Your Oasis on Flame Lake

by Lorna Landvik

Best friends fast approaching forty in the small Minnesota town of Flame Lake, Devera and BiDi were recently voted "Least Changed" at their twentieth high school reunion- a label neither one finds very appealing. For each craves a change in her life: Devera desires a break from her humdrum marital routine; BiDi longs to reconnect with her distant fourteen-year-old daughter (the only girl on the high school hockey team), not to mention jump-start a sex drive stuck in neutral. So when Devera's husband decides to fulfill his longtime dream of opening a nightclub in his basement, Your Oasis on Flame Lake arrives not a moment too soon. Nothing fancy, it is just a BYOB joint where you can hang out, sing, dance, tell jokes, and be yourself. But then an unexpected crisis throws both families into chaos, forcing them all to take stock of their lives and learn the power of forgiveness.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Humor, Book Club, Contemporary, Friendship, Womens Fiction

296 pages, Paperback

First published June 17, 1997

About the author

Lorna Landvik is a mother of two and wife of one. She is the author of eight novels, including the best-selling ANGRY HOUSEWIVES EATING BON BONS, PATTY JANE'S HOUSE OF CURL and OH MY STARS. Also an
actor and playwright, Lorna has appeared in many stage productions. She is a new and passionate neophyte to the practice of yoga, which is a fine antidote to her long established practice of lounging.

Reviews

[Kathy Maresca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love Lorna Landvik's fiction. This novel, with multiple narrators, is so well done. There were times when I laughed and times when I wanted to cry. Landvik masters voice in this story, and each character seems authentic and real. This book is easy to read and heartwarming. Highly recommended.

[Simone · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Lorna Landvik, but this just didn't pull me in like Angry Housewives and House of Curl did. But she never fails to disappoint her MN fans by weaving in an authentic relationship to the state--my favorite part here is when she acknowledges her "fellow ECFE mothers for all the fun we had at the big round tables," a sentiment I share in my own ECFE experiences. Landvik makes all her characters believable, right down to the voices (including Sergio's broken English). Little nuances like BiDi's VCR in the bathroom, Dick's penchant for sitting in convertibles in MN, and the druggie doctor made for fun drama. But I think there was a melancholy tone in this one that wasn't in the others--perhaps it was all the adultery, or the lack of female relatioships (really the only TRUE friendship was between Franny and Darcy). So despite a "happy ending" I still found myself sad for some of the characters.

But still, I love Lorna Landvik. :)

[Book Concierge · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5***

A quote from Landvik’s debut novel - Patty Jane’s House of Curl - stays with me: What a big chunk of God is to be found by looking into the face of someone you love. In her second novel (published in 1997), Landvik continues to explore this idea. I’ve been a fan of hers for a while – I loved her debut work and have read several of her books, but somehow I missed this one until now.

The novel follows two families - BiDi (pronounced B-D) and Devera have been friends since childhood; their husbands Sergio and Dick are close confidants to each other, and their children share teen secrets. The women were voted “least changed” at their recent 20th high school reunions – a label they do not find appealing; but despite how others perceive them, change is inevitable. Their stories are told in alternating chapters – each of the adults and the youngest daughter, Darcy, take turns narrating. This allows the reader to have information that may be hidden from the other characters.

Landvik’s works are populated by quirky characters, usually living in relatively small towns, with a real sense of community. Flame Lake is typical of her books in this regard. I felt I got to know the inhabitants of the town through these two families and their interactions. But I was surprised to find that the male characters were much more likeable than the women; that doesn’t happen often in novels written by women. Still, I enjoyed the book and liked spending time looking at this chapter in their lives.

[Monica Wiant · Rating 4 out of 5]

A funny, emotionally sincere book about quirky Minnesotans, mid-life crises, family relationships, teenagers, and parents who are still a little bit like teenagers themselves. The threads of the different narrators wove together into a story that was cohesive and satisfying, but didn't necessarily tie up into a tidy package at the end. With the lighthearted tone at the beginning of the book, I was surprised by the weight of some of the events that came to pass. That's not necessarily a bad thing - It is nice to be surprised. This is an easy read; I devoured it in 2 days.

[Ronald Wilcox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Landvik's early works continue to bring me enjoyment. This time two families in a small town in Minnesota have integrated lives. BiDi and Devera are the mothers and Dick and Sergio are the fathers. Franny, one of the children, is the first young woman on the local hockey team; after scoring a winning goal, she is later beaten up by two of the members of the losing team. This trauma has far-reaching consequences when she hides the information of who the assailants were. Each chapter is told by a different family member so the reader gets multiple perspectives of the families' drama.

[Susan Fetterer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lorna Landvik writes about places and people she's familiar with and creates stories that are believable and unique. Readers assuming light and frothy content based on her titles (as in Patty Jane's House of Curl)will readjust their thinking once they dive in. Her characters are complex, their lives and relationships are somewhat universal and interesting. Enjoy!

[Missy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This hasn’t aged well.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book I have read by this author. I did not like it as much as Patty Jane's House of Curl or Once In a Blue Moon Lodge, but still a good book. 

The story is told by six different characters: Darcy, Devera (her mother), Dick (her father), BiDi (Devera's best friend from high school), Sergio (BiDi's second husband), and Franny (BiDi's teenage daughter).

Dick Lindstrom is an appliance and car salesman who has a secret dream to open a night club which he eventually does, naming it "Your Oasis On Flame Lake".  He has a close relationship with Darcy, his youngest daughter. 

Devera is nearing forty and struggling with displeasure in her life and marriage. Therefore, she starts having an affair with her night school history professor, Gerharg Ludwig. Unfortunately, Dick finds out about the affair on Halloween night. 

Sergio is affectionately referred to as the "Ricky Ricardo of Minnesota".  In addition, he owns a chain of successful gourmet cake shops and is an adoring stepfather to Francine (Franny). His dream of having a son with BiDi finally comes true near the end of the book. 

BiDi (Beverly Diane), is quite self absorbed and her priorities for maintaining a perfect body and household causes her to neglect both her husband and daughter. As a result, Sergio has an ongoing affair with Noreen, who just happens to work at the cake shop. 

Darcy, best friends with Frannie (even though Frannie is two years older).  She is the only one (besides Dick) who appreciates the nightclub and loves to do celebrity imitations.

Franny, the only girl on the high school ice hockey team.  Regrettably, two boys on the losing hockey team beat her up after she scores the winning goal. She decides to stay quiet regarding their identity, probably due to being afraid of retaliation from her attackers, embarrassment from her peers, and not feeling comfortable telling her mom due to their difficult and strained relationship. 

Overall, I thought this was an enjoyable read. Darcy and Dick have such a cute and funny father-daughter relationship. I am definitely looking forward to reading more books by this author. 

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining and witty - not as good as her Bon Bon book, but kept my interest. Reminded me a bit of Seinfeld - a book about nothing - typical family and marriage situations- her humor and wittiness make the book enjoyable.

[Star Forbis · Rating 2 out of 5]

"If you were me, you'd be thrilled too!"

"Life can be a pretty scary thing. And sometimes that can drown out the sweet parts."

[Jane Healy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually like Landvik's books, and this one was no exception. Set in a small town on a lake in Minnesota, Landvik tells the story of best friends and their families by alternating viewpoints among the 4 main characters--2 wives and 2 husbands--and one of their daughters. Dick creates a lounge, "Your Oasis," in the basement of their home on Flame Lake where he can croon his satirical lyrics to pop tunes and neighbors can share the stage. Landvik's love of improv shines through in these scenes. Family dynamics and friendships are tested as Franny becomes a hockey star and gets beaten up by members of the opposing team. Bidi's unexpected pregnancy, Sergio's affair, Devera's affair, and the car accident that injures Darcy and kills one of Franny's assailants give depth to the story and its characters. A wholly satisfying read defining family and friendship.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did enjoy this one, brought it with me on my lake vacation because it has lake in the title! The lake did not have a “role” in the story, it was just where they lived. 🤷‍♀️ At first it was easy to like and dislike certain characters but as the story goes on, your opinion changes as the characters “grow up” a bit. Devera has an affair then realizes that her husband is actually pretty great. BiDi is obsessed with her looks and weight. Her daughter Francesca is beaten up but tells a story to protect the boys who did it. When the truth comes out and her step dad, her friend, Darcy, and her dad chase the boys down. The boys in the other car turn around and play chicken with them. The boys run off the road killing one and paralyzing another. As the story ends we see everyone starting to heal and come together.

[Jeanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novel is a bigger downer than Landvik’s first novel, Patty Jane’s House of Curl.

That being said, Your Oasis on Flame Lake focuses on two friends, BiDi and Devera, and their families. The women have been friends since childhood, and their closeness has spread to their respective families: their husbands are confidantes, and their daughters are pals.

But all is not well on Flame Lake: both marriages are strained. A series of events test the women and their families. Luckily, there is a happy ending.

This was really a bummer to read. I had a hard time finding the motivation to keep reading this one.

[Les · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Original Notes (1998):

This is a great book! Even better than Patty Jane's House of Curl. Wonderful characters. It reminded me a little bit of Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. Funny and sad. I'll certainly read her next book!

My Current Thoughts:

I'm surprised that I have no memory of this novel, in spite of my high rating. I don't own a copy of the book anymore, but it might be fun to listen to it on audio especially since the author is the reader.

[Ginny Thurston · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun book to read…some serious moments but mostly lots of laughter as two close families navigate through life. I wasn’t too familiar with the setting up north, but it was fun to learn about the culture. The characters were real and quirky. I think I laughed at Sergio the most, and he was so endearing. Some of her descriptions are quite poetic with cute ironic turns of phrases. It was better than I expected based on the cover and title which need to be improved.

[Brooke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugg. This book was a written from five different characters perspective (which is a style some authors excel at...Maeve Binchy and Heather Gudenkauf, to name a few), but this one fell flat for me. Probably because none of the characters were likeable. Four made up the two main couples of the book, all of whom were very disrespectful to each other and made terrible decisions (like affairs, verbal abuse to their kid, drugs, etc). The 5th character was the 12 year old daughter of one of the couples (which was annoying to read just because she’s a kid). The book was kind of unrealistic, actually (unless I’m just sheltered and have more “normal” friendships and more respect for people in my relationships?). It just seems unlikely that multiple people would criticize someone’s cellulite to their face, or that a man so crazy in love with his wife would casually have an ongoing affair that he has no intention of ending.
I have a bad habit of finishing a book even if I don’t like it (probably just giving each author the chance to redeem themselves), and this one I didn’t really like from the beginning. And even though some of the situations are explained away/resolved, some of the tragedies force the characters to put things in perspective, and some of the characters do grow/change, in the end I still didn’t like the characters themselves. So maybe it wasn’t Landvik’s character development or writing, it was the the characters she wrote about? 🤔 Maybe I should read something else of hers. Any suggestions?

[BookSalad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devera and Dick and best friends BiDi and Sergio live on a lake in small town Minnesota. They and their daughters' lives intertwine as the couples and the teenagers grapple with friends, love, and personal dreams.

In true Lorna Landvik fashion, Your Oasis on Flame Lake is a heartwarming story that is equal parts laugh-out-loud and true-to-life. Told through multiple perspectives, Devera is interested in her hoity-toity history professor; BiDi fancies her own body and looks above all else while disparaging her hockey-player daughter Frannie for hers; Frannie is an awkward teen who has an ugly encounter with players from an opposing team; Sergio, BiDi's second husband and loving stepfather to Frannie, has a bakery as well as a side-piece; Devera and Dick's daughter Darcy, a completely endearing character, just wants to be a friend to all (as well as an on-stage performer); and Dick has plans to open a BYOB bar in his basement complete with a stage for the locals to sing their hearts out.

*I listened to the book on Libby, with Landvik narrating. Her voices and inflections of the characters are a blast - I'm convinced someone not from the Midwest couldn't read the book as well.

*I have an unfinished basement and this makes me want to open my own bar - I'm imagining 70's wood paneling, a low ceiling, and black, squishy barstools.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Your Oasis on Flame Lake by Lorna Landvik
This is the second Landvik book I have read this year (I give an author two chances before I give up). Like Angry Housewives Eating Bom Boms, this book is formalic. Each chapter is from the viewpoint of one of the main characters. Her plot points are often a bit unrealistic. Even though Minnesota is educationally progressive, I don’t think that a woman would be allowed to play on the high school hockey team. After all, hockey is a major sport in Minnesota among males, both playing and watching. Some of the plot points are a bit over-dramatic. An okay airplane read, even though I wasted valuable time reading it at home.

[Carmine · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novel, published in the mid-1990s, feels pretty dated now with its folksy, small-town Minnesota tropes and throwback "Easter Eggs" for Baby Boomer-era white Minnesotans. The characterization of Sergio, the one person of color, was cringeworthy and rife with cliches about Latin men. While I could relate to the character of Devera, for me this book and its characters tried way too hard to be "offbeat" and charming, but didn't succeed all that well. There were flashes of real heart here and there, though.

[Marlys Lien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being from MN, I was told that I needed to read this author. The book had more characters then was easy to keep tract of in an audio book. The reader did fairly well with voices, like one with an Hispanic pronounciation in it. Yet, being a female voice, having the male voices done by her were a bit less then believable.
It had some good twists in the story to surprise me. It reminded me of the lake country of MN.

[Lisa Hillmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read by the author, I loved the audio version of this book. About lovers, marriages and adult friendships, it revolves around lives in small-town Minnesota. Being from Wisconsin, I loved the Norwegian and other northern-life references. Patty Jane's House of Curl by Landvik continues to be in my top 20 favorite books of all time for the humor mixed with real life's ups and downs.

[Cera Bee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this little book. The writing is punchy and funny. I think this could have been a 90s sitcom or dramedy movie and it may have worked a little better than as a novel. As a novel, I kind of kept waiting for it to all add up to something grander and it didn't. It felt more episodic. Still, I enjoyed it for what it was and would read more by this author.

[Sandy Montero · Rating 5 out of 5]

I spent my whole day reading this book! I just couldn’t put it down without picking it up again 15 minutes later. It is the story of 2 best friends and their families told from the viewpoint of different members. I actually finished it, then went on Amazon and ordered more books by the same author. I can only hope they are as good as this.

[Sidney · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Another good one by Landvik. Small town atmosphere where everyone knows everyone. Couples get together every weekend in a basement bar called Your Oasis at Flame Lake. The kids of the couples hang out and one is brutally beaten. She tries to keep it a secret who the suspects are but word leaks out and consequences are taken.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A warm and funny book about two families and a lifelong friendship. Not all the characters are likeable, Bidi is frankly kind of a selfish, vain jerk, but she is beloved by her husband and friends. Landvik prose is approachable and funny. She takes happy moments, sad moments and they all equally resonate.

[Julie · Rating 1 out of 5]

We were trying to decide if we were going to remove from the library collection and I offered to read it. Meh...I didn’t care for it. Depressing, writing wasn’t my cup of tea and I didn’t come out with with a sense of hope in the end.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I love all of her books but this one wasn’t my favorite. I didn’t connect with the characters as much as I usually do. I do still like the quirky personalities and story lines though, and I like reading about life from different points of view.

[Noël · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I read that had multiple first person narratives and every voice was unique. I was so impressed and moved by the book. I still think of it years later.
There is a secret and a hurt and each narrator is learning about it and living it. That is all I will say.
Read it!

[Jackie Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but it took me awhile to get the characters figured out, who belonged to who. After that, I really liked the book even more. Overall, I really enjoyed the interactions of friends and enemies.

[Pam Herrmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two families living on Flame Lake in Minnesota deal with life experiences including birth, death, heartbreak, love, deceit, a car accident and the ability to have wonderful friends help pull you through it all.