Author: T A Williams
Publication: 11 July 2016 -- CarinaUK/Harper Collins
Amazon Description:
For the perfect summer romance…
It’s finally time for Natalie Dryden to decide what she really wants! After ditching her sparkling engagement ring, and her ghastly fiancé, she jets off for the sun-kissed shores of Southern France – the only place that has ever truly felt like home. For the first time ever, Natalie is determined to forget all about men and follow her dreams!
…head to the French coast!
Only, avoiding the male population isn’t quite so easy, especially when she meets smooth-talking Philippe and gorgeous fisherman, Remy! But then Natalie, quite literally, bumps into brooding millionaire Mark whilst swimming in the glittering azure-blue bay – and her life is turned upside-down.
Love might be off the cards for Natalie, yet suddenly she finds herself in her dream job and working with her dream man! But is it all too good to be true…?
First Lines (Prologue): 
First Lines (Chapter 1):
David's parents' house was one of the most opulent in what was a very opulent part of south-west London. Today the gravel drive in front of the house was choked with smart, expensive cars and the Union Jack hung proudly, if limply, from the flagpole.
Faves on 4s: (epub format -- 243 pages total)
p14 - 'Well, she is quite pretty.' Marjorie even managed to make a compliment sound like an insult. 'It's just that she's so...' She paused for though. 'So unkempt.'
p44 - Yes, it really was a wonderful place and she determined not to let other matters, particularly men, get in the way of her enjoyment of this well-earned holiday.
p104 - All right, you cow, Natalie thought to herself, I'm going to be so bloody sweet and nice to you tonight, you'll choke on your food.
p164 - 'Now, take a deep breath and look around you. You're sitting in a little bit of paradise and we're very, very lucky people. You need to remind yourself of that.'
p204 - She and Amy, after a trip to the local pub for pie and chips and a few pints of lager, had sat up talking until three in the morning and Natalie had overslept her alarm. As they talked, Amy's awestruck expression had lingered as she listened to Natalie recount the vagaries of her summer in France.
Ramble:
I read my first Williams book, What Happens In The Alps..., back in March and found it to be so delightful that as soon as I saw his newest was available on NetGalley I just had to get it. Once again my 20 (or so) Books of Summer list had to be tweaked (especially since I picked up three other books at the same time), but it was definitely worth it. I may have to bump some more of the Xanth off the list or greatly diminish my planned Christmas in July to only a couple of books, but it's a small sacrifice because What Happens At The Beach... was even more delightful!
Natalie Dryden is 30 years old and recently finished her PhD in Medieval History. After a severe falling out with her fiancé that results in her returning her engagement ring, she heads to her grandmother's place in Southern France to job hunt and focus on her future. She does, of course, fall in love at first sight ... with a dog who frequently visits her grandmother and happens to have a very rich and very handsome owner. Even better is that said owner just happens to be looking for help writing a novel set in the exact time period that Natalie's thesis was about.
Yeah, you can probably see where this is all going from a kilometer away.
In spite of the predictability of a lot of it, this book was exactly what I needed. With all of the angst going on at work and the end of the school year for my son and the Democratic sit-in over gun control and the whole referendum fiasco over the pond, I needed a light escape that didn't make me go through multiple boxes of tissues. (There were a few tears that welled up, but I wasn't turned into a complete wreck.)
What Happens At The Beach... is being released in two weeks, on July 11th. If you're looking for a quick and light read that's perfect for the beach (or recliner ... or bus ... or ...), I highly recommend picking this one up!
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