Pleasant Bay

By: Emily Wakeman Cyr

Narrated by: Sarah Wadsley

J. Courtney Sullivan meets Jennifer Weiner in this page-turning and heartfelt multi-generational debut about the smart, headstrong, and equally flawed Harris women, forging their own paths in life, set on the idyllic shores of Cape Cod. It’s the summer of 2002, and 21-year-old Sarah Harris has experienced enough heartache this past year to last a lifetime. She escapes to the solace of her aunt’s Cape Cod beach cottage to work at a swanky golf resort, and save up enough money to put herself through college and help her family’s dwindling finances. When she meets Luke, she’s hit with the realization that this man might be the love of her life. But is their love for the ages? Or just for the summer?

Nearly two decades later, 16-year-old Madelyn is going through struggles of her own — an overworked and overprotective single mom who doesn’t approve of Madelyn’s older boyfriend and an absentee father her mom refuses divulge anything about. More and more, she finds herself longing to know more about this man who she sees in her own features and mannerisms. When the friction between the two of them reaches a boiling point, Madelyn’s mom sends her to Cape Cod to spend the summer with her grandmother, where she comes as close as she’s ever been to figuring out her father’s identity. But at what cost?

As their storylines converge, both Sarah and Madelyn must confront the far-reaching consequences of their choices. Is it ever too late to ask for forgiveness?

Spanning two summers and nearly two decades, Pleasant Bay captures a powerful portrait of the unwavering bonds of family, the fragility of second chances, and the tender truths we can discover if we dare to look deeper within ourselves.

©2023 Emily Wakeman Cyr (P)2024 Emily Wakeman Cyr

The Perfect Beach Read

4.5 stars!

What a well-rounded romance, coming-of-age story. I’m a sucker for second chance romances and oh boy, did I enjoy this one. Sarah and Luke have the summer love we all dreamed about! I loved their reconnection and Sarah’s growth from a young adult into a mother, and how she navigated her life. Her relationship with Madelyn, her daughter, adds a much loved aspect to the story.

This novel also highlights family dynamics and relationships. What a beautiful environment Emily created for the main characters. She highlights the stresses of loved ones, the grief of losing them, and the closeness in healthy relationships.

Grab some ice cream and get ready to be enveloped in the mystique of Pleasant Bay. I loved that this book can reach so many audiences! If you love second chance romance, this is for you. If you love mother-daughter stories, this is for you. If you enjoy realistic family dynamics, this is for you. If you love a coming-to-age book that takes place over the span of someone’s life (not just childhood), this is for you!

Lastly, I would like to thank Emily Wakeman Cyr for receiving a copy of her debut book via Audible! The performance by Sarah Wadsley was amazing (and kudos to her awesome Australian accent)!

(CW: SA/ death of parent off page/ death of relative on page)

Good and relatable.

I really enjoyed the story line. So much can be relatable. From a teenager to a single mom. Luke is such a stand up guy and good to everyone he comes in contact with. Miscommunication is so common in relationships, and you just want to yell at both of them to just talk! Between boyfriend and girlfriend, and mother and daughter.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. Would recommend for sure.

Mother's and Daughters

Thank you for the opportunity to ALC this book. This was a multi-layered story between a mother and daughter through their separate experiences in Pleasant Bay of their summers spanning over two different decades. There are multiple generations of Harris women that are featured through the book. The story goes through the evolution Sarah's journey of what happens when she made hard choice without knowing all the facts, forgiving yourself for it and moving passed it.

Summer beach read

This is the summer read we all need. It’s heartwarming, fun, sweet and filled with second chance romance we all dream about. Plus add in a little baseball, a dreamy beach location, found family- it’s a perfect combination.

This story is told in dual timeline between the summers spent in Cape Cod during 2002 and 2019. First point of view we meet Sarah. She just turned 21 and facing a lot of change in her life, her dad is sick, her brother is in military overseas and she just experienced a devastating breakup. She goes to live with her aunt Claire for the summer. Then flash forward to 2019 and we meet Madelyn, Sarah’s daughter. She is turning 16 and typical teenager. In love with her high school boyfriend. She has questions about her dad but her mom refuses to give her any information.

The narration by Sarah Wadsley was amazing. She really brought the characters in this story to life. It was such an easy listen.

I think either listen or reading this is a perfect summer beach read.

Pleasant Listening

Emily Wakeman Cry developed a story, in a beautiful setting, with moms and daughters and the ties that brings. Sarah Wadsley, has voice that I got lost. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It was worth my time.
The Cape and Connecticut were beautiful settings for this story. I live in CT. I’ve been to both the Cape and Boston. The author did a wonderful job bring me right out onto the Cape. From the crossing over the bridge, to following the cars all the way to Province Town, I could taste lobster and ice cream, and remember playing miniature golf, and best of all hear the ocean sounds.
A common theme in the story line is timing and communication. Or, what I noticed was, lack of communication. Communication played a big role in the drama, from texting to self-talk. We came to see how important it can be when it comes to laying the stones in the foundation of a relationship. My favorite character Aunt Claire, told a metaphorical story about her home. The story solidified idea that relationships need strong foundation. Also the work you put makes you appreciate what you have. For me, Wadsley’s voice made Aunt Claire the quintessential lady on Cape Cod.
Towards the end of the story we briefly see an old clock on the wall. It has long stopped telling time, but it’s still on the wall. The image of that clock speaks volumes.
Pleasant Bay is story set mostly on Cape Cod but it’s but these woman learn and share their first loves, second chance, parenting and self care lessons. This is beach read, a summer read, an escape. It easy listening, it’s romantic and in some ways nostalgic because Cape Cod is memories.

A mother daughter generational story

A mother daughter generational story that explores family ties and giving second chances to those we love and cherish.

Summer 2002, Sarah spends the summer with her Aunt in Cape Cod to get away from the hardships of home, her father being sick, her brother getting deployed and her boyfriend breaking it off. She plans to work to make money for her last year at college but she also meets baseball player Luke and she falls in love. By the end of the summer he gets signed to play in the majors and his departure is abrupt. She tries to contact him but is unable to and then she learns she is pregnant.

Madelyn 2019 is a high school sophomore who is dating senior Connor and struggling to understand her mothers decisions. She wants to find out about her dad but her mom is tightlipped and secretive. As they continue to butt heads, her mom thinks it would be good for Madelyn to spend the summer at the Cape with her Gran. Sarah uncovers some information about her father and must decide if she wants to pursue finding him or if she should respect her mothers wishes.

I think this story will stay with me for a while. It is such a good reminder that nothing is irreparable and the people you love are never far away and will stay with you always. The characters were all going through their own struggles and they had to learn how to overcome them with the help of the people they love. The journey that they all are on was not only relatable but reminds you that everyone has to find their own way sometimes but they don't always have to do it alone. A perfect beach read!

Thank you Emily Wakeman Cyr for the audible book! The narrator, Sarah Wadsley, was perfect and she nailed that Aussie accent.

Notes:
This book was listened to through the Audible app
Author: Emily Wakeman Cyr- first time reader!
Genre: Romance, Family, second chances
Troupe: second chance romance, Pregnancy