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ifyouhappentoremember's review against another edition
3.0
2.5
Cocoa Beach is a spinoff/sequel to [b: A Certain Age|25817466|A Certain Age (A Certain Age, #1)|Beatriz Williams|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1462516131l/25817466._SY75_.jpg|45583549], the events in this book take place in roughly the same span of time as the last third of A Ceratin Age.
Cocoa Beach starts out intriguing enough. Newly widowed Virginia Fitzwilliam arrives in Cocoa Beach, Florida, to settle her husband’s estate. However, she can not escape the feeling that the circumstances surrounding her husband's death are suspicious. She doesn't believe that her husband, Simon Fitzwilliam, is dead.
This book is messy. It's a story dealing with multiple layers of lies and deception. It gets so convoluted and tedious. By the time I got to the end, I had some logistical questions because the book just sweeps away some events off to the side with a one-sentence explanation.
At least I found this book to be a quick read and mildly entertaining enough. I can't say I recommend this book though.
Cocoa Beach is a spinoff/sequel to [b: A Certain Age|25817466|A Certain Age (A Certain Age, #1)|Beatriz Williams|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1462516131l/25817466._SY75_.jpg|45583549], the events in this book take place in roughly the same span of time as the last third of A Ceratin Age.
Cocoa Beach starts out intriguing enough. Newly widowed Virginia Fitzwilliam arrives in Cocoa Beach, Florida, to settle her husband’s estate. However, she can not escape the feeling that the circumstances surrounding her husband's death are suspicious. She doesn't believe that her husband, Simon Fitzwilliam, is dead.
This book is messy. It's a story dealing with multiple layers of lies and deception. It gets so convoluted and tedious. By the time I got to the end, I had some logistical questions because the book just sweeps away some events off to the side with a one-sentence explanation.
At least I found this book to be a quick read and mildly entertaining enough. I can't say I recommend this book though.
othersimmons's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
schray32's review against another edition
3.0
Leaves with an ending that you have to have read other books to figure out...Ugh.. I didn't read those so I have no clue
guylou's review against another edition
4.0
This is the latest novel of one of my favourite authors, Beatriz Williams. Cocoa Beach is an exciting read and not her usual style. The story takes place between 1919 and 1922 and is mostly set at Cocoa Beach, Florida. It is the story of Virginia Fortescue and Simon Fitzwilliam. Virginia is an American who joins the Red Cross during WWI. While in France, she meets Simon who is a British army surgeon. Simon pursues Virgina with determination, but his past looms over him and could cost him everything... even his love for Virginia
This is an awesome summer reading!
This is an awesome summer reading!
smolek's review against another edition
4.0
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. The ride was great. But I feel like this author is really strong in some areas and really weak in others. I'm starting to notice that while I enjoy the journey the books take me on, the denouement is usually a letdown. It's like she realizes the book needs to end at some point and concocts far-fetched scenarios to bring the book to a close. I did enjoy the first 85% of the book, about the time in Europe during the war and in Florida a few years after. Note that the time in Florida is a few pages in Cocoa Beach and the rest inland. Still nice, but not what the title and cover lead you to believe.
shawac11's review against another edition
4.0
I have read all of Breatriz William's book and for me she never disappoints. I love being transported back to a different time and different place. Cocoa Beach is the perfect summer/beach read fill with hot summer nights and the smell of orange blossoms.
machadofam8's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to like this more than I did - the backstory was good but it just didn't mesh well with the present day happenings. I figured it out too soon and that didn't help.
bkmaedel's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
ckausch's review against another edition
3.0
I adore Beatriz Williams' books. This one just didn't do it for me.
alythespoon's review against another edition
2.0
The only thing more interminable than Virginia Fitzwilliam's melodramatic saga was my attempt to read it. Normally, I'm a fan of Beatriz Williams' work. I've read everything else by her, and enjoyed it all. Devoured it, most often. But this book was an altogether different proposition. Not only was the plot inconceivably slow, but there was not a single important character that I felt any connection to whatsoever. I couldn't root for or against any of them, because I simply didn't care what happened to them. The only character that I found interesting appeared and was gone again in the space of a few chapters.
Williams' books often switch between two narratives, which usually has the effect of seeming to speed up the action. The opposite happened here. And since the same characters appeared in each storyline, it was harder to follow the storyline.
Finally, and perhaps most annoying of all, was the shoddy editing. Churning out a book every six months is all well and good, but Williams and her editor seem to be sacrificing quality for quantity. There were several glaring errors throughout this book that an editor should have caught. For instance, the facade of a grand house was described as pilloried, not pillared. Kind of funny out of context, but annoying nonetheless.
Williams' books often switch between two narratives, which usually has the effect of seeming to speed up the action. The opposite happened here. And since the same characters appeared in each storyline, it was harder to follow the storyline.
Finally, and perhaps most annoying of all, was the shoddy editing. Churning out a book every six months is all well and good, but Williams and her editor seem to be sacrificing quality for quantity. There were several glaring errors throughout this book that an editor should have caught. For instance, the facade of a grand house was described as pilloried, not pillared. Kind of funny out of context, but annoying nonetheless.