So here's the thing about Mary Kay Andrews - I've listened to probably six of her books, and they all kind of promise the same thing: sun-drenched Southern setting, a woman figuring her life out, a love interest who's stubborn but hot, and a happy ending you can see coming from three chapters in. And honestly? That's exactly why I keep coming back. Beach Town is no exception, but I need to be upfront: this one's not her best work. It's more like her comfortable B+ work. Which, for a Tuesday afternoon when Sophie is miraculously napping and I'm folding laundry that's been sitting in the dryer for two days? B+ is plenty.
The premise grabbed me immediately. Greer Hennessy is a movie location scout whose last project literally burned down (like, actual fire), and she's got one shot to redeem herself by finding a perfect small-town Florida beach for a big Hollywood production. She lands in Cypress Key, which has exactly one motel, a marina, and a mayor named Eben Thibadeaux who wants nothing to do with her or her movie people. You already know where this is going. They butt heads, they're attracted to each other, small town drama ensues.
When Hollywood Meets the Florida Panhandle (And Neither Behaves Well)
What makes this one work - when it works - is the chaos that unfolds when the film crew actually shows up in Cypress Key. Andrews nails the absurdity of a Hollywood production descending on a tiny town. The spoiled lead actor causing problems, local women losing their minds over celebrity proximity, a conniving ex-socialite trying to cash in. It's messy and fun and feels like something that would actually happen if a film crew showed up in a real small town. The behind-the-scenes movie industry stuff was genuinely interesting to me. I don't know much about location scouting, and Andrews clearly did her homework on how that world works - the permits, the politics, the producer egos.
But here's where I have to agree with other listeners who've said this one is missing the "zing" of Andrews' earlier books. Greer and Eben are fine together. Fine. Not electric. Not the kind of couple where you're whispering "just kiss already" while sitting in the school pickup line. Their conflict feels a little manufactured - he doesn't want the movie, she needs the movie, they're attracted to each other. It's paint-by-numbers romance structure, and Andrews usually paints outside the lines more than this. When We Believed in Mermaids has a similarly sun-soaked coastal setup but the central relationship actually kept me guessing in a way Greer and Eben never quite managed.
And the ending. Look. I love a satisfying wrap-up. I live for a satisfying wrap-up. But the resolution here goes from "oh that's nice" to "wait, really?" pretty fast. Everything gets tied up so neatly that it stretches past comforting and into fanciful territory. I'm a woman who believes in happy endings, and even I raised an eyebrow.
Kathleen McInerney Is the Real MVP (As Usual)
Here's what kept me hitting play every time I got back in the car: Kathleen McInerney's narration. She's been the voice of Mary Kay Andrews' books for years now, and there's a reason for that. She slips into this slight Southern accent that never feels like a caricature - it's warm and natural, like she's from three towns over. Her Greer is sharp and a little vulnerable at the same time, which is exactly what the character needs because on paper Greer could come across as too polished.
But the real fun is her secondary characters. She gives each one a distinct enough voice that I never got lost, even after pausing to break up a fight over who gets the purple cup (it's always the purple cup). The Hollywood types sound appropriately slick. The locals sound like actual people. She handles humor well too - there are some genuinely funny moments that land because McInerney knows when to lean into the comedic timing versus when to play it straight.
Who This Is Actually For
If you're a die-hard Mary Kay Andrews fan, this is a solid - not spectacular - addition to your rotation. If you've never read her before, honestly start with something else. The Summer Rental or maybe Save the Date will give you a better first impression. This one's the equivalent of that friend who's usually the life of the party but showed up a little tired tonight. Still good company. Just not peak performance.
At 14 hours, it's longer than I usually go for, but McInerney's narration made the time pass easily. I finished it over about 8 days of drop-offs, nap times, and yes, car-in-garage sessions. Survived 47 pauses and still made sense. Not groundbreaking, but sometimes you don't need groundbreaking. Sometimes you need palm trees and a predictable love story and someone else's drama for a change.
Car time approved. Just don't expect it to be your new favorite.
