Kristy Woodson Harvey is the New York Times bestselling author of 11 novels including The Summer of Songbirds, Under The Southern Sky and last summer’s beach read sensation, A Happier Life. Harvey’s forthcoming novel, Beach House Rules, hits bookshelves May 27, 2025—and today, FIRST can exclusively unveil its cover!
Last week, FIRST caught up with the author—and co-host of the weekly podcast “Friends & Fiction” with fellow New York Times bestselling authors Patti Callahan Henry, Mary Kay Andrews and Kristin Harmel—to discuss her upcoming novel, which Harvey says has some comparable plot points to her previous novel. “Beach House Rules has some similar themes to A Happier Life in terms of second chances, defining life on our own terms, overcoming adversity and surrounding ourselves with people who bring out our best,” she tells FIRST.
We also had the chance to ask Harvey a few behind-the-scenes questions about the book cover before its official reveal, below. “I am so excited to share this gorgeous new cover exclusively with FIRST readers, well, first,” she says. “As authors, we spend months or even years on what’s inside these books, so seeing the perfect cover come to life to complement that is always such an incredible joy. And, let’s face it: Don’t we all judge a book by its cover?”
Continue scrolling to see the book cover for the very first time, hear a little about the cover design process, find out details about the book’s plot—and more!
What ‘Beach House Rules’ is about—in Harvey’s own words!
“This story, in a nutshell, is about a mother-daughter duo (Charlotte and Iris) who find themselves with nowhere to turn and end up moving temporarily into a ‘mommune’ with three other women and their children—a living situation that garners a lot of gossip and chatter in their small southern town,” she tells FIRST. “As the women begin to realize they have a secret link they weren’t aware of, they begin to wonder whether their coming together was a coincidence after all. As you can imagine, there are some ups and downs, but they end up making friendships that change their lives—and bolster them on the next steps of their journey.”
Q&A: Kristy Woodson Harvey Talks About New Novel ‘Beach House Rules’
First for Women: Kristy, we’re so excited about your forthcoming novel and honored to reveal its cover for the first time! Can you share any details about the cover design process?
Kristy Woodson Harvey: The cover process is different every time, and, for this one, I have to admit that the cover was mostly a surprise! My incredible editor, Carrie Feron, had a real vision for a beautiful illustrated cover that would feel like a summer escape.
She sent inspiration here and there and would update me on what was going on, but, ultimately, Cookie Moon created the most amazing art and Min Choi designed the perfect cover, and they sent me a gorgeous finished product! I think I actually squealed when I saw it. Truly, all we did was tweak the font and title color a little. Sometimes we can go back and forth for weeks or even months trying to get it right, but, for this one, it was love at first sight!
FFW: What is one of your favorite aspects of your upcoming book ‘Beach House Rules?
KWH: One of my favorite elements of this book is a snarky, anonymous (and often quite funny!) Instagram account called @junipershoressocialite that becomes the voice of the people in this small southern town that has plenty to say about this unconventional living situation.
In a lot of ways, the novel is about how social media shapes our perception—and how much or how little control we have over that.
FFW: What do you hope readers will ultimately take away from this story?
KWH: Overall, I want readers to be swept away to this idyllic beach town and have hours of summer fun with these characters whom I love so much! I want them to laugh and have their hearts warmed and feel like they’re living inside this cover for a few hours. I know I’d love that!
Pre-order your copy of Beach House Rules here. And stay tuned for more of FIRST’s exclusive cover reveals coming soon!
