Lobster Bay Series by Meredith Summers

A breezy feel-good beach read about trust and friendship set in a quaint seaside town on the coast of Maine. Claire Turner finally has everything she wants. A successful business, a small bungalow near the beach, and the camaraderie of her two best friends. She’s successful and independent—something she would never have thought possible before her husband’s midlife crisis and their subsequent divorce... moreA breezy feel-good beach read about trust and friendship set in a quaint seaside town on the coast of Maine. Claire Turner finally has everything she wants. A successful business, a small bungalow near the beach, and the camaraderie of her two best friends. She’s successful and independent—something she would never have thought possible before her husband’s midlife crisis and their subsequent divorce.  When a rival business opens across the street, Claire worries that she could lose everything she’s worked for. Her entire sense of self-worth is tied up in her bakery and café, Sandcastles, and she suddenly finds herself taking desperate measures to make sure she doesn’t lose business to the newcomer. Is Claire overreacting? Her friends think it’s possible, but will they be able to talk her off the ledge before she does something drastic? Her friends are dealing with their own problems. Jane’s beloved mother, Addie, has dementia, and it’s getting worse. Jane has her hands full trying to run the family inn and keep Addie safe. When Addie wanders away from the inn, Jane faces the hardest decision of her life.  And then there’s Maxi. On the surface it appears as if she has an idyllic marriage, but does she really? Now that she and James are empty nesters, things aren’t the same, and Maxi worries that James may not be interested in staying married. But Maxi has dreams of her own, dreams that she had to set aside while she was caring for her husband and children. Now that she has an empty nest, will she be able to find the courage to turn those dreams into reality? This is Book 1 in the Lobster Bay series—a heartwarming journey of friendship, love, and loss set in a quaint beach town with a touch of romance in every story. Join the group of friends as they help each other overcome their obstacles and discover that every cloud really does have a silver lining. less

Pull up a beach chair and dig your toes in the sand as life continues in Lobster Bay. Things are changing for Jane Miller. Just as her friend Claire gets on her feet again from a near-catastrophe with her bakery, Jane faces challenges with the beachfront bed-and-breakfast her family has owned for generations.  Her mother is no longer able to run things and Jane finds herself in charge... morePull up a beach chair and dig your toes in the sand as life continues in Lobster Bay. Things are changing for Jane Miller. Just as her friend Claire gets on her feet again from a near-catastrophe with her bakery, Jane faces challenges with the beachfront bed-and-breakfast her family has owned for generations.  Her mother is no longer able to run things and Jane finds herself in charge. It’s a big change, especially since Jane expected to be retired by now, but she’s promised her mother she will carry on the family legacy.  Too bad she doesn’t know very much about running an Inn.  But luck is on her side when she comes across a new furry friend, Ranger, to help her navigate the challenge. It doesn’t hurt that Ranger’s new owner is easy on the eyes--even though Jane vowed she’d never look again. Naturally she also has Claire and Maxi to lean on. Claire is happy with her new bakery and new beau, but Maxi is facing some changes of her own. Will Maxi find the strength to finally pursue her passion for art even while her marriage may be in trouble? Visit Lobster Bay on the coast of Maine today and find out how these three friends navigate the changes in their lives.  This book can be read as a standalone story, but it will be a lot more fun if you read book 1 first as you will get more background details about some of the characters in this story. less

Maxi’s life is about to change, but not in the way she expects... Maxi Stevens is at a crossroads. Things between her and James haven’t been the same since their kids left the nest. When she finds proof that indicates he may have strayed, she strikes out on her own. James’ infidelity has a silver lining, though. Maxi can finally do all the things James wouldn’t approve of like pursuing her lifelong dream of becoming an artist. But everything is not as it seems... moreMaxi’s life is about to change, but not in the way she expects... Maxi Stevens is at a crossroads. Things between her and James haven’t been the same since their kids left the nest. When she finds proof that indicates he may have strayed, she strikes out on her own. James’ infidelity has a silver lining, though. Maxi can finally do all the things James wouldn’t approve of like pursuing her lifelong dream of becoming an artist. But everything is not as it seems. James wants Maxi back and will do anything to win her over. He’ll even beg Maxi’s best friends Claire and Jane for help. Will they want to team up with someone who they think has done their friend wrong? Jane Miller has her own problems to deal with. She’s trying to satisfy the demands of a Bridezilla whose outbursts could ruin the first wedding at Tides. The success of the wedding is critical for the survival of the inn that has been in her family for four generations, luckily she has her sister, Andie, to help out. Everyone is surprised that Andie is still in Lobster Bay. She didn’t think she’d still be here either, but she’s found a few reasons to stick around... at least for a little while. It’s not too late for her to go back to her job as an antiques appraiser in NYC and the opportunity to make that one big discovery she’s always dreamed of. Does Lobster Bay have something even better to offer? Jane’s new relationship with Mike Henderson hits a snafu, Andie makes a startling discovery and things come together for Maxi with a happy ending she never would have predicted. Escape to Lobster Bay on the coast of Maine today and find out how these three friends navigate the changes in their lives. This book can be read as a standalone story, but it will be a lot more fun if you read books 1 & 2 first as you will get more background details about some of the characters in this story. less

Andie Miller may have made a terrible mistake in moving back to Lobster Bay.Andie always wanted something more than small-town beach life. That’s why she worked so hard at her prestigious career as an antique appraiser in New York City. She does have one regret though, she never got to make that one big important antique find of a lifetime. Now that her mother’s illness has brought her back to Lobster Bay, it’s unlikely she ever will... moreAndie Miller may have made a terrible mistake in moving back to Lobster Bay.Andie always wanted something more than small-town beach life. That’s why she worked so hard at her prestigious career as an antique appraiser in New York City. She does have one regret though, she never got to make that one big important antique find of a lifetime. Now that her mother’s illness has brought her back to Lobster Bay, it’s unlikely she ever will. But even though she appreciates spending time with her aging mother and loves that she’s reconnected with her sister, Jane, Andie needs something more.When an unusual opportunity presents itself, Andie is excited... until she finds out the fate of her new project is in the hands of unscrupulous town historian Damien Carruthers. Andie caught him ripping off little old ladies, and he’s giddy with excitement at the prospect of ruining her new plans. Then there’s her old high school flame, Shane Flannery. Even though Andie was the one to break things off decades ago, she never really got over him. Shane is back in town too, but unfortunately he doesn’t seem to be the least bit interested in her.Shane’s Aunt Mary, on the other hand, has taken quite a liking to Andie. Mary would love to see Shane and Andie together. Mary and Andie have gotten close. But Mary is nursing a painful heartache - she had a falling out with her daughter years ago and they haven’t spoken since. Can Andie help fill that hole?Jules Whittier messed up her life. That’s how she ended up cutting hair in her great-aunt Mary’s hair salon. She blew her big chance, but it wasn’t totally her fault. She had some help in the form of her two cousins whom she hasn’t spoken to since. When she sees things turn around for Andie, she wonders if it can happen for her too, or is it too late?Return to Lobster Bay and check in with old friends Jane, Claire and Maxi and make some new friends too! less

She thought the best part of her life was over, but now she knows it’s just beginning.Liz Weston’s life has reached rock bottom. Her husband dumped her, her life savings are gone and her apartment is being turned into condos that she can’t afford. Maybe she shouldn’t have taken early retirement last year? In her late-forties she has limited possibilities for employment.When her elderly father passes away, she heads to her hometown to clean out the family home... moreShe thought the best part of her life was over, but now she knows it’s just beginning.Liz Weston’s life has reached rock bottom. Her husband dumped her, her life savings are gone and her apartment is being turned into condos that she can’t afford. Maybe she shouldn’t have taken early retirement last year? In her late-forties she has limited possibilities for employment.When her elderly father passes away, she heads to her hometown to clean out the family home. It’s not like her siblings will do it. They’re too wrapped up in their own lives. Thankfully, the small life insurance policy her father had will pay for her to stay at Tides in Lobster Bay. Staying at the beachside inn is a blessing because there’s no way she’ll sleep in her childhood home. It has too many bad memories.But when she befriends Jane Miller, the owner of Tides, her life slowly starts to change. Among the dusty cobwebs and 1970s decor of her old home, she discovers that maybe coming home isn’t so bad. The town has a lot to offer and all those memories might not have been so bad after all.As she gets to know the friends and neighbors of Lobster Bay, new opportunities open up. Liz finds a new side of herself, a side that has the courage to do things she never thought possible.Meanwhile...Jane made a promise to Mike that she’ll spend less time tending to the inn. But after several disastrous interviews, she’s starting to think that she’ll never find anyone suitable.Maxi has received the most important commission of her life for an oil painting. This one is personal, but she’s having a hard time getting the painting just right. If she fails at this one, will she ever be able to paint again?Andie has found some important civil war documents at her antique shop. She wants to return them to the family, but all her efforts to find them run into dead ends. Luckily she doesn’t stop looking and when she finds the descendants of the solider, it’s a big surprise.This is book 5 in the Lobster Bay series, but it can be read as a stand-alone story. Fans of the series will get to meet new a new friend, Liz, and catch up on what Maxi, Claire, Jane and Andie are up to. Books in the Lobster Bay series:Saving SandcastlesChanging TidesMaking WavesShifting SandsSeaside Bonds less