ISBN: 1476777640
Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Publication Date: 6/2/2015
Format: Paperback
My Rating: 4 Stars
Set in the weeks leading up to an idyllic New England wedding, this “enticing and refreshing” (Nancy Thayer, New York Times bestselling author) novel sparkles with wry wit, sweet romance, and long-kept family secrets.
Iris Standish has always been the responsible sister: the one who studied hard, settled down, and always made the right choices—even when they came at the expense of her passions. Meanwhile, her sister Leah dropped out of college to “find herself” by hiking through Yellowstone and switches jobs nearly as often as she switches lovers, leaving Iris to pick up the pieces in her wake.
But now Iris’s life is coming apart at the seams, and when Leah calls her back to their childhood home with a desperate cry for help, she is thrust headfirst into preparations for her sister’s wedding to a man their New Hampshire clan has never met…with her own marriage and family on the brink.
Still, despite the rush of dress fittings, floral arrangements, and rehearsal dinners, Iris is learning to put herself first. And amid a backdrop of late-night swims and a soul-restoring barn renovation comes Cooper Woods, a high school crush who beckons with the promise of a new start.
While Leah faces a past that has finally caught up to her, Iris prepares to say goodbye to a future that is suddenly far from certain. As Hampstead Lake shimmers in the background, Iris must decide when to wade in cautiously and when to dive—and, ultimately, how to ferry herself to safe harbors in this “glittering…memorable” novel of second chances and the ties that bind (Michelle Gable, nationally bestselling author of A Paris Apartment).
About the Author
t the age of eight, Hannah attended her first young author's conference in Mrs. Meyer's third grade class. She was never the same since.
Hannah attended Skidmore and Connecticut College, where she received her BA. She later traveled overseas to South Australia, where she earned her MA in Education. Upon returning home, Hannah spent ten years teaching elementary students the joy of literature. After starting her family, she decided it was time to write some of her own.
Her first two young adults novels, 'Franny Parker' and 'The Properties of Water' were published in 2009 and 2010, respectively, with FSG/MacMillan.
Hannah will now be making her debut in women's fiction. After signing with Trident Media, Hannah joined the esteemed team of Emily Bestler Books at Simon and Schuster. Look for her new release, THE LAKE SEASON, to be released on June 2, 2015! Her next novel, BACK TO YOU AND ME, will follow in summer 2016. Website Twitter Goodreads
My Review
An ideal summer beach read, and perfect for book club discussions, Hannah McKinnon’s THE LAKE SEASON, is a moving beautiful story of sisters, dark family secrets, a stunning idyllic lakefront setting in New England, a desperate last-chance summer, rediscovery and new possibilities for the future..
Iris has always been the responsible sister, while her sister Leah dropped out of college, the free-spirit, hiking through Yellowstone and job hopping, leaving Iris to pick up the pieces. Everyone always liked Leah as the life of the party, and Iris boring and uptight.
Now, Iris finds her life and marriage falling apart (Paul, husband and three children-Sadie, Lily, and Jack). She feels no one likes her at the moment, so why stay. Once again Leah calls her back to their childhood home for help, off she goes to help with the preparations for her sister’s wedding to a rich man the family has never met.
The air is filled with tension upon the arrival. Iris is looking forward to the time away from her own family to decide about her own life and future. However, will she put her responsibility for other aside to find her own passion? What about an unexpected romance with an old class mate Cooper Woods, while working with the barn renovations?
Leah always been the favorite daughter and seems never to take responsibility for her actions - a case of sibling rivalry? Everyone loves Leah, she's engaged and yet they have not been in touch for years. Leah seems to have it all, but something isn't quite right. Leah does not act like someone madly in love. What gives?
Families aren’t easy – they are complex and most of the time our friends no more about us than our family members. McKinnon cleverly takes all the messy-life topics and creates a compelling and heartwarming realistic story for a summer of healing, forgiveness, sisterhood, and rediscovery!
Charming and heartfelt! Add to your summer beach read collection.
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