Emma by the Sea, written by Sarah Levine, is an adorable beach romance. While age gaps with two consenting adults is typically not something that I take issue with, the circumstances of the two characters having grown up as one babysitting the other did often make me cringe. I often forgot those were the circumstances and that was when I enjoyed the book. Aside from that, this book was one of the best reads I’ve found in awhile!

TRIGGER WARNING: parent with dementia

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! Wow, what a lovely read! It’s not often that a book inspired by Austen stands on its own. Well done!

It’s always a bit difficult to redo a book, especially one that is quite popular, and one that is a classic. Here we have a book that is both. I have read Austen’s Emma,.although I have to admit it’s not my favorite book.. Even though Austen apparently set out to write a character in Emma that readers might not like at first, I actually found myself liking Emma (somewhat flawed though she might be). Mr. Knightley, though, I did not like at all. Obviously I’m from a different time as the book, and that which was acceptable then doesn’t quite sit with me as well now, though.

In modernizing the tale and making it sapphic, Levine has made the story, at least to me, more palatable. Retold tales are never going to be my favorite thing, but the book is more of a taking the framework of the original rather than a beat-by-beat with modern language. I don’t think it will ever replace the original, but I have to say my dislike of Mr. Knightley is so great that I am far more likely to read this again than Austen’s book.

Emma by the Sea is more of a slight nod and not a retelling of the classic Emma by Jane Austin. In this story Emma is in her mid twenties and has spent the last three years caring for her father who has early-onset dementia. She returned home after getting her degree in psychology not wanting to miss spending this time with her father. But she also isn’t happy seeing her friends move forward in relationships and attaining advanced degrees.

Her next door neighbor is Georgia who is 13 years older. She is a neurologist and they have known each other all their lives. They are friends and neither is admitting to ever thinking of the other as something more. This summer Georgia’s niece Cora, is coming to stay and work in her aunt's offices. It is mostly to keep her away from her current boyfriend.

I really enjoyed the story. I like the set up and established friendship. Cora is a nice catalyst to igniting a change in the friendship status of Georgia and Emma. The story deals compassionately and realistically about dealing with someone with beginning dementia. Of course it helps that these people are wealthy and money is not a stressor. I actually sat and read this in one sitting. It is a debut novel and I hope the author is already writing her next book. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the eARC and I am leaving an honest review.

Emma by Jane Austen is such a gorgeous book with big themes and I was intrigued to read a sapphic retelling - a first for me for this particular Jane Austen book.

Emma by the Sea is a heartfelt, slow-burn sapphic romance with a lot of emotional depth. Emma is 25 and has put her life completely on hold to care for her father, who has early-onset dementia. At times, this book was hard to read when watching her navigate the day-to-day realities of his decline, and it’s clear how lonely and stuck she’s become—even though she’s surrounded by support.

Enter Georgia, her neighbour and lifelong family friend, who also happens to be a neurologist. She’s 38, composed, and has clearly been in Emma’s orbit for years—but things start to shift when Georgia’s teenage cousin Cora comes to stay. Cora is chaotic, blunt, and exactly what’s needed to call out the tension simmering between Emma and Georgia. There’s jealousy, longing, and a lot of mixed signals, but the emotional payoff is worth the wait.

The romance is tender and frustrating in equal measure—just the right kind of will-they/won’t-they. There’s an age gap, family illness, and a heap of unresolved feelings. I found it compulsively readable and genuinely moving. A really impressive debut, and I’ll absolutely be keeping an eye out for what this author does next. I'm hoping for another Jane Austen re-telling but that's just me 🙃

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely fantastic plot! Could not put the book down once I began reading it. So glad it has been released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

Emma is taking care of her father who has dementia, she finds help in her friend and neighbor Georgia. when her niece Cora comes to visit for the summer, she thinks Emma has feelings for Georgia..

This is a debut novel by this author and I thought she did a great job. I enjoyed getting to know each charaacter. The pacing was good, the communication between the characters were great and they were relatable.. I look forward to this authors next book. I recommend

Thanks to the publisher Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley.

A sweet book by the new author, Sara Levine. 

I enjoyed the chemistry, the connection shared between both MCs. 

Each interaction between the MCs feels genuine. You are able to see what the characters dont see. 

The secondary characters were well developed and added to the storyline.  

The angst was there, and the resolution was beautifully done. 

I didn't want to put it down, I kept going back after finishing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers of this book for providing me with a copy.

I loved the representation of different body types and how they’re all beautiful, attractive and amazing in their own ways. I could tell the author really focused on emphasising each persons characteristics and bringing them into a positive light. As more of a Georgia body type myself, it was so refreshing and lovely to see positive representation of someone who looks more like me.

All the characters had differing levels of depth to them that made them memorable all throughout my reading experience. I loved the little fashion and jewellery tidbits, I love to dress up myself and it was so cool imagining their own unique styles coming to life on the page.

This truly breaks my heart as I tried so hard to appreciate the story for the romance it is but I couldn’t get past the weirdness of it all. Georgia constantly acted as a parental figure the entire book apart from when it gets on the spicier side, but that made it so weird and uncomfortable to read about. The sex scenes felt pretty natural for two people who are wildly attracted to each other but then I’d get reminded of the weird mother/daughter relationship they definitely had, and the age gap didn’t help. Look, I’m not a stickler for age gaps especially when both are nearing or over 25, but this was too much. The fact Georgia treated her as a child whilst also partially raising her and then formed sexual feelings for her was SO WEIRD. I know I’ve said weird a lot now, but it was. I genuinely couldn’t get properly invested in the story because it was just Georgia mothering her then them wanting to have sex? No, thank you. Couldn’t move past it. They also were supposed to be friends but it never felt like it and there was almost no depth to their relationship besides one point which ended with them not talking so? In the end, despite the author so clearly wanting us to root for Georgia and Emma I just wasn’t able to. If Emma was open to Bridget, I almost definitely would have been hoping they got together, if only for the summer.

The dad situation was a big point in the story and it was extremely moving. I empathised with Emma and her not wanting to let go of the normalcy she craved. I liked his character and I think that without him Emma wouldn’t have had as much development as she did, which admittedly wasn’t much. The dad and Cora offered much needed comic relief throughout the story and I appreciated them being there. Coras’ character was funny and accurate as a teenager, I saw younger me in her a lot.

The writing was casual and easy to read, nothing special. I breezed through the book despite the issues I had with the romance. It was surface level, not feeling too serious despite the issues with Henry and Georgia, this made it enjoyable but not memorable after finishing the book.

3.5

I don't know the classic this is based on so although I wouldn't get the nods to the original, I still enjoyed it as a novel. The first intimate scene however didn't work for me as I kept thinking "They are in the family home foyer!" It was a pity I was pulled out as I had enjoyed the earlier fantasising.
I was so in to the book that when Emma did something monumentaly stupid and thoughtless I actually said Noooooo. Out loud...... to a fictional character!
My access to this book was a bit stoppy/starty. That was all on my life but what is all to the writers credit is that no matter what bit I picked it up, I was immediately drawn back in. There were always enough bumps to keep things interesting.
My goodness, those mains can be infuriating!!
I enjoyed this and 3.5 seems to fairly reflect my view.

Oops, I started reading this book slightly incorrectly. My bad. Luckily, I caught up with what the author was doing before I got to the halfway point, so I was able to enjoy it.

It was a hard read. Not in a bad way a hard read, but, in an intense way. Emma is taking care of her father who has early onset dementia. She and her neighbor Georgia have known each other since Emma was born. And when Georgia's cousin Cora comes to visit (Cora and her Mom have had some... issues), everything starts changing for Emma and Georgia. They get closer, but, there is so much to consider, their relationship was so complicated. The reason I had to put it down here and there was because the emotions seemed to me to just jump off the page and into my brain. It was brilliant, and horrible, and awesome and draining. (I laughed out loud when the NetGalley form asked me for tags and one of them was 'Emotional', ya think).

This book really touched me. And, I am so glad that even though I'm not an Austen fan at all (like, seriously, I've tried, multiple times, I just can't do it), I gave this book a try.

emma by the sea by debut author sarah g levine is a romance novel inspired by jane austen's emma. we follow our main character emma, who has returned back to her home to take care of her father, who has early onset dementia. her father's neurologist, their neighbor and family friend georgia is the love interest of emma. emma does not quite know what the future holds for her but her feelings for georgia are undeniable.

i will start off by saying that i don't read a lot of romance in general and this may have an impact on the review.

to me, the romance was quite weak and uninteresting. we start off with emma and georgia already having an established (semi-platonic?) relationship, they give each other hugs and kisses on the cheek. we do not really see the relationship develop and therefore at least i was not very invested in it. their age difference is not really a problem since they are both consenting adults but we are constantly reminded of it and the fact that georgia has known emma since she was a baby. however, georgia does not act like her age at all, she is quite childish actually and keeps taking part in emma's mind games.

i understand that jane austen's emma is supposed to be an unlikeable character but i don't think it was executed well in this novel. surely there is a better way to imply that she is prejudiced than calling a 17-year-old a slut? maybe that's just me. i will say that i really liked cora as a character, i thought she was an important part of the story.

i do appreciate that we get a happy ending for the main pairing. i found the ending cute and ended up liking emma and georgia together. i wish all the best for the author and would like to read their future novels as well.

thank you to netgalley and bold strokes books for providing me with an e-arc of the book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5⭐️It's not a usual age gap story. At 25, Emma has lived so many hardships. She lost her mother as a teenager and is now taking care of her father, who has early-onset dementia. Reading about dementia is always heartbreaking, and Levine did it very well. Georgia is 38 and has always been there for Emma. The book is written in the single POV of Emma, and I really like searching for signs of reciprocity from the love interest. I was just a bit frustrated by Emma going on dates with another woman. I also found some actions from Georgia a bit immature, although I loved the jealousy scenes. And slut shaming a 17yo was a bit awkward. Overall, this book is balanced, full of chemistry, and moving at times. This debut novel is really promising. Ps: I havent read the Jane Austeen novel.

Emma by the Sea by Sarah Levine is a heartfelt and beautifully crafted novel that draws readers into the richly woven lives of its characters with warmth, honesty, and emotional depth. With a setting as calming as its title, the story offers much more than coastal charm—it explores the quiet complexities of aging, connection, and self-discovery.

Levine excels at character development, creating a vibrant cast of family and friends that feels authentic and lived-in. Through Emma’s eyes, readers are invited into a community where the bonds between people are as powerful as the personal growth they each undergo. The emotional arcs are subtle yet profound, making the reader feel like part of this circle—laughing, grieving, and growing right alongside them.

What makes Emma by the Sea particularly compelling is its relatability. It thoughtfully touches on the anxieties that come with getting older—questions of purpose, change, and what truly matters—without ever becoming heavy-handed. Levine’s writing is tender and introspective, offering both comfort and insight.

A moving, quietly powerful novel, Emma by the Sea is a story that lingers—gentle, wise, and deeply human.

Emma is twenty-five and has maybe both too much and not enough on her plate. Her father has early onset dementia and Emma has paused her life in order to be there for him. Her days are filled with worrying for her father, exercising to deal with stress, being a lady of the estate, and navigating her relationship Georgia--the beautiful, older neurologist next-door. This summer, Georgia has agreed to watch her younger cousin Cora, a somewhat troublemaker, and has enlisted the help of Emma to keep an eye on her and to be a good influence. What ensues is a summer romp of pining, angst, and misunderstandings (I know many have gripes with misunderstandings, but I tend to enjoy them because they feel so human).

I have read a fair share of Emma retellings despite never having read the original, and I enjoy it every time--I should really get around to reading the original sometime. I can understand the crux of the story being hit or miss, especially with recent societal discussions around age gaps. When it comes to fiction I think I have an easier time than some to offer lenience to things I'd judge in real life. Maybe it's also easier because sometimes Georgia felt younger than her age.

When we meet Emma and Georgia, the ball is already rolling on their mutual attraction. I think this element may be the weakest part for me and makes the romance feel partly unearned. Despite this, the author dis a great job of keeping me engaged and I look forward to what comes next from Sarah Levine.

Thanks to NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A book as homage to Jane Austen's Emma.
Emma has returned to live at home after college to care for her father who has early onset dementia. She is dependable and loves her father - and is rather fond of gossip too.
Her neighbour Georgia is dad's neurologist - and has known Emma since she was born. She's also the object of Emma's teenage crush that has never left her.
Seems like Emma may be Georgia's guilty pleasure.
Georgia's wayward niece visits for the summer and Emma is happy to help out.
We are fortunate to have a ringside seat to see the story play out.

There are plenty of moments when neither Emma or Georgia are sure of what they want and what they could have. Emma's life seems to have stalled as she is reluctant to leave her dad - Georgia is determined that Emma should have a life of her own.
We are fortunate to have a ringside seat to see the story play out.

There is of course an epilogue - we get to see the progress made at New Years Eve.

This is an excellent debut novel - hopefully there are more good things to come from Sarah Levine.
My love of Emma aside - this is one for my bookshelf.

Twenty-five-year-old Emma Wilson, tall, blond, and rich, has an enviable life, but her father’s dementia makes it difficult to leave him and their home on Highbury Lane. With her future on hold, Emma turns to her neighbor and confidante, thirty-eight-year-old Dr. Georgia Kostigiris, for advice and comfort and to keep their little world tightly ordered.

All that changes when Georgia's seventeen-year-old niece Cora comes to stay for the summer, invading Highbury Lane with her teen angst, big mouth, and knack for seeing things that Emma wished she wouldn’t. Like the way Emma and Georgia lean on each other. And the way Emma’s eyes track the sway of Georgia’s curving hips. Cora makes it impossible for Emma to ignore her feelings for Georgia, but it’s too complicated, and besides, she’s certain Georgia doesn’t feel the same. That’s how she ends up on a date with easy-breezy Bridget, mired in mixed signals.

I have friends who have (un)healthy obsessions with Jane Austen novels. I've never read one (unless I did in high school—I don't remember!). I think this book is more meant for those type of people.

That said, I enjoyed the story and getting to know the characters. The story was fun and I enjoyed getting to know the characters and watching their relationship grow. Solid 4⭐ for me!

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

emma wilson lived at home with her dad.... its not the life she had envisioned for herself but it was what it was.... with her fathers early diagnosis of dementia she had no choice really

her mom had died years ago from cancer and her only other support was her neighbour georgia.... who was also a doctor but it was when georgia niece cora came to stay that rocked the boat for emma

she had thought her child like crush on georgia was over but with cora highlighting how much they looked at each other it was only time before one of them acted on it....

but georgia was out of bounds ..... wasnt she....

a fun read and was surprised to find out this was the authors first book.... it wont be the last either and i cant wait for the next one

I loved this so much! The pacing was good, the characters were great, I couldn’t get enough! I connected with the plot on a way that doesn’t happen with most books, I would definitely recommend you read this.