Touted as a novel on the “complexities of friendship,” The Ladies of the Lake is an excellent piece of historical fiction but, at times, a heartbreaking example of the selfishness of friends. It’s got a hint of mystery with its dual timelines and viewpoints and I didn’t want to put it down till I had it all figured out - even when my heart was broken and my irritation peaked with a certain someone. Maybe not everyone would feel so triggered by the jealous friend sabotage, but I feel like I’ve had way too many girlfriends I felt weary of knowing they’d turn on me in a heartbeat to benefit themselves not to feel on edge as this story unfolded.
This is a very clean book exploring coming-of-age and friendship during wartime. I liked the boarding school setting and the Canadian locations were unique for me. A definite homage to Anne of Green Gables, which I now feel like I have to reread.
The audio narration was excellent!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the free audio book in exchange for my honest review. This is narrated by Stephanie Richardson who does a fantastic job as always!

This is a sweeping tale of the bond of 4 women and how their lives intertwined! Upon the death of her parents, Addie is swept off to the Lakeside Ladies Academy in Conn, far away from her beloved Prince Edward Island home, by her older half-brother who wants to settle the estate and be done with the matter. Addie forms a new family with 3 kindred spirits at the school. This is the story of how these four women weather the storms of life, including bullies at school, war, and death, while supporting each other.

The narrative is beautiful and flows so easily and this is very well researched!! The story takes place in the 1910s and in 1935. Seventeen years later, a young woman will bring the friends together, challenging everything they once believed about themselves and each other.
It’s a brilliant story, full of heartaches, joys, and reflective moments.

Highly recommend.

This began as a friendship story with 4 girls who were best friends in boarding school. It portrayed the prejudice against German families during WW1 and the struggles these girls faced. Jealousy, betrayal, and misunderstandings created a story full of twists and turns. It became a little too forced in the religious preachings in the end.

Ladies of the Lake by Cathy Gohlke is so good! One of my favorites this year, for sure. Four friends, who vow to never be separated, discover the hurts that life brings as WWI begins. Jealousy, love, pain, and hope entwine as they graduate and move on from the boarding school they all attend. This is such a great story and I didn't want it to end! I would love to read it again and again!
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to enjoy it. The narrator also did a great job!

Traveling between 1903 and 1933 on Prince Edward, this is the story of four girls who met at Lake Side Academy and became lifelong friends. Gohlke does a masterful job of building the relationships between the girls and the subsequent tragedy at the school (which is based on real events). Readers will be left wishing they were Ladies of the Lake because this story is so beautiful and heartfelt