
Member Reviews

Rachel Joyce is someone whose writing I will devour anytime I get the chance. I have read everything I know to be published and will always continue to do so.
When I started this book, I began to feel dread, almost from the very first page. For the first three chapters, I kept pausing and telling my husband, “I don’t think I’m going to like this and you have no idea how terrible that is for me.” It was rambling and jumping back in forth in time with no notice, and too many characters were introduced too quickly, and in such a haphazard way, my head was spinning. I couldn’t find anything to grasp on to and if this wasn’t Rachel Joyce, I’m not sure I would have kept going. So in the end, I guess it was her I grasped. She was the thing that kept me going. I’m very glad I did.
This book will not be for everyone, and likely not even for all Rachel Joyce fans. She has so beautifully written, over and over again, about hope amongst the flames of grief and tragedy, and finding beauty in the smallest moments of our lives, and she does so again here, but this one is different.
I know that part of what I loved most about this story was that it is so strangely a mirror of my own life, and that can’t be true for many. And I have to wonder, if you don’t find yourself in The Homemade God, will you still be able to feel it as it was meant to be felt? I don’t have that perspective, so I can’t really say. But with a good enough author, it will not matter, and I truly believe her to be one of the best. Her books have always had so much meaning without being obvious. They hit below the surface, but unexpectedly, because they are so often written in such a way that you think you are reading something light and superficial and then suddenly, you’re not.
I wish she could go back and rewrite those first few chapters. I really do. Too many people will put the book down far too soon and for that, I had to remove a star from my rating. I hope people read this review and are talked into sticking to it until the end.

This is the story of adult siblings, who were "brought up" by their artist father in a motherless home. "Brought up" in this case is used loosely and sarcastically. The instability in their childhood shows in the adults that they have become. While they have always watched over each other, they have held their father in high regard. When he remarries and then drowns, the siblings aren't able to find solace in each other. This is not one of the hopeful, warm and uplifting books that the author has written in the past. If you are looking for that, you may well be disappointed. I was. I won't let my expectations get in the way of what is a firm 3 star read, regardless of what I hoped for. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC. This review is my own opinion.

Rachel Joyce’s The Lake House Summer is a layered story about the complicated ties of family, the weight of secrets, and the struggle to understand the people we love. Set during a sweltering heatwave in Europe, the novel follows four siblings as they come together to unravel their father’s mysterious final days while confronting decades of buried emotions.
The story begins with the siblings—Netta (Antoinetta), Susan, Iris, and Goose (Gustav)—returning to their family’s lake house. Their father, Vic, a larger-than-life artist with a reputation as much for his eccentricities as for his paintings, has passed away. Adding to the intrigue, his new, much younger wife, Bella-Mae, is missing, and the masterpiece he promised the world is nowhere to be found. As the siblings try to uncover the truth, and a will, they are forced to examine not only their father’s choices but their own fractured relationships.
This novel is as much about the bonds of siblinghood as it is about the legacy of a man who both shaped and scarred his children. Each sibling brings their own unresolved issues to the lake house: rivalries, insecurities, and unspoken grievances. While Vic’s life casts a long shadow over their gathering, it’s the interactions between the siblings that form the heart of the story.
While the mystery surrounding their father’s death and the missing painting moves the plot, the story’s deeper focus is on the siblings’ reconciliation with their own identities and histories. The narrative weaves together moments of humor, heartbreak, and revelation.
Joyce’s writing is thoughtful and immersive and shines a real light on family love.
In The Lake House Summer, Rachel Joyce delivers an introspective tale about the complexities of family. This novel is a rewarding read for anyone who appreciates stories about the messy, beautiful connections that define us. #randomhouse #racheljoyce #thehomemadegod

Talk about your dysfunctional families!
A famous father who is what holds this family together, it seems, and also holds the power to destroy all of them.
This was painful to read and there was a lot of second hand embarrassment for them all.
This story has been done before and I think this was not the best representation of that.
NetGalley/ Random House Dail June 24, 2025

A darker story than he previous, but with the same powerful characters. We follow the four adult siblings returned to a childhood vacation home in Italy to retrieve the body of their father, who died shortly after a rushed wedding to a woman younger than them. We follow each of the siblings, and gradually learn their pasts and how the impact there present. Happily, we get what amounts to a good amount of future as well. It took me a bit, but I also couldn't help but route for these beautifully damaged siblings.

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!