What a sweet novel! This was my first foray into Lauren Denton’s books, and this novel reminded me a bit of Jenny Colgan’s delightful books (which are among my favorites). The pace was on the slower side, but honestly, that’s about what I need right now. I liked that the romance was understated rather than a too-good-to-be-true fairytale, and I loved the community setting, which had so many characters with depths to explore.

THE SUMMER HOUSE is another winner by Lauren Denton. Fans of her writing will not be disappointed in this new novel which explores the idea of starting over. We follow Lily, whose marriage just ended, and Rose, who is a bit prickly due to her past. The small southern community is full of charm and we are rooting for these characters from page one. I like the theme of redemption and starting over. Watching Rose "blossom" is delightful and I was so happy for Lily by the conclusion of the story. The romance with Rawlins is a nice touch and I enjoyed how it did not take over Lily's life. She remained a strong and independent person. Overall, this is a charming story with believable characters who grow in admirable ways.

Started off slow but like her other books the story ended in a happy way. Quick read full of southern charm

The Summer House is the latest story by Lauren K Denton. This is an easy read with lovable characters that show you it's never too late for starting over. This is a book that makes you feel good while reading it and hate to see your friends depart on the last page. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you Net Galley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the early copy.

I enjoyed this feel good story! It was predictable and cozy, which is exactly what I was looking for. Everyone loves a good redemption story and this well written books contains many. I enjoyed the characters and found myself rooting for many of them as they navigated new territory. This book is a warm hug that will leave you smiling! My thanks to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

This was a delightful story about courage, compassion and never giving up. Lily finds herself alone, without a place to live and no idea what just happened. The Author didn’t dwell on her tragedy but quickly focused on the “what next”. There was no self pity. This overall was important to keep the story in a positive and light mode. The journey and the relationships were unexpected and heart warming. I would love to find a small community like this where people know you and care about you. Refreshing! #netgalley. Highly recommend!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It's interesting that during this time of uncertainty, I'm finding myself drawn to the classics and feel good stories, and The Summer House definitely falls into the latter category. Lauren K. Denton does a wonderful job of creating characters that I care about, and she knows how to romanticize the South. I enjoyed the redemption stories of both Lily and Rose, though they both were going through very different things. This book was exactly what I needed right now.

This was my first by this author and I enjoyed it. Lily wakes up one morning to find that her husband of a year has left, leaving a note that says "I'm sorry" and divorce papers. She then has to start looking for a place to live, a job and searching within as to why she even married him in the first place. When she is at the store she sees the ad for Haridresser and applies. This is where she meets Rose, Rawlins, Coach, Tiny, Kitty, Roberta and a few others. I felt this book was about self discovery, forgiveness and fresh starts. Good read.

Lauren Denton knows how to write Southern fiction filled with charm and emotion. I enjoyed this book’s theme of starting over after heartbreak and finding new purpose in life. Lily and Rose, although generations apart in age, both had my admiration and sympathy as they sought to rebuild their lives. It was also fun following the antics of the characters in this small southern retirement village. The vivid descriptions of the village of Safe Harbor and the sea shore were enough to make me long to visit there. It’s a good story to escape into when you feel as if you’d like to visit another location without traveling there.

This is a clean, sweet book with just a touch of romance. However, I do want to mention something here. Although this book is published by a Christian publishing company, I’d categorize it in more of the “general clean fiction” genre. There’s a new genre developing in Christian publishing that’s called “crossover fiction” and I believe this is an example of that. There’s very little reference to faith in the book, but there are good moral principles held all throughout the story. There are also references to social drinking (not drunkenness). I thought the book’s themes of love, hope, and forgiveness was well done. I’m only mentioning this in case this makes a difference to you in choosing to read the book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

#TheSummerHouse #NetGalley
A story about losing what you thought was everything, and picking up the pieces. Lily Bishop, is surprised to wake up one morning, to an empty house and divorce papers on her kitchen counter. Lily finds peace in a small town, near the water and quickly makes friends and enjoys the slow pace of life, and finds, it is just what she needs.
As Lily gets to know her neighbors, she also comes to know herself, and tries to be a source for good. This book was a quick read and I could picture the quaint town and Lily's hair salon.

The Summer House by Lauren K. Denton was an uplifting novel, set in Alabama. When Lily wakes up one morning, she finds a letter from her husband telling her he "can't do this anymore" next to a set of signed divorce papers. Stunned, she reaches out to him but is unable to get in touch with him. In short order she finds herself without a home. With no job, she answers an ad for a hairstyling position in the small village of Safe Harbor, a retirement community that is owned by Rose Carrigan, a lonely, feisty woman who run Safe Harbor with an iron fist. Lily brings something out in Rose and she hires her on the spot. But is Safe Harbor the right place for Lily, a young woman on her own? Will she feel comfortable with her elderly clientele and her apartment over her shop? And will Lily have any influence on Rose and her gruff manner?

The Summer House was a delightful, enjoyable read, especially in the uncomfortable time we are currently living in, with Covid-19 and quarantines across our country. It was wonderful to escape to the sunshine for just a little while. I highly recommend it!

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

I have loved all of Lauren Denton’s books. They are filled with southern charm and great characters. I can so easily visualize the community Lily becomes a part of in this story. A great tale of figuring out who you are and who you belong to. I love that her books are written about places in Alabama whether fictional or real. The gulf scenes make me want to venture down to Foley and Gulf Shores, my favorite place to wander to in the Spring and Summer.

I loved the Southern charm that was present in this book. The story was hopeful and heartwarming, with realistic and charming characters. This was a great escape from self quarantine!
Many thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Lily Bishop wakes up one morning to find her husband of a year gone and divorce papers waiting for her to sign. She feels blindsided by this turn of events, but not having much choice, she answers an ad for a hairstylist in Safe Harbor Village, a small retirement community started by Rose Carrigan over forty years ago.
Rose is known as the Ice Queen among the retirement community just not to her face. She doesn’t need a new hairstylist, but Lily convinces her that she won’t be any trouble and that she’ll even help her out in the office. For reasons Rose doesn’t even understand herself, she hires Lily and allows her to move into the apartment above the hair salon.
For Lily, I loved seeing how she was able to open her own shop and come into her own by using the money her Mom had saved for years unbeknownst to her. Lily has regrets, doubts, and sadness regarding her marriage to Worth, but as time goes on, she starts to see where she is, is a good place to be. She’s met Rawlins, (Rose’s nephew) and they definitely have some chemistry between each other. They both have some past issues, and they are willing to tread the edges of their pain to get to know each other. Hazel, Rawlins's daughter is precious.
I have read Ms. Denton’s previous novels and I think this was my favorite so far. It wasn’t hard to connect with any of the characters and they were all so likable, even the ones that meant to cause problems (in little ways). I do admit that I thought Rose a little rough in the beginning but it seems after she let Lily cut her hair that the doors of possibilities in her life just flew open! She had a different perspective even though she was still the same person, however, her heart had open to opportunities that otherwise would’ve stayed closed.
This was really enjoyable read for me, as all Lauren K. Denton’s stories have been. It was easy to become a part of the Safe Harbor Village.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is such a sweet and relatable story. Lily finds herself having to start her life all over again after her husband abandons her. She does what women do. She put her big girl panties on and dealt with life. A fun, quick read.

What a great summer read!
Lily Bishop is shocked to wake up to a note and divorce papers from her husband. They had just moved from Georgia to Alabama for him to start a new job a few weeks prior, and Lily didn’t have a clue that he was unhappy.
She realizes she is going to have to figure out her next move, especially since the house they were living in was connected to the new job. When Lily sees a flyer on the bulletin board at the grocery store, she realizes she has found at least a temporary solution: return to her career as a hair stylist, which she had done with her late mother.
Rose Carrigan, who had built the little retirement village with her husband (who ran off with his assistant), interviews Lily and decides to give her a chance. Luckily, there is an apartment over the little beauty shop that Lily can use, and if things go well, Rose might have her work in the office as well.
Rose has recently been notified by her ex-husband that they have received a really good offer for the property, but Rose isn’t sure she wants to sell it. After all, the actual land was her family’s.
Rose and Lily gradually become friends. All of the wonderful characters who live in the little retirement village are a delight, and their stories are interwoven into those of Lily and Rose. And oh, did I mention Rose’s nephew, Rawlins?
This was a one-sitting read for me.

THE SUMMER HOUSE by Lauren K. Denton is a heart-warming story of friendship, love and new beginnings. Having read and loved all of the author’s previous books, I couldn’t wait to read her latest and it definitely did not disappoint. Set in the small retirement village of Safe Harbor on the Alabama Gulf coast, two women, Lily Bishop and Rose Carrigan, form an unlikely friendship that leads them to re-examining their lives and the choices they have made along the way. After moving to Alabama with her husband for his new job, Lily wakes up one morning to a goodbye letter and divorce papers. Stunned and all alone, Lily must decide what to do next. Rose built the Safe Harbor community with her now ex-husband and although she lives there, she distances herself from everyone, including her own family. Lily and Rose meet by chance when Lily answers an ad for a hair stylist position in Safe Harbor. Though decades separate them in age, the pair unexpectedly end up helping each other find a way to make a new start. The characters in the story are sweet and quirky and wonderfully-portrayed. The descriptions of Safe Harbor made me want to live there myself! The story has just the right touch of Southern charm and even a little romance. I really enjoyed this poignant story of friendship, self-discovery and living life to its fullest at any age and I highly recommend it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy. Although I received a complimentary copy of this book, the opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own." I got a free e-ARC of this book from Netgalley.

This book started a little slow, but then I really got into the whole groove of Lily finding her place and people in the world. How would you react if you woke up one day and your husband had left you without any warning? With no family left to turn to, Lily has to rise up on her own feet. A quiet, but moving novel about moving on.

Another must read by Lauren K Denton. The friendship between Lily and Rose is an unlikely one. But Rose sees something in Lily that makes this hard woman thaw just a little. I love the way they each blossom and discover their inner selves while learning to trust others again. This is a wonderfully written book about life and no matter your age there is still time to grow and love. Thank you to the publisher for the requested ARC. These are my own thoughts and opinions.

This contemporary fiction book is a breath of fresh air and I greatly enjoyed it. Unlike many such novels in which the main character returns to her hometown to start live anew, Lily finds herself recently moved to Alabama, due to her husbands job, when he leaves her unexpectedly. Now she must find a new home, as the home she occupies was temporary just until she and her husband got settled in their new life. Lily must start a new life on her own, and she starts by applying to be a hairdresser in a retirement community. From there, the book opens up to a variety of relationships that Lily encounters as she navigates being on her own in an unfamiliar town. The characters in this book are delightful, and The Summer House was a great introduction to Lauren Denton for me. I look forward to picking up some of her other books!

Thanks go to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance copy of The Summer House in exchange for my honest review.