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Ocean Beach

by Wendy Wax (Goodreads Author)

3.73 of 5 stars 3.73 · rating details · 361 ratings · 69 reviews

Wendy Wax, author of the “warm [and] wry” (St. Petersburg Times)Ten Beach Road, returns with a novel of three women in need of a second chance…or is it a third?

Unlikely friends Madeline, Avery and Nicole have hit some speed bumps in their lives, but when they arrive in Miami’s South Beach neighborhood, they are all hoping for a do-over. Literally. They’ve been hired to b...more

Paperback, 448 pages

Published June 26th 2012 by Berkley Trade

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Jun 22, 2012 Kaye rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-challenge

Wendy Wax has done it again - written a captivating novel with some truly wonderful characters. As a followup to Ten Beach Road where the women, Nikki, Avery and Maddie first met under somewhat dire financial circumstances and forged a strong bond of friendship, Ocean Beach takes us on the next step in their life's journey.

Nicole: Almost broke, her matchmaking business kaput and feeling alone, Nicole is still experiencing some guilt about turning in her brother Malcolm to the FBI. Malcolm's pon...more
Wendy Wax has done it again - written a captivating novel with some truly wonderful characters. As a followup to Ten Beach Road where the women, Nikki, Avery and Maddie first met under somewhat dire financial circumstances and forged a strong bond of friendship, Ocean Beach takes us on the next step in their life's journey.

Nicole: Almost broke, her matchmaking business kaput and feeling alone, Nicole is still experiencing some guilt about turning in her brother Malcolm to the FBI. Malcolm's ponzi scheme was solely responsible for her, Avery and Maddie losing all their money in the first place and becoming joint owners of the house on Ten Beach Road.

Maddie: At a crossroads in her 26 year marriage to Steve, Maddie finds a core of strength she never knew she had and is more determined than ever to be independent and resourceful. She knows what is important and she strives to do everything for the good of others. She's the quintessential mother.

Avery: A little more prickly than the other women in the group, Avery is still carrying the hurt and anger at her mother, Deirdre, for abandoning her for a Hollywood design career. Now that Deirdre is back and on this project, Avery is having a hard time putting the past behind her and moving on. With a failed marriage in her past, she also has some serious self image hangups. It was gratifying to watch her work on these issues.

Deirdre: Still guilt ridden about leaving her family when Avery was young, Deirdre is trying her best to make Avery understand how much she does love her and that her foolish decision to leave was not out of indifference. Ms.Wax aptly put the reader into the heads of both mother and daughter showing their sides of the story.

Kyra: Maddie's young daughter whose unfortunate affair with a celebrity leaves her as a single mom but now that she has her head on straight, she's doing her best to provide her son with a stable life. It was Kyra's idea to film the women rebuilding Ten Beach Road that led them to a contract with the TV station to do over Ocean Beach. Kyra may be young but she has a good business head on her shoulders and a promising career as a videographer. When she was emotionally threatened, she responded in such a mature way, I was rooting for her the whole time.

The introduction of Max, the house's 90 year old owner, really brought the plot together. I adored Max!

Ms. Wax not only manages to flesh out her characters so well that by the time the book ends you will feel like these women are lifelong friends, but she also incorporates a heart wrenching mystery into the plot. Ocean Beach has the right blend of elements that make for a good read: endearing, strong women characters, intriguing male characters, credible dialogue, a little romance and a plot that will keep you interested to the last page. Even the "bad" characters have their place. Oh, I hated to see it end but I loved the ending and so hope Ms. Wax has more in store for us with these characters. I am not ready to let them go. Not by a long shot. I couldn't put it down. 5*****

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Berkley in exchange for my honest opinion

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Jun 29, 2012 LAURA KAY A Novel Review rated it 5 of 5 stars

http://anovelreview.blogspot.com/2012...

I don’t know about ya’ll, but it is HOT here in Tennessee! And nothing is better than drinking a big glass of sweet tea and reading on a hot day and Ocean Beach by Wendy Wax is a perfect summer read!

Ocean Beach is the “next chapter” in the lives of Nicole, Avery and Maddie, who were first introduced to readers in Ten Beach Road by Wendy Wax (2011). I have not read Ten Beach Road nor do I feel you have to in order to read Ocean Beach. I was able to read alo...more http://anovelreview.blogspot.com/2012...

I don’t know about ya’ll, but it is HOT here in Tennessee! And nothing is better than drinking a big glass of sweet tea and reading on a hot day and Ocean Beach by Wendy Wax is a perfect summer read!

Ocean Beach is the “next chapter” in the lives of Nicole, Avery and Maddie, who were first introduced to readers in Ten Beach Road by Wendy Wax (2011). I have not read Ten Beach Road nor do I feel you have to in order to read Ocean Beach. I was able to read along just fine. However, after reading Ocean Beach I will say I’d love to read any and everything Wendy Wax has written!

An unusual group of friends are working together to get a home renovation TV pilot off the ground. These ladies aren’t looking for TV celebrity, but wanting to get their lives back on track. That’s right a story about empowering women and home renovation—I loved it from get go!

These lovely ladies are looking for a Do Over, while restoring an old Miami South Beach Mansion (Nice!). The owner of the mansion is Max Golden, an elderly gentleman who in his prime partied with the rat pack. Max isn’t just looking to have his home restored, he is looking for something or better yet someone.

When the ladies arrive at the Miami house to start the renovation and filming for their show, they are shocked to find out the television network has decided instead to turn the whole thing into a reality show. Avery feels a loss of control and begins to fear the network will portray her as a bimbo who doesn’t know how to run a construction site. Nicole has been hoping to get her match making business back off the ground, but fears a ‘reality’ show is only going to cast a bright light back on her brother the criminal. And Maddie isn’t sure her marriage can take it.

There are also a few other characters in the story. Deidre who is the decorator and Avery’s estranged mother. Deidre is looking to find a way back into her daughter’s life and Avery wants very little to do with her. There is also Kyra, Maddie’s daughter. Kyra is video recording the renovation and has an adorable baby boy, Dustin. And Dustin’s dad is a famous actor who just so happens to show up in Miami South Beach to work on a movie.

With the cameras rolling, the women pull up their sleeves and get to work. But it isn’t long before their real lives are playing out in front of the cameras—in a big way!

I loved this book! I just fell in love with all the characters, especially Max! I could see why the ladies wanted to help him. I enjoyed the numerous stories lines and never felt it got confusing. There is a little mystery in the book, but I figured it out right away. I did enjoy how I kept waiting for someone to figure it out in the book. I was sort of surprised at the end because not everything felt fully resolved. I have to admit I liked that. I can’t help but think we’ll see these ladies again! I sure hope so!

Honestly, there wasn’t anything about this book I didn’t enjoy—the closer to the end of the book the more I enjoyed it!

Grab a copy for your beach bag! I’m recommending Ocean Beach!(less)

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Jul 11, 2012 Carolyn Agosta rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was drawn to this book by the cover art and title, looking for a beach read (well...a lakeside read). The back cover promised a "beautiful book about loyalty, courage, and pursuing your dreams", so I gave it a try.

I'm torn on the rating - it really deserves a three and a half stars. There's nothing majorly WRONG with the book - a story of five women who band together to solve some short-term problems and who find the courage during the story to tackle some long-term problems. Sounds like a per...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review originally appeared at www.readinasinglesitting.com.

My computer’s autofill has a habit of trying to update my address to Melbourne, Florida rather than Melbourne, Australia. From what little I know of the former, I’d say that there’s one key difference between the two: the weather. Today’s commute to work involved a battle against Antarctic winds, freezing sleet, and four wheel drives intent on splashing everyone and everything in their wake–such is the nature of the sadistic 4WD own...more This review originally appeared at www.readinasinglesitting.com.

My computer’s autofill has a habit of trying to update my address to Melbourne, Florida rather than Melbourne, Australia. From what little I know of the former, I’d say that there’s one key difference between the two: the weather. Today’s commute to work involved a battle against Antarctic winds, freezing sleet, and four wheel drives intent on splashing everyone and everything in their wake–such is the nature of the sadistic 4WD owner the world around. My umbrella turned inside out, tried to escape my clutches, then indulged in a bit of self-harm, snapping half of its spokes. The hood on my coat mocked me by proving too short and too shallow, and my shoes laughed in the face of their apparent waterproofing. Needless to say, I am quite damp, cold and frizzy right now. Sure, Florida has hurricanes, but they’re warm, right?

Wendy Wax’s Ocean Beach offers yet another data point in the comparison of weather conditions between Florida and my native Victoria: you can virtually feel the heat blistering off the pages of beachy read set in Miami, and as I read I found myself hoping that it would somehow vicariously imbue me with the Vitamin D in which I’m sadly lacking. If sunshine and bikinis are the essential elements of a summer read, then this one ticks all the boxes.

Following on from Ten Beach Road, the novel describes the continuing exploits of a tight-knit group of girlfriends who have turned to home renovation and “flipping” as a way of getting back on their collective feet after a series of unfortunate financial disasters. But the stakes are higher for this new renovation project: after the home-made footage from their first restoration endeavour turned them into YouTube sensations, they’ve been courted by a TV network to participate in a warts-and-all home makeover reality series.

But the potential financial boon of the TV show is tempered by the fact that the participants are less than happy about having their dirty laundry aired on national television. There’s young Kyra, a new mother to a child fathered, scandalously, by a married movie star, and who wants to keep her son safe from prying network eyes. Nicole, whose brother’s dodgy Ponzi scheme has bankrupted most of her friends and destroyed her match-making business, and who fears public scrutiny. Avery, who’s still smarting from the betrayal of her ex-husband and worries about being portrayed as a ditz. Deirdre, Avery’s estranged mother, who’s desperate to re-establish a relationship with their daughter. And then there’s Maddie, whose 25-year marriage is on the rocks, and whose husband is disgusted by the very idea of her appearing on television.

But their reticence about having their troubles beamed into lounge rooms around the country pales in comparison to the dire financial positions of those involved: the show represents fiscal make-or-break for the friends. Not to mention that they want to do right by Max, the sweet, recently widowed 90-year-old owner who wants to restore the building to its former glory in order to honour his beloved wife’s memory.
The setting of the novel immediately appeals: the estate in question is a ramshackle Art Deco mansion on the Florida coast, and it’s brimming with all sorts of architectural arcana and delicious design (and yes, as anyone who attended my wedding might have gleaned, I am a bit of an Art Deco buff). Indeed, it’s largely the aesthetics of the setting and the obvious strength of the friendships and relationships between the main characters that carries the book, with the nostalgic Max playing a key role as the centrepoint for their interactions. Despite the characters’ diverse motivations and positions, it’s Max who is the uniting factor here, and we watch as the characters, both major and minor, set aside their differences in order to restore the home he once shared with his beloved wife Millie. Truly, it’s worth reading this for Max’s character alone.

Unfortunately, the novel derails a little under the weight of various “high stakes” plot lines that suddenly begin filtering into the narrative. Although the book is written in a tone that is well-suited to commercial women’s fiction, there are certain over-the-top moments that make it feel like a chick lit novel. Take, for example, the movie star who sneaks into the house dressed in turn as a female, an elderly man, and a gardener. Or the mystery surrounding Max’s long-missing son–a mystery that the main characters decide to solve, and do. Or the characters’ bizarre foray out into a hedonistic Hollywood star-filled party. And I can’t say that I feel that a gun-toting would-be killer is really necessary in an otherwise quiet book such as this. (Indeed, it’s never a good sign when you exclaim, “oh, come on!” when reading.) Ocean Beach is at its strongest when its focus is on the main characters, their relationships and their efforts to restore the Millicent, and unfortunately I found that the scenes that took place beyond this key setting–Nicole’s efforts to revive her business, and the characters’ occasional ventures out to a club or restaurant–typically felt extraneous and diluted the book’s overall impact.

Still, these quibbles aside, the appealing beach-side setting and relatable characters make this one an enjoyable, quick read, and I’d happily pick up Ten Beach Road should I come across it–and not in small part because I’m desperately jealous of that warm, sunny Floridian weather.(less)

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Jun 21, 2012 Viviane Crystal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Madeline, Avery, Nicole, Deirdre, and Chase are back from their stint in the novel, Ten Beach Road, with some kinks solved and some still lurking as they embark on another "Do-Over" of a dilapidated home that is an architectural treasure! But you wouldn't know it to read the descriptions of what these fearful but also feisty characters see, hear, smell, and touch on their first exploration of their latest project in South Miami, Florida. Here's the difference - they are now part of a TV program...more Madeline, Avery, Nicole, Deirdre, and Chase are back from their stint in the novel, Ten Beach Road, with some kinks solved and some still lurking as they embark on another "Do-Over" of a dilapidated home that is an architectural treasure! But you wouldn't know it to read the descriptions of what these fearful but also feisty characters see, hear, smell, and touch on their first exploration of their latest project in South Miami, Florida. Here's the difference - they are now part of a TV program in which their redo job is to be followed like a reality show. But don't realize that all of their lives are to be included this "reality" show. That's their first major shock!

This is the home of Max, a former comedian, who has recently lost Millie, the love of his life. He's still got plenty of pizazz but it's laced with lack of energy and admission of total lack of skills to keep this gorgeous "nautical" home in the prime condition it deserves. Now a bit of zest comes back into his life as he enjoys the presence of these diverse ladies and of course Baby Dustin.

All is not bliss. There's a serious lack of money for this project that not even the TV pay can help. Then there are the personal problems plaguing their daily progress. Maddie's husband wants her to stay home and be the homemaker while he "earns the bread;" Avery and Deirdre are still on rocky road territory with the latter wanting to make up for years of no mothering and the former not buying the efforts one bit. Nicole wants to resurrect her matchmaking business, ruined by her reputation as the wife of a Ponzi-scheming criminal. Avery and Chase are a hot number now but there are some issues there as well. At first one might think this is just a rehash of the last novel, but it's NOT so! For there are secrets lurking that turn this summer (all-year round really) read into a romantic mystery that's even more thrilling than the last novel.

Max and Millie lived with a heart-breaking secret that just might fit into the "do-over" plans with some help from other new characters in this terrific story. The cameramen learn to be a bit wiser about what they film and don't film after some nasty and also funny scenes. To tell more would be a spoiler that would deprive you of hours of pleasure!

Ocean Beach: A Novel is plainly and imply a great and must read!!! Wendy Wax is one very talented writer who knows how to craft a great story with complex characters, a great plot, and plug in just enough steamy romance to satisfy everyone. Finely done!!!(less)

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May 31, 2012 Judith rated it 4 of 5 stars

4.25 out of 5. This is truly an ensemble type of novel, bringing the divergent lives and experiences of several characters together. Maddie has been married for 25 years and now has found her own stride brought on by the financial losses to their family which has decimated her husband--both his bank account and his ego. Avery needs a re-start on a career but finds that the designer brought into the mix by the TV network is her very own mother, a woman who walked away from her marriage and her da...more

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Jun 26, 2012 Samantha Robey rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received a copy of Ocean Beach in exchange for an honest review. This was the first book I read from Wendy Wax, and I was excited to tear into it. The story followed characters from her previous novel Ten Beach Road ¬- Madeline, Avery and Nicole. After renovating Bella Flora, the women get an opportunity to fix up another home – this time in South Beach and while shooting a pilot for a television show called Do Over. What they didn’t realize is that the TV show about renovating old homes has a...more I received a copy of Ocean Beach in exchange for an honest review. This was the first book I read from Wendy Wax, and I was excited to tear into it. The story followed characters from her previous novel Ten Beach Road ¬- Madeline, Avery and Nicole. After renovating Bella Flora, the women get an opportunity to fix up another home – this time in South Beach and while shooting a pilot for a television show called Do Over. What they didn’t realize is that the TV show about renovating old homes has actually turned into a reality show. Maddie’s daughter Kyra had an affair with a much-married famous actor that produced a son, and the producers are dead-set on having the baby a feature in the show. Avery’s mother Deirdre is also along for the ride, and trying to mend their broken relationship. Deirdre left Avery when she was a young girl to pursue her career, and Avery is unsure she can ever get past that betrayal. Nicole is trying to overcome a scandal her money-hungry brother put her through and get her matchmaking business back on track, and Maddie is trying to save her own marriage. The women invade the house and meet the sweet old man who owns it, Max. Together, the entire group try to put the once lively house back together – but an air of mystery surrounds why Max is so insistent on getting it “ready” for someone from the past.

I will say, I think you need to read Ten Beach Road before Ocean Beach. When I got the book, I didn’t realize it was a continuation from a previous novel, but I could easily tell right from the beginning that was clearly the case. I just felt like I had missed a huge chunk of storyline, and that feeling never went away. While I enjoyed the story and the characters, I most definitely recommend you read Ten Beach Road first. I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of Max and Millie’s missing son, though I will say that it wasn’t too much of a mystery. I had it figured out right away, and in my eyes it was fairly obvious as to who the child abductor was. Krya drove me a bit batty with her decisions, which were also obvious that they were going to backfire on her, but I enjoyed the dynamic between her and her mom Maddie. One thing that confused me – and this is a really small detail – was the back and forth between Nicole and Nikki. At first, I thought they were two separate people, and I got a bit lost. But Nicole and other characters refer to her as both, and I just didn’t understand the constant switching. Max was such a sweet character, I loved how jovial he was and the love story that happened between him and his late wife Millie was so enchanting. Overall, I liked the book and would recommend – after Ten Beach Road of course!
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Jun 26, 2012 Mary (BookHounds) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: from-publisher-author, 2012

MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

After renovating Casa Flora, Madeline, Avery and Nicole are back together and have a new project to conquer. Maddie's daughter, Kyra and her newborn join the crew along with Deirdre, Avery's mom who has been hired by the channel to design the house. The documentary has been sold to Lifetime and the channel has ordered up a new season of episodes for a show now named DO OVER. The only problem is that the channel wants it to be more a a reality show than a remodeling...more

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Sep 16, 2012 Joy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Unlikely friends Madeline, Avery and Nicole have hit some speed bumps in their lives, but when they arrive in Miami’s South Beach neighborhood, they are all hoping for a do-over. Literally. They’ve been hired to bring a once-grand historic house back to its former glory on a new television show called Do-Over. If they can just get this show off the ground, Nikki would get back on her feet financially, Avery could restart her ruined career, and Maddie would have a shot at keeping her family toget...more

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Jun 26, 2012 LORI CASWELL rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2012

In this sequel to Ten Beach Road, Madeline, Avery and Nicole arrive in Miami’s South Beach neighborhood set to redo a grand home hoping to bring it back to its original splendor. It is all for a new television show called Do Over. Since the last house they remodeled has not sold yet they all need this show to be their big break. Their lives all need a Do Over!

It doesn't take long for these unlikely friends to realize their idea for the show and the network's are as different as night and day. Th...more In this sequel to Ten Beach Road, Madeline, Avery and Nicole arrive in Miami’s South Beach neighborhood set to redo a grand home hoping to bring it back to its original splendor. It is all for a new television show called Do Over. Since the last house they remodeled has not sold yet they all need this show to be their big break. Their lives all need a Do Over!

It doesn't take long for these unlikely friends to realize their idea for the show and the network's are as different as night and day. The network wants a reality show with emphasis on personal lives with the home as the background and setting, rather than the makeover being the star of the show.

All their relationships will be tested as they know how important this is to each of them. Plus a mystery from the past changes the whole scope of project and something unexpected happens that can put all of them in danger. The network soon becomes the least of their worries.

Dollycas's Thoughts

Wendy Wax has packed this book with a wonderful characters in an awesome setting and a story that grabs you from the first page. I have not read Ten Beach Road yet but I had absolutely no problem becoming invested in their characters quickly. They are all struggling with something that the reader knows is genuine.

My favorite character was not one of these wonderful women though. It was Max, the homeowner. What a wonderful life he had with his wife. Their lives were far from perfect, they had the share of problems and they were dealt with a terrible emotional blow. His wife Millie has passed on but you can actually feel their love in his stories. He wants the house fixed up because she wanted it done and he made her a very special promise before she passed on. A very extraordinary gentleman.

I love the way this author writes. She writes about strong women. Women that are facing life's changes with perfect amounts of reality, humor and intrigue. Women who are trying to realize their dreams. Women who care about each other. Fate brought these women together and they are making the best of it. Come hell or high water these are friendships that will endure.

Thank you Wendy for writing a perfect escape! I hope to see these friends together again soon!(less)

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Jun 15, 2012 Laurel-Rain rated it 5 of 5 stars

Madeline, Avery, and Nicole are back! After renovating Bella Flora, the home they inherited at Ten Beach Road, their efforts have paid off in another way. They’ve been offered a gig that could further seal their futures in a positive way.

A chance to renovate a home in South Beach for a TV pilot called Do Over. And if the show is picked up by the network, they could be on their way at last.

Arriving at the designated location, each of them has mixed emotions about the task ahead. Not only is the h...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Karielle Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog

Ocean Beach by Wendy Wax
Release Date: June 26th, 2012
Publisher: Berkley (Penguin)
Page Count: 433
Source: From Deb Tobias at Joan Schulhafer Publishing & Media Consulting

Unlikely friends Madelin, Avery, and Nicole have hit some speed bumps in their lives, but when they arrive in Miami's South Beach neighborhood, they are all hoping for a do-over. Literally. They've been hired to bring a once-grand historic house back to its former glory on a new television show called Do-Over. If they can just...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Cheryl rated it 3 of 5 stars

Madeline, Avery and Nicole are back. The ladies have been recruited to star in a reality television show called Do-Over. The show is based around house remodeling. This is just the opportunity that Nicole needed. Especially after her brother, Malcolm's ponzi scheme. Nicole needs a Do-Over. The reality show is a nice way for the three women to spend the summer together. If only the cameras could but out of their private lives.

I have read several books by Wendy Wax now. I have liked them enough to...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Anita Johnson rated it 3 of 5 stars

The girls from Ten Beach Road are back, now restoring a dilapidated mansion on Miami Beach. Some interesting things happen to make this endeavor more of an adventure than they ever bargained for but they again prove that they are strong and resilant. I thought the first half of the book dragged a bit through design/renovation plans but the second half made it worthwhile to keep reading. It seems to me that Wendy Wax must be planning to make this a series since the women are supposed to host a tv...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Judy Collins rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

(since I live in South Florida, love the South Beach connection)!! I read Ten Beach Road, and was excited to continue hearing from the characters I love....three women in need of a second chance… Unlikely friends Madeline, Avery and Nicole have hit some speed bumps in their lives, but when they arrive in Miami’s South Beach neighborhood, they are all hoping for a do-over. They’ve been hired to bring a once-grand historic house back to its former glory on a new television show called Do-Over. If...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Nina Norstrom rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is a sequel to Wendy’s previous series. The characters reunite once again. The three ladies are at it still - this time in Miami’s South Beach area. As they continue to attempt their hands at rehabbing , a new TV show lies in the wings. Their new task can prove to be big break for them; although the last house they worked on is yet to be sold.
Max and Millie bring life to the story with their share of problems. There’s a lot to learn about Max and his wife. In the way this author prese...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Reca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, read-in-2012, series

After reading Ten Beach Road back in January, I was super excited about a sequel, especially since I only had to wait about five months or so for it. I loved reading more about the characters I loved and meeting Max, a new character in this book. I will admit that I figured out one of the subplots not long after it was mentioned, but another one was one I didn't see coming in quite the same light that happened in the book. A lot happened in this book, but it was fun and I laughed quite a lot.

Al...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Staci rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads

I read and loved Ten Beach Road so I couldn't wait to get back to the ladies and see what was going on in their lives. This book had a different twist than the previous one because the television show that the friends embark on was done in "reality show style" and wasn't quite what they signed up for! I loved that twist as I felt it really changed up the story and gave it a very current feeling. Each woman's story still captivated me and I found myself loving them all.

Recommend? I highly recomme...more

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Jul 06, 2012 My Book Addiction and More MBA rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ocean Beach was a great read. I laughed, cried, and wondered what was going to happen to the ladies. They were all concerned with each other, the project, and Max who’s home they were doing over because of a promise he had made. Will the girls help Max? How will their project go with them being filmed for a reality TV show? I totally enjoyed Ocean Beach and so will you.

Received by the publisher for an honest review by My Book Addiction and More.

Rating: 5

Heat Rating: Mild

Reviewed by: Susan

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Feb 05, 2013 Vera rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this novel. I love all the different characters and that we get to glimpse pieces of all of their lives and watch how they all tie into one another. I think that were a few parts of the story that seemed to fall short though while others shined. The development that occurs of all of them is something to make you reflect and cause you to look for that growth in your own life and experiences.

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Jul 31, 2012 Tiffany rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wendy Wax's latest novel revisits the cast of characters from Ten Beach Road as they embark on a new home renovation in Miami. This time the renovation is being funded and recorded to air as a reality tv show. The author does a great job of introducing new charactersers while expanding on the lives of those from Ten Beach Rd. There is a lot to love about this book and it's the perfect beach companion.

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Jul 22, 2012 Lizz Wodrich rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book. The sequel to 10 Beach Road brings us closer into the lives of the women we've come to care about, and while some situations are cleared up, others become more unclear - leaving me impatient for the next book in the series. Mother/daughter, husband/wife, friend/friend, male/female -- there are many story lines that run through these stories, and all of them are compelling.

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Jun 26, 2012 Serena rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ocean Beach by Wendy Wax reunites readers with Madeline Singer, Avery Lawford, and Nicole Grant on another renovation adventure in South Beach, Miami. When you don’t know what the house looks like or have its address, but the Lifetime network comes calling for a pilot of Do Over, the cash-strapped friends have little choice but to accept, hoping for reboot to their lives and careers. Kyra, Deidre, Giraldi, and Chase return as well.

Read the full review: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2012/06/o...

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May 21, 2013 Diana rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was one of the best books ever. 3 friends and their mom's are selected to star in what they think is Doing Over a house. What it really turns out to be is a reality show 24/7. What a great, great story. Their relationships, ex's, old acquaintances, friendship and family. Loved every page of this book!! Great beach read. Great to see people get what the deserve, both good and not-so-good! If you get the chance, read it!! LOVED it!!!!

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Oct 10, 2012 Kathleen rated it 2 of 5 stars

I chose this book based on the beach scene on the cover; these are the first cool days of the fall where I live, and I miss the summer already...I stayed with the book despite not being invested in the characters or plot. The details of the renovation of a great old house in South Beach and the mysteries surrounding the elderly actor who lived there kept me reading.

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Jul 10, 2012 Krista rated it 3 of 5 stars

This story was like watching an old movie all polished up in technicolor. Same story, same characters, same problems as the first book, (Ten Beach Road) but with the shiny addition of a few new characters. The "new" drama situation weren't that involved. This one was more about relationships than home renovation, which was nice. But, I just couldn't help thinking that I'd already read this story before.

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Jul 26, 2012 MaryAnn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Great sequel to Ten Beach Road. Again, predictable, but the way life goes sometimes, I like to be able to predict something that actually turns out that way! Easy read. A few twists for added interest. Plot doesn't consume you but keeps your interest.

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Sep 07, 2012 Janet rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, chicklit

I should have read Ten Beach Road first, but that wasn't so obvious from the cover of the book. Little confusing jumping in with all of the established characters (there are lots of them), but still fast and fun.

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Jul 16, 2012 Shirl rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love these all ladies house do overs. The stories are lively and fast moving. There are enough characters to keep a reader from getting tired of any one of them. They are all indivduals and interesting.

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Sep 03, 2012 Tracy added it

Shelves: chick-lit, didn-t-finish

I gave this one about 40 pages and while it looked like a book I would enjoy, I couldn't really get myself interested in picking it up again. It's about a few women re-doing a house for a tv show.

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About Wendy Wax

The Wendy Wax who writes Children Books is my cousin. She’s at www.wendywax.com/. See the PW Article about the 2 Wendy Waxes.

I was born in St. Petersburg, Florida and grew up on St. Pete Beach within spitting distance of the Gulf of Mexico. I went, appropriately enough, to Sunshine Elementary School where recess and art class sometimes took place on the beach, and the highlight of every school yea...more

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