Denise Hunter never disappoints. Even with storylines that you think you’ve heard before – she puts her wonderfully creative spin on them, and draws you in from the start. I cannot fathom losing both my parents at the same time, as Molly and her siblings did. But the way they stuck together (for the most part) was inspiring to me. Each sibling needed to pull their own weight, work hard, and restore a beautiful (at least in my mind!) inn. I kind of felt like I was just as invested in this project as they were!

But the true star of the story for me was Adam. First of all, he’s an author, and so that immediately grabs my attention. But it was so neat to see an author going out to try to get over a writer’s block hump. It almost felt as if Hunter was giving us a behind the scenes look at the life of an author – it felt real and authentic. It also gave me a new appreciation for authors, especially when readers like me are begging for more. I think we don’t always remember that writing is not easy – they just make it look easy! Adam was charming, mysterious and a joy to read.

With a Hallmark feel, a beautiful setting, and moments of fun, this book is a must read for romance fans. Hunter even provides a bit of a historical story here, one that I found myself drawn to. A surprise twist joining the stories together made the book even more appealing. I just wish it didn’t have to end!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Book 1 of author Denise Hunter’s new Bluebell Inn series takes us lakeside to North Carolina. The descriptions of the area make it sound lovely. Maybe a great place to vacation! I love that the siblings in the story are dedicated to caring for each other, even sacrificing dreams to give the youngest what she needs during a time of tragedy. That was very heartwarming. Throw in a bit of mystery and you have a fun twist.

I’d really like to tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed this book and give it four or five stars, but I just can’t. Typically I find Hunter’s books delightful, however this one just didn’t grab me. And the main characters irked me for some reason. It doesn’t mean the book is bad; it was simply a personal preference. Maybe it was just my mood at the time so I plan to go back at a later date and try again. If anything changes I’ll update my review.

If you’ve enjoyed Ms. Hunter’s books in the past then give this one a shot. Hopefully you’ll be like many others and love it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

Denise Hunter is a master at creating swoon-worthy love stories. There is so much emotion packed into this split time line tale. Three siblings come together to see their parent’s dream come to fruition and restore the lake house. Molly and Adam have an instant chemistry and many misunderstandings and adventures ensue. I loved how everyone came together and demonstrate that ultimately, love always wins. There were some delightfully unexpected twists and turns that kept me riveted and determined to finish it one setting. This new series will not disappoint and fueled my excitement for the next installment.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are freely given.

Hands down one of the best books I've read in a very long time. The only drawback is that its the first in the series so I'll have to wait to read more about this amazing family!

This is a story of redemption on many levels: for Molly and her siblings as well as for Adam, a reclusive writer who visits their town to try to break his writer's block. Molly finds an old letter in the walls of the Inn she and her siblings are renovating in honor of their parents who died tragically. She and Adam work together searching for the writer of the letter and the intended recipient, never knowing how close they were to the situation.

This is a Christian romance, but the spiritual aspects are woven into the story in a natural and believable manner. Truly a talent of the writer who delivers a page turner, that I recommend you run out to get! e

I received a free ARC eBook from Net Galley and the publisher for my honest opinions.

LAKE SEASON is the first book in the Bluebell Inn Romance series by Denise Hunter. It is all about family and faith and totally heart tugging. It had me flipping through the pages like a woman on a mission. I had to know what was going to happen to Adam and Molly and all the secondary characters. All of Denise’s characters feel genuine and relatable and put your emotions on one heck of a roller coaster ride. As you are reading, you will find yourself cheering for all of them, praying they can work out their problems and be happy once again. You will also wonder how much heartache a person can stand before they completely break down and shatter.

LAKE SEASON is filled with family drama, forgiveness, mystery and romance. It is also an emotional rich story, so much so that it just might be the best novel that I have read by Denise Hunter so far. The letter that was found during renovations of the inn, the mystery of who sent the letter and who it was for, reliving the past, and the secrets that they all hold, made it hard to put down. Also, the fact that the setting is in North Carolina which is an added bonus for me.

LAKE SEASON is about a reclusive author, a book loving innkeeper, and a lost letter. Molly and her siblings tragically lost their parents in an accident and decided to turn their family home into an inn as a tribute to them. That is what their parents were working towards when they died. Adam is the first visitor and came to visit the inn as inspiration to write his next book. Molly mistakes him for a helper her brother has sent over and the scene is very funny. Molly doesn’t know he is an author as he tells her he is there for research. Hang on people, LAKE SEASON is an intense and crazy ride.

LAKE SEASON is a quick read that you can easily read in one sitting and love every minute of it. It is one heck of a crazy emotional roller coaster ridI have never met a Denise Hunter book that I didn’t love and once I started reading I knew I was going on one heck of an emotional journey! Whatever you are reading, put it down, and run and get this book! If you’ve never read a Denise Hunter novel (and you know who you are) this would be a perfect one to hook you!

Denise Hunter is a fairly new to me author. I listened to one of her books on audio and now I’m hooked. I was excited to read Lake Season and begin a new series with a new author I was confident I would like. And I was right.

The Bluebell Inn is run by three siblings, pulling together and reeling after a devastating family loss. Molly had dreamed of using her degree to run glorious hotels across the globe but instead chooses to put her family first and return home to help.

Novelist in hiding Adam Bradford has come to stay at the Bluebell while trying to write his next book. He’s truck by Molly almost instantly but finds his attraction a distraction instead of fuel for his work.

As the two work together to solve a decades old love story, neither could imagine the longterm impact their quest will have. This was a well thought out and lovely story that really surprised me about 80% of the way through with a very clever twist.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved this story right from the start—a charming B&B, siblings working together to fulfill their parents’ dream, small town flair, and an author (I love authors writing about authors)—but when Ms. Hunter snuck that love story from the past into her pages, I fell in love!
Oh how well Molly guarded her heart. But oh! how she got caught up in the mystery of the love letter.
Yet I identified most with Adam, not for keeping such a profound secret, but for his reason—he felt a failure to his parents. I applauded him for pursuing his dream in spite of it.
The layers—and the surprise twist—that Ms. Hunter folded into this story are rich and poignant, heart breaking and uplifting, and I eagerly read page after page. This is my first book from this author, but it surely won’t be my last!

ROBIN’S FEATHERS
FOUR FEATHERS

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.

#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day, #TRD, Book Review, Lake Season, Denise Hunter, Celebrate Lit

Love a Denise Hunter book and this one did not disappoint.

It’s a tad out of season to be reading right now, but I didn’t mind visiting the lake on these cold November days.

The reader knows things are going to explode, but when and how will Molly react is the big question.

I love how Denise used Molly’s past hurt from a previous relationship to add tension to the secret Adam is keeping. You just know it won’t go well when she finds out. But Adam is so sweet, I don’t want Molly to get mad at him.

The added layer of this letter Molly finds and the lost love there keeps things interesting as well.

Overall, a great read!


A copy of this book was given to me by the Celebrate Lit Team. All opinions are my own.

This is my first book by Denise Hunter and I really enjoyed it. I’m definitely going to check out her other books. This is a sweet romance with a touch of mystery. It made me laugh and it made me cry. I love that in a book. It’s a dual timeline book and I found both timelines to be equally interesting which is incredibly hard, I think.

I could really relate to Molly. “Molly’s eyes were getting heavy, but after the long day she needed at least a few minutes between the pages of a novel” (location 372). She is a beautiful woman who cares deeply for others and is willing to sacrifice for them. She’s got spunk and tenacity. I loved her as a heroine. I also really liked Adam. Both Adam and Molly have issues with intimacy. There’s a lot of growth in both of them and it’s beautiful to watch.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. I’d recommend it. I can’t wait to read the next “Bluebell Inn” novel. All opinions are my own.

#LakeSeason #Netgalley

My Thoughts on Lake Season:
This is such a fun book! It’s a contemporary romance but with a small bit of history and mystery threw in which means I’m all for it! I love mystery novels but I also like romance novels and I love history! This note in the wall just about made me swoon. Why can’t that be real life for me!?

I thoroughly enjoyed Adam and his alter ego. That is such a fun storyline and I always love books that have that going on in them. Plus the inn becoming what it once was. Yeah, I’d totally go there to spend a vacation.

Now for the hard part. Can Molly and Adam work together to solve the mystery of the note? What about the secrets they hold from each other? Will all truth come to life and romance still remain?

I couldn’t stop reading! I loved the book and highly recommend it. The characters all won my heart and I loved them, but have to say the inn won my heart for the longest. I’m forever going to be wanting that place now!

Anyone else up for booking a trip to North Carolina now? Just me?

Well, maybe you need to read this book first! Then let’s get going on that vacation at a historic inn!

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

Every time I read a Denise Hunter book, I think THIS is her best one. Lake Season truly lived up to that!

When the Bennett siblings lose their parents in a tragic accident, the three of them come together to fulfill their parents' dream for their house. Because the youngest sister is still in high school, Molly and Levi agree to out their futures on hold to let Grace finish school in Bluebell, NC. In the meantime, they work to finish renovating their home into an inn.

Before they can open, their first lodger, Adam Bradford, shows up on their doorstep. Bighearted Molly offers a room , and writer Adam finds his muse. Writing under a pseudonym, Adam is Molly's favorite author. He's such a favorite that she tells everyone that she doesn't need to date because she's in love with Nathaniel Quinn. Adam, however, hides behind his alter-ego, avoiding publicity at all cost, so even a superfan like Molly has no idea who he is.

When the house renovation reveals a lost letter in the wall, the mystery of it piques the writer in Adam and the romantic in Molly. As they work together to find both the writer and the recipient, can they get past their own trust issues to out the pieces together?

The twists in this story hit often, and sometimes hard. I loved that Hunter uses a bit of time slip - not a lot - but enough to flesh out the letter writer and her beau. I highly recommend reading this with a box of Kleenex, because tears are almost guaranteed! I loved this book and could not put it down until I finished. I cannot wait for the next installment of the Bennett family saga!!!

Adam was adorably bookish. I loved that his nose was crooked from being broken – by a large book! He had a habit of spouting random facts when he was nervous. And with the research he did for his books, he had plenty of random facts to spout!

He was also very insecure as his father had always made him feel as if he was lacking because he was more cerebral than athletic. So he wrote under a pseudonym, fearing that his readers would reject him for not being more like the heroes he wrote about.

Paralyzed by grief, letting fear dictate her actions and color her perception of the world, Molly struggled with trust. Especially after being hurt and lied to in such a big way.

The mystery of the letter from the past was very cleverly woven into the story. I liked the excerpts from Ben and Lizzie’s summer romance. There was just enough to not distract from the main storyline and enough to make me want to find out what happened to them. And I will say that I was completely shocked by the truth Adam and Molly discovered!

This was a very enjoyable story, filled with romance and mystery. There are hints of spiritual elements that come through especially as Molly learns to overcome her fear and her grief and as Adam learns to be confident in the man he is.

If you enjoy sweet summer romances, Lake Season is a great story to add to your library.

I enjoyed this book in a new series by Denise Hunter. Though it was predictable, I enjoyed the setting, the premise, and the theme of the story.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 NIV

There are so many things to like about a book that often mentions this Bible verse. Three siblings determined to fulfill the dream of their recently deceased parents. A highly successful author who keeps his identity a secret because he has never been able to live up to his father's expectations. A love affair that occurred over fifty years ago and recently discovered when a letter is found in a wall of an inn that is being renovated. As Molly Bennett and Adam Bradford try to find how Ben and Lizzie's lives turned out, they themselves begin to see each other as more than an innkeeper and her guest. But there are so many obstacles! Can Molly escape her grief and get over the hurt caused by her boyfriend? Would her trust be further damaged if she knew that Adam is the author that she adores? Will Adam ever feel worthy? Did Ben and Lizzie find happiness?

Denise Hunter has written a wonderful story filled with romance, faith, mystery, and a reminder that God orchestrates every part of our lives.These two romances, past and present, share a similar theme and I was especially moved by the ending. I look forward to following Molly and her siblings Levi and Grace as they continue managing the Bluebell Inn.

I highly recommend Lake Season to all who enjoy contemporary romantic fiction.

I received a copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This is the first book in a new Denise Hunter series, set in a small lake town, Bluebell, North Carolina. The story opens with the death of the parents of the three Bennett siblings, Molly, Levi and Grace. They decide to complete the renovation to the inn that their parents had begun on their home, which was originally an inn that opened in 1905, but also served some time as a post office. Their first guest is Adam Bradford, a reclusive author who writes under a pseudonym. He is trying to cure writer's block. Molly loves his work, but has not idea that he is her favourite author. When she finds a letter during renovations, she and Adam decide to research the letter and try to find the writer and the recipient. All this helps Adam, who believes he has found his muse in Molly.

I love the Bennett family and look forward to Levi's and Grace's stories in future books. The friendship that begins right from the start between Adam and Molly is wonderful and progresses well. Adam is aj smart and talented writer, but is shy and insecure. Molly is a strong female character that gave up her dreams for her family. She is witty, wary and a bit quirky. I enjoyed the dual timeline in the story with its own romance. This story will have your emotions all over the place, from laughing out loud to crying. This is a multi-layered story with wonderful writing, well developed characters, humour, angst, family, history and romance. I read through this book in one sitting as I was quickly turning pages to discover the secrets that may or may not result in a happily ever after. Will Molly be able to forgive Adam for keeping his secret? I have come to expect wonderful stories from Denise Hunter and this story is another winner. I recommend you pick this one up if you are a fan of Denise Hunter or Contemporary and Clean Romance.

I know I love any book by Denise Hunter but this may be her best yet! Molly and Eric Bennett are wonder characters who put their lives on hold after their parents deaths to complete their parents' project and dream of turning their old home into an inn and allowing their younger sister to complete high school in Bluebell, North Carolina. Molly finds an old love letter in the wall and becomes determined to find the writer or intended recipient! Adam Bradford is their first guest when he shows up before their opening day and needs a place to stay. Adam lacks self-confidence because he came from a family of football players where he was the nerdy, non-athletic cousin. Adam joins Molly in the search for the couple involved with the letter. I shed a few tears through this sad but exciting discovery! Lake Season involves restoring an old house, genealogy, Viet Nam war, adoption, learning to accept ourselves and learning to be completely truthful. I highly recommend Lake Season to others. I received an advance e-book from NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.
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Lake Season by Denise Hunter is a story of recovery from loss, creating a future that includes fulfilling past dreams and finding love along the way. The characters are interesting with layers that are not revealed at first but slowly as the story unfolds. Then there are characters from the past that you want to know their story as much as the contemporary characters do.

Really a wonderful story with everything falling into place. The setting of Bluebell, NC makes a perfect place for this new series. While the author has used this type of setting I found it to have a real sense of presence, seeing why an author might travel here hoping for inspiration. The somewhat love triangle is interesting to say the least, with Molly being in awe not of Adam as much as his alter ego. Then they impart on a mystery solving mission to being closure to others but perhaps for themselves too.

The publisher through Net Galley provided an ARC. I have voluntarily decided to read and review, giving my personal opinions and thoughts.

"Lake Season is the first in the Bluebell Inn Romance series" by Denise Hunter. Denise is a well established author. and winner of the Carol Award. The scene is beautiful at Bluebell , North Carolina . It is on a lake and serene and peaceful. There are boats there for the visitors to retreat and recharge. The story unfolds in the charming inn that is owned by the family who are the main characters of the story. The inn is run by the family and is so unique and unusual will draw anyone to it for respite and renewal. The scene is a perfect place for a romance. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. It is well written . I enjoyed the book very much. The opinions are my own and not anyone else. I will share my reviews with Amazon, my blog, facebook, CBD.com

I loved this book about the Bennett siblings and cannot wait to see what happens to them in the next book, as this was the first in a new series. The two stories wove together fantastically and the romance between Molly and Adam that developed was easy to invest in as a reader, as it felt realistic.

Lake Season is the first book in a new series by Denise Hunter set in Bluebell NC. A family of three - two sisters and a brother work to bring to reality their parents dream of opening a bed and breakfast place near a lake. Unfortunately their parents  never could realise the dream themselves as they lost their lives in an accident.

Molly the elder of the girls is a book lover and swoons whenever she hears the name of a certain male author. Unbeknown to her said author is struggling to meet his latest deadline and is in her town looking for a muse and inspiration. But... he keeps his identity secret and writes under a different name. Both of them have a few family issues, yet on the whole are well adjusted young people.

As they put the final touches to the house a letter from the sixties is found in the wall. (The building in one of its former lives was a Post Office). This letter sets Molly off wanting to find out about Lizzie and the man the letter was written to.  By this time Adam (the author) has arrived at the bed and breakfast and he helps. And so begins a journey that will led them to some surprising news and as well, along the way they grow as people.

So there is a pleasant setting, a mystery, some identity deception and kind warm hearted characters. The story pans out satisfactorily and of course - happily! Those looking for a gentle, heart warming romance would certainly enjoy this book.