Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

“A mother returns after years of abandonment, but can she be forgiven?”

It’s always such a pleasure to read a book by Rebecca L. Marsh and her latest in the Princess Island series didn’t disappoint! There’s the trauma, the family drama and the brilliant characters I know and love, but this time, the author tackles different issues with the care and thoughtfulness she writes so well. I’m so happy to be sharing my review of Beyond The Broken Shore for the blog tour!

T.W. Mentions of addiction and attempted suicide.

About the book

Haunted by the memory of a devastating accident that claimed the lives of her husband and oldest daughter, Marissa’s life is struck by another tragedy. Her thirteen-year-old daughter, Maisy, suffers a perilous fall under mysterious circumstances. Marissa finds herself desperately hoping her deepest fear—the loss of another child—will not be realized.

While Marissa paces the emergency room, her brother Owen searches their town on Princess Island for his son, Charlie, who hasn’t come home from school. Hours later, Charlie shows up unwilling to explain where he’s been. When he skips school a few days later, and is spotted in town with a strange woman, Owen comes face to face with his own greatest fear—the return of Charlie’s mother.

As Marissa and Owen confront their worst fears and navigate the treacherous waters of the unknown, they realize that while the path forward might be fraught with pain, the potential for healing is immense.

The beginning

I loved the first two books in this series and starting the third felt like coming home. Even though it’s been well over a year since I read the previous book, and two years since the first in the series, jumping back into a world with these characters in it just seemed like no time at all had passed. Just one of the many reasons why I think Rebecca Marsh is such a brilliant author! The opening chapter plunges us into some drama and it takes no time at all to work out what’s happened here; there’s been an accident involving Marissa’s daughter, Maisy, and after tragically losing her eldest and her first husband in the first book, this already set me on edge. The pain and the anxiety radiates from Marissa and it was so easy for me to feel the same. It was full of panic and uncertainty, and I only hoped Marissa and her family wouldn’t suffer any more loss. The opening to the book gave us so much to think about, and I knew it’d only get better from here.

“Right now, he didn’t know how much he could push before it was too much. And he didn’t want to ride Charlie to the point of ending up on the same cliff his cousin had fallen from.”

It isn’t only Maisy who these characters have to worry about – Charlie, Owen’s son, is being very mysterious, skipping school and meeting up with a stranger, who turns out to be his estranged mother, Casey. Owen isn’t too keen on her being back due to her past drug addiction, but after understanding she’s on the road to recovery, he agrees to supervised visits. Both Maisy and Charlie are at that age where the world is out to get them, so Marissa and Owen are having their own battles which the author really brings to life. We dig into all the details so we can see where their anger comes from, and at the same time, makes us curious as to why Maisy in particular is keeping information from them. I’ve known these characters so long now that I just needed them to be happy and I needed them to sort out their issues. Conversations they have were filled with heart and were completely absorbing. They really do care about these children and it all just filled me with love. Would Maisy ever feel brave enough to share the truth?

The middle

It was really nice to be able to read parts of the book from Maisy’s perspective. Her point of view was particularly important in this story, and the author really gets deep into her mind and her emotions which felt great. Maisy has so much going on at this point in her life, some things we don’t even have a clear picture of yet, but this was just one of the many ways the book kept me curious and had me always wanting to keep reading. There are family feuds, heated discussions, rocky friendships, and all of these things worked together to keep things interesting. After not thinking very highly of Casey when she’s mentioned in the previous books, it was clear to me that she was changing for the better, and I actually began to really like this character and how she was working to better herself. She was becoming one of my favourite characters in the series which I really did not expect! But as Maisy loses consciousness at home, the tone of the book shifts suddenly, and I was terrified for Marissa, worried about the possibility of her losing another child. Very gripping stuff!

“The past is the past and it can’t be changed. All any of us can do is work toward the future we want to have, and God makes beautiful things from the ashes of the bad things.”

I was expecting some emotional scenes but nothing quite like what we experience here. Not only was Maisy fighting for her life, but Charlie was so desperate for his grandmother to accept his mother was back and was clean. Two very different scenarios, but both felt heartbreaking in such contrasting ways. The heart and soul the author injects into her words had me so invested in each and every chapter, and because of how well these characters are created, you can’t help but root for them. Charlie has grown up so much throughout the series and seeing the boy he’s become, how he acts around people and talks to them, had my eyes tearing up. Such a delightful character! There are so many deep and meaningful conversations between different characters, conversations that make you realise life is too short to hold grudges, discussions that lift you up and make you feel good, some important conversations that are sad, but essential for healing and growth. Rebecca really does make you feel so involved, and also makes you experience that raw emotion first hand.

The end

Casey seemed to have won everyone over with her fresh new determination for life and her loving, caring nature when it came to Charlie. That is, everyone but Mary Lynn. There was something deeper to her dislike for Casey, something I was really keen to get to the bottom of. What exactly was her reasoning after everyone else was willing to forgive her for the mistakes in her past, and look positively towards her future? When we learn and understand her reasoning, I really hoped that they could put all this behind them and move forward, or at least be civil with one another for Charlie’s sake. For a character so set in her ways for so long, what happened next was such a brave move which I loved. However, the author brings in another hurdle, something to test these characters, something that could really set them back. It’s nail biting, an intense and stressful few scenes for both myself and these characters, but of course, the author pulls it off with ease. Could Casey be a permanent part of this family dynamic? Or will she fall back into her addiction?

“Marissa turned in Howards arms and faced him. Charlie just got his mother back. I hope he doesn’t lose her again.“

I loved the ending of the book. I was so hoping it would be a happy one, and it definitely ticked that box. There’s something really satisfying about characters who are enemies changing their ways, proving their worth and working out a way forward that not only benefits themselves, but everyone around them too. It’s certainly more complex than that (and you’ll see when you read) but the author really has pulled it off so well. I’m not sure there is a plan for another book in the series, but I can definitely see potential for one. I’d love to have a book based on Mary Lynn’s life, or even the new and improved life of Casey! Either way, revisiting Princess Island has become something I look forward to each year with each new book. I (secretly) hope it continues! If you’ve read Rebecca’s other books, this one is also a must read, but I would personally start the series from the start to have a better grasp on the characters. And if you like books with heart, a good family drama or an emotional read, this book and series will be right up your street!

Overall thoughts

Beyond The Broken Shore is a beautiful and emotional third book in Rebecca L. Marsh’s Princess Island series. It’s a story of hope, forgiveness and healing, of making amends and confronting fears. Revisiting these characters for the third time felt just as exhilarating as the first, and they will always have a place in my heart. The heartbreaking stories, journeys of growth and acceptance, and excellent character development will always keep me coming back to this author’s books. A powerful, poignant and engaging read!

Huge thanks to the author, Rebecca L. Marsh for having me on the blog tour and for providing me with a copy of the book! You can grab your own copy of Beyond The Broken Shore right now on Amazon. Make sure you’re following the author over on X/Twitter for more updates!

Looking for book reviews?

If you’re in need of reviews for your own book, do get in touch to get on my submissions list! All the information you need is on my book reviews page. If you enjoyed this review and would like to support my blog, you can buy me a coffee 😊