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She held the letter that she had found in the garden, and noticed the distinctive curls of her father's handwriting etched on the worn paper. Her life had already been turned upside down by one family secret, would his last words force her to leave her childhood home forever? When Caroline left Lake Summers thirty years ago, she thought she'd never go back to the place where she lost her parents. But when she finds out that the town's lily garden lovingly built by her mother is going to be destroyed, she knows she must return from Chicago to save it. Caroline and her daughter Lee are welcomed home by the warm smile of her mother's best friend Maxine, and piles of pancakes at her cozy little restaurant in town. And Caroline soon learns that she isn't the only person invested in saving her mother's legacy, when she meets handsome historian Aaron. As she gets to know him, strolling along the sparkling lakeshore, she can't imagine anywhere else she'd rather be. But then Caroline learns a terrible secret about the day her mother died. And soon the real reason Aaron is in Lake Summers comes to light. Will the truth about the people she loves force her to give up a future with Aaron, and the beautiful town that has always been in her heart? An utterly uplifting and heart-warming story about forgiveness and family. Perfect for fans of Carolyn Brown, Debbie Macomber and Mary Alice Monroe. What readers are saying about Barbara Josselsohn: "I am at loss of words to explain how I felt about this... a wonderful masterpiece... will stay with me for a long time." Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars "This book about second chances both wrenched and warmed my heart... I highly recommend this book... One of my favorites this year. Please don't miss it!" Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews, 5 stars "This book, uplifting and lovely, is very important in this time of chaos and uncertainty. Read it to sooth your frazzled nerves and to restore your faith in humanity." Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars "I did not want to put this book down... A page-turner... Engrossing." Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars "Will touch your heart... I wanted the book to keep going on." Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars "This book is filled with romance... I don't want to say goodbye." Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars "It's wonderful to pick up a book and get lost inside its pages... I was swept up... I didn't want the book to end. Moving, heartfelt and wonderful... This was just the kind of read I needed right now. Highly recommended." Jessica Belmont, 5 stars "A romantic novel that you won't want to put down... By the end of the book, you'll wish that you could visit and spend time there yourself!" Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
Featured Series
2 primary booksLake Summers is a 2-book series with 4 primary works first released in 2021 with contributions by Barbara Josselsohn.
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Caroline works in Chicago for her aunt Risa at a world-renowned textile company and her teenage daughter Lee is on the path to earn a business degree and eventually take over the family business. All that changes when Caroline learns her deceased mother's beloved Lily Garden, located in the small New England town of Lake Summers, is set to be destroyed in the next few weeks to make room for an expansion to the community's library. Caroline impulsively decides to save her mother's legacy and proceeds to turn her planned mother-daughter summer trip to tour colleges into a longer sojourn in the quaint idyllic spot she left at age twelve after her parents died.
This sets the stage for a touching reunion with her mother's best friend and her own surrogate mother figure Maxine and her boys Jackie and Ben, and also with a potential love interest, Aaron, a new history professor at the nearby college who is carrying secrets of his own and looking for a fresh start.
As in her two previous books, Josselsohn weaves a seamless tale of family drama with just a hint of romance, placing her squarely in the women's fiction genre with its themes of second chances, new beginnings, character growth, and family secrets. She weaves it all together in an uplifting, heartfelt way, leaving the reader longing to find a Lake Summers of their own with its concerts on the square, ice cream parlors, and historical sites. This is an idyllic summer story sure to melt the heart of the most cynical urban dweller.
If you're looking for a summer read that not only delivers a well-paced story but also deeper reflections on what constitutes a good life, the forks in the road we all encounter, and the unbreakable bonds between mothers and daughters, this is the book for you.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.