Welcome to Planet Lara: Planet Lara, Book 1

Planet Lara #1

by Eliza Gordon

Lara J. Clarke is used to getting her own way. Motherless at 10 and raised by her oft-absent eco-warrior/philanthropist grandfather, she lives the high life afforded by her seemingly bottomless trust fund - swanky downtown Vancouver loft, apartments, and villas around the world just a chartered flight away, a passport overflowing with stamps from the chicest hot spots, a closet bursting with catwalk couture, and a spoiled B-list actor boyfriend whose interest in Lara is tied to her exclusive L’Inconnu wallet.

But then Grandfather Archibald sheds his mortal coil in a very public manner, and Lara’s privileged life is set adrift. According to the will, she will step into the role of project administrator, wherein she has one year to fulfill her late grandfather’s dream of a self-sustaining, eco-friendly, family-centered island utopia - but if she fails, she’ll lose access to the family fortune forever.

Soon, Lara is surprised to find her new coworkers - and neighbors - aren’t as pliable as the underlings of her former life. Even with the hunky lead engineer Finan Rowleigh showing her the ropes, she quickly learns just how unprepared she is to trade her Louboutins in for steel-toed Timberlands. When a series of calamities reveals a sinister element undermining the security of the island and its residents, Lara and Finan must reach beyond their job descriptions to protect Archibald’s precious utopia from those who would do it harm.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Mystery, Audiobook, Chick Lit, Thriller, Contemporary Romance

Audible Audio

First published April 8, 2021

About the author

A native of Portland, Oregon, Eliza Gordon (a.k.a. Jennifer Sommersby) has lived up and down the West Coast of the United States. Since 2002, home has been a suburb of Vancouver, British Columbia. 

When not lost in a writing project, Eliza is a copy editor, mom, wife, bibliophile, Superman freak, and the humble servant of three very spoiled tuxedo cats. Eliza writes stories to help you believe in the Happily Ever After; Jennifer Sommersby writes young adult fiction.

Reviews

[Samantha Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eliza Gordon delivers a unique premise, delicious romance and plenty of intrigue. I loved it and can't wait for more from Planet Lara!

[T. Rosado · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!

I will always be thankful to this author and her first two published works, Must Love Otters and Neurotica (now titled, I Love You, Luke Piewalker,) for renewing my love of romantic fiction. That was back in 2014 and I’ve since kept up with each of her new releases. In addition to her stories being a favorite combo of women's fic/romance/humor, they're most often set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest where I make my home.

Welcome to Planet Lara continues the PNW trend with the story set mostly on a fictional island off the coast of British Columbia. Thalia Island is a wealthy benefactor's ecological experiment where residents are hand-picked for their similar ideology along with all food, power, and goods being sustainable and island sourced. Lara is the grandchild of the late benefactor and in an attempt to curb her entitled ways, his will stipulates that she successfully become Project Admin. for a year in order to have future access to the estate’s coffers. Not only does she balk at such an undertaking, there are a nefarious few who are out to sabotage any such success.

It’s rare that an author can win me over to the side of a heroine who initially acts extremely entitled and over-indulgent. Even with the inevitable character transformation by the end of a story, I’m usually still working to get over first impressions. This author managed to work the impossible with her wonderful writing. For all of Lara’s entitlement at the beginning, her exchanges were quite funny. The banter and overall humor was enough to keep me interested in all that was in store for her. Then, there was the swoon-worthy Finan who helps Lara along the way. Lara's growth potential was evident, but not without it’s conceivable missteps.

It did seem to take awhile to finally get to the island, but once there, the story really takes off with a convincing heroine, fabulous secondary characters, and a somewhat creepy mystery. It was the perfect blend of romance, suspense, and humor.

Note, this ends with a HFN, but Lara and Finan’s story continues in the next book along with more of the mystery surrounding the inhabitants of Thalia island and Lara’s family.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspense and mystery all the way. Lara has led a great life living with her grandfather. Why things changed , who knows. I was completely hooked from the beginning to the end. I never wanted the book to end. Can’t wait for more

[M Hew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I hear that a new Eliza Gordon book is coming out I get excited. You're guaranteed a funny and heartwarming book. And this book was no different. Our heroine Lara, undergoes a bit of a redemption story. On the surface, she appears to be a rich, partying woman but that isn't the full story. Luckily we get to find her layers as the story progresses and she undergoes a slight makeover. Throw in an awesome hero (everyone needs a Finn in their corner) and a bit of mystery and this is a wonderful 1st book in a new series. I can't wait to read the next one.

[Steph Beaudoin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the publisher and I absolutely loved it! I really enjoy Eliza Gordon's writing. Her characters are witty, real, complex. I love their internal dialogue, and how they interact with each other. Welcome to Planet Lara has all of this!

We get to come along as Lara is shoved into the real world and has to learn how to be an independent adult. She makes mistakes, just like we all do. She doesn't get there on the first try. Lara has some serious baggage and grief that she needs to work through, and we get to see her grow. And then when we think she has gotten there, she screws up again. She is human.

This book has lots of fun elements. There is a slight futuristic/utopian element. There is mystery. There is of course friendship and love. Wit and humor. The book ends in a cliffhanger and it made me want to read the second book right now!

I highly recommend Welcome to Planet Lara. Preorder it. Ask your library for it. It's awesome!

Update June 2021 - Welcome to Planet Lara was just as good the second time around!!!!!

[Mariel Quiles · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I didn’t think I was going to like less of all love this story. Lara isn’t a lovable character on the onset but as you continue to read you begin to get a clearer picture of a person who is lost, in more ways than one. I won’t spoil the story but there are moments of hilarity, moments that make you go WTH, moments of tenderness, moments of suspense & moments of awwww. This is book on of two. Definitely worth the read. Some might find it a bit “slow” in the beginning but if you stay with it, it will blow your mind & keep you engaged. I received an ARC “copy” of this story.

[Suzy Krause · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much. At the end, I feel very much like I've just watched an entire season of a television show and want summer to be OVER so I can watch the next one (there is a book 2, thank goodness). Very Canadian, very funny, very intriguing. Ten stars.

[Francesca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Lara is a great characters, very relatable. The story is full of humor and mistery
I can’t wait to read the next one in the series , since this ended with a cliffhanger .

[Susan Z (webreakforbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with the chapter title on page 1 and never stopped loving this fun book. I'm not sure why this isn't all over bookstagram.

If you like fun and entertaining books with imperfect yet endearing main characters, this one is for you.

Lara is a spoiled rich girl who was raised by her grandfather after her mother disappeared. She is left utterly alone and near penniless when her grandfather passes away suddenly. The only thing standing between her and her inheritance is a little island off the cost of Canada that her grandfather purchased to create a self sustained society. To get her money, she has to be a mayor of sorts, and DO ACTUAL WORK.

To help her, her grandfather's side, Rupert, joins her on the island I'm dating myself here, but Rupert was Mr Belvidere in my head IYKYK😂

In addition to Rupert, there is a great cast of characters, some you love, others you love to hate. Sprinkled with love, comedy and mystery, this book had it all.

Although the mystery from book 1 is solved, it introduces a twist and ends with a cliffhanger. I'm so glad book 2 is out already.

[Nursebookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an awesome series!

These books are simply irresistible and so much fun. The writing is hilarious with a mix of mystery, romance, and murder. Eliza Gordon wrote a spunky heroine you will learn to love, as she goes from the high life to the low country life of creating an eco friendly utopia in Thalia Island, with the oh so gorgeous hunk of Vancouver, Finan Rowleigh. I laughed, I swooned, and I kept turning those pages to a halting cliff hanger.

If you are looking for a new series, this one has it all from a romantic suspense, mystery, and an environmental message women’s fiction, this is a fun read with lots of exciting twists.

[Anima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not at all what I expected from Eliza Gordon. It’s got great characters with sassy banter and intelligent conversations. There is an actual sort-of-sexy-sex-scene-without-all-the-details and it was perfect. I was not expecting the suspense or mystery. I was even educated on living a life beyond just recycling and solar energy. I was truly amazed at this island created in the name of the environment. Archibald Clarke had a plan to safe the Earth one island at a time, and people thought he was a bit nuts, it’s really genius. Lara was a spoiled rich girl even at thirty until she was all that was left of her family and responsibility came calling. I was a bit disappointed when the book ended because it just called to me, and there’s a bit of a cliffhanger to lead to book two. As an advanced reader of her books I received an early copy and voluntarily wrote this review.

[Fleurtje Eliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh dear me, what a cliffhanger, honestly! I can't wait to get back to the rest of this story, apparently this series that you need to binge-read if you ask me.


It is full of love, intrigue, very well written (don't let me spoil things, but I love the detail with the pickle plate) and funny (you'll know when you get to the scene with Lara being all boozed up and talking to her boyfriend Connor about tennis balls).

Thanks to Booksirens for a copy of the book.

[Melenareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a big fan of Eliza Gordon's since the first time I picked up one of her books, Must Love Otters. So I was excited to dive into Welcome to Planet Lara.

The story felt unique and fresh and the writing was engaging. I was really curious about Thalia Island and its goal of being self-sustaining. I am not well versed in any of the tech or farming, but wasn't lost at any time. Eliza did a wonderful job of including detail enough to make it feel realistic and interesting without being overly technical or bogging down the story. There's also a bit of mystery threaded throughout and it kept me wondering what was happening on the island and why.

Lara was one of the most interesting characters I had read this year. Honestly, I wasn't her biggest fan at the beginning of the book. I could clearly see some of what led her to her current lifestyle and entitlement, but she really needed something to help her change. Going to Thalia Island to fulfill her Grandfather's will was it. As the story progressed I could see her grow and she became a heroine I liked quite a bit. Her friendship/relationship with Finan was also a highlight. Their banter and chemistry were so fun!

I can't wait for the next book in the series!

Thank you to the author for providing an ARC for an honest review.

[Katrin Bartas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to a more mysterious, sexy, and thrilling Eliza Gordon novel... Welcome to Planet Lara.

If you’re a fan of one dimensional characters who have no character arc, or are just plain boring, then move along! This novel takes you on a whirlwind journey, and yes, you likely will hate Lara and her poor, spoiled behaviour in the beginning, but it’s well worth it to see her growth. I loved the vivid descriptions and, being a British Columbian myself, it’s easy to imagine the beautiful scenery, delicious food, and even more delicious gentlemen. Welcome to Planet Lara has the perfect mix of a great read that keeps you hooked and intrigued until the very last page. After all, you never truly know what really happens beneath the surface of a person, or a place.

[Ana Hantt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book very much! For me, there are three highlights in 'Welcome to Planet Lara':

1) The environmental backdrop pays a service to the world without preaching about the topic;
2) Lara is almost an anti-hero and following her mischiefs is rather amusing;
3) The set in Vancouver Area is a must and I felt right there all the time.

It's a detailed, imaginative, and witty book, which left me with a good promise for the second installment of the series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Gordon strikes again! I have to tell you folks, I've read everything Eliza Gordon has written (and then some), and for the most part my favourites have rarely wavered. Until now. "Welcome to Planet Lara" is officially my favourite Eliza Gordon book!

She took a slight deviation from the normal EG rom/com. She added in some mystery, intrigue, some harder edged characters, and ... a cliffhanger (audible groan).

Lara J. Clark is a snobbish pampered princess from Vancouver, B.C. Having lost her mom at a young age, her grandfather went over the top to ensure she felt safe and loved with the best money and attention. A fatal flaw for any caregiver to raise a child. On the grandfather's passing, Lara is surprised with his will to hear she has two options. Door 1 - live on the private Thalia Island (an island in the Georgia Straights being developed and settled with the intent of being self-sufficient in all things) and become the project administrator for 1 year, or Door number 2 - continuing living in Vancouver penniless and possessionless. Surprisingly, she initially choses Door number 2.

It takes our Lara a few days and several mishaps to realize Door number 2 may not be the way to go. So with much attitude and determination to make things go her way, she moves to the island to begin a year of drudgery. Lara struggles between wanting to maintain the old lifestyle choices and embracing new people and things. A potential love interest and some interesting activity on the closed island, and you are sucked in as Lara changes, grows, and evolves.

This truly was a compelling read. I normally like to get right to the romance, but I was so engaged in what I was reading, it didn't matter. I knew it would come, and I enjoyed it all the more for the pay off.

Cliffhangers though ... not a fan, but this one didn't feel like the book was only half written. Well done Ms. Gordon. I can't wait for the continueing adventures of Lara.

[A Book Vacation · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written and wonderfully narrated!

[Nati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emotional, fun, sad, romantic, a rollercoaster of emotions, action and mystery. An spoiled heiress, an unique island, and a very dangerous group will keep you reading the story until the end. Looking forward to read the second book in the series.

[Emmalynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lara, Lara, boy is Lara unlikeable. I know that the author intentionally made her that way through the first 1/2 of the book, but goodness gracious is that woman unlikeable!! She’s spoiled, a total brat, drinks her life away, entitled, and has zero concept of how to help other people or think of others beyond herself. When her grandfather dies and a condition of his will means she has to run a self sustaining project on an island, Lara believes her life is over. Having to give up her 6k a month condo, her credit cards, monthly allowance and more and move to an island is beyond the pale. Now all she has to do is stay there for a year to fulfill the terms of the will and get her inheritance, …. If only someone wasn’t trying to sabotage the island and her grandfathers legacy.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book and am impatiently waiting for the next instalment later this year!
I don’t want to give any spoilers, but there is a lot going on here. Loved the characters (well, hated a few but they were meant to be hated) and was mentally casting Hollywood actors in the roles as I read. Eliza Gordon has a Very Big Crush on the British Columbia coastal wilderness and it shows in her writing. The concept of Thalia island is awesome, and honestly a romance set on an eco-island would have been interesting enough for me. But there are so many mysteries and issues and incidents on top of the romance, and Ms Gordon weaves a story so very well. My fingernails got bitten right down as events unfolded in the latter half of the book, I can’t wait to see what happens next!

[Mary Saou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our spoiled, scene-inducing protagonist receives a rude awakening at the beginning of the story. Lara finds herself thrown into a "big girl job" overseeing the launch of a new, eco-friendly utopia mere days after losing her grandfather. This book has a touch of mystery, romance, and self-discovery rolled into one.

Gordon's writing had moments of real interest for me, but seemed uneven. I appreciated the way she wrote tension into Lara's dynamic with Kelly. Her relationship with Finan is more difficult for me to understand, partially because I wouldn't want to be involved with Lara the way she behaves half the time. I wanted to empathize with her, but she continued to make cringe-worthy choices that had me banging my head against the wall. Quite a lot of the plot was predictable– not unpleasant by any means, just not quite the shocking "Knives Out" kind of story I was expecting.

Still, I'll be looking out for the sequel later this year. The book ends like a season finale of Lost, wondering how the craziness will possibly increase in the next installment. I have no doubt there will be plenty to thrill us in #2! 3.5 stars.

*I received an advanced reader copy for free; these opinions are my own.

[Nebulous · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eliza Gordon delivers once again with Welcome to Planet Lara! With her unique plot, distinct sharp wit and well-rounded characters, I was having the best time of my life on Thalia Island (just not the west side). Lara Clarke oozes the personality of Alexis Rose (Schitt's Creek anybody?) and Paris Hilton like gestures. In the beginning, I was honestly disgusted by her attitude and brattiness. Still, at the back of my head, I knew that Ms Gordon was paving the way for the golden opportunity for our protagonist to get herself together and soar. And boy, she did deliver! I ended up rooting for Lara from scrunching my nose like the slobber mouthed Humboldt (I love this mutt). There is an element of realism in the pages, for Lara's path to redemption is not clear cut. The level of detail added to the supporting characters is phenomenal and grow on you. Eliza's description of the natural landscapes of Canada grew on me. Be warned; this book ends on a cliffhanger with multiple plot points meeting on the runaway of the sequel (Tempest). Can September teleport itself, like now?

A 5 star read. A big thank you to Eliza Gordon for giving me an ARC of this book. This honest review is left voluntarily.

[Leslie Wibberley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not your typical Eliza Gordon Rom-com. this book is so much more. Loveable protagonist, despite her flaws, great secondary characters, an amazing setting, (I want to live there) fabulous dialogue, a goofy, slobbery dog, mystery, murder, and mayhem. What's not to love? An action-packed story with a dash of romance that will leave you breathless and dying for the next book.

[LBennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I lived on Planet Lara! Or at least, Thalia Island, which is Lara's innovative grandfather's gift to the world. Lara Clark is the granddaughter of a wealthy man whose mission is to save the planet by making our lives more sustainable. One of his biggest projects is to create a self-sustaining island on Thalia (which sounds amazing in the book) and to then share their learnings with the world. He puts Lara in charge of Thalia, but she's not interested. Lara, in fact, is incredibly spoilt and I didn't like her at all, to start with, but as her character evolved, I grew to care about her. I can't say much more without giving away the plotline, but there's a strong suspense element to this book that builds momentum and will keep you turning the pages, not to mention a good looking engineer who provides a romantic element. As the author says, there's a 'small' cliffhanger at the end... certainly enough for me to wish the next book was already available! Overall, very well written, great character development and a worthwhile read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Oh my goodness, this was good! I learned to love Lara and can't wait for the next book.I'm so afraid of leaving spoilers so just go read this book!

This book is about Lara, an heiress who finds herself in a lot off trouble. Hopefully she has a way out.

[Arlene D. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my first read from the author. It took me a while to start reading the book. I don’t really like the cover and the storyline was a bit over the top for me. I should have followed my instincts for this one.

Although I can see great reviews for this book, I wasn’t able to warm up to the protagonists.

For once, I didn’t like Lara. She was a selfish, privileged-rich-girl persona who had a boyfriend who uses her as ATM. The story was dragging for me and I skipped more pages than I used to. It was near the end that there was a change. The character transformation was a bit hurried and of course, there’s a cliff-hanger.

One thing I don’t like is cliffhangers and I regretted reading the book. Maybe, it’s just me since I was a bit sick and under the weather. I was looking for a good read but this failed me. If you like these genres, go ahead and take a look.

I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jenny Lang · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great, fun read with a serious mission--create a utopian community that can serve as a model for saving the planet. But is spoiled Lara able to rise to the task when her inheritance is on the line, and even the community she's suppose to mange is working against her?

Eliza Gordon spills an outstanding story that hits the mark on every point. Funny, Serious, Sexy, Thrilling. Whether as a beach read or a rainy afternoon (or heck, anytime), I highly recommend this as a don't miss book!

Eliza has made it to my "must buy" list!

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this!! Hurry up book 2!
Lara sure keeps you on your toes. And a little 🔥🔥🔥

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really fun to read! The first few chapters felt almost like a totally different book and once it got its momentum I really enjoyed it.

Lara certainly gains perspective and begins to have epiphanies throughout the book but I liked that in the end she’s still a flawed person and could disappoint me, it was believable. It would have been too schmaltzy and unbelievable of a transformation for four weeks that she suddenly makes all decisions from a moral compass she wasn’t using before.

I like the relationship between Lara and Finan and that I’m not sure I can fully trust it even though I really want to. I keep wondering if I should be factoring him into the deceit. More than any other relationship though, I loved how the relationship between Rupert and Lara developed. Though it seemed a little out of left field and actually surprised me I enjoyed their rare tenderness and frequent banter.

There’s a lot going on in this, it’s a family drama, a mystery a, a blooming romance and I think the author does a good job balancing all of it and giving each storyline space to breathe as well as intersect. I guess in the same vein, the writing is vivid and the dialogue is sharp and funny.

I appreciated the heads up about the cliffhanger but I was still disappointed about how much is unresolved. I want to read the second book now!

This would be such a fun miniseries, I think because the writing is so vivid I could picture it as a movie the entire time I was reading it. I probably wouldn’t like it as much as the book but I’m willing to take that risk! :)

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wasn't too sure about this one at the start, didn't really like Lara, who came off as a not likeable rich girl. It was poor me, no one loves me, which wasn't true. It seemed like her Grandfather gave her everything.

The will for her Grandfather was eye opening for Lara, a very rude awakening she needed. I really liked how #2 conspired against Lara so that in the end she had to cave to the wishes of what her Grandfather had in his will.

The idea of Thalia Island is interesting, but you would need to have the right people there to make sure it would work. Turns out that wasn't the case and Lara ended up in a mess. I have to give it to Lara, she stepped up and did what needed to be done, with help of the handsome Finan.

By the end of the book things are better and worse for Lara, but it looks like she will be sticking around the Island to make sure it is a success like her Grandfather wanted.