I’ve become a big fan of this author. Her stories have always had a calming effect on me.
I think it’s because the stories are simple and don’t take a lot of brainpower. There’s no criminal to catch, no psychological twist to figure out, no historical lesson to learn – just nice, easy plots that allow me to ride along with the characters’ experiences and enjoy them.
(That’s not to say that the other types of stories aren’t good as well, because I love those books. But everything in its own time and sometimes a break with something different is a good thing.)
In this case, we get the story of Caroline, and how she returns to a small town to help save a garden that was started by her mother many years prior.
I enjoyed the setup of this plotline. I think it was highly relatable in many ways. Caroline isn’t sure about her corporate job and often wonders if she holds the position because of her family connections.
It’s obvious that her heart is in another place, even as she doesn’t realize it herself. It takes a message from an old friend to make her realize where her priorities should be. It’s also a good lesson for her daughter, Lee, who is being groomed to be the heir apparent to the corporation.
Back in Lake Summers, Caroline finds herself again and also uncovers a family secret. It’s a good story, told in an approachable and interesting way. And, as with other books set in small towns, there is a literal townful of local characters.
I will say that in some ways, I actually liked the secondary characters better than Caroline. It’s not that she was unlikeable, but people like Maxine and Gull seemed to be much more fleshed out. Maybe because they were in their element in town already? I’m not sure.
I also liked Aaron. I definitely would have loved to read his papers, because they sounded interesting. I’m not sure that I bought the relationship between Caroline and Aaron, though. It didn’t seem very full or complete.
And the secret (as mentioned in the blurb) is revealed very late in the book – almost as if it was an afterthought. This was a shame because the build-up was pretty well-done, and I expected it to take a bigger part of the story.
As it was, the last part seemed rushed. After an easy-going story that moved along, sort of like a stream trickling through, the revelation and wrap-up felt like it had hit rapids. It was bumpier and fast-moving – and didn’t feel as natural as the rest of the story.
But in spite of that, I very much enjoyed this book and would recommend it for a simple, relaxing beach read.
Twitter: @BarbaraJoss
Author bio:
Barbara Josselsohn is an award-winning writer who loves crafting stories about strong protagonists facing a fork in the road. Her novels include The Bluebell Girls, The Lilac House, The Last Dreamer, and her newest release, The Lily Garden. She has published hundreds of articles about family, home and relationships in national and regional publications, and also teaches novel writing at the Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York. She lives just north of New York City and enjoys escaping to the beach or the mountains whenever she can. Other than writing, her biggest passion is her family: her husband, her three kids, and her indefatigable shih-poo!
