What do readers think of Lady Sunshine by Amy Mason Doan? Write your own review.

In 1979, an angry 17 year old arrives in rugged Humboldt County, hours north of San Francisco at 4 Sea Cliff.

Her father and new bride are spending the summer in Europe and Jackie Pierce has chosen to stay at a place where she knew no one with relatives she has never met.
Her Uncle Graham is an aging folk singer, the "king" of Sandcastle, a bohemian gathering spot for artistic inspiration.

We read a releasing of spirit and a coming of age tale as Jackie sets proprieties aside and with cousin Willa, she blends into their ethereal world as Lady Sunshine.
The summer ends abruptly (tragically) and 20 years later she finds herself inheriting the estate and returning to survey and prepare the property for sale.
I suggest this read for the mosaic these characters create, particularly in the earlier timeline.

It was an intriguing read with a nostalgic and haunting tone.

If you lived in the U.S. during the late 1960s and early 1970s or if you're into intriguing "historical" novels, this book may be for you. Title character "Lady Sunshine" (aka Jackie) is spending her summer at the home of her deceased mother's brother. Her uncle Graham Kingston is a fading folk singer who hosts a collection of artists each summer. Jackie befriends her cousin there, and the two have a magical summer.

"Lady Sunshine" is told by the main character from the vantage point of that summer as well as twenty years later when she returns to the Sandcastle property. The plot is beautifully crafted, and the book contains enough mystery to keep the reader turning pages well into the night. But the real strength of "Lady Sunshine" is the character development. Only the two teen girls are who they appear to be. What we learn about the people with whom they interact made the book an excellent choice for me.

I read Lady Sunshine in just a few days – the author is a good storyteller and kept me engaged right from the start. The story alternated between the past and the present smoothly, and the setting sounded idyllic: At age 17, I would have found the opportunity to spend a summer on the beach with unlimited freedom both intimidating and adventurous. Although I found some aspects to be somewhat predictable, there was certainly enough suspense to keep me reading till the end. Lady Sunshine would be an excellent summer vacation reading choice.

I was attracted to this book for the 1970s California music setting. Jackie as both narrator in 1979 and 1999 keeps the tension building toward the surprising conclusion. The story has just enough suspense to keep the reader turning the page and also provides a descriptive backdrop of the ocean, beach and natural surroundings. I enjoyed this book.

I liked this book and did not like this book. I felt there was a flaw in the relationship between Jackie and Paul - I found it odd that she shared nothing with him about her past and relationship to the property she inherited - nor any information about the property she inherited.

I found it even stranger that when Paul showed up at the property he was not totally shocked nor showed hardly any emotion, There were also a couple of writer inconsistencies I noticed - wonder if anyone else did?

But as the story moved on I grew fonder of the characters and let myself get enveloped into the story.

The end was a surprise, however I did suspect that may be the outcome.

But all-in-all I really did love the story and the characters and the overall theme of the story.

Thanks to BookBrowse for the ARC of Lady Sunshine written by Amy Mason Doan. I enjoyed this novel, which takes place on the beautiful California coast. There was an intriguing mystery, that was a challenge to figure out. The characters were engaging, and I enjoyed the past/present way the book was laid out. Beautiful cover also.

Lady Sunshine was an easy read and kept me intrigued. The descriptions of the Sandcastle and its surroundings were vivid and easy to picture, and references to the 70's (Max Factor!; the Hustle) let me feeling nostalgic. I did not guess the ending as it seemed a cruel and unlikely outcome for most involved. I felt that Jackie's relationship with Paul was an afterthought and did not contribute meaningfully to the story or either of their lives. In fact it put me in mind of the plot to many Hallmark movies. This novel is a "beach read" as others have referred to it, but definitely not a deep dive into the character's lives.

I enjoyed this book in parts, but I felt that the author left too many clues regarding the ending...I wanted to be surprised, but I wasn't at all...an almost good read.