14.7.11

Book Review: Summer at Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs

Olivia Bellamy has traded her trendy Manhattan life for a summer renovating her family's crumbling holiday resort. Tempted by the hazy, nostalgic memories of summers past- childhood innocence and the romance and rivalries of her teens. It's the perfect place to flee after her broken engagement. But what began as an escape may just be a new beginning...
As Olivia uncovers secrets buried thick with dust, one by one her family return, their lives as frayed at the edges as the resort. Her father and the mystery woman in the tatty black and white photograph. Uncle John, who's trying to be a father again to his teenage kids. Connor Davis, the first love she never forgot.
Laughter is ringing around Willow Lake once more. This could be Olivia's summer of a lifetime!
Summer at Willow Lake is a very easy-going, enjoyable read. Olivia is spending the summer renovating Camp Kioga, the summer camp owned by her family and a place where Olivia spent her childhood summers. Those were the summers when she was chubby and awkward, now she is stunning and highly successful except in the romance department where she has just experienced a broken engagement with one of New York's most eligible bachelors.
Olivia is determined to get the camp back to it's former glory so that her grandparents can celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary there. Olivia didn't expect to have to see Connor Davis again though. He was her first love at camp but things did not end well and they haven't spoken for years. As the only building contractor in the area, Connor is Olivia's only choice for doing the work at Willow Lake so it looks like they will be spending the summer together again. As Olivia works on the camp, family secrets are uncovered and old feelings awakened. It looks like it is going to be a very interesting summer.
I did really enjoy this book and I thought that the pace was great. It is a very nostalgic read and has you remembering the summers of your childhood. It is a book that I would highly recommend sitting in the sunshine with to pass a few hours.

Many thanks to Mira for sending me a copy of the book to review, it is out now.

2 comments:

Jules said...

This sounds like an interesting summer read!

Dot said...

Jules- It is a really good summer read, I really enjoyed it!

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