Review: Cocoa Beach by Beatriz Williams

Title:Cocoa Beach

Author:Beatriz Williams

Published:June 2017, William Morrow

Format:ARC Paperback, 384 pages

Source:Publisher

The author of A Certain
Age transports readers to sunny Florida in this lush and enthralling
historical novel—an enchanting blend of love, suspense, betrayal, and
redemption set among the rum runners and scoundrels of Prohibition-era
Cocoa Beach

Burdened by a dark family secret, Virginia Fortescue
flees her oppressive home in New York City for the battlefields of World
War I France. Driving an ambulance for the Red Cross, she meets a
charismatic British army surgeon whose persistent charm opens her heart
to the possibility of love. As the war rages, Virginia falls into a
passionate affair with the dashing Captain Simon Fitzwilliam, only to
discover that his past has its own dark secrets—secrets that will damage
their eventual marriage and propel her back across the Atlantic to the
sister and father she’d left behind.

Five years later, in the
early days of Prohibition, the newly widowed Virginia Fitzwilliam
arrives in the tropical boomtown of Cocoa Beach, Florida, to settle her
husband’s estate. Despite the evidence, Virginia does not believe Simon
perished in the fire that destroyed the seaside home he built for her
and their young daughter. Separated from her husband since the early
days of their marriage, the headstrong Virginia plans to uncover the
truth, for the sake of the daughter Simon has never met.

Simon’s
brother and sister welcome her with open arms and introduce her to a
dazzling new world of citrus groves, white beaches, bootleggers, and
Prohibition agents. But Virginia senses a predatory presence lurking
beneath the irresistible, hedonistic surface of this coastal oasis. The
more she learns about Simon and his mysterious business interests, the
more she fears that the dangers surrounding Simon now threaten her and
their daughter’s life as well.

My thoughts:As many of you know, I’m a huge fan of Beatriz Williams’ books – I’ve read just about all of them and usually go to see her when she’s on book tour whenever I get the chance! There’s just something about her books – they’re the perfect blend of historical fiction, compelling characters and fantastic writing that bring me back time and time. I just can’t get enough of this perfect combination!!!

This latest book is a continuation of her Jazz Age series that isn’t really a series…if that makes sense. One thing I’ve come the learn about Beatriz Williams is that there are few characters she creates that she leaves untouched –meaning eventually she comes back and tells just about everyone’s story. The main character in this book was the sister in last summer’s book, A Certain Age…and is also loosely connected to her Prohibition series that is part of her winter series. Again – these are all series but not series. According to her, they are all stand-alone books that are loosely connected.

I really enjoyed this book – I loved the way the story moved back and forth between the two time periods, from Europe during WWI to the 1920s in Florida during the height of Prohibition. I could vividly picture the way life was for Virginia both during the war and then back in Florida after the war. And I loved the letters that Beatriz included from Simon to Virginia – a great way for us to get inside Simon’s head. 

With so many characters running around in this book, particularly in the 1920s timeline, it’s hard to differentiate the good guys from the bad guys at times. The twists and turns will keep you flipping the pages, especially the last half of the book, until you get til the end. And then we are left with quite the cliffhanger – but for what “series?” I admit – I had to reread the last few pages a few times to make sure I understood what I just read…and now I am desperate for that next book!!!

Beatriz Williams’ books are definitely on my must-read list…I know I am in for a treat when I pick one up and I always end up looking forward to the next one as soon as I finish the current one – and luckily she writes quite a few each year. Do you have an author like that – that you must-read?