Today I’m sharing my review of Rock the Boat by Beck Dorey-Stein. This book is out today!
Synopsis
When Kate Campbell’s life in Manhattan suddenly implodes, she is forced to return to Sea Point, the small town full of quirky locals, quaint bungalows, and beautiful beaches where she grew up. She knows she won’t be home for long; she’s got every intention (and a three-point plan) to win back everything she thinks she’s lost.
Meanwhile, Miles Hoffman–aka “The Prince of Sea Point”–has also returned home to prove to his mother that he’s capable of taking over the family business, and he’s promised to help his childhood best friend, Ziggy Miller, with his own financial struggles at the same time. Kate, Miles, and Ziggy converge in Sea Point as the town faces an identity crisis when a local developer tries to cash in on its potential. The summer swells, and white lies and long-buried secrets prove as corrosive as the salt air, threatening to forever erode not only the bonds between the three friends but also the landscape of the beachside community they call home.
Full of heart and humor–and laced with biting wit–Rock the Boat proves that even when you know all the back roads, there aren’t any shortcuts to growing up.
Why I Decided to Read this Book
I picked this up when researching books for my Summer Reading Guide. The synopsis and cover screamed summer to me.
Rating
4.5 Stars (Check out my rating system!)
My Thoughts
This is a great summer book and all I wanted it to be. It is set in a small beach town in New Jersey and it made me want to go there. It is a coming of age story that follows three high school friends that reconnect when they are older.
I tend to like books that are more plot heavy, so I was surprised about how much I enjoyed this book that was more “quiet”. The book is about these characters lives during one summer. What makes this book special is the dynamic between Kate, Ziggy and Miles. Their friendships are rocky but its fun to follow and see them grow. These characters are struggling with adulting and haven’t we all been there? I think the way the author explored that theme was well done and it just makes you think about what makes you an adult. Aren’t we all just trying the best we can? We are never too old to keep growing up.
I’ve seen some reviews criticizing the book because they didn’t like Kate or people that didn’t relate to her. While Kate and I are different I found something in her that I emphasized with and I liked seeing her character develop throughout the story. I think many women in their 30s could see themselves in Kate in some way and that’s one of the things I liked about the book.
Content Warnings
Death, grief
Who I Recommend this Book to
If you’re looking to escape to a small beach town and enjoy reading about people trying to figure out how to adult this is for you!
Get the Book!
Did this review of Rock the Boat convince you to read it? Check out the links below to order it from Bookshop.org and libro.fm. Please consider ordering it from a Black owned independent bookstore. This list of Black owned independent bookstores accepts online ordering.
If you’ve read this book let me know your thoughts in the comments!
LOVE this cover!