Book ~ "Summer Rental" (2011) Mary Kay Andrews

From Goodreads ~ Ellis, Julia, and Dorie. Best friends since Catholic grade school, they now find themselves in their mid-thirties, at the crossroads of life and love. Ellis, recently fired from a job she gave everything to, is rudderless and now beginning to question the choices she's made over the past decade of her life. Julia, whose caustic wit covers up her wounds, has a man who loves her and is offering her the world but she can't hide from how deeply insecure she feels about her looks, her brains, her life. And Dorie has just been shockingly betrayed by the man she loved and trusted the most in the world ... though this is just the tip of the iceberg of her problems and secrets. A month in North Carolina's Outer Banks is just what they each of them needs.

Ty Bazemore is their landlord, though he's hanging on to the rambling old beach house by a thin thread. After an inauspicious first meeting with Ellis, the two find themselves disturbingly attracted to one another, even as Ty is about to lose everything he's ever cared about.

Maryn Shackleford is a stranger and a woman on the run. Maryn needs just a few things in life: no questions, a good hiding place and a new identity. Ellis, Julia and Dorie can provide what Maryn wants; can they also provide what she needs?

Mary Kay Andrews' novel is the story of five people questioning everything they ever thought they knew about life. Five people on a journey that will uncover their secrets and point them on the path to forgiveness. Five people who each need a sea change and one month in a summer rental that might just give it to them.

Ellis, Julia and Dorie are in their mid-thirties and have been friends since they were children in school together.  They rent a beach house in Nags Head for the month of August to spend some time together.  Ellis has just been downsized from her job at the bank and has no employment prospects or love life.  She's very structured and likes to live by a schedule so is concerned about her future.  Julia is a model who has been living in London with her long-time boyfriend, Booker.  He wants to get married but she keeps resisting.  Dorie's husband, Stephen, was supposed to join them but he backed out at the last minute and Dorie doesn't reveal why right away.

The girls are renting the house from Ty.  He is behind in his bills and if he doesn't catch up soon, he is going to lose the house.  There is an attraction between him and Ellis.  Maryn is married to an abusive husband.  When she realizes the depth of his brutality, she runs away and ends up driving aimlessly.  She ends up in Nags Head and rents a room from the girls but keeps to herself.

I've read a few books by this author and I liked this one.  I liked the writing style and found the storyline entertaining (it's a fun summer book).  It is written in third person perspective focusing on wherever the action is.  The editing could have been tighter as there were some typos.   As a head's up, there is swearing, adult activity and violence.

I liked the characters.  I found Ellis a bit annoying in the beginning because she was so anal (her good friends found her a bit annoying too).  I started liking her more as she chilled out. 

I look forward to reading other books by this author.