Christmas at the Lakeside Resort

Lakeside Resort #1

by Susan Schild

Christmas at the Lakeside Resort

Love and Adventures after 40

Forty-two year old Jenny Beckett is dreading the holidays. Her fiancé has just called off their Christmas wedding, and she’s been evicted from her darling chicken coop cottage. When her estranged father dies and leaves her eight rustic guest cabins on Heron Lake, Jenny seizes the chance to make a new life. She packs up her dogs, her miniature horse and her beat up Airstream trailer and moves to the lake.

Short on time and money, Jenny and her contractor, widower Luke, work feverishly to renovate the cabins in time for the festive holiday event she’s promised her very first guests. When an unexpected blizzard snows them in and jeopardizes the resort’s opening, Jenny and Luke work to save the event and, along the way, find true love… and the magic of Christmas.

“A warm-hearted, charming Christmas story you won’t want to miss…"

Judith Keim, Best-selling Author of the Beach House Hotel Series

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Holiday, Chick Lit, Fiction, Ebooks, Contemporary

212 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 6, 2018

About the author

Susan Schild writes heartwarming small- town love stories.

Susan is a wife, and a stepmother who enjoys weekend getaways with friends, reading fiction, and rummaging through thrift stores and antique stores for treasures like four dollar cashmere sweaters and amateur watercolor paintings. A dog lover, Susan is especially fond of Lab mix rescue dogs.


Susan and her family live in North Carolina where she is busy writing her next novel.

Reviews

[Sheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beautiful cover and the promise of a Christmas story drew me to this book. As others have stated, I thought it got off to a slow start, and I also thought it was lacking a Christmas element. But after a short while I found myself catching the spirit and progressing through the story at a much faster pace. The Christmas element really comes into play at the climax with a lovely surprise that I should have seen coming.

This feel-good story has you truly hoping all the cards will fall into place for Jenny. You not only root for the resort to be completed in time for Christmas, but also for her to find peace, contentment, and happiness in her life. Oh, and a bit of romance for her would just be the icing on the cake! Jenny’s friends are just as appealing and you also want them to find their own happily ever after. The secondary characters add substance and depth and move the story from ho-hum to engaging.

I did take off one star as sometimes chapters ended awkwardly, there were a few grammatical errors, and at least one scene where the impossible happened. (Nothing major, but I did notice the error. Alice waves to Jenny from the passenger side of the truck, yet somehow Jenny is able to see if Alice is wearing her engagement ring or not. Wouldn’t Alice be waving with her right hand and not her left?)

Christmas at the Lakeside Resort is a sweet Christmas story illustrating that it’s never too late to follow your dreams and make your second chance count. I love how the book closes on such a beautiful note: For those who believe, Christmas is about love, grace, hope, and miracles.

[DJ Sakata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite Quotes:

Through Shady Grove’s small town grapevine that ran faster than any high speed internet, Jenny had heard that Douglas was serious about Aiden, and that the woman was referring to him as her fiancé… would he be cheap enough or insensitive enough to recycle the engagement ring she’d given back to him just nine months ago? Her eyes fixed on them like a hunting dog on point…

Jenny thought she was beautiful, like one of the Greek goddesses who rode around in chariots and threw lightning bolts at people who deserved it.

With coolly assessing eyes, she glanced around her office, the one that she’d been so proud of when she’d first signed the lease… Jenny picked at a cuticle, and felt a wave of sadness. Her little office had gotten dumpy and worn and smelled faintly of teenaged boys’ feet.

“Your hound dog of a fiancé swans off with a big-haired man-stealer and Earl-the-rat kicks you out. You’re tired of your work life. Then you get the inheritance from the grave.” Crunching a crouton, she gave Jenny a mischievous smile. “Being friends with you is better than watching those family sagas on Netflix.”

We ought to let the air out of his tires or hide a dead fish in his car or tell a bunch of Amway agents that he wants to become part of a successful team.

My Review:

I adored her previous series and with book one, am already besotted with Susan Schild’s new series. The storylines were wryly humorous, easy to follow, pleasantly engaging, actively entertaining, and left me sighing contentedly with the satisfying HEA. I am eager for more as I love these characters, although my mind stuttered when Jenny prepared a peanut butter and raisin sandwich, an intriguing issue that requires further research.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenny Beckett is not doing well these days. Her fiance broke up with her just a few short weeks before their scheduled Christmas wedding. Then, her landlord evicts her. This is definitely going to be a difficult holiday season. But wait…it gets worse. Her estranged father dies. There’s no way she can afford to pay off his debts. She shocked to learn that there aren’t any debts. She has inherited property on Heron Lake. There are several guest cabins that her father planned to turn into a resort.

Suddenly, things are looking up for Jenny as she has a new purpose in life. She’s going to invest in renovating the cabins and opening the Lakeside Resort. She hires a brother and sister contracting team, Luke and Alice. Together they rebuild the property into a holiday vacation spot tourists will adore. As an extra added bonus, Jenny is quite attracted to Luke.

This is the perfect and uplifting sweet romance for this time of year. A real “feel good” story complete with warm fuzzies. Jenny and Luke are two genuinely nice people who I could really care about.

It’s a fast-paced read that made me smile until the last page. I’m looking forward to the next book by this author. She really knows how to bring the sweet romance genre to life in a charming, endearing setting.


FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the author and publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[ꕥ Ange_Lives_To_Read ꕥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas 2019 - NICE!

I absolutely loved this charming, heartwarming story - up to and including the cover art. It had lovable characters, sweet romance, a great location and an interesting plot.

I can't wait to read the next one in the series. I wish Lakeside Resort was a real place because I want to go there and stay in one of the cute cabins and hang out at a bonfire with Luke and Jenny and the dogs and Levi the miniature horse. 😊

[Asheley T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

This is a drama-free slow-burn romance set against the backdrop of Christmas and a major renovation project. Jenny Beckett is a little bit down on her luck recently because her fiance broke off their engagement just before their wedding, she is being evicted from a home she loves living in because her landlord sold it, and her father died and left her with the burden of a lot of property, which he gifted to her truly and honestly out of love. Jenny is at this huge crossroads in her life and she needs to figure out where she will go and what she will do now that basically everything is changing.

I've read Susan Schild's stories before and loved them for their slow-burn romance and their North Carolina settings, and their wonderful character development, and those are the things that I loved here as well. (Plus the Christmas that she threw in, which was a lot of fun.) Jenny hires a contractor team to help her renovate the cabins - a guy and his sister - and this ends up gaining her a love interest and what appears to be a lifelong friend. The three end up getting along very well together and the brother-sister team end up teaching Jenny so much about renovation at every step of the project. I truly enjoyed all of their interactions and loved the way Ms. Schild developed their characters enough that at the end of the book, I want to know more about them all.

About the romance: Jenny and Luke, the contractor, have this simmering attraction throughout the story that is very respectful of one another. Luke is aware that Jenny is just out of a relationship, and Jenny is aware of what happened with Luke's past relationship. The slow-burn is very slow, though, so readers that want a steamier or very quick development will not find that here. Additionally, Luke's sister Alice is actively involved with a guy that she is madly in love with, and her relationship gives almost a comic relief to the story that leads up to a really great scene at the end.

I always love renovation stories and stories featuring building projects, so this one was a lot of fun. Every single secondary character was great, and every single character was relatable to me in some way or another. I found Jenny very likable and relatable. I love the way that she weighed all of her decisions rationally and with a lot of smarts, but she still took a few risks hoping for happiness and success in her life.

Also, sidenote, but Jenny has these great pets that are heavily featured: two dogs and a mini-horse. She is so good to them and treats them so well and that stood out to me with her character. Like, if Jenny were a real life person, I feel like she would be one of the good ones.

[Linda Langford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Sweet romance, charming characters, cute pets, beautiful setting.

[Sabine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 sparkly stars
First off I couldn't resist the cover. It is a sweet, feel good romance that I enjoyed reading. The Christmas element was throughout the book a bit missing and just came really into effect in the end of the story. I will read the next installment in this series.

[Linda Zagon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lindas Book Obsession Reviews "Christmas at the Lakeside Resort" by Susan Schild

Susan Schild , Author of "Christmas at the Lakeside Resort", has written an enjoyable, pleasant, entertaining, and heartwarming novel.The Genres for this story are Fiction and Women's Fiction. There is a slight feel of magic and hope in this Holiday story. The story takes place in the present and goes to the past only when it pertains to the characters or events in the story. The author describes the characters as each having their own set of problems.

The animals in the story enhance the mood and description. As an animal lover, I appreciate that the author brings up rescued animals, a miniature horse and 2 older large dogs that seem so lovable.  I also appreciate that the author  writes her story using more mature characters.

Jenny Beckett, dreads Christmas, especially since that was to be her Wedding Day.  Her fiancé leaves her for a younger women, and Jenny is just about to find out that her small chicken coop cottage has been sold and will be torn down. Jenny does find out that her estranged father, who she had a complicated relationship with, has died. Surprisingly, he has left her some cabins on beautiful Heron Lake, and an older house. Seeking the help of her friend, who loves to redecorate, and Luke and his sister from the hardware store, Jenny is determined to have the guest cabins finished and ready to rent for the holidays.

I appreciate that the author describes, starting over, believing in friends, love and hope. I would recommend this book for those readers who enjoy an easy happily ever after read.

[Susan Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so warm and cozy...a perfect book for the holidays, sitting in front of a fire. Jenny is still grieving a bad break-up and kind of in a rut. When she receives word that her father has died, a man who hadn’t been part of her life for years, she’s surprised to find out he left her some prime land on a lake with unfinished cabins...can she fulfill her father’s dream? She begins to envision a new life for herself, and it doesn’t hurt that she’s hired Luke, a good-looking man, to help her finish the cabins. The setting is enticing and beautiful, the characters are endearing and quirky, and there are even two dogs and a miniature horse! A truly heart-warming story filled with love, humor and hope. I am thrilled to know that this book will be the first in a series, so I can spend more time at the lake with Jenny, Luke and the rest of these lovely people!

[Sheri Morell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more. I highly recommend reading it. This was a light hearted and fun read. Five stars all the way.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a well-over-40 single woman, I'd love to find myself a Luke Hammond. He is the whole package & I am thrilled that I found Susan Schild. This is the first book I've read from Ms. Schild's and I'm a forever fan. In this book, she created believable characters that are also relatable. I'd also love to see a sequel focusing on Charlotte. She is the BFF that we all wish we had.

[Jeannie Zelos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas at the Lakeside Resort, (The Lakeside Resort Series), Susan Schild

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Romance.

I loved Susan's Sweet Southern Hearts, so was eager to get stuck in to this. Sadly in the romance genre stories seem to interpret Romance as being only for the young.
Hurrah for authors like Susan, who show that the older generations want romance too. Not everyone gets their HEA when they are younger and accidents, divorces, just plain old Life means many folk past their thirties are still looking for that special someone.

Jenny thought she'd found that, and then the jerk calls everything off. She's struggling through the aftermath of that when she gets another blow, her home has been sold and she's a couple of weeks to find somewhere new. Sometimes things like this make us look at life and that's what happens with jenny, she decides she's just marking time, doesn't love her job, her life, so takes the opportunity presented by her fathers legacy to make a huge change.
Of course it doesn't all go smoothly, but that's part of the magic, if it did it would be a dull read. I loved Luke and Alice, adored Benny and Bear, and as a horse lover how could I fail to be entranced by Levi. My old mare Muska thought she was a person, was always trying to get into the house, but being somewhat bigger than Levi it didn't really work....
I loved reading about the renovation, about the jerk Douglas and his new lady ( hiss, boo....I really wanted him to see just what he'd lost. I hate guys – or ladies – who behave as he did )., about Alice her her dating issues and of course Lovely Luke. He was such a wonderful guy, quiet, strong, unflappable and his was a sad story.
I liked the slow burn of their romance, though maybe a little more action would have been nice ;-) Its not one of those where they get together after a couple of chapters, in fact it takes pretty much most of the book before they get to a first kiss. You can feel how they both are attracted and yet they both weigh up what they would lose, should they move forward, is the time right, are they ready? They're all questions Real people have, most of us are cautious by nature and this book felt so very real in the romance side. The renovations? Well, in contrast to the romance a lot happens in a short time ;-) . I'm not so sure it would work like that in real life, but it made for a really enjoyable story, and the endings was just so perfect.
My only reservation is that for me it seemed a slow start, I felt like I was reading but not actually getting to the meat of the story for some time. Its all scene setting though, its easy to criticise and others will love that gentle, gradual progression.

Stars: Four, a really magical Christmas story.

ARC supplied by author

[Savannah Hendricks · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first book by this author and I'm not sure if I'll continue on with the second book in this series. There was nothing particularly wonderful about the story, but nothing bad either. I struggled through it as a page turner that really hooked me.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this light romance novel. I liked the details of how Jenny handled her life, and the good characterizations. I liked watching the dreams of the characters coming true, in realistic ways!

[Susan Haught · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love to read holiday stories all year long, and Susan Schild's Christmas at the Lakeside Resort delivered a beautiful story of finding purpose, one's self, forgiveness, and love later in life. Ms. Schild's characters are not without fault, but are so lovable I didn't want the story to end, and I was thrilled to find out there will be more stories to come from The Lakeside Resort. And HOORAY for fur-babies and a miniature horse. A miniature horse, people...now I want one!

I was pleasantly surprised to see Ms. Schild's wit come through in this holiday romance as well. I've read all of her other novels, and she weaves humor into her stories with a natural sense of ease. I thoroughly enjoy the way she balances her stories with just the right amount of humor.

Ms. Schild has a gift for setting, and has a unique way of gifting the reader with a setting that becomes a character in itself. The story flows evenly and has enough tension to carry itself from beginning to end. I especially enjoyed the details of the construction--I'm somewhat familiar with house construction, and the accuracy Susan provided was just the right mix of detail to add to the story without becoming boring. Susan's secondary characters were superbly introduced and woven throughout, and are integral pieces to the main character's journey. Nicely, done, Ms. Schild!

If you love sweet, southern romance, a holiday story with a fabulous setting, fur-babies, and happy endings, you'll enjoy Christmas at the Lakeside Resort. I certainly did!

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wonderfully written heartwarming novel about achieving your dreams no matter how impossible they seem. No matter how daunting the task, love and friendship will ease the stress.

Jenny's in a rut. Her boyfriend cancelled their planned Christmas wedding right before the 'save the date' cards went out and even though she doesn't love him anymore, seeing him with his new girlfriend in their small town really hurts. When she finds out that her dad - mostly an absentee dad during her growing up years - has left her land on a beautiful lake and the beginning of a lake resort, Jenny decides that building those cabins and making a home at the lake are what she wants to do with her life. Despite the fact, that it's almost impossible, she decides that she wants it ready for renters for Christmas. She hires Luke, a good looking man who is also re-thinking his life and Luke's sister to help her make her dreams come true. Will she be able to open her resort by Christmas and will Luke stay by her side?

This is a fun book with a great bunch of characters in a beautiful setting. I hope that the author plans to do another book about the lakeside resort so we can get read about this group of characters again.

Thanks to the author for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

[Linda C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jenny Beckett is recovering from being dumped by her fiance when she is given notice that her rental is being sold to make way for development. With a little savings and a burned out job as a school tutor, Jenny is not sure which way to turn. A meeting with Luke and Alice Hammond, brother and sister involved in part time renovation while helping out at their father's hardware story is providential when Jenny is contacted by a lawyer with news of her inheritance from her father's recent death. Part of the estate is a partially completed lake resort. This story reads like a Hallmark Christmas movie. Very unrealistic but warm comfort for the holidays.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The pefect book to cozy up to with your favorite hot drink! I'm not normally a fan of Christmas books (although I watch endless hours of Hallmark Christmas movies), but this book was just right for the season. It made me want to look up cabin rentals and make plans for a cozy winter getaway. Throw in a mini horse and great dogs (dogs always draw me in) and just enough romance and you have the best of it all. Highly recommend this one and can't wait for the spring/summer book at the same cabins.

[Beth Honea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love after 40. This book is so refreshing to read. Nice to have a romance book for us older women. Reading about Jenny's adventure you can't help but fall in love with her. She someone you wish was your bestfriend. Then again who wouldn't like a friend who owns a mini horse. Jenny down on her luck, her fiance dumped her last Christmas for a younger woman. Her slimy landlord decides to sell her house out from under her. What a girl to do when the chips are down? Fix up 8 rustic cabins and start a new life. After all if The Maine Cabin Master on DIY can do it why can't she?

[Mary Sylvia Gonzales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parkside Resort was a heartwarming book.

It it's delightful style, we are affected by the love of family, friends and strangers. We are reminded of the beauty of nature but also that we can't control what nature may bring. Each reader will embrace what best touches their heart; widower, single, teacher, parent, child, friend or just looking through the eyes of someone's heart. It's not a hard to put down book, but you want to continue and warm your heart.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

A warm and charming story that pulled me in from the first chapter and didn't let go until the last page.
I'm glad that this book is the first in a series. I can't wait to revisit these characters and the lovely setting again and again.
I highly recommend this story and promise you will be glad you spent time at this lake.

[Scarlett Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful story that will get you in the mood for Christmas. You will fall in love with Jenny and her wonderful world of four legged companions, as she takes a risk and changes her life. Susan has written characters you will care about and can't wait to see how the journey ends. A super uplifting story that will also be the perfect gift during the holidays. I definitely recommend!

[Jodena Pysher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first read by Susan Schild. A very heartwarming book to get you in the Christmas mood. Ups and downs of everyday life, starting fresh in a brand new place, and even finding true love. I fell in love with this book and would recommend to anyone!! I know I would love to spend a week at the Lakeside Resort!! I can't wait for book #2!!

[dorothy C harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magic in the woods

This book made you want to live in a little cabin by the lake. I enjoyed the idea of a woman starting new and using her dreams to accomplish her goals. Fun read. You could imagine standing right next to the characters in the woods

[Lynn Gallagher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great quick read

Nice book to read on a cold night. It was a quick read can't wait for the next book coming out in June.

[Marti Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful book. I have to admit I did not recognize this author and I bought the book because the cover was so cute. The book did not disappoint. I loved getting to know Jenny and Luke, and I loved how the story and the characters developed. Alight romance that also includes broken promises and broken hearts. Can’t wait for the sequel in May, and to read more about Levi and Charlotte and Ashe. Highly recommend.

[marionlouise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Happy read. Shows how you can change your life for the better. Love can do the job and enjoying your life is good too. Kept me reading and enjoying the story. Hope you had a great time reading it to.

[Vivian Payton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given CHRISTMAS AT THE LAKESIDE RESORT by my BFF from 5th grade as a gift, and we read this delightful book together. I started it just as it got quite busy during the holidays, and I’d try to read it when I could. I have to say, I didn’t get to read as much as I wanted during this busy time, but it was such a pleasure when I could. It was an easy, calming, warm and homey read -- just what I needed. I enjoyed the story, the characters, and I told my friend I could easily see this book being made into a Hallmark movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I look forward to Book 2 in the Series. Thank you, Susan Schild, for a lovely story.

[Dawn Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice, sweet story.

Easy read, nice story includes strong female friendships, sibling relationships and romance too! I like the positive attitudes of the main characters.