“She understood that the hardest times in life to go through were when you were transitioning from one version of yourself to another.”
– Sarah Addison Allen, Lost Lake
Book Title: Lost Lake
Author: Sarah Addison Allen
Publication Date: 2014
Genres: Adult Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Chick Lit
Goodreads Rating: 3.85 Stars
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
Suley, Georgia, is home to Lost Lake Cottages and not much else. Which is why it’s the perfect place for newly-widowed Kate and her eccentric eight-year-old daughter Devin to heal. Kate spent one memorable childhood summer at Lost Lake, had her first almost-kiss at Lost Lake, and met a boy named Wes at Lost Lake. It was a place for dreaming. But Kate doesn’t believe in dreams anymore, and her Aunt Eby, Lost Lake’s owner, wants to sell the place and move on. Lost Lake’s magic is gone. As Kate discovers that time has a way of standing still at Lost Lake can she bring the cottages—and her heart—back to life?
Sometimes lost loves aren’t really lost. They’re right where you left them, waiting for you to find them again.
1. Sarah Addison Allen and her whimsy. I’ve read quite a few of Allen’s novels, and I love their uniqueness. I think someone on Goodreads described it as “Magical Realism”. She takes normal, everyday occurrences and makes them just a bit more special by adding some sparkle and magic dust. This novel, out of all the ones I’ve read, has the least of it, but the lake provided some magic in itself, so I wasn’t missing it.
2. The heartache and trauma felt real. These characters struggle. They see a lot of loved ones die, or run away, or struggle with very real problems. Allen didn’t diminish this sadness and heartache, but rather embraced it in it’s own way, and let the characters grieve and grow.
3. What a summer book. I’m so glad I picked this up in the middle of July instead of the middle of December. A good summer read has a way of transporting you when you are stuck in the house with the heat and humidity, and a good summer read takes advantage of that feeling that summer gives where everything is possible. This book was a good summer read.
As my only light read of the summer, I thoroughly enjoyed this whimsical novel, and I thought it was a great summer read.
“After you finish a book, the story still goes on in your mind. You can never change the beginning. But you can always change the end.”
“When your cup is empty, you do not mourn what is gone. Because if you do, you will miss the opportunity to fill it again.”
“If we measured life in the things that almost happened, we wouldn’t get anywhere.”
“You can’t change where you came from, but you can change where you go from here.”
“But relying on one person for your every need is so dangerous. One set of hands isn’t enough to keep you from falling.”
