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In the highly anticipated sequel to The Beach House and Beach House Memories, Mary Alice Monroe returns to South Carolina’s breathtaking Isle of Palms in a heartwarming novel that unravels a tale of mothers, friends, sea turtles, and how lives can change over one magical summer.

The cycle of life of the loggerhead sea turtle on the Isle of Palms has special meaning for the turtle ladies who watch over them in this small coastal South Carolina town. Every season brings new life and new challenges as the turtles make their way back to the ocean.

Turtle lady Toy Sooner has faced her share of challenges. The single mother left an abusive relationship to raise her young daughter. She’s found meaning working at the aquarium, but she’s not sure she’s ready for the challenge of starting a new turtle hospital…or a new relationship with her boss, Ethan.

As the summer progresses and loggerheads take their steps toward healing and freedom, Toy must find her own strength to face her fear and move courageously toward the future.


“Sick sea turtles and a sharply drawn cast mark Monroe’s inspirational tale of redemption and, naturally, the power of love. Though billed as the sequel to Beach House, the novel stands on its own and will likely widen Monroe’s readership.”
Publishers Weekly

“Mary Alice Monroe is a storyteller first and foremost and that accounts for her legion of admirers. The fact that she adds in an environmental angle in her books only shows the heart and depth of the woman behind the book.”
—Jackie Cooper, Huffington Post

“The insight Ms. Monroe gives into the plight of the loggerheads adds a wonderful dimension to the plot, while the struggles of the strong female characters who lead the turtle team provide a wonderful counterpoint to the growing pains of the young and inexperienced Toy. The love and respect they all show one another through some very difficult situations will win your heart, and have you cheering them on to achieving their dreams. This book is a rare treat, especially for anyone who has enjoyed a life-long love affair with the ocean.”
Fresh Fiction Reviews

“Our failures are humbling. The more I learn, the more I see that, in the end, nature will prevail.”
SWIMMING LESSONS