A review by jlye
Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune

emotional reflective medium-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

1.75

I read this book for Canada Reads. I will straight up admit that I am not a fan of romance novels and this book did not change my opinion. I found the characters and basic plot to be unoriginal. Fern, in particular, was very annoying. Her entire life is consumed by a guy she spent one day with and she is more than happy to change the course of her life and family relationships based on this single interaction. The way she pines and chases after him from start to finish… Girl, have some dignity!!
The truth is that Fern doesn’t really know Will at all, which comes to a head in the rushed last quarter of the book.
The author’s note regarding mental health themes at the end of the book earned it an extra 0.75 of a star, but more time spent on character development would have a better way to convey these themes.
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