Advance Praise for THE SUMMER COTTAGE“Every now and then a new voice in fiction arrives to completely charm, entertain and remind us what matters. Viola Shipman is that voice and The Summer Cottage is that absolutely irresistible and necessary novel.” — New York Times Bestselling Author Dorothea Benton FrankFrom the bestselling author of The Charm Bracelet and The Recipe Box comes the perfect … The Charm Bracelet and The Recipe Box comes the perfect summer escape about the restorative power of family tradition, small-town community and the feel of sand between your toes
Adie Lou Kruger’s ex never understood her affection for what her parents called their Cozy Cottage, the charming, ramshackle summer home—complete with its own set of rules for relaxing—that she’s inherited on Lake Michigan. But despite the fact she’s facing a broken marriage and empty nest, and middle age is looming in the distance, memories of happy childhoods on the beach give her reason for hope. She’s determined not to let her husband’s affair with a grad student reduce her to a cliché, or to waste one more minute in a career she doesn’t love, so it becomes clear what Adie Lou must do: rebuild her life and restore her cottage shingle by shingle, on her terms.
But converting the beloved, weather-beaten structure into a bed-and-breakfast isn’t quite the efficient home-reno experience she’s seen on TV. Pushback from Saugatuck’s contentious preservation society, costly surprises and demanding guests were not part of the plan. But as the cottage comes back to life, Adie Lou does, too, finding support in unexpected places and a new love story on the horizon. One cottage rule at a time, Adie Lou reclaims her own strength, history and joy by rediscovering the magic in every sunset and sandcastle.
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Every now and then a new voice in fiction arrives to completely charm, entertain and remind us what matters. Viola Shipman is that voice and The Summer Cottage is that absolutely irresistible and necessary novel… [It] brings us the astounding importance of home and underscores the importance of a loving family and of having a generous heart. Grab a glass of sweet tea and enjoy! Cheers from my porch to yours!
Great beach read.
This was a very touching and humorous book. I thoroughly enjoyed every page.
its good
Apparently I need a beach cottage to restore, lately I can’t seem to get enough books about them!
Adie Lou has just inherited her family’s “Creaking Cottage” on Lake Michigan. Now she’s moving there, determined to reinvent herself and carve out a new life after dealing with a lot of loss: her parents, her marriage, the empty nest, and her job. Now, solidly facing her transition to middle-age, Adie Lou considers the cottage as one place that she always had happy memories of.
But of course, building the dream (or in this case, renovating it) is never as easy as the dreaming of it. She finds herself bogged down in unexpected costs, distasteful guests and navigating her way around a historical society…oh, and there’s a bit of romance.
Adie Lou is a wonderful, resilient character and the story is full of hope and promise (even when things seem bad!). The Summer Cottage is the perfect feel good summer book!
*I received a copy of The Summer Cottage from Goodreads and Graydon House in a giveaway
The Summer Cottage is a truly inspirational story about a woman who decides to turn her family summer cottage into a B&B when her marriage ends. While renovating Creaky Cottage, Adie Lou discovers hidden historic gems along the way. It was fun to learn the history of the cottage in each of the discoveries. She rediscovers the town of Saugatuck, where she spent every summer while growing up. She makes new friends; she even falls in love and even rescues a dog. Set on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan, the descriptions took me away. The cottage, lake and town were so vividly written, they could have been their own characters in the book.
The book is written in sections using Adie Lou’s grandfather’s rules that were to be obeyed while visiting the cottage, “wake up smiling” and “nap often” are just a couple. But, my favorite rule is “Everyone must be present for the sunset”. My favorite quote from the book comes from this rule which we should all to try to remember at the end of each day:
“Sunsets are like snowflakes. No one is the same, my mom said. We miss too many of them rushing around. They are celebrations because every day is an accomplishment, a blessing of epic magnitude that we all take for granted. No matter how difficult a day has been, a sunset proves that there is still hope and good things can happen tomorrow. See how slowly they seem to take, and then how quickly they fade?”
This book left a lasting impression on me. I highly recommend it.
I would like to thank HARLEQUIN – Graydon House Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first Viola Shipman book I read. It took me back to my childhood and going to visit my grandparents at their home on Lake Michigan.
Well written layers of complexity. But still a fun summer or year around read!
When the setting is a cottage by the lake you can’t go wrong.
I loved every minute of this story!
A great rainy day or beach read. I enjoyed it.
A great light summer read
A nice gentle read albeit a bit predictable. I did enjoy it!
Really enjoyed reading and loved the setting
This book has everything. Awesome book. Awesome writer.
Pure Michigan. Pure fluff & cliché. Pure Summer beach read.
great book
Cute story… very predictable. Honestly – the characters were just so unrealistic! Evan… what teenage guy talks like that? Adie Lou came off a bit unrealistic. Scooter, well, actually can’t quite put my finger on what bugged me about him. I’m giving it three stars, that’s being generous.
The Summer Cottage is yet another wonderful, hope-filled novel by Viola Shipman. I fell in love with The Recipe Box because of the love and warmth and all that luscious food. I was enchanted by The Charm Bracelet because of the deep connections of family. And I fell in love with Michigan and the blue sky and sparkling water and all the art and artists. So I wondered what would The Summer Cottage do? Needless to say, it wrapped me in a soft, thick blanket of caring and didn’t let me go. You’d think the characters would be perfect, but they’re as flawed as the rest of us. And that’s what makes them so charming. They’re real, they’re striving for a better life, they’re hoping for love. The author has such a knack for painting sweet moments and showing us how the littlest of details can make a huge difference. The Summer Cottage is a keeper. You’ll laugh and cry, probably more than you expect. And that’s the sign of a great story. Thank you, Viola Shipman. You’ve done it again.
Her family’s cottage about to be sold?
Adie Lou couldn’t do it…The Summer Cottage had too many memories.
Instead of selling the cottage, Adie Lou decided to turn it into a bed and breakfast and a retreat for women.
We follow Adie Lou as she moves through getting a divorce, struggling with her decision to keep the cottage, having the cottage updated and made into what she wanted, and hoping she can make ends meet.
THE SUMMER COTTAGE had me in tears at times because of the sad but mostly the happy things.
Each section of the book was titled as one of the positive rules of the cottage.
They were rules that we all should incorporate into our daily lives especially #1 Leave Your Troubles at The Door.
Viola Shipman has created another beautiful story about family, friendships, and what is important in life. I fell in love with Adie Lou, the cottage, Michigan, and the story line, and I think anyone who reads this book will too.
Viola Shipman writes so beautifully, with such warmth, and in such detail that you’ll clearly see the cottage, the cottage’s history, the characters, and even feel the frigid Michigan temperatures.
The writing and story line made me want to jump into the pages and to be at the cottage so I could be part of the love and warmth the characters had for each other, the cozy feel of the small town, and the love Adie Lou had for THE SUMMER COTTAGE.
If you need a positive, uplifting read, THE SUMMER COTTAGE should be your next read.
It is a huge, emotional hug….LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book. 5/5
This book was given to me as an ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.