FOREVER BEACH


From the New York Times bestselling author of Beach Colors and Breakwater Bay comes this heartwarming story of love, family, and redemption. Two young girls pledged to be best friends forever. Separated by circumstance and hurt, they are reunited years later as they struggle to put their differences aside for the sake of a special little girl—perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah, Elin Hilderbrand, and Karen White.

Sarah Hargreave is anxious to finalize the adoption of her foster daughter Leila. Once a foster child herself, Sarah longs to become Leila’s “forever” family and give her all the love and stability she was denied in her own childhood.

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From the New York Times bestselling author of Beach Colors and Breakwater Bay comes this heartwarming story of love, family, and redemption. Two young girls pledged to be best friends forever. Separated by circumstance and hurt, they are reunited years later as they struggle to put their differences aside for the sake of a special little girl—perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah, Elin Hilderbrand, and Karen White.

Sarah Hargreave is anxious to finalize the adoption of her foster daughter Leila. Once a foster child herself, Sarah longs to become Leila’s “forever” family and give her all the love and stability she was denied in her own childhood. When Leila’s biological mother suddenly reappears and petitions the court for the return of her daughter, Sarah is terrified she’ll lose the little girl she loves to the drug addicted mother who abandoned her.

Having grown up in foster care, Ilona Cartwright fights for the rights of children who have no one to fight for them. But to Sarah she is Nonie Blanchard, who grew up in the same group foster home as Sarah. They’d promised to be best friends forever, then Nonie was adopted by a wealthy family, and Sarah never heard from her again. Sarah still hurts from the betrayal. But Nonie harbors her own resentment toward the past.

Mistrustful of each other, the two women form a tenuous alliance to ensure Leila’s future, but when Leila’s very survival is on the line, they’ll have to come to terms with their own feelings of hurt and rejection to save the child they both have come to love.

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  • William Morrow Paperbacks
  • Paperback
  • June 2016
  • 416 Pages
  • 9780062439062

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$15.99

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About Shelley Noble

Shelley Noble is a former professional dancer and choreographer and has worked on a number of films. She lives at the Jersey shore where she loves to visit lighthouses and vintage carousels. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and Romance Writers of America.

Praise

“Deeply moving. An uplifting story of love, trust, friendship, and the ever-changing face of family.” — Wendy Wax, USA Today bestselling author

“Forever Beach is a heartwarming, triumphant story about finding forgiveness and finding your forever home.” — Nan Rossiter, New York Times bestselling author

Discussion Questions

In spite of Sam’s love and the security he gave to Sarah, she

still has trouble allowing herself to love people and accept

their love in return. Why do you think she has trouble with

this? Do you think it’s because of her time in the foster

system? How can Leila avoid a similar fate?

Nonie has always had a plan for her life and an unrelenting

determination to succeed. How did that single-mindedness

affect her personal life? Was she unable to appreciate the

present because she was always striving for the future? Do

you think that made her unlovable?

What was it about Sarah and Nonie’s friendship that the

loss of it impacted their lives for so many years to come and

later makes them act the way they do? Do you think they

are different from people who are raised with their biological families? What, if anything, do they have in common?

After June’s death, Ilona begins to wonder if perhaps June

did love her, in her own way. What led her to this realization? Do you agree with her? Ilona has always been afraid

that maybe she didn’t try hard enough to make June love

her. Do you think she still tries too hard? What could she

have done differently?

When the book begins, Reesa has been feeling worn down

in her career as a caseworker. What was it about her last

case that pushed her over the brink? Do you think she did

the right thing to leave this area of social work and find

another job? Do you think you could do and see the things

she does if it meant you could make a difference?

Sarah, Reesa, and Ilona are thrust together because of one

little girl. Do you think they could have become friends

without Leila? Will they stay friends after this or will they

drift apart like Sarah and Nonie did so many years before?

Why do you think this might happen?

Why do you think Sarah is so adamant about adopting

Leila? Is she adopting her for the right reasons? Or is it to

fill a hole inside herself? Despite Sarah never having had

a mother growing up, do you think she could be a good

mother? Is it possible for her loss to make her an even better

one?

Is there a specific moment that was a turning point in Sarah

and Leila’s relationship? Or do you think it was a series of

moments that created a feeling of normalcy for them? Have

you ever experienced this?

One of the central themes of this novel is the question of

where a child really belongs. There seems to be no easy

answer. Is the bond between a child and his or her birth

mother so strong that no one else can replace it? Do you

think adoptive parents can fill that void and even become

more to their children?

Do you think you could ever become a foster or an adoptive

parent? Or if you already are, could you share your experience with the group? How has it changed you? Are there

things you’ve learned about yourself, good or bad, through

the process?