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The Treehouse on Dog River Road
Twenty-eight-year-old Hannah Spencer wants nothing more than to change everything about her life.
After ten years of living in cities, Nathan Wild has just moved back home to Vermont and doesn’t want to change anything about his.
Recently laid off from her depressing job in Boston and ready for a challenge, Hannah heads to Vermont for the summer to take care of her sister’s kids and do some serious soul searching. There, against the stunning landscape of the Green Mountains, she embarks on an ambitious project: building a treehouse for her niece and nephew. As she hammers away, she formulates a plan to jump-start her life with a new job out West. But will Nathan-next-door complicate her desire to change course? A witty, romantic, and inspiring story of a young woman taking control and making tough choices about love and work to build the life she wants, The Treehouse on Dog River Road will have you rooting for Hannah every step of the way.
After ten years of living in cities, Nathan Wild has just moved back home to Vermont and doesn’t want to change anything about his.
Recently laid off from her depressing job in Boston and ready for a challenge, Hannah heads to Vermont for the summer to take care of her sister’s kids and do some serious soul searching. There, against the stunning landscape of the Green Mountains, she embarks on an ambitious project: building a treehouse for her niece and nephew. As she hammers away, she formulates a plan to jump-start her life with a new job out West. But will Nathan-next-door complicate her desire to change course? A witty, romantic, and inspiring story of a young woman taking control and making tough choices about love and work to build the life she wants, The Treehouse on Dog River Road will have you rooting for Hannah every step of the way.
256 pages, Paperback
First published May 10, 2022
33 people are currently reading
5377 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Drake
1 book71 followersThe Treehouse on Dog River Road is my first novel and I loved creating the character of Hannah who is based on every fabulous woman I know who made the tough decision to quit something that did not feel right to them in order to embark on a more authentic life.
Before I started writing, I worked for many years in the land conservation field developing public outdoor recreation areas and preserving forests and farmland for future generations. After raising two daughters, my husband and I moved from New Jersey to Vermont where I am still active in the environmental community by serving on the local land trust and conservation commission.
One of the things we enjoy doing besides cycling, skiing, kayaking, and hiking with our dog in the Green Mountains, is building structures...check them out on my website at www.catherinedrake.com
And if you'd like, follow me on Instagram @catherinedrakewrites
Before I started writing, I worked for many years in the land conservation field developing public outdoor recreation areas and preserving forests and farmland for future generations. After raising two daughters, my husband and I moved from New Jersey to Vermont where I am still active in the environmental community by serving on the local land trust and conservation commission.
One of the things we enjoy doing besides cycling, skiing, kayaking, and hiking with our dog in the Green Mountains, is building structures...check them out on my website at www.catherinedrake.com
And if you'd like, follow me on Instagram @catherinedrakewrites
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews
July 31, 2023
Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
March 7, 2022
As a native Vermonter, this was such a fun read! I've only ever read a couple of books based in my home state and so I really enjoyed all the references to local businesses and places I love and enjoy myself.
The storyline of this book was sweet and I really enjoyed the characters, especially the relationship between the main character Hannah, and her sister and parents. I wonder if this may be a reflection of the author's family? If so, I really enjoyed it!
I did find that the conversation between Hannah and her neighbor/love interest throughout the book was a little awkward at times. The ending took me by surprise and I once again really enjoyed the references to Vermont history. The last part of the book was my favorite- it was intense and kept my attention to the very end.
Thank you to NetGalley and She Writes Press for my free review copy.
The storyline of this book was sweet and I really enjoyed the characters, especially the relationship between the main character Hannah, and her sister and parents. I wonder if this may be a reflection of the author's family? If so, I really enjoyed it!
I did find that the conversation between Hannah and her neighbor/love interest throughout the book was a little awkward at times. The ending took me by surprise and I once again really enjoyed the references to Vermont history. The last part of the book was my favorite- it was intense and kept my attention to the very end.
Thank you to NetGalley and She Writes Press for my free review copy.
March 20, 2022
I write books so I know how much of the self goes into writing a book. And as such, I always finish novels that I review. It seems only fair that I should put as much effort into reading them as the authors put into writing them.
Unfortunately, The Treehouse on Dog River Road by Catherine Drake may have taken even more effort to read than it did to write. It is, in short, a lengthy collection of words desperately in need of a purpose, a plot, a story to tell … something.
The protagonist, Hannah, is ready for a change and during some sort of corporate restructure (or whatever, both unclear from the reading and irrelevant to the story), she offers to take a severance package. The author later calls that “being fired” but people who are fired aren’t paid to leave so the author is just wrong about that. It’s one of the many inaccuracies in the book that are insignificant alone but collected become a disease called I-didn’t-fact-check-my-writing-itus. (Another example is when she refers to another character as a project manager and then as a computer programmer. Programmers can project manage but project managers can’t program. Facts.)
For some reason mysterious to anyone who is a parent, when Hannah’s sister and brother-in-law decide to take their sabbaticals out of the country, they decide to leave their 6-year-old and 4-year-old in Hannah’s inexperienced hands for the entire summer.
Absolutely not. Completely beyond credulity. No parent would allow anyone – relative or not – who has never babysat for more than a couple hours to care for two young children around the clock for the entire summer. Wouldn’t happen. And let’s not even delve into the extreme trauma the parents’ abandonment would have inflicted on those little ones.
Good parents and caregivers also don’t leave two young children sleeping in a car (oh but I could see the car from the shop window the whole time /s) while they go into a coffee shop to get a coffee. Seriously? Has the author never seen the news? This is the stuff that deservedly gets people sent to jail. Ridiculous.
So, anyway, back to trying to figure out this book: I can’t decide if it’s a story about a young woman trying to find herself or a really boring romance or a construction manual.
Readers will get extensive guidance on building a vision board – because Hannah doesn’t know where she wants to live or what kind of job she’d like to do and thinks a vision board will help her to find herself. And the author apparently thought we’d all want to know exactly how to build one, you know, just in case we too need to figure out our lives.
Then, without consulting her vision board, Hannah impulsively decides – instead of looking for work – to spend the entire summer building a huge treehouse in her sister’s backyard (with what money? Isn’t she currently unemployed?). Lucky us, we get to read a lengthy treatise on the fundamentals of treehouse construction.
I’ll admit that just like everyone else in the story, I always wanted a treehouse as a child. That doesn’t mean I want to learn to build one. I’m never going to build one. I didn’t need to know that recovered (used) wood is lighter than newer wood. I don’t care that it’s lighter; the story doesn’t care either.
Unfortunately, there are seemingly endless examples of this deep dive into minutiae. It is one of the many problems with this novel, so many problems that the problems have problems. Those problems also have issues – a veritable cascade of catastrophes, if you will.
The author is literal in the extreme, telling us, for example, that two people were holding hands until one let go, which, oddly enough, is exactly how handholding works and we could have assumed that without all the extra detail she provided.
There’s also more than any book’s fair share of cringe. I’d like to know who thought it was a good idea to include a lengthy text chat of cliched jokes about menstrual cycles, using Aunt Flo-like names which appear to have come from 90s movies like Clueless or possibly the 2016 Bustle article I found via Google, when I did a quick search for ‘things to call your menstrual cycle.’
I’d take the cringe examples further but you wouldn’t believe me and I really don’t want you to read this book just to confirm that I’m telling the truth. Instead, we’ll talk about the tropical storm that she felt the need to throw into the end of the story. I couldn’t tell you why. It made no sense to include a tropical storm in the story. I think the author wanted to write about it because it was based on real events but no matter how important real events are, if they don’t move the story forward, they don’t belong in the book.
The romance? Yeah, let’s talk about the romance between Hannah and Nathan. If it were any less romantic, I’d think she was trying to rival the relationship between Lydia Bennet and George Wickham. It’s boring, bland, passionless, and immature. Maybe the author has never read a romance novel. I can’t think of any other reason for this romance to be as dull as an unsharpened pencil. If you’re planning to read this for the heat, I’d recommend that you read an Archie comic because Veronica alone provides more heat.
I wouldn’t advise this author never to write another book. We all become better writers the more we write, after all. But I would heartily recommend that she work with an editor or beta readers who are willing to be honest with her.
I received a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Unfortunately, The Treehouse on Dog River Road by Catherine Drake may have taken even more effort to read than it did to write. It is, in short, a lengthy collection of words desperately in need of a purpose, a plot, a story to tell … something.
The protagonist, Hannah, is ready for a change and during some sort of corporate restructure (or whatever, both unclear from the reading and irrelevant to the story), she offers to take a severance package. The author later calls that “being fired” but people who are fired aren’t paid to leave so the author is just wrong about that. It’s one of the many inaccuracies in the book that are insignificant alone but collected become a disease called I-didn’t-fact-check-my-writing-itus. (Another example is when she refers to another character as a project manager and then as a computer programmer. Programmers can project manage but project managers can’t program. Facts.)
For some reason mysterious to anyone who is a parent, when Hannah’s sister and brother-in-law decide to take their sabbaticals out of the country, they decide to leave their 6-year-old and 4-year-old in Hannah’s inexperienced hands for the entire summer.
Absolutely not. Completely beyond credulity. No parent would allow anyone – relative or not – who has never babysat for more than a couple hours to care for two young children around the clock for the entire summer. Wouldn’t happen. And let’s not even delve into the extreme trauma the parents’ abandonment would have inflicted on those little ones.
Good parents and caregivers also don’t leave two young children sleeping in a car (oh but I could see the car from the shop window the whole time /s) while they go into a coffee shop to get a coffee. Seriously? Has the author never seen the news? This is the stuff that deservedly gets people sent to jail. Ridiculous.
So, anyway, back to trying to figure out this book: I can’t decide if it’s a story about a young woman trying to find herself or a really boring romance or a construction manual.
Readers will get extensive guidance on building a vision board – because Hannah doesn’t know where she wants to live or what kind of job she’d like to do and thinks a vision board will help her to find herself. And the author apparently thought we’d all want to know exactly how to build one, you know, just in case we too need to figure out our lives.
Then, without consulting her vision board, Hannah impulsively decides – instead of looking for work – to spend the entire summer building a huge treehouse in her sister’s backyard (with what money? Isn’t she currently unemployed?). Lucky us, we get to read a lengthy treatise on the fundamentals of treehouse construction.
I’ll admit that just like everyone else in the story, I always wanted a treehouse as a child. That doesn’t mean I want to learn to build one. I’m never going to build one. I didn’t need to know that recovered (used) wood is lighter than newer wood. I don’t care that it’s lighter; the story doesn’t care either.
Unfortunately, there are seemingly endless examples of this deep dive into minutiae. It is one of the many problems with this novel, so many problems that the problems have problems. Those problems also have issues – a veritable cascade of catastrophes, if you will.
The author is literal in the extreme, telling us, for example, that two people were holding hands until one let go, which, oddly enough, is exactly how handholding works and we could have assumed that without all the extra detail she provided.
There’s also more than any book’s fair share of cringe. I’d like to know who thought it was a good idea to include a lengthy text chat of cliched jokes about menstrual cycles, using Aunt Flo-like names which appear to have come from 90s movies like Clueless or possibly the 2016 Bustle article I found via Google, when I did a quick search for ‘things to call your menstrual cycle.’
I’d take the cringe examples further but you wouldn’t believe me and I really don’t want you to read this book just to confirm that I’m telling the truth. Instead, we’ll talk about the tropical storm that she felt the need to throw into the end of the story. I couldn’t tell you why. It made no sense to include a tropical storm in the story. I think the author wanted to write about it because it was based on real events but no matter how important real events are, if they don’t move the story forward, they don’t belong in the book.
The romance? Yeah, let’s talk about the romance between Hannah and Nathan. If it were any less romantic, I’d think she was trying to rival the relationship between Lydia Bennet and George Wickham. It’s boring, bland, passionless, and immature. Maybe the author has never read a romance novel. I can’t think of any other reason for this romance to be as dull as an unsharpened pencil. If you’re planning to read this for the heat, I’d recommend that you read an Archie comic because Veronica alone provides more heat.
I wouldn’t advise this author never to write another book. We all become better writers the more we write, after all. But I would heartily recommend that she work with an editor or beta readers who are willing to be honest with her.
I received a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
November 23, 2021
After a finance job in Boston fails to bring Hannah the satisfaction she had hoped for, she accepts her sister Molly’s plan. While Molly and Tim do environmental research in South America, Hannah will care for the children, Nora and Owen through the summer. Enter Nathan, the neighbor, and Cooper, his friendly dog, and Hannah has more decisions to make than she ever dreamed possible, including what would you do for love, for family, for friendship. What would you do for your best life?
The location is charming. The characters are engaging. From the peaceful beginning to the stormy finish, the key to this novel lies in the hearts of these multi-generational families loving and supporting one another. A very upbeat read that holds your attention.
The location is charming. The characters are engaging. From the peaceful beginning to the stormy finish, the key to this novel lies in the hearts of these multi-generational families loving and supporting one another. A very upbeat read that holds your attention.
May 10, 2022
I read an ADVANCED COPY of this book, and LOVED it. It's beautifully set in Vermont and it will definitely make you want to plan a trip immediately. You can feel the setting coming right off the page. The relationship between the main characters grows slowly, and most importantly, believeably. The main female character is strong, resourceful and open with herself about what she's doing - even if she doesn't quite know what she wants. The romance is kind, and sexy, and hits the right balance for the perfect vacation read, or bedtime read, or cozy winter (dreaming of summertime) read.
November 15, 2021
I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of The Treehouse on Dog River Road and greatly enjoyed this funny, warm-hearted tale. If you have ever visited Vermont, you know it's special. Catherine Drake creates a lovely sense of place - I felt like I was right there with the characters in the lush Green Mountains! In these trying times, this novel felt like a breath of fresh air - the perfect anecdote to depressing new headlines. Do yourself a favor and read this as soon as you can get a copy! It will put a smile on your face.
January 17, 2022
What a fun read! I loved the main character, Hannah, an ambitious young woman who spends a summer in Vermont reevaluating her life. She doesn't want to let anything get in her way, especially a man. Then she meets adorable hunk Nathan. The author really evokes the setting of Vermont, so much that I want to visit. Smart, funny, charming, The Treehouse on Dog River Road has all the makings of a great romcom.
April 6, 2022
I received an advance copy of the book as an audiobook (that format isn't available on Goodreads yet). It was a fun, quick, summery read and I'd recommend it to a book club, especially a group of friends getting together over the summer. The reader of the audiobook did a great job and pronounced the VT locations correctly, which doesn't always happen with VT locales in other audiobooks I've listened to in the past.
May 10, 2022
2 ⭐️ This was a cute story and I think there's potential here, but ultimately it fell flat for me. The writing feels like a stream of consciousness and I could have done without hearing all of Hannah's thoughts.
As other reviewers have mentioned, the premise is a bit faulty. I'm not sure how many parents would leave their two children (ages 4 & 6) with someone who admittedly has never spent more than a few hours alone with them... For an entire summer... While they are in South America. I recognize that Hannah is the children's aunt, but it's made pretty clear that her experience with kids was minimal prior to this summer "job". If the author had created a character who enjoys kids and regularly spends time with her niece and nephew, I think this could have been a lot better.
A big chunk of the plot focuses on Hannah's big summer project: building a treehouse. The reader is treated to every little detail of the task, whether they want to be or not. I found this to be pretty dull and struggled not to skim past Hannah's very detailed descriptions of lumber, screws, and building plans. Also, how can she afford this? A key theme of the book is that she’s in the process of making life changes because she is unemployed!
I will say, the cover is absolutely adorable and the characters were cute, especially six-year-old Nora. I wanted to love this book, but it just wasn't a favorite.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book; all opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Catherine Drake for allowing me to be an early reader.
As other reviewers have mentioned, the premise is a bit faulty. I'm not sure how many parents would leave their two children (ages 4 & 6) with someone who admittedly has never spent more than a few hours alone with them... For an entire summer... While they are in South America. I recognize that Hannah is the children's aunt, but it's made pretty clear that her experience with kids was minimal prior to this summer "job". If the author had created a character who enjoys kids and regularly spends time with her niece and nephew, I think this could have been a lot better.
A big chunk of the plot focuses on Hannah's big summer project: building a treehouse. The reader is treated to every little detail of the task, whether they want to be or not. I found this to be pretty dull and struggled not to skim past Hannah's very detailed descriptions of lumber, screws, and building plans. Also, how can she afford this? A key theme of the book is that she’s in the process of making life changes because she is unemployed!
I will say, the cover is absolutely adorable and the characters were cute, especially six-year-old Nora. I wanted to love this book, but it just wasn't a favorite.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book; all opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Catherine Drake for allowing me to be an early reader.
June 11, 2022
Thanks to @shewritespress for an ARC of #TheTreehouseonDogRiverRoad.
If I had a single word to describe 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐎𝐍 𝐃𝐎𝐆 𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐃 by debut author Katherine Drake it would be “sweet.” The story centers on 28-year old Hannah who has had a fortunate life, but has reached a crossroads where she doesn’t really know what she wants to do with the rest of it. While trying to figure it out, she agrees to care for her young niece and nephew for the summer while her sister and brother-in-law go on a research trip for their jobs. There’s also a hunky new neighbor with a mischievous pup who’ve just moved in next door. What could be nicer than that?
Like I said it was a sweet read and I moved through it very quickly, but for me the book lacked substance. Just about everything was unrealistically easy for Hannah. Most problems that arose were solved within a couple pages and the bigger ones were still quite simple. You always knew where the story was going and for me that was too easy, too convenient. However, I think readers of light romance will really enjoy this book. I particularly see fans of Katherine Center or Linda Holmes sitting in the sunshine devouring 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘋𝘰𝘨 𝘙𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘙𝘰𝘢𝘥 this summer. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
If I had a single word to describe 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐎𝐍 𝐃𝐎𝐆 𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐃 by debut author Katherine Drake it would be “sweet.” The story centers on 28-year old Hannah who has had a fortunate life, but has reached a crossroads where she doesn’t really know what she wants to do with the rest of it. While trying to figure it out, she agrees to care for her young niece and nephew for the summer while her sister and brother-in-law go on a research trip for their jobs. There’s also a hunky new neighbor with a mischievous pup who’ve just moved in next door. What could be nicer than that?
Like I said it was a sweet read and I moved through it very quickly, but for me the book lacked substance. Just about everything was unrealistically easy for Hannah. Most problems that arose were solved within a couple pages and the bigger ones were still quite simple. You always knew where the story was going and for me that was too easy, too convenient. However, I think readers of light romance will really enjoy this book. I particularly see fans of Katherine Center or Linda Holmes sitting in the sunshine devouring 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘋𝘰𝘨 𝘙𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘙𝘰𝘢𝘥 this summer. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
January 12, 2024
This book is a little outside of my usual reading, but I was nicely surprised. The story was really sweet and I found myself enthralled by the main characters and hoping for them to get the ending they both deserved. While the install meetings of Hannah and Nathan felt a little stalkerish, I can totally relate to the awkwardness they were both experiencing. This is one of those books that’s going straight to the top of my recommendation list.
Thank you netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.
Thank you netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.
March 21, 2022
Well, that was a fun read. I was lucky to have an advance copy to read and thoroughly enjoyed myself as I was along for Hannah's summer adventure. Actually, it's a most satisfying and rewarding adventure that will continue because of what she figures out for herself along the way. I'm an older reader now and this prompted an empathic look back at my own young adulthood and the decisions I made that shaped my work and family life. And, finally, I'd like to see this treehouse!
October 25, 2021
Got to read an advance copy of this book. Such a sharp, funny and charming story. Hannah is a fantastic character… Authentic, relatable, strong and sincerely funny. A smart romcom with a edge of your seat finish. Highly recommend… Spread the word on this fantastic debut.
March 11, 2022
I truly did not want this book to end.
Are you looking for a fun, easy to read, and engaging romance that should definitely become a rom=com? You've found the right book for you.
Hannah is in Vermont for the summer babysitting her niece and nephew while her sister and brother-in-law are traveling. Her only plan is to sit down and actually make a plan for her life, after getting laid off recently. She wants to decide where her next job will be and exactly what she wants to be doing. Overwhelmed with her future undecided, she decides to build a treehouse for her niece and nephew. But while doing so, she finds herself drawn to the next door neighbor, Nathan. What happens between them is for you to find out...
This flirty, awkward, and light-hearted romance is the perfect read during any season. Need a book to cozy up to by the fire? Need a book to read at the beach? This is the perfect vacation companion.
Thank you to NetGalley and She Writes Press for my advanced eARC copy!
Review and more posted on Instagram at @read.with.tae
Are you looking for a fun, easy to read, and engaging romance that should definitely become a rom=com? You've found the right book for you.
Hannah is in Vermont for the summer babysitting her niece and nephew while her sister and brother-in-law are traveling. Her only plan is to sit down and actually make a plan for her life, after getting laid off recently. She wants to decide where her next job will be and exactly what she wants to be doing. Overwhelmed with her future undecided, she decides to build a treehouse for her niece and nephew. But while doing so, she finds herself drawn to the next door neighbor, Nathan. What happens between them is for you to find out...
This flirty, awkward, and light-hearted romance is the perfect read during any season. Need a book to cozy up to by the fire? Need a book to read at the beach? This is the perfect vacation companion.
Thank you to NetGalley and She Writes Press for my advanced eARC copy!
Review and more posted on Instagram at @read.with.tae
November 12, 2021
I read an advance copy of this book and was blown away by this debut novel! You can tell from the opening line that it’s going to be a fun read. The characters are totally believable - they felt like people I know. The pacing of the novel and the relationship were both spot on. I liked this book from start to finish.
December 1, 2023
Audio
Easy listen Love Story, but had a "lot of meat " in the story revolving around other things.I needed a down day & something I could just enjoy.Did the trick!
Good narration.
Easy listen Love Story, but had a "lot of meat " in the story revolving around other things.I needed a down day & something I could just enjoy.Did the trick!
Good narration.
May 28, 2022
The Treehouse on Dog River Road by Catherine Drake. Pub Date: May 10, 2022. Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟. If you’re looking for a wholesome, feel good summer romance then this book is for you! Hannah is a young, single female who is at a crossroads in her life. She chooses to watch her niece and nephew for the summer while her sister and brother in law are on sabbatical. Next door, a new male neighbor has moved in. This book weaves themes of fresh starts, following your heart, romance, family and intuition all into one story. I enjoyed this light and fun book. Thanks to @netgalley and @shewritespress for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. #bookstagram #bibliophile #bookworm #igreads #thetreehouseondogriverroad #catherinedrake #shewritespress #netgalley
March 22, 2022
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley & She Writes Press!
After losing her job, Hannah Spencer offers to watch her niece and nephew for the summer while her sister and brother-in-law are in South America for work. She embarks on the task of building a treehouse for the kids. She makes several new friends along with the handsome new neighbor, Nathan Wild, who helps her with her project.
This book really took me by surprise. I thought that it was just going to be a fluffy “girl falls for her handsome neighbor” type of romance but it’s much more than that. While there is romance in the plot, the majority of the storyline follows Hannah and her summer-long journey of finding out what she wants in life. She soon discovers the importance of not only family but friends and community. She’s selfless in the way she so willingly helps others and jumps right in without asking anything in return.
The author’s pacing was great. I read 75% of the book in one sitting. I loved the ending although I’m always hoping for an epilogue. What a fantastic debut! The Treehouse on Dog River Road would make a great vacation/beach read.
I look forward to reading more novels from Catherine Drake in the future.
After losing her job, Hannah Spencer offers to watch her niece and nephew for the summer while her sister and brother-in-law are in South America for work. She embarks on the task of building a treehouse for the kids. She makes several new friends along with the handsome new neighbor, Nathan Wild, who helps her with her project.
This book really took me by surprise. I thought that it was just going to be a fluffy “girl falls for her handsome neighbor” type of romance but it’s much more than that. While there is romance in the plot, the majority of the storyline follows Hannah and her summer-long journey of finding out what she wants in life. She soon discovers the importance of not only family but friends and community. She’s selfless in the way she so willingly helps others and jumps right in without asking anything in return.
The author’s pacing was great. I read 75% of the book in one sitting. I loved the ending although I’m always hoping for an epilogue. What a fantastic debut! The Treehouse on Dog River Road would make a great vacation/beach read.
I look forward to reading more novels from Catherine Drake in the future.
April 8, 2022
This book is incredibly sweet. It's just waiting to be made into a Hallmark movie (and I mean that as a compliment.) Hannah is an idealistic millennial who went from building houses in Kenya to a soul sucking job and is ready to get back to her philanthropic roots. She spends the summer watching her niece and nephew while trying to figure out what her future looks like and building a treehouse for the kids to rival all treehouses. Enter approachably hot neighbor Nathan. He and his adorable dog Cooper worm their way into Hannah, Nora, and Owen's lives for the summer. But is it just for the summer?
I admired Hannah's drive to find a job that benefitted society and got why she wanted to make the job decision for herself but oh man, her compartmentalization of the different sections of her life was annoying. It was incredibly naive of her to think that would actually work. Nathan was a bit too sweet and submissive for me. But despite all these things I loved the book. It does have an out of the blue Nicholas Sparks style end, but more of a The Longest Road or The Notebook bittersweet end, not Nights of Rodanthe or Dear John want to smash the book against a wall type end lol.
I admired Hannah's drive to find a job that benefitted society and got why she wanted to make the job decision for herself but oh man, her compartmentalization of the different sections of her life was annoying. It was incredibly naive of her to think that would actually work. Nathan was a bit too sweet and submissive for me. But despite all these things I loved the book. It does have an out of the blue Nicholas Sparks style end, but more of a The Longest Road or The Notebook bittersweet end, not Nights of Rodanthe or Dear John want to smash the book against a wall type end lol.
May 4, 2022
This is a cute, closed door romance. Hannah is trying to reinvent herself into the person she wants to be. Unfortunately, that's not the perfect time to meet a guy like Nathan. He's someone that could completely throw a wrench in all her plans.
This book has no big "wow" moment and that's okay. It's a gradual process of meeting and getting to know one another. It's kind of like life. There were a few things that happened in the pages that I, personally, thought might be a stretch....but it's fiction after all. Anything can happen in a story.
I loved the cover. It truly is what initially drew me to the book.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.
This book has no big "wow" moment and that's okay. It's a gradual process of meeting and getting to know one another. It's kind of like life. There were a few things that happened in the pages that I, personally, thought might be a stretch....but it's fiction after all. Anything can happen in a story.
I loved the cover. It truly is what initially drew me to the book.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.
December 5, 2021
I received an advance copy of The Treehouse on Dog River Road and loved it start to finish. I rooted for/related to Hannah in her search for the best next step. Great characters and a lovely homage to the adventures of life in Vermont.
March 31, 2022
I really enjoyed this book! Good character development, fresh and easily-pictured settings, and just an overly happy book. A typical romance in not so typical packaging. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
May 12, 2022
Incredibly lovable from start to finish, THE TREEHOUSE ON DOG RIVER ROAD is warm, witty, and charming. Need a pick me up? I guarantee this upbeat, entertaining, and heartwarming story will do it. Brava, Drake. Please write another one. Soon!
May 4, 2022
3.5 ⭐️ rounded up!
May 10, 2022
Thank you so much to NetGalley and She Writes Press for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
What I thought would be a cutesy romance turned out to be an inspiring book about family, careers, and love. While some of the plot was a bit unbelievable (parents just up and leaving their 4 and 6 year olds for an entire summer in the hands of a sister who has never spent more than a few hours with them), it was still a really sweet story.
I absolutely adored the nephew and he reminded me of my own 4 year old son who is obsessed with cars and constantly makes me laugh. (The $800 fart scene in this was hilarious and definitely something that would happen to my son.) 😂
The ending really surprised me! I was definitely not expecting the novel to take that turn, but I think it made the book even better.
And let’s not forget about Cooper (who was my absolute favorite character in the whole book)!
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book. It was a fun, quick read…the perfect summer escape book to the green mountains of Vermont. 😍
What I thought would be a cutesy romance turned out to be an inspiring book about family, careers, and love. While some of the plot was a bit unbelievable (parents just up and leaving their 4 and 6 year olds for an entire summer in the hands of a sister who has never spent more than a few hours with them), it was still a really sweet story.
I absolutely adored the nephew and he reminded me of my own 4 year old son who is obsessed with cars and constantly makes me laugh. (The $800 fart scene in this was hilarious and definitely something that would happen to my son.) 😂
The ending really surprised me! I was definitely not expecting the novel to take that turn, but I think it made the book even better.
And let’s not forget about Cooper (who was my absolute favorite character in the whole book)!
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book. It was a fun, quick read…the perfect summer escape book to the green mountains of Vermont. 😍
May 11, 2022
3.5 stars!
June 22, 2022
Can authors please stop writing job interview scenes in their books??? I do not need that stress when I’m just trying to have a good time
March 20, 2023
I will preface this by saying I grew up in Waterbury, Vermont, so I’m biased. Definitely classic cringe rom-com moments but overall this was so cute! Missing some smut though
May 29, 2023
Picked up a copy direct from the author, who was signing in Stowe this past weekend & pitched it to me on the spot. Not my typical read - Hallmark in print - but an enjoyable, easy going New England themed tale that lived up to all that I was hoping from it… a worthy, light-hearted, rom-com escape. Endearing family relationships thrown in and community compassion; glad I gave it a go!
April 29, 2022
I received an advance copy of Treehouse on Dog River Road and i'm so thrilled to review this book! This was a fun, quick read that had me laughing and falling in love with Hannah's family the whole time!
The Treehouse on Dog River Road tells the story of 28 year old Hannah who decides to quit her job and move back to her local hometown in Vermont. Stuck with caring for her sister's two rowdy children, Hannah decides to fill her time with building a treehouse for them. As she works on the treehouse and her new life plan, she can't seem to stop running into neighbor Nathan Wild. This story is about finding one's most authentic life and the things, or people, that make it meaningful.
While I didn't give this book 5 stars, it was still a nice read. It was a very lighthearted story and I absolutely adored the family dynamic that Hannah had. And of course little Nora completely stole the show! My few problems with this book taht kept it at 4 stars were that the dialogue felt a little forced and awkward all the time. I found it difficult to read and feel as though I were actually reading a real conversation. Along with that, the build up with Nathan and Hannah felt very quick and awkward.
Overall it's the perfect read for:
- an inspiring and uplifting story
- someone looking for a read focused on family
- a light, summery read
The Treehouse on Dog River Road tells the story of 28 year old Hannah who decides to quit her job and move back to her local hometown in Vermont. Stuck with caring for her sister's two rowdy children, Hannah decides to fill her time with building a treehouse for them. As she works on the treehouse and her new life plan, she can't seem to stop running into neighbor Nathan Wild. This story is about finding one's most authentic life and the things, or people, that make it meaningful.
While I didn't give this book 5 stars, it was still a nice read. It was a very lighthearted story and I absolutely adored the family dynamic that Hannah had. And of course little Nora completely stole the show! My few problems with this book taht kept it at 4 stars were that the dialogue felt a little forced and awkward all the time. I found it difficult to read and feel as though I were actually reading a real conversation. Along with that, the build up with Nathan and Hannah felt very quick and awkward.
Overall it's the perfect read for:
- an inspiring and uplifting story
- someone looking for a read focused on family
- a light, summery read
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