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Honeymoon Harbor #3
Summer on Mirror Lake
Summertime is the best time to lose yourself in the romance of Honeymoon Harbor…
When he lands in the emergency room after collapsing at the funeral of a colleague and friend, Wall Street hotshot Gabriel Mannion initially rejects the diagnosis of an anxiety attack. But when warned that if he doesn’t change his adrenaline-fueled, workaholic lifestyle he could end up like his friend, Gabe reluctantly returns to his hometown of Honeymoon Harbor to regroup.
As he adjusts to the sight of mountains instead of skyscrapers, Gabe discovers advantages to this small Pacific Northwest town he once couldn’t wait to escape. But it’s irresistible librarian Chelsea Prescott who, along with the two foster children she’s taken under her wing, makes slowing down seem like the best prescription ever.
Over the course of their summer romance, Gabe gets a taste of the life he might have had if he’d taken a different path. But with his return to New York City looming on the horizon, he’ll have to choose between the success he’s worked tirelessly for and a ready-made family who offers a very different, richly rewarding future…if he’ll only take the risk.
When he lands in the emergency room after collapsing at the funeral of a colleague and friend, Wall Street hotshot Gabriel Mannion initially rejects the diagnosis of an anxiety attack. But when warned that if he doesn’t change his adrenaline-fueled, workaholic lifestyle he could end up like his friend, Gabe reluctantly returns to his hometown of Honeymoon Harbor to regroup.
As he adjusts to the sight of mountains instead of skyscrapers, Gabe discovers advantages to this small Pacific Northwest town he once couldn’t wait to escape. But it’s irresistible librarian Chelsea Prescott who, along with the two foster children she’s taken under her wing, makes slowing down seem like the best prescription ever.
Over the course of their summer romance, Gabe gets a taste of the life he might have had if he’d taken a different path. But with his return to New York City looming on the horizon, he’ll have to choose between the success he’s worked tirelessly for and a ready-made family who offers a very different, richly rewarding future…if he’ll only take the risk.
435 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 21, 2019
424 people are currently reading
496 people want to read
About the author
JoAnn Ross
240 books799 followersNew York Times bestselling author JoAnn Ross has written over a hundred novels for a bunch of publishers. Two of her titles have been excerpted in Cosmo and her books have also been published by the Doubleday, Rhapsody, Literary Guild, and Mystery Guild book clubs.
A member of the Romance Writers of America's Honor Roll of best-selling authors, she's won several awards, including Romantic Times's Career Achievement Awards in both category and contemporary single title.
Currently writing a new Honeymoon Harbor series for HQN set on the Washington peninsula, that will launch in April, 2018, JoAnn lives with her husband (her high school sweetheart, who proposed at the sea wall where her Shelter Bay books are set), in the Pacific Northwest.
A member of the Romance Writers of America's Honor Roll of best-selling authors, she's won several awards, including Romantic Times's Career Achievement Awards in both category and contemporary single title.
Currently writing a new Honeymoon Harbor series for HQN set on the Washington peninsula, that will launch in April, 2018, JoAnn lives with her husband (her high school sweetheart, who proposed at the sea wall where her Shelter Bay books are set), in the Pacific Northwest.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
April 29, 2019
Good story. Entertaining and endearing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Summer is a perfect time to snuggle up in the air conditioning with a lovely romance that will warm your heart. Set in Honeymoon Harbor, a small town with a big heart, this one is a great choice.
Written in a women's fiction manner, this book is a sweet story that is both entertaining and very endearing. I love the character pairing and development. These two just felt right together.
Gabe is a driven man that realizes he has to slow down and finding a summer fling wasn't really what he had on his mind, but he is not opposed to it either.
Chelsea is a great match up. I have to say her character surprised me a few times. With librarian characters they are usually depicted as introverts and sometimes quite odd people. In this story, she is anything but these.
While we do see some of the other people from the other books in the series, I don't think it is a requirement to read the others first. This book was self contained in many ways and easy to follow.
Summer on Mirror Lake by JoAnn Ross is a well written taste of Americana set in a small town that leaves you with a beautiful feeling and a smile on your face.
* copy received for review consideration
full review - https://amidlifewife.com/summer-on-mi...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Summer is a perfect time to snuggle up in the air conditioning with a lovely romance that will warm your heart. Set in Honeymoon Harbor, a small town with a big heart, this one is a great choice.
Written in a women's fiction manner, this book is a sweet story that is both entertaining and very endearing. I love the character pairing and development. These two just felt right together.
Gabe is a driven man that realizes he has to slow down and finding a summer fling wasn't really what he had on his mind, but he is not opposed to it either.
Chelsea is a great match up. I have to say her character surprised me a few times. With librarian characters they are usually depicted as introverts and sometimes quite odd people. In this story, she is anything but these.
While we do see some of the other people from the other books in the series, I don't think it is a requirement to read the others first. This book was self contained in many ways and easy to follow.
Summer on Mirror Lake by JoAnn Ross is a well written taste of Americana set in a small town that leaves you with a beautiful feeling and a smile on your face.
* copy received for review consideration
full review - https://amidlifewife.com/summer-on-mi...
January 16, 2023
After he collapses at the funeral of his best friend, Gabriel Mannion ends up in the emergency department of the hospital. The diagnosis is an anxiety attack but he is warned he needs to change his workaholic lifestyle in Wall Street. So he returns to his home town of Honeymoon Harbor, where his parents, a couple of his brothers and his sister still live.
There he meets the enthusiastic librarian Chelsea Prescott. Chelsea is a warm, caring person with a passion for helping young readers discover the thrill of books. She also displays great concern and care for two orphaned children, Hannah and younger sister Hailey. When Chelsea comes to Gabriel with a proposal to help her reading adventurers learn more about Vikings and Norse myths, Gabe refuses. But Chelsea is nothing if not determined. He finds her increasingly hard to resist.
Chelsea, despite her hard life growing up, is a delightful, optimistic person. It is easy to empathise with her. It takes longer to warm to the enigmatic Gabe. Some of the other townsfolk are interesting. I really liked young Hannah and the way she cared for her younger sister.
I enjoyed aspects of this story but the repeated references to door sex etc became annoying. Would rather the author had concentrated on love and romance rather than sexual escapades. I wasn’t convinced by their supposed passion and got sick of hearing about it. Spoilt the rest of the story, so I settled on a three star rating in the end. So an enjoyable read, just not as good as it could have been.
There he meets the enthusiastic librarian Chelsea Prescott. Chelsea is a warm, caring person with a passion for helping young readers discover the thrill of books. She also displays great concern and care for two orphaned children, Hannah and younger sister Hailey. When Chelsea comes to Gabriel with a proposal to help her reading adventurers learn more about Vikings and Norse myths, Gabe refuses. But Chelsea is nothing if not determined. He finds her increasingly hard to resist.
Chelsea, despite her hard life growing up, is a delightful, optimistic person. It is easy to empathise with her. It takes longer to warm to the enigmatic Gabe. Some of the other townsfolk are interesting. I really liked young Hannah and the way she cared for her younger sister.
I enjoyed aspects of this story but the repeated references to door sex etc became annoying. Would rather the author had concentrated on love and romance rather than sexual escapades. I wasn’t convinced by their supposed passion and got sick of hearing about it. Spoilt the rest of the story, so I settled on a three star rating in the end. So an enjoyable read, just not as good as it could have been.
June 28, 2019
A fun wonderful summer read! Loved the descriptions of the Pacific Northwest -- it was the perfect backdrop to the novel.
"But then one day I learned that happiness and optimism could be a choice. So I choose those. Instead of the alternative. You make it sound easy. No, It's not at all. But nothing worth having should come easily, should it? Otherwise you wouldn't appreciate it as much when you achieve it."
"Sometimes life can take some strange twists. But going with the flow can also take you interesting places you might not have considered".
"But then one day I learned that happiness and optimism could be a choice. So I choose those. Instead of the alternative. You make it sound easy. No, It's not at all. But nothing worth having should come easily, should it? Otherwise you wouldn't appreciate it as much when you achieve it."
"Sometimes life can take some strange twists. But going with the flow can also take you interesting places you might not have considered".
June 18, 2019
It's been a while since I read a JoAnn Ross book, and this one reminded me why I like them so much. This one takes two people who are very different and shows how right for each other they are. The story opens with the youngest Mannion brother, Gabe. He couldn't wait to get out of his small town and test himself in the city. He has become so immersed in his Wall Street life that he doesn't even go home for family events. But when he collapses at a friend's funeral, the doctor makes it clear that if Gabe doesn't change his workaholic ways, he's likely to follow in his friend's footsteps. Reluctantly, Gabe heads back to Honeymoon Harbor for the summer. After three weeks, he's slowly going nuts with boredom when his brother suggests he dust off his high school boatmaking skills. So Gabe immerses himself in building a Viking faering and ignoring any and all interruptions. Until Chelsea shows up, looking for his help with her library's summer kids' program. He's quite rude to her, a reflex to push her away because he feels an immediate attraction to her.
Chelsea has lived her whole life in Honeymoon Harbor. Her childhood was difficult when her little sister got sick and died, with the stress and grief tearing her parents apart. Chelsea coped by spending as much time as possible at the library. The librarian became a friend and mentor, and now Chelsea is the head librarian. She loves encouraging people, especially children, to read, and is full of ideas for her summer programs. When she hears about Gabe and his boat, she's determined to get him on board. She doesn't expect a Mannion to be so cold and rude, and leaves the workshop furious with him - and unexpectedly attracted. But she's not about to give up on getting him involved.
I loved the development of Gabe and Chelsea's relationship. The sparks flew between them from the beginning. Gabe is reluctant at first to pursue anything because he sees her as the forever type and he plans to be gone again after Labor Day. Chelsea is attracted, but not interested in a relationship. She keeps herself closed off, determined to guard her heart against pain and loss. I loved the scene where Chelsea rowed across the lake to beard the dragon in his den and found a meeting of the minds (and bodies) instead. I had to laugh at Gabe's description of her as a velvet bulldozer, able to roll right over any of his objections to her program. They then moved on to a frank discussion of their attraction and, realizing that neither wants anything permanent, decide to go for a summer fling. I loved watching them start the getting to know each other process while at the same time respecting each other's boundaries. Those boundaries get blurry very fast when two young girls come into Chelsea's life.
Chelsea befriended two young foster girls who hung out in the library every day after school. She saw a lot of herself in the older girl, Hannah, and found herself getting more and more involved in their lives. When circumstances led to the loss of their current foster home, Chelsea stepped in to become a foster parent herself. Gabe is stunned to find himself just as involved, in spite of frequent self-doubts about what he is doing. I loved seeing how deeply Hannah and Hailey touched both their hearts. There were fantastic scenes of the four of them together, of Chelsea doing "girl things" with them, and them slowly becoming a family. I loved Gabe and Chelsea's attempts to find time for themselves and laughed out loud at "The List." Gabe totally melted my heart when he got Hannah involved in helping with his boatbuilding. I ached for Hannah, who found it very hard to trust the adults in her life, as she slowly opened herself up to Gabe and Chelsea.
Though Chelsea embraces her new reality and looks to making the girls a permanent part of her life, Gabe still has his eyes set on his return to New York. There were the occasional moments when I had high hopes that he would see how much happier he was now, but he would always fight them off. Then he goes and pulls a genuinely boneheaded move, at his sister's wedding of all places. I cried for Chelsea's heartbreak and cheered when she blasted him for it. Even Hannah got into the act, capped off by his own brother. I liked Gabe's big moment at the end, though I'm not sure that Chelsea made him work hard enough to dig himself out of trouble.
I loved the small town vibe and the way that everyone looks out for each other. It was great to see how many people got involved in Chelsea's library program. I also loved the scene at the fire when so many people stepped up to make sure that Chelsea could take care of Hannah and Hailey. The foster moms' support group was another example of people helping each other, with a great mix of serious and fun advice.
Chelsea has lived her whole life in Honeymoon Harbor. Her childhood was difficult when her little sister got sick and died, with the stress and grief tearing her parents apart. Chelsea coped by spending as much time as possible at the library. The librarian became a friend and mentor, and now Chelsea is the head librarian. She loves encouraging people, especially children, to read, and is full of ideas for her summer programs. When she hears about Gabe and his boat, she's determined to get him on board. She doesn't expect a Mannion to be so cold and rude, and leaves the workshop furious with him - and unexpectedly attracted. But she's not about to give up on getting him involved.
I loved the development of Gabe and Chelsea's relationship. The sparks flew between them from the beginning. Gabe is reluctant at first to pursue anything because he sees her as the forever type and he plans to be gone again after Labor Day. Chelsea is attracted, but not interested in a relationship. She keeps herself closed off, determined to guard her heart against pain and loss. I loved the scene where Chelsea rowed across the lake to beard the dragon in his den and found a meeting of the minds (and bodies) instead. I had to laugh at Gabe's description of her as a velvet bulldozer, able to roll right over any of his objections to her program. They then moved on to a frank discussion of their attraction and, realizing that neither wants anything permanent, decide to go for a summer fling. I loved watching them start the getting to know each other process while at the same time respecting each other's boundaries. Those boundaries get blurry very fast when two young girls come into Chelsea's life.
Chelsea befriended two young foster girls who hung out in the library every day after school. She saw a lot of herself in the older girl, Hannah, and found herself getting more and more involved in their lives. When circumstances led to the loss of their current foster home, Chelsea stepped in to become a foster parent herself. Gabe is stunned to find himself just as involved, in spite of frequent self-doubts about what he is doing. I loved seeing how deeply Hannah and Hailey touched both their hearts. There were fantastic scenes of the four of them together, of Chelsea doing "girl things" with them, and them slowly becoming a family. I loved Gabe and Chelsea's attempts to find time for themselves and laughed out loud at "The List." Gabe totally melted my heart when he got Hannah involved in helping with his boatbuilding. I ached for Hannah, who found it very hard to trust the adults in her life, as she slowly opened herself up to Gabe and Chelsea.
Though Chelsea embraces her new reality and looks to making the girls a permanent part of her life, Gabe still has his eyes set on his return to New York. There were the occasional moments when I had high hopes that he would see how much happier he was now, but he would always fight them off. Then he goes and pulls a genuinely boneheaded move, at his sister's wedding of all places. I cried for Chelsea's heartbreak and cheered when she blasted him for it. Even Hannah got into the act, capped off by his own brother. I liked Gabe's big moment at the end, though I'm not sure that Chelsea made him work hard enough to dig himself out of trouble.
I loved the small town vibe and the way that everyone looks out for each other. It was great to see how many people got involved in Chelsea's library program. I also loved the scene at the fire when so many people stepped up to make sure that Chelsea could take care of Hannah and Hailey. The foster moms' support group was another example of people helping each other, with a great mix of serious and fun advice.
June 15, 2019
I do love Honeymoon Harbor and all its stories. Yea for Chelsea. Librarians are wonderful heroes.
April 25, 2021
One of the few contemporary romances I’ve read where it felt bogged down by research.
After the death of his mentor and his own hospitalization for stress, finance guy Gabe decides to take the summer off, head back to his quiet hometown in Washington state and temporarily get back into boat building with plans to return to New York in the fall. Librarian Chelsea wants to make a big splash with her summer adventurers program for kids, which, initially, Gabe wants no part of, however, he quickly warms to the idea and to Chelsea.
I struggled to get into the romance, and I think the pacing played a big part in that. When Gabe and Chelsea briefly meet, he’s hostile for unclear reasons, then at only their second meeting, Chelsea approaches Gabe in stalkerish fashion and suddenly he’s super welcoming and suddenly she’s spilling her life story to this guy she doesn’t know and suddenly they’re having sex, and it was this whirlwind of decisions that didn’t necessarily make sense/seem character driven. It’s a personal preference thing I guess, but I just thought maybe it could have slowed down enough for chemistry to develop, for it to seem feasible that someone would confide their entire tragic history, for the reader to have half a minute to crave for/wish for this couple to get together before they actually were together.
Unfortunately, I ended up with pretty much no emotional investment in Gabe and Chelsea as a couple, I really only ever felt engaged with this book when scenes involved two orphan sisters, they were the characters I cared about, I was much more interested in what was going on with them than I was with the adults. It didn’t feel like there was much of a plot outside of the welfare of those children.
The plot, the pacing, the romance, the emotional stakes, were also not helped by the facts and statistics littered throughout the book. At first I thought well, it’s just a quirk of Chelsea’s personality, rambling digressions are a nervous tick for her around this guy, I thought it could be cute until I realized it wasn’t just in her initial dialogue with Gabe, it was all of her dialogue and everyone else’s dialogue, and in the prose, both Chelsea and Gabe’s POVs. This novel consistently veered off course into histories of people and places, detailing entire plots of books and movies, a full description of a painting or a restaurant’s decor, just droning on and on about subject matter that while meticulously researched wasn’t particularly relevant. For instance, Gabe and Chelsea have a conversation about the plight of women in financial careers and the lack of mentors for them, which yes it’s not great, and it is important for women interested in that field, however, it’s completely irrelevant to the story being told in this book, it doesn’t deepen their relationship or move the plot forward, and like so many other asides here, I didn’t understand why it was discussed to that length.
All too frequently with Summer On Mirror Lake I was pulled out of whatever moment the characters were sharing and instead, sometimes for paragraphs at a time, it felt like I’d been dropped into an encyclopedia entry or a pamphlet. Again, like the pacing of the romance, it’s a personal preference issue, there are probably plenty of readers out there who will eat up the minutia in this book, they’ll love it, that’s just not the reader I am. When I sit down with a work of fiction, I do like to learn things, but in a way where the research is woven into the storytelling rather than disrupting its flow.
I received this book through a giveaway.
After the death of his mentor and his own hospitalization for stress, finance guy Gabe decides to take the summer off, head back to his quiet hometown in Washington state and temporarily get back into boat building with plans to return to New York in the fall. Librarian Chelsea wants to make a big splash with her summer adventurers program for kids, which, initially, Gabe wants no part of, however, he quickly warms to the idea and to Chelsea.
I struggled to get into the romance, and I think the pacing played a big part in that. When Gabe and Chelsea briefly meet, he’s hostile for unclear reasons, then at only their second meeting, Chelsea approaches Gabe in stalkerish fashion and suddenly he’s super welcoming and suddenly she’s spilling her life story to this guy she doesn’t know and suddenly they’re having sex, and it was this whirlwind of decisions that didn’t necessarily make sense/seem character driven. It’s a personal preference thing I guess, but I just thought maybe it could have slowed down enough for chemistry to develop, for it to seem feasible that someone would confide their entire tragic history, for the reader to have half a minute to crave for/wish for this couple to get together before they actually were together.
Unfortunately, I ended up with pretty much no emotional investment in Gabe and Chelsea as a couple, I really only ever felt engaged with this book when scenes involved two orphan sisters, they were the characters I cared about, I was much more interested in what was going on with them than I was with the adults. It didn’t feel like there was much of a plot outside of the welfare of those children.
The plot, the pacing, the romance, the emotional stakes, were also not helped by the facts and statistics littered throughout the book. At first I thought well, it’s just a quirk of Chelsea’s personality, rambling digressions are a nervous tick for her around this guy, I thought it could be cute until I realized it wasn’t just in her initial dialogue with Gabe, it was all of her dialogue and everyone else’s dialogue, and in the prose, both Chelsea and Gabe’s POVs. This novel consistently veered off course into histories of people and places, detailing entire plots of books and movies, a full description of a painting or a restaurant’s decor, just droning on and on about subject matter that while meticulously researched wasn’t particularly relevant. For instance, Gabe and Chelsea have a conversation about the plight of women in financial careers and the lack of mentors for them, which yes it’s not great, and it is important for women interested in that field, however, it’s completely irrelevant to the story being told in this book, it doesn’t deepen their relationship or move the plot forward, and like so many other asides here, I didn’t understand why it was discussed to that length.
All too frequently with Summer On Mirror Lake I was pulled out of whatever moment the characters were sharing and instead, sometimes for paragraphs at a time, it felt like I’d been dropped into an encyclopedia entry or a pamphlet. Again, like the pacing of the romance, it’s a personal preference issue, there are probably plenty of readers out there who will eat up the minutia in this book, they’ll love it, that’s just not the reader I am. When I sit down with a work of fiction, I do like to learn things, but in a way where the research is woven into the storytelling rather than disrupting its flow.
I received this book through a giveaway.
June 10, 2019
Reviewed for Romancing the Readers Blog: https://romancingthereaders.blogspot....
I have been reading enjoying the Honeymoon Harbor series by JoAnn Ross. So far I've found it to be wonderfully written with characters that I've really enjoyed spending time with. A plus in any book I read.
In Summer on Mirror Lake, we have Gabe and Chelsea. These two for me are a complete opposite. They both lead very different lifestyles. Ones main goal is to make money, the other is to make sure people realize what a wonderful world reading brings to you.
I think it's those difference that makes these two work so well. If they were both alike I don't think it would have worked for them. More so for Gabe. He definitely needs someone different than himself.
Not only does the book deal with the romance of both Chelsea and Gabe but the fact that two little girls need a home.
I love when the author adds something to make the romance just a little bit harder. For poor Chelsea and Gabe, it was just to figure out when they could make time for sex while having two little girls in the house. The idea was funny. Anyone with kids knows how hard at times this can be. The author did a great job of making this a funny problem.
She also did a wonderful job of showing us how they fell in love. Even with Gabe fighting it all the way, (he couldn't see giving up his job) you saw how he fell in love with both Chelsea and the girls.
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ARC received for an honest review
I have been reading enjoying the Honeymoon Harbor series by JoAnn Ross. So far I've found it to be wonderfully written with characters that I've really enjoyed spending time with. A plus in any book I read.
In Summer on Mirror Lake, we have Gabe and Chelsea. These two for me are a complete opposite. They both lead very different lifestyles. Ones main goal is to make money, the other is to make sure people realize what a wonderful world reading brings to you.
I think it's those difference that makes these two work so well. If they were both alike I don't think it would have worked for them. More so for Gabe. He definitely needs someone different than himself.
Not only does the book deal with the romance of both Chelsea and Gabe but the fact that two little girls need a home.
I love when the author adds something to make the romance just a little bit harder. For poor Chelsea and Gabe, it was just to figure out when they could make time for sex while having two little girls in the house. The idea was funny. Anyone with kids knows how hard at times this can be. The author did a great job of making this a funny problem.
She also did a wonderful job of showing us how they fell in love. Even with Gabe fighting it all the way, (he couldn't see giving up his job) you saw how he fell in love with both Chelsea and the girls.
Follow me on:
https://www.facebook.com/RomancingThe...
https://twitter.com/Romancingreader
ARC received for an honest review
June 23, 2019
I have only just discovered JoAnn Ross recently when I read her Christmas romance, Snowfall on Lighthouse Lane, which is also part of the Honeymoon Harbor series.
I found her writing well practiced and the story entertaining and I was open to reading more of her books.
As winter gave way to spring, another Honeymoon Harbor popped up as a review request and since I love summer romances, I figured this was a great time to say yes to another one of JoAnn Ross’s books!
This cover was especially eye catching and since the story is set in the Pacific Northwest, I couldn’t help but be excited by both the description and cover!
I actually think I liked this one better than the holiday one that I read earlier this year. I think this story was much more developed and thought out…..or perhaps I was just geared up for a romance novel this time around. Either way, I liked this one better and found myself quickly turning page after page, immersed in Gabe and Chelsea’s story. For me personally, I really liked Gabe. I (like so many other women) have such a soft spot for ‘bad boys’ and I really enjoyed watching Gabe grow in this story.
The idea of just a summer fling turning into more really appealed to me. Clearly they felt attracted to one another, but neither of them really wanted anything more permanent than a ‘spring fling’, but before they knew it, they were on the fast road to love. This book did have some sexy steaminess included with the romance and I thought it was tasteful and well done.
As with the first book I read in this series, I believe each of the novels can be read as standalone books without feeling like you are lost. I loved the small town feel and I felt that the two foster children storyline added some interest and broke up the romance and give it a deeper purpose, but at times I felt like there was a little too much dialogue and that the book ran slightly on the long side. Surprisingly, given the length of this book, the ending came up rather abruptly and I felt somewhat let down. It wasn’t horrible, but I did finish the book thinking I wanted a little more.
In the end, this book had a lot of heart and many things to love even if the ending was abrupt or a little overly long. I simply can’t get enough of summer time romances, so I ended up rating this one as a 4 star book.
See my full review here
I found her writing well practiced and the story entertaining and I was open to reading more of her books.
As winter gave way to spring, another Honeymoon Harbor popped up as a review request and since I love summer romances, I figured this was a great time to say yes to another one of JoAnn Ross’s books!
This cover was especially eye catching and since the story is set in the Pacific Northwest, I couldn’t help but be excited by both the description and cover!
I actually think I liked this one better than the holiday one that I read earlier this year. I think this story was much more developed and thought out…..or perhaps I was just geared up for a romance novel this time around. Either way, I liked this one better and found myself quickly turning page after page, immersed in Gabe and Chelsea’s story. For me personally, I really liked Gabe. I (like so many other women) have such a soft spot for ‘bad boys’ and I really enjoyed watching Gabe grow in this story.
The idea of just a summer fling turning into more really appealed to me. Clearly they felt attracted to one another, but neither of them really wanted anything more permanent than a ‘spring fling’, but before they knew it, they were on the fast road to love. This book did have some sexy steaminess included with the romance and I thought it was tasteful and well done.
As with the first book I read in this series, I believe each of the novels can be read as standalone books without feeling like you are lost. I loved the small town feel and I felt that the two foster children storyline added some interest and broke up the romance and give it a deeper purpose, but at times I felt like there was a little too much dialogue and that the book ran slightly on the long side. Surprisingly, given the length of this book, the ending came up rather abruptly and I felt somewhat let down. It wasn’t horrible, but I did finish the book thinking I wanted a little more.
In the end, this book had a lot of heart and many things to love even if the ending was abrupt or a little overly long. I simply can’t get enough of summer time romances, so I ended up rating this one as a 4 star book.
See my full review here
August 14, 2019
3.75 stars
This was a sweet, satisfying addition to the Honeymoon Harbor series by Joann Ross. I’m a big fan of small town romance novels, finding them hopeful, uplifting and feel-good; a perfect palate cleanser from the heavier mysteries and thrillers I tend to read more often. I enjoyed Gabriel and Chelsea’s story, and especially appreciated the foster children aspect.
Summer on Mirror Lake follows ambitious, Wall Street guru Gabriel Mannion who is reluctantly home for some much-needed R&R and plans on spending his summer building a Viking boat, an old, almost forgotten hobby of his. Soon after arriving home, he meets local, kind-hearted, bookish librarian, Chelsea Prescott. She is an avid book lover and trivia expert who has found her happy place, content with the life she has built, after a painful past, or so she thinks.
This story has an important theme, in this day and age, asking what is truly worth pursuing and spending your life chasing after, and are you missing what counts along the way to chasing your dreams?
It’s sweet, spicy, and will tug on your heartstrings. I do think this story got bogged down a bit in information regarding boats, finance, and all kinds of trivia. While this was interesting to a degree, it was more detail than I wanted. And there were times when some events felt a bit simplified and therefore not very realistic. But overall, it was a fun, optimistic, enjoyable story.
This was a sweet, satisfying addition to the Honeymoon Harbor series by Joann Ross. I’m a big fan of small town romance novels, finding them hopeful, uplifting and feel-good; a perfect palate cleanser from the heavier mysteries and thrillers I tend to read more often. I enjoyed Gabriel and Chelsea’s story, and especially appreciated the foster children aspect.
Summer on Mirror Lake follows ambitious, Wall Street guru Gabriel Mannion who is reluctantly home for some much-needed R&R and plans on spending his summer building a Viking boat, an old, almost forgotten hobby of his. Soon after arriving home, he meets local, kind-hearted, bookish librarian, Chelsea Prescott. She is an avid book lover and trivia expert who has found her happy place, content with the life she has built, after a painful past, or so she thinks.
This story has an important theme, in this day and age, asking what is truly worth pursuing and spending your life chasing after, and are you missing what counts along the way to chasing your dreams?
It’s sweet, spicy, and will tug on your heartstrings. I do think this story got bogged down a bit in information regarding boats, finance, and all kinds of trivia. While this was interesting to a degree, it was more detail than I wanted. And there were times when some events felt a bit simplified and therefore not very realistic. But overall, it was a fun, optimistic, enjoyable story.
June 4, 2019
I really enjoyed Summer on Mirror Lake by Joann Ross . It had a little bit of everything. I loved the romance between Gabe and Chelsea. NYC bad boy meets innocent librarian. There were a couple 🔥🔥 scenes, but also a nice slow development of their relationship. I also thought the story of the two abandoned foster children was well written and added a lot to the story. And of course I loved the cast of characters and the development of the town of Honeymoon Harbor. I definitely need to go back and read the rest of the books in this series. If you are looking for a fun beach read with a little bit of everything pick up Summer on Mirror Lake.
Thank you Harlequin and TLC Book Tours for gifting me a copy of this book
Thank you Harlequin and TLC Book Tours for gifting me a copy of this book
July 7, 2019
I picked up a JoAnn Ross book back in January for a challenge I was in and loved it. I have been watching for her books ever since. This book is a sweet story that is both entertaining and very endearing. It is a romance, but with a twist of adding some sweet foster children.
I really enjoyed the main characters of Gabe and Chelsea. Gabe is a driven man working on Wall Street, that realizes he has to slow down before he ends up like his best friend and mentor. Going home to Honeymoon Harbor for the summer to relax and rejuvenate is the plan, having a summer fling wasn't in his plans, but he is not opposed to it either. Chelsea is a local girl who used to swoon over Gabriel when she was younger. She is the local librarian who will do whatever she needs to do to get people, especially children to read. While trying to get Gabe to allow a field trip to the boathouse, they realize they are both attracted to the other. Of course, neither wants to admit to themselves, let alone to each other. Throw in a couple of adorable and precocious orphans who love the library and do we have a ready made family in the works?
This story tugged at my heartstrings. Hannah and Hailey are adorable and have been through so much in their short lives. Unfortunately, the plight of foster children, especially siblings that want to stay together, is not easy. They often get moved around and it is the lucky ones that find a home to remain in until they are adults. Libraries are also often on the chopping block when money is tight, to the fact that Chelsea and the rest of the staff need to get freebies and donations for programs is also realistic. The relationship between Gabe and Chelsea is fun, yet frustrating. I love the humor in their relationship as well as the easy banter between the two of them. I always enjoy the small town setting of romances and Honeymoon Harbor is a great town. The characters from other books in the series are also in this book, but you do not need to have read the previous books in the series to enjoy this one. The friends and family members encourage and support each other, but do not hesitate to speak their minds and let the others have it when they mess up. I liked that even though it is a small town, they are not all in each other's business. When Chelsea attends a foster parent meeting, she recognizes people from the library, but had no idea they were all foster parents. Their humor and camaraderie was great and rather fun. Overall, this was a delightful story with romance, family relationships and foster families all part of the plot. It was well-written with humor and heartbreak. I definitely recommend this summer story. If you listen to the audiobook, there is an added bonus of Once Upon a Wedding, a novella that preceded this story.
I was fortunate to get an audio version of this book, narrated by Ashley Klanac. When I first began listening, I thought her voice was a bit harsh, but I quickly changed my mind and enjoyed her performance. When she was reading the narration part, her voice was clear with great intonation. When she voiced the various characters, she added different voices and inflections to all of the characters, whether young, old, male or female. The emotion showed through in the voices, especially the children. I was quite pleased with how the narration added to my enjoyment of the story. The producer of the audiobook, Harlequin Audio, generously provided me with a copy of this book upon my request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
I really enjoyed the main characters of Gabe and Chelsea. Gabe is a driven man working on Wall Street, that realizes he has to slow down before he ends up like his best friend and mentor. Going home to Honeymoon Harbor for the summer to relax and rejuvenate is the plan, having a summer fling wasn't in his plans, but he is not opposed to it either. Chelsea is a local girl who used to swoon over Gabriel when she was younger. She is the local librarian who will do whatever she needs to do to get people, especially children to read. While trying to get Gabe to allow a field trip to the boathouse, they realize they are both attracted to the other. Of course, neither wants to admit to themselves, let alone to each other. Throw in a couple of adorable and precocious orphans who love the library and do we have a ready made family in the works?
This story tugged at my heartstrings. Hannah and Hailey are adorable and have been through so much in their short lives. Unfortunately, the plight of foster children, especially siblings that want to stay together, is not easy. They often get moved around and it is the lucky ones that find a home to remain in until they are adults. Libraries are also often on the chopping block when money is tight, to the fact that Chelsea and the rest of the staff need to get freebies and donations for programs is also realistic. The relationship between Gabe and Chelsea is fun, yet frustrating. I love the humor in their relationship as well as the easy banter between the two of them. I always enjoy the small town setting of romances and Honeymoon Harbor is a great town. The characters from other books in the series are also in this book, but you do not need to have read the previous books in the series to enjoy this one. The friends and family members encourage and support each other, but do not hesitate to speak their minds and let the others have it when they mess up. I liked that even though it is a small town, they are not all in each other's business. When Chelsea attends a foster parent meeting, she recognizes people from the library, but had no idea they were all foster parents. Their humor and camaraderie was great and rather fun. Overall, this was a delightful story with romance, family relationships and foster families all part of the plot. It was well-written with humor and heartbreak. I definitely recommend this summer story. If you listen to the audiobook, there is an added bonus of Once Upon a Wedding, a novella that preceded this story.
I was fortunate to get an audio version of this book, narrated by Ashley Klanac. When I first began listening, I thought her voice was a bit harsh, but I quickly changed my mind and enjoyed her performance. When she was reading the narration part, her voice was clear with great intonation. When she voiced the various characters, she added different voices and inflections to all of the characters, whether young, old, male or female. The emotion showed through in the voices, especially the children. I was quite pleased with how the narration added to my enjoyment of the story. The producer of the audiobook, Harlequin Audio, generously provided me with a copy of this book upon my request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
May 28, 2019
Loved the story and so happy with the ending. We never know what we need until we almost lose it.
July 29, 2019
I was really excited to read SUMMER ON MIRROR LAKE by JoAnn Ross after enjoying the previous book in this series. This book follows Gabe, a workaholic Wall Street broker who is working himself into an early grave. He comes home to the PNW where he grew up for the summer and meets the adorable and independent librarian, Chelsea.
JoAnn is a veteran author, and it shows. She has created a fun and vibrant cast of characters in this small harbor town. I want to live there and meet a hunky, yet reclusive billionaire like Chelsea does. If you’re worried this is all lighthearted, don’t worry. Ms. Ross balances the sunshine happiness with plenty of serious and compelling topics, which adds depth to the plot.
I had two significant sticking points with this story. The first was that Ms. Ross clearly did a lot of research on Viking faerings, which is terrific, but there was WAY too much information. I ended up skimming through much of it. At a certain point the “trivia fact” information, as I like to call it, just felt like filler.
I was still prepared to give this book a solid four stars until the ending. Chelsea and Gabe’s ending was so rushed; it was almost a blink-and-you-missed-it moment. Hurts were skimmed over, and future obstacles were seemingly non-existent. I’m all for a fairytale HEA, but a little bit of realism adds to a happily ever after, in my opinion.
Overall, I enjoyed SUMMER ON MIRROR LAKE. I do recommend skimming the useless Viking info so you can get to the beautiful character development.
**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**
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JoAnn is a veteran author, and it shows. She has created a fun and vibrant cast of characters in this small harbor town. I want to live there and meet a hunky, yet reclusive billionaire like Chelsea does. If you’re worried this is all lighthearted, don’t worry. Ms. Ross balances the sunshine happiness with plenty of serious and compelling topics, which adds depth to the plot.
I had two significant sticking points with this story. The first was that Ms. Ross clearly did a lot of research on Viking faerings, which is terrific, but there was WAY too much information. I ended up skimming through much of it. At a certain point the “trivia fact” information, as I like to call it, just felt like filler.
I was still prepared to give this book a solid four stars until the ending. Chelsea and Gabe’s ending was so rushed; it was almost a blink-and-you-missed-it moment. Hurts were skimmed over, and future obstacles were seemingly non-existent. I’m all for a fairytale HEA, but a little bit of realism adds to a happily ever after, in my opinion.
Overall, I enjoyed SUMMER ON MIRROR LAKE. I do recommend skimming the useless Viking info so you can get to the beautiful character development.
**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**
Find/Follow me on Twitter Instagram and my blog !!
June 23, 2019
I want to start of by saying that I did not read books 1&2 of this series; however, I now wish I had and plan to add these to my voluminous TBR shortly. In saying this, I want everyone to know that though this is the 3rd in a series of books, it can completely be read as a standalone. Every once in a while, another character will be featured, and I found myself asking, what’s their story? But, this information isn’t necessary for this story. Especially when other couples were mentioned, I could hear echoes of previous installments, just faintly. Enough to entice but not required. Smart, Ms. Ross, very smart.
This is a fun summertime romance. The plot, characters and story weren’t groundbreaking, but were a real joy to read. I felt good while reading this book and actually learned a great deal of ancillary information, especially about boats and bowerbirds.
The lead character, Chelsea, is almost annoyingly perfect – cute smart, witty, energy for days, and selfless. I loved her and hated her a little because I really want to be her. I think maybe she could have had one or two more flaws, but that part seemed saved for Gabriel, the other main character.
Gabriel is a man who has been told his life is wrong. High stress job that has provided lots of money but not much else. After a health crisis, he is taking a summer vacation at home. Gabriel’s flaws aren’t as apparent until the end, because, he seems to act like the perfect boyfriend. But once he must decide his priorities, his values come into question. Gabriel is a character I could sink my teeth into, and based on the description, I mean that both literally and figuratively.
I loved reading this, especially since it’s summer. I felt the story, and connected with it. I truly wished I was at their lake house. If you enjoy romantic reads, this will not disappoint.
This is a fun summertime romance. The plot, characters and story weren’t groundbreaking, but were a real joy to read. I felt good while reading this book and actually learned a great deal of ancillary information, especially about boats and bowerbirds.
The lead character, Chelsea, is almost annoyingly perfect – cute smart, witty, energy for days, and selfless. I loved her and hated her a little because I really want to be her. I think maybe she could have had one or two more flaws, but that part seemed saved for Gabriel, the other main character.
Gabriel is a man who has been told his life is wrong. High stress job that has provided lots of money but not much else. After a health crisis, he is taking a summer vacation at home. Gabriel’s flaws aren’t as apparent until the end, because, he seems to act like the perfect boyfriend. But once he must decide his priorities, his values come into question. Gabriel is a character I could sink my teeth into, and based on the description, I mean that both literally and figuratively.
I loved reading this, especially since it’s summer. I felt the story, and connected with it. I truly wished I was at their lake house. If you enjoy romantic reads, this will not disappoint.
June 7, 2019
Summer on Mirror Lake is the third book in the Honeymoon Harbor series. This is Gabe and Chelsea's story. Gabe has returned home for a summer off from his high profile Wall Street job. Chelsea is the town librarian who is more than willing to help him relax over the summer. For the most part, I enjoyed the book. It held up well as a stand alone. I felt like there was a good connection between Gabe and Chelsea and did find myself rooting for them. But more than the romance, I loved the couple's relationship with the two girls. It was very endearing.
The only thing I didn't really like about the book was the amount of town history and Norse mythology that was included in the book. Some of the conversations about both felt like major info dumps and didn't feel natural. I did skim a few of those parts. Still, this is an enjoyable read and one that would be great for a day at the beach.
The only thing I didn't really like about the book was the amount of town history and Norse mythology that was included in the book. Some of the conversations about both felt like major info dumps and didn't feel natural. I did skim a few of those parts. Still, this is an enjoyable read and one that would be great for a day at the beach.
June 1, 2019
This was so cute! I loved the kids and main characters / romance. I feel like it got very repetitive toward the middle and end though - too many of the same conversations and situations. The ending was also abrupt but that could’ve just been because I thought it would be longer (there was a novella in the back). I love this town so much.
February 12, 2020
This novel is part of the Honeymoon Harbor series. This book is the story of Gabriel Manning and Chelsea Prescott. Gabe is back home after the death of his mentor in New York. Chelsea is the town's librarian who asks Gabe for a favor. The book was a quick easy read.
September 4, 2019
Another good visit with the folks in Honeymoon Harbor. Looking forward to Quinn's story!
April 7, 2019
This was the first of this series ive read. I enjoyed it but it was way too long. The characters talked too much and it didn't seem authentic. I liked the depiction of small town life. The ending was very abrupt. Adding the instant family into the mix was a bit over the top because I feel like we never even got to know the hero and heroine as a couple
July 16, 2019
Another great addition to this series. I liked how Chelsea just sort of took over to be the person to care for two girls she did not even know.
June 14, 2019
Originally published at Reading Reality
When is a fling not a fling? Possibly when it comes with two children and a boat. But definitely when it begins with thinking you’re having a heart attack. While serving as a pallbearer at the funeral of someone you looked upon as a mentor.
For Gabe Mannion, wanting to be just like his mentor Carter Kensington has taken on a whole new meaning. The man is dead at 46, his heart a victim of the adrenaline rush that is high-level high-stakes trading on Wall Street.
Gabe’s panic-attack-that-feels-like-a-heart-attack is a giant wake up call. As one of his brothers later informs him, if your job gives you panic attacks, you’re doing it wrong. The problem for Gabe is that he doesn’t know how to stop doing it.
So he goes home. In that sense that home is the place that when you go there, they have to take you in. Gabe needs to take the summer off and get away from his high-stakes, high-stress, all work and no life life-style, so he takes himself back home to Honeymoon Harbor, the tiny little beach town in the Pacific Northwest that he left for the fast track more than a decade ago.
He’s achieved the wealth that he dreamed of, not because he was greedy, but because money is a way of keeping score. He’s just never figured out when enough is enough, and adrenaline is just as addictive as any other drug.
He thinks he’ll be home for the summer, find a bit of zen, whatever that might mean, or at least ease off on the stress, and then return to the high-pressure world of dollars and cents – and more and more dollars.
Instead, librarian Chelsea Prescott rows over to the beach log mansion (it really is) he’s staying in for the summer, and invades his life, his house, the boat he’s building, and even, just possibly, his heart.
But their summer fling is supposed to have a limited shelf life. Her life, her home, and her life’s work is in Honeymoon Harbor, and he’s going back to New York after Labor Day. Or is he?
Escape Rating B+: This is a sweet little feel-good story about two people who have seen a few too many of life’s bumps and hard knocks, but have come out all the stronger for it.
I’m not actually talking about Chelsea and Gabe. I’m talking about Chelsea and Hannah, the young girl that Chelsea first takes an interest in when she notices that Hannah and her little sister Hailey are spending every afternoon in Chelsea’s library. Once upon a time, Chelsea spent her after school afternoons in that very same library, when her family and her home life was falling completely apart.
Chelsea sees herself in Hannah, using the library as a refuge and taking the very best care she can of her little sister. In Chelsea’s time, the librarian took her under her wing, giving her a refuge, a mentor, and eventually a career that she loves. Now it’s Chelsea’s turn to pay that gift forward.
But the package gets bigger when Hannah and Hailey’s foster mother goes AWOL and the girls need a place to stay. Chelsea steps up, and Gabe, steps up with her. Their fling has just barely begun, and suddenly they are all in together, making a home for two girls who need more than a temporary safe landing. They need a forever home, and Chelsea plans to give it to them.
With or without Gabe. But better with. If he can get his head out of his ass to figure where his heart is. Because Chelsea has already found hers.
Chelsea and Gabe’s relationship is fun to watch, but it’s Chelsea’s burgeoning relationship with the girls that really drives the book. There’s something very right about the family that they build together, a family that they all want Gabe to be a part of if he is willing to take a good hard look at the life he had in New York, the life he has in Honeymoon Harbor, and who the heck he wants to be when he finally grows up. Because when the story begins, he surely hasn’t.
Chelsea, on the other hand, begins the story grown up but closed off. Her childhood trauma has left her with the same need to guard her heart that she sees in Hannah. The way that the woman and the girl grow towards each other, and open their hearts in the process, is lovely to watch.
They are going to get the family they deserve, together, whether Gabe sticks around or not. That he does finally figure it out makes for delicious icing on a very yummy story.
When is a fling not a fling? Possibly when it comes with two children and a boat. But definitely when it begins with thinking you’re having a heart attack. While serving as a pallbearer at the funeral of someone you looked upon as a mentor.
For Gabe Mannion, wanting to be just like his mentor Carter Kensington has taken on a whole new meaning. The man is dead at 46, his heart a victim of the adrenaline rush that is high-level high-stakes trading on Wall Street.
Gabe’s panic-attack-that-feels-like-a-heart-attack is a giant wake up call. As one of his brothers later informs him, if your job gives you panic attacks, you’re doing it wrong. The problem for Gabe is that he doesn’t know how to stop doing it.
So he goes home. In that sense that home is the place that when you go there, they have to take you in. Gabe needs to take the summer off and get away from his high-stakes, high-stress, all work and no life life-style, so he takes himself back home to Honeymoon Harbor, the tiny little beach town in the Pacific Northwest that he left for the fast track more than a decade ago.
He’s achieved the wealth that he dreamed of, not because he was greedy, but because money is a way of keeping score. He’s just never figured out when enough is enough, and adrenaline is just as addictive as any other drug.
He thinks he’ll be home for the summer, find a bit of zen, whatever that might mean, or at least ease off on the stress, and then return to the high-pressure world of dollars and cents – and more and more dollars.
Instead, librarian Chelsea Prescott rows over to the beach log mansion (it really is) he’s staying in for the summer, and invades his life, his house, the boat he’s building, and even, just possibly, his heart.
But their summer fling is supposed to have a limited shelf life. Her life, her home, and her life’s work is in Honeymoon Harbor, and he’s going back to New York after Labor Day. Or is he?
Escape Rating B+: This is a sweet little feel-good story about two people who have seen a few too many of life’s bumps and hard knocks, but have come out all the stronger for it.
I’m not actually talking about Chelsea and Gabe. I’m talking about Chelsea and Hannah, the young girl that Chelsea first takes an interest in when she notices that Hannah and her little sister Hailey are spending every afternoon in Chelsea’s library. Once upon a time, Chelsea spent her after school afternoons in that very same library, when her family and her home life was falling completely apart.
Chelsea sees herself in Hannah, using the library as a refuge and taking the very best care she can of her little sister. In Chelsea’s time, the librarian took her under her wing, giving her a refuge, a mentor, and eventually a career that she loves. Now it’s Chelsea’s turn to pay that gift forward.
But the package gets bigger when Hannah and Hailey’s foster mother goes AWOL and the girls need a place to stay. Chelsea steps up, and Gabe, steps up with her. Their fling has just barely begun, and suddenly they are all in together, making a home for two girls who need more than a temporary safe landing. They need a forever home, and Chelsea plans to give it to them.
With or without Gabe. But better with. If he can get his head out of his ass to figure where his heart is. Because Chelsea has already found hers.
Chelsea and Gabe’s relationship is fun to watch, but it’s Chelsea’s burgeoning relationship with the girls that really drives the book. There’s something very right about the family that they build together, a family that they all want Gabe to be a part of if he is willing to take a good hard look at the life he had in New York, the life he has in Honeymoon Harbor, and who the heck he wants to be when he finally grows up. Because when the story begins, he surely hasn’t.
Chelsea, on the other hand, begins the story grown up but closed off. Her childhood trauma has left her with the same need to guard her heart that she sees in Hannah. The way that the woman and the girl grow towards each other, and open their hearts in the process, is lovely to watch.
They are going to get the family they deserve, together, whether Gabe sticks around or not. That he does finally figure it out makes for delicious icing on a very yummy story.
June 14, 2019
Summary from Goodreads:
"Summertime is the best time to lose yourself in the romance of Honeymoon Harbor…
When he lands in the emergency room after collapsing at the funeral of a colleague and friend, Wall Street hotshot Gabriel Mannion initially rejects the diagnosis of an anxiety attack. But when warned that if he doesn’t change his adrenaline-fueled, workaholic lifestyle he could end up like his friend, Gabe reluctantly returns to his hometown of Honeymoon Harbor to regroup.
As he adjusts to the sight of mountains instead of skyscrapers, Gabe discovers advantages to this small Pacific Northwest town he once couldn’t wait to escape. But it’s irresistible librarian Chelsea Prescott who, along with the two foster children she’s taken under her wing, makes slowing down seem like the best prescription ever.
Over the course of their summer romance, Gabe gets a taste of the life he might have had if he’d taken a different path. But with his return to New York City looming on the horizon, he’ll have to choose between the success he’s worked tirelessly for and a ready-made family who offers a very different, richly rewarding future…if he’ll only take the risk."
My Thoughts:
Summer on Mirror Lake felt like the perfect read to start off my summer reading! I don't read nearly enough contemporary romances or small town romances - books like this always leave me wondering why. There is just something so comforting about them and it almost reminds me of the feeling I get with the cozy mysteries I read. I love the small town vibe, getting to know all of the characters, and the descriptions of the town itself. I always feel like with books like this that these towns feel like real places that I could actually go and visit which is fun in itself! In this book, Chelsea is the head librarian in the town's library and is just focused on living up to her mentor and former head librarian's expectations. Gabe has come back to his hometown from the summer needing a break from the stress of his job. These two meet and the sparks fly almost instantly. I usually don't care for romances that happen super fast but it was different with this book. Gabe and Chelsea decide to have a summer fling rather than a committed relationship and I think that worked for me. It felt more like a fun thing than the insta-love that I cannot seem to get behind. My favorite part of this book though were the two young foster girls that Chelsea becomes caught up with. There was just something about these two girls that tugged at my heartstrings. I was almost more focused on them getting their happy ever after compared to Chelsea and Gabe. I do say almost there because really isn't it all tied up into one thing in the end? My one and only complaint with this book was that I had a hard time keeping track of all of the characters. I'm thinking that this is my fault though as I didn't realize that this was the third book in a series. Looks like I've got a few books to catch up on now! I did finally get a hang of the who's who by midway through the book which helped. And overall, I was satisfied by the way that things played out in the end. It was exactly what I was hoping for which left me feeling content and happy when the book was finished.
Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book and am looking forward to reading the previous books in this series. This book has a summer vibe to it that I couldn't help but appreciate. I feel like this book would be the perfect binge read while spent on a hot day at the beach. Or curled up with during a late night baseball game on a summer evening like I did! That definitely worked as well. I think that fans of contemporary romance and just romance in general would enjoy this book. You don't have to read these books in order necessarily (I sure didn't) but it may help you keep track of the characters better if you do. And books like this are just the perfect type of read for this time of year in my opinion! Recommended!
Bottom Line: A great summer read and romance!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley as part of a TLC book tour. Thoughts are my own.
"Summertime is the best time to lose yourself in the romance of Honeymoon Harbor…
When he lands in the emergency room after collapsing at the funeral of a colleague and friend, Wall Street hotshot Gabriel Mannion initially rejects the diagnosis of an anxiety attack. But when warned that if he doesn’t change his adrenaline-fueled, workaholic lifestyle he could end up like his friend, Gabe reluctantly returns to his hometown of Honeymoon Harbor to regroup.
As he adjusts to the sight of mountains instead of skyscrapers, Gabe discovers advantages to this small Pacific Northwest town he once couldn’t wait to escape. But it’s irresistible librarian Chelsea Prescott who, along with the two foster children she’s taken under her wing, makes slowing down seem like the best prescription ever.
Over the course of their summer romance, Gabe gets a taste of the life he might have had if he’d taken a different path. But with his return to New York City looming on the horizon, he’ll have to choose between the success he’s worked tirelessly for and a ready-made family who offers a very different, richly rewarding future…if he’ll only take the risk."
My Thoughts:
Summer on Mirror Lake felt like the perfect read to start off my summer reading! I don't read nearly enough contemporary romances or small town romances - books like this always leave me wondering why. There is just something so comforting about them and it almost reminds me of the feeling I get with the cozy mysteries I read. I love the small town vibe, getting to know all of the characters, and the descriptions of the town itself. I always feel like with books like this that these towns feel like real places that I could actually go and visit which is fun in itself! In this book, Chelsea is the head librarian in the town's library and is just focused on living up to her mentor and former head librarian's expectations. Gabe has come back to his hometown from the summer needing a break from the stress of his job. These two meet and the sparks fly almost instantly. I usually don't care for romances that happen super fast but it was different with this book. Gabe and Chelsea decide to have a summer fling rather than a committed relationship and I think that worked for me. It felt more like a fun thing than the insta-love that I cannot seem to get behind. My favorite part of this book though were the two young foster girls that Chelsea becomes caught up with. There was just something about these two girls that tugged at my heartstrings. I was almost more focused on them getting their happy ever after compared to Chelsea and Gabe. I do say almost there because really isn't it all tied up into one thing in the end? My one and only complaint with this book was that I had a hard time keeping track of all of the characters. I'm thinking that this is my fault though as I didn't realize that this was the third book in a series. Looks like I've got a few books to catch up on now! I did finally get a hang of the who's who by midway through the book which helped. And overall, I was satisfied by the way that things played out in the end. It was exactly what I was hoping for which left me feeling content and happy when the book was finished.
Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book and am looking forward to reading the previous books in this series. This book has a summer vibe to it that I couldn't help but appreciate. I feel like this book would be the perfect binge read while spent on a hot day at the beach. Or curled up with during a late night baseball game on a summer evening like I did! That definitely worked as well. I think that fans of contemporary romance and just romance in general would enjoy this book. You don't have to read these books in order necessarily (I sure didn't) but it may help you keep track of the characters better if you do. And books like this are just the perfect type of read for this time of year in my opinion! Recommended!
Bottom Line: A great summer read and romance!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley as part of a TLC book tour. Thoughts are my own.
Read
July 3, 2019Summer fun
Chelsea Prescott is the town librarian and likes to look out for people who she serves. When two sisters keep coming into the library day after day she decides to take them under her wing.
Gabriel Mannion has an anxiety attack at his mentors funeral and the DR doctor tells him he needs to slow down or follow his friend. He takes the summer off and goes home to Hidden Falls to spend time with his family and regroup.
Gabe and Chelsea become friends and decide to help the sisters stay together as best as they can. A loving story for all romance lovers.
Chelsea Prescott is the town librarian and likes to look out for people who she serves. When two sisters keep coming into the library day after day she decides to take them under her wing.
Gabriel Mannion has an anxiety attack at his mentors funeral and the DR doctor tells him he needs to slow down or follow his friend. He takes the summer off and goes home to Hidden Falls to spend time with his family and regroup.
Gabe and Chelsea become friends and decide to help the sisters stay together as best as they can. A loving story for all romance lovers.
October 1, 2019
Summer on Mirror Lake is the newest book in the Honeymoon Harbor series from JoAnn Ross. I've been a fan of Ms. Ross for years, and reading the Honeymoon Harbor series of books reminds me why I started reading her books years ago. I have to say the Mannion family might be one of my favorite group of characters ever from Ms. Ross.
I loved Gabe Mannion and was so glad he had come home for the summer to recover following an anxiety attack, after seeing his mentor die from a heart attack. Gabe had been away from home for years, and it took him a bit to get back into the feel of things is his old hometown. I love the small-town feel of Honeymoon Harbor, and have to say local librarian Chelsea Prescott was a favorite character of mine from the beginning.
Chelsea has the biggest heart. She loves taking care of all the kids that come through her library and when 2 foster children start hanging out, she immediately takes them under her wings. She recognizes herself as a big sister in Hannah and I liked the connection from the beginning. I loved the connection between Chelsea and the girls from the beginning. Hailey and Hannah added something extra to the budding romance between Gabe and Chelsea, and there were moments I was absolutely laughing out loud and they tried to figure out have alone time with 2 young children in the house.
Gabe and Chelsea worked as a couple for me, even as I wondered how two such different people, with different goals could make it work long-term. I thought they had amazing chemistry and I really felt it grew stronger the more time they spent together. My only complaint about this story was I felt like the resolution was rushed a bit. Yes, I wanted it to turn out as it did, but the pacing just seemed a bit fast for me.
Summer on Mirror Lake was another wonderful story from JoAnn Ross. This story can easily be read as a stand-alone story, but as I adored the other books in this series, I also suggest giving those books a read first. I'm one of those people who doesn’t like to reading books in a series out of order, but know there are many without that issue. Summer on Mirror Lake is the perfect romance for contemporary fans.
Rating: 4.5 Stars (B+)
Review copy provided by publisher
I loved Gabe Mannion and was so glad he had come home for the summer to recover following an anxiety attack, after seeing his mentor die from a heart attack. Gabe had been away from home for years, and it took him a bit to get back into the feel of things is his old hometown. I love the small-town feel of Honeymoon Harbor, and have to say local librarian Chelsea Prescott was a favorite character of mine from the beginning.
Chelsea has the biggest heart. She loves taking care of all the kids that come through her library and when 2 foster children start hanging out, she immediately takes them under her wings. She recognizes herself as a big sister in Hannah and I liked the connection from the beginning. I loved the connection between Chelsea and the girls from the beginning. Hailey and Hannah added something extra to the budding romance between Gabe and Chelsea, and there were moments I was absolutely laughing out loud and they tried to figure out have alone time with 2 young children in the house.
Gabe and Chelsea worked as a couple for me, even as I wondered how two such different people, with different goals could make it work long-term. I thought they had amazing chemistry and I really felt it grew stronger the more time they spent together. My only complaint about this story was I felt like the resolution was rushed a bit. Yes, I wanted it to turn out as it did, but the pacing just seemed a bit fast for me.
Summer on Mirror Lake was another wonderful story from JoAnn Ross. This story can easily be read as a stand-alone story, but as I adored the other books in this series, I also suggest giving those books a read first. I'm one of those people who doesn’t like to reading books in a series out of order, but know there are many without that issue. Summer on Mirror Lake is the perfect romance for contemporary fans.
Rating: 4.5 Stars (B+)
Review copy provided by publisher
June 25, 2019
Another delightful addition to the Honeymoon Harbor series, in which librarian Chelsea Prescott can't stop thinking about Gabe Mannion, who has returned home after the untimely death of his Wall Street mentor. When Gabe decides to build a boat modeled after a Viking design while he gets his head on straight through the summer, Chelsea approaches him with a special request: will he allow her to bring her group of reading adventurers to his boat building shed? He's disinclined to say yes, but can't seem to get Chelsea out of his head. Thus begins a slowly blooming romance between two people who are more alike than they are different.
They get even closer after Chelsea steps up to be an emergency foster mother for a pair of sisters who have taken refuge in the library. Gabe isn't into a family of his own, but when Chelsea's landlady refuses to allow the children to stay with her, he offers up the huge mansion in which he's been residing, the home of a wealthy friend of his. After all, he can't use all the rooms and the girls need a place to stay that is safe. Why not his place? Why not indeed!
Chelsea wants to believe that theirs is a simple summer fling, but in spite of herself, she gets in deeper than she intended, only to learn the hard way that Gabe has yet to learn the lesson his NYC doctor tried to impart when a colleague demands his sooner-than-planned return in order to save his position in the firm where he's been groomed to be a senior board member. And so... he leaves or tries to--until he realizes what he really wants out of life and it's not in Manhattan. A great summer read.
They get even closer after Chelsea steps up to be an emergency foster mother for a pair of sisters who have taken refuge in the library. Gabe isn't into a family of his own, but when Chelsea's landlady refuses to allow the children to stay with her, he offers up the huge mansion in which he's been residing, the home of a wealthy friend of his. After all, he can't use all the rooms and the girls need a place to stay that is safe. Why not his place? Why not indeed!
Chelsea wants to believe that theirs is a simple summer fling, but in spite of herself, she gets in deeper than she intended, only to learn the hard way that Gabe has yet to learn the lesson his NYC doctor tried to impart when a colleague demands his sooner-than-planned return in order to save his position in the firm where he's been groomed to be a senior board member. And so... he leaves or tries to--until he realizes what he really wants out of life and it's not in Manhattan. A great summer read.
June 15, 2019
Gabe works on Wall Street and managed to have an anxiety attack that felt a lot like a heart attack at a friends funeral. So while he gets his bearings he goes to his hometown Honeymoon Harbor to relax before jumping right back into things. He never expected to fall in love. Chelsea is a librarian who has recently been able to take in two foster children with Gabes help. As a summer romance pursues its clear that Gabe had a deadline and intends on going back to his job, but now got something more to live for in a slower life with Chelsea and and the girls but he has to choose which one he wants more.
If your looking for a good summer contemporary romance you might want to consider checking out this book. I loved getting to know the characters. Seeing Gabes mind set when it came to his job, what was going on with his side of the story seeing how he was taking Chelsea and the girls in his life even though knowing its not going to last. I loved seeing the romance, that connection between Gabe and Chelsea and it was entertaining how they were going as a couple with two children in tow being thats hard to get a moment of piece with kids around. I loved how hard working, loyal and caring Chelsea was. She cared for those girls like no others, she saw her self in those girls and did what most people wouldn't even consider when it comes to taking in kids. I loved seeing how she was with the girls and how the girls did stay present in the book and didn't fade into the background. Overall this was a pretty good book and I really enjoyed it.
If your looking for a good summer contemporary romance you might want to consider checking out this book. I loved getting to know the characters. Seeing Gabes mind set when it came to his job, what was going on with his side of the story seeing how he was taking Chelsea and the girls in his life even though knowing its not going to last. I loved seeing the romance, that connection between Gabe and Chelsea and it was entertaining how they were going as a couple with two children in tow being thats hard to get a moment of piece with kids around. I loved how hard working, loyal and caring Chelsea was. She cared for those girls like no others, she saw her self in those girls and did what most people wouldn't even consider when it comes to taking in kids. I loved seeing how she was with the girls and how the girls did stay present in the book and didn't fade into the background. Overall this was a pretty good book and I really enjoyed it.
February 5, 2020
Summer on Mirror Lake is by Joann Ross. This book deals with children in the foster system as well as the problem of working too much and ignoring the fun things in life. It also deals with the need for libraries and their community activities.
Gabriel Mannion was pall bearer to his friend and mentor Carter. However, as he was helping to carry the coffin, he experienced what he thought was a heart attack. This was quite unusual as he was only in his thirties; but then, Carter was only forty-six and he died. At the hospital, he was diagnosed with a panic attack caused by stress. His doctor lectured him on his lifestyle and his workaholic tendencies. He warned Gabriel that if he didn’t stop and take time for himself, he would end up with a heart attack. Gabriel chose to ignore the doctor at first; but then decided that he might be right. Gabriel then took the summer off from his job since he had the time accumulated. He headed for Honeymoon Harbor, his hometown. Instead of staying with his parents or brothers, he chose to stay in a home owned by an acquaintance. The house was way too large for him; but it was on the lake and secluded and offered comfort. On a dare from his brother, Quinn, he decided to build a boat over the summer and then give it to a foundation to auction off. It gave him something to do and helped others.
Chelsea Prescott was the town librarian. She was forming a summer activity for middle schoolers. She was planning on reading books plus field trips to accentuate the topics read. When she heard Gabriel was building a Viking boat, she approached him to allow her kids to visit. His first answer was no; but when she rowed across the lake to see him, he relented. Chelsea also became involved with two young girls in foster care. Their foster mother left them home at night a lot; but she did have to work. When she left them for the weekend and the house caught fire, Chelsea and Gabriel stepped in to offer the girls a temporary home. He moved into the housekeeper’s house while Chelsea and the girls moved into his rented house as Chelsea’s apartment didn’t allow children and was only a one bedroom. As they grew closer, Gabriel began to pull away, after all, he was going home at the end of the summer. He didn’t want the girls to get hurt by his leaving.
Would Chelsea be able to keep the girls or would they go back into the system? What would they do when Gabriel left? Would he go back to the rat-race of his former life?
Gabriel Mannion was pall bearer to his friend and mentor Carter. However, as he was helping to carry the coffin, he experienced what he thought was a heart attack. This was quite unusual as he was only in his thirties; but then, Carter was only forty-six and he died. At the hospital, he was diagnosed with a panic attack caused by stress. His doctor lectured him on his lifestyle and his workaholic tendencies. He warned Gabriel that if he didn’t stop and take time for himself, he would end up with a heart attack. Gabriel chose to ignore the doctor at first; but then decided that he might be right. Gabriel then took the summer off from his job since he had the time accumulated. He headed for Honeymoon Harbor, his hometown. Instead of staying with his parents or brothers, he chose to stay in a home owned by an acquaintance. The house was way too large for him; but it was on the lake and secluded and offered comfort. On a dare from his brother, Quinn, he decided to build a boat over the summer and then give it to a foundation to auction off. It gave him something to do and helped others.
Chelsea Prescott was the town librarian. She was forming a summer activity for middle schoolers. She was planning on reading books plus field trips to accentuate the topics read. When she heard Gabriel was building a Viking boat, she approached him to allow her kids to visit. His first answer was no; but when she rowed across the lake to see him, he relented. Chelsea also became involved with two young girls in foster care. Their foster mother left them home at night a lot; but she did have to work. When she left them for the weekend and the house caught fire, Chelsea and Gabriel stepped in to offer the girls a temporary home. He moved into the housekeeper’s house while Chelsea and the girls moved into his rented house as Chelsea’s apartment didn’t allow children and was only a one bedroom. As they grew closer, Gabriel began to pull away, after all, he was going home at the end of the summer. He didn’t want the girls to get hurt by his leaving.
Would Chelsea be able to keep the girls or would they go back into the system? What would they do when Gabriel left? Would he go back to the rat-race of his former life?
April 25, 2021
This is the last (at this point in time) JoAnn Ross’s Honeymoon Harbor series. It followed the same pattern as the others and again I found it disappointing. It was just so cliqued and predictable, and again it felt as if there was a check list that JoAnn Ross was using. Burned out and fill in the blanks who comes home to the small town and rediscovers his life and love. This time it was a Wall Street trader Gabe Mannion and the town librarian Chelsea Prescott who had a hard childhood in the town. Then to add to the mix were the 2 foster children Hannah and Hailey. Again, we had the predictable scenario of the cute, adorable one (Hailey) and the suspicious, hard one (Hannah). Just too much. I also found it hard to believe that Chelsea, who has never rowed a boat before, could manage to row across a 2 mile lake to get to see Gabe in his lake side mansion. Really!
I did get a bit tired of the endless “information” that was being given to us via the characters, for example: a discussion about the importance of financial security ends up with Gabe giving a min lecture on the money market; the ongoing discussion about the foster system and how it works; and of course, the ship building and Norse legends. All this meant that the book become long winded and far too wordy. There was also a lot of description of food and drinks especially the micro beers of Gabe’s brother Quinn, and again this really added nothing to the story. A lot of this could have been cut without having any impact on the story.
I also found the use of names though out the book frustrating. We didn’t need to know: the characters favourite authors; favourite ice creams; best food; etc. It was almost as if JoAnn Ross was telling us all her favourite likes and dislikes. By the end of the book, this got quite irritating. This was especially true of the ale “The Captain Jack Sparrow”, ring a bell anyone. I don’t know for certain, but I think that Disney Productions would have trademarked this, and surely Quinn as a highly successful lawyer would have known this. It was just over the top. Yes, I know this is fiction, but it at least should have some resemblance to real life. I think that I only finished this book because it is the last in the series. I certainly won’t be reading any more, if they are written.
I did get a bit tired of the endless “information” that was being given to us via the characters, for example: a discussion about the importance of financial security ends up with Gabe giving a min lecture on the money market; the ongoing discussion about the foster system and how it works; and of course, the ship building and Norse legends. All this meant that the book become long winded and far too wordy. There was also a lot of description of food and drinks especially the micro beers of Gabe’s brother Quinn, and again this really added nothing to the story. A lot of this could have been cut without having any impact on the story.
I also found the use of names though out the book frustrating. We didn’t need to know: the characters favourite authors; favourite ice creams; best food; etc. It was almost as if JoAnn Ross was telling us all her favourite likes and dislikes. By the end of the book, this got quite irritating. This was especially true of the ale “The Captain Jack Sparrow”, ring a bell anyone. I don’t know for certain, but I think that Disney Productions would have trademarked this, and surely Quinn as a highly successful lawyer would have known this. It was just over the top. Yes, I know this is fiction, but it at least should have some resemblance to real life. I think that I only finished this book because it is the last in the series. I certainly won’t be reading any more, if they are written.
January 27, 2023
Gabriel Mannion collapses at the funeral of his friend and mentor and ends up in the emergency room of a hospital. He is told he did not have a heart attack but an anxiety attack. The ER doctor tells him he needs to change is workaholic lifestyle or else he will end up like his dead friend. He is a hotshot trader on Wall Street. So he decides to take the summer off and return to his hometown in Honeymoon Harbor. He fully intends to head back to New York after Labor Day.
He could not wait to leave this Pacific northwestern community behind when he left years ago. Now he discovers the beauty and peacefulness in his hometown.
We meet Chelsea Prescott who is the head librarian in Honeymoon Harbor. She is busy making plans for great excursions and visits for out of school kids during the summer. In fact, she invites Gabe to show the kids the boat he is building for a fundraiser. He turns her down flat.
But Chelsea does not give up. She rows across the lake to meet him again. He is attracted to her and they agree to have a summer fling.
Chelsea has two young girls that she has been watching over. They are foster children and come to the library after school. Then a fire forces them out of the apartment they are living in with their foster mother. Chelsea gets temporary custody as a foster parent. The summer unfolds with the four of them (Gabe, Chelsea, Hannah and Hailey) doing fun things together.
Things are going so well and then Gabe decides he needs to head back to New York. But not to worry, it all turns out great in the end! Loved this story.
He could not wait to leave this Pacific northwestern community behind when he left years ago. Now he discovers the beauty and peacefulness in his hometown.
We meet Chelsea Prescott who is the head librarian in Honeymoon Harbor. She is busy making plans for great excursions and visits for out of school kids during the summer. In fact, she invites Gabe to show the kids the boat he is building for a fundraiser. He turns her down flat.
But Chelsea does not give up. She rows across the lake to meet him again. He is attracted to her and they agree to have a summer fling.
Chelsea has two young girls that she has been watching over. They are foster children and come to the library after school. Then a fire forces them out of the apartment they are living in with their foster mother. Chelsea gets temporary custody as a foster parent. The summer unfolds with the four of them (Gabe, Chelsea, Hannah and Hailey) doing fun things together.
Things are going so well and then Gabe decides he needs to head back to New York. But not to worry, it all turns out great in the end! Loved this story.
June 13, 2019
If you want a summer read with depth and heart, JoAnn Ross’s Summer on Mirror Lake is it. Set in the charming Pacific Northwest village of Honeymoon Harbor (one of those towns that doesn’t really exist, but you totally wish did), this is a charming romance with a dash of social justice thrown in.
Main Characters Chelsea the librarian and Gabe the Wall Street mogul-turned-recreational-shipwright who works too hard come together in the way of all summer romances, when the former asks the latter to show the summer library kids what he’s doing (building a reproduction Viking ship). Chemistry ensues. Where the depth and social justice comes in are in the story of two sisters who are in the hands of a foster mother who means well, but doesn’t have a ton of time.
Author Ross has created a vibrant community in Honeymoon Harbor, one that makes you want to step inside the pages of the the book and spend a long weekend sipping coffee at a sidewalk cafe, and poking around the galleries and cute shops. As well, she has created a collection of dimensional, believable characters, led by Chelsea and Gabe, but not limited to those two people.
Far more than a fluffy romance or your typical beach read, this book is a romance with meaning.
Goes well with hot coffee and a slice of peach pie.
Main Characters Chelsea the librarian and Gabe the Wall Street mogul-turned-recreational-shipwright who works too hard come together in the way of all summer romances, when the former asks the latter to show the summer library kids what he’s doing (building a reproduction Viking ship). Chemistry ensues. Where the depth and social justice comes in are in the story of two sisters who are in the hands of a foster mother who means well, but doesn’t have a ton of time.
Author Ross has created a vibrant community in Honeymoon Harbor, one that makes you want to step inside the pages of the the book and spend a long weekend sipping coffee at a sidewalk cafe, and poking around the galleries and cute shops. As well, she has created a collection of dimensional, believable characters, led by Chelsea and Gabe, but not limited to those two people.
Far more than a fluffy romance or your typical beach read, this book is a romance with meaning.
Goes well with hot coffee and a slice of peach pie.
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