replace her eclectic collection of thrift shop finds. Now everything in her apartment was creamy white, from the slipcovered sofa and chair to her bedding and plush area rug in the living room. She’d painted her walls a pale-gray, which overall gave her home a spa-like feel that also reminded her of Cape Cod, specifically Chatham, where she’d grown up.

Once she was settled in bed, with her comfiest sweats and a pint of Ben & Jerry’s almond milk Cherry Garcia ice cream, Hannah called her sister, Sara, who still lived in Chatham. Sara was five years older and had married Tom, her college boyfriend right after graduation. Tom was a tech company executive and Sara was a stay-at-home mother with four boys under the age of twelve.

“Hannah, is everything okay?” Sara asked immediately. It was later than Hannah normally called and they’d already talked that morning. Sara often called after she’d gotten the boys off to school and had a few minutes to herself. But before Hannah could speak, Sara hollered at her oldest, “Cody, go ask your father, I am on the phone!” She turned her attention back to Hannah. “Sorry about that, I haven’t seen Cody for an hour and the minute I answer the phone he comes running. It has been a day. What’s up with you?”

Hannah told her what happened and the doctor’s direction to lower her stress levels.

Sara immediately suggested that Hannah should come home to Chatham for a while. “We have a guest room you could use. And I’d love to see you. It’s been way too long. But I don’t know that our house will be the most peaceful environment. I live with five loud, messy men.”

Hannah laughed. “You do. I appreciate the offer though.”

“You could always go to Mom’s house. It’s sitting there, empty.”

Hannah sighed. That wasn’t an option. The house she’d grown up in would definitely be quiet. But she wouldn’t be able to relax or to focus there. They’d agreed not to sell their mother’s house for a year. Neither one of them was ready to deal with it. Even though Sara was older and in many ways stronger, Hannah knew that her sister was having a hard time processing her grief, too. They’d both been close to their mother. Their parents had divorced twenty years ago and their father had remarried soon after. They rarely saw him.

“I can’t do it. It would be too sad to be there, surrounded by all of her things. It’s just too soon.”

“I understand. I couldn’t do it, either. What about Aunt Maddie? I bet she’d love the company.”

“That’s a thought. It would be great to spend some time in Chatham,” Hannah said. Just the thought of it eased her tension a bit. She’d always felt energized and restored being near the ocean. And Chatham not only was a beautiful Cape Cod town—it was where she’d grown up. It was home.

“Call her,” Sara said.

Hannah hung up the phone and was about to call her aunt when her phone beeped and it was her aunt calling. She answered the call and laughed. It had often happened with Hannah’s mother, they’d be talking on the phone, and either Sara or Aunt Maddie would beep in. Hannah could picture Aunt Maddie sitting in her sunroom, which overlooked the ocean. Her aunt was always so put together. She’d been a top literary agent for years even though she mostly worked from home. She always looked so stylish with her wavy brown bob that just hit her collarbone, and her beach-toned Eileen Fisher linen shirts and pants, and she almost always wore a gorgeous diamond necklace. It had been Uncle Richie’s mother’s engagement ring, which she left to Aunt Maddie. It was vintage and very delicate with an oval diamond surrounded by smaller ones. It made for a beautiful necklace.

“Your ears must have been ringing. Sara and I were just talking and I said I was going to call you.”

“Is everything okay?” Her aunt immediately sounded worried. Hannah filled her in on the trip to the ER and the panic attack diagnosis.

Her aunt immediately sympathized. “I used to get panic attacks. Haven’t had one in years, but they can be very scary. Totally brought on by stress, which you’ve had your share of. Why don’t you come here for a few months? I’d love the company. The change of scenery might do you good.”

“I think I’d like to do that, if you’re sure it’s no trouble?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You’ll have plenty of room here and won’t run into me unless you want to. The main guest room is at the opposite site of the house and it should be nice and peaceful for you. Come as soon as you want.”

Hannah felt more of her tension ease as the decision was made. “How about a week from this Friday? I’ll head down that weekend.”

“Perfect! We’ll relax on the deck and solve all of our problems with the help of a good chardonnay and some steamed lobster. Sound good?”

Hannah smiled. It sounded perfect. “I can’t wait.”

~~~

Thank you for reading Chapter one! I’m excited for you to read the rest. The Seaside Sisters releases June 4! Available everywhere in ebook, paperback, hardcover and audio. Large print is also coming in October. Preorder your copy now on Amazon, Apple, Kobo, BN, and Large Print.