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Butternut Lake #4
The Space Between Sisters
Return to Butternut Lake with the newest from Mary McNear, whose heartfelt and powerful stories have made her a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Here, the complicated bonds of sisterhood are tested, long-kept secrets are revealed, and love is discovered…all during one unforgettable summer at the lake.
Two sisters couldn’t be more different. Win organized and responsible; Poppy impulsive and undependable. Win treads cautiously and plans her life with care; Poppy bounces from job to job and apartment to apartment, leaving others to pick up the pieces. But despite their differences, they share memories of the idyllic childhood summers they spent together on the shores of Butternut Lake. Now, 13 years later, Win, recovering from a personal tragedy, has returned to Butternut Lake, settling into a predictable and quiet life.
Then, one night, Poppy unexpectedly shows up on Win’s doorstep with all her worldly possessions and a mysterious man in tow. And although Win loves her beautiful sister, she wasn’t expecting her to move in for the summer. Still, at first, they relive the joys of Butternut Lake. But their blissful nostalgia soon gives way to conflict, and painful memories and buried secrets threaten to tear the sisters apart.
As the waning days of summer get shorter, past secrets are revealed, new love is found, and the ties between the sisters are tested like never before…all on the serene shores of Butternut Lake.
Two sisters couldn’t be more different. Win organized and responsible; Poppy impulsive and undependable. Win treads cautiously and plans her life with care; Poppy bounces from job to job and apartment to apartment, leaving others to pick up the pieces. But despite their differences, they share memories of the idyllic childhood summers they spent together on the shores of Butternut Lake. Now, 13 years later, Win, recovering from a personal tragedy, has returned to Butternut Lake, settling into a predictable and quiet life.
Then, one night, Poppy unexpectedly shows up on Win’s doorstep with all her worldly possessions and a mysterious man in tow. And although Win loves her beautiful sister, she wasn’t expecting her to move in for the summer. Still, at first, they relive the joys of Butternut Lake. But their blissful nostalgia soon gives way to conflict, and painful memories and buried secrets threaten to tear the sisters apart.
As the waning days of summer get shorter, past secrets are revealed, new love is found, and the ties between the sisters are tested like never before…all on the serene shores of Butternut Lake.
336 pages, Paperback
First published June 14, 2016
283 people are currently reading
2027 people want to read
About the author
Mary McNear
14 books264 followersMary McNear is the author of the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller Up at Butternut Lake, published by HarperCollins. Up at Butternut Lake was the first book in the Butternut Lake series. The second Book, Butternut Summer, is now available. The third novel in the Butternut Lake trilogy, Moonlight on Butternut Lake, will be published in May 2015. A novella, Butternut Lake: The Night Before Christmas, was available in ebook form on December 9, 2014. The third book in the series, Moonlight on Butternut Lake, was published in May 2015. The fourth Butternut Lake novel, The Space Between Sisters, is due out June 2016.
Mary McNear lives in San Francisco with her husband, two teenage children, and a high-strung minuscule white dog named Macaroon. She writes her novels at a local doughnut shop, where she sips Diet Pepsi, observes the hubbub of neighborhood life, and tries to resist the constant temptation of freshly made doughnuts. She bases her novels on a lifetime of summers spent in a small town on a lake in the northern Midwest.
She can be found on Facebook at MaryMcNearAuthor
Mary McNear lives in San Francisco with her husband, two teenage children, and a high-strung minuscule white dog named Macaroon. She writes her novels at a local doughnut shop, where she sips Diet Pepsi, observes the hubbub of neighborhood life, and tries to resist the constant temptation of freshly made doughnuts. She bases her novels on a lifetime of summers spent in a small town on a lake in the northern Midwest.
She can be found on Facebook at MaryMcNearAuthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
June 22, 2016
The Space Between Sisters is the first book I’ve read by Mary McNear but it won’t be my last. Written in an easy, engaging style, this ideal summer read incorporates both subtle wit and deep emotion along with characters that feel like lifelong friends.
Win & Poppy are compelling and “real” and I found elements in each of their characters that I could relate to. Both of them exhibit such fantastic character growth throughout the novel, too, and McNear made this the real heart of the story.
Sam and Everett make very delicious love interests too. While their personalities were about as opposite as the sisters’ from each other, they also had some strong similarities that added to their overall general hotness. Steadiness. Humor (though much more subtle in Everett). Heart. Both are the definition of a “good guy” with enough of an edge (again, much more subtle in Everett) to keep things interesting.
If you’re headed to the beach this summer, or even if you’re just basking in a stay-cation, make sure that The Space Between Sisters by Mary McNear is in your “must read” pile. Full of vibrant characters, this deeply emotional but smile-inducing story strikes the perfect balance between “light” and “heavy”. It’s more than a romance, more than a family drama, and more than a beach read. It’s about embracing LIFE, despite whatever is holding us back. It’s about embracing FAMILY, despite our differences. It’s about embracing LOVE, despite its unexpected arrival. Engaging, entertaining, and full of hope, The Space Between Sisters is one of my favorite general market reads this year!
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)
See my full review at Reading Is My SuperPower
Win & Poppy are compelling and “real” and I found elements in each of their characters that I could relate to. Both of them exhibit such fantastic character growth throughout the novel, too, and McNear made this the real heart of the story.
Sam and Everett make very delicious love interests too. While their personalities were about as opposite as the sisters’ from each other, they also had some strong similarities that added to their overall general hotness. Steadiness. Humor (though much more subtle in Everett). Heart. Both are the definition of a “good guy” with enough of an edge (again, much more subtle in Everett) to keep things interesting.
If you’re headed to the beach this summer, or even if you’re just basking in a stay-cation, make sure that The Space Between Sisters by Mary McNear is in your “must read” pile. Full of vibrant characters, this deeply emotional but smile-inducing story strikes the perfect balance between “light” and “heavy”. It’s more than a romance, more than a family drama, and more than a beach read. It’s about embracing LIFE, despite whatever is holding us back. It’s about embracing FAMILY, despite our differences. It’s about embracing LOVE, despite its unexpected arrival. Engaging, entertaining, and full of hope, The Space Between Sisters is one of my favorite general market reads this year!
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)
See my full review at Reading Is My SuperPower
June 18, 2016
Favorite Quotes:
As one of Win's high school classmates had once remarked, with the casual cruelty of that age, 'It's like Poppy's the designer handbag, Win, and you're the knockoff.'
Sam knew you couldn't always choose whom to fall in love with. Sometimes, they chose you.
Poppy was different. She had no path. She had no direction. Most people, Win thought, moved forward, a few unlucky ones moved backwards, but Poppy, Poppy seemed to move sideways.
'...oh, and then she showed me her dolls. Did you know that one of them is in a coma Sam?' ... 'I did. Cassie got sunscreen in its eyes, and now they won't open, so she decided she was in a coma.'
My Review:
On page one, I was instantly enamored with both The Space Between Sisters and its author Mary McNear. Her writing is simply stellar, evocative, emotive, poignant, and keenly insightful. I was beguiled, engaged, and totally engrossed from beginning to end... and I may have shed more than a few tears in between. I enjoyed the odd dichotomy of the sisters with one being a frantically organized, OCD, long grieving widow; and the other being a spacey and irresponsible slob with a suppressed secret that has pervasively blunted and stunted her emotions and maturity. It has been thirteen years but finally, the traumatic experience has surfaced, but not without consequence or repercussions. I was fascinated with the characters, all of whom being hopelessly flawed, quirky, and completely endearing. This was my first experience with Ms. McNear, but one I would love to repeat in an endless loop.
As one of Win's high school classmates had once remarked, with the casual cruelty of that age, 'It's like Poppy's the designer handbag, Win, and you're the knockoff.'
Sam knew you couldn't always choose whom to fall in love with. Sometimes, they chose you.
Poppy was different. She had no path. She had no direction. Most people, Win thought, moved forward, a few unlucky ones moved backwards, but Poppy, Poppy seemed to move sideways.
'...oh, and then she showed me her dolls. Did you know that one of them is in a coma Sam?' ... 'I did. Cassie got sunscreen in its eyes, and now they won't open, so she decided she was in a coma.'
My Review:
On page one, I was instantly enamored with both The Space Between Sisters and its author Mary McNear. Her writing is simply stellar, evocative, emotive, poignant, and keenly insightful. I was beguiled, engaged, and totally engrossed from beginning to end... and I may have shed more than a few tears in between. I enjoyed the odd dichotomy of the sisters with one being a frantically organized, OCD, long grieving widow; and the other being a spacey and irresponsible slob with a suppressed secret that has pervasively blunted and stunted her emotions and maturity. It has been thirteen years but finally, the traumatic experience has surfaced, but not without consequence or repercussions. I was fascinated with the characters, all of whom being hopelessly flawed, quirky, and completely endearing. This was my first experience with Ms. McNear, but one I would love to repeat in an endless loop.
November 23, 2018
Loved the setting, as always, but I missed the cast of familiar characters from the previous books!
April 19, 2016
This is a really good story about two sisters who were very close in their youth, but circumstances and family events pushed them apart.
Win is the uber-organized (to an unhealthy extreme) sister trying to come to terms with the death of her young husband. Poppy seems to be a bit flighty at first, but as the story develops hidden layers to her personality are uncovered. In a summer at Butternut Lake, past secrets come to light that will either bring them together, or tear their bond forever.
There are two parallel love stories for each of the sisters, and each melds perfectly with the sisters' backstories. McNear is a writer who can create romance between drama without robbing the story of authenticity.
This is a terrific beach read, and I highly recommend that you take this one to the shore with you!
Win is the uber-organized (to an unhealthy extreme) sister trying to come to terms with the death of her young husband. Poppy seems to be a bit flighty at first, but as the story develops hidden layers to her personality are uncovered. In a summer at Butternut Lake, past secrets come to light that will either bring them together, or tear their bond forever.
There are two parallel love stories for each of the sisters, and each melds perfectly with the sisters' backstories. McNear is a writer who can create romance between drama without robbing the story of authenticity.
This is a terrific beach read, and I highly recommend that you take this one to the shore with you!
June 28, 2016
The Space Between Sisters was a nice return to Butternut Lake. It's the tale of two sisters who spend a summer reconnecting and helping each other move on with their lives. Poppy shows up unexpectedly at Win's house with no job, no money and all of her worldly possessions.Win doesn't like surprises and hopes the Poppy gets her act together real soon.While not my favotire, I definitely enjoyed this fourth installment of the series. It could definitely be read as a stand alone book as characters from the previous books don't really make more that drive-by appearances. So new readers won't miss anything.
I loved Poppy. I really felt her struggle with everything throughout the story. The secret she had been keeping for years was just gut wrenching. Sam was the perfect guy to help her begin to heal. Having recently lost my own elderly cat, I found myself a bit teary-eyed during one part of the book. I liked Win a little less. I felt like I didn't get to know her as much as Poppy. Her grief over her dead husband seemed to be very genuine, but I didn't feel like that part of the story was really explored enough. I would have loved to see more of the budding relationship between her and Everett.
I highly recommend this book and this series as a whole. Make sure to check it out when you get a chance!
I loved Poppy. I really felt her struggle with everything throughout the story. The secret she had been keeping for years was just gut wrenching. Sam was the perfect guy to help her begin to heal. Having recently lost my own elderly cat, I found myself a bit teary-eyed during one part of the book. I liked Win a little less. I felt like I didn't get to know her as much as Poppy. Her grief over her dead husband seemed to be very genuine, but I didn't feel like that part of the story was really explored enough. I would have loved to see more of the budding relationship between her and Everett.
I highly recommend this book and this series as a whole. Make sure to check it out when you get a chance!
July 5, 2016
What it's all about...
This book is so lovely! Two sisters, a lake, a lovely old lake house, a lovely old kitty and tons of dysfunction! I always forget how much fun it is to read a book like this.
Why I wanted to read it...
So the premise of this book is this...Poppy and Win are sisters...Poppy is sort of a beautiful free spirit...Win is a teacher and much more grounded. Poppy surprises Win by wanting to spend the summer at the lake house but really her true reasons are because Poppy is out of options as well as being out of money. The lives of both sisters over this summer take major twists and surprising turns!
What made me truly enjoy this book...
A book like this one is just lovely to read. The cat, the people, the foods...especially Win's lasagna...all make this book pleasant and beautiful and a delight to read!
Why you should read it, too...
Readers who love summery books like this one will truly cherish this book! Get me to a lake...ASAP!
June 14, 2016
Visit A Tattered Copy for more reviews & giveaways
Great story of two sisters, as different as different can be. Despite dissimilarities their bond is strong, past heartbreaking, always there for one another as sisters should be, albeit in this instance one is grounded more than the other providing a safe haven of sorts. Reconnecting, a dark secret revealed, healing, romance, all exposed and addressed under the allure and magical spell of Butternut Lake.
A few incredibly touching and tender moments, affecting end result. Assemblage of characters along with their sketches made this a favorite of mine in the series.
Another enjoyable read taking place at Butternut Lake, as always a great cast and subject matter create a warm and fuzzy end result.
Great story of two sisters, as different as different can be. Despite dissimilarities their bond is strong, past heartbreaking, always there for one another as sisters should be, albeit in this instance one is grounded more than the other providing a safe haven of sorts. Reconnecting, a dark secret revealed, healing, romance, all exposed and addressed under the allure and magical spell of Butternut Lake.
A few incredibly touching and tender moments, affecting end result. Assemblage of characters along with their sketches made this a favorite of mine in the series.
Another enjoyable read taking place at Butternut Lake, as always a great cast and subject matter create a warm and fuzzy end result.
June 19, 2016
There’s not a whole lot I have to say about this one, but that’s not a bad thing! The Space Between Sisters is a quick, engrossing read about sibling dynamic and how some bonds can’t ever be broken. A bit of romance, a great setting, and characters so real it felt as though I knew them all blend together to create a fantastic read perfect for a sunny day spent lounging at the beach.
For the full review and more, head over to The Pretty Good Gatsby!
For the full review and more, head over to The Pretty Good Gatsby!
June 23, 2016
I love visiting Butternut Lake. It has such interesting people working through the thing we call life. McNear did such a great job creating a place that now feels familiar to me, as I have read all of the Butternut Lake books that McNear has written. In the newest installment The Space Between Sisters you get to spend the summer with Win and Poppy while they work through the past and figure how what the future holds. It is filled with so much love...in various forms. Another sweet and deeply moving novel that is perfect for the summer or as a book club pick. 4.5 stars
June 9, 2016
I received a copy of this book from Library Thing in exchange for my honest review. I love Butternut Lake! This was a great story that had a little bit of everything. The story involved secrets, conflict, romance and family. I love the way the author really lets you get to know the sisters. This is a great book and I highly recommend!
August 12, 2024
I love reading the Butternut Lake series by McNear. The characters are likeable AND relatable. Her books "take me away" in summer and winter. This story is about 2 vastly different sisters and the life paths they take. The majority of the book was about Poppy, Win helps her through troubled times. I wish there was a bit more time spent on Win also. Perfect summer/beach read! I would love to escape to Butternut Lake.
June 24, 2021
This was a good book and I enjoyed it very much!!!
The only thing I wish I could change was some parts were very graphic (for me at least)!!!
But I have two sisters so It made me realize things that I could work on to become closer to them!
The only thing I wish I could change was some parts were very graphic (for me at least)!!!
But I have two sisters so It made me realize things that I could work on to become closer to them!
September 27, 2019
To be discussed in the next ING podcast.
June 6, 2017
there is a whole genre of books about ladies spending time with each other by lakes, or bays in the south, or capes, or other bodies of water. as an example of that genre, this isn't bad. not much conflict to speak of.
April 24, 2024
Wish I read this on a beach!
September 30, 2016
Return to Butternut Lake with the newest from Mary McNear, whose heartfelt and powerful stories have made her a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Here, the complicated bonds of sisterhood are tested, long-kept secrets are revealed, and love is discovered…all during one unforgettable summer at the lake.
Two sisters couldn’t be more different. Win organized and responsible; Poppy impulsive and undependable. Win treads cautiously and plans her life with care; Poppy bounces from job to job and apartment to apartment, leaving others to pick up the pieces. But despite their differences, they share memories of the idyllic childhood summers they spent together on the shores of Butternut Lake. Now, 13 years later, Win, recovering from a personal tragedy, has returned to Butternut Lake, settling into a predictable and quiet life.
Then, one night, Poppy unexpectedly shows up on Win’s doorstep with all her worldly possessions and a mysterious man in tow. And although Win loves her beautiful sister, she wasn’t expecting her to move in for the summer. Still, at first, they relive the joys of Butternut Lake. But their blissful nostalgia soon gives way to conflict, and painful memories and buried secrets threaten to tear the sisters apart.
As the waning days of summer get shorter, past secrets are revealed, new love is found, and the ties between the sisters are tested like never before…all on the serene shores of Butternut Lake.
--My thoughts. Two sisters, so different. Poppy takes a man that she doesn't even know up to her family's cabin, now her sister's home basically. Win is the total opposite. Isn't that how sisters are though. A summer that starts out fun, ends up with complete madness. Her parents are not reliable people, not even able to pay their OWN rent! These two sisters I love both of them, such complete opposites, reminds me of my own girls. How you can have such different kids come out of the same home.
Poppy loves animals and Win does not, she doesn't want Poppy's cat to stay with them - that plays a part in this as well. I really loved this book, Butternut Lake novels really make you long for a lake house yourself! So grab yourself an outside chair, a good drink and read away about 2 different sisters and how they survive together through anything!
Two sisters couldn’t be more different. Win organized and responsible; Poppy impulsive and undependable. Win treads cautiously and plans her life with care; Poppy bounces from job to job and apartment to apartment, leaving others to pick up the pieces. But despite their differences, they share memories of the idyllic childhood summers they spent together on the shores of Butternut Lake. Now, 13 years later, Win, recovering from a personal tragedy, has returned to Butternut Lake, settling into a predictable and quiet life.
Then, one night, Poppy unexpectedly shows up on Win’s doorstep with all her worldly possessions and a mysterious man in tow. And although Win loves her beautiful sister, she wasn’t expecting her to move in for the summer. Still, at first, they relive the joys of Butternut Lake. But their blissful nostalgia soon gives way to conflict, and painful memories and buried secrets threaten to tear the sisters apart.
As the waning days of summer get shorter, past secrets are revealed, new love is found, and the ties between the sisters are tested like never before…all on the serene shores of Butternut Lake.
--My thoughts. Two sisters, so different. Poppy takes a man that she doesn't even know up to her family's cabin, now her sister's home basically. Win is the total opposite. Isn't that how sisters are though. A summer that starts out fun, ends up with complete madness. Her parents are not reliable people, not even able to pay their OWN rent! These two sisters I love both of them, such complete opposites, reminds me of my own girls. How you can have such different kids come out of the same home.
Poppy loves animals and Win does not, she doesn't want Poppy's cat to stay with them - that plays a part in this as well. I really loved this book, Butternut Lake novels really make you long for a lake house yourself! So grab yourself an outside chair, a good drink and read away about 2 different sisters and how they survive together through anything!
July 22, 2016
Welcome back to Butternut Lake. Win and Poppy are sisters, but they couldn't be more different. Win is responsible, grounded and a bit overly focused on organizing her home. Poppy has a hard time staying in one place or settling into a job. So when Poppy shows up on Win's doorstep with her suitcases, Win welcomes her with open arms, but at times their personalities clash. Win, after three years, is still struggling with the loss of her beloved husband. With Poppy's help, Win is able to begin to become open to new relationships. Poppy is harboring secrets of her own, not letting anyone get too close. Despite keeping others at arms length, Poppy yearns for love, stability and a place to call home. Win and Poppy exemplify sisterly love and support for one another, and show that each day brings new hope, even in the darkest of days.
A great summer read!
A great summer read!
August 28, 2016
Poppy has got to be the most annoying character ever. I just couldn't finish this. I am giving up on Mary Mcnear and her Butternut Lake series. I liked the first one but have really found her characters annoying in those following. I don't like her style of writing.
June 12, 2016
*review to come*
June 28, 2016
received a proof of this book.Great read...will recommend for my book club.
October 23, 2016
This one was just okay.
January 4, 2017
I am not a series reader so I approached it as a stand alone title. It was enjoyable with good depth to some of the characters. I may read more of the series later.
August 31, 2017
A wonderful story of two sisters, that are complete opposites and very close. They had an unusual upbringing and both suffered through grief, as well as buried secrets, and while spending a summer at Butternut Lake, they each learn the differences and more. A really good read!!
From Amazon:
Return to Butternut Lake with New York Times bestselling author Mary McNear in a story where the complicated bonds of sisterhood are tested, long-kept secrets are revealed, and love is discovered…all during one unforgettable summer at the lake.
They are two sisters who couldn’t be more different. Win organized and responsible, plans her life with care. Poppy impulsive and undependable, leaves others to pick up the pieces. But despite their differences, they share memories of the idyllic childhood summers they spent together on the shores of Butternut Lake. Now, thirteen years later, Win, recovering from a personal tragedy, has taken refuge on Butternut Lake, settling into a predictable and quiet life.
Then, one night, Poppy unexpectedly shows up on her sister’s doorstep with her suitcases, an aging cat named Sasquatch, and a mysterious man in tow. Although Win loves her beautiful sister, she wasn’t expecting her to move in for the summer. At first, they relive the joys of Butternut Lake. But their blissful nostalgia soon gives way to conflict, and painful memories and buried secrets threaten to tear the sisters apart.
As the waning days of summer get shorter, past secrets are revealed, new love is found, and the ties between the sisters are tested like never before…all on the serene shores of Butternut Lake.
From Amazon:
Return to Butternut Lake with New York Times bestselling author Mary McNear in a story where the complicated bonds of sisterhood are tested, long-kept secrets are revealed, and love is discovered…all during one unforgettable summer at the lake.
They are two sisters who couldn’t be more different. Win organized and responsible, plans her life with care. Poppy impulsive and undependable, leaves others to pick up the pieces. But despite their differences, they share memories of the idyllic childhood summers they spent together on the shores of Butternut Lake. Now, thirteen years later, Win, recovering from a personal tragedy, has taken refuge on Butternut Lake, settling into a predictable and quiet life.
Then, one night, Poppy unexpectedly shows up on her sister’s doorstep with her suitcases, an aging cat named Sasquatch, and a mysterious man in tow. Although Win loves her beautiful sister, she wasn’t expecting her to move in for the summer. At first, they relive the joys of Butternut Lake. But their blissful nostalgia soon gives way to conflict, and painful memories and buried secrets threaten to tear the sisters apart.
As the waning days of summer get shorter, past secrets are revealed, new love is found, and the ties between the sisters are tested like never before…all on the serene shores of Butternut Lake.
January 20, 2021
A predictable cozy story.
Poppy is a flighty too beautiful woman who lacks stamina, is bad at relationships, and walks off a receptionist job because she's bored.
She has to throw herself on the mercy of her sister, Win, who has inherited their grandparents' cabin on Butternut lake. Win is OCD and does need the company of her "lighthearted" sister. Naturally, Poppy has no money, no ambition, is a complete slob, and oh yes.. the many clues sprinkled about make it clear she was raped while very young and has let the rape define her life. She hasn't told anyone, of course, making it a much bigger issue than it needed to be.
So, predictably, Poppy meets a wonderful man who owns the only General store around and has 3 amazing kids. Poppy starts tutoring the little girl in baton twirling and grows attached. Win falls in love with the guy, Everett, who gave Poppy the ride to the lake. /
Enjoyable book except I kept wanting to hit Poppy over the head with my Kindle for being an idiot for most of the book
Poppy is a flighty too beautiful woman who lacks stamina, is bad at relationships, and walks off a receptionist job because she's bored.
She has to throw herself on the mercy of her sister, Win, who has inherited their grandparents' cabin on Butternut lake. Win is OCD and does need the company of her "lighthearted" sister. Naturally, Poppy has no money, no ambition, is a complete slob, and oh yes.. the many clues sprinkled about make it clear she was raped while very young and has let the rape define her life. She hasn't told anyone, of course, making it a much bigger issue than it needed to be.
So, predictably, Poppy meets a wonderful man who owns the only General store around and has 3 amazing kids. Poppy starts tutoring the little girl in baton twirling and grows attached. Win falls in love with the guy, Everett, who gave Poppy the ride to the lake. /
Enjoyable book except I kept wanting to hit Poppy over the head with my Kindle for being an idiot for most of the book
June 10, 2019
I love it when I make another visit to Butternut Lake. I always look for the characters I already know and I start disappointed when the book starts with someone new. My disappointment doesn't last long as Mary is such a wonderful writer, she draws you right into the new book immediately. I loved the story of Win and Poppy very much. I found it to be a very emotional story (heck, all of them are emotional) and heartwarming. I love the close, country neighborhood Butternut is and would love to live in a place like it. I have to say, this one had a section that really got to me, I had to get the tissues out. I love when an author can wring those emotions out of the reader! I can not say enough good things about this series - I absolutely love these books. I only have two left and I am getting nervous as I have enjoyed my visit to Butternut Lake so much where am I going to go after this? I have truly enjoyed reading this wonderful series and wish I had found Mary McNear and Butternut Lake sooner. I don't know if there are any more planned but I sure hope so!
June 18, 2016
Originally published at Reading Reality
Second-chance lake strikes again. So far, in all of the books in the lovely Butternut Lake series (Up at Butternut Lake, Butternut Summer, The Night Before Christmas and Moonlight on Butternut Lake) someone in the story gets a second chance at love. In the case of Butternut Summer it’s even a second chance at the same love as the first time around, but hopefully with much better results.
In The Space Between Sisters there are several kinds of second chances that finally come true. For sisters Winona and Poppy Robbins, it’s a second, or possibly one hundredth, chance to bridge their strained relationship, now that they are both, at least theoretically, adults.
Win is a teacher at Butternut K-8. She has the sometimes insane job of teaching social studies to 7th and 8th graders, just as their teenage hormones start kicking in. Win loves her job, and loves living on Butternut Lake in their grandparents’ cabin. But she’s lonely and still grieving the loss of her young husband to cancer after only three years of marriage. Win is nearly 30, and her life has only sort of gone on. In her OCD way (and she is, a bit) she keeps rearranging the mementos of her marriage into little memorials around the house, never letting go.
Poppy is Win’s opposite. Where Win is organized to the point of obsession, Poppy lets everything and everyone slide. Including jobs, apartments and relationships. She drops debris wherever she lands, and seems to expect someone else to pick up the pieces. That someone has usually been Win. But in Poppy’s entire life, there are only two people that she has ever been able to count on. One is Win, and the other is her 16-year-old cat Sasquatch.
Their parents have never been responsible parties. Their dad is a not-very-functional alcoholic, and their mother is such a complete “free spirit” that she neglected the girls and left them to raise themselves. To say that their parents are totally uninvolved with their lives, and always have been, is an understatement of epic proportions.
So when Poppy quits her latest job, she surprises Win by moving in with her at Butternut Lake, dragging all her possessions and Sasquatch up from Minneapolis in the care (and car) of a nice guy she met on her morning coffee breaks when she was still working.
Poppy doesn’t even know Everett’s last name. And Win thinks that Everett agreed to give Poppy a lift because he was interested in her incredibly beautiful sister. But like so many other things that happen in Butternut Lake, nothing about Poppy’s retreat to Win, Everett’s reasons for giving Poppy a lift, or even the truth behind the dynamics of Win’s and Poppy’s relationship, are exactly what they seem.
And the truths that are finally revealed set them both free.
Escape Rating A-: At first, everything in this story seems so obvious, and then it suddenly isn’t. Win and Poppy act out a dynamic that happens so often in real families, one becomes super responsible, and the other becomes super irresponsible. The good girl and the bad girl. One makes messes, the other cleans up. And that seems like a natural response to the way they weren’t brought up. Poppy imitates their parents (minus the drinking) and Win goes 180 degrees the opposite direction. And of course they drive each other bananas.
Win is tired of cleaning up after Poppy and taking care of her messes. Poppy is tired of Win’s obsessive need for order. (When someone starts fuming about the “right” way to load a dishwasher, the reaction of not wanting to help is not a surprise). But Win has a point about Poppy’s fecklessness and Poppy has a point about Win needing to let her grief take its course instead of continuing to create shrines to it.
But they can’t really reach each other until a crisis finally breaks Poppy out of the fog she’s been living in for the last 15 years. Until she lets go of her old traumas, she can’t deal with the new ones that have come barreling toward her.
She falls in love for the very first time. And is too frozen with suppressed PTSD to act on it. And the one person who has always been there for her, dear old Sasquatch, has used up his 9th life.
While the nature of Poppy’s suppressed trauma was all too easy to figure out before the big reveal, once it all finally comes out every character has to reassess their relationship with Poppy, and Poppy has to reassess their relationship with her. It’s only when she lances the boil in the past that she is able to heal and grow into herself in the present.
Both Poppy and Win find love. For Poppy, it’s her need to finally enter into an adult relationship that makes her open up the memories she has ruthlessly (and also rootlessly) suppressed. For Win, it’s a chance to look at her life and what’s holding her back from living it. And she nearly screws it up. Which is what makes them both so human and so likeable.
And poor Sasquatch. He was a good cat, and Poppy gave him a good life. He was there when she needed him, and at the end, she’s there when he needs her to make the hard decision. Particularly for those of us who have had a companion animal at a critical part of their lives, the scenes with Sasquatch and her memories of all the times he was there for her require a box of tissues.
Second-chance lake strikes again. So far, in all of the books in the lovely Butternut Lake series (Up at Butternut Lake, Butternut Summer, The Night Before Christmas and Moonlight on Butternut Lake) someone in the story gets a second chance at love. In the case of Butternut Summer it’s even a second chance at the same love as the first time around, but hopefully with much better results.
In The Space Between Sisters there are several kinds of second chances that finally come true. For sisters Winona and Poppy Robbins, it’s a second, or possibly one hundredth, chance to bridge their strained relationship, now that they are both, at least theoretically, adults.
Win is a teacher at Butternut K-8. She has the sometimes insane job of teaching social studies to 7th and 8th graders, just as their teenage hormones start kicking in. Win loves her job, and loves living on Butternut Lake in their grandparents’ cabin. But she’s lonely and still grieving the loss of her young husband to cancer after only three years of marriage. Win is nearly 30, and her life has only sort of gone on. In her OCD way (and she is, a bit) she keeps rearranging the mementos of her marriage into little memorials around the house, never letting go.
Poppy is Win’s opposite. Where Win is organized to the point of obsession, Poppy lets everything and everyone slide. Including jobs, apartments and relationships. She drops debris wherever she lands, and seems to expect someone else to pick up the pieces. That someone has usually been Win. But in Poppy’s entire life, there are only two people that she has ever been able to count on. One is Win, and the other is her 16-year-old cat Sasquatch.
Their parents have never been responsible parties. Their dad is a not-very-functional alcoholic, and their mother is such a complete “free spirit” that she neglected the girls and left them to raise themselves. To say that their parents are totally uninvolved with their lives, and always have been, is an understatement of epic proportions.
So when Poppy quits her latest job, she surprises Win by moving in with her at Butternut Lake, dragging all her possessions and Sasquatch up from Minneapolis in the care (and car) of a nice guy she met on her morning coffee breaks when she was still working.
Poppy doesn’t even know Everett’s last name. And Win thinks that Everett agreed to give Poppy a lift because he was interested in her incredibly beautiful sister. But like so many other things that happen in Butternut Lake, nothing about Poppy’s retreat to Win, Everett’s reasons for giving Poppy a lift, or even the truth behind the dynamics of Win’s and Poppy’s relationship, are exactly what they seem.
And the truths that are finally revealed set them both free.
Escape Rating A-: At first, everything in this story seems so obvious, and then it suddenly isn’t. Win and Poppy act out a dynamic that happens so often in real families, one becomes super responsible, and the other becomes super irresponsible. The good girl and the bad girl. One makes messes, the other cleans up. And that seems like a natural response to the way they weren’t brought up. Poppy imitates their parents (minus the drinking) and Win goes 180 degrees the opposite direction. And of course they drive each other bananas.
Win is tired of cleaning up after Poppy and taking care of her messes. Poppy is tired of Win’s obsessive need for order. (When someone starts fuming about the “right” way to load a dishwasher, the reaction of not wanting to help is not a surprise). But Win has a point about Poppy’s fecklessness and Poppy has a point about Win needing to let her grief take its course instead of continuing to create shrines to it.
But they can’t really reach each other until a crisis finally breaks Poppy out of the fog she’s been living in for the last 15 years. Until she lets go of her old traumas, she can’t deal with the new ones that have come barreling toward her.
She falls in love for the very first time. And is too frozen with suppressed PTSD to act on it. And the one person who has always been there for her, dear old Sasquatch, has used up his 9th life.
While the nature of Poppy’s suppressed trauma was all too easy to figure out before the big reveal, once it all finally comes out every character has to reassess their relationship with Poppy, and Poppy has to reassess their relationship with her. It’s only when she lances the boil in the past that she is able to heal and grow into herself in the present.
Both Poppy and Win find love. For Poppy, it’s her need to finally enter into an adult relationship that makes her open up the memories she has ruthlessly (and also rootlessly) suppressed. For Win, it’s a chance to look at her life and what’s holding her back from living it. And she nearly screws it up. Which is what makes them both so human and so likeable.
And poor Sasquatch. He was a good cat, and Poppy gave him a good life. He was there when she needed him, and at the end, she’s there when he needs her to make the hard decision. Particularly for those of us who have had a companion animal at a critical part of their lives, the scenes with Sasquatch and her memories of all the times he was there for her require a box of tissues.
June 1, 2022
It's been quite a while since I have visited Butternut Lake so the lack of past characters from the series didn't influence my like for this installment. Win and Poppy are sisters who almost defied all the odds thrown at them from their dysfunctional childhood and have grown up fairly normal: Win is a compulsive neat freak and Poppy has a hard time holding down a job and relationships. But they are emotionally close.
The story has a nice flow from beginning to end with several tear jerking moments along the way. While I have no sisters, only brothers, I assume their relationship is consistent with having a sister.
Although it takes place on a lake in Minnesota, this would make for a wonderful beach read somewhere along a coast during the summer. All in all, a good read!
Go Cards! L1C4!!
The story has a nice flow from beginning to end with several tear jerking moments along the way. While I have no sisters, only brothers, I assume their relationship is consistent with having a sister.
Although it takes place on a lake in Minnesota, this would make for a wonderful beach read somewhere along a coast during the summer. All in all, a good read!
Go Cards! L1C4!!
September 13, 2018
This was the first book I've read by McNear so I wasn't sure what to expect. I ended up with a light, easy, fast, and "comfortable" read. It reminded me of a Hallmark movie... in the best way possible. I've been reading a lot of psych thrillers and this was a good change of pace. I think the timing of my reading this made me like it that much more.
I also enjoy books about sisters, since I have 2 of my own. Both sisters were relatable, likable and flawed in ways many of us are. The writing was strong and the plot, while predictable in many aspects, still managed to have some depth and it held my interest.
If you're looking for a beach read or a break from some more intense books, this is a good option.
I also enjoy books about sisters, since I have 2 of my own. Both sisters were relatable, likable and flawed in ways many of us are. The writing was strong and the plot, while predictable in many aspects, still managed to have some depth and it held my interest.
If you're looking for a beach read or a break from some more intense books, this is a good option.
June 28, 2017
What a welcome back to Butternut Lake! It has been a bit since I have read the first three books of the Butternut Lake series so I was a little hesitant to read this one without re-reading the first three - I am a series snob LOL. BUT I am happy to report that this book can be read as a standalone but you will benefit from reading the first three so you can get the true vibe of Butternut Lake. This book reminds you that no matter what, your family will always be there. Pleasurable poolside read for a weekend getaway!
July 1, 2017
Full review to be posted on blog
*Love this series - but books don't have to be read in order.
*Each book completely stands alone.
*This one centers on 2 sisters & I loved how real & authentic their relationship was.
*The themes that run thru this book are so relatable - sisters will fight, but when push comes to shove, they will always be there for you when you need them!
*There is all types of love in this book - sister love, romantic love, friendship love.
*Great installment in what is a great series!
*Love this series - but books don't have to be read in order.
*Each book completely stands alone.
*This one centers on 2 sisters & I loved how real & authentic their relationship was.
*The themes that run thru this book are so relatable - sisters will fight, but when push comes to shove, they will always be there for you when you need them!
*There is all types of love in this book - sister love, romantic love, friendship love.
*Great installment in what is a great series!
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