Some things that you must be
prepared for going into a Lyn Gardner book: it will be long (like, really
long); she has a fondness for detailed descriptions of architecture and interior
design; you will find an overuse of the title smattering the book; you will probably
be tempted to leave the book early on and then find it addictive; you will be
drawn to one or both the MCs and get invested in them; and finally, when you
finish, you will spend time with your favourite parts/scene/characters of the
book for a while just lolling around.
Robin Novak is a successful writer
who is trying to recover from a nightmare relationship. Her aunt, Adele, whom
she last visited over thirty years ago, has left everything to Robin, so Robin
packs up her life in Florida and moves to Mackinac, an island in Michigan. To
her shock, what she remembered as a Adele’s three-bedroom cottage has somehow
morphed into a huge Victorian Inn. Robin decides to take on this challenge but
knows she needs help. Help comes in form of Judy, a teacher from Robin’s
high-school on whom Robin has been crushing for twenty-five years.
This book actually has three love
stories from different time periods. One is hundreds of years old, the second
is Adele’s story and the third is the Robin-Judy story. Of the three, we are
completely captivated by Adele’s tender, enduring story that leaves a warmth and
an ache.
Another thing we absolutely love is
that both MCs are over forty (Robin is 44 and Judy is 55). We are not very
certain that we empathise with some of Robin’s reactions and Judy’s actions
towards the end of the book, but that is when Adele’s wonderful story is
unfolding so the boo remained gripping.
Would definitely recommend this
one.
⭐⭐⭐☆
