I loved this book! It's well-written, enjoyable, and a great summer read. Lauren Denton did a great job of writing in a way that captures the readers attention, and makes you not want to put it down until you're finished! I would highly recommend it!

Laura Denton does good chick lit. I've enjoyed every book that I have read from her. I do not recommend audio books by her but not her fault. The reader on one of them did pretty offensive accents for a Hispanic man in one.

This is a summer read about the second chances in love. Young Lily in the process of her divorce and Rose, approaching her seventies, meet in the retirement village of Safe Harbor, full of colourful characters - and both of them have reasons for their hearts to harden. But this summer, these women may open their hearts!

Honestly, while I loved Rose´s story (there is everything - reasoning, past hurts, real change and believable chance at romance), I do not care about Lily and her story so much. She is portrayed as the one who has been hurt, but really, she does not show any love for her ex/husband. She has been married to him for only a year! This is a very short time to fall out of love, especially when the guy haven´t shown the signs of leaving...I do think that the authoress should write Lily and her ex/husband as just a couple dating , as the whole marriage between them comes off as just a prop for the story, not the real heartbreak to recover from. In short, this part of story is not believable.

But Rose, Coach and the very charming residents of the retirement village make up for that! I would love to live there.

There may be snow outside, but this book was such a warm hearted cute read. Just what I needed.

The story is more about new beginnings from some of the lowest points. There is Lily, married a year and only a few weeks at a new home hours away from what she knows, who wakes up to a note and divorce papers out of the blue. Then there is Rose, the starter of Harbor Village, who is known as the “ice queen”, who purposely keeps others at bay. Harbor Village includes all retired folks who still want to live an active life.

As Lily isn’t sure how to move on, she finds an ad for a hair stylist at Harbor Village and her new beginning. Cautious Rose hires her the day of her interview and includes living accommodations over the hair salon.

These two women both start to heal over this summer and learn to move on.

Read if you enjoy:
- elderly/retired characters with a mix of youth thrown in
- Want to feel like you’re living on the coast 🙋🏽‍♀️
- Overcomers

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson publishing for a free ecopy! I really enjoyed the book. ❤️

A beautiful story about starting over and what good can come from that. Lily Bishop wakes up one morning to find her husband gone and divorce papers waiting for her to sign. She is shocked and devastated and unsure how to pick up the pieces. She takes a job as a hairstylist in Safe Harbor Village, a small retirement community started by Rose Carrigan over forty years ago. Rose runs Safe Harbor with an iron fist. The residents, behind her back, call her the Ice Queen. She doesn’t need a new hairstylist but Lily convinces her that she will be a good addition at Safe Harbor. Rose has her own past with relationships, as her husband left her years ago for his young assistant. Add Rose's nephew Rawlins to the mix and these ingredients make for a nice story.

I tried to listen to this last summer and had to stop. I’m trying to clean off my NetGalley shelf, so I started it again this month. I liked it better than the first time, but I still didn’t like it enough to recommend it. There are better books about starting over in small towns in the summer - it didn’t feel like anything new or different.

Thanks to @NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for my ARC!

Lily Bishop wakes up one morning to find her husband gone and divorce papers waiting for her to sign. She is shocked and devastated. She had just moved to another state for him and is unsure how to pick up the pieces. She needs a job, that she knows, so she applies for a job as a hairstylist in Safe Harbor Village, a small retirement community started by Rose Carrigan over forty years ago.
Rose runs Safe Harbor with an iron fist. The residents, behind her back, call her the Ice Queen. She doesn’t need a new hairstylist but Lily convinces her that she will be a good addition at Safe Harbor. Rose has her own past with relationships, as her husband left her years ago for his young assistant. Add Rose's nephew Rawlins to the mix and these ingredients make for a tasty Southern dish!
I really enjoyed this story - which overall is a story of love and loss. I loved the characters of both Lily and Rose, from different generations who share similar ways of dealing with hidden secrets over their broken hearts. A great summer read!
Thanks to Lauren K. Denton, Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was such an amazing story of the beautiful things that can happen when you start over. The unlikely pairing of Lily and Rose somehow works so well. I adore Rawlins & Hazel, as well as the diverse cast of characters who make Safe Harbor home. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and was under no obligation to write a review.

DNF - Did not finish. I decided not to keep reading this title. It was not for me. Thank you, publisher and NetGalley for the early title!

Lily Bishop wakes up one morning to find an unexpected note and packet of papers from her husband. At a loss as to what to do next, will a flyer posted in a grocery store change Lily's life?

Rose Carrigan is at a crossroads in her life. The owner of a small retirement village called Safe Harbor, Rose has been dissatisfied as of late. Will an offer from her ex-husband and business partner change Rose's life?

The Summer House does not have much by way of plot, but has a good cast of characters. Lauren K. Denton does a good job of providing a backdrop for the characters, who are very lively, realistic, and likable. This book is definitely a beach read, as it is easy to either pick up and read later, or finish quickly. The Summer House is a solid read and I recommend it to those who like novels about second chances.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher, Thomas Nelson. The decision to review this book was entirely my own.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Quick easy read! It was a fantastic pallet cleanser.

Thank you kindly to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this review copy.

This book gave me major Steel Magnolias vibes. I loved the way two broken-hearted women joined forces and how the hair salon became the local hangout. This was a beautifully written story that inspires you to accept change and to overcome the hard things life throws at you.

The Summer House brings readers to a small retirement village called "Safe Harbor" -- the perfect name. It became a safe harbor for Lily as she hit the RESET button on her life. I couldn't help but feel drawn to her character. She seemed so vulnerable yet resilient, not allowing circumstances to pull her down. Her quiet strength was a striking contrast to Rose's demeanor. I loved seeing the way Denton smoothly transitioned her characters into change.

The first 2/3 of this book had a slow, steady movement that felt like honey dripping off a warm biscuit. The final third seemed to fly by, and didn't feel as cohesive to me. I also wanted MORE information about the resolution. There was a soft closure to the story, and it left me wondering, "What next?" It occurred to me that Denton could create a Safe Harbor series in which she brings us into the side characters' lives....and I'd sign up for that!

Side note -- This book comes from Thomas Nelson publishing, which I have always associated with Christian fiction. I don't know if they're making a clear switch to mainstream or what, but this book didn't really fit that CF bill. While it was a clean read, it didn't have the faith element that I have come to expect from this publisher. It also had many references to drinking alcohol. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I certainly wouldn't gift it to my strictly Christian-fiction-reading grandmother who would twitch from all the mentions of cocktails. I will have to be careful in previewing Thomas Nelson books before sharing them with her! My rating of Summer House was not impacted by this observation, but it was worth noting for readers who might go into this expecting a Christian viewpoint.

When I retire, I want to live in Safe Harbor, where this book takes place. I enjoyed all of the different personalities in this book, and I could picture the entire community. This was one of those books that I loved the first part of the book, the middle dragged on for me, and then I enjoyed the end. It would be a good read for a summer day.

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

Our heroine is challenged to tackle something new as she heals from her painful past. Fortunately, a no-nonsense mentor has mercy, hires her, and encourages her to take that first step because the rest will follow. I loved Rose’s strength and how she readily shared it with Lily.

The author’s descriptions evoke feelings as we live in Lily’s world. You’ll find themes of sympathy and grief, but also recovery and healing and choosing life.

I found a few missed editorial issues, like rambling narrative. I also felt we needed a stronger through-line story question to keep readers hooked. Of course we wonder if our heroine will thrive and rebuild her life, but it wasn’t enough. The story lost my interest at about two-thirds of the way through, after I'd skimmed several scenes.

We get to enjoy fun secondary characters, but unfortunately this novel didn’t work for me. Still, I wish the author and publisher all the best.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This book was a great read and the first for me by author Lauren K Denton. I have since then read every single one of her books. I love her characters and how she intertwines their stories.

Lily Bishop was stunned to discover a goodbye note and signed divorce papers waiting on the kitchen counter one morning, soon after she and her husband Worth’s move to Alabama. Having no idea what had prompted this, Lily called her obsessively controlling mother-in-law for advice, and got nothing. A chance meeting with two elderly ladies led Lily to a senior citizens’ village in need of a hair stylist, and Lily applied, and began work immediately. The residents of the village were good-hearted people, accepting of Lily and her situation, and through their kindness, she was able to begin healing. Along the way, she helped several other residents heal, and to see themselves in a different light.

I was so impressed with Lily! She didn’t let Worth’s betrayal and abandonment define her, she found a job and a place to live, and went on to build a better and happier life. The seniors were great, full of energy and wisdom, and I loved the way they enjoyed their lives, celebrating each day with lunches, boat excursions, movie nights, you name it and someone probably organized it. This was an encouraging story, fun to read, and is one I enjoyed wholeheartedly.

Sweet feel-good book about two women at different stages of their lives who both learn to let go. As I get older I like reading books with older protagonists (though I'm not as old as the characters in the book!) and the setting was definitely a place I'd like to live when I am that old.

THE SUMMER HOUSE is a slow burn contemporary story that I was pulled in to from the very first page. To be honest, I fell in love with the cover the minute I saw it. I knew I would read it anyway, because I have been hearing so much about Lauren K Denton, but the cover really pulled me in. I would love to be swaying in that swing with a good book! I loved everything about this beautiful story and I’m excited to recommend it to my reading friends. Lauren K Denton has a way of grabbing her readers and she never lets us go.

THE SUMMER HOUSE really takes a turn that will have you unable to put this beautiful story down. Lily Bishop’s husband leaves her one day out of the blue and with no warning. She wakes up to find a note and divorce papers on the counter. He has left, but he left all his belongings behind. Lily is devastated and just can’t get it together. One day she sees a flyer at a local grocery store advertising for a hair stylist. Rose Carrigan runs the retirement community where Lily applies for the job as a hair stylist. Rose is known for being very strict about the community, keeping others at arm’s length and never letting anyone close to her heart. But she sees something in Lily and knows she must hire her and allow her to live over the salon. She even gets her nephew and his friend to help Lily move.

THE SUMMER HOUSE is filled with twists and turns and had me staying up way too late one night to finish! I had to know where Lauren K Denton was taking us and what would happen. The retirement community sounds like so much fun, full of fun characters, set on the coast with plenty of activities and a pool, but each person living there has their own cottage. Maybe its because this was the exact book I needed to read right now, but I loved THE SUMMER HOUSE. The sleepy town, the characters all sweet, but carrying their own baggage, the blossoming love of people who never thought they’d love again. I’m so excited to read more of Ms. Denton’s stories. She has a brand new fan now!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.

Since going through a divorce myself right now, I'm drawn to stories where the ex is the "bad guy" and women are empowered to be themselves... The Summer House completely fit the bill and Lily is my new role model!