Welcome to Beach Town: A Novel

by Susan Wiggs

Overview

Beloved New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs returns with a compulsively readable tale of an idyllic California beach town forced to reckon with scandal when a high school valedictorian’s speech reveals secrets that shake the town to its core.

"Readers will savor sunny skies and perfect surf in this stunning new novel, but one thing is for sure: In this Beach Town, there is always more happening than meets the eye. Don’t miss this expansive beauty of a summer book!" —Kristy Woodson Harvey, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Summer of Songbirds

Every town has its secrets...

In idyllic Alara Cove, a California beach town known for its sunny charm and chill surfer vibe, it’s graduation day at the elite Thornton Academy. At Thornton, the students are the worldly and overindulged children who live in gated enclaves with spectacular views. But the class valedictorian is Nikki Graziola, a surfer’s daughter who is there on scholarship. To the shock of everyone in the audience, Nikki veers off script while giving her commencement address and reveals a secret that breaks open the whole community. As her truth explodes into the light, Alara Cove will face a reckoning.

Nikki Graziola’s accusation shakes the foundation of Alara Cove, pitting her against the wealthy family whose money runs the town. Her new notoriety sends Nikki into exile for years, where she finds fame—but not fortune—overseas as a competition surfer...until a personal tragedy compels her to return to Alara Cove.

 As Nikki struggles to rebuild her future, she finds that the people of the town have not forgotten her. But time has changed Alara Cove, and old friendships, rivalries, and an unexpected romance draw her back into the life of the beach town she’s never quite forgotten, and where joy and redemption may be possible after all.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062914163
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	06/20/2023
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	16,513
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.09(d)

About the Author

Susan Wiggs is the author of more than fifty novels, including the beloved Lakeshore Chronicles series and the recent New York Times bestsellers The Lost and Found Bookshop, The Oysterville Sewing Circle, and Family Tree. Her award-winning books have been translated into two dozen languages. She lives with her husband on an island in Washington State’s Puget Sound.

Editorial Reviews

★ 06/01/2023

Wiggs's (Sugar and Salt) timely, unputdownable coming-of-age novel is set in fictional Alara Cove, CA, "Surfer City, U.S.A." Former self-described trailer-park kid Nikki Graziola, scholarship student and valedictorian at the prestigious Thornton Academy, had a bright future in store until she went off-script during her commencement speech and revealed the school's cover-up of a hazing incident that killed her best friend. Her whistleblowing implodes her life, so when she's offered a chance to compete in the Global Surfing League in Australia, she jumps at it. Fifteen years, minor fame, and little fortune later, Nikki faces another life-changing tragic event that leaves her no choice but to return home. Readers will be awed by this novel's flawless narrative. Wiggs spins a poignant and convincing yarn while epitomizing her very believable cast of eclectic characters, including Nikki; she is a heady mix of vulnerability and tenacity, a woman who is not afraid of new challenges or of learning and growing from her past. VERDICT Fans of the prolific Wiggs and of strong women protagonists will stay up all night to finish this speeding bullet to the best-seller list.—Debbie Haupt

Library Journal

"A timely, unputdownable coming-of-age novel. Readers will be awed by this novel’s flawless narrative. Fans of the prolific Wiggs and of strong women protagonists will stay up all night to finish this speeding bullet to the best-seller list."
— Library Journal (starred review)

“What happens when you dream one thing and something else comes your way? This story is rich with life and danger, and ultimately, hope. Fans of Colleen Hoover will gobble it up." — Barbara O'Neal, bestselling author of This Place of Wonder

"A Susan Wiggs novel is a masterclass in storytelling. Readers will savor sunny skies and perfect surf in this stunning new novel, but one thing is for sure: In this Beach Town, there is always more happening than meets the eye. Don’t miss this expansive beauty of a summer book!" — Kristy Woodson Harvey, New York Times bestselling author of The Summer of Songbirds

"The perfect beach read...full of surf, rediscovered love, and second chances." — Booklist

"Wiggs writes with compassion and insight... This is another winner.” — Booklist on Sugar and Salt

“Compassionate and poignant... Hot-button issues from real-life events inspired Wiggs to write this complex, thought-provoking novel that depicts how the power of friendship and love can overcome heart-wrenching challenges.” — Shelf Awareness on Sugar and Salt

“Sugar and Salt is a touching and important read.” — Bookreporter.com

“Susan Wiggs and the words ‘favorite writer’ go together, and with Sugar and Salt she is at the top of her powers. She understands the tender dramas of everyday life, of friendship and family, of wanting something that might be just beyond reach—and then again might not. I loved her character Margot Salter, and my heart soared and broke and soared again to learn the secrets of her past and how they threaten her hard-won present. Susan writes so deliciously about food, love, and hope...she will make you believe in life’s sweetness.” — Luanne Rice, New York Times bestselling author of The Shadow Box

“A feel-good family saga… A charming tale about the silver linings of unwanted detours.”  — People on The Lost and Found Bookshop

From the Publisher