This book is like a slow promenade down the beach; unhurried, reflective, and soothing somehow. It is at once engaging and tender, and is a storytelling style reminiscent of classic books.
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This book follows four sisters, Sarah, Emily, Viola, and Georgiana, as well as their mother. It talks about their reduced circumstances and how they have to figure out how to survive. They decide to turn their home into a boarding house of sorts, and Sea View is born.
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This book primarily follows Sarah and Viola, as they each try to figure out what their hearts wants. Viola especially goes through so much growth in this one, and I loved watching her confidence blossom, and her belief in her inherent goodness. I felt that Julie handled so well the situation with the Major and Viola, and their respective scars and the injuries that led to said scarring. And I loved how they taught each other just by being themselves around one another. It’s the sweetest story. I also loved the research Julie has clearly done into cleft palate/lip, and how it was treated and perceived during these times. It was so well done and such a good reminder that people are so much more than what has happened to them.
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I absolutely loved the elements each of the side characters brought to this story. They made me smile and added such a fun component to the overall book!
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I felt like Julie masterfully balanced heartache and hope, grief and gladness, friendship and love. It’s a wonderful story. ( )

Fantastic book! I read it in two days! The characters are extraordinary and the setting is sublime! I love books that are set at the beach! I enjoyed the relationship that the sisters had with each other and with their neighbors. My favorite was Georgiana- she's full of vim and vigor! Just a delightful book! A definite must read! ( )

First sentence: Sarah Summers carefully lifted the family heirloom, a warm mantle of nostlagia settling over her.

Historical romance--Regency Romance--Christian fiction.

After the death of their father and the decline of their mother's health, four sisters--Sarah, Emily, Viola, Georgiana--decide (somewhat reluctantly) to open up their seaside home to (paying) guests.

Long story short: I absolutely loved, loved, loved, loved this one. It was just giddy-making. I loved the family. I loved the neighborhood and community. I loved meeting the guests. I loved the stories. I loved the relationships. I loved the layers.

Three of the four sisters are well-developed and get a lot of time and attention. [Georgiana, well, maybe in future books she will be developed and have a story.]

There are multiple narrators. The narrators do not switch over at chapter breaks. Within a chapter, the point of view might change several times. The only negative thing I can say about this one is that--at least in the advanced reader's copy--there's no visual clues that the narration has changed.

It was so funny to have Mr. and Mrs. Elton from Emma show up as guests in this one!!! They added much comic relief.

ETA: Yes, I read this one twice in one year. The sequel just released. I checked both books out of the library. ( )

An enchanting story of the Summers family who must give up their home, move to Sidmouth and open a guesthouse when their patriarch dies. Told from each of four sisters points of view, we meet neighbors, guests and the inhabitants of this seaside village. The eldest, Sarah, feels responsible for organizing things and keeps things going. Self conscious Viola, starts to become more social, demonstrating helpfulness and kindness. Emily is good at hospitality, while Georgiana befriends a guest closer to her own age.
Unexpected romance blooms as the girls show their Christian concern for others. They learn valuable lessons such as forgiveness, tolerance, humility and getting along with others. It was delightful to get to know the family as well as the other characters and it is good to know that some guests will be returning in subsequent books. It is always a pleasure to slip back in time to Regency England through the pen of Ms. Klassen.
* I won a copy of this book from Kav Rees at Best Reads blog in 2022. All opinions are my own.* ( )

I really liked this book of the story of sisters who are trying to overcome a change in their lives. I read everything this author writes as soon as I can get it. A different time period than some of her books I enjoyed learning about the history of this time.