Beach Therapy: A Novel by Madeleine Jaimes is a Summertime Books Event pick #womensfiction #beachread #sale #summerreads #giveaway
- N. N. Light
- 20 hours ago
- 5 min read
Title: Beach Therapy: A Novel
Author: Madeleine Jaimes
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Book Blurb:
Beach therapy—with a twist of lime.
Every August, six best friends reunite at the same oceanfront house in charming Tuckaway Bay to laugh, drink tequila, and heal from life’s troubles. But this year, is beach therapy enough?
Lia is blindsided by an unwanted proposal from her long-term partner. Maggie’s marriage unravels amid shocking revelations. Julia battles a hidden addiction and devastating grief. Twins Wren and Willow confront pressing health scares and deadly secrets. And Alice, the gatekeeper of the group, unwittingly reveals a secret that will shock them all.
When tensions rise and secrets overwhelm, their friendships—and some of their lives—hang by a fragile thread. The women must decide if decades of friendship and a few rounds of tequila can see them through another stormy beach week.
Perfect for fans of emotional women’s fiction featuring powerful friendships, family sagas, and characters facing midlife crossroads, Beach Therapy is a captivating journey about the bonds that hold women together—and the secrets that can tear them apart.
Excerpt:
Lia glanced at her girlfriends gathered around the kitchen island in their beach house, Tequila Sunrise. The ocean was their backdrop, with sparkling waves glinting like diamonds in the bright morning sun. The full-length windows gave them a stunning view of the beach and ocean. The women were all dressed in beach attire. Suits and wraps were the mainstay wardrobe of the week—and while they may be covering a bit more flesh than they did twenty years ago, their wraps longer and their suits more substantial than the ones they wore in college, none of them truly gave a damn.
They were in Tuckaway Bay, which meant a no-stress, no-worry week for all.
That was the rule.
Tequila Sunrise was more than a summer getaway—it was beach therapy, with a twist of lime.
Five of them had arrived so far. They were still waiting for Julia.
Alice had opened the house yesterday. Maggie came with her, a last-minute change of plans. Wren and Willow took a red-eye from the west coast to Raleigh-Durham, then rented a car and drove to OBX crossing over at Roanoke Island earlier that morning. Lia thought they looked damn tired but who could blame them? Traveling from coast-to-coast always made her jet-lagged, groggy, and grumpy.
“Anyone heard from Julia?” Willow plopped down on the sofa in the great room. “When is she getting here?
“Talked to her earlier in the week,” Maggie said. “She’s not coming.”
“What?” Lia had looked forward to seeing her.
“I think she’s depressed,” Maggie added. “We chat occasionally.”
“Well, no shit. She’s had a rough year.” Wren moved around the bar and looked over Alice’s shoulder.
“I don’t know how she’s coped,” Willow added.
Alice looked up, joining the conversation. “Wait. Are you talking about Julia? She called yesterday. She’s coming, but not sure when she’ll get here.”
“Oh?” Maggie looked shocked.
“Yeah.” Alice nodded toward Maggie. “I forgot to tell you. So much went on yesterday. I was surprised too. I hope she’s okay.”
Maggie looked perplexed.
Alice added. “She’s taking two days to drive—to think, she told me. I hope all is okay with her.”
“Me, too.” Lia frowned. “It’s so good to see all of you.” She spanned the group. “But I have to say, Willow, you look like shit.”
“She’s not well,” Wren shot back.
Willow flipped her sister the bird. “I’m fine. It’s some stomach thing, probably my ulcer is back. No worries.”
Wren sat beside her sister. “But she’s right, Willow, you don’t look well, and we’re going to find a clinic or something after we’ve had a nap.”
“Good God, Wren. Quit mothering me.” She rolled her eyes.
“That’s right,” Alice piped up. “That’s my job.”
The women laughed.
“It’s the truth.” Lia poured a few glugs of tequila over the rocks in her glass, snatched a wedge of lime from Alice’s cutting board, and added it to the drink. “Even after all these years, Alice is still the mother hen.”
She tipped her cup to her friend.
Alice tipped hers back. “Touché.”
Lia anticipated that first crisp burn of alcohol on the back of her tongue. In Chicago, she was a wine or bourbon girl. At the beach, it was tequila all day, all the way. Unless the beverage of choice was coffee and it was morning, and then it might be Bailey’s. It wasn’t even ten o’clock yet and they had already started cocktails.
Glancing up, she caught Alice’s eye. “Wait. Did you bring a cooler? Someone usually does.”
To her left, Maggie piped up, pushing her sunglasses back up her nose. “Me. I usually do. But I didn’t have time to get as organized as I would have liked this year. So much going on with the kids and sports and getting Max ready to play dad for a week.” She glanced at Alice, her voice trailing off. “I can get one though.” She pushed away from the island and quickly stood.
“Good God, Maggie. No.” Lia slapped her palm on the bar. Maggie jumped like something stung her. “We don’t need it this minute. Sit tight. We can grab one later.”
Maggie eased back down and averted her gaze.
Lia studied her, frowning. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Maggie glanced again at Alice, her right leg shaking. Squaring her shoulders and sitting up straighter, she replied, “I’m fine.”
But something was off, and Lia didn’t know what. Maggie was usually bold and confident—but her subtle reaction to Lia’s cooler question was different, somehow.
Willow piped up. “Exactly. Let’s fuel up. I’m taking my red cup for a walk on the beach before it gets too hot. I plan to be either stoned or silly drunk within the hour. Anyone joining me?”
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
Universal Links: https://books2read.com/beach-therapy
What makes your featured book a must-read?
First, the book is on sale all summer! You can’t beat that, right?
Second, Beach Therapy launches the Tuckaway Bay women’s fiction series penned by Madeleine Jaimes. In this first book, you’ll get to know six women—best friends since college—now in their early forties. As the women navigate their chaotic lives, there is one constant—beach week, the last week of August, every year. Called a binge-worthy series by early readers, you’ll want to grab this first book ASAP! Come meet Lia, Maggie, Alice, Julia, and the twins, Wren and Willow—and then dive into each of their books that follow!
Giveaway –
Enter to win a $15 Amazon gift card:
Open Internationally.
Runs June 23 – June 30, 2025.
Winner will be drawn on July 1, 2025.
Author Biography:
Madeleine Jaimes is a contemporary women’s fiction author whose emotionally charged novels explore the real-life social issues affecting women today. Her work weaves together powerful themes like addiction and recovery, domestic violence, LGBTQ+ identity, reproductive rights, and family struggles. With a signature blend of hope, honesty, and heart, Madeleine’s books offer readers stories of healing, courage, and connection.
Her popular Tuckaway Bay series reflects her passion for writing layered characters and small-town stories where every woman’s journey matters.
Social Media Links:
Website http://www.maddiejames.org
Bookstore http://www.maddiejamesbooks.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MJNovelist