Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans by Joanne DeMaio ~ Review ~

WOW! That is very first word that came to mind after I finished Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans by Joanne DeMaio. This is the second book I have had the pleasure of reading by Ms. DeMaio and let me tell you I enjoyed it just as much as the last. As I was reading this story the descriptions of the beach and the water are so detailed that I swore I heard the waves crashing on shore and felt the sand between my toes. Not only can Ms. DeMaio transport us to the beach, she has created characters that are memorable, charismatic, compelling, and personable. I  wouldn't mind sitting down with these folks for a visit. This is another one of those very emotional books that takes you along for the ride. This story revolves around a group of friends that knew each when they were young. It is a nice story of a reunion of friends that still have a connection all these years late. 

Maris Carrington has returned to her hometown to take care of her fathers estate. While she is cleaning and packing she finds questions that she has to answer before she goes home. Maris has some life decisions to make and longs for some time at the beach. She decides to extend her stay and try to work out her life. She meets up with some old friends while at the beach. She starts her search to uncover the mystery she longs to understand. I really liked Maris she is s strong, independent woman that I truly admired. 

Eva is Maris best friend and has been for years, she helps Maris find a cottage by the beach to rent for a few weeks. Eva has some family problems of her own. She longs to find her birth parents. She gets so caught up in her search that it's putting a strain on her husband and daughter. Eva has a wonderful husband Matt who feels a little  abandon when Eva goes on her searches. Eva has a great life but feels like she is missing something. There is a huge mystery here that unfolds that left me speechless for a few moments. I'm not going to do tell you more then that. I'll let you read this wonderful story to find out for yourself. 

Jason Barlow went through a tremendous loss and is struggling to find his way back to life. He not only lost his brother but part of his leg as well. Jason is carrying a lot of emotional baggage around. Maris just may be the one person that can help him deal with his past. I really enjoyed learning Jason's story. If you have a box of kleenex handy you might want to grab it here when he's explaining what happened. I cried and hurt for him. His is a very emotional story. 

Matt & Lauren's marriage is suffering the impact of financial  insecurity due to job loss and the economy. Matt is doing his best to keep his family a float but feels he's losing his wife and doesn't know how to get her back. Lauren has suffered a great loss and is living in the world of "WHAT IF" things had been different. These two pulled at my heart. What they need most is each other and their children. They just have find their way back together. 

Over all, this was one fabulously written story full of drama, friendship, love, a nice reunion, and lots of emotion. Ms. DeMaio has a wonderful way of telling a story that pulls you right in and touches you so deep you can feel the pain, the sorrow and the joy of each of her delightfully fascinating characters. I truly felt a bond with each character. I was so engrossed in this story that I hated to set the book down to do other things. I couldn't wait to pick it back up to see what in the world as going to happen next. 

Now that I have had the pleasure of reading two sensational stories by Ms. DeMaio, I will certainly be looking forward to her next release. I enjoy her unique writing style and way of transporting you to the beach with her phenomenal details. 

If you are looking for a great summer time read that you can read at the beach or just imagine you are at the beach, check this one out. But don't leave the Kleenex behind. I hope you find this book as enjoyable as I did. 

I had the delightful opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review. As always it has been a great pleasure to share my thoughts on this story with you.

You may find my review of Whole Latte Life here. 

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Author Bio:

Joanne DeMaio is the award-winning author of the bestselling novels BLUE JEANS AND COFFEE BEANS and WHOLE LATTE LIFE, which won First Place in the 2012 Discovery Awards and was named a Kirkus Reviews Critics' Pick.  Her books have been featured in USA Today, The Huffington Post and other outlets.  Joanne lives with her family in Connecticut and is currently at work on her next novel.  She enjoys hearing from readers at Facebook.com/JoanneDeMaioAuthor.