Romance author Jenny Hale (Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses) introduces readers to the quaint town of Rosemary Bay, Fla., for a charming and intriguing love story with a twist of mystery in The Beach House. After caring for her grandmother through years of chemotherapy, Melanie Simpson has lost herself and all direction. However, she must deal with her gram's dying request: that Melanie use her inheritance to purchase and restore the beach house they used to admire on their walks together, left to ruin after the death of its owner, Alfred Ellis.
Melanie and her sister arrive in Rosemary Bay to kick-start the renovation and turn the house into a beachside bed-and-breakfast. On their first night in town, the two find themselves wagering with a group of locals over a dart game. Contractor Josh Claiborne, who is narrowly losing the game, begrudgingly agrees to come look at the Ellis house's legendary haunted halls. His determination to leave Rosemary Bay behind for New York slowly reveals his own past and his reasons for wanting a fresh start. However, fixing windows, building porches, and tearing down old wallpaper uncovers more than the two bargained for--and a mystery Melanie is determined to solve. The pair's present and past begin to intertwine with the discovery of a box of old letters in a closet. As the two sift through secrets of the past with their futures on the line, this slow-burn romance explores second chances, family histories, and the strength of true love conquering all. --Clara Newton, freelance reviewer