The Seaside Library

by Brenda Novak

[Jeff Sexton]

More Mystery Than Romance. This is apparently Novak's 75 book, and while I've only read a handful of those prior books - mostly a few of her most recent ones - this seems to be a bit of a departure from her usual style. At least in my own experience with her, she tends to write more women's fiction/ romance blends... and this is pretty far from that. This is more of a Catherine McKenzie / Kimberly Belle / Leah Mercer style mystery that also includes a romance than the more usual Novak style, though still set in an idyllic small town island. It is specifically because the title and cover don't really match the overall tone and substance of the tale told here that it lost a star for me, and admittedly this is something that can easily be corrected in the nearly five months between when I write this review and the book's actual publication date.

For what it actually is, this story is pretty solid and well told - if you like your mysteries to also include a romance, you're going to love this book. If you enjoy a tale that meets all known RWA criteria for being a "romance book" but the story is more about the mystery than the romance, you're going to enjoy this book. But if you're looking for more of a "classic Novak" women's fiction/ drama on an island... eh, read this book and see what you think. I personally think it is a bit darker than her usual and thus is a fairly significant departure, but again, I've only read her last few books. For all I know this is where she built her fan base and is *returning* to this rather than this being an entirely new thing for her. Again, what she does do here, she does in fact do quite well indeed, so there is that at least.

Overall this was an excellent tale that was told well - it just doesn't match its title (which has only the most tangential of connections to the tale) or cover imagery. Very much recommended.