"The Lifeguard" by Deborah Blumenthal

"The Lifeguard" written by Deborah Blumenthal is so much more than just the eye-candy shown on it's beautiful cover. Blumenthal's unique textured writing style fades you in and out of each chapter slowly weaving a magically multi-layered story. It is so breathtakingly real at times that you will swear you hear the rhythm of the waves rolling in. 

Sixteen-year-old Sirena Shane is shipped off to Rhode Island to spend the summer with her free-spirited aunt, while back in Texas her parents hash out the final details of their bitter separation. Sirena finds herself in a strange beach cottage where everything is not as it seems. So begins an unforgettable summer of overcoming sadness and finding strength in unexpected places. 

Sirena learns that ghosts just might be real after all and volunteering, especially at a hospital is not as easy as it sounds. She also learns that an eighty-year-old artist can actually become a good friend and confidante. But nothing prepares her for the instant attraction she feels toward a certain beautiful green-eyed lifeguard named Pilot who not only saves her but at the same time makes her feel lost at sea. Oh yeah and to make things more interesting... he might just have some mystical powers.

The characters are rich and believable and have lots of depth. The setting is gorgeous and at times downright eery. The plot moves at a quick pace and will keep you turning the pages. 

Having said that there is a reason that I did not give this book 5 stars. First, I wish that the secondary storyline which involves certain terrifying ghosts had been better resolved by the end of the book.  Secondly, I felt the ending was a little too abrupt. I would have liked more of this wonderful romance that had finally begun between the two main characters. And lastly at times Sirena's attraction to Pilot bordered on crazy obsession and ended up sounding eerily similar to a certain crazy female character in the book that  Pilot was bothered by. This was distracting for me and made me wonder why he didn't feel the same way about Sirena???

Still this is a beautifully written, atmospheric novel that I believe is well worth reading. 

My rating