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Cottage by the Sea  By  cover art

Cottage by the Sea

By: Debbie Macomber
Narrated by: Karissa Vacker
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Publisher's summary

New York Times best-seller.

A seaside town helps one young woman reclaim the light after darkness in an uplifting novel from number-one New York Times best-selling author Debbie Macomber.

“Romantic, warm, and a breeze to read - one of Macomber’s best.” (Kirkus Reviews)

Annie Marlow has been through the worst. Rocked by tragedy, she heads to the one place that makes her happy: Oceanside in the Pacific Northwest, the destination of many family vacations when Annie was a teenager.

Once there, Annie begins to restore her broken spirit, thanks in part to the folks she meets: a local painter, Keaton, whose large frame is equal to his big heart - and who helps Annie fix up her rental cottage by the sea; Mellie, the reclusive, prickly landlord Annie is determined to befriend; and Britt, a teenager with a terrible secret. But it is Keaton to whom Annie feels most drawn. His quiet, peaceful nature offers her both comfort and reprieve from her grief, and the two begin to grow closer.

Then events threaten to undo the idyll Annie has come to enjoy. And when the opportunity of a lifetime lands in her lap, she is torn between the excitement of a new journey toward success and the safe and secure arms of the haven - and the man - she's come to call home.

In this heartwarming tale, Annie finds that the surest way to fix what is damaged within is to help others rise above their pain and find a way to heal.

Praise for Cottage by the Sea:

“Macomber never disappoints. Tears and laughter abound in this story of loss and healing that will wrap you up and pull you in; readers will finish it in one sitting.” (Library Journal, starred review)

“Macomber’s story of tragedy and triumph is emotionally engaging from the outset and ends with a satisfying conclusion. Readers will be most taken by the characters, particularly Annie, a heartwarming lead who bolsters the novel.” (Publishers Weekly)

©2018 Debbie Macomber (P)2018 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"No one tugs at readers' heartstrings quite as effectively as Macomber." (Chicago Tribune)

"The reigning queen of women's fiction." (The Sacramento Bee)

"It’s impossible not to cheer for Macomber’s characters.... When it comes to creating a special place and memorable, honorable characters, nobody does it better than Macomber." (BookPage)

What listeners say about Cottage by the Sea

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

WAY TO GO MACOMBER!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful story! I'm a continuous fan of Debbie Macomber! So many times I don't want the story to end and this is one of those times. Her characters always have such depth and hold my interest throughout. I can't remember if I've ever heard Karissa Vacker narrate before but she did a great job on this one.

Just a note...I like to spend my credits on books that are at least 10 hrs+ or I don't feel like I get my money's worth. So many of Debbie's Macomber's books give me that amount of time and some are borderline. I'm delighted to have 11 hours of wonderful story in this novel.

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63 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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More than a Summer Romance

This story is exquisitely developed. The performance was grand. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to get involved in a complex and moving story.

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33 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A Great Audible choice

I enjoyed this book much more than any other of my 22 books by Audible. Most have been very good, but “A Cottage By The Sea” really made me happy!

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31 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

lovely, heart warming story

great book to read when you are down and need a reflect on what real friends are, and how we are to treat each other.

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27 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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So much tripe!

Too predictable. Characters too...flimsyI was looking for some light reading. This was over the top light-headed. Couldn’t force myself to finish this.

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27 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Couldn’t stop listening

I love Debbie Macomber books. The story and characters come to life. I can picture the story. and loved the sweetness of the book. Thank you for another great read!!

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22 people found this helpful

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Touching Story!

What a beautiful and touching story! It made me smile, it brought tears to my eyes. I was not familiar with this author, but I’m glad I took a chance on this story. It’s not my usual genre. However, it was certainly not a disappointment; quite the opposite, in fact! The narrator was excellent in her performance. For me, this book is a keeper. To the author, thank you for such a heartwarming story! It reminds one of what is really important in life, and that love conquers all.

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20 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Great story about overcoming adversity .

Excellent story about some incredible human beings that show what we are capable of overcoming.

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13 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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Horrid, immature, dysfunctional whiners

This book was very difficult to get through. All the characters were awful. Some dysfunction is fine but they all acted like whiny brats. Hearing the narrator whine was like fingernails on a blackboard. The author’s other books are light romances that aren’t as grating.

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11 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Emotionally Vindictive and Unhealthy Characters

I had a big issue with how the two main male characters reacted to anything rough. Both ran away at the first sign of trouble and acted like huge overgrown babies even resorting to using emotional blackmail to get what they wanted. Annie started off as a spoiled brat and then did a 180 to being the zen queen seemingly overnight with no character growth exhibited to show her realization on how she had acted and how she should change. I was also bothered by the treatment of anyone with mental health trauma and people pushing what they wanted in said traumatized people instead of healthy communication and intervention by professionals.

It was all pretty distracting from they love story and made it hard to connect with any of them because I spent most of the time disliking them and their actions or finding the characters very flat and unbelievable.

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9 people found this helpful