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Fiction. Literature. Romance. HTML: It's never too late to start over. The Summer House weaves Lauren K. Denton's inviting Southern charm around a woman's journey to find herself in a small beach town�??with a little help from the local retirement community. Lily Bishop wakes up one morning to find a good-bye note and divorce papers from her husband on the kitchen counter. Having just moved to Alabama for his job only weeks before, Lily is devastated. New to town and knowing no one, Lily finds herself in desperate need of a job and a new place to live. When Lily hears that a hair stylist is needed at small retirement community, she decides to apply. Rose Carrigan built the small retirement village of Safe Harbor years ago�??just before her husband ran off with his assistant. Now she runs a tight ship, making sure the residents follow her strict rules. Rose keeps everyone at arm's length, including her own family. But when Lily shows up asking for a job and a place to live, Rose's cold exterior begins to thaw. Lily and Rose form an unlikely friendship, and Lily's salon soon becomes the place where the colorful residents share town gossip and a few secrets. Lily soon finds herself drawn to Rose's nephew, Rawlins�??a single dad and shrimper who's had some practice at starting over�??and one of the residents may be carrying a torch for Rose as well. Neither Lily nor Rose is where she expected to be, but the summer makes them both wonder if there's more to life and love than what they've experienced so far. The Summer House is a: Cozy novel full of charm and heart that's perfect vacation reading Celebration of new beginnings, friendship, and family Sweet, clean romance set on the Gulf Coast "The perfect summer read! Situated on the Alabama Gulf Coast, you'll feel the sun, taste the salt, and linger with new friends�??you won't want to leave. And with lyrical prose and rich characters, The Summer House is a beautifully poignant reminder that we are never too young to find a good place to stand nor too old to start over."�??Katherine Reay, bestselling author of The Printed Letter Bookshop and Dear… (more)
User reviews
Source: NetGalley and Thomas Nelson/Harper Collins
Rating: 5/5 stars
Lily Bishop’s life hasn’t been easy, but she had hoped once she married, her life would at least improve. As it turns out, not only did her life not improve, but her husband turned out to be
With nothing to do but pack her bags and move forward, Lily ponders her options. She’s in a new city, a new state, and knows no one, but that isn’t going to stop her. Though she isn’t as confident as she may appear, Lily takes a chance on a supermarket flier advertising for a hairdresser in a local retirement village. At this point, Lily has nothing to lose and during her interview with the surly Rose Carrigan, she goes for broke with stark honesty.
Rose Carrigan isn’t known for her friendly demeanor and she certainly isn’t known for having a soft spot for anything or anyone. However, her interview with Lily Bishop is private so no one must know she bent just a bit and is giving a young woman in a bad spot a chance to turn it all around. As if to temper her moment of kindness (weakness?), Rose makes sure Lily understands all the cleaning is on her and the job is only a trial run. Yeah, that should be enough to ensure her reputation.
As Lily begins her new (temporary) journey at the retirement village, she has time to reflect on her past and how she ended up where she is now. For Lily, the walk down memory lane takes her back to her own mother’s salon and the fond memories she has of those days. More than anything, Lily wants to create the same environment she once so loved in her mother’s salon. Lily wants to create an atmosphere of friendship, comradery, and safety for the women who come to see her. What’s more, Lily hopes to create a place where she can blossom and flourish just as her clients do. She knows she has big shoes to fill, but Lily is willing to put in the hard work and the effort despite her fears and insecurities.
As Lily is learning to find her own path, Rose Carrigan is discovering her life choices, her general bad attitude, and her standoffishness has kept her from truly enjoying her life. As the owner and manager of the retirement village she also lives in, Rose has had plenty of opportunity to become involved, make great friends, and be a real member of her community. However, her past has mired her in sadness and regret and that has prevented Rose from moving forward. As she watches Lily Bishop begin to rebuild her own life, Rose starts to revaluate her own life and though it is difficult, make small changes that may allow her to have a happy and fulfilled life.
The Bottom Line: Yet again, the wait for a new Lauren K. Denton book has been well worth the wait. Though separated by decades, Rose and Lily are companion souls both searching for a way to improve their lives and no longer live in the darkness. Through Lily’s strides, efforts, and attempts, Rose sees a second chance, a chance to make for all she has voluntarily given up because of her fear and regret. What I love most about this book is the healing environment and acceptance both women find themselves in; the setting is as much a part of this story as the characters and one absolutely enhances the other. Once again, Denton has offered a poignant and compelling story that will resonate with many readers. Ultimately, this is the story of friendship, loyalty, love, and courage and the ability of two women to rise above what they have endured.
Lily wakes up one morning and finds that her husband of
The retirement community was full of fun and quirky people. They were all in the end stages of their lives but they were full of life and loved to have adventures and parties. Once Lily is accepted as their hair stylist, she begins to enjoy having fun with them. Also, she and Rose's nephew begin to be more than a little interested in each other and there may be romance in their future. Will Lily and Rose be able to find happiness and contentment in their lives with a little help from the residents of the community?
The Summer House is an uplifting book about love and friendship, loss and starting over. It's a charming book that is a bit predictable at times but is still fun to read and enjoy. It will definitely put a smile on your face.
Divorce is hard,
Thanks to Ms. Denton, Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.
One day, Lily Bishop wakes up to find her husband gone. Now, she must figure out how to start over in a new town—and a
Engrossing, captivating, transporting, uplifting. Denton’s The Summer House is a delight to read, and I enjoyed it immensely. Readers of contemporary Southern fiction, you do not want to skip this book—add it to your summer TBR today!
I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.
Lily Bishop, barely past celebrating her first anniversary, wakes up one morning to find a note
When she shows up for the interview, she meets Rose, the owner and manager of the retirement village. Although hesitant, Rose gives Lily a chance and allows her to move in the apartment above the shop. Rose herself is also in need of learning how to live again due to her own circumstances. Together, they move past their grief and learn to live and love again. I just love that the name of the place where they live is called Safe Harbor as it serves as a refuge for Rose and Lily in the storm of their lives.
This is the perfect summer read. It has a gorgeous southern Alabama coastal setting complete with some fabulous, quirky, characters whose banter is hilarious. I laughed out loud at the ladies debate over which mayo is the best to use in deviled eggs because it was so realistic. I think I have actually witnessed one of those mayo debates myself. ;)
I know the old saying goes that you can't judge a book by it's cover, but I would say it would be just fine to do in this case. It is an absolutely perfect cover to house the beautiful words inside.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Predictable- yes
Women cast adrift- of course
But great writing and characters you care to hear more about.
A really great story.