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Lakeshore Chronicles #1
Summer at Willow Lake
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs' The Lakeshore Chronicles have captivated thousands of readers with unforgettable characters, warm humor and engaging stories. Dive into Summer at Willow Lake, the story that started it all!
After breaking up with her fiancée, Olivia Bellamy reluctantly trades a trendy Manhattan summer for her family’s old resort camp in the Catskills to renovate the bungalow colony for her grandparents. Camp Kioga brings back old memories of her summers as a teenager, when she was still discovering her passions.
The camp is now in disarray, and to her chagrin Olivia is forced to hire contractor Connor Davis—a still-smoldering flame from her own summers at camp. But as the days grow warm, not even the inviting blue waters of Willow Lake can cool the passions flaring or keep shocking secrets at bay.
The nostalgic joy of summers past breathes new promise into a special place and people…a promise meant to last long after the season ends. Previously published. Read the Lakeshore Chronicles Series by Susan Wiggs: Summer at Willow Lake • The Winter Lodge • Dockside • Snowfall at Willow Lake • Fireside • Lakeshore Christmas • The Summer Hideaway • Marrying Daisy Bellamy • Return to Willow Lake • Candlelight Christmas • Starlight on Willow Lake
After breaking up with her fiancée, Olivia Bellamy reluctantly trades a trendy Manhattan summer for her family’s old resort camp in the Catskills to renovate the bungalow colony for her grandparents. Camp Kioga brings back old memories of her summers as a teenager, when she was still discovering her passions.
The camp is now in disarray, and to her chagrin Olivia is forced to hire contractor Connor Davis—a still-smoldering flame from her own summers at camp. But as the days grow warm, not even the inviting blue waters of Willow Lake can cool the passions flaring or keep shocking secrets at bay.
The nostalgic joy of summers past breathes new promise into a special place and people…a promise meant to last long after the season ends. Previously published. Read the Lakeshore Chronicles Series by Susan Wiggs: Summer at Willow Lake • The Winter Lodge • Dockside • Snowfall at Willow Lake • Fireside • Lakeshore Christmas • The Summer Hideaway • Marrying Daisy Bellamy • Return to Willow Lake • Candlelight Christmas • Starlight on Willow Lake
534 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
1392 people are currently reading
9855 people want to read
About the author
Susan Wiggs
169 books7,422 followersSusan Wiggs's life is all about family, friends...and fiction. She lives at the water's edge on an island in Puget Sound, and she commutes to her writers' group in a 17-foot motorboat. She serves as author liaison for Field's End, a literary community on Bainbridge Island, Washington, bringing inspiration and instruction from the world's top authors to her seaside community. (See www.fieldsend.org) She's been featured in the national media, including NPR's "Talk of the Nation," and is a popular speaker locally and nationally.
According to Publishers Weekly, Wiggs writes with "refreshingly honest emotion," and the Salem Statesman Journal adds that she is "one of our best observers of stories of the heart [who] knows how to capture emotion on virtually every page of every book." Booklist characterizes her books as "real and true and unforgettable." She is the recipient of three RITA (sm) awards and four starred reviews from Publishers Weekly for her books. The Winter Lodge and Passing Through Paradise have appeared on PW’s annual "Best Of" lists. Several of her books have been listed as top Booksense picks and optioned as feature films. Her novels have been translated into more than two dozen languages and have made national bestseller lists, including the USA Today, Washington Post and New York Times lists.
The author is a former teacher, a Harvard graduate, an avid hiker, an amateur photographer, a good skier and terrible golfer, yet her favorite form of exercise is curling up with a good book. Readers can learn more on the web at www.susanwiggs.com and on her lively blog at www.susanwiggs.wordpress.com.
According to Publishers Weekly, Wiggs writes with "refreshingly honest emotion," and the Salem Statesman Journal adds that she is "one of our best observers of stories of the heart [who] knows how to capture emotion on virtually every page of every book." Booklist characterizes her books as "real and true and unforgettable." She is the recipient of three RITA (sm) awards and four starred reviews from Publishers Weekly for her books. The Winter Lodge and Passing Through Paradise have appeared on PW’s annual "Best Of" lists. Several of her books have been listed as top Booksense picks and optioned as feature films. Her novels have been translated into more than two dozen languages and have made national bestseller lists, including the USA Today, Washington Post and New York Times lists.
The author is a former teacher, a Harvard graduate, an avid hiker, an amateur photographer, a good skier and terrible golfer, yet her favorite form of exercise is curling up with a good book. Readers can learn more on the web at www.susanwiggs.com and on her lively blog at www.susanwiggs.wordpress.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 909 reviews
June 12, 2008
In this day and age of books that contain one-word sentences, run-on phrases and attempts at wittiness that can sometimes be downright nerve-racking, I found SUMMER AT WILLOW LAKE to be a breath of fresh air. This story is engaging, the characters had real depth and the descriptions are beautifully written. Even the secondary characters were interesting and the subplots were easy to follow. Maybe parts of it were a little "Thornbirdish" in nature, but I still truly enjoyed this one. Family saga or not.
At the awkward age of 12-years-old, insecure, shy and overweight Olivia "Lolly" Bellamy meets Connor Davis for the first time at summer camp. Lolly comes from a privileged and wealthy home (her family owns the summer camp situated on Willow Lake) while Connor is the son of an alcoholic. Lolly's parents are going through a difficult divorce. Connor's parents could care less about him to the point of neglect. Lolly and Connor are paired together on a hike - Lolly's only friends, her cousins, do not attend summer camp this particular time - and become good friends after a somewhat rocky beginning. The book follows their relationship as it progresses over the years until the summer after high school graduation when Connor and Lolly return to camp - this time as counselors. Connor officially becomes Lolly's first boyfriend; however, the summer ends with a humiliating incident and Lolly is unable to get over it or discuss it. She heads off to college at her mother's insistence and never speaks with Connor again.
Nine years later, Lolly is a sophistacted, beautiful city girl who owns a successful business in NY as a property fluffer/stager. She has been engaged 3 times. After her latest disaster of a relationship ends, her grandparents ask her to leave NY and restore the now-defunct summer camp at Willow Lake for their 50th wedding anniversary celebration. Lolly recruits several family members and a local contractor to help her with renovations. Unbeknownst to her, Connor Davis is the contractor that she has hired. The reunion scene between Lolly and Connor is creative and I will only say it involves a flagpole, a damsel in distress and a devastatingly handsome man in black leather on a motorcycle.
Much of this story is told in flashbacks, written in separate chapters so as to avoid any confusion. The scene where the grandparents finally renew their wedding vows had me in tears. Trust me when I say that I have never gotten emotional over a book before. This one really did it for me. The romance is sweet and sometimes funny, but not overly sexy.
Please note that this book is nearly 600 pages, hence the reason why it sat in my TBR pile for so long. But I enjoyed it so much that I read it in less than 2 days. I am off to view the author's website now ...
At the awkward age of 12-years-old, insecure, shy and overweight Olivia "Lolly" Bellamy meets Connor Davis for the first time at summer camp. Lolly comes from a privileged and wealthy home (her family owns the summer camp situated on Willow Lake) while Connor is the son of an alcoholic. Lolly's parents are going through a difficult divorce. Connor's parents could care less about him to the point of neglect. Lolly and Connor are paired together on a hike - Lolly's only friends, her cousins, do not attend summer camp this particular time - and become good friends after a somewhat rocky beginning. The book follows their relationship as it progresses over the years until the summer after high school graduation when Connor and Lolly return to camp - this time as counselors. Connor officially becomes Lolly's first boyfriend; however, the summer ends with a humiliating incident and Lolly is unable to get over it or discuss it. She heads off to college at her mother's insistence and never speaks with Connor again.
Nine years later, Lolly is a sophistacted, beautiful city girl who owns a successful business in NY as a property fluffer/stager. She has been engaged 3 times. After her latest disaster of a relationship ends, her grandparents ask her to leave NY and restore the now-defunct summer camp at Willow Lake for their 50th wedding anniversary celebration. Lolly recruits several family members and a local contractor to help her with renovations. Unbeknownst to her, Connor Davis is the contractor that she has hired. The reunion scene between Lolly and Connor is creative and I will only say it involves a flagpole, a damsel in distress and a devastatingly handsome man in black leather on a motorcycle.
Much of this story is told in flashbacks, written in separate chapters so as to avoid any confusion. The scene where the grandparents finally renew their wedding vows had me in tears. Trust me when I say that I have never gotten emotional over a book before. This one really did it for me. The romance is sweet and sometimes funny, but not overly sexy.
Please note that this book is nearly 600 pages, hence the reason why it sat in my TBR pile for so long. But I enjoyed it so much that I read it in less than 2 days. I am off to view the author's website now ...
January 2, 2014
Definitely not my favourite of hers. I have read this author before and enjoyed her books. But not this one. Not even sure why I continued to read it. Maybe because I kept waiting for this one to get better. I skipped bits. I got sick and tired of hearing about the Connor's erections and the size and shape of breasts of various females, though that was not the term used in the novel. Since I abhor the other term and never use it, I will stick with the correct terminology. I also got tired of hearing how good looking Connor was and how often Lolly/Olivia underestimated him. It seemed to me that these two who knew each other as teenagers and were supposed to have a relationship and be able to talk about anything didn't actually talk to each other. Otherwise issues could easily have been cleared up. Instead it dragged on.
To me the most romantic part of this story was the against the odds enduring marriage of Olivia's grandparents celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary at Camp Kioga which has been such a vital part of their lives, as well as Olivia's and Connor's.
To me the most romantic part of this story was the against the odds enduring marriage of Olivia's grandparents celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary at Camp Kioga which has been such a vital part of their lives, as well as Olivia's and Connor's.
December 10, 2021
A lovely story that flashes back and forth from teenagers at summer camp to present day renewal of romantic feelings. The characterization is wonderful and you really get the feel for the angst the lead characters felt at times when they were young and their families were really dysfunctional. Overall, the story is a pageturner and I was thoroughly entertained.
January 14, 2023
3 Estrellitas. No ha estado mal, pero creo que esperaba más para ser un inicio de serie.
"A orillas del pasado" es el primer libro de las Crónicas del lago Willow. En él tendremos una serie de flashback y escenas secundarias que nos hablarán de los protagonistas y otros personajes que dejarán las puertas abiertas a otros libros.
A orillas del lago Willow se halla el pueblo de Avalon y el campamento Kioga, un campamento de verano para niños y familias que disfrutaron durante más de cuarenta años muchas generaciones. El campamento pertenecía a la abuela materna de Olivia Bellamy, nuestra protagonista, pero lleva cerrado nueve años.
Ésta vez la abuela Bellamy tiene un encargo especial para Olivia. Olivia es diseñadora de interiores, y su abuela quiere celebrar sus bodas de oro en el campamento Kioga, exactamente como fue su boda.
Para ello, Olivia tiene que enfrentarse a su pasado, un pasado que odia, que le recuerda el divorcio de sus padres, sus trastornos alimentarios, ser la chica mas gorda y fea del campamento, pero sobre todo el daño que le hizo Connor Davis, el primer chico del que se enamoró.
Connor Davis fue un caso de caridad en el campamento Kioga, hijo de una familia desestructurada. Su padre alcohólico es el conserje del campamento, y a él solo accenden durante el verano los hijos de la gente más privilegiada de la sociedad.
En su primer año en el campamento Connor y Olivia "Lolly", se conocieron. Pasaron de no soportarse a ser amigos, así durante varios veranos, hasta que a los diecisete años se enamoraron. Pero su relación no acabó bien.
Nueve años después, Olivia vuelve al campamento Kioga para reformarlo para las bodas de oro de sus abuelos. Y allí pide los servicios del único contratista del pueblo: Connor Davis. Una vez se encuentren, volverán los recuerdos, los flashback, la historia pasada, y una vez juntos de nuevo durante todo el verano, volverá a surgir lo que dejaron a los diecisete años.
El libro está bien, pero hay ciertas cosas que no me han cuadrado. No he terminado de entender por qué acabó todo mal entre Olivia y Connor cuando eran jóvenes, creo que la autora no ha sabido explicarlo, o a mí me lo ha parecido.
Por otro lado, habrá una historia secreta del padre de Olivia que sí me ha gustado, pero tampoco he terminado de entender. Aunque dará pie a más libros de la serie.
Si hay algo que no he entendido, es, siendo los abuelos paternos de Olivia tan buenos y adelantados a su tiempo, que tengan una relación de amistad estrecha con los abuelos maternos de Olivia. Los abuelos Bellamy se casaron en contra de lo que querían sus familias, él pertenecía a una familia rica y bien situada socialmente, y ella no, su familia era propietaria del campamento Kioga. Una vez casados y juntos lo convirtieron en lo que llegó a ser.
Pero los abuelos maternos de Olivia y su propia madre son gente pija, altiva, rica y muy bien situados socialmente. Por ello no me cuadra que todos los abuelos fuesen amigos de toda la vida, y que sus hijos acabaran casándose, como si lo suyo hubiese sido un matrimonio concertado; para luego acabar divorciándose porque no se soportaban y porque había ciertos secretos de su pasado que abocó su matrimonio al fracaso.
Sí, éstas cosas no me han convencido. Y la pena es que la trama no se haya centrado solo en los protagonistas, aunque si soy sincera, su historia no me ha gustado mucho, me ha parecido muy sosa y esperaba algo más.
En el fondo el libro está bien, está bien escrito y quizás con un mejor romance y quitando algunas tramas secundarias que podrían haber enriquecidos otros libros, éste habría sido mejor. Pero en el fondo me ha gustado, y me ha dejado con ganas de leer los siguientes, así que los acabaré dando una oportunidad.
"A orillas del pasado" es el primer libro de las Crónicas del lago Willow. En él tendremos una serie de flashback y escenas secundarias que nos hablarán de los protagonistas y otros personajes que dejarán las puertas abiertas a otros libros.
A orillas del lago Willow se halla el pueblo de Avalon y el campamento Kioga, un campamento de verano para niños y familias que disfrutaron durante más de cuarenta años muchas generaciones. El campamento pertenecía a la abuela materna de Olivia Bellamy, nuestra protagonista, pero lleva cerrado nueve años.
Ésta vez la abuela Bellamy tiene un encargo especial para Olivia. Olivia es diseñadora de interiores, y su abuela quiere celebrar sus bodas de oro en el campamento Kioga, exactamente como fue su boda.
Para ello, Olivia tiene que enfrentarse a su pasado, un pasado que odia, que le recuerda el divorcio de sus padres, sus trastornos alimentarios, ser la chica mas gorda y fea del campamento, pero sobre todo el daño que le hizo Connor Davis, el primer chico del que se enamoró.
Connor Davis fue un caso de caridad en el campamento Kioga, hijo de una familia desestructurada. Su padre alcohólico es el conserje del campamento, y a él solo accenden durante el verano los hijos de la gente más privilegiada de la sociedad.
En su primer año en el campamento Connor y Olivia "Lolly", se conocieron. Pasaron de no soportarse a ser amigos, así durante varios veranos, hasta que a los diecisete años se enamoraron. Pero su relación no acabó bien.
Nueve años después, Olivia vuelve al campamento Kioga para reformarlo para las bodas de oro de sus abuelos. Y allí pide los servicios del único contratista del pueblo: Connor Davis. Una vez se encuentren, volverán los recuerdos, los flashback, la historia pasada, y una vez juntos de nuevo durante todo el verano, volverá a surgir lo que dejaron a los diecisete años.
El libro está bien, pero hay ciertas cosas que no me han cuadrado. No he terminado de entender por qué acabó todo mal entre Olivia y Connor cuando eran jóvenes, creo que la autora no ha sabido explicarlo, o a mí me lo ha parecido.
Por otro lado, habrá una historia secreta del padre de Olivia que sí me ha gustado, pero tampoco he terminado de entender. Aunque dará pie a más libros de la serie.
Si hay algo que no he entendido, es, siendo los abuelos paternos de Olivia tan buenos y adelantados a su tiempo, que tengan una relación de amistad estrecha con los abuelos maternos de Olivia. Los abuelos Bellamy se casaron en contra de lo que querían sus familias, él pertenecía a una familia rica y bien situada socialmente, y ella no, su familia era propietaria del campamento Kioga. Una vez casados y juntos lo convirtieron en lo que llegó a ser.
Pero los abuelos maternos de Olivia y su propia madre son gente pija, altiva, rica y muy bien situados socialmente. Por ello no me cuadra que todos los abuelos fuesen amigos de toda la vida, y que sus hijos acabaran casándose, como si lo suyo hubiese sido un matrimonio concertado; para luego acabar divorciándose porque no se soportaban y porque había ciertos secretos de su pasado que abocó su matrimonio al fracaso.
Sí, éstas cosas no me han convencido. Y la pena es que la trama no se haya centrado solo en los protagonistas, aunque si soy sincera, su historia no me ha gustado mucho, me ha parecido muy sosa y esperaba algo más.
En el fondo el libro está bien, está bien escrito y quizás con un mejor romance y quitando algunas tramas secundarias que podrían haber enriquecidos otros libros, éste habría sido mejor. Pero en el fondo me ha gustado, y me ha dejado con ganas de leer los siguientes, así que los acabaré dando una oportunidad.
March 16, 2010
This was not just a new series for me, but author as well. I've had this book for a while but kept putting it off on my TBR. I'm glad i was finally able to read it, the book was really good.
The characters are those that you can relate with, and the story is able to bring different emotions from the reader. There were some parts where i even found myself laughing out loud. A secret is revealed in this book that sets up the premise for the following story. It was quite intriguing and enjoyable to see how the characters involved reacted to it.
This book was quite long but i thought that was perfect because it built the setting for the future books. I have to say that the way the camp was portrayed made me wish i could back to those times again myself. There seems to be mixed reviews about the flashbacks, but i have to say i enjoy it. It gives first hand knowledge not just on what happens but how participant were those involved. It was interesting to see how in some of those flashbacks the characters involved rationality of the event varied from my own.
The only downside for me and is more a personal taste than the author's fault, was the heroine's self image. For me, it was exaggerated to the point where i just wanted to shake her. Tell her to take a look at how old she was and how far she had come. To really listen to what others who really matter in her life think of her and not some childhood vision. Honestly get a psychiatrist already! Not that the hero was any better, they both just lacked a great amount of communication. There were some issues that could have been avoided simply by an honest conversation. Instead we had to deal with self preservation excuses that were kind of unfounded.
Another thing i didn't like much was how after all the struggles the main characters go througout the book, there's this big blowout that happens and they are separated. Then suddenly their heads finally start to work and boom HEA. Just how quickly they can come together after watching them struggle for so many pages was a bit absurd, but seems to be a theme for the author on all the books.
Overall though i can excuse the parts i didn't like much because deep inside am just a sucker for a romantic ending. These HEA may have happened in a rushed manner but had all the trimmings i like in a story.
The characters are those that you can relate with, and the story is able to bring different emotions from the reader. There were some parts where i even found myself laughing out loud. A secret is revealed in this book that sets up the premise for the following story. It was quite intriguing and enjoyable to see how the characters involved reacted to it.
This book was quite long but i thought that was perfect because it built the setting for the future books. I have to say that the way the camp was portrayed made me wish i could back to those times again myself. There seems to be mixed reviews about the flashbacks, but i have to say i enjoy it. It gives first hand knowledge not just on what happens but how participant were those involved. It was interesting to see how in some of those flashbacks the characters involved rationality of the event varied from my own.
The only downside for me and is more a personal taste than the author's fault, was the heroine's self image. For me, it was exaggerated to the point where i just wanted to shake her. Tell her to take a look at how old she was and how far she had come. To really listen to what others who really matter in her life think of her and not some childhood vision. Honestly get a psychiatrist already! Not that the hero was any better, they both just lacked a great amount of communication. There were some issues that could have been avoided simply by an honest conversation. Instead we had to deal with self preservation excuses that were kind of unfounded.
Another thing i didn't like much was how after all the struggles the main characters go througout the book, there's this big blowout that happens and they are separated. Then suddenly their heads finally start to work and boom HEA. Just how quickly they can come together after watching them struggle for so many pages was a bit absurd, but seems to be a theme for the author on all the books.
Overall though i can excuse the parts i didn't like much because deep inside am just a sucker for a romantic ending. These HEA may have happened in a rushed manner but had all the trimmings i like in a story.
August 18, 2020
I was a bit ambivalent about this book but found it exceeded my expectations and I really enjoyed it.
Olivia Bellamy runs a successful business in New York but finds herself unlucky in love. Her grandparents who are about to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary ask her to help with restoring their lake side camp/ holiday resort that has been shut down for 9 years to be the site of their wedding anniversary as it was where they married.
For Olivia this is going back to a place of unhappy childhood memories. For many years at the 'summer camp' she was the chubby, plain girl who always found herself on the outside looking in.
The story moves between different timelines and characters and their personal problems.
Great chick-lit where everything seems to move in the direction you would like it to. The story is well told and manages to be realistic and not too corny. A nice, clean book to read if you are looking for some light and happiness.
Olivia Bellamy runs a successful business in New York but finds herself unlucky in love. Her grandparents who are about to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary ask her to help with restoring their lake side camp/ holiday resort that has been shut down for 9 years to be the site of their wedding anniversary as it was where they married.
For Olivia this is going back to a place of unhappy childhood memories. For many years at the 'summer camp' she was the chubby, plain girl who always found herself on the outside looking in.
The story moves between different timelines and characters and their personal problems.
Great chick-lit where everything seems to move in the direction you would like it to. The story is well told and manages to be realistic and not too corny. A nice, clean book to read if you are looking for some light and happiness.
February 8, 2011
I wish that I agreed with the other reviewers who seemed fascinatedly in love with this book, but I am not able to. I did like the idea behind the story, and a few of the characters in the most general sense, but found much of the book to be schmaltzy and unrealistic. It felt like a weird mash up of Dirty Dancing, every movie or book about a summer camp that you've ever heard of, and a harlequin romance novel. The leading male character, Connor, was wholeheartedly unbelievable- from his 80's/90's era "good looks" of long hair, pierced ear, and motorcycle/rebel attire, to his professed love for the "fat girl" turned "beautiful swan" Lolly/Olivia. I have rarely met a man in real life who is such a "rebel" and, at the same time, a totally sappy romantic. I can't explain to you how much I disliked this book- the writing was cliched, the characters nearly unbelievable, and the story hurried. When I got to the end, I cheered in pure excitement that I was finished with it. I mean no disrespect to the author, as she obviously has a large following who love this sort of story, but I can assure you I will not be reading any more of her books.
January 11, 2010
So far I'm on page 105 and have learned a good lesson: why NOT to use flashbacks. The story itself seems to be ok but I'm getting so tired of the "here and now" being interrupted that I'm about to give up on it. Also there seems to be too many characters to keep track of...
January 6, 2012
When I was a teenager I loved romance novels. I would spend hours on the beach reading Harlequin’s and had an obscene number of Nora Robert’s novels stacked around my room. I absolutely adored the “happily ever after,” the moment where I knew everything would be ok, that life would return to normal, (like at the end of the hour on The Brady Bunch.) Since then however, I have drifted away from conventional (contemporary) romance novels. I would like to tell you my aversion was due solely to literary growth, but then I would be lying. I’m not sure if I ate too many paint chips as a child, or if my inner snob finally took hold of me in my early 20′s but the OLDER I got the HARDER it got for me to stomach romance “covers.” Yes… you read that correctly. I cannot, as much as I try, get past the sometimes hazy looking, almost always cheesy, bare chested, clichés that grace the covers of 70% of today’s romance selections. Thankfully, owning a Kindle has cured me from this little problem. I no longer have to see the cover every time I pick up my book to read it, therefore I don’t have a problem picking it up. Yes… I know I’m completely off my rocker.
Anyways, finding my new found freedom I decided to venture back into the world of the overly-dramatic-but-always-entertaining with a little bit of Susan Wiggs.
Olivia Bellamy was a very unhappy kid. As a matter of fact, she was a very unhappy kid who was forced to spend her summers at Camp Kioga. But while most kids would relish in the freedoms that camp afforded them Lolly was the complete opposite. Known as the “chubby know-it-all” she had no friends, (that is of course unless you count Conner, the tragically beautiful maintenance man’s son who would only speak to her after everyone else had gone to bed.) Olivia is no longer that kid though. Dropping the weight and changing her hair was only the beginning of Lolly’s new and improved life. Not only did she start a successful “staging company” in NYC but she’s also about to become a Mrs. Unfortunately, (once again,) things don’t go exactly as planned and before she knows it Lolly finds herself back at Camp Kioga, only this time she is running the show. What happens when an old flame turns out to be a necessary part of her new journey. Will the secrets that haunt her family’s past wreck her future, and will Olivia ever accept responsibility for her own actions.
Before I dive into the negatives, I want to point out a few of “Summer at Willow Lakes” sparkly moments. For example: Wiggs does a fantastic job of giving her readers “just enough.” We get just enough emotion to feel attached to the characters, just enough drama to keep us guessing, and just enough “huba huba” that it doesn’t distract, but adds to the story. The overall concept of the novel is fantastic, and if not 100% original, it’s at least written well enough to disguise any similarities. The only problem I had with this novel is it predictability. Not the “stories” predictability (although you would have to be a complete moron no to see what was happening) I’m referring to Wiggs need to add a million different “supporting actors” for future use, (which by the way I checked on and yes… there are about 10 more books in this series) I wanted to read a story about Olivia and Conner, and yes, I got that, but I also got character set-ups for at least 6 other books. Just when I would get excited about where the story was going I would flip the page and find myself knee deep in Daisy-the-cute-niece’s story, NOT Lolly’s. As a matter of fact, I got so frustrated in some parts that I found myself skipping 2 or 3 pages at a time to get back to the original plot line. Did this destroy the book? No, of course not, (this is a pretty common occurrence among romance novels) but I will say that I was annoyed enough to drop a star from its rating.
All in all, it was a pretty decent story for someone who wants more than just bed hopping in their books. If that is you, go for it… you might just find a new series to get involved in, however if you are a woman (or man…I’m not going to judge you) that likes a little more sizzle with their steak… this one is probably a little too tame for you.
Happy Reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: keep a few books in your car that make you look like a rocket scientist, just in case.
Anyways, finding my new found freedom I decided to venture back into the world of the overly-dramatic-but-always-entertaining with a little bit of Susan Wiggs.
Olivia Bellamy was a very unhappy kid. As a matter of fact, she was a very unhappy kid who was forced to spend her summers at Camp Kioga. But while most kids would relish in the freedoms that camp afforded them Lolly was the complete opposite. Known as the “chubby know-it-all” she had no friends, (that is of course unless you count Conner, the tragically beautiful maintenance man’s son who would only speak to her after everyone else had gone to bed.) Olivia is no longer that kid though. Dropping the weight and changing her hair was only the beginning of Lolly’s new and improved life. Not only did she start a successful “staging company” in NYC but she’s also about to become a Mrs. Unfortunately, (once again,) things don’t go exactly as planned and before she knows it Lolly finds herself back at Camp Kioga, only this time she is running the show. What happens when an old flame turns out to be a necessary part of her new journey. Will the secrets that haunt her family’s past wreck her future, and will Olivia ever accept responsibility for her own actions.
Before I dive into the negatives, I want to point out a few of “Summer at Willow Lakes” sparkly moments. For example: Wiggs does a fantastic job of giving her readers “just enough.” We get just enough emotion to feel attached to the characters, just enough drama to keep us guessing, and just enough “huba huba” that it doesn’t distract, but adds to the story. The overall concept of the novel is fantastic, and if not 100% original, it’s at least written well enough to disguise any similarities. The only problem I had with this novel is it predictability. Not the “stories” predictability (although you would have to be a complete moron no to see what was happening) I’m referring to Wiggs need to add a million different “supporting actors” for future use, (which by the way I checked on and yes… there are about 10 more books in this series) I wanted to read a story about Olivia and Conner, and yes, I got that, but I also got character set-ups for at least 6 other books. Just when I would get excited about where the story was going I would flip the page and find myself knee deep in Daisy-the-cute-niece’s story, NOT Lolly’s. As a matter of fact, I got so frustrated in some parts that I found myself skipping 2 or 3 pages at a time to get back to the original plot line. Did this destroy the book? No, of course not, (this is a pretty common occurrence among romance novels) but I will say that I was annoyed enough to drop a star from its rating.
All in all, it was a pretty decent story for someone who wants more than just bed hopping in their books. If that is you, go for it… you might just find a new series to get involved in, however if you are a woman (or man…I’m not going to judge you) that likes a little more sizzle with their steak… this one is probably a little too tame for you.
Happy Reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: keep a few books in your car that make you look like a rocket scientist, just in case.
February 2, 2011
To all of my "Virgin River" goodreads friends: Run...do not walk to get this book (if you have not already)!
Wow! I am so happy to have accidently stumbled upon this author recently. The "Virgin River" books by Robyn Carr are one of my favorite contemporary romance series and I am always looking for another series like it. I have found it with these books by Susan Wiggs! The story is told with a combination of flashbacks and present day situations. I was not sure I would like it and I found myself loving it! Summer at Willow Lake also tells the story of other characters that are related to the main ones. I loved Lolly and Connor's relationship. As the book unfolds, we learn that they had been each other's first love at Lolly's grandparents' Summer camp. Connor grew up in a difficult household and Lolly did too. The circumstances were totally different, but that was one of the bonds they shared. I could go on and on about how much I loved these two and why this story worked for me, but I will not bore any of my goodreads friends who are kind enough to read my review! I just want to add one more quick point in case anyone is wondering...This story was not as steamy as maybe some of the "Virgin River" books, but I enjoyed it just as much. It definitely was a romance and I am anxious to read more!
Wow! I am so happy to have accidently stumbled upon this author recently. The "Virgin River" books by Robyn Carr are one of my favorite contemporary romance series and I am always looking for another series like it. I have found it with these books by Susan Wiggs! The story is told with a combination of flashbacks and present day situations. I was not sure I would like it and I found myself loving it! Summer at Willow Lake also tells the story of other characters that are related to the main ones. I loved Lolly and Connor's relationship. As the book unfolds, we learn that they had been each other's first love at Lolly's grandparents' Summer camp. Connor grew up in a difficult household and Lolly did too. The circumstances were totally different, but that was one of the bonds they shared. I could go on and on about how much I loved these two and why this story worked for me, but I will not bore any of my goodreads friends who are kind enough to read my review! I just want to add one more quick point in case anyone is wondering...This story was not as steamy as maybe some of the "Virgin River" books, but I enjoyed it just as much. It definitely was a romance and I am anxious to read more!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2019
4.5/5
I loved this book. This is the beginning of a series of family saga stories with a lot of time spent focusing on the main characters, there is also much (maybe equal?) page time given to introducing the secondary cast for future installments.
In this case, the entire extended Bellamy family gathers at Camp Kioga in rural New York. The Bellamy family has owned the camp for years and years, but it has not been operational in a long time. Olivia Bellamy, with her career in staging homes for real estate sales, has been asked by her grandmother to fix up the camp so she and her husband can renew their vows for their 50th wedding anniversary. Olivia and her assistant move to the camp and get started on the work right away, inviting the entire family to come stay and help out because the job is so big. After Olivia arrives, it turns out that one of the locals that she hires to help is Connor Davis.
Olivia and Connor know one another from way back when they were both young campers at Camp Kioga. Over the course of several summers, the two grew quite close. Then a Big Major Event happened that split them up and they haven't crossed paths since. Naturally, working together will bring up those friendship/love feelings that they had in the past, and maybe the two will work through what happened so they can have a relationship in the present...all while we (the readers) find out the backstories of the rest of the cast.
So, I loved this. I love these types of series. I LOVE the relationships between the siblings and cousins and the entire family, and I love second chance romances. And I love small-town romance with a lakeside setting. All of these things are present in this book. That - along with "summer" in the title - is what drew me to this one at this particular time.
It took a little while to get the reason Olivia and Connor had such a bad parting many years ago, but the development of their newfound relationship was nice while I waited. I love that these two come from very different backgrounds and are able to look beyond that. Much of this story is told in flashbacks and there are multiple POVs. I'm excited for several of the upcoming installments because I liked certain characters so much. Actually, I'm surprised at how much I liked Olivia; I sometimes find the female characters in books like these to be less interesting than the male leads for one reason or another. But I liked both Olivia and Connor very much.
I'm curious to see what happens with the rest of these characters over the course of the series, and I'm hoping for more of this lakeside setting because I liked it so much.
Audiobook Notes: 12 hours, 48 minutes, Unabridged. Published by Brilliance Audio. Audiobook narrator was Joyce Bean. When I look at audiobook reviews, I see pretty mixed reviews for this narrator. I think she was okay but there it feels like a little bit of overacting with the male voices - they're noticeable to me where I really forgot I was listening to a narrator at other parts. I loved listening to this book in the evenings during my kids' exams and last week of school; it was like completely de-stressing before I went to bed each night. I already have the audiobooks for much of this series already in my audio library, so I'll be listening while I alternate reading with my paperback copies.
I loved this book. This is the beginning of a series of family saga stories with a lot of time spent focusing on the main characters, there is also much (maybe equal?) page time given to introducing the secondary cast for future installments.
In this case, the entire extended Bellamy family gathers at Camp Kioga in rural New York. The Bellamy family has owned the camp for years and years, but it has not been operational in a long time. Olivia Bellamy, with her career in staging homes for real estate sales, has been asked by her grandmother to fix up the camp so she and her husband can renew their vows for their 50th wedding anniversary. Olivia and her assistant move to the camp and get started on the work right away, inviting the entire family to come stay and help out because the job is so big. After Olivia arrives, it turns out that one of the locals that she hires to help is Connor Davis.
Olivia and Connor know one another from way back when they were both young campers at Camp Kioga. Over the course of several summers, the two grew quite close. Then a Big Major Event happened that split them up and they haven't crossed paths since. Naturally, working together will bring up those friendship/love feelings that they had in the past, and maybe the two will work through what happened so they can have a relationship in the present...all while we (the readers) find out the backstories of the rest of the cast.
So, I loved this. I love these types of series. I LOVE the relationships between the siblings and cousins and the entire family, and I love second chance romances. And I love small-town romance with a lakeside setting. All of these things are present in this book. That - along with "summer" in the title - is what drew me to this one at this particular time.
It took a little while to get the reason Olivia and Connor had such a bad parting many years ago, but the development of their newfound relationship was nice while I waited. I love that these two come from very different backgrounds and are able to look beyond that. Much of this story is told in flashbacks and there are multiple POVs. I'm excited for several of the upcoming installments because I liked certain characters so much. Actually, I'm surprised at how much I liked Olivia; I sometimes find the female characters in books like these to be less interesting than the male leads for one reason or another. But I liked both Olivia and Connor very much.
I'm curious to see what happens with the rest of these characters over the course of the series, and I'm hoping for more of this lakeside setting because I liked it so much.
Audiobook Notes: 12 hours, 48 minutes, Unabridged. Published by Brilliance Audio. Audiobook narrator was Joyce Bean. When I look at audiobook reviews, I see pretty mixed reviews for this narrator. I think she was okay but there it feels like a little bit of overacting with the male voices - they're noticeable to me where I really forgot I was listening to a narrator at other parts. I loved listening to this book in the evenings during my kids' exams and last week of school; it was like completely de-stressing before I went to bed each night. I already have the audiobooks for much of this series already in my audio library, so I'll be listening while I alternate reading with my paperback copies.
August 16, 2014
2.5 stars
Originally I rated this 3 stars, but then I thought about it some more and realized that I didn't care enough about any of the secondary characters to consider continuing the series.
This is one of those family/anyone-loosely-connected-to-the-family sagas, so there are numerous threads to follow/pique your interest . . . except they didn't--with one possible exception (male MC's brother), I couldn't care less about any of them.
SO. Docked half a star for the sheer mediocrity. Even the summer camp-ness elements couldn't keep this one from being solidly MEH.
Originally I rated this 3 stars, but then I thought about it some more and realized that I didn't care enough about any of the secondary characters to consider continuing the series.
This is one of those family/anyone-loosely-connected-to-the-family sagas, so there are numerous threads to follow/pique your interest . . . except they didn't--with one possible exception (male MC's brother), I couldn't care less about any of them.
SO. Docked half a star for the sheer mediocrity. Even the summer camp-ness elements couldn't keep this one from being solidly MEH.
February 21, 2018
Rated 4.5 - SUMMER AT WILLOW LAKE by Susan Wiggs is perfect for those who have fond memories of summer camp or camping. The setting is especially appreciated during an Ohio winter, when we’re dreaming of campfire stories, fishing, boating, and hiking to revisit in summer. I loved the characters and the wilderness setting.
For all the fun cover color and clickable linkies, read this at my blog.
Why was this book in Dorine’s TBR? Susan Wiggs’ themes sound like the perfect beach read to me. That means I end up collecting them, with the good intention of reading them on vacation. Of course, that never happens. SUMMER AT WILLOW LAKE begged to be read because I was dreaming about camping. It resonated with me as I was making our summer reservations for our own wilderness getaway.
I’m thankful for the Backlist Glom theme this month for the TBR Challenge organized by Wendy the Super Librarian. I love finding books that are buried so deep in my TBR that I don’t remember buying them. This novel was hidden on the 2011 paperweight, aka the Nook Tablet, which has outlasted my Kindles (total of three so far). I wasn’t sure the Nook still worked. With 434 books, plus my favorite Plants Vs. Zombies game, I needed to charge it and check. Yes, it’s still ticking! That didn’t stop me from drooling over the new Nooks at the bookstore this week. SMH.
I avoided reading SUMMER AT WILLOW LAKE because I “thought” it was over 500 pages. The page counts on GoodReads vary wildly. My digital copy is 344 pages – not as overwhelming as the 534 pages listed for the 2006 print publication. Anyone else notice that with the larger Harlequin books? Do they really lengthen, or are they playing with the typeface sizes? Note to self – look at the page counts closely so you don’t miss more great books!
I used to read what I call “tomes”. Any book 500 to over 1000 pages got my attention, especially historical. Most of these are print books, and I still gravitate toward them to purchase in print, but rarely read them because they’re too big for my lifestyle now.
I should start calling my library room “the tome tomb,” as it’s becoming a mausoleum of the unread!
The beginning plot…
Olivia Lolly Bellamy takes on the remodel of the century by accepting her grandmother’s challenge. Her grandparents want to celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary by renewing their vows at Camp Kioga where they met and married. The Bellamys owned and operated the camp until about nine years ago when they closed it. Its rundown condition doesn’t scare Olivia, until she realizes she needs help beyond what she and her cousins can do. And the only assistance available is contractor Connor Davis, the crush from her youth she’d rather forget.
Of course, Grandma has ulterior motives. Olivia has just ended her third engagement. Grandma feels Olivia has unfinished business in Avalon, New York, the Catskills home of Camp Kioga. It’s also the source of her fears – those memories of childhood anxieties. Connor Davis was her best friend and first love at camp, but why did he move to Avalon? It’s not like it was his hometown, or matched his lifelong ambitions as far as Olivia remembers.
My thoughts…
The wilderness setting is what drew me to this book and kept me reading. I grew to love the characters and was intrigued by Olivia and Connor’s secrets. Dual timelines were helpful in metering out the details of this couple’s past. As with most books like this, the family secrets and drama add to the main characters’ unease.
I don’t always enjoy a dual timeline. It depends on whether I’m interested in what’s happening, so I don’t get frustrated when one plotline drops to go back to another. The switching back and forth in this novel was enjoyable because I adore stories about kids at camp, as much as I gravitate toward remodeling stories with adults. Throw in a wilderness setting, where everyone is forced to enjoy the old-fashioned things like fishing without the aid of a fish finder, and I’m completely enthralled.
Some details seemed skimmed over where I wanted more. But, that would have made the book longer, and then I might not have read it. I think it has first-book-in-a-series-itis. There are a lot of characters to introduce, and intrigue to build, to keep us coming back for more. With all that going on, plus the backstory, there isn’t room for more detail without making the book a tome. So, I did notice the skimming which made the book feel choppy or rushed in a couple places, but it didn’t bug me enough to dislike the style or the story.
This book made me smile, especially the last few pages. There is the big misunderstanding that made me want to shake the main couple for not talking about it right away. That’s not my favorite plot device, but that didn’t dissuade me from loving this book.
SUMMER AT WILLOW LAKE made me happy I chose it for this month’s challenge. The setting won out as my favorite part, and now I wonder what will happen at the lake next. I’ve already had a sneak peek when I read and reviewed book nine, RETURN TO WILLOW LAKE, in 2012. I’m speculating about Jenny Majesky in book two and Daisy in book eight. I may just have to jump ahead to find out Daisy’s story because of Julian, the wild child. He’s a great character in book one, and I’m super curious about the man he grows up to be.
Review by Dorine, courtesy of The Zest Quest. Digital copy purchased.
For all the fun cover color and clickable linkies, read this at my blog.
Why was this book in Dorine’s TBR? Susan Wiggs’ themes sound like the perfect beach read to me. That means I end up collecting them, with the good intention of reading them on vacation. Of course, that never happens. SUMMER AT WILLOW LAKE begged to be read because I was dreaming about camping. It resonated with me as I was making our summer reservations for our own wilderness getaway.
I’m thankful for the Backlist Glom theme this month for the TBR Challenge organized by Wendy the Super Librarian. I love finding books that are buried so deep in my TBR that I don’t remember buying them. This novel was hidden on the 2011 paperweight, aka the Nook Tablet, which has outlasted my Kindles (total of three so far). I wasn’t sure the Nook still worked. With 434 books, plus my favorite Plants Vs. Zombies game, I needed to charge it and check. Yes, it’s still ticking! That didn’t stop me from drooling over the new Nooks at the bookstore this week. SMH.
I avoided reading SUMMER AT WILLOW LAKE because I “thought” it was over 500 pages. The page counts on GoodReads vary wildly. My digital copy is 344 pages – not as overwhelming as the 534 pages listed for the 2006 print publication. Anyone else notice that with the larger Harlequin books? Do they really lengthen, or are they playing with the typeface sizes? Note to self – look at the page counts closely so you don’t miss more great books!
I used to read what I call “tomes”. Any book 500 to over 1000 pages got my attention, especially historical. Most of these are print books, and I still gravitate toward them to purchase in print, but rarely read them because they’re too big for my lifestyle now.
I should start calling my library room “the tome tomb,” as it’s becoming a mausoleum of the unread!
The beginning plot…
Olivia Lolly Bellamy takes on the remodel of the century by accepting her grandmother’s challenge. Her grandparents want to celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary by renewing their vows at Camp Kioga where they met and married. The Bellamys owned and operated the camp until about nine years ago when they closed it. Its rundown condition doesn’t scare Olivia, until she realizes she needs help beyond what she and her cousins can do. And the only assistance available is contractor Connor Davis, the crush from her youth she’d rather forget.
Of course, Grandma has ulterior motives. Olivia has just ended her third engagement. Grandma feels Olivia has unfinished business in Avalon, New York, the Catskills home of Camp Kioga. It’s also the source of her fears – those memories of childhood anxieties. Connor Davis was her best friend and first love at camp, but why did he move to Avalon? It’s not like it was his hometown, or matched his lifelong ambitions as far as Olivia remembers.
My thoughts…
The wilderness setting is what drew me to this book and kept me reading. I grew to love the characters and was intrigued by Olivia and Connor’s secrets. Dual timelines were helpful in metering out the details of this couple’s past. As with most books like this, the family secrets and drama add to the main characters’ unease.
I don’t always enjoy a dual timeline. It depends on whether I’m interested in what’s happening, so I don’t get frustrated when one plotline drops to go back to another. The switching back and forth in this novel was enjoyable because I adore stories about kids at camp, as much as I gravitate toward remodeling stories with adults. Throw in a wilderness setting, where everyone is forced to enjoy the old-fashioned things like fishing without the aid of a fish finder, and I’m completely enthralled.
Some details seemed skimmed over where I wanted more. But, that would have made the book longer, and then I might not have read it. I think it has first-book-in-a-series-itis. There are a lot of characters to introduce, and intrigue to build, to keep us coming back for more. With all that going on, plus the backstory, there isn’t room for more detail without making the book a tome. So, I did notice the skimming which made the book feel choppy or rushed in a couple places, but it didn’t bug me enough to dislike the style or the story.
This book made me smile, especially the last few pages. There is the big misunderstanding that made me want to shake the main couple for not talking about it right away. That’s not my favorite plot device, but that didn’t dissuade me from loving this book.
SUMMER AT WILLOW LAKE made me happy I chose it for this month’s challenge. The setting won out as my favorite part, and now I wonder what will happen at the lake next. I’ve already had a sneak peek when I read and reviewed book nine, RETURN TO WILLOW LAKE, in 2012. I’m speculating about Jenny Majesky in book two and Daisy in book eight. I may just have to jump ahead to find out Daisy’s story because of Julian, the wild child. He’s a great character in book one, and I’m super curious about the man he grows up to be.
Review by Dorine, courtesy of The Zest Quest. Digital copy purchased.
March 22, 2025
Eerste deel van de Avalon serie. Feelgood van de bovenste plank. Het verhaal van Lolly en Connor. Ze leerden elkaar kennen op kamp Kioga. Lolly, een tiener die wat verloren is door de scheiding van haar ouders verblijft gedurende de zomer bij haar grootouders die eigenaar zijn van kamp Kioga. Daar ontmoet ze voor het eerst Connor. Doorheen de jonge jaren zien ze elkaar telkens terug op kamp. Gestaag groeit deze vriendschap. Wanneer ze als leiders het kamp leiden groeit er meer dan alleen vriendschap. Tot abrupt aan alles een einde komt. Nu zoveel jaren later is Lolly terug en staat ze voor een grote opdracht. Het kamp weer nieuw leven in blazen omdat haar grootouders hun huwelijksbeloften opnieuw willen beleven op de plaats van hun huwelijk. Daar ontmoet ze opnieuw Connor. De rest laat ik jullie lezen…. Mooi en hartverwarmend
January 4, 2020
I have read a number of the books in this series in the past but somehow managed to miss reading the first one until now. Reading it with foreknowledge of what is to come was interesting and probably made the story seem fuller for me.
The premise of the story is that Olivia Bellamy is challenged to renovate and upgrade family owned Camp Kioga so that her grandparents can renew their wedding vows on their fiftieth wedding anniversary. At one time the camp had been a family camp where many families would come and rent a cabin for the family. This brought back memories for me of the two summers where my family rented a cottage at Crow's Nest Family Camp on Orford Lake. I have wonderful memories of that time and was so sad when the camp closed down and we were unable to return. For Olivia, the camp brought back memories of her time there when it was a summer camp for children. Her memories were not all wonderful as it was a difficult time in her life when her parents had separated and she struggled emotionally using food as a crutch. The good memories she had were of the the friendship she developed with Connor Davis, a scholarship camper whose father was the local drunk. Sadly even that relationship had not ended well and so Olivia is stunned to find that Connor Davis now runs the only construction company in the area and she will be forced to work with him. Perhaps this time things will work out better.
As the first book in a series, the author introduces many different characters who all have their own part to play in the overarching story line of the series. I enjoyed getting to know them. For a first time reader to the series it might seem that some threads are left hanging. All will be answered as the series progresses. I'm a fan!
The premise of the story is that Olivia Bellamy is challenged to renovate and upgrade family owned Camp Kioga so that her grandparents can renew their wedding vows on their fiftieth wedding anniversary. At one time the camp had been a family camp where many families would come and rent a cabin for the family. This brought back memories for me of the two summers where my family rented a cottage at Crow's Nest Family Camp on Orford Lake. I have wonderful memories of that time and was so sad when the camp closed down and we were unable to return. For Olivia, the camp brought back memories of her time there when it was a summer camp for children. Her memories were not all wonderful as it was a difficult time in her life when her parents had separated and she struggled emotionally using food as a crutch. The good memories she had were of the the friendship she developed with Connor Davis, a scholarship camper whose father was the local drunk. Sadly even that relationship had not ended well and so Olivia is stunned to find that Connor Davis now runs the only construction company in the area and she will be forced to work with him. Perhaps this time things will work out better.
As the first book in a series, the author introduces many different characters who all have their own part to play in the overarching story line of the series. I enjoyed getting to know them. For a first time reader to the series it might seem that some threads are left hanging. All will be answered as the series progresses. I'm a fan!
November 11, 2011
This book had a lot of really good points and only two not so good but those two continued throughout. I loved the backdrop of summer camp and all of the memories adults would carry of it. What a wonderful idea for a series of books! I really enjoy Susan Wiggs writing style, her characters always seem real and it is easy to lose oneself in their stories.
I had trouble with the choice in this book, however. While I enjoyed the secondary characters, their stories took up entire chapters NOT relating to the main plot. Also, there were too many of them! Along with the storyline of Olivia and Conner (the main characters), there was her Father, his past and present storyline and her uncle Greg and his family's story - all substantial parts of the book. I would begin to be pulled into the plot of one when the chapter would end and abruptly change to a completely different story and character, throwing the flow of the book completely off. I found this very frustrating. I prefer one plot with sidelines, not three plots simultaneously running if not related.
I had trouble with the choice in this book, however. While I enjoyed the secondary characters, their stories took up entire chapters NOT relating to the main plot. Also, there were too many of them! Along with the storyline of Olivia and Conner (the main characters), there was her Father, his past and present storyline and her uncle Greg and his family's story - all substantial parts of the book. I would begin to be pulled into the plot of one when the chapter would end and abruptly change to a completely different story and character, throwing the flow of the book completely off. I found this very frustrating. I prefer one plot with sidelines, not three plots simultaneously running if not related.
December 4, 2009
Camp Kioga means many things to many people. For Olivia Bellamy, whose family operated the camp in the Catskills, it's all about bad memories. Although she was just as rich as the other attendees, she was never as pretty or thin or self-assured. The only thing that kept her from being completely miserable was the arrival each summer of Connor Davis. For Connor, the camp took him away from a life far different than Olivia's and showed him how life could be. Connor and Olivia finally have a relationship, which seems to scar her heart. Years later, a slimmed-down, professional Olivia is asked by her grandmother to prepare the camp for her fiftieth wedding anniversary. Connor is still in the area, and as soon as she hires him to help with the project, feelings arise on both sides.
September 26, 2011
It started ok for what it was. OK enough I read it fast, but I may have to give this genre up. The drama drove me crazy and too frequently I wanted to throttle the heroine and tell her to grow up, life is hard, deal with it. Maybe I'm too jaded to find these kinds of books any fun anymore.
January 24, 2019
3,5⭐️ — Worthy Reading! — Romance (Clean)
For years I have looked for this book on libraries and stores, and couldn’t find it, unless I put a request, which would take 40 days to come, and every time I left the bookshop with some other book... the irony was that I already had purchased books 2, 3, 4 and 5 previously, but only wanted to read them in the series order... Yeah, I’m this kind of reader... 😒 Just very recently I got my hand in a digital version of the book (God save technology) and I can tell you I wasn’t disappointed on my waiting...
I can’t lie about how happily surprised I was when I realized the book is what has lately being called a clean romance, in opposition to the “hot steamy” novels falling in this category in these last few years. And don’t think of this as a criticism, but they are too different to be included in the same genre, although they deal with the same feelings at some point. But it is very confusing to readers distinct them just with the word Romance for a genre classification.
That said, l was delighted with the author’s writing, full of emotions and comings and goings in time, which are very difficult to write without becoming extremely annoying or tiring. If this is an art, Susan Wiggs masters it beautifully, because it made it so easy to understand the characters feelings and left the readers curious to know what was coming up every single time the story traveled back to past in the characters reminiscences and memories.
In sum, I really enjoyed the story, the characters and the authors sensibility to deal with the multitude of feelings each of us can carry at a time. Maybe it was just the right book in the right time, but I would recommend it to anyone who ever regretted doing or not doing something in life and truly believe in second chances.
📚 Good Reading! 📚
For years I have looked for this book on libraries and stores, and couldn’t find it, unless I put a request, which would take 40 days to come, and every time I left the bookshop with some other book... the irony was that I already had purchased books 2, 3, 4 and 5 previously, but only wanted to read them in the series order... Yeah, I’m this kind of reader... 😒 Just very recently I got my hand in a digital version of the book (God save technology) and I can tell you I wasn’t disappointed on my waiting...
I can’t lie about how happily surprised I was when I realized the book is what has lately being called a clean romance, in opposition to the “hot steamy” novels falling in this category in these last few years. And don’t think of this as a criticism, but they are too different to be included in the same genre, although they deal with the same feelings at some point. But it is very confusing to readers distinct them just with the word Romance for a genre classification.
That said, l was delighted with the author’s writing, full of emotions and comings and goings in time, which are very difficult to write without becoming extremely annoying or tiring. If this is an art, Susan Wiggs masters it beautifully, because it made it so easy to understand the characters feelings and left the readers curious to know what was coming up every single time the story traveled back to past in the characters reminiscences and memories.
In sum, I really enjoyed the story, the characters and the authors sensibility to deal with the multitude of feelings each of us can carry at a time. Maybe it was just the right book in the right time, but I would recommend it to anyone who ever regretted doing or not doing something in life and truly believe in second chances.
📚 Good Reading! 📚
August 6, 2022
Just ok. It was slow and I felt nothing happened. The blurb promised a mystery and there was none, everyone overcame their issues with no drama, there was just no tension at all. Only a lot of predictability.
November 11, 2011
I am a Susan Wiggs fan after reading this book! I enjoyed reading every page of it. I truly loved the campground atmosphere that the story had and all of the natural descriptions of the campground. I was able to really visualize in my mind the sunsets and the moonlights. I did enjoy the different stories entwined into Lolly and Conner’s love story too. I especially enjoyed reading on Lolly’s father and his lost love. I was very sad when his girlfriend broke up with him and was never heard of again. I really sympathized with him and his heartbroken self when she told him she didn’t want to see him again and that the whole summer had been nothing but a mistake… HOW SAD WAS THAT!!
Lolly and Conner’s love story was a sweet one; one that started when they were teens and then got re-kindled when they were adults. I liked Connor’s character as he was an average hard working regular guy. I liked that even though Lolly came from money and was from a higher social society that Connor, she was still grounded and down to earth.
Some readers have said that the story was hard to keep up with because of the going back and forth of different timelines throughout the book, but I disagree. To me the going back and forth was a great element to that book that brought out more of the character’s feelings and explained what made them what they were. I found it easy to keep track of each story and memory and enjoyed going back in time with some of the characters such as Phillip.
Overall this book was very sweet. It had the most elegant touch of a love story that a book can have without it being cheesy. There was just enough of everything for my liking! I can’t wait to pick up the second book in this series!
Lolly and Conner’s love story was a sweet one; one that started when they were teens and then got re-kindled when they were adults. I liked Connor’s character as he was an average hard working regular guy. I liked that even though Lolly came from money and was from a higher social society that Connor, she was still grounded and down to earth.
Some readers have said that the story was hard to keep up with because of the going back and forth of different timelines throughout the book, but I disagree. To me the going back and forth was a great element to that book that brought out more of the character’s feelings and explained what made them what they were. I found it easy to keep track of each story and memory and enjoyed going back in time with some of the characters such as Phillip.
Overall this book was very sweet. It had the most elegant touch of a love story that a book can have without it being cheesy. There was just enough of everything for my liking! I can’t wait to pick up the second book in this series!
January 1, 2012
I had high expectations of this book even though the only books I have read from this author are her older "historical" romances ones and I remember loving them, however I don't think this matched them.
I expected the story to be a bit more in depth to what it really was.
It starts of with Olivia (Lolly) hating Connor over what happened one summer when she was 17 and years later asking him for help on renovating their old camp.
The story took a while to get started and it consisted of one chapter being the present and the next one being in the past, either back to Olivia's father's past or hers and Connors past.
It just didn't flow right for me...and I really don't know what the point was in having the side story with her father in...it didnt really add anything to the story.
I also think the "wrong" that Connor did to Olivia wasn't explored enough and when you realise what he did...it was a bit silly especially as he didnt have anything to do with it.
It also didnt feel that they had been around each other an entire summer. They seemed to fall in love incredibly quick. Nothing seemed to be explored fully in this and it all happened very quickly without much explanation of things and then ended just as quick.
I do have Just Breathe on my TBR so I reserve full judgement on the author and her contemporary romances until I have read that one. But I didnt really enjoy this one.
I expected the story to be a bit more in depth to what it really was.
It starts of with Olivia (Lolly) hating Connor over what happened one summer when she was 17 and years later asking him for help on renovating their old camp.
The story took a while to get started and it consisted of one chapter being the present and the next one being in the past, either back to Olivia's father's past or hers and Connors past.
It just didn't flow right for me...and I really don't know what the point was in having the side story with her father in...it didnt really add anything to the story.
I also think the "wrong" that Connor did to Olivia wasn't explored enough and when you realise what he did...it was a bit silly especially as he didnt have anything to do with it.
It also didnt feel that they had been around each other an entire summer. They seemed to fall in love incredibly quick. Nothing seemed to be explored fully in this and it all happened very quickly without much explanation of things and then ended just as quick.
I do have Just Breathe on my TBR so I reserve full judgement on the author and her contemporary romances until I have read that one. But I didnt really enjoy this one.
December 6, 2013
I got this for free from Amazon at some point, for some reason...
This was better than OK--it was longish, and I got through it (not a guarantee these days), and I enjoyed reading it. However, I suspect I might not have finished it had I not been reading it when I was travelling by plane--that gave me a chance to read some long chunks of it, which kept me interested and involved. It's really slow-moving, and while I liked both protagonists (particularly the heroine), I didn't really feel the chemistry between them. Maybe because readers didn't really get to see the transition they made from wariness to friendship. Or maybe because we didn't get to see what had split them up in the past until the very end of the book--which was heavy-handed and weird. They both knew it...why couldn't I know it? Especially since knowing the details can help me understand Olivia doesn't trust what's-his-name.
Anyway, it was fine--even good--but I probably won't be reading any others by this author.
This was better than OK--it was longish, and I got through it (not a guarantee these days), and I enjoyed reading it. However, I suspect I might not have finished it had I not been reading it when I was travelling by plane--that gave me a chance to read some long chunks of it, which kept me interested and involved. It's really slow-moving, and while I liked both protagonists (particularly the heroine), I didn't really feel the chemistry between them. Maybe because readers didn't really get to see the transition they made from wariness to friendship. Or maybe because we didn't get to see what had split them up in the past until the very end of the book--which was heavy-handed and weird. They both knew it...why couldn't I know it? Especially since knowing the details can help me understand Olivia doesn't trust what's-his-name.
Anyway, it was fine--even good--but I probably won't be reading any others by this author.
February 12, 2015
4 STARS
"Olivia Bellamy has traded her trendy Manhattan life for a summer renovating her family's crumbling holiday resort. Tempted by the hazy, nostalgic memories of summers past - childhood innocence and the romance and rivalries of her teens - it's the perfect place to flee after her broken engagement. But what began as an escape may just be a new beginning...As Olivia uncovers secrets buried thick with dust, one by one her family return, their lives as frayed at the edges as the resort." (From Amazon)
I enjoyed this contemporary romance set in a small town. Not just a romance it is about a town, resort and the people living there.
"Olivia Bellamy has traded her trendy Manhattan life for a summer renovating her family's crumbling holiday resort. Tempted by the hazy, nostalgic memories of summers past - childhood innocence and the romance and rivalries of her teens - it's the perfect place to flee after her broken engagement. But what began as an escape may just be a new beginning...As Olivia uncovers secrets buried thick with dust, one by one her family return, their lives as frayed at the edges as the resort." (From Amazon)
I enjoyed this contemporary romance set in a small town. Not just a romance it is about a town, resort and the people living there.
August 25, 2014
Una bonita lectura para el verano. Seguramente leeré el resto de los libros de la saga porque este ha sido entretenido, rápido de leer y con una historia dulce, justo lo que andaba buscando.
October 29, 2020
Low 3 stars. I think I should start by saying Im not the biggest fan of Susan Wiggs so take my review with a grain of salt. I think we can also agree this book was WAY too long!
This book is told in 3 timelines from our main character Olivias perspective. In the present day she is a successful home stager who has been asked by her grandma to go to their family summer camp (no longer open) to stage it for her 50th anniversary party. Then we get the time years when Olivia (then called Lolly) was an overweight kid and teen at the summer camp. She had an ongoing romance with a guy named Connor but then he broke her heart. Now when she goes back she runs into him and needs his help because hes a contractor. We see the progression of their relationship then and now, but sadly I felt like this got overshadowed at times by the multitude of side characters. Our 3rd timeline is Olivia's dad when he's young. In present day we get the stories of olivia's half sister (Jenny), her niece (Daisy), her best friend who is a very metro but straight guy named Freddy, her uncle Greg, her grandparents, her dad, Connors dad, Connors half brother (Julian), and likely more that I'm just not thinking of. This made the book drag and I wish we wouldn't have gotten her dad's timeline because theres one thing that is significant from it, but it could've been done in a more succinct way.
I feel like maybe this book just suffered from being the first book of a contemporary romance series where it's setting the stage for so much, some of the connection between the 2 main characters is dulled. I normally love second chance romances, especially with childhood sweethearts, but this one just didn't do it for me. He puts up a lot of pretenses about not having feelings and I MUCH prefer a groveling, swooning guy (personal preference). In fact I hate the hiding feelings trope. As with so many of these types of books, earlier communication would've solved a lot of problems.
SPOILERS AHEAD:
In the end, they get together and agree to reopen the summer camp because the grandparents want to sell it.
This book is told in 3 timelines from our main character Olivias perspective. In the present day she is a successful home stager who has been asked by her grandma to go to their family summer camp (no longer open) to stage it for her 50th anniversary party. Then we get the time years when Olivia (then called Lolly) was an overweight kid and teen at the summer camp. She had an ongoing romance with a guy named Connor but then he broke her heart. Now when she goes back she runs into him and needs his help because hes a contractor. We see the progression of their relationship then and now, but sadly I felt like this got overshadowed at times by the multitude of side characters. Our 3rd timeline is Olivia's dad when he's young. In present day we get the stories of olivia's half sister (Jenny), her niece (Daisy), her best friend who is a very metro but straight guy named Freddy, her uncle Greg, her grandparents, her dad, Connors dad, Connors half brother (Julian), and likely more that I'm just not thinking of. This made the book drag and I wish we wouldn't have gotten her dad's timeline because theres one thing that is significant from it, but it could've been done in a more succinct way.
I feel like maybe this book just suffered from being the first book of a contemporary romance series where it's setting the stage for so much, some of the connection between the 2 main characters is dulled. I normally love second chance romances, especially with childhood sweethearts, but this one just didn't do it for me. He puts up a lot of pretenses about not having feelings and I MUCH prefer a groveling, swooning guy (personal preference). In fact I hate the hiding feelings trope. As with so many of these types of books, earlier communication would've solved a lot of problems.
SPOILERS AHEAD:
In the end, they get together and agree to reopen the summer camp because the grandparents want to sell it.
June 16, 2011
Property expert Olivia Bellamy reluctantly trades a trendy Manhattan summer for her family’s old resort camp in the Catskills, where her primary task will be renovating the bungalow colony for her grandparents, who want one last summer together filled with fun, friends and family. A posh resort in its heyday, the camp is now in disarray and Olivia is forced to hire contractor Connor Davis – a flame from her own summers at camp. But as the days grow warm, not even the inviting blue waters of Willow Lake can keep shocking secrets at bay. The nostalgic joy of summers past breathes new promise into a special place and people…a promise meant to last long after the season ends.
Susan Wiggs is the author of numerous books. I’m not entirely sure how many, but it must be at least 20+ if not more, although I don’t think Susan is as well known in the UK than she is in America, with only a few of her novels having been released in the UK. However, when I was offered the chance to review Summer At Willow Lake, I liked the sound of it. It had a pretty cover, an intriguing synopsis and is ‘perfect for fans of Cathy Kelly’ so I decided to give it a go. Summer At Willow Lake was actually originally released in America in 2006, and it’s only hitting the UK market now, in 2011. In fact, this is the first novel in the Lakeshore series and so far there are 7 books in the series. After finishing Summer At Willow Lake I will certainly be checking out the fellow novels in the series.
I don’t think I can necessarily pinpoint what it was that I loved so much about Summer At Willow Lake. What initially interested me in the book was the fact the novel is set at a former summer camp, Camp Kioga. The Camp holds a lot of memories for Olivia Bellamy, not only do her grandparents own the camp but she went there herself when she was a young child until she was well into her teens each summer. The book moves seamlessly from the present day all the way back to Olivia’s times at the camp back in the early-to-mid-to-late Nineties. I figured there would be more to the backstory than there was, but there was only a smattering of chapters throughout the book dedicated to the time Olivia, Connor and co. spent at Camp Kioga. They were nicely timed though, allowing us a little insight into how Olivia was as a teenager and we learn how she and Connor were outcasts, if you will, compared to all the other kids who frequented Camp Kioga.
I loved that Olivia was returning to the camp some years – 9 – later to help get it ready for her grandparents fiftieth wedding anniversary, it was clear that Olivia had unresolved issues about the camp and coming back to bring it back to its former glory allowed Olivia to overcome them. Namely Connor Davis. We don’t know much of what happened between Olivia and Connor, apart from what I mentioned above of them being outcasts and becoming friends. That’s unravelled as the story unfolds but the chemistry they had was really something else. I’ve not known two characters so perfect for each other and I loved how they sparked off each other and managed to fall back into their easy friendship despite the fact they hadn’t seen each other since their final (disastrous) night at Camp Kioga nine years previously. They carry the story beautifully and all I wanted to do was rush to the end to see if they got a happy ever after. Susan Wiggs sure can build up the romance, lemme tell you.
Apart from Olivia’s story there’s a lot more that goes on in the novel. It’s not just about Olivia and Connor. There’s a big secret back from when Olivia’s own father went to Camp Kioga – which I must admit, I guessed immediately, but I still found riveting. Julian, Connor’s younger brother, feels all out at sea and resorts to jumping off high things to feel alive and get attention and ends up having to spend the summer with Connor to save him from juvie. Olivia’s Uncle Greg has a marriage that’s falling apart so uses the summer to spend some time with his kids, Daisy and Max. I thought it was a real family affair and I found all of the stories to be incredibly real and touching. They were all as engaging as the next and all of the characters were wonderful. They’re such an ensemble cast but I found it very easy to remember who was who and what they’d done and why I was reading about them. I’ve got no idea how Susan managed to keep them all going, all the different strands, but it all worked beautifully. There’s nothing like a book that comes together perfectly.
Summer At Willow Lake is a hugely engaging story. Honestly, the novel is 544 pages long and I finished it in a day, because quite simply I didn’t want to put it down. Is it the most perfect book I’ve ever read? Probably not but it’s one of the books I’ve found hardest to put down because I wanted to reach the end. I wanted to make sure everybody was OK come the final page, I felt invested in them and I really felt for them. I’m totally looking forward to continuing on with the series, although I know the other books are more companion novels than direct sequels as they feature other characters. I do hope however that Connor and Olivia re-appear as I found them to be truly enjoyable characters. With some characters you just “know” and with Olivia and Connor I knew. I knew they were absolutely perfect for each other and they just needed to get over their individual issues and forget all that happened in the past. This might not be a traditional Chick Lit novel, I’d probably say it’s more romance than Chick Lit, but I think Chick Lit fans will find it just as engaging as I did. Despite it’s length, it never lags. In fact, I can’t believe it was so long because it felt shorter. It felt as if I’d finished it in a flash and I must admit I kind of miss the characters already. Definitely a brilliant summer read, with a wonderful setting.
Susan Wiggs is the author of numerous books. I’m not entirely sure how many, but it must be at least 20+ if not more, although I don’t think Susan is as well known in the UK than she is in America, with only a few of her novels having been released in the UK. However, when I was offered the chance to review Summer At Willow Lake, I liked the sound of it. It had a pretty cover, an intriguing synopsis and is ‘perfect for fans of Cathy Kelly’ so I decided to give it a go. Summer At Willow Lake was actually originally released in America in 2006, and it’s only hitting the UK market now, in 2011. In fact, this is the first novel in the Lakeshore series and so far there are 7 books in the series. After finishing Summer At Willow Lake I will certainly be checking out the fellow novels in the series.
I don’t think I can necessarily pinpoint what it was that I loved so much about Summer At Willow Lake. What initially interested me in the book was the fact the novel is set at a former summer camp, Camp Kioga. The Camp holds a lot of memories for Olivia Bellamy, not only do her grandparents own the camp but she went there herself when she was a young child until she was well into her teens each summer. The book moves seamlessly from the present day all the way back to Olivia’s times at the camp back in the early-to-mid-to-late Nineties. I figured there would be more to the backstory than there was, but there was only a smattering of chapters throughout the book dedicated to the time Olivia, Connor and co. spent at Camp Kioga. They were nicely timed though, allowing us a little insight into how Olivia was as a teenager and we learn how she and Connor were outcasts, if you will, compared to all the other kids who frequented Camp Kioga.
I loved that Olivia was returning to the camp some years – 9 – later to help get it ready for her grandparents fiftieth wedding anniversary, it was clear that Olivia had unresolved issues about the camp and coming back to bring it back to its former glory allowed Olivia to overcome them. Namely Connor Davis. We don’t know much of what happened between Olivia and Connor, apart from what I mentioned above of them being outcasts and becoming friends. That’s unravelled as the story unfolds but the chemistry they had was really something else. I’ve not known two characters so perfect for each other and I loved how they sparked off each other and managed to fall back into their easy friendship despite the fact they hadn’t seen each other since their final (disastrous) night at Camp Kioga nine years previously. They carry the story beautifully and all I wanted to do was rush to the end to see if they got a happy ever after. Susan Wiggs sure can build up the romance, lemme tell you.
Apart from Olivia’s story there’s a lot more that goes on in the novel. It’s not just about Olivia and Connor. There’s a big secret back from when Olivia’s own father went to Camp Kioga – which I must admit, I guessed immediately, but I still found riveting. Julian, Connor’s younger brother, feels all out at sea and resorts to jumping off high things to feel alive and get attention and ends up having to spend the summer with Connor to save him from juvie. Olivia’s Uncle Greg has a marriage that’s falling apart so uses the summer to spend some time with his kids, Daisy and Max. I thought it was a real family affair and I found all of the stories to be incredibly real and touching. They were all as engaging as the next and all of the characters were wonderful. They’re such an ensemble cast but I found it very easy to remember who was who and what they’d done and why I was reading about them. I’ve got no idea how Susan managed to keep them all going, all the different strands, but it all worked beautifully. There’s nothing like a book that comes together perfectly.
Summer At Willow Lake is a hugely engaging story. Honestly, the novel is 544 pages long and I finished it in a day, because quite simply I didn’t want to put it down. Is it the most perfect book I’ve ever read? Probably not but it’s one of the books I’ve found hardest to put down because I wanted to reach the end. I wanted to make sure everybody was OK come the final page, I felt invested in them and I really felt for them. I’m totally looking forward to continuing on with the series, although I know the other books are more companion novels than direct sequels as they feature other characters. I do hope however that Connor and Olivia re-appear as I found them to be truly enjoyable characters. With some characters you just “know” and with Olivia and Connor I knew. I knew they were absolutely perfect for each other and they just needed to get over their individual issues and forget all that happened in the past. This might not be a traditional Chick Lit novel, I’d probably say it’s more romance than Chick Lit, but I think Chick Lit fans will find it just as engaging as I did. Despite it’s length, it never lags. In fact, I can’t believe it was so long because it felt shorter. It felt as if I’d finished it in a flash and I must admit I kind of miss the characters already. Definitely a brilliant summer read, with a wonderful setting.
April 1, 2017
Вообще-то я не любитель книг такой серии, выпускаемой у нас. Но эта заинтриговала, как всегда, историей из детства. Я не пожалела. Мне очень понравилось, что повествование "скачет" по разным годам, от настоящего (2006), до прошлого... 1977, 1991-1998. Было очень интересно сразу читать и историю из детства, и историю молодых (27летних) людей.
Довольно необычно было еще то, что, хоть в книге и есть одна главная линия, довольно подробно рассказывались истории еще и других персонажей (в следующих книгах этой серии они станут главными героями). Это очень напомнило "Царство ночи" Л.Дж.Смит. Там тоже сначала герои второстепенными были, а в следующих книгах стали главными, и наоборот.
С другой стороны, именно в этой книге мне не очень понравилось, что так много разных историй, я привыкла, читая, сосредотачиваться на одной, так мне больше нравится.
Но следующую прочитаю обязательно, чуть позже.
Довольно необычно было еще то, что, хоть в книге и есть одна главная линия, довольно подробно рассказывались истории еще и других персонажей (в следующих книгах этой серии они станут главными героями). Это очень напомнило "Царство ночи" Л.Дж.Смит. Там тоже сначала герои второстепенными были, а в следующих книгах стали главными, и наоборот.
С другой стороны, именно в этой книге мне не очень понравилось, что так много разных историй, я привыкла, читая, сосредотачиваться на одной, так мне больше нравится.
Но следующую прочитаю обязательно, чуть позже.
November 11, 2021
This is another emotionally charged novel with compelling characters and a fascinating plot. The characters have flaws that they rise above to find a fulfilling life. The romance is sweet with lots of touching moments, and I wanted them to find their way to each other. However, this tale offers much more than a lovely romance.
The narration is brilliant with each character having a distinct voice. Many times narrator struggle with giving the opposite gender a believable tone, but that is not the case with this one.
If you enjoy women’s fiction novels with engaging characters and a great plot then you will love this book as much as I did. Happy reading and listening!
The narration is brilliant with each character having a distinct voice. Many times narrator struggle with giving the opposite gender a believable tone, but that is not the case with this one.
If you enjoy women’s fiction novels with engaging characters and a great plot then you will love this book as much as I did. Happy reading and listening!
January 21, 2018
"Aunque en teoría el romance entre los protagonistas es lo más importante, no es así. Debido a la falta de complicidad y de momentos entre los protagonistas, no me creí el gran amor que querían dar a entender que había. Además, muchos de los capítulos están centrados en personajes secundarios y eso hace que realmente no se pueda conectar con ninguno en concreto. Eso sí, la lectura no se hace pesada y entretiene casi en su totalidad, el problema es que no deja huella".
Reseña completa: http://entrelalecturayelcine.blogspot...
Reseña completa: http://entrelalecturayelcine.blogspot...
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