The book was a paperback fiction. I read it probably 10 or 15 years ago. I do not remember the title or the author. I believe the female author had a common first name but spelled slightly different (example – Lynda instead of Linda – but that wasn’t the name)
There were four female characters- collegemates- and a male college student that was dating one of the girls. Two of the girls were best friends but hung out with two others. The male college student was an architect and dreamed of building the perfect house in the perfect spot (on a beach) One of the friends was a flashy blond who was rich and ended up stealing and marrying the man from her classmate because she could give him the property to build that perfect house. The other classmate was a strange person who eavesdropped on the other three girls and often heard them making fun of her (she never forgot that)
I am not sure how many years later the rich blond invited everyone to her big beautiful home her husband had built on the beach for a reunion. The one classmate had married and had children (average kind of boring life) and her best friend had married a cop who was paralyzed in the line of duty (living sad life) (if I recall correctly) They didn’t really want to go to the reunion but ended up going.
In the meantime over the years the fourth member of their group was the butt of their jokes. She wasn’t pretty. Short and chubby. I think she had red frizzy hair etc. She had blossomed. Lost weight and had become a famous writer/author. She was well off and she apparently held a grudge all those years – and was out to get revenge.
My memory is pretty blurry about the time they spent on the beach. The blond had become an alcoholic, not pretty any more. Her husband said he had always loved the first girlfriend and was making a play for her at his beach house. The climax in the story was when the author lady tried to kill one or more of them during a big storm that blew in.
I enjoyed the story and was hoping to find the author’s name to see if she had written any other books. I have been looking for years with no luck. This is the last I will try. I hope you can finally solve my mystery.
That sounds a bit like “Outer Banks” by Anne Rivers Siddons.
Yes I found it was Outer Banks. Thank you and others who helped me.
That sounds like “Outer Banks” by Anne Rivers Siddons.
This sounds like something Elin Hilderbrand would have written.
This is Outer Banks by Anne Rivers Siddons
This WAS Outerbanks. Thank you so much. Long Search and such a helpful site