This book was a nice change of pace from the thrillers (psych, action, suspense) and romances that have made up a lot of my reading lately.
Told from alternating points of view, the plot runs smoothly through both characters, giving the reader insight to deeper thoughts and motivations.
That’s not to say that it’s a heavy book, because in spite of the tragedy at the beginning, the author maintains a balance of serious and lighthearted moments.
I was particularly taken by Norman’s attitude. Equal parts young boy and old soul, I related to him in a way I did not expect.
I loved how he took old comedic records and tried to emulate them with his best friend, Jax. I thought it showed how some people can latch on to certain things, even in the most unexpected ways.
Another thing about Jax and Norman’s friendship was that it perfectly illustrated why people should never assume things about other people, especially kids. One never knows where that connection could pop up.
I did have a harder time with Sadie. I understand why the “not a good mum” thing came up, because I think every mom has those thoughts at one time or another.
But there were times that I felt like it was too much of it. Her guilt over not being able to cook properly, Norman worrying about her, not having a good enough job…there were times that it seemed like she just whined on instead of making changes and actually doing something.
I really like Leonard – and once he joined in on “the plan” I thought the book really took off. He was interesting and seemed like someone it would be fun to know.
Do they make it to Fringe? Well, you’ll have to read it for yourself to find out. But I highly recommend this coping/coming-of-age/buddy road trip/family matters story.
I love working with different publishers because I get a cross-section of genres, and I never know what my next read will be. After a string of psych thrillers, crime procedurals, and historical fiction, I was thrilled to read this pleasant story about family ties and romance.
After being introduced to the town in The Lilac House, I was so excited to visit Lake Summers again. The author has a knack for creating a place that makes the reader feel like they’re “coming home” just like the characters (in this case, Jenna). There is something about the way the author describes towns and houses that is just…comfortable.
Once again, small-town life and politics is captured perfectly, warts and all. It is heartwarming to read about people who still care about their hometown, and who support each other when the chips are down. That kind of love and pride for a way of life means something, especially these days.
I particularly liked the generational aspect of this story. The set-up is simplistic but effective. Sweet still lives in Lake Summers. Jenna (her daughter) moved away and started a family of her own…until her husband decided he wanted a different family.
Jenna is considering a permanent move back to Lake Summers to lick her wounds and figure out the next chapter in her life, brining her teenage daughter, Sophie, with her. That plan accelerates when Sweet has an unexpected fall down the stairs and exhibits signs of memory loss (early Alzheimers?)
It’s effective plotting that bring three generations of women together at a time when each is at a turning point in their lives. At any given time, I could relate to each of the characters: Sweet, for what she is no longer able to achieve; Jenna, for not knowing which way to turn; and Sophie for having her world upended.
If The Lilac House had me at “ballet,” The Bluebell Girls had me at “theater.”
I especially related to Sweet and her love for facilitating theater productions for the town. That’s exactly what I used to do. The descriptions of how Sweet seemed more alive and was able to get everything done was familiar and felt personal. Her “two words” especially struck a chord in me.
As to the romance, I liked how the author hinted at something that happened between Jenna and T.J. when they were younger, gradually letting the story build (and it’s not what you expect it to be).
However, you know that they’re destined to be together. But it isn’t easy, and the journey to get there is heartfelt and realistic. I also like how the author uses flowers to explore aspects of humanity (as in Jenna realizing why her mother planted bluebells). And the covers are just gorgeous!
Get this one to read before the very last vestiges of summer are gone. I’m glad I did. I’ve fallen in love with this town and the characters. I hope I get to visit it and explore with the author a few more times!
Author Bio: Barbara Josselsohn is an award-winning journalist and novelist who loves crafting stories about strong protagonists facing a fork in the road. Her novels center around second chances, family relationships and, of course, romance. She is the author of the Lake Summers series set in the fictional town of Lake Summers, nestled in the Adirondacks Mountains, which includes the books The Lilac House and The Bluebell Girls. Before joining with Bookouture, she published The Last Dreamer, a women’s-fiction novel from Lake Union Publishing, along with hundreds of articles and essays in major and regional publications about family, home and relationships. 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: husband, her three kids, and her indefatigable shih-poo!
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but what I got was a heartwarming and honest look at friendships and how nobody has to navigate life on their own. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this book.
I thought the differences between Ellen and Unity, friends since childhood, were unique, but also led them to be in the same boat in a small town. Ellen had a teenage pregnancy and ended up a single mom while Unity married her first boyfriend who she subsequently lost at an early age. Both women have become stuck in their ways.
One day, after some particularly challenging news for each of them, they sit down and write out a list of challenges designed to alter the paths their lives are taking. Sort of a bucket list for 30-year-olds.
I really enjoyed the author’s writing style. It was realistic and natural and just flowed. The inner dialogues were as crisp as what the characters said to each other, so there was no lag in the action. There were several times I found myself thinking, “Yep, that’s what I would have said.”
The author also tackled some fairly serious issues (teen pregnancy, single parenting, grief, allowing the past to control the present, aging) with a keen eye but also with a sense of humor. It was serious when it needed to be, but never got preachy.
The secondary characters were just as enjoyable as Ellen and Unity and each of them brought something fun to the story. I could see where the romantic interests for each of the woman were going right away, but the journey with them was enjoyable.
The only thing that stuck out to me, and probably only because I am a teacher by trade, was the college bus trip that Ellen and Keith took to Southern California with the high school students. I did a similar trip when I was in high school, but it was a totally different world then.
There’s no way that only two adults would take the group of teens on a two-week bus trip. And some of the events that happen on the bus trip would absolutely never occur. In fact, there were a few times that the adults were extremely irresponsible, and that bothered me a bit, because their actions didn’t really fit in with the rest of the book.
But I still think it was an excellent read and would highly recommend picking it up. There are some good lessons to be learned along the way.
SUSAN MALLERY is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of novels about the relationships that define women’s lives—family, friendship and romance. Library Journal says, “Mallery is the master of blending emotionally believable characters in realistic situations,” and readers seem to agree—forty million copies of her books have been sold worldwide. Her warm, humorous stories make the world a happier place to live.
Susan grew up in California and now lives in Seattle with her husband. She’s passionate about animal welfare, especially that of the two Ragdoll cats and adorable poodle who think of her as Mom.
Based on the first chapter, I thought that the book was going to go in a completely different direction. I was expecting flashbacks to how Clare and Becca got to that starting point. I could not have been more pleasantly surprised when the action instead jumped to Flora, with seemingly no connection.
Shortly, however, the connection became apparent, and that is when the book really took flight. The author has a special knack for creating whole scenes that make it feel like you’re watching the action instead of reading it. I was fully immersed.
I liked the way that the author split the narration between Flora, Izzy, and (later) Clare. Reading the story from the three different perspectives allowed me to compare their personality traits and try to get to the underlying issues that were causing the conflict.
What was most interesting to me was that each of them was ultimately more like the others than they could have imagined. Being able to connect the dots and see each woman’s strengths and weaknesses gave added depth to the story.
I appreciated that the author gave some realism to the males in the story. For the most part, they are relatively tangential characters (even though Jack is a catalyst for it all), but their interactions with the women were natural and not forced. They were typical men, but admitted it and tried to improve where necessary. There weren’t any male-bashing or shallow stereotypes. They were just real.
Ultimately, it is a book about family and all of the ugly stuff that goes with it. Families are never perfect, and they don’t necessarily only connect by blood. They also are not always what you think they might be. The importance of communication is another theme. If the characters had talked with each other, to begin with, a lot of misunderstandings would have been avoided. Of course, then there wouldn’t have been a plot. And it wouldn’t have been as realistic, because those missteps are part of human nature and we have all made them.
This book was emotional but not manipulative, and I could not put it down. Watching each of the characters navigate through the trickiness of death and new relationships was ultimately heartwarming, and I highly recommend it.
Author Bio: USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes lively, sexy contemporary stories for Harlequin.
Romantic Times has described her as ‘a magician with words’ and nominated her books for their Reviewer’s Choice Awards and their ‘Top Pick’ slot. In 2012 Sarah received the prestigious RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America. She lives near London with her family. Find out more at www.sararahmorgan.com.
