This book immediately pulls the reader into the world of high society and hangers-on, in this case the owners of the home that must be rented in summer. Throw in the added drama of a teenage girl who wants to be a part of the clique of wealthier girls and her parents who have struggled to keep up the pretense of a marriage for their daughter's sake, and you've got an irresistible mix of characters. The concerns about trying to time the sale of valuable real estate before there is a crash or a catastrophic weather event at their shoreline are real-life concerns, and readers will appreciate the fact that the parents who own this beach home are just hanging on financially; it adds to the appeal. These are real people and not a fantasy couple. The casual beach scene on the cover is inviting and conveys relaxation, but by the end of chapter two, the reader is puzzled. Who is that female on the cover, and is she relaxing or out walking on the beach to take her mind off some major life decisions?