Rock the Boat

A Novel

By: Beck Dorey-Stein

Narrated by: Kristen DiMercurio

“[A] witty, heartfelt debut novel about a belated coming-of-age.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editors’ Choice)

Old friends discover how much has changed (and how much has stayed the same) when they reunite in their seaside hometown for one unforgettable summer—from the New York Times bestselling author of From the Corner of the Oval

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.

Critic reviews

“Lively [and] intelligent.”—People

“The perfect . . . read for anyone who craves a smart story with a happy ending.”—Oprah Daily

“It’ll hit you right in the feelings. Beck, will you please write a sequel?”—HelloGiggles

“Whip-smart and perfectly capturing that delicate balance between your younger and adult selves, Dorey-Stein’s book will have you—gasp!—craving a reunion with your high school pals.”—E! Online

“Sharp, irreverent, and compulsively readable—about how the best stuff in life is always what you didn’t plan.”—Lauren Weisberger, New York Times bestselling author of The Devil Wears Prada and Where the Grass Is Green and the Girls Are Pretty

“Beck Dorey-Stein’s buoyant first novel is about finding out who you are and what matters most when everything tips sideways. It’s about rediscovering what love costs and finding your way back to the people who truly mean home. Funny and effervescent, hope and heart-filled, Rock the Boat is a breath of delicious and utterly fresh air.”—Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife and When the Stars Go Dark

“Brimming with wit and warmth, and peopled with a terrifically vibrant cast of characters, Rock the Boat is a delightful, whip-smart page-turner with an expansive heart.”—Claire Lombardo, author of The Most Fun We Ever Had

“What a cocktail of a book, topped with frothy, delicious wit. Beck Dorey-Stein nails the pathos and comedy of that slippery, sideways path to (sigh) adulthood. We can be awful to the people we feel safest with—those who love us and who have known us the longest—and Dorey-Stein captures that truth beautifully. I’m wildly grateful to have discovered a novelist who delivers this amount of sheer pleasure on a page.”—Judy Blundell, author of The High Season

“Rock the Boat is the warm, wonderful escape I’ve been wishing for. A novel with gorgeous sentences and complex, kind characters set in a Garden State beach town—what more could you want? Mix yourself a Paloma and sink in. . . . Dorey-Stein’s debut novel is sheer delight.”—Amanda Eyre Ward, author of The Jetsetters

“A witty and endearing escape.”—Booklist

“The author perfectly captures what it means to come home again and rediscover yourself in the process.”—Kirkus Reviews

A delight!

I’m giving this all starts, because it is that much of a delight of a book. If you’ve read through enough reviews and know yourself well enough (to know what you’re in the mood for, and are feeling like this might be it, go for it). We’re still not over the pandemic & I’m dealing w a health issue so yeah, maybe I’m appreciating it more than usual, which isn’t to say it isn’t worth every gold start it receives!

Very well thought out great writing very enjoyable

This book was very well written. The storyline was well thought out the characters were developed sufficiently, and it was just very enjoyable.

Classic and fun easy read that will bring you back to earth while feeling all the feels

This author is so talented and while her memoir is dramatic, potent and raw, this novel takes a lighthearted spin on dramatic, potent and raw topics. The themes are the kind that make you a little more grateful and content and the characters are imperfect but perfectly lovable. It all ties together in the end in a neat and heart fluttering bow.

Refreshing Love Story

I loved everything about this book. Its a refreshing love story that draws the reader in to the lives of these well crafted characters. Highly recommend!

My favorite author by far…

Fascinating, fun and fast-paced, I now have to face months of agony while I wait for Beck Dorey-Stein’s next publication. All of her work - two books so far - is thoroughly researched and relevant. This author is at the top of her game….. keep watching.