The Beach In Winter (Lyon Family Series Book 1)

By: Leslie Pike

Narrated by: Joe Arden, Maxine Mitchell

From USA Today best-selling author Leslie Pike comes an emotional, raw, and heartwarming stand-alone romance

Broken and unable to bear the violent death of his child, Parrish Adams retreated to a private beach in Maine. Isolated and alone by choice, he’s since avoided connections at all costs. The cold Atlantic Ocean and a bottle of scotch are company enough.

Single and fiercely independent, Scarlett Lyon’s life has taken a heartbreaking and dramatic turn after her sister and brother-in-law lost their lives in a fatal accident. Now guardian to her teenage nephew Sam, she’s relocated from Montana to her sister’s home on Martin’s Beach. Scarlett wasn’t expecting much from the stand-offish man living next door. Parrish wasn’t planning to get involved at all.

Attraction strikes when they least expect it and against all odds, they form a connection.

But can two wounded people struggling to stay afloat on their own let down their walls enough to let love in? Or are they destined to be two ships passing in the night?

©2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 Leslie Pike (P)2021 Leslie Pike

Slow & Beautiful

This book starts off with a slow build up of friendships between Sam and Parish and Sam and Scarlett and Scarlett and Parish.

Parish and Scarlett fall into bed and then as they spend more time together they fall in love.

They are dealing with grief as the book starts off with Sam’s parents having been lost in a drunk driving accident and Parish not knowing how to process the grief of his son being lost years prior.

They all help each other heal their grief and form a family and it’s so beautiful.

It’s a slow build up and I love how you get to meet all the siblings and see her parents.

This magnificent story was narrated beautifully by Joe Arden and Maxine Mitchell.

These two handle these emotionally charged stories with such mastery.

Heartbreaking and uplifting story with great narration!!

Parrish, Scarlett, and Sam’s heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting story unites three strangers who find themselves connected by the ravages of their grief. Parrish is an accomplished mystery author who spends his days dedicated to his craft and his nights finding numbness in the solace of a whiskey bottle. His solitary life is complicated by the unwelcome arrival of 13 year old Sam and his aunt Scarlett who are raw over the sudden death of both of Sam’s parents. Never expecting to raise her sister’s child Scarlett finds herself woefully unprepared for instant motherhood to a grieving, hormonal teenager especially without the support of the extended family she left behind in Montana. What follows is a beautifully written and emotionally riveting journey that chronicles a codependency between strangers whose compassion for each other allows them a safe place to express their grief. It’s a long slow process with plenty of stumbles as the threesome cling to each other like ships in a raging storm. I grew to love Sam, Scarlett and Parrish’s courage, their ever changing metamorphosis and the steamy sexual connection that flares between the adults. I especially loved Scarlett’s parents and her three brothers whose love and gregarious witt is fastidiously expressed and the positive male influence Parrish provides for Sam throughout the story. It’s a achingly beautiful story and a hard won happily ever after I won’t soon forget because of the poignant narration performances of Joe Arden and Maxine Mitchell.

5 Emotional Stars

Maxine Mitchell and Joe Arden both were fantastic as Scarlett and Parish. Both Scarlett and Parished had suffered terrible tragedies before they met so this made for a very emotional story. This is why I am so glad I listened in audio because Maxine and Joe are at their best with emotional scenes.
I also loved that the HEA was very hard fought but was so satisfying. One of my favorite stories of the year.

Emotional and Heartfelt Love Story!

The Beach in Winter by Leslie Pike was emotional, heartfelt, and oh so swoony. Lesile Pike is a new to me author, and I loved everything about this book. Parish and Scarlett are two lost souls with tragic pasts who together, find solace and comfort in each other. This story is beautifully written, and I found myself completely captivated with Parish and Scarlett's love story.

Joe Arden and Maxine Mitchell narrate this audio, and they absolutely blew me away with their performances. I love that these two always put their heart and soul in their performances. Maxine Mitchell was so moving showcasing all of Scarlett's doubts, desires, and determination to step up for her nephew Sam, during a time of loss and healing. Joe Arden's performance of Parish was raw, desperate, yet brave and heroic as he struggled to heal from past wounds and learn to love again. Both narrators were just the perfect pairing for Scarlet and Parish.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. If you love a romance with a wounded heroic hunky writer, an aunt determined to do what's best for her nephew, a supportive caring family, romantic walks on the beach, swoon-worthy steamy times, a little bit of angst, and the sweetest HEA that will make your heart soar, then you will adore Parish and Scarlett's love story. Lesile Pike has gained a new fan, and I can't wait to listen to the rest of the Lyon's family series.

emotional

What an emotional roller-coaster! I loved every moment. The narrators were the perfect choice and did a great job.