The Summer of Lost and Found
I have truly enjoyed following the Beach House series and the Rutledge family from the very beginning. This family found their way into my heart in the first book along with the sea turtles and low country setting. I was quite excited to find myself reunited with the family as I picked up this final book in the series.
The coming of spring usually means renewal, but for Linnea Rutledge, it begins a season of challenge. Linnea faces another layoff, this time from the aquarium she adores. For her—and for her family—finances, emotions, and health teeter on the brink. To complicate matters, her new love interest, Gordon, struggles to return to the Isle of Palms from England. Meanwhile, her old flame, John, turns up from California and is quarantining next door. She tries to ignore him, but when he sends her plaintive notes in the form of paper airplanes, old sparks ignite. When Gordon at last reaches the island, Linnea wonders—is it possible to love two men at the same time?
Love in the time of COVID-19 proves challenging, at times humorous, and ever changing. Relationships are redefined, friendships made and broken, and marriages tested. As the weeks turn to months, and another sea turtle season comes to a close, Linnea learns there are more meaningful lessons during this summer than opportunities lost: that summer is a time of wonder, and that the exotic lives in our own backyards. In The Summer of Lost and Found, Linnea and the Rutledge family continue to face their challenges with the strength, faith, and commitment that has inspired fans for decades.
As a whole, this is a story that will have you reflect on the past, give you courage for the future, and remember that we are all working together to create a better future.
The Summer of Lost and Found is mainly told from Linnea’s point of view. I love how Monroe always creates a strong female protagonist, and Linnea’s character fits the bill! This was an easy read that included Linnea and Ann’s jobs at the aquarium and how they save the baby sea turtles on the beach (always my favorite part in this series).
Once again, Monroe does a beautiful job creating a loving and supportive family unit. I’m someone who gravitates towards books that already have a strong family with a solid foundation, and the Rutledge family is one that I would love to call my own.
The story as a whole was filled with love and a little PG-13 romance (only mentions sex with no graphic scenes) as well as the anxiety that came with the arrival of the pandemic.
Overall, this is a story about compassion, respect, and compromise during a major epidemic from the perspective of several generations. It was a quick read that allowed me to find closure in the Beach House series, and I found myself experiencing numerous emotions before I turned the last page.
On a side note: For me personally, this book came into my life at the wrong time. This was the very first book I read that dealt with the COVID pandemic from the onset in 2020. I think this is one of those “too soon” situations. I just wasn’t ready to go back to the beginning of it all and relive the onset and weather the storm of the virus with the Rutledge family. At one point I had to set this book down and take a break from the pandemic in the storyline. Therefore, if you are not ready to read a story that deals with COVID as a back drop, this is may not be the book for you, since you will be reliving the 2020 shutdown…Maybe pick it up next summer instead.
Thank you Gallery Books for the gifted copy of this book.
