Review: The Summer House by Lauren Denton

The Summer House

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Pages: 352

Format: eARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads:  Sometimes it takes losing everything to find yourself again.

Lily Bishop wakes up one morning to find a good-bye note and divorce papers from her husband on the kitchen counter. Having moved to Alabama for his job only weeks before, Lily is devastated, but a flyer at the grocery store for a hair stylist position in a local retirement community provides a refuge while she contemplates her next steps.

Rose Carrigan built the small retirement village of Safe Harbor years ago—just before her husband ran off with his assistant. Now she runs a tight ship, making sure the residents follow her strict rules. Rose keeps everyone at arm’s length, including her own family. But when Lily shows up asking for a job and a place to live, Rose’s cold exterior begins to thaw.

Lily and Rose form an unlikely friendship, and Lily’s salon soon becomes the place where residents share town gossip, as well as a few secrets. Lily soon finds herself drawn to Rose’s nephew, Rawlins—a single dad and shrimper who’s had some practice at starting over—and one of the residents may be carrying a torch for Rose as well.

Neither Lily nor Rose is where she expected to be, but the summer makes them both wonder if there’s more to life and love than what they’ve experienced so far. The Summer House weaves Lauren K. Denton’s inviting Southern charm around a woman’s journey to find herself.

Kritters Thoughts:  Lily finds herself in a small town in Alabama and has given up everything to follow her husband for his job.  When in the first few pages he leaves her in the worst way (no spoilers!) and she must make some big life decisions and fast.  Rose has lived the majority of her adult life in a community built for retired living and she has been running it without being a part of the community and just maybe she should drop her rough exterior and be a part of a community!

I was hesitant at first to pick up and read this one as I am consciously avoiding books with cheating and divorce and that sort of life things as I am just not enjoying those plotlines right now.  But because I was already a fan of Lauren Denton I wanted to give this one a chance and I am glad I did as the cheating and divorce are really only encapsulated in the first few pages and the rest of the book focuses on Lily's life and a coming of age for a character who may be a little older than your typical coming of age!  I also loved the addition of Rose and her storyline as it added just a little something extra to the whole book.  

This book solidifies my love of Lauren Denton.  If she can take a subject that I tend to avoid and write a story that I can fall in love with with characters that are jut delightful to follow, then I am a fan!

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

 Ebook 2020 Challenge: 52 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.