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kdurham2's review against another edition
3.0
Check out the full review Kritters Ramblings
Allie is a young mother who has been widowed due to war and is trying to make a new home for her and her son without the memories that linger in their previous hometown. She returns to a lake house from her childhood where there are a few people who knew her before this most recent tragedy in her life.
The minor characters had a story of their own which added to the story, but didn't distract. The owner of the local diner is a recent empty nester and is really feeling the loneliness without her daughter at home. Jax is a mom of three with the fourth on the way and has kept a secret from her husband and she must confront this to move her marriage forward. I enjoyed having these full stories settle within Allie's story.
Allie is a young mother who has been widowed due to war and is trying to make a new home for her and her son without the memories that linger in their previous hometown. She returns to a lake house from her childhood where there are a few people who knew her before this most recent tragedy in her life.
The minor characters had a story of their own which added to the story, but didn't distract. The owner of the local diner is a recent empty nester and is really feeling the loneliness without her daughter at home. Jax is a mom of three with the fourth on the way and has kept a secret from her husband and she must confront this to move her marriage forward. I enjoyed having these full stories settle within Allie's story.
pr727's review
3.0
I give it a 2.5. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Carrington MacDuffie. The book was very easy to listen to and understand. MacDuffie added a touch of "Minnesota" accent to some of the characters that was not too overbearing and she did a nice job of differentiating the characters. The book itself was better than most (of the few) romance novels I've read; there was less overreacting and taking things the wrong way but the story lines were predictable except for the Jax/Jeremy line which was just so contrived and unrealistic. There are so many tedious and unnecessary step by step descriptions of what the characters are doing and awkward phrasing (a nightgown "took up residence" on the top shelf of a closet). But, generally, it was a quick, light, non-taxing read, well, except for the sex scenes, which need to be toned down, a lot.
electablue's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to read this because it took place at a cabin in Minnesota, but it didn't have as much atmosphere as I might have liked. This wasnt bad for a romance, but if isn't a genre I usually read.
debbiemanning's review against another edition
4.0
I was lucky enough to be a Goodreads winner. I really enjoyed the book, the setting, and the characters. They were relateable, and I could feel how they felt as they were going through some difficult times in their lives. I also liked that there was information about the author, and background into the creation of the story. An enjoyable read.
adiareads's review against another edition
3.0
Started off promising. I liked that it was following more than one characters story but then it got heavy into the one (boring/predictable) story line. Liked the other stories better. Might've tempted to read the next one. Might not.
orygunn's review against another edition
3.0
A fun quick read with good characters. Will read the rest in the series.
sde's review against another edition
3.0
Predictable story, but the kind of soothing story I need right now. The main romance was way too corny to be believable, given the characters ages and things they had seen in life. I enjoyed the friend relationships - e.g. Allie and Jax, Caroline and Frankie - much more. I enjoyed the setting, and I think it got the small town feel of everyone knowing each other correct, although I wondered where all the summer people were. The friendships between people in different stages of life, like that between Caroline and Jax, are more likely to happen in places like this because if you tried to stick with people like yourself, you may end up having no friends.
I enjoyed the fact that the little boy, Wyatt, was a big part of the story, and, although well-behaved, didn't have the annoying precocious quality that many kid characters have in adult books. I was angry with Allie, though, when she told Walker he
Just once I would like to read a book like this wear the characters are regular looking or even homely. There seem to be a lot more gorgeous 30-60 year olds in light reading books than I see in my own life. Average looking people can find love too!
So an easy reading book that might be classified as a romance, but there is a lot of story outside the romance.
Oh, and it looks like this is the first in a long series. I really want to have a story set here in the dead of winter. I think it would be a lot more interesting! Most of us have been on a lake in the summer, but a northern Minnesota lake down in winter?? Alas, it looks like none of them are, although there is one set around Christmas. Probably because, according to the bio, the author lives in California most of the year and summers in Minnesota.
I enjoyed the fact that the little boy, Wyatt, was a big part of the story, and, although well-behaved, didn't have the annoying precocious quality that many kid characters have in adult books. I was angry with Allie, though, when she told Walker he
Spoiler
could no longer take Wyatt fishing after she "broke up" with him. Wyatt didn't even know they were dating, and both Walker and Wyatt obviously benefited from the relationship, so it seemed cruel to take the outings away from the little boy. .Just once I would like to read a book like this wear the characters are regular looking or even homely. There seem to be a lot more gorgeous 30-60 year olds in light reading books than I see in my own life. Average looking people can find love too!
So an easy reading book that might be classified as a romance, but there is a lot of story outside the romance.
Oh, and it looks like this is the first in a long series. I really want to have a story set here in the dead of winter. I think it would be a lot more interesting! Most of us have been on a lake in the summer, but a northern Minnesota lake down in winter?? Alas, it looks like none of them are, although there is one set around Christmas. Probably because, according to the bio, the author lives in California most of the year and summers in Minnesota.
bl3553dmama's review against another edition
3.0
The story line was good but it was a slow read for me. Not sure if it’s just because I had so much going on this month or what. Strangers to lovers trope.