The Summer House by Lauren K.Denton

Book Description

Sometimes it takes losing everything to find yourself again.

Lily Bishop wakes one morning to find a good-bye note and divorce papers from her husband on the kitchen counter. Having moved to Alabama for his job only weeks before, Lily is devastated but forced to contemplate her next steps when she sees a flier at the grocery store for a hair stylist position in a local retirement community.

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 residents share town gossip, as well as a few secrets of their own. Lily even 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 they expected to be, but the summer makes them both wonder if there’s more to life and love than what they’ve lived so far. The Summer House weaves Lauren Denton’s inviting Southern charm around a woman’s journey to find herself.

My thoughts:

Lily Bishop wakes up one morning to find a note and divorce papers from her husband. Obviously, this is unexpected but life goes on and eventually person has to eat so off the grocery store she goes where she meets a couple of interesting ladies who live in a retirement community.  She also spots a flyer advertising for a hairdresser which happens to be in the same retirement community. Lily interviews with Rose who runs the community and boy does she run it!  Rose is a no-nonsense manager and she like to stay on top of everything.  This is a perfect opportunity for Lily who needs an income and a place to live since the home she had shared with her husband was provided to them temporarily due to his job.

I was ready to pack my bags and move into one of the charming cottages in Safe Harbor.  The residents are active, funny, and kind of nosy but deep down they truly care for each other.  I loved the little snippets from the community newsletter where you could find what was being served in their onsite restaurant.   It was so much fun spending time with Lily in her shop and getting to know the ladies as she did their hair and formed a close bond with her new friends.

The unexpected and welcome change in the lives of both Lily and Rose is truly heartwarming.  If you’re thinking this book is only about senior citizens, no worries, the much younger Lily is soon befriended by a very helpful and age appropriate family member of Rose’s .

Overall, all I thought this was a delightful book that was hard to put down once I started reading it.  I started reading this one a little after midnight and was still reading it at 6:00 am.  I finally slept for a few hours and then started reading it as soon as I got back up. It’s that good which is why I highly recommend it.

I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley.  All opinions are my own.