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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Good summer thriller. a lot more mob ties than expected
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The summer escape to their family homes on a Vermont lake should have been a relaxing vacation for Julia, Erica, and David, three old friends and their respective families. But, when bones are found buried nearby it brings back memories of the two young girls who went missing 60, and 30 years ago. When the girlfriend of David disappears everything changes. Told from multiple viewpoints you start learning a lot about the many characters involved and what happened 60 years ago, 30, years ago and at the present time. There are lots of secrets and lots of surprises and when childhood memories return and bits and pieces from the past are told or remembered decisions are made that will change the lake escape forever.
The book kept my attention, and I enjoyed the different setting, but I felt like it dragged on after a certain point. Thanks for the giveaway!
What a great read. This book kept me engaged from the very beginning. I didn’t have a clue where it was going so every turn was unexpected. The storyline was multilayered and expertly woven. There were a variety of characters introduced but the main characters were not only relatable, but likeable as well. They had their own flaws and I enjoyed how the story helped them to move forward with their life choices and their personal growth as a result.
While this was not a nailbiter, it never drags and the question of who, why, and how are always lurking through each chapter and turn of the plot. I enjoyed the way the story wrapped up and everything was revealed. Not a lot of shock and awe but just the right amount of uncertainty that I found myself thinking, “So that’s what happened!” several times throughout the book.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
So badly wanted to love this one, and it started out well. It had my attention at the beginning, but the story seemed to lose momentum for me and unfortunately, this one fell a bit short for me. This ended up being just ok and won't be memorable or a fave for me.
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Lake Escape is about three adult friends (Julia, Ericka, and David) who reunite every summer with their families at their childhood lake. The story is told from two POVs: Julia and Izzy, David’s nanny looking to solve a family secret. While the premise of the story is solid, a lake with a secret, a missing person, suspected murder, and family drama. However, the story was so slow even though there was so much going on all the time. It’s a shame that the characters weren’t likable because that could have saved the story but I found the majority of the characters annoying. By the time I got to the end, I felt like everything wrapped up too perfectly for all the characters.
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Unfortunately, this never managed to spark much excitement for me. The pacing drags, dialogue is awkward, and the writing made it tough for me to stay invested. If you really like the popcorn thriller formula and don’t mind the writing style it might work for you, but this one was a slog for me to get through.
Energy: Petty. Suspicious. Diminutive.
🐺 Growls: The story meandered from one half-baked twist to another. The characters were underdeveloped and annoying (one POV came across as whiny and entitled but was written like we’re meant to sympathize with her). The constant bickering and over-explaining bogged everything down. A lot of random plot points were thrown around but introduced without depth or development. It read scattered and I got bored.
🐕 Howls: Contrived twists overshadowed any genuine suspense. The dialogue was stilted and flat, everyone sounded the same. Chapters ended on cliffhangers then jumped into a different POV, usually to reveal a half-hearted fake-out, which killed the momentum.
Scene: 🇺🇸 Lake Timmeny, Northern Vermont, USA
Perspectives (2): A spouse and parent who grew up along the lake and inherited the cottage; they are pissed a neighbour / friend renovated and changed their view of the lake. A recently hired nanny who has ulterior motives for taking the position of overseeing twin kids for a single parent at the renovated cottage property.
Timeline: Linear. Mid 2020s. ☀️ Summer.
🔥 Fuel: Will Julia be able to stir up sympathy after her neighbour modernized his cottage? Why is Izzy lying about why she took the nanny position and why does she want to be in the area this summer? What happened with the cold cases in the area? Is someone’s missing girlfriend connected? What is going on with Julia’s husband and the family finances?
📖 Cred: Suspend all disbelief
Mood Reading Match-Up:
Glass house. Sunsets over water. Fresh air. Fire pit. Loons calling. Country and rock tunes. Wind through leaves. Sunscreen.
- Overhearing character conversations and thoughts, reader kept in the dark (third person and first person)
- Simplistic, verbose writing style
- Summer cottage vacay domestic drama
- Nanny in over her head
- Frenemies feuding and scheming
- Foolish, insufferable, self-righteous characters (maybe a likeable one here or there)
- Cold case revisited
- Corruption, crime, fake-outs, feuds, indecision, lies
- Missing girlfriend
- Relationship on the rocks
- Did-he-or-didn’t-he doubts
- Amateur journalism sleuthing
Content Heads-Up: Alcohol (partying, recreational; intoxication). Alcoholism (in treatment, relapse and recovery). Financial insecurity (failing business, bill collectors). Gun violence. Infidelity, serial cheating. Loss of parent (as teen; brief mention). Organized crime. Parental abandonment (as child; brief mention). Pornography (mentions). Pregnancy. Sexual harassment (from employer).
Rep: American. Cis. Hetero. Olive, fair, pale, and golden skin tones.
📚 Format: Advance Reader’s Copy from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley
💖 Musings powered by puppy snuggles 🐶
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Infidelity, Alcohol
Minor: Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment