I really enjoyed this book. I was expecting it to be a chick lit romance, and it had a bit of that feel, but it definitely diverged from that path. As we get to know main characters Mark & Emily, learning their stories, we also meet a zany cast of characters that keep things interesting. It's a rare novel that makes me laugh out loud but this one did in many places. It's a fun story, in a very unique setting, and is a great lighthearted yet emotional journey from grief to wholeness.

The town's name alone is entrancing. Mark has been left a house by his aunt in her will. She is someone whom he hardly knew, but now he wished he had taken the time to know her better. She did not seem to want to keep in touch and was always serving in remote areas of the world as a doctor.

Coming to her house and slowly unravelling the secrets of her life is more than what he bargained for.

Mark did not even know that she ran a bed and breakfast and having to face upto unexpected guests as well as the rituals involved in the Indian culture following a death was a little hard for him to follow. Getting more and more involved in the personal lives and calamities of the guests was something he never envisaged and he does not know how to get out of it and go back to the peaceful life he led before.

Finding out that even total strangers can be connected to one another seems very strange, and when it seems that some of it connects back to him it is even more difficult to logically explain. Going with the flow Mark discovers a part of him that was hitherto unknown!

Mark is surprised to learn that he is the beneficiary of his estranged aunt's house after her death. He has never heard of Mystique but he is intrigued. On the day he arrives to check the place out he receives a knock at the door and someone wants to stay in the bed and breakfast. He agrees to let her stay for the one night but it turns into much more.

Interesting characters and a page turning storyline. Loved every word. You will find yourself thoroughly engaged. Highly recommended.

I jumped at the chance to read Stuck in Manistique because I enjoy reading books set in areas I am familiar with. Michigan's Upper Peninsula is one of my favorite travel destinations, and I also live near Appleton which was often referred to as Emily's hometown. I will admit there were a few rough spots as this was the author's debut novel. However, I enjoyed the quirky characters, small-town flavor, and interesting plot twists. I am a sucker for tales of fate and destiny. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for introducing me to a new author.

I had a hard time getting into this book, it took a while. But, once I did, I fell in love with the characters and the story. Growing up in Michigan myself, I really enjoyed both the plot and the characters. While this wasn't a nail-biter, I would still recommend it!

BY Maggie
4.0 out of 5 stars

Great story
November 19, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition
Stuck in Manistique is a great story, characters with life decisions meeting up in the Upper Peninsula. I give the story 5 stars, but subtracted a star for some of the awkward treatment of bits of plot and wording. But, I kept reading until the end, late last night. Definitely worth reading!

I requested a review copy of this book from NetGalley because I thought the blurb sounded interesting. The book was even better than I expected. Immediately engaging, it had unusual yet real characters and authentic dialogue, complete with pop references to Fawlty Towers and The Ministry of Silly Walks.

It only took one John Cleese reference for me to warm up to the character of Mark. I loved his sense of humor. Other characters were equally memorable and quirky and there was something easy-going and inevitable about the plot, with an abundance of coincidental occurrences. It was by turns amusing and touching and the camaraderie between Mark and Emily was endearing. There was a heavy theme of fate and the impact it can have on our lives, particularly when we allow ourselves to be aware of it. I loved this book and not only would I recommend it, but I would also love to read more from this author.

I received a free copy of Stuck in Manistique from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Mark has traveled very far north to a little town named Manistique to settle the affairs of his estranged aunt. Upon arriving at her residence he learns that she has been running it as a bed and breakfast with guest schedule to arrive in a few days. Before he can cancel the impending visitors a knock on his door brings him face to face with his first tenant. Emily is a doctor on her way to break up with her married boyfriend when she is stranded in Manistique after an unfortunate deer-car incident. They start forming a tight friendship as a host of other odd ball guest begin to call the b&b home.

There are a few twists in the story and the dialogue between Mark and Emily is charming. It is a nice story but there is not much action, I began to feel stuck in Manistique myself. I really liked this history of Mark's Aunt Vivian and could have even used more of her.

I went into this book thinking it was in a particular genre and was surprised when it didn't go in that direction. I wasn't disappointed, as the scene was well-developed and the story was interesting enough to keep my interest. I'd recommend this book to someone looking for a story about getting away, relationships, and growth. The main characters were engaging and likable, and the supporting cast never felt unnecessary. All in all, a good light read.

I recently volunteered to read a review copy of Stuck in Manistique by Dennis Cuesta via NetGalley. I think the only fair & fitting way to sum this book up would be “Pure Michigan”. From the humor to the step on your toes kind of close knit community. Cuesta did my Michigan heart proud!

The plot seemed good which is the reason why I requested this book. It seemed to fall flat for me. I voluntarily read this via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

They say there’s 6 degrees of separation between everyone, but in this novel try 2-4! Everyone’s reasons for going to Manistique are different, yet their stories and relationships all intertwine into a full bodied novel.
The characters are witty, sarcastic and real; these are people I would want to hang out with. The plot is unique and light hearted while also taking on serious and painful issues. Cuesta blended the light and dark beautifully with this intriguing read.

I so enjoyed this book. Dennis Cuesta has a way with words and you feel every emotion. I highly recommend this book and this author. Thank you Dennis Cuesta for writing this great piece of fiction!

Mark and Emily are thrown together by fate, or So it seems. In this totally quirky and platonic story. Mark has just inherited a bed and breakfast from his estranged aunt which sets him up for a litany of characters and situations that seem to be entirely out of his control.

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One such character is Emily, who I would say is a secondary main character as we get the story from her perspective as well. Emily’s story adds its own set of circumstances to the increasingly complicated mess at the Manistique Victorian.

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I wouldn’t call it comedy but it definitely has the comedy of errors vibe to it. One thing is always leading to another and before you know it, all seems to be chaos.

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With all the commotion and the treasures trove of unique characters and circumstance will Mark and Emily find out what the connection between them is or will they go their separate ways like ships passing in the night?

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I would say that if a bookling were looking for a book that was easy to put down and come back to, then this book would fit the bill. This book is entertainment, simply put.

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I have rated Stuck in Manistique 3 out of 5 stars.

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I received a copy of this book via NetGally for a fair and honest review.

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I have mixed feelings about this book. While it had parts I liked, others not as much. It was descriptive when it came to different locales in the story. At times it felt like a travel log and at others it had a lot of history in it. It also was kind of slow in the beginning and it caused me to have a hard time getting into it. But it was also a quirky story when it came to the people in the book, and that I did find interesting.
Mark has a fear of crossing bridges. And that phobia has a name which I never thought about before. It's a gripping fear that makes his life difficult. Especially when it comes to traveling to Manistique because crossing the bridge was a must to get there. It was also fun that Mark and Emily have such different feelings when it comes to bridges.
I did like both of the main characters and they were complex people, not just flat, and predictable. They had depth, which I enjoyed. And some of the humor between the two of them was just plain funny.
The people in the book are not only the locals but also "guests" that show up at the B&B. It was an unexpected surprise for Mark and he felt like he was way over his head. He felt more like a ringleader for a circus than someone supposed to be running and bed and breakfast. And I could see why he felt like a ringmaster, and some of it was funny and some sad. It was at times an emotional story no matter how you look at it.
I did like how the story ended and the way that they got there.

Stuck in Manistique is such an enjoyable book! I was intrigued by the premise and the book did not disappoint. The setting was fun and I so enjoyed the humor of the book. I wasn't ready for the book to end as I wanted to continue reading about Mark and Emily's relationship.

This book was a slow starter for me, but I kept reading. The main character was likable enough, he has the most boring job I've ever heard of, and a really interesting phobia. As the pages turned, I found I liked him more. Each of the characters is memorable in their own way, right down to Conrad (how many jobs does that guy have?). There were funny moments of rapid-fire dialogue, usually in the form of a conversation between Mark and Emily. That I recognized most of the towns mentioned didn't hurt either, and that probably kept me reading through the slow parts. But this is a finely crafted character-driven novel. It's sweet and charming, like most of the UP in Michigan. (For those of you not familiar that's short form for Upper Penninsula)
While I confess to figuring out Mark's big surprise toward the end, I can tell you that I was quite pleased with the ending.
Read this, take your time, don't rush, drink in the town, the people, yeah...and the bridge.
(It really is that long. I will forever remember driving across it half-covered in dog vomit because we hadn't figured out in time that the dog didn't like the Mic Mac bridge)

Thanks to NetGalley and Celestial Eyes Press for an ARC of this book!

I am so pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this book! I expected it to be average, but it turned out to be an easy 4.5. Parts of it had me thinking, why not just give it 5 stars?

First of all, this is not a love story like I thought it was going to be. I don't even know what genre I'd put it in other than just a charming, funny, easy read with characters that I LOVED. The premise is basically that Mark finds out his aunt has died and travels to Manistique, Michigan to settle her affairs. He discovers that her "house" is actually a bed and breakfast, where guests keep showing up despite his best efforts to turn them away. And all of the guests are strange and funny and create some actual laugh out loud moments. The second main perspective is Emily, who through a series of random events ends up as a guest at Mark's aunt's B&B. I loved how this book was written, switching between perspectives before they ever meet, but showing their parallel journeys to Manistique, passing the same sights, listening to the same radio show. It doesn't sound like anything special but I just LOVED the writing.

The secondary characters are all awesome. From Bear Foot and his crazy antics to elderly George who keeps wandering off and forgetting things, to strange couple Peter and Yvonne with their electric car, and all of the slightly odd residents of Manistique. Again, it doesn't sound like anything special but the way things kept happening kept me laughing and kept me reading.

This would be the perfect easy read vacation book. The characters were so well-developed that they feel like friends, or at least strange acquaintances you'd like to continue getting to know. The storyline was entertaining and made me want to know what would happen next. It was truly a "just one more chapter" until I was suddenly finished kind of book. Highly recommend for a funny, not too serious, very enjoyable read!

Stuck in Manistique by Dennis Cuesta was a fun, first-time novel set in the Upper Peninsula (called the UP by locals) town of Manistique. I learned that the author and his wife were actually stuck in Manistique and this story was loosely based on that experience. I love to know what inspires an author!



From the Publisher:
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 the 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 from 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.
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Will these two strangers, holding on to unraveling secrets, remain in town long enough to discover the connection between them?

I thought the author did a credible job creating the lives and personalities of the characters. The town locals are a lot like the folks where I grew up and I felt that the author knew some small town people himself. There was some local history, plot twists and heavy description (which I love.)

The novel seemed slow at times, but so does living in a small town, which I felt the book reflected. I felt the characters had depth, especially Bear Foot and George. Mark, the main character along with Emily, had some growing up to do. Both were a bit shallow minded (Mark and his determination to remain single and Emily, having an affair with a married doctor) but I felt they "grew" during the span of the novel.

The editor may have let this book release a bit too early. I felt like I was reading a strong third draft and that the book was "getting there" but still needed to tweak some word choices and bring the characters into focus. I loved the humor. I actually could have read even more of it.

I would recommend this as a good read, and, as a Hallmark movie!