It’s never too late to start over. The Summer House weaves Lauren K. Denton’s inviting Southern charm around a woman’s journey to find herself in a small beach town–with a little help from the local retirement community. Lily Bishop wakes up one morning to find a good-bye note and divorce papers from her husband on the kitchen counter. Having just moved to Alabama for his job only weeks before, … weeks before, Lily is devastated. New to town and knowing no one, Lily finds herself in desperate need of a job and a new place to live. When Lily hears that a hair stylist is needed at small retirement community, she decides to apply.
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 the colorful residents share town gossip and a few secrets. Lily soon 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 she expected to be, but the summer makes them both wonder if there’s more to life and love than what they’ve experienced so far.
The Summer House is a:
- Cozy novel full of charm and heart that’s perfect vacation reading
- Celebration of new beginnings, friendship, and family
- Sweet, clean romance set on the Gulf Coast
“The perfect summer read! Situated on the Alabama Gulf Coast, you’ll feel the sun, taste the salt, and linger with new friends–you won’t want to leave. And with lyrical prose and rich characters, The Summer House is a beautifully poignant reminder that we are never too young to find a good place to stand nor too old to start over.”–Katherine Reay, bestselling author of The Printed Letter Bookshop and Dear Mr. Knightley
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Thank you Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for
a complimentary copy of this book. The review and comments are my honest opinion.
An entertaining, fun read with colorful characters who learn if you trust your memories you can start over and second chances can be very sweet.
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.
Another must read by Lauren K Denton. The friendship between Lily and Rose is an unlikely one. But Rose sees something in Lily that makes this hard woman thaw just a little. I love the way they each blossom and discover their inner selves while learning to trust others again. This is a wonderfully written book about life and no matter your age there is still time to grow and love. Thank you to the publisher for the requested ARC. These are my own thoughts and opinions.
The Summer House by author Lauren K. Denton is a wonderful story about life, disappointments and second chances. The characters are all likable and I wanted to know their secrets. It starts with Lily waking one day in Foley, AL and finding her husband has left her a note telling her goodbye and a stack of divorce papers for her to sign. Her reaction was a bit mild, I thought, but as you read further Lily admits there were problems with Worth’s ability to totally commit. The fact that Worth left her with no financial support or a home was horrible! Lily sees an ad for a hairdresser in a little village of Safe Harbor. She goes there to seek a job and she finds so much more! This is written with insight into the mistakes people can make which let old hurts linger far too long in life.
Publication Date: June 2, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. I loved the book because I am in my 60’s also. Rose Carrigan built the small retirement village of Safe Harbor and we get to see the things going on there. Rose ran a tight ship but the people at Safe Harbor were learning new things, excited about exercise, celebrating and having parties.
Lily Bishop woke up one morning to divorce papers and a note that he couldn’t do it anymore. She had just moved to Alabama because of her husbands job so she didn’t know anyone. She saw an ad for a hairstylist at Safe Harbor Retirement Home. She got the job and moved there. She met Rose’s nephew, Rawlins, and his daughter and it was nice to see them forming a friendship. Lily and the residents of Safe Harbor also created a wonderful bond which was so nice because Lily truly was alone in the world. her mother who had taught her to cut hair had passed away and that was her only family.
We learn why Rose is the way she is and she has choices. She can continue on the way she has been or she can take a chance of letting people into her life and correct some mistakes that were made along the way. read the book because if you are in your 20’s or your 60’s, there is so much community spirit that comes through the book and makes you a part of it. Reading the book, I decided I should be learning new things and enjoying life just like the people at Safe Harbor. For me, it was a reminder that at any age you have to live and enjoy life. Take chances and see where the journey leads you. There were many wonderful friends and neighbors in this book. They inspired me.
This was such a good story! Safe Harbor sounds like the perfect place to start over, a place you would want to stay.
Loved Lilly and all the other characters! I enjoyed the book
Immensely! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy
Home can be an elusive word to define. To some, it’s a physical thing, an actual house, a place that provides shelter from harsh elements threatening to disrupt our daily lives. It doesn’t matter whether it’s excessive heat, blistering cold, torrential rain, or icy accumulations. Those four walls and a roof keep each of these perceived risks at bay. To others, home is an intangible entity. It’s a feeling of warmth, security, and knowing you belong, wherever and whenever you find yourself. It has less to do with a particular location, and more to do with who you share the space with.
In a moment of serendipity the words I wrote above as a reflection on one of my own stories feels as though it melds with Lauren’s novel and the life of Lily Bishop perfectly. But it goes further, because the season of summer, also mentioned in the title, is one of opening up: the windows and ourselves, to sunshine in all its forms.
Each of the characters in this book, even the ones who might not induce a feeling of worth, encounters the same struggle we each do as human beings: where and what is our definition of home, and how do we fit in while still standing out? It is a universal question with an infinite number of answers. Lauren has detailed one of those many options in a compelling fashion through the eclectic mix of hairdressing, shrimping, letter writing, and opening up that pulls the reader into the characters’ lives with unwavering interest.
Whether it was my complete immersion in the lives of Lily, Rose, Coach, and Rawlins, or something else altogether, I turned the last page, surprised to reach the end of the story so quickly. I felt the need (or want) for more, and I’d love the opportunity to spend more quality time with these characters. And with the societal limitations over the past several months, I could certainly do with a sit-down in Lily’s salon for a not-so-insignificant trim. As much for the haircut as the engaging conversation that Lily (and the author who created her) would create in that safe space in Safe Harbor Village.
Her writing style and character development envelope you into the story, making you want to know more. I’m reading more of her books because of this one.
I have read all four of Lauren K. Denton’s novels. They definitely belong in the Southern fiction genre. I really enjoyed her first novel, The Hideaway. In The Summer House, Denton crafted Lily and Rose, two women who needed to learn to carry on with their lives and move forward from the past. Having a story take place at a retirement community is different, yet nice. I enjoy talking to the older generation and learning about their pasts. it was nice to see how well Lily fit right in and Rose learned to fit in. Their is some romance, but nothing to take away from the overall plot. The only issue I had with the plot was the “gossip rag” that was published by Shirley that got inserted into the pages of the story. Most of the time, I just skipped right over them to return to the story. This is definitely a delightful little read that any one of any age would enjoy to read. I recommend picking up a copy.
I received a complimentary copy of The Summer House by Lauren K. Denton from Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.
New author for me. Charming, light read…perfect for summer. Lovable characters, easy plot to follow, descriptive writing. I want to retire to Safe Harbor! Definitely not a deep book, but it’s was a great diversion. Will definitely read this author again. Beautiful cover!
Divorce is hard, heartbreaking, gut wrenching. Then, you have no choice but to grieve and move on. Lily moves with her husband Worth to Alabama. She wakes up one morning and he’s gone, leaving only a note and divorce papers. She moves to a retirement community and meets adorable senior citizens, and opens her eyes to a whole new world.
Thanks to Ms. Denton, Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.
The Summer House is the summer 2020 offering by author Lauren K. Denton. Lily Chapman Bishop has not had an easy life. As a youngster her father died leaving her mother, Lillian, to figure out how to provide for them in the future. Lillian opened her own hair salon as well as doing cleaning chores for the ladies of Fox Hill, GA. When Lillian unexpectedly succumbs to pneumonia at a young age, Lily, as her daughter and protégée, does her best to keep things going but eventually has to say Uncle, sell off the tools and the house, and move on.
Soon after Lily moves to Atlanta to start over she meets Worth Bishop, wealthy young man governed by his controlling mother Mertha. In a whirlwind courtship and subsequent marriage, Lily hopes she has found the one. But soon after they move to Foley, Alabama for his new job, Worth takes off leaving an apology and divorce papers.
Left at loose ends and no direction, an idle grocery store conversation leads Lily to apply for the hairdresser position at Safe Harbor Village, a coastal retirement community. When she interviews with the hard-nosed manager Rose Carrigan, she is surprised to land herself not only the job but also a place to live above her shop.
As colorful and endearing characters are introduced and the story unfolds, the reader cannot help but root for both Lily and Rose as they each find their direction and pull ahead to be the best they can be. This is a delightful story written by an author that has never failed with her consummate story telling. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!
Wonderfully satisfying. Those were the first words to spring into my mind when I finished The Summer House by Lauren K. Denton. I loved her other books that I’ve read but, this one had a deliciously different flavor. It had angst of love gone wrong and the sorrow of long ago disagreements along with new hope and new beginnings. This book had it all and was delightfully fun to read.
Ms. Denton’s development of her characters was spot on. Lily was a level headed young woman that had experienced a few sorrows in her life. I loved reading her story and how she wound up being the resident hair dresser at retirement village. There was the owner of the village who initially came off as stern and hard but, had a soft inside. Then there were several quirky characters you would expect to find in a retirement setting. I loved the relatable characters.
I like that the author’s story had a lesson to learn without being in your face. She touches a lot on core values such a love for others, acceptance, respect, forgiveness and doing the right thing. She had a nice way of showing us those things and making us want to be a better person.
I think anyone who loves a good love story, doesn’t mind older characters and likes a wholesome fun story will love this book. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book for an escape from the mundane. You’ll be glad you did!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest review.
This author has such a way with bringing her characters to life. This is my second book from her, and that is a main takeaway from both. I can let a lot of things slide in a book…a plot that’s mediocre, pacing that’s off a bit…but if a book doesn’t contain characters that I can visualize, walk beside or become invested in, it just won’t work for me.
This book is about two women in different phases of their lives. Lily is a 28 yo whose
husband of 18 months leaves her with a note and divorce papers. In her search for a soft place to land and regroup, she meets Rose, the gruff 68 yo co-owner/manager of the Safe Harbor Retirement Village along the Alabama coast who takes a chance on her and gives her a job as a beautician.
There are a cast of seniors, as well as Rose’s nephew and great niece to fall in love with here…and I did, head over heels. But at it’s core, it’s a story of two women, their struggles, their losses (both of loved ones and of their own dreams) and their self-discoveries and forgiveness of their flaws so that they can move forward with their lives.
Beautifully written and highly recommended. All the stars.
A big thank you to #NetGalley and #ThomasNelson for providing me the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.
3.5 stars
This was a well developed story of starting over in an unlikely environment. Lily needs a job and a place to live and Rose, who owns a community for seniors, gives her a chance. I was drawn to the book as I’m in the “looking for a retirement home” stage of life. I would love to live at Safe Harbor. I enjoyed Rose and her back story and her development throughout the book. A heart warming story in a lovely gulf coast setting.
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC