Book Review: The Summer House by Lauren K. Denton
Some books can be read and enjoyed year-round. Others are meant specifically for a certain season–like Christmas fiction. The Summer House by Lauren K. Denton is a book that begs to be read in the summer with a cold glass of sweet tea.
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I read Lauren’s book Hurricane Season last summer, and really enjoyed it. I like her characters and how the story flows. I hoped that The Summer House would have the same feeling.
Summary
Lily Bishop left her life in Georgia behind and moved with her husband to a small town in Alabama. They had barely settled into their little rental house, when she woke up to find him gone. He left only a note and some divorce papers.
With no friends, no place to live and no job, Lily has to start over from scratch. She finds an ad for a beautician in a community called Safe Harbor.
Safe Harbor is a retirement community run by the crusty, uptight Rose Carrigan. Rose carries a deep hurt inside, and can’t forgive herself for the wrongs of her past.
She makes up for it by pushing people away. She enforces strict rules in the little community, and interacts with the other residents as little as possible.
But when Lily asks Rose for the job, and the use of the apartment above the beauty shop, something stirs inside Rose. She gives Lily the summer house on a probation period, provided she does a good job.
So begins a sweet summer of learning, forgiving, and a little romance. Lily and Rose’s lives have not gone like they planned. But they learn they can start over, and still have something amazingly beautiful.
The Summer House Review
The first thing I have to say about The Summer House is that I want to move into it and live. Not just in the actual house, but in the town of Safe Harbor itself.
The scenery scenery sounds idyllic. If I could retire and move there, I absolutely would. Tomorrow.
The characters are all really good, too. I admired Lily’s strength and resilience. I think she lost herself in her marriage.
She needed the residents of Safe Harbor, as well as memories of her mother, to help her find herself again.
But I think I liked Rose’s character even more. Her struggles felt so real to me. Seeing her transformation throughout the book was my favorite part.
Lauren also does an amazing job of writing secondary characters. I loved all of the residents of the village. They each had their own personality and were all so charming.
There is a bit of romance in The Summer House. But it’s really not the main focus. It’s really about relationships and finding the strength to begin again–even if you think it’s too late.
The Summer House is full of southern charm. It’ll make you want to pack up immediately and move to the Alabama Gulf Coast.
This is the perfect book for summer reading–so you better grab it fast!
