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A review by takethyme
The Summer Cottage by Viola Shipman
4.0
I was surprised to see a man, using his grandmother’s name as a pseudonym, write such a charming piece of contemporary fiction. Kudos to Wade Rouse for an enduring look at taking the bull by the horns when a marriage failed.
This was a story I was in no rush to finish.
Adie Lou Clarke nee Kruger’s (she takes her maiden name back after her divorce) character grew on me with each additional chapter.
She was in her early forties and at a crossroad in life. Newly divorced and leaving a job she no longer enjoyed, Adie Lou took the plunge to revamp her family’s vacation home into a B & B. With limited funds and no experience, she became an unconventional woman. If you read the story, you will know what I mean.
Revealed in the first person tense, I missed hearing the various male characters’ thoughts. I enjoyed learning more about the main protagonist, but sometimes I wanted to know what all the men thought in reaction to Adie Lou’s many strengths and limitations.
A few times I felt like the narrative was a pitch for Saugatuck, Michigan’s chamber of commerce. At the same time, I would love to visit the area! The descriptions of the beaches, boat rides, search for treasured stones and gentle evenings were soothing.
[b:The Summer Cottage|40277425|The Summer Cottage|Viola Shipman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1537724550l/40277425._SX50_.jpg|59698776] was a story of failure, friendships and learning to depend on others. Some situations bordered on cutesy, but they were offset by more serious moments. There were just enough realistic connotations to make Adie Lou’s life interesting.
After the ups and downs of building and running a new business centered in hospitality, a light romance cemented the heroine’s future. All in all, it was a pleasant way of vacationing in Michigan without actually traveling there.
This was a story I was in no rush to finish.
Adie Lou Clarke nee Kruger’s (she takes her maiden name back after her divorce) character grew on me with each additional chapter.
She was in her early forties and at a crossroad in life. Newly divorced and leaving a job she no longer enjoyed, Adie Lou took the plunge to revamp her family’s vacation home into a B & B. With limited funds and no experience, she became an unconventional woman. If you read the story, you will know what I mean.
Revealed in the first person tense, I missed hearing the various male characters’ thoughts. I enjoyed learning more about the main protagonist, but sometimes I wanted to know what all the men thought in reaction to Adie Lou’s many strengths and limitations.
A few times I felt like the narrative was a pitch for Saugatuck, Michigan’s chamber of commerce. At the same time, I would love to visit the area! The descriptions of the beaches, boat rides, search for treasured stones and gentle evenings were soothing.
[b:The Summer Cottage|40277425|The Summer Cottage|Viola Shipman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1537724550l/40277425._SX50_.jpg|59698776] was a story of failure, friendships and learning to depend on others. Some situations bordered on cutesy, but they were offset by more serious moments. There were just enough realistic connotations to make Adie Lou’s life interesting.
After the ups and downs of building and running a new business centered in hospitality, a light romance cemented the heroine’s future. All in all, it was a pleasant way of vacationing in Michigan without actually traveling there.