I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. A fast and easy women's fiction drama novel. Good weekend read.

Lovely feel good book to read. It was a joy to read. Lovely characters. Great plot. The book was charming. Very well written. I’d definitely recommend this book

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, any book about grief will always be a gut punch to me and this one wasn't different. Soulful, openhearted and sometimes just the tiniest bit too real, it was cathartic to read this one. Super recommend!

This just wasn't for me, unfortunately! The premise sounds great, but I didn't really gel with Rowan and spent most of the time reading getting frustrated at the "Woe is me" attitude. DNF

I don't get super emotional over books easily, but that book felt as if it was written just for me, the author wrote characters so realistic that it sometimes felt creepy that it's fictional.
The way the dilemma of adulthood, victim good and forgiveness, is expressed was just thought provoking and alluring, the author made Rowan, the main character, the embodiment of what a person caged on his own thoughts looks like.
The whole package of abandonment issues and melancholy in this book is truly eye opening, the way Rowan really took steps to see through the armor he built around himself, to try to think more thoroughly in things that he just chose to run away from was so real, actually i think that's what really sucks about adulthood, whatever rules you lived by and beliefs you swore on beholding your whole life in childhood, they all get damaged in the adult world, and with them sometimes your self worth gets damaged all along, the decision to step back and reflect on all that, that's the key to feel lighter, it's called growing up ❤️
* Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review*

If I'm being totally honest, I almost quite reading this book multiple times. It just started reeeeeeally slowly for me and I didn't think it would go anywhere. Glad I stuck with it. It turned out to be an interesting, sometimes deep story regarding the narrators experiences growing up that formed who he became. The characters were well formed and likable. Sometimes we can learn a bit about ourselves reading a novel like this.
Full review to come on YouTube.

I felt through the entirety of this book the small town and never left vibes like a hallmark movie. Although this book I found that having a grudge that strong for 15 years is extreme due to the fact you would believe it would be forgotten and let down as other things in life become far more important than the grudge. I did find the book at first moved quite slowly and was pretty hard to get into. although the book was not in any way "bad" to me, I just couldn't say it stood out and was anything too great to me. I might have to come back to this again in a year or so and I may enjoy it more than I did at first read.

DNF @ 78%
Rowan was okay? But he wasn`t great. I felt like he rambled on about things that was of no importance A LOT. Some things I liked, where he talked about his brother. But the part about he thinking a girl was into him and stuff? Meh. But people do deal with grief differently,and maybe Rowan was in shock, wich is ofcourse understandable. I just think that I had a hard time connecting with Rowan through the book wich made me question him a lot.

DNF at 50%

I've been struggling with this book for literal months now, and I just can't get into it. The main character has his heart broken by his high school sweetheart and best friend, who end up getting together. And he continues to feel pity for himself years and years later, even though he is sleeping with his friend, who is currently in a relationship. There just wasn't enough substance for me, and I can't say I'll recommend this one.

As a huge fan of This author I was excited to read this one.
What a ride this book was to read. I sailed thru the pages and had a great time reading it. It was just what I needed was a book that made me laugh out loud and shed a tear

This dad read “Darling at the Campsite” by Andy Abramowitz, published on June 8, 2021 by Lake Union Publishing. Rowan Darling is in his early 30’s and definitely still figuring out life. He’s the owner of a hip record store in Philadelphia but he’s in love with his best friend Daisy who happens to be almost engaged, plus he’s hanging onto a 15 year grudge he holds against his high school best friend. On top of all this Rowan gets shocking news of his older brother’s death, an older brother he hasn’t seen or talked to in years. These series of events catapult Rowan back to his hometown of Maybee, Illinois where he must face his past – and his mother – head on.

Abramowitz’s prose is readable and his characters are well fleshed out. I was immediately drawn into Rowan’s sad circumstances and remained intrigued throughout the novel, if anything else to see if the protagonist would be redeemed. As is the case with most thought-provoking works of fiction, it’s the journey that ends up being more important than the final destination. Rowan goes on a developmental arc that is satisfying if not a little predictable. As the story progresses, Rowan is first forced to and then chooses to engage in open and honest relationships with the people he cares about. He’s lived the majority of his adult life in a state of selfish isolation. There’s something about his hometown that forces him to make a decision on what type of person he wants to be. One who is open to giving and receiving love.

While I overall enjoyed the narrative of “Darling at the Campsite” I often felt that the dialogue seemed too script-y, like real humans wouldn’t say the words coming out of these characters mouths. Also, the author is a big fan of metaphor and simile and while these aren’t inherently bad, I think their usage could have been trimmed down.

“Darling at the Campsite” reads similar to a romantic comedy movie. The premise might be standard and its resolution not surprising but there’s a certain amount of comfort in it. Abramowitz has crafted a story that deserves a spot on any fiction lovers “to be read” list.

Such a deep read. The author explored some real and raw emotions and it made connecting to the characters very effortless. The writing was incredible and I immediately went out and purchased previous books from Abramowitz. Would definitely recommend!

“Anyone who speaks fondly of the simplicity of youth suffers from self-induced amnesia. It’s the great lie of adulthood that childhood was easy.”

I’ve always been enamored with angst. The more pining, the more longing- the better. Typically angst and coming of age go hand and hand, but not always. Sometimes there’s the angst that comes years later, one that revolves around the path not taken and what could have been. Darling at the Campsite tackles life from this perspective.

Rowan Darling is a 30-something man-child whose never quite grown up. Years ago he left his hometown of Maybee, leaving behind all the bad memories that came with it. These days he is content running a record store whose days are numbered, as if the words “record store” didn’t tell you that already. 😉

Then Rowan gets news that his estranged brother has passed away. Now he finds himself returning to his hometown to support his mom, but unable to avoid some of the ghosts that had him flee in the first place- namely his first love who is now married to his former best friend. Ouch.

Forced to face all the the things he’s been running from for so long, Rowan does so with that perfect blend of wit and wisdom. There a lot of quotable moments in this book- some poignant, others snarky. Either way, you root for Rowan, even if he is a bit broken, maybe even more so.

Also, Rowan screamed classic John Cusack to me. Yet another road that will never be taken, but one can dream.

Thanks to @netgalley and @lakeunionauthors for a dark horse release I’ll be recommending to many of my friends!

This book is heartwarming and bittersweet. Is your past what you think it is and can you ever go back to connect with it? I didn’t care for Rowan very much in the beginning, but he was endearing to me as time went on. I had laugh out loud moments and then there were tearful ones.
Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing And and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion. .

This was exactly the book I didn’t know I needed right now. It hit home and it hit hard. I just lost my sibling as well and Rowan’s experience definitely helped me process some things. Our tragedies may not be the same but we’re similar enough to warrant a feeling of familiar unease.

The writing here is so beautifully done. The characters are real and naturally flawed, not fake and exaggerated.

This isn't a typical story. This story delves into all the insecurity of the characters and we get to watch while they try to make sense out of life. It is wonderfully inventive and spectacularly written. I particularly love the wit the author gives the main character and his mother. I am envious of their relationship. This is a great read.

First off: there is no camping in this book. Secondly: there are no darlings in this book. Darling is the last name of the people who live(d) on a street called Campsite. Therefore, no cravings for s'mores were had during the reading of this book! Instead, I spent a lot of time with various songs playing on my phone while I read the book. Why? Because there are so many wonderful song references in this book, both mainstream and not. For me, this felt very much like a [author:Nick Spalding|4037468] story but without the quirky British humor. Instead the humor is a little blunter and a little more melancholy. The main character, Rowan Darling, and his fixation on an event that took place 15 years prior is a bit excessive and probably the only negative thing I can say about this otherwise bittersweet book chuck full of interesting and endearing characters.

This books made me laugh and made me cry. It was fantastic! I love books about small towns and despite some of the sad content, it was also a comfort read for me.
This is a character driven book and there is a rawness and realness to them. As someone also going through grief I found it cathartic to read about the main character returning home and experiencing the grief as well as reconnecting to their past.

A book at times littered with the musings of a man on the edge of discovery. He discovers somewhat late his business is on its very last leg. He thinks he’s too dependent on his partner/ sometimes lover. His brother has died and he must return home. He discovers the truths of your teenage self rarely transcends life today. The struggle to maintain that hometown image is best left out of the daylight. Rowen learns all this and more as the past distance with his brother was an opportunity missed. Revelation sparks resolve. Happy reading

I loved this book so much…I’d give it 10 stars if that was possible. It made me think and made me laugh…which you wouldn’t think possible from a book about a man going home to bury his brother, still very respectful and tasteful.

Rowan is such a nice guy, funny and self effacing, it’s easy to root for him. And his relationship with his mother, Patti, was also endearing and funny. Patti is a no nonsense gal who tells it like it is. Their banter was hilarious and spot on.

This book had so many good moral lessons, my favorite is how people,and especially siblings, can process an incident in totally different ways. Rowan thought he got his love for music from his brother but turns out his brother thought the opposite. Different perspectives.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this delightful book! Don’t miss this one!!