Beach Rental: A Barefoot Book (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
Juli Cooke works hard at two dead-end jobs, yet she’s getting nowhere. Then, a chance meeting with a dying man opens an opportunity to change that. Can she afford the risk?Juli spent her life shuttling from one foster home to another, so she has low expectations, but when she meets Ben Bradshaw at a fancy party where she works as a server for the caterer, things change. Ben is ill and asks her to drive him home, then offers to pay for a cab to take her to her apartment. The following day she’s at her day job, checking at a grocery store, when Ben invites her to lunch and has a proposition: marry him, and he’ll settle a sum of money to help her financially when he’s gone.Ben, c the co-owner of a couple of art galleries with his cousin Luke, has terminal pancreatic cancer. He wants companionship with someone who won’t grieve for him while he’s still alive and who won’t be emotionally invested in him when he dies. He considers himself a good judge of character, and he likes what he sees in Juli. Wary, Juli considers the offer, and finally decides that Ben is a kind man and she can make both their lives better by accepting his generous offer. What she doesn’t count on is the love that follows. She’s not in love with Ben, but she grows to love the wonderful person that he is, even though Ben’s family consider her a golddigger. Especially Luke Winters, his cousin, who warns her off hurting his best friend.When Ben dies, everything changes. Can Juli cope with her new-found status, with the resentment of Luke and Ben’s family, and with her past?I loved Beach Rental. Long after I finished this superbly written story, the characters remained in my mind. Ms. Greene’s debut novel is stunning in both depth of content and characterization. Juli has some hard edges when the story opens, but her kindness and humanity soon have you rooting for her, and Ben is simply wonderful, a man of faith in the nicest way. Luke is edgy and exciting, and has to find his own transformation. Maia, Anna and the other secondary characters are three-dimensional and well defined. Then there’s the Carolina coast, itself a character of comfort and drama. This is a sweet romance, but packed with emotion. Faith plays a major role in bringing the protagonists to their own thrilling fulfillment, yet it’s done in a delightful, non-preachy way. Author Grace Greene has developed multiple layers in her wonderful story: a tender romance, emotion, great pacing and superb characterization. Kudos to Ms. Greene in her stunning debut. She is an author to watch. Contrary to what I thought when I picked it up, this is not "light beach reading" - at least not by my definition. This book is full of heavy subjects and complicated emotions. Ben is a simply fantastic character who is so sad and yet full of faith and optimism. Juli is a confused but strong character who grows in so many wonderful ways. Luke is a little shallower in depth, but still a really really good character. All together it was a good book with unexpected plot twists and a deep understanding of love and faith. The Christian feeling is there, but not overpowering or obsessive. Juli's lessons on different kinds of love and what unexpected blessings you can receive is a great, uplifting story despite some of the other sadder aspects of the tale. This book is very well written, pulling you in and never letting go. You'll want some tissues for this one, but it's one I'd recommend!
What do You think about Beach Rental: A Barefoot Book (2011)?
A beautiful love story with twists and turns, inspiration, and of course, a happy ever after ending.
—Hannahbanana72
This was OK a quick read, but kind of predictable.
—rosannasmith
