The Gray Lady of Long Branch

By Maura Satchell

A grand Victorian beach house in Long Branch, New Jersey is the setting -- and narrator -- of this novel that takes the reader on an emotional journey through time, weaving a rich and colorful tale of the home's owners. First, there's a prestigious blueblood banking family with a tragic secret, then, the flawed but charming DiStefano family make the grand Victorian their weekend home. They celebrate milestones and make memories in the "Gray Lady." Their stories intertwine with those of some interesting visitors that occasionally rent this Jersey Shore vacation getaway.

In addition to telling the story of the people that dwell inside, the Gray Lady takes the reader on a Jersey Shore journey down memory lane, recalling historical events such as the Vietnam War, the 1960s, the death of Princess Diana, Y2K and September 11th, as experienced by those who inhabit the stately home.

The Gray Lady of Long Branch is a roller coaster ride of ups and downs right to the very last entertaining sentence.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Four Pillars Media Group FPMG
• Release date: Aug 19, 2015
• ISBN: 9780985709396

Maura Satchell

First-time novelist Maura Satchell was born in New York but spent much of her life in the Nashville area. A former journalist, Maura has been published in national, state and local news outlets. She received her bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Middle Tennessee State University and it was in Nashville that she joined forces with Paul Lopes on this story and the accompanying screenplay. One of nine children, Maura’s own children and stepchildren live in New York, California and the United Kingdom. She now lives in Florida with her husband and their dog. In addition to writing, the author spends time painting. In fact, the cover image incorporates one of her paintings of the Nashville skyline.

Book preview

Contents

The Banker’s Wife

Turrets and Keys

Barbeques and Blizzards

Emily

Paterson 1964

Charlie Kennedy

The Mosleys

The Woodstock Six

Vinny

Belle of the Long Branch Ball

Faux Pas and Degas

Ellen’s Decision

Blessings in disguise

Rebel with a cause

Pearls, lace and limousines

Doctor Emily, M.D.

Quarters and Bucks

Goodbye England’s Rose

Vinny Y2k

Winter Kills

No Safe Place

Goodbye to Mary

From the author

About the author

Book Club Questions

The Banker’s Wife

I was built in the 1910s in the fashionable west end of Long Branch. I’m at 19 Larkspur Lane, not far from the Hoey estate and the Hollywood Hotel. Me, I’m a grand Victorian home with a welcoming front porch and gracious entryway. I boast a winding rosewood staircase, romantic turret, upstairs balcony and field-stone fireplaces in the four bedrooms and living room. If you look out through my dining room windows and gaze just so across the porch, you can catch a glimpse of the Jersey Shore through the space between neighboring homes. That’s right! The Atlantic Ocean is only a block away. With gray clapboard siding, white trim and red shutters, folks refer to me as the Gray Lady.

Although I’ve been around since the turn of the twentieth century, my memories only date from the 1950s. In fact, my recollections only go back to the time of Grace and George Prescott. Maybe it works like children – I understand they never remember their first year or two of life. Or maybe it’s because the Prescott situation was just so traumatic that it startled me into consciousness. Whatever the reason, since I can recall their time so clearly, that’s where I’ll begin as I share with you my story.

From what I recall, the Prescotts seemed to be a nice enough family. At first it was just Grace and her husband George. Later on, they were joined by sons Jeff and Lyden. I have fond memories of the boys filling the house with joy and laughter, running around, playing in the yard and swinging (none too gently) on the porch swing. When Grace would protest, George would quiet her with a simple shrug and puff on his pipe. Boys will be boys, he’d say.

The Prescotts had some great affairs at the house, too. Dinners and holiday feasts and company galore! Their visitors would arrive dressed to the nines as Grace nervously flitted about ordering her servants to attend to each guest’s every need. It was always a lively time when the Prescotts summered here, and I looked forward to their visits. That is, until that one particular week around Easter.  My recollections of that whole thing may jump around a bit, so please bear with me.

I remember seeing Grace wave goodbye to the boys as they rode off in the back seat of her sister Molly’s green Pontiac Chieftain into the late afternoon sun. Grace had arranged to have Jeff and Lyden spend a few days with their Aunt Molly and Uncle Ben, her husband of fourteen years.

Grace knew she’d have no problem talking Molly into some bonding time as she called it, when she had arranged the visit by phone the day before. Injured during the war, Ben was unable to give Molly children of her own and they loved spending time with the boys. From my vantage point, Grace seemed deeply relieved when Molly agreed to take them. 

The night before they left, Grace had seemed fine as she had tucked Lyden in and kissed him goodnight and then entered Jeff’s bedroom. She’d admitted once to George that she was convinced their oldest son could grow up to be president someday! After all, with his pedigree, his smarts and his athletic abilities, anything was possible.

She’d brushed Jeff’s fair hair out of his beautiful blue eyes and tucked him in with a gentle kiss, her face beaming as she gazed down at him. He was reading another book, she noticed. She wasn’t sure what it was about but smiled, glad that Jeff enjoyed books and learning as much as he loved, and excelled at, sports.

She thought about her situation again and her smile disappeared. It was replaced by a serious look and her eyes glistened as she kissed him goodnight. I love you, my precious son! she said in a serious tone.

I love you too, Mom, Jeff replied, a little surprised at her deeply emotional state. Is everything okay?

Oh, fine, she nodded, mustering a half-smile. I’ve just had a long day. Good night, honey. Are you excited about staying with your aunt and uncle? Jeff nodded in reply. Promise me you’ll look after Lyden and will be respectful of Aunt Molly and Uncle Ben, okay?

Of course, Mom, Jeff said with a slightly patronizing tone. They both knew Lyden could be a handful, but since Jeff was three years his elder, he was confident he could keep him in line. 

Jeff noticed that his mom was quiet again in the morning, too, as they scrambled to get everything ready for their impromptu visit to his aunt and uncle’s house. Jeff and Lyden were excited to be spending some time with them since they were regular folks.

Didn’t Uncle Ben take you fishing once? Maybe he’ll take us both! Lyden said.

Don’t you dare ask him! Jeff said, elbowing his brother. It’s rude!

Molly and Ben arrived and the family enjoyed a nice lunch before packing up the car for the two-hour drive back to their Philadelphia suburb where Ben was a mail carrier. 

After the car’s departure, Grace sat gently rocking on the porch swing for a long time and only got up when the lightning bugs started their twilight dance. She made her way through the doorway, the screen door gently creaking in protest. As the moonlight streamed through the windows, she wandered the now-empty house, reminiscing and visiting each boy’s room. She picked up a few stray items of clothing and placed them in the laundry chute. Who might find them, she didn’t know, or care at this point. She had larger things to ponder. As she closed Jeff’s bedroom door behind her, Grace wiped at a stray tear that fell onto her cheek.

Upon entering her bedroom, she drained her glass of sherry and wondered aloud and with disgust about the fine crystal and whose blood was spilled to buy it. 

A little dark-eyed boy whose mother would never be there to tuck him into bed at night? Grace speculated. Or maybe an American G.I., killed on the beaches of Normandy. Or perhaps it was bought with the blood of a grandfather, forced to march into those dark evil ‘showers.’

She looked at the glass in disgust and was about to set it on the rosewood secretary, but instead threw it violently against the bedroom door where it smashed and fell in shards onto the floor. I became alarmed, but Grace was calm and purposeful as she sank into the matching rosewood chair. Her behavior was curious though, and I remained alert. 

I have just the paper for this, she said aloud and opened the second drawer down on the right-hand side from which she pulled out several sheets of fine ecru linen writing paper embossed with a cursive letter P. She licked her thumb to get the paper separated, counted out several sheets, a piece of carbon paper and three matching envelopes. Then she took a pen and began to write. Well, that seemed to be her plan, but...

I’m not at all sure where to begin, Grace said aloud and sank back into the chair, a frown on her lovely fair-skinned face. Do I start with how I learned about all this? 

It really was there all along, Grace went on, brushing blonde curly locks from her striking hazel-colored eyes. From when we were first married, she now realized.

She would overhear them all, smoking their cigars and sipping brandy in the leather-furnished study. George, his father, and his uncle Martin. Then, when she and George played bridge with the Hornishes, she noticed Gerhard and her husband chuckling over some remark or another. She would catch a phrase or two, and gathered the conversation was anti-Semitic in nature.

They thought Margaret and I could not understand! she now observed scornfully. She and Margaret would exchange puzzled glances but little more. 

It was a year or so later, but still before the attack at Pearl Harbor, when she started to wonder if something was amiss. George became more pensive, more distant than usual, and closed himself into his study until late at night sometimes. He would pore over the newspaper -- and not just the business section, but the main news pages, too -- voraciously digesting certain articles.

Come to think of it, that was highly unusual since he’d never really been one for current events, or much reading at all for that matter. Grace pondered. She didn’t get a chance to ask George about it back then, because Jeff – only two at the time – needed her constant attention and drained her energy. 

Grace first met George when she was a student at Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York. They were introduced through George’s boarding school friend who went on to attend West Point, just across the Hudson.

West Point boys, Grace explained to Margaret as they took dessert on the porch during one of the bridge nights, often focused their attentions on students of her all-girls’ school. The well-heeled Marymount girls, from the finer homes throughout the eastern U.S., typically served as cadets’ dates to West Point socials, proms, and the ever-popular Army-Navy games.

Grace giggled and told Margaret, We girls secretly suspected that our parents didn’t send us to Marymount for the fine education, but rather to marry well. 

And the Delaware debutante certainly did that! Grace married this handsome and tall young banker with excellent prospects who came from a wealthy Connecticut blue-blood family. Grace DuPont carried herself with poise, said the right things, and was of consequence herself. Her parents approved, she was smitten with the young banker, and planning their wedding took on a life of its own.

George was tall, charming and had sharp patrician features. With his sandy-colored hair, blue-green eyes and perfectly chiseled nose and jaw, he could have been a movie star! And he was faithful, too. Grace knew he wasn’t out prowling like some of his old school chums he’d tell her about. Instead, he was working at his father’s bank and behaving himself.

But he was never a reader, though, and squeezed through school as a legacy student, not on scholastic achievement. During their courtship, the fair-haired Grace, who majored in English Lit, would try to get him interested in reading the great writers – Melville, Austen, Emerson, Dickens and the rest, but he would turn their reading sessions into wrestling matches instead, prompting her to skillfully maneuver herself out of his grasp. After they were wed, he laid it out for her in plain language he thought she would understand.

I’m not about to spend my valuable time staring at words that have no monetary impact on my life, he told her. She was deeply disappointed since she so loved her books and had hoped it would become a hobby they might share.

So, years later, when he began reading about world affairs, Grace was surprised and more than a little curious. By then it was all over the news about the Nazi atrocities and Hitler’s aggressions. First Poland, then France and later England.  Thankfully it hadn’t hit America. Grace shared with Margaret Hornish over a three no-trump hand that she couldn’t believe that such a civilized place as Europe could become embroiled in such a barbaric thing as war! So ignorant and vile.

When the Americans got into it, though, she started to believe what she had heard about the horrific treatment of Jews. The -- what was it called, ethnic purification? Concentration camps? The Germans were trying to eradicate the entire Jewish population from Europe, and -- it was rumored -- using all sorts of demented means to do so. Thankfully, we are here in America, far away and safe from all of that horror and evil, she’d thought at the time.

Not long after Pearl Harbor, her sister Molly came for an overnight visit. She was frantic after having just said goodbye to her new husband who was being shipped out to boot camp at Parris Island. I don’t know what on earth made him think he needed to join up! Molly said, tearing up again. We were planning to start a family!

But Molly, honey, thank God we’ve stepped into the breech! It’s good men like your husband who are going to save the world, Grace said. You’ll see, now that we’re involved, it will be over in no time!

It never occurred to Grace that George should have signed up as well. His role in society was, frankly, above that, she thought. Besides, he was on the other side of 30 when the war started and had a son to look after.

So amid the turmoil and tragedy around her, Grace immersed herself in the world of the upper-class wife and mother -- shopping with her girlfriends, tending to her commitments with the Junior League, and enjoying nights out with her banker husband and his associates. That and occasional pleasure trips to the Catskills kept her busy all the time!

Of course, she’d while away the summer at Long Branch, too. She’d come down for the entire season and George would commute down for weekends in June and July, joining her for a month-long vacation in August. It was easy to forget about things going on thousands of miles away in Europe when she was raising a son and playing the important role of a banker’s wife.

Things changed even more, though, when her husband and the bank became involved in some sort of scandal. She didn’t really understand it, and George said it was something that was easily cleared up. But then, when she finally pressed him, George admitted that the government could cause trouble for the bank. Grace thought it was a tax problem, and, well, she had no head for that kind of thing. Anyway, she had more important things on her mind because she was expecting their second baby. 

There was much to do! First off, they needed to move. Their sweet three-bedroom cottage served them well when it was just the three of them, but now, they needed more space for houseguests and room for Jeff and the new one to roam. She found the perfect home in upstate New York near her old college roommate, Nancy Bentley. It was everything she’d ever dreamed of and Nancy helped Grace decorate the nursery. She also sponsored Grace into the Junior League and introduced her to the bridge club. With Nancy’s help, Grace settled comfortably into their rambler just off the 16th green in Shaftsbury Estates, a new development in White Plains.

She was ever so happy with her life at that time and didn’t notice that her husband was becoming restless. But I sure noticed when they visited during those years. He was sleeping less, drinking more, and taking on dark moods. Grace was busy enjoying life and her important role in society here and up in New York’s prestigious Westchester County. And naturally, raising their two picture-perfect sons took up most of her time and attention, so it was understandable that she didn’t pick up on George’s anxious state.

It was a full decade before she learned the ugly truth about George’s business troubles, and it was only by luck that she did so. It happened when Doctor Longwell, the family’s doctor, suggested she help his son with a school project. Joshua, she understood, was a graduate student at Princeton, polishing up his thesis he was to turn in by early May.

Dr. Longwell had explained little about it but told Grace he thought she might be able to assist his son. Of course Grace would be only too glad to help, and, since he attended Rutgers in New Jersey, she’d take advantage of the fine spring weather and visit the summer home too.

When she announced they’d be spending spring break at the summer house, the boys were ecstatic. They loved spending time here – who wouldn’t? Grace’s plan was to relax with the boys over their Easter break, and meet the Doctor’s son and help him with his paper.

When she met him at the door, she found Joshua to be an impressive, well-dressed young man in a white shirt, necktie and sport coat with leather patches at the elbows. He carried a leather book bag, and Grace supposed he intended to take notes. He was courteous and obviously nervous as he shook her hand.

I’m not really sure how much help I can be to you, Joshua, she admitted, taking a seat next to him in the living room that afternoon.  It’s a thesis on the banking industry? she asked in a dubious tone.

Well, not exactly, he began.

I noticed she had stared at him, through him really, when he started to tell her why he was really there. I couldn’t understand, but felt her tense up and the silence in the room weighed us all down. 

All I could recall from Joshua’s visit were terms like seized assets and money laundering, and Nazi armament manufacturer. The worst one, the one that really caught my attention was war profiteer. When he used that term, I heard Grace gasp loudly, as if punched in the stomach.

As he spoke, Grace looked at him as though he had turned into an alien speaking a different language she didn’t quite understand. Once he had made his case and paused, I couldn’t help but notice she seemed to have forgotten her upbringing. She stood, took the papers he offered her and mumbled something. Then, without any pleasantries, Grace showed him to the door. 

"I thought you might want some time to

Reviews for The Gray Lady of Long Branch

[magiclibrarian · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Decent story of a family and their grand beach house. Enjoyable read with interesting links between events going on in the world and how it affected the lives of those within the walls of this grand Victorian home.

[thequietreader · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The Gray Lady of Long Branch Chronicles about sixty years of memories of a Victorian home. The author was very detailed in the narrative and the research she put into the book really shines with each chapter.I found it to be a really intriguing concept. As a vacation home, the Gray Lady, as the locals call the house, many people with different life experiences cross the threshold. Many major events in American history are touched on.If it weren't for the supernatural element at the end that explains the Gray Lady's sentience, I would have really loved this novel.

[chutzpanit · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I really tried, a few times to get into this book but really was not able to.

[poseyj-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a truly excellent book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The Gray Lady is a Victorian beach house in Long Branch, New Jersey and the chapters are about different occupants (owners) of the house through the years. The stories are told from the perspective of the house and what it could see and hear. Also included are historical events. A good read.

[melissajerome · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This was a light novel, a quick read that was a bit too nice for its own good. It started off well, with the introduction of the history of the house and then the family that inhabits it for the remainder of the story but the characters never really developed, they were all so saccharine sweet that I couldn't get very invested in them, with short chapters chronicling their reactions to historical events. The choice of historical events left me a bit puzzled (the death of Princess Diana warrants a chapter? I found this chapter a bit incredulous). The plot device of having the house be the narrator was interesting but taken very literally at some points so I found it a bit distracting at times. It had a bit of a twist at the end, which redeemed it somewhat though and I feel a bit churlish criticizing it for being so nice (maybe I'd be happier with nastiness?! I don't think of myself as that kind of reader!) but it takes drama and characters you care about to make a good story and this novel fell a bit short for me.

[bookwyrmm_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The concept of this book - an somewhat interconnected series of stories told from a vacation home's point of view - was interesting, but most of the stories had no real story elements other than character development, somewhat.

[sarahebear · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Set from the point of view of the house (The Grey Lady), this series of short stories follows the lives, loves and adventures of the various people who reside and holiday in the house. Pleasant reading, not particularly exciting, but well written and charming . A good holiday read. I received this book from The Four Pillars Media Group in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[riversong_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a series of short stories about the inhabitants of a beach house. They follow several families and their guests over a period of about a century with an interesting twist at the end. Nothing spectacular happens in this book. Just some nice vignettes.

[lorriwilliams12 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The idea of having the house tell the stories of it's residence -- sharing it's history--going through the decades was great! I thought the stories were touching and realistic and in someways eye opening. :)

[kindelvr137 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received a copy of this book for free from LibraryThing in return for a review. As others have said, this is written from the point of view of the house. There was one scene that took place well outside the walls of the house, and yet the Gray Lady seemed to know many of the details. That is what kept me from giving this 5 stars. There were a couple of editing mistakes, but nothing that was overly distracting.So, having said all that, the characters were very well written. The historical background was not a lesson in history, but rather a way to make the characters more human, more believable. I found that I laughed, cried, and laughed until I cried with the various people that crossed the threshold of the Gray Lady. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for an entertaining read.

[daynalc · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Review of ‘The Gray Lady of Long Branch’ by Maura Satchell‘The Gray Lady of Long Branch’ is a house – a large, Victorian-style home, built in the early part of the 20th century, in a seaside town. The house is telling the story. In over 60 years, and several families, including several generations of one family, the house learns a lot about the people who visit.In these pages, you’ll meet several owners and renters who come, stay a while, and leave. The first family is Grace, her husband George, and their 2 sons. After Grace’s family the gray lady stands empty for years. Then, John and Mary buy ‘The Gray Lady’ as an investment, but also spend a lot of time there with their growing, and eventually, multi-generational family.The multiple stories of the various visitors – families and renters – all narrated by the house, is the glue that holds the truly remarkable history of the house together. The people celebrate the good times, and support each other through the bad times.The ending caught me by surprise. My initial reaction was a very emotional “WOW!” I cried at the sad ending, but at the same time, was happy with the surprise circumstances of the ending. It is my pleasure to give ‘The Gray Lady of Long Branch’ 5-stars. It is a book I’d read again, and recommend to others.By Dayna Leigh Cheser, Author

[tvordj · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

This is a collection of anecdotes about families and people that own or rent a large old house on the New Jersey shore. The "stories" don't really go into much detail, are little slices of life. The perspective is from the house's point of view which is different. I can't say I really liked it much, however. It was annoying and unbelievable that the "house" knew so much about the history of the occupants even if it didn't come up during their stays or that it knew what happened when the occupants were elsewhere in the town/beach. I found the house's emotional reactions to things a bit much (there turns out to be a reason for this, revealed on the very last page). The writing style and the point of view, it just wasn't my thing, I guess. The editing seemed a bit loose. I didn't finish it though I did read the end to find out what the twist was but just rolled my eyes at it by that time.

[polarmath · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have always wondered what my house could say if it talked and this story is told from the perspective of the house. This is a neat book and was an enjoyable read.

[ladyjudith-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

When I received this as an Early Reviewer, I was intrigued by the premise that the house, the Gray Lady, was the narrator and the story was told from her perspective. I also looked forward to following the history of the times through the "eyes" of the house. However, I really couldn't get into the book. The fact that the house told about things that occurred away from it, for example on the beach or in town, irked me, as did the numerous grammatical (use of I instead of me) and editing errors/oversights. By the end of the book, character names were switched (Nick and Vinny interchanged). And the surprise ending was just bizarre and came from left field. Unfortunately, the book didn't live up to its promise.

[samantha100_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Gray Lady of Long Branch, by Maura Satchell, is narrated by a Victorian house built in 1910. She starts her story in the 1950's and what a story she has to tell. The first occupants she remembers are the Prescotts. Their story does not end well. After a time the Gray Lady is owned by the DiStefano family and it served as both their vacation home and as a rental. Even though the DeStefanos are the people we get to know the best, the Gray Lady shares her memories of the renters as well. Her tone is conversational, candid and often humorous. She is proud of her appearance. She describes her observations and expresses opinions. The plot is engaging. The novel is so well written that only the Gray Lady could be the narrator. From the very beginning, it was easy to feel affection for the Gray Lady. The author takes on heavy issues, some of which are love, honesty, respect and loss. The characters are well developed and their stories easy to relate to. As for the ending: I didn't see it coming!!! A total surprise.I loved reading this unique and very special book. Highly recommended. I received this book for free through LibraryThing and I give this review of my own free will.

[lkernagh · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Books that have narration from a different point of view always intrigue me so when I saw this book was on offer through the LT Early Reviewer Program, I requested it. I like the idea of a house being narrator and being privy to the secrets that occur contained within its walls. Satchell has chosen to write this story as a series of short and more or less interconnected stories, which are easy to read when one is able to grab snatches of reading time. A number of the stories are focused around the DiSefano family but some of the stories are focused on the previous owner of house and vacation rental guests who come and stay in the Grey Lady. This is a hard book to pin down. It isn't chick lit, and it doesn't have the vibe and feel of the meatier Olive Kitteridge. The stories are limited to what the house "sees" or "hears" and understands - although there were a couple of times where the store does veer outside of the vicinity of the house - so the scope of what the reader is privy to is limited. Outside of the first story, which is my favorite, the stories are a little to saccharin-coated for my reading tastes. Maybe I am really a closet gossip rag reader at heart. I was looking forward to more 'behind the scenes' drama stories than the cleaner PG-styled stories with their solid morals and values I experienced. Overall, an okay light read but only skims the surface of what could be some really interesting stories.

[mexico24 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was asked to review this book from Librarything.com. This was unusual as the story is told by the house. The house was the gray lady and was set around those who lived there before in New Jersey. This was a lovely read with a chick lit feel to it; I have been poorly so snuggled down and enjoyed this. The author writes well and puts a lot into her characters and story. I enjoyed the concept of key American dates being referred to.A recommended read.

[annwelton · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

First, I was given this e-book from LibraryThing for my enjoyment and review. From the very beginning, I found it hard to follow a story that is told from the perspective of a house! It was a very creative concept from the author, but it just didn't grab me. The story idea covering a very old, Victorian beach house was a good one, but I definitely had trouble getting into such a concept. Characters could have been stronger. A good Chick Lit.

[shequiltz · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The premise of this book was unusual and interesting ... it was as seen through the eyes of the house. The Gray Lady of Long Branch was a victorian home located at the beach on the New Jersey shore. The house is owned by a young couple who uses it as a vacation home and the book tells the stories of their visits throughout the years as their family grows. The house also told the stories of those who rented the home in the family's absence. The book had its charms but each chapter was really a story in itself so there was very little depth about the characters. I kept wanting more but that just didn't happen. Maybe that was the reality of it ... the house had little insight into what happened outside her walls or when the family was gone for months at a time. Maybe the Gray Lady felt as frustrated as I did about her lack of character development! The twist thrown in at the end came out of nowhere and really added nothing to the book.

[johnchic_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Recommended, a nice, light, relaxing read. I read Sci-fi often enough, so I was comfortable suspending belief and listening to a house as narrator. Spent summers at the Jersey shore as a child of the 50's and 60's. Characters passing through the Gray Lady are predictable, almost stereotypical, of their decades.No heavy messages found. I had settled into a pleasant read through a series of short stories with the house as common ground. I never saw the twist at the end coming...Bravo.

[lubazuck · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I won this ebook and was very happy to have read it. The Gray Lady was a home in New Jersey and she talked about her families that went through the front door. She talked of the fun and games and great love involved along with the heartache people went through.I did not want this to end because The Lady sure was a great storyteller.

[dlherrmann · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

The Gray Lady, called a novel, is more a sequence of vignettes, following in the footsteps of Hotel by Arthur Hailey. The main difference here is that the narrator is the building. The opening story, 'The Bankers Wife,' sets up expectations for the rest of the book which are regretfully not fulfilled. After that story, with its deepening conflict, traumatic conclusion and unfortunate loose ends, the rest are pedestrian. More editing would be helpful. Minor typographical markings, such as quotation marks,, are missing in places which make some conversations difficult to follow. A little more historical continuity would also be helpful. After Woodstock, in 1969, it does not ring true to describe rock n roll music as "new." Twenty years earlier that designation would have been true, but not in the 1970s. The concluding twist in the final story, linking it to the opening story, goes beyond the necessary suspension of disbelief into a contradictory implausibility.

[its_savvy21 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

While the overall concept of this book is an interesting one, it definitely could have been executed better. Being a big fan of history, I thought this book would've been more detailed in the events that took place. I understand that it's from the "house's " perspective, it was more like little snippets from a few major events in history. And instead of it going more into historical information it was more like "here is a major event now let's focus on what the characters in that time period felt about it". It never really went into too much detail. With most books I read, I grow attached to them, they become a part of my family, with these characters, I didn't feel that. And that makes me sad because it had a lot of protential. I think that was the problem with hoping around from "family to family" if you will. Another thing that bothered me was that it contained a lot of grammatical errors. Most people wouldn't mind, but for me, seeing the correct grammar makes the story flow better.All in all, probably wouldn't recommend. I don't know that I had any expectations of this book, but it definitely wasn't what I thought it would be.

[corduroy7-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a glorious beach read or story to read in the midst of any season when one is heartsick for the simple and timeless joys of summer vacations by the ocean’s shoreline. As a reader that is writing this book review from a balcony that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean along the Jersey shoreline, I loved “The Gray Lady of Long Branch” - a grand Victorian beach house in Long Branch, New Jersey. As I read this story, I felt like I had two movies playing simultaneously with the deep feelings that each elicited – the stories as they occurred over time within the beautiful Victorian beach house otherwise known as The Gray Lady of Long Branch and the stories from my own treasure chest of memories of childhood vacations in Ocean City, New Jersey spent with my parents and another married couple that were neighbors and dearest friends of my parents. The location of the Jersey shoreline was the same with the difference being that The Gray Lady of Long Branch was rented as a home in its entirety whereas my memories are of multiple families renting rooms.The sub-title of “If Walls Could Talk” is so appropriate as “The Gray Lady” shares her perspective of the history of her memories. There are stories within the overall history of the beach house and together they share not only the genealogical story of the families but are also shared within the chronological history with an American perspective. For anyone that has a history of memories at the beach with their families, this story will be a very endearing read and will also make a lovely gift to remind one of cherished times with sun, sand, and surf shared with family and friends. For anyone that wonders why individuals they meet from the NE get a special glow on their faces, have a special lilt to their voices, twinkling eyes, and an enchanting smile when they speak of the Jersey shore, this book will provide the perfect introduction. I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this title as an “Early Reviewer” from Library Thing.

[fernemysteryreader · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a glorious beach read or story to read in the midst of any season when one is heartsick for the simple and timeless joys of summer vacations by the ocean’s shoreline. As a reader that is writing this book review from a balcony that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean along the Jersey shoreline, I loved “The Gray Lady of Long Branch” - a grand Victorian beach house in Long Branch, New Jersey. As I read this story, I felt like I had two movies playing simultaneously with the deep feelings that each elicited – the stories as they occurred over time within the beautiful Victorian beach house otherwise known as The Gray Lady of Long Branch and the stories from my own treasure chest of memories of childhood vacations in Ocean City, New Jersey spent with my parents and another married couple that were neighbors and dearest friends of my parents. The location of the Jersey shoreline was the same with the difference being that The Gray Lady of Long Branch was rented as a home in its entirety whereas my memories are of multiple families renting rooms.The sub-title of “If Walls Could Talk” is so appropriate as “The Gray Lady” shares her perspective of the history of her memories. There are stories within the overall history of the beach house and together they share not only the genealogical story of the families but are also shared within the chronological history with an American perspective. For anyone that has a history of memories at the beach with their families, this story will be a very endearing read and will also make a lovely gift to remind one of cherished times with sun, sand, and surf shared with family and friends. For anyone that wonders why individuals they meet from the NE get a special glow on their faces, have a special lilt to their voices, twinkling eyes, and an enchanting smile when they speak of the Jersey shore, this book will provide the perfect introduction. I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this title as an “Early Reviewer” from Library Thing.