This is a great sitcom in a book. The events and characters are tightly woven together to form a very interesting story. There is something important happening all the time which made me want to keep reading and I could have read book this in one sitting. It is hilarious, but in no way stupid. The characters were interesting and there were many surprising twists and turns. The author really transported me to the Upper Peninsula with his descriptions and characters.

How could I pass up a novel set in Manistique, a small town along a beautiful stretch of Lake Michigan beach in the Upper Peninsula? Stuck in Manistique is unusual, a bit of romance with a touch of screwball comedy, and meant-to-be-quirky characters.

Protagonist Mark is a financial planner in suburban Chicago who inherits his aunt’s home in Manistique, not realizing it is a bed & breakfast. He quickly learns when his first guest, young medical resident Emily shows up, fresh from deciding to walk away from her affair with her mentor doctor. Emily has nowhere to go because the town’s hotel is full with a bus tour group and she hit a deer on US 2 and the town’s dealership cannot fix her Saab quickly. Mark allows Emily to stay, followed by elderly George, then weird maybe couple Yvonne and Peter. In between all this Mark must scatter his aunt’s ashes on Indian Lake with the help of Bear Foot, a local visionary friend of his aunt.

So far so good, we have the screwball elements in place with people coming and going, all while our hapless innkeeper is the victim of his own kindness. Romance, death, revelation all ensue.

Stuck in Manistique is short; it won’t take more than a couple hours to read. There isn’t much action beyond eating at the various pubs and pizza joints, running along the shoreline, paddle boating on Indian Lake and driving around the UP and the northern Lower Peninsula. The main story is the people.

What is the connection between Mark and Emily? They both feel something, but it isn’t romance.
Will Mark decide to stay in Manistique?
Will Emily finally cut the connection with her adulterous lover/boss?
Can Mark get over his fear of bridges? (Believe me, you do not want to drive over the Mackinaw Bridge if you are afraid of bridges! It’s huge.)
Can Emily come to peace with her guilt over Nicholas?
Will George ever catch up with his tour group?
Will Peter and Yvonne make it around Lake Michigan in his electric car?
Simple questions. The author manages to bring these together in a gentle comedy that is engaging, and combines it with beautiful setting and an atmosphere of What Next Can Go Wrong?

There is almost enough meat to the characters to make Stuck in Manistique a winner. The people tell us about themselves, and while we see Mark being kind in action, that kindness doesn’t quite align with his internal story about dumping his girlfriend when she wanted to get married.



Writing is good although don’t expect a lot of action or snappy dialogue. The characters are the story here.

This is an emminently readable book. And before you start muttering under your breath about damning with faint praise, I've begun many a book that wasn't readable at all, let alone emminently.

One of the disadvantages of using an ereader is that you can't throw those awful books against the wall.

I found the plot and characters believable. And interesting. I usually find the "I'm going to keep this a secret from X" incredibly frustrating. Usually, it's completely unnecessary. And the secret tends to come out at the worst time possible. Especially if most of the other characters know the truth. You know that line about "three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead". Yeah.

Mark's reason for telling the lie in the first place kind of made sense. Trying to maintain it for days, didn't. Ah, well.

Over all, I liked the book. It was entertaining, but not overly shallow. I especially like that the two main characters became good friends, rather than lovers. It's not common to see men and women being friends, it was a nice change. And I'm a lover of romance.

A wonderful read full of quirky characters a small town so well written ,I began to read it and realizes the hours had flown by while I moved from my armchair to this wonderful town,thanks #netgalley #celestialeyepress.

Stuck in Manistique is an ok read. Wish I could say more than that, but that is all it was for me. Mark is an mid thirties certified financial planner who has found out his aunt has just passed away and left him her house in upper Michigan. Emily is a mid-twenties doctor, having just completed medical school and is heading to her residency in Chicago. As Emily is driving to meet her married boyfriend for a rendez-vous before starting her residency, she is involved in an accident (a "deer-car") and she is stuck in Manistique for the Memorial Day weekend. Turns out there is a geriatric tour visiting all the casinos in the area and there are no hotel rooms to be had. Well now, the house that Mark has inherited turns out to be a bed and breakfast and Emily shows up looking for a room. What follows is a confusing compilation of characters, side-plots and a lot more questions than answers about those characters. The book tries to be humorous, which it isn't. It tries to be a love story, which it isn't. And it tries to be mysterious, which it isn't. This is not a book I would recommend.

This book was ok. I had a difficult time getting into the story and therefore had a difficult time connecting with the characters. The story had its sweet moments.

First of all, I really hope this becomes a series of books! I fell in love with the characters! The story captured my interest from the year chapter and didn’t let go until the end. You really were drawn into the lives of Matt and Emily. Matt is the main character who finds he has inherited a bed and breakfast in the UP ( upper peninsula of Michigan) after his aunt dies. Emily is a doctor who is running from her mistakes. When Emily’s car gets hit by a deer, she becomes Matt’s first guest, reluctantly on his part. The adventures and cast of characters you meet will bring you laughs and tears. I really did not want their story to end! I give this 5 stars!

Stuck in Manistique is a book that found me.

One afternoon I got an email from NetGalley notifying me that I was pre-approved for the title. Despite the fact that I was (am) already buried under a pretty lengthy TBR list (eight from NetGalley alone), I couldn't resist.

I mean, Booklist says Stuck in Manistique is, "Perfect for readers who enjoy quirky characters in small town settings."

And ya know what? They are correct. 

This book is a delight. I enjoyed the setting and really got a feel for the local flavor without it feeling kitschy. And I learned the correct way to pronounce pasty--short A.

I relate more with Mark than with Emily. He's that funny guy who always has a one liner, but will do anything for anyone. I found him to be really down to earth and thought his reactions to everything happening around him were true to life. He is joined by sundry small town folks, none of whom could be accused of being boring.

The story was funny and had me chuckling plenty, but it was also full of really tender moments. 

I think my favorite thing about Stuck in Manistique is that it is quiet book about things that really happen to people. Yes, there are some twists and turns along the way, and there are things that you don't see coming, but so much of it is just ordinary life kind of stuff--and that's what makes it extraordinarily good.

Opinion

I got a chance to read an uncorrected proof of Dennis Cuesta's "Stuck in Manistique," and it was interesting. The first chapter got my attention, and the rest of the book kept me curious and enjoyed it.

One thing I found particularly interesting about the book was the dynamics of family and how important it is to know who you are related to on a deeper level. For me, this connected because I am an introvert, and my siblings and family tend to be extroverts. In this book, I feel I am tied to a scenario that could happen to any of us, where we don't know someone until it's too late.

It was an entertaining book to read. I found the theme of not only getting to know someone but also enjoying the journey of discovery to be fun.

There were some amusing moments as well, and it was endearing. I found it fun.

Score

It was pretty good; I'm going to give this a solid 80/100. It was a fun little read and perfect for reading on the beach while relaxing.

This was a surprise! When I started the book it was slow going. But I am glad I stuck with it. The book became a comedy of errors. A man that can't say no so he ends of with a collection of guests in the B&B he inherited. What a crazy collection of folks not to mention the town people too. I think I smiled thru most of the book. This would make a great movie! Thanks for the smiles!

This enchanting first novel is full of surprised. Nothing happens quite like you might expect. The book reminded me of both Fawlty Towers and the British play, Noises Off, in which numerous quirky characters appear and disappear, moving in and out of rooms with much hilarity ensuing. It's an amusing and entertaining book.

Mark, a financial planner, comes to Manistique having been left a Victorian house, a bed and breakfast, in Manistique on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan by his Aunt Vivian who has just died. Mark has not been in touch with Vivian for many years as she traveled to war torn countries as a doctor and did not write often.

Emily is a newly minted physician moving to Chicago for her residency when she is hit by a deer (the deer hit her car, she insists) and is forced to stay in Manistique until it is repaired. She becomes a guest of Mark, a most reluctant B&B host, as do a number of other quirky and delightful and not so delightful people. A series of coincidences ensue and if you expect Emily and Mark to end up together as they would in any other rom com, and that is one of the surprises. But there are many others to keep your interest.

This novel is fast-moving and entertaining and I look forward to seeing what Dennis Cuesta writes next.

I actually didn’t enjoy this book very much, so I’d prefer not to give a negative review. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC!

This was a fairly cute, quaint, cozy story of a chance meeting in the small Upper peninsula, Michigan town of Manistique, and the resounding consequences and ramifications. The story reads easily and is somewhat humorous with a few light, life anecdotes and a touch of romance mixed in. However, I didn’t completely connect with the characters or particularly care a great deal for them, and I found the plot dragging a bit as it progressed. And while the story was definitely quirky and unusual, it wasn’t entirely credible and sadly ended rather abruptly. It was fine, if not wholly satisfying.

Mark. A 30 something financial planner has just inherited a large house in the upper pennisula of Michigan. Shortly after he arrives, guests start appearing, it turns out the house is a B &B. This is a gentle read with humor, romance, and a bit of mystery. It would be easy to recommend to older teens and anyone looking for a non-offensive read.

I think that this is the first time that NetGalley has sent me an email with the heading "NetGalley Recommends". Instead of the usual process of asking if I can see a free review copy, in this case I could just download it. So when I clicked on the download button this is what I knew

Near the midpoint of the Upper Peninsula, along a Lake Michigan bend of shore, is the town of Manistique, Michigan. Mark had never heard of Manistique before the death of his estranged aunt, but as sole beneficiary of Vivian’s estate, he travels there to settle her affairs. As Mark tours his aunt’s house for the first time, the doorbell rings.
Days after graduating medical school, Dr. Emily Davis drives north, struggling with her illicit rendezvous on Mackinac Island. She never makes it—on the highway near Manistique, her car collides with a deer, shattering the car’s windshield. Stranded for the night, Emily is directed to a nearby bed and breakfast.
Maybe it’s a heady reaction, the revelation that his aunt, an international aid doctor, ran a bed and breakfast in retirement. Or perhaps he plainly feels pity for the young, helpless doctor. Regardless, Mark decides to play host for one night, telling Emily that he’s merely stepping in temporarily while his aunt is away.
As a one-night stay turns into another and more guests arrive, the ersatz innkeeper steadily loses control of his story. And though Emily opens up to Mark, she has trouble explaining the middle-aged man who unexpectedly arrives at the doorstep looking for her.
Will these two strangers, holding on to unraveling secrets, remain in town long enough to discover the connection between them?
When you open the book, you get a map. Now as it happens at one time - well for 25 years actually - Green Bay Wisconsin figured large in my life. It was where my then wife came from, and we visited family there from time to time. And every so often we would talk about heading north from there to visit Door County, or maybe the Upper Peninsula. But somehow we never managed to get to either place. And to a large extent this book reads a bit like a travelogue. I would not be at all surprised to learn that it is sponsored by the local tourist board or whatever (I have no hard evidence that this is true) since I now want to add these places to my bucket list. Though I have to ask: do they really run coach tours for seniors to visit all the casinos in a remote region?

As it happens my then wife also shared a trait with the main male character. A fear of crossing bridges.

"Gephyrophobia is the anxiety disorder or specific phobia characterized by the fear of bridges. As a result, sufferers of gephyrophobia may avoid routes that will take them over bridges."

Though hers was not as severe as the guy in the book. He has to use a phone booth to call the staff at the bridge to drive his car over The Bridge. It is, of course, huge.

The Mackinac Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac to connect the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Opened in 1957, the 26,372-foot-long bridge is the world's 20th-longest main span and the longest suspension bridge between anchorages in the Western Hemisphere. Wikipedia



I did not share her fear, and frankly this image is one of the reasons why I want to go see it for real.

The story rolls out quite nicely. This is not an effortful read. You care about the characters and you want to know about what happens to them. I got a bit irritated by all the references to Fawlty Towers, which was not a B&B but an actual hotel with a full restaurant. But I was entrapped by the fascination with pies. I once got my son - bored on a long cross America road trip - fascinated by the question of what kind of pies we might see at the next stop. And how they compared to the pies we had already eaten. There is also a frustratingly incomplete recipe for French Toast that I am tempted to try.

I really enjoyed reading this book and wished it was longer. Very entertaining. Recommended

ISBN: 978-1-7324-1090-9
to be published in November 2018 by Celestial Eyes Press

I’m giving this book 3 stars even though I did not finish it. I could not get into it. It seems to jump around quite a bit and I had a hard time following it and trying to figure out where the story was going. I’m sure there are people out there who will love it, it’s just not for me.

This was an absolutely charming book. The author’s love for the setting, the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Lake Michigan, comes through in his descriptions of the sights, the people, and even the lexicon of the area. The characters are memorable, and the plot lines are believable. Even though I guessed at a couple of the resolutions, it was still a nice ride with the characters as they reached their destinations. There were some very funny moments (nice odes to Fawlty Towers), as well as some heart-wrenching ones. All of it was written with care and attention to detail. In all of the noise of everyday life, it was very relaxing to spend some time in Manistique. I sincerely hope the author writes more stories with these characters. Thank you to NetGalley, Celestial Eyes Press, and the author for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mark has just inherited his Aunts estate. He doesn’t realize she ran a bed and breakfast until Emily knocks on the door. Emily is on a break during med school and hits a deer with her car. She needs a place to stay while it is repaired. Soon other guests show up and Mark finds himself running a bed and breakfast.

There were a lot of quirky characters in this book. There was also some humor. This was a light, cute read. The book started out slow and didn’t pick up til midway thru. This was an entertaining read but I found I had no trouble putting it down. This is the first book by this author and I would be willing to try another book by him. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy of this book.

A strange inheritance, realizing later it was a B &B when guests show up. He ends up having to play host to some quirky people. As one night night turns into another. One guest named Emily, makes you wonder if fate had a hand in them meeting. The historical part is interesting if you have been to Michigan An interesting read. Given ARC by Net Galley and Cuesta Eye Press for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.

I couldn't finish this book because it was so poorly written.
I appreciate that I got an ARC and that it was never going to be perfect, but so much of the author's use of language was just too difficult to keep going with.
The story is a bit twee and predictable, lonely man gets inheritance, meets wayward damsel in distress, other odd characters show up.

I was expecting something along the lines of "Doc Hollywood" or "Hart of Dixie" in book format, but it just dragged.

The grammar was dire, storytelling wasn't great and it all just made for supremely dull reading.