Most Popular Books by Mary Alice Monroe

Mary Alice Monroe invites you to meet five remarkable characters as she explores the power of friendship with tenderness, honesty and understanding. On the surface, it is a monthly book club. But for five women, it is so much more. For Eve Porter, whose husband''s sudden death cheats her of every security she had planned on, the club is a place of sanctuary. For Annie Blake, a brilliant attorney intent on starting a family late in life, it is the chance to finally let down her guard and dream of other possibilities. For Doris Bridges, it is her support group as she acknowledges her dying marriage and finds the ultimate freedom in her husband''s betrayal. For Gabriella Rivera, the "perfect" wife, mother and friend who offers support to everyone but is afraid to ask for it herself, it is a sense of community. And for Midge Kirsch, an artist who has always lived her life against the grain, it is a haven of acceptance. They are five women from different walks of life, embracing the challenge of change. And as they share their hopes and fears and triumphs, they will hold fast to the true magic of the book club—friendship. "Monroe offers up believable characters in a well-crafted story." —Publishers Weekly

The coming of spring usually means renewal, but for Linnea Rutledge, who is facing a layoff from the aquarium she adores, it begins a new season of challenge. 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. When old sparks ignite and Gordon at last reaches the island, Linnea wonders--is it possible to love two men at the same time?

"Three sisters bound by love for their grandmother and the timeless beauty and traditions of the lowcountry find the courage to face the future and decide the course of their lives as summer comes to an end"--

Caretta Rutledge returns to repair the family beach house on the Isle of Palms as she tries to rebuild her life and her family relationships.

The New York Times–bestselling author paints an intimate portrait of a family’s struggle to come together and protect their historic South Carolina home. Sweetgrass is a historic tract of land in South Carolina that has been home to the Blakely family for eight generations. But Sweetgrass—named for the indigenous grass that grows in the area—is in trouble. Taxes are skyrocketing. Bulldozers are leveling the surrounding properties. And the Blakelys could be forced to sell the one thing that continues to hold their disintegrating family together. When Preston Blakely suffers a stroke, his son Morgan returns from Montana to help run the property. Morgan’s mother, Mary Jane, has been estranged from Preston for years. But now she must take a hard look at the past. In Sweetgrass, Mary Alice Monroe shares a poignant tale of a family that must learn to unravel old patterns and weave together a new future.

With a strong, warm voice that brings the South to life, New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe writes richly textured stories that intimately portray the complex and emotional relationships we share with families, friends, and the natural world. "Every book that Mary Alice Monroe has written has felt like a homecoming to me," writes Pat Conroy, bestselling author of The Prince of Tides. Time Is a River is an insightful novel that will sweep readers away to the seductive southern landscape, joining books by authors such as Anne Rivers Siddons and Sue Monk Kidd. Recovering from breast cancer and reeling from her husband''s infidelity, Mia Landan flees her Charleston home to heal in the mountains near Asheville, North Carolina. She seeks refuge in a neglected fishing cabin belonging to her fly-fishing instructor, Belle Carson. Belle recently inherited the cabin, which once belonged to a grandmother she never knew -- the legendary fly fisher and journalist of the 1920s, Kate Watkins, whose life fell into ruins after she was accused of murdering her lover. Her fortune lost in the stock market crash and her reputation destroyed, Kate slipped into seclusion in the remote cabin. After her death the fishing cabin remained locked and abandoned for decades. Little does Belle know that by opening the cabin doors to Mia for a summer''s sanctuary, she will open again the scandal that plagued Belle''s family for generations. From her first step inside the dusty cabin, Mia is fascinated by the traces of Kate''s mysterious story left behind in the eccentric furnishings of the cabin. And though Belle, ashamed of the tabloid scandal that tortured her mother, warns Mia not to stir the mud, Mia is compelled to find out more about Kate...especially when she discovers Kate''s journal. The inspiring words of the remarkable woman echo across the years. Mia has been learning to fly-fish, and Kate''s wise words comparing life to a river resonate deeply. She begins a quest to uncover the truth behind the lies. As she searches newspaper archives and listens to the colorful memories of the local small-town residents, the story of a proud, fiercely independent woman emerges. Mia feels a strange kinship with the woman who, like her, suffered fears, betrayal, the death of loved ones, and a fall from grace -- yet found strength, compassion and, ultimately, forgiveness in her isolation. A story timeless in its appeal emerges, with a power that reopens old wounds, but also brings a transforming healing for Mia, for Kate''s descendants, and for all those in Mia''s new community.

Includes readers group guide with discussion questions.

A wounded warrior and his younger brother discover the true meaning of Christmas in this timeless story of family bonds--a poignant continuation of Monroe''s beloved Lowcountry Summer series, winner of the Southern Book Prize. HC: Gallery Books.

"New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe returns to her beloved Beach House series with this novel about one family''s summer of new beginnings in old places"--

Wedding season has arrived in New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe’s fourth novel in the “distinct, complex, and endearing” (Charleston Magazine) Lowcountry Summer series, set against the romantic, charming Carolina lowcountry. Nothing could be more enchanting than a summer wedding—or two!—in storied Sullivan’s Island. A centuries-old plantation, an avenue of ancient oaks dripping moss, a sand dune at sunset… it’s all picture perfect, and half-sisters Dora, Carson, and Harper, and their grandmother Marietta “Mamaw” Muir couldn’t be more excited. Wedding dresses are picked, venues booked, and delectable cakes tasted. What could possibly go wrong? The answer, the Muir clan is soon to find out, is everything. Carson loves Blake, but struggles with giving up her independence. Harper questions if a prenuptial agreement will help or hurt the future of her marriage, and a newly unfettered Dora is uncertain whether she really wants to walk down the aisle again. Just when it seems things couldn’t get more complicated for the Muir sisters, a stranger arrives bearing a long-held family secret that has the potential to upset even the most carefully laid-out wedding plans. With the weddings mere weeks away, the invitations sent out, and the family in tumult, Mamaw and her Summer Girls discover the enduring and powerful bonds of family, and realize that, no matter how different each bride might be, she can still have her perfect wedding.

Jake, Macon, and Lovie fight to survive at sea in this third “powerful coming-of-age tale” (Kirkus Reviews) in the middle grade, New York Times bestselling The Islanders series by Mary Alice Monroe! Jake Potter’s biggest dream finally comes true: he gets his very own boat! And it’s just in time for another summer of fun on Dewees Island with his best friends, Macon and Lovie. But on their very first fishing trip, the engine dies, and the three friends find themselves adrift at sea. When a storm carries them to a small, uninhabited island far from Dewees, the kids must use every ounce of their strength, courage, and knowledge to survive as they wait for rescue. Will their friendship survive the ultimate test?

Using original photographs, a scrapbook journal explains the nesting cycle of loggerhead sea turtles and the natural life along the southeastern coast, including local shore birds, shells, and the sea turtle hospital.

Charlotte Godowski was used to the horrified stares she received from strangers. She''d learned to accept her facial deformity, until one cruel incident compelled her to have the surgery that changed her life forever. Charlotte Godfrey is beautiful beyond compare. In Hollywood, where such beauty is power, her rise is meteoric. Suddenly she has everything she could want: acceptance, a future and a love she believes can see to the true beauty within. Charlotte Godowski and Charlotte Godfrey are two sides of the same woman—a woman who can trust no one with her secret. But when fate forces Charlotte to deal with the truth—about her past, about the man she loves, about herself—she discovers that only love has the power to transform a scarred soul.

Toy Sooner has dealt with enough rough waves in her troubled past. It''s only been through the enduring love of a close-knit group of women on this tiny island that she''s finally started to find her footing. But as new challenges in her career arise for this young single mother, the choices and demons of her past will catch up to her. Soon Toy will learn that, like the steadfast sea turtles she cares for, a mother must find the strength within herself to make it safely to shore.

E.R. nurse Ella Majors has seen all the misery that she can handle. Burned-out and unsure of her next step, she accepts the temporary position as caregiver to Marion Henderson, a frightened five-year-old who suffers from juvenile diabetes. But Ella soon realizes there is more sorrow in the isolated home than the little girl''s illness can account for. Harris Henderson, a single father, seems better able to deal with the wild birds he rehabilitates in his birds-of-prey sanctuary than with his own daughter. Then something magical begins to happen: the timeless beauty of the South Carolina coast and the majestic grace of the wild birds weave a healing spell on the injured hearts at the sanctuary. But a troubled mother''s unexpected return will test the fragile bonds of trust and new love, and reveal the inherent risks and exhilarating beauty of flying free.

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Beach House series comes a heartwarming and evocative novel about the bonds and new beginnings that are born from natural disasters and how, even during the worst of circumstances—or perhaps because of them—we discover what is most important in life. Late August is a beautiful time on the Southern coast—the peach trees are ripe, the ocean is warm, and the sweet tea is icy. A perfect time to enjoy the rocking chairs on the porch. But beneath the calm surface bubbles a threat: it’s also peak hurricane season. When a hurricane threatens the coasts of Florida and South Carolina, an eclectic group of evacuees flees for the farm of their friends Grace and Charles Phillips in North Carolina: the Phillips’s daughter Moira and her rescue dogs, famed equestrian Javier Angel de la Cruz, makeup artist Hannah McLain, horse breeder Gerda Klug and her daughter Elise, and island resident Cara Rutledge. They bring with them only the few treasured possessions they can fit in their vehicles. Strangers to all but the Phillips, they must ride out the storm together. During the course of one of the most challenging weeks of their lives, relationships are put to the test as the evacuees are forced to confront the unresolved issues they have with themselves and with each other. But as the storm passes, they realize that what really matters isn’t what they brought with them to the mountains. Rather, it’s what they’ll take with them once they leave. With Mary Alice Monroe’s “usual resplendent storytelling” (Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author), The Summer Guests is a poignant and compelling story of self-discovery, love, and redemption.

Jake Potter is back on Dewees Island for another summer with his beloved grandmother, and to cheer his dad and his friends up he decides they should try and find a special treasure box hidden somewhere nearby.

The colorful flowers in Mama’s garden reveal a strange-looking creature. “What is it? Does it sting, does it bite?” Join in this photographic journey as the young girl and her mother care for the caterpillar. Watch as it transforms into a chrysalis and then emerges as a beautiful monarch butterfly. How can the young girl “claim” the butterfly as her own but still let it go free?

In a Southern shrimping village, the entire town rallies to find a missing vessel and its captain, Bud Morrison.

Now in paperback from "New York Times"-bestselling author Monroe, the story of four very different women who embark on a transformational journey following the migrating monarchs across the United States.

Together for the first time in one valuable box set, three compelling stories of family and friendship from the New York Times bestselling author of The Beach House, Mary Alice Monroe. The Book Club On the surface, it is a monthly book club. But for five women, it is so much more: everything from an escape from daily responsibilities to the sense of community and security it provides. They are from different walks of life, embracing the challenge of change. And as they share their hopes and fears and triumphs, they will hold fast to the true magic of the book club—friendship. The Four Seasons The Season sisters have gathered for the funeral of their younger sister. Her death, and the legacy she leaves them, will trigger a cross-country journey in search of a stranger with the power to mend their shattered lives. As the emotions of the past reverberate into the present, the three search for the girls they once were, in hopes of finding what they really lost: the women they were meant to be. Skyward When burned-out ER nurse Ella Majors can take no more misery, she accepts a temporary position caring for a little girl. Harris Henderson, a single father, seems better able to deal with the creatures he rehabilitates in his birds-of-prey sanctuary than with his own daughter. Then something magical begins to happen: the timeless beauty of the South Carolina coast and the majestic grace of the wild birds weave a healing spell on all their injured hearts.

Rediscover this moving tale of second chances and self-reinvention by New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe. Her husband’s suicide left Nora MacKenzie alone, and his shady Wall Street dealings left the Manhattan socialite penniless. By a miracle she’s held on to their mountainside farm—and she’ll keep holding on, no matter what. The property is Nora’s one chance to wring some dignity out of the sham she’s been living. The Vermont locals think she’s a city girl on a nature kick, but she’s not afraid to get her hands dirty. Nora’s serious about learning the farming business…if she can figure out where to begin. Against the locals’ skepticism, she has only one ally: Charles "C.W." Walker. C.W. is hardworking, gentle with the animals and a patient teacher of the hundreds of chores Nora needs to learn. Slowly she starts to believe she’ll survive in her new life, even flourish. She might even be willing to open her heart again. But she won’t return to a life of lies…and the truth about C.W. may be more than Nora’s fragile heart can bear. Originally published in 2010

Get swept up again in this heartfelt family drama from New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe. They are the Season sisters, bound by blood, driven apart by a tragedy. Now they are about to embark on a bittersweet journey into the unknown—an odyssey of promise and forgiveness, of loss and rediscovery. Jillian, Beatrice and Rose have gathered for the funeral of their younger sister, Meredith. Her death, and the legacy she leaves them, will trigger a cross-country journey in search of a stranger with the power to mend their shattered lives. As the emotions of the past reverberate into the present, Jillian, Beatrice and Rose search for the girls they once were, in hopes of finding what they really lost: the women they were meant to be. Originally published in 2001

Sometimes fairy tales do come true! As a single mother of two, Faye O''Neill has no time for fairy tales. She''s not even certain she believes in luck. Practical, smart and desperate to escape a shadowy past, Faye takes a job at a top advertising firm in London where she hopes she and her children can find a fresh start. When she finds the beautiful two-story flat for rent in a stately old Victorian complete with a neglected but tumbling English garden, she can scarcely believe her good fortune. But it''s not long before Faye realizes everything in the old home may not be as peaceful as it seems. A strange light begins to appear in her children''s rooms at night, and then there''s the reclusive elderly tenant her landlady warned her to steer clear of, the woman who spends her evenings spying on Faye''s children from her garret-room window. To make matters worse, Faye, who has sworn off men, discovers her downstairs neighbor Jack is a disturbingly handsome professor with a talent for charming women and children alike. Before she knows it, Faye has embarked upon a whole new adventure into a world where anything might be possible, where broken hearts can be healed by a kiss, and where Neverland may not be a place of fables, but a forgotten land one can still find if they are only brave enough to follow the second star to the right.

USA TODAY BESTSELLER “Wade into the Lowcountry of South Carolina with Mary Alice Monroe''s sweeping Southern epic."—People "This is book club fiction at its finest!" —Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author From the New York Times bestselling author, the first of two epic and triumphant novels celebrating one intrepid woman''s life across multiple generations in the American South. 1908: The Lowcountry of South Carolina is at the cusp of change. Mayfield, the grand estate held for generations by the Rivers family, is the treasured home of young Eliza. A free spirit, she refuses to be confined by societal norms and spends her days exploring the vast property, observing wildlife, and riding horses. But the Great War, coastal storms, and family turmoil bring unexpected challenges to Eliza, putting her on a collision course with the patriarchal traditions of a bygone era. 1988: At 88, Eliza is the scion of the Rivers/DeLancey family. She’s fought a lifetime to save her beloved Mayfield and is too independent and committed to quietly retire and leave the fate of the estate to her greedy son. She must make decisions that will assure the future of the land and her family—or watch them both be split apart. Set against the evocative landscape of the twentieth-century Lowcountry, Where the Rivers Merge is a dramatic and sweeping multigenerational family story of unyielding love, lessons learned, profound sacrifices, and the indomitable spirit of a woman determined to persevere in the face of change in order to protect her family legacy and the land she loves.

The New York Times bestselling author and “skilled storyteller who never lets her readers down” (Huffington Post) returns to her beloved Beach House series with this “authentic, generous, and heartfelt” (Mary Kay Andrews, New York Times bestselling author) tale of new beginnings, resilience, and one family’s enduring love. Cara Rutledge returns to her Southern home on the idyllic Isle of Palms. Comforting in its familiarity, it is still rife with painful memories. Only through reconnecting with family, friends, and the rhythms of the lowcountry can Cara let go of the past and open herself to the possibility of a new career and love. Meanwhile, her niece Linnea, a recent college graduate with an uncertain future, leaves her historic home in Charleston, with all its entitlement and expectations, and heads to her aunt’s beach house. On the island, she is free to join the turtle team, learn to surf, and fall in love. Remembering the lessons of her beloved grandmother, Lovie, the original “turtle lady,” Linnea rediscovers a meaningful purpose to her life and finds the courage she needs to break from tradition. In “this tender and openhearted novel of familial expectations, new boundaries, and the power of forgiveness” (Booklist), three generations of the Rutledge family gather together to find the strength, love, and commitment to break destructive family patterns and to forge new bonds that will endure long beyond one summer reunion.

Get swept away to the beautiful and breezy Isle of Palms with New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe’s return to her “exceptional and heartwarming” (Publishers Weekly) Beach House series, set in South Carolina’s lowcountry. Two women. One summer. One very special beach house. Cara Rutledge rents her quaint cottage on Isle of Palms to Heather Fordham for the entire summer. As beautiful as the Isle of Palms is, Heather’s anxiety keeps her indoors with her caged canaries as she paints birds for postage stamps. Eventually, however, the shore birds—and a man who rescues them—lure her outside. As the summer progresses and Heather begins to blossom, Cara’s life reels with sudden tragedy. She wants only to return home but Heather refuses to budge from her sanctuary. As everything around the ladies is coming apart, they discover they can only rely on each other. Now, the two women who don’t really know each other are forced to live together and support each other as they navigate the next chapter of their lives. Featuring Monroe’s signature “lyrical, emotional, and gripping” (RT Book Reviews), Beach House for Rent demonstrates the power and strength of female friendships.

A tale exploring themes of class, women''s rights and domestic abuse in the 1970s American South shares the story of The Beach House''s Lovie Rutledge, who reflects on a summer during which a beach vacation to escape her unfaithful, disdainful husband culminates in a fateful romance with a handsome biologist.

Spending the summer with his grandmother on South Carolina''s Dewees Island, eleven-year-old Jake finds two friends who are also struggling with family issues and together they try to save a sea turtle nest from predators.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! In this warm and moving anthology, a group of bestselling authors and writers pay tribute to legendary, larger-than-life New York Times bestselling author Dorothea Benton Frank and her literary legacy. Inspired by the title Dorothea Benton Frank planned for her next book—Reunion Beach—these close friends and colleagues channeled their creativity, admiration, and grief into stories and poems that celebrate this remarkable woman and her abiding love for the Lowcountry of her native South Carolina—a land of beauty, history, charm, and Gullah magic she so brilliantly brought to life in her acclaimed novels. From Elin Hilderbrand, #1 New York Times bestselling author, a sequel to Summer of ’69. From Adriana Trigiani, New York Times bestselling author, comes a heartwarming, humorous interview from the hereafter with Pat Conroy and Dorothea Benton Frank, two beloved icons of Southern literature. From Patti Callahan, bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis and Surviving Savannah, comes The Bridemaids, a story about a trip to the South Carolina beach. From Mary Alice Monroe, New York Times bestselling author, Mother and Child Reunion, a heartwarming story set under the warm South Carolina sun. Reunion Beach also features letters, short stories, poems, and essays from: Mary Norris, New York Times bestselling author and staff writer for The New Yorker Cassandra King Conroy, bestselling and award-winning author of Tell Me A Story Nathalie Dupree, James Beard Award-winning cookbook author Marjory Wentworth, former Poet Laureate of South Carolina Gervais Hagerty, author of In Polite Company Jacqueline Bouvier Lee, Peter Frank, Victoria Peluso, and William Frank Infused with Dorothea Benton Frank’s remarkable spirit, Reunion Beach is a literary homage and beautiful keepsake that keeps this dearly missed writer’s flame burning bright.

Four exceptional novels together in one box set! The Book Club by Mary Alice Monroe For five women, their monthly meeting is a place of sanctuary and community. These women from different walks of life are each embracing the challenge of change in their own circumstances. And as they share their hopes and fears and triumphs, they will hold fast to the true magic of the book club—friendship. The Kommandant’s Girl by Pam Jenoff In Poland at the outbreak of the Second World War, Emma Bau takes on a new identity and a job as assistant to a high-ranking Nazi official. Urged by the resistance to use her position to access details of the occupation, Emma must compromise her safety—and her marriage vows—in order to help the cause. As the atrocities of war intensify, Emma must make choices that will risk not only her double life, but also the lives of those she loves. Come Away with Me by Karma Brown Tegan Lawson is consumed by grief and anger after a devastating accident that changes her life in ways she could never have imagined. But then her adoring husband, Gabe, reminds her of their Jar of Spontaneity, a collection of their dream destinations and experiences, and so begins an adventure of a lifetime. Together they explore the world and search for forgiveness, possibly to find hope. The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick Sixty-nine-year-old Arthur Pepper lives a simple, orderly life. But on the one-year anniversary of his wife’s death, he discovers in her possessions a gold charm bracelet that he’d never seen before. Arthur embarks on a life-changing adventure to find the truth about his wife’s life before they met, a journey that leads him to find hope, healing and self-discovery in the most unexpected places.

Mary June Blakely''s family is broken and scattered. She and her husband have paid the price for years of unspoken emotions - one son is lost forever, another, Morgan, has not been home in over a decade. When Morgan unexpectedly returns to help care for his sick father, the family begins to face their demons.

From New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe, the heartwarming first installment in the Lowcountry Summer trilogy, a poignant series following three half-sisters and their grandmother. Three granddaughters. Three months. One summer house. In this enchanting trilogy set on Sullivan''s Island, South Carolina, New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe captures the complex relationships between Dora, Carson, and Harper, three half-sisters scattered across the country--and a grandmother determined to help them rediscover their family bonds. For years, Carson Muir has drifted, never really settling, certain only that a life without the ocean is a life half lived. Adrift and penniless in California, Carson is the first to return to Sea Breeze, wondering where things went wrong...until the sea she loves brings her a minor miracle. Her astonishing bond with a dolphin helps Carson renew her relationships with her sisters and face the haunting memories of her ill-fated father. As the rhythms of the island open her heart, Carson begins to imagine the next steps toward her future. In this heartwarming novel, three sisters discover the true treasures Sea Breeze offers as surprising truths are revealed, mistakes forgiven, and precious connections made that will endure long beyond one summer.

The colorful flowers in Mama''s garden reveal a strange-looking creature. "What is it? Does it sting, does it bite?" Join in this photographic journey as the young girl and her mother care for the caterpillar. Watch as it transforms into a chrysalis and then emerges as a beautiful monarch butterfly. How can the young girl "claim" the butterfly as her own but still let it go free?