Take Me to the Lake

by Senna Hill

They thought they were there to save her.
They never expected to save each other.

Daphne
I came to help Olivia, not to lose myself in her brother.

When your best friend is drowning in her own darkness, you don’t let her sink. You leave your messy breakup behind and follow her to the one place that might give her light: her parents’ lake house.
My ex was all surface. Olivia’s brother Jason is all silence. He should be the last man I notice…
So why can’t I stop thinking about him?

Jason
Keeping my sister alive has become my only purpose.

Right now, everything revolves around my sister.
She’s slipping away and I don’t know how to reach her, but I have to do something. If that means dragging her to the lake house and inviting her chatty best friend along, so be it.
Daphne gets under my skin, but she also reaches Olivia in ways I can’t.
She’s supposed to break through Olivia’s walls.
But now somehow she’s tearing down mine.

443 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication June 5, 2026

About the author

 
Contemporary romance with depth, drama, and a touch of spice.  
For women who feel deeply—and know love isn’t always easy.
 
Senna Hill has been writing fiction for over a decade. Take Me to the Lake is her first romance book. She loves emotionally complicated people, slow-burn tension, and love stories that get very dramatic before they give you a happy ending.
Senna Hill writes contemporary romance for women who crave more than just a simple love story with one miscommunication that drags on for 300 pages.
She writes characters who are complicated before they fall in love and even more complicated after. People who are doing their best, carrying things they haven't fully named yet, finding each other at exactly the wrong time. Her novels explore the quiet battles people carry within themselves—trauma, longing, healing—and the kind of love that doesn’t come easy, but is worth everything. 
Senna believes that the most powerful romances aren’t perfect—they’re complicated, raw, and deeply human. Her characters don’t just fall in love; they grow, they break, and they learn how to choose each other anyway.
 
When she's not writing, she is probably out in the woods walking her dog, overanalyzing fictional relationships, dancing in her kitchen or lounging on the couch reading romance books.

Reviews

[Sanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advanced copy

I came by this book on TikTok, the writer was looking for ARC readers and on a whim I decided to try for it. And I must say it did nog disappoint.

The first half of the book was a really easy read the second half took me a little longer to get through. I really liked the way Daphne and Jason communicated with each other and Olivia, she really let him see that there are other ways to look at different situations.

The slow burn was a little less slow burn than I would have liked, there was little build up than I would have thought.

It was new for me to read about this topic, but I think it was very nicely written. I did like how in the end there was a little bump in the road and of course that one chapter that I didn’t see coming, but when it started I felt what was going to happen and just had to keep reading to see how it would end. And then of course a nice and happy ending.

Thank you for the writer to give me this opportunity.

[Megzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of ARC

This book was not what I expected going in, I thought the author did a fantastic job portraying the heavy topics that were in the book, I did cry on a few occasions.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more from this author in the future

[Megan May · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEW OF ADVANCED COPY RECEIVED FROM AUTHOR

In all honesty up until 30-40% this book was 3 stars for me, not bad but I just wasn’t connecting to it like I wanted to. It starts off with very heavy topics (check trigger warnings) but in hindsight I think it was all necessary for the plot, for us to understand the characters and their flaws more clearly.

The romance felt like a little like subplot to the characters personal development and I wasn’t mad about it. For a standalone the slow burn was done really well. There’s definitely a build up of tension between the FMC and MMC and I was all here for it. There’s not a ton of spice which I think was necessary because of what the FMC goes through (check trigger warnings) so their connection is a lot more emotional than physical- and that almost felt more intimate than just throwing in spicy scenes like other romance books do.

My 4 stars goes to the last half of the book where I feel the plot picks up pace. I couldn’t put it down! At this point I loved our characters, was really invested and was heartbroken for them. It made me cry, made me laugh- it was an emotional rollercoaster! 🎢 The author writes about these heavy topics with a hopeful comforting tone so it doesn’t feel really depressing. This book at times felt like a big hug.. if that makes any sense?

If you love contemporary romance with some drama, tension and best friends brother trope- you’ll love this. If you’re not a huge contemporary romance reader like me, give it a try (but do check trigger warnings!)

[Cyrelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this first ARC and would rate it 4 stars. The story felt very detailed and carefully written, and it never seemed rushed. Sometimes the descriptions became a little too detailed or long for me personally, but overall it added a lot of depth to the story and characters.

One of my favorite things was how deeply the characters were portrayed. It truly felt like he saw all of her — not just physically, but emotionally and personally as well. That made their connection feel genuine and meaningful. I also loved that the relationship developed slowly and realistically instead of being rushed, which made the emotions and chemistry much more believable.

Another aspect I really enjoyed was how the storylines of Jason and Olivia intertwined with Daphne and Reggie’s story through Olivia and Daphne’s friendship, while at the same time showing the growing relationship between Daphne and Jason ❤️ It gave the story a strong emotional balance and made the relationships feel interconnected in a natural way.

The only moment where the pacing felt weaker to me was after the bathroom incident. Some parts started to feel a little like filler compared to the stronger earlier development. However, there were still a few major moments and important developments that kept the ending interesting and kept me invested in the story. My only other critique would be that the ending itself felt quite abrupt, and I would have loved a little more closure before the book ended.

Overall, this was a strong, emotional, and engaging read that I definitely enjoyed

[Riemmelth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm in between three and four stars, but the more I think about it the more I lean towards four so I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt.

This was nice, men very obviously written by a woman and the mental health aspect was also done really nicely. (Although I cannot claim to know the real depths of depression, whatever experience I do have fitted with the way it was dealt with in this book, I liked that. It felt like it was doing it justice without making it too heavy to read.) The relationships (not just the romance, also between siblings and friends) were really lively and on point and the cliché cosy feeling was definitely present.

Yet I also had myself wondering at the halfway mark how this wasn't the end of the book. The second half felt slower for me and less intriguing. Next to that, throughout the whole book, I felt like the characters were thinking a bit too much, meaning it felt like you got a lot served on a silver platter without having to do much thinking yourself. It could have been more compelling otherwise.

This also had SO MANY points with potential for a great dramatic turn of events and this was obviously not the direction the author wanted to go in, but it broke my drama loving heart a little every time.

All in all, a good read of which I am happy about all the things it did right and it made it worth reading!

Thanks to the author for providing the ARC ❤️

[Demi · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC-

At first (the first few chapters) i was a little suprised by how "heavy" it was since i couldn't find the triggerwarning list right away. BUT i must say this book will be in my memories a whole while longer...🥹

The topics in the book are indeed heavy so i do advice you to look for the triggerwarnings before you continue. If you think you can handle it PLEASE read it.

This book grabbed my heart like no other book has done in a while. It's easy to sympathize with the characters because the struggles they face are so well known in this day and age, how sad they may be unfortunatly. But the beauty of this book is that the author didn't just gave the characters these issues, she actually made them work on themselves and wrote about some solutions, which gave me as the reader a very ✨️hopeful✨️ feeling for these characters (and for myself). I was left with a feeling of contentment but also with an open heart for these people truly felt like a family, even to us readers. I am sad to see them go but i am grateful i got to experience the feeling this book left me with. A little hope, a little grief, a little love.🤍

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently finished reading Take Me to the Lake, and it completely pulled me in… I love a best friend’s brother trope! It didn’t take long to get into either - right from the get-go the story grabs your attention and keeps you invested. The romance takes a little longer but not in a bad way.

What stood out most was the character work. The friendships and relationships felt very relatable, it was very easy to connect with the characters and picture everything so vividly. I appreciated how the story explored themes of depression and healing, especially in a supportive setting. At one point, I was concerned that Olivia had been forgotten about, but no man (or woman!) was left behind!

If I had one small critique, it’s that I would have loved a little more time with Daphne and Jason simply having fun/ flirting in the second half of the book but the story still works really well without it.

I would absolutely recommend this to readers who enjoy heartfelt, emotional, and relatable reads and I cannot wait to find out more about Olivia’s story!

[Maria Klv · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at around 5 chapters.

I received an ARC of Take Me to the Lake by Senna Hill and was genuinely intrigued by the premise, which had a lot of potential. The blurb I read really drew me in and asked to be an advanced reader of my own volition. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite work for me in the end.

I had a hard time connecting with Jason and Daphne early on, and because of that I didn’t feel fully invested in the story. The writing also felt somewhat uneven at times, which made it difficult for me to stay immersed. There were moments where the flow of the language pulled me out of the reading experience.

That said, the core idea is interesting, and I can see the potential in the story. As this is the author’s first work in English, I think there is room for growth with further development and editing, and I’d be open to trying her future work.
It just wasn’t the right fit for me right now.

Thank you to the author for the ARC.

[chris fike · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up on a whim and am so glad I did. This is not about the romance.. well not for a bit.

This is all things mental health and it is well written. You can feel the despair, the sadness, the struggles of all the characters. And Olivia .. I cried for her and with her. She struggled so much .. so so much.

Daphne had her own struggles. Jason had his… and man these two were polar opposites.

Jason had depth to him and could admit when he was wrong or looking at something incompletely.

Daphne .. she could have pushed him away when he picked apart her relationship with Malcom but she was aware enough to see what was being said.

Each of these characters grew …
There is so much love in this book .. and struggle and strength.

I binged it ….

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kaci Misun · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. Jason and Daphne’s love story was a quiet one, but no less meaningful.

The story offers good representation of loving someone who is struggling with depression and mental illness, as well as a woman dealing with a controlling and abusive ex.

I do think there is room for improvement in the writing. There were moments where it felt like I was reading a list of actions rather than fully immersive scenes. It is worth noting that English is not the author’s first language, and while this is not her first book, it is the first one she has written in English. Even with some areas that could be stronger, it never pulled me out of the story.

I’ll definitely be looking forward to reading Olivia’s story in the next book!

[Courtney Lawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Take Me to the Lake is a deeply emotional read that tackles some very heavy topics including depression, sexual assault, abuse, grief, and emotional isolation. This is definitely a book I’d recommend checking trigger warnings for before diving in because the themes are intense and at times heartbreaking.

The strongest part of this story is the atmosphere and emotional depth. The lake setting creates this quiet, almost haunting backdrop that perfectly matches the characters and the weight they’re carrying. The forced proximity element added a lot to the tension and emotional connection between the characters, especially as walls slowly started coming down.

[Alii]

Review of advance copy

The writing style was smooth and easy to read, and the overall vibe of the book felt very calm and comforting despite the difficult situations throughout the story. Even though there were quite a few content warnings at the beginning, the book itself didn’t come across as overwhelmingly heavy or traumatic to me. Since I usually read fantasy books with a faster pace and a lot more happening, it took me a little while to adjust to the slower progression of this one, but in the end I finished this book within a day so that says something!

Personally, the romance didn’t really feel like a true slow burn to me, because I missed a bit more build-up and chemistry between the main characters. Because of that, I stayed somewhat emotionally distant from their relationship. At the same time, I can imagine that readers who enjoy quieter, character-driven romances would really enjoy this book.

[Brittany Alonzo De Paz · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶🌶

Senna did an amazing job portraying the aspects of depression and mental health awareness. She not only showed how it affected a character, but the family/friends of the character as well.

Daphne and Jason had a great love story that showed you can find your person in the darkest of times.

I cannot wait for Olivia's story and to get more insight on how she was feeling and how she overcomes her demons.

[Hedwig · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book.
The moment you start reading, you are drawn into the world of Daphne and her friends.
The scenes are written in great detail without ever becoming boring.
In fact, it feels as though you are really there, vividly seeing everything described in the story.
The story is relatable, especially in the way it explores human thoughts and behavior.
All in all, I’m sad I finished the book.

[Reza · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve really liked this book, as it was easy to read and there was a good flow in the story!

Right from the bat I’ve hated Malcolm, like a deep rage ignited in me every time he came up in the story.

The ending wasn’t something I would have predicted but damn it was great!

I’m looking forward to more work of the author!

[Caitlin Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advanced copy!

Devoured this book in one day, really enjoyed it, I'd definitely recommend this book, just make sure to check the content warnings first as there's some tough scenes!

There's a couple of odd quirky actions from the characters and some of the dialogue can seem a bit off but not enough (in my opinion) to ruin the book

[Nienke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of advanced copy received from author

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Aside from being an incredible love story the storyline packs substance and provides food for thought. Make sure you are okay with reading about certain triggers before you pick up this book, but be sure to give it a read!