Just when I think I've read the best book that Freya Barker has ever written, she goes ahead and outdoes herself ... again!
We're back up in the Great White North (except it's summertime and scorching hot) in the lakeside town of Wawa. Leelo Talbot has come to see what shape her deceased uncle's motel is in after he left it to her. Her personal life recently has taken on some major hits in which a hostile divorce has taken its toll even on her two grown children. Making the decision to stay and fix up the place on Whitefish Lake while finding herself again seems like the right thing to do. That's until she realizes the enormity of what she's up against.
Riordan Doyle owns Jackson's Point, a fishing lodge up the road, where his life seems to be quietly satisfying and comfortable—and uncomplicated. Yeah, that's about to change. Slowly but surely, these two become entwined in each other's lives as Roar offers to help with some of the repairs around, well, everywhere.
Leelo and Roar are great together. She is completely lovable and so relatable to any middle-aged woman. I am positive that Roar is my favorite male character—like ever. There is nothing this man can do or say to make me think differently. He's one-hundred percent alpha. His bossiness is hot—out of concern for Leelo's well-being and not to feed his ego. He's intelligent, well-liked by the townsfolk, take-charge with whatever is thrown his way, loves his mother, Charlie, (she's a shining star in this story!) and quite honestly, brings out the best in those he cares for. I've got it bad for Roar! Did I mention that he knows his way around the bedroom ... and a boat ... and a couch?
Roar was also great with Matt, Leelo's twenty-year-old son, who decides to make Wawa his home as well. Matt is a Roar in the making, and I can definitely see his character having his own story! He's protective of his mother, hard-working, respectful, and just an amazing all-around guy. More importantly, he's a huge factor in keeping his mom safe ... because something isn't right—as if someone doesn't want her around. Random problems at the motel, which start out giving the impresssion of a prank, quickly change into something quite sinister and deliberate.
This is the part I love the most. Freya Barker creates the best supporting cast of characters I've ever read anywhere. Each one of them, whether their part is a paragraph or scattered throughout the entire book, add so much depth and authenticity to all of her stories. They become as real as the folks who live in any town, anywhere, and A Change of View is chock full of them. There are some interesting twists and turns, a couple of natural disasters, and plenty of humor added as well. But the clincher for me, like I mentioned above, was Riordan Doyle.
The vivid descriptions of the lake and all the breathtaking land that surrounds it, paints a clear picture in my mind's eye, and I can imagine myself there. The storyline flows like a lazy river from one glorious chapter to the next flawlessly because this is so well-written. I've said it before and I'll say it again and again, Freya Barker is one of the BEST storytellers out there. This book is one not to be missed; it's an absolute treasure. I'd give it ten North Stars if I could! I received this ARC for an honest review, and honest it certainly is.