3.5/5 stars rounded up

The Summer House is a sweet, clean, small-town romance that warms the heart. Lauren Denton crafts relatable characters who demonstrate real personal growth throughout the story. The chemistry between the female and male main characters is both sweet and believable, making their relationship easy to root for. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys small-town romances that focus on gentle love stories and authentic character development without explicit content. It’s a lovely, comforting read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio, and Lauren Denton for granting me access to this audio book.

ALC REVIEW:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Waking up to divorce papers, Lily Bishop, finds herself suddenly in need of work and a place to live. After stumbling upon an add for a hairstylist in the small retirement community of Safe Harbor, the owner (Rose Carrigan) agrees to take a chance on her. Will Lily be able to prove her worth, or will she find herself searching for a soft landing once more?

Lauren K Denton’s The Summer House is a heartwarming story of second chances. While the main character Lily Bishop is in desperate need of a new beginning so are many of the side characters. It was beautiful to witness people of all walks of life make strides to heal old wounds, find the confidence to start over, or take a leap of faith.

I had the pleasure of listening to this title on audiobook. The narration was wonderfully done by the talented Devon O’ Day. Special thanks to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction, Zondervan Fiction Audio, and Lauren K Denton for allowing me to listen to this book in exchange for my honest review.

*This book gave me serious Everything’s Coming Up Rosie vibes by Courtney Walsh (just a more mature version).

Two women generations apart, find healing and themselves one summer in Safe Harbor.

Lily wakes up one morning to find her husband of just over a year, gone. He leaves her a note and divorce papers and then drops off, not answering her calls. Shocked and having to leave the home she just moved into, Lily finds herself in the store looking at a help wanted add - for a hairstylist in Safe Harbor.

Lily arrives in Safe Harbor where she meets Rose - 4 decades older then her, the "owner" and manager of the town seeking the job. Rose carries her own secrets from the past along with a lot of hurts - she's closed herself off from the town and its members. When Lily comes to her broken, when all inside her wants to shew Lily away, Rose finds herself saying yes, you can be the town's new hairstylist and move into the little apartment over the shop.

The summer finds them learning from "life's challenges", brings healing & closures while hope for new beginnings for both Rose & Lily.

Not sure if there are plans for a sequel, however, I hope there is one as there is a lot more Safe Harbor has in store for the readers!

I just loved this book. The characters were top notch. Loved the names Lily and Rose. Lots of feelings and found family. Lily comes crushed and finds a new home with a new community of family members.
just loved the narrator. Really brought the story alive.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for a gifted copy in exchange for a honest review.

The Summer House by Lauren K. Denton is an easy listen. This is a warm, heartfelt story about second chances, resilience, and community. Set in a charming seaside Alabama cottage community, this novel follows two women as they rebuild their lives and rediscover what truly matters. Denton’s writing flows smoothly and effortlessly, making this an easy and enjoyable listen.
The audiobook version is narrated by Devon O’Day, whose calm and steady delivery perfectly matches the tone of the story. The pacing was good, and the narration enhanced the comforting feel of Denton’s storytelling.
This would be an excellent pick for readers (or listeners) who enjoy gentle women’s fiction with themes of friendship, starting over, and community, without too much drama or darkness. It’s a lovely escape, perfect for a relaxing summer read or listen.
Many thanks to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio | Thomas Nelson Fiction, and to NetGalley, for providing me with an advance listening copy.

The Summer House
by Lauren K. Denton
Narrated by Devon O'Day

If you're in search of the perfect summer read, look no further—The Summer House is just what you need! What could possibly rival Carrie Bradshaw's treatment of a breakup with a Post-it note? Perhaps a marriage unraveled by the shock of awakening to a brief, cryptic note affixed to signed divorce papers.

@laurenkdentonbooks has crafted a poignant tale of a woman's resilience in the face of one of life's most devastating events: the dissolution of a marriage.

Meet Lily Bishop, who finds herself utterly alone in a small coastal town in Alabama, a place to which she has no connection, after her husband vanishes without a trace. He even goes so far as to disconnect from his once-addictive Facebook account.

With no friends, no job, and nowhere to call home, Lily is truly starting anew. In this process of reinvention, she discovers herself, forms genuine friendships, and ultimately finds true love. I loved witnessing Lily confront one heart-wrenching challenge after another, evolving into a better version of herself by the novel's end.

Along the way, Lily also helps Rose Carrigan, the owner and manager of Safe Harbor, a retirement community, as Rose confronts her own deeply rooted guilt over past actions.

Devon O'Day's narration enhances the storytelling beautifully. She skillfully manages a diverse cast of characters, bringing each one to life with the perfect voice. Her talent makes meeting the various personalities sprinkled throughout The Summer House a delightful experience. Enhancing an already well crafted story.

This charming story is an ideal companion for summer reading. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Southern settings, themes of redemption, and the promise of second chances. You won't be disappointed by The Summer House!

Thanks are extended to Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio, and NetGalley for the audiobook.

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#NetGalley
#laurenkdenton
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This was a listen now that I had a while ago began it and then paused it for some reason and it seemed to get lost so only just finished it 🙈 and I am so glad I found it to do so!

What a beautiful story! With wit, charm, love, support and overcoming obstacles together!

Lily is a younger woman who after divorce finds herself working as a hair stylist in a retirement community in the south of America where she meets a few older ladies who all meet up on Sundays for what began as book club soon turned into simply cocktails because well they decided they prefer to chat and have other book clubs. They graciously invite Lilly along one afternoon and so their friendship begins.

Rose one of the other ladies who started the community and he is finding herself dealing with her own problems it seems as she has always kept a little more sedentary from the group although everyone simply accepted this to be how Rose was. So when lily arrives things begin to change for everyone and for the better! New friendships are formed and even love blossoms and relationships bloom. At one point they are in a pub and all I had going through my head was sweet home Alabama!

I won’t forget a possibly simple but poignant part of the story when Rose goes to get her haircut with Lilly a lot can be said when a woman changes her hair and that moment they shared was definitely sacred!

A beautiful story of community spirits; friendships that become like family and true real care and compassion all built over the course of one summer!

With thanks to NetGalley & Thomas Nelson Zondervan Fiction Audio for this audiobook in return for this review 🙏🏽❤️📚🎧

The Summer House by Lauren K. Denton is a cozy, feel-good story centered around second chances, healing, and quiet resilience. After Lily’s husband unexpectedly leaves her, she finds herself starting over with a new job as a hairdresser in a retirement village. What follows is a gentle journey of self-discovery and emotional renewal, set against the warm, slow-paced backdrop of southern life.
While the book didn’t quite capture me—personally, I found the story a bit too bland and slow—it still holds strong appeal for fans of clean, comforting romances.

I love Lauren Denton's books because they are usually set in the south and many times in my home state of Alabama. This one is set in a fictional town of Safe Harbor, Alabama. We find Lily who's husband leaves her a note to say goodbye and he is divorcing her. She has just moved to Safe Harbor and doesn't know anyone. She has no money, no husband, and no friends. She doesn't know what she is going to do until one day she finds an ad for a job. There is a retirement community in town and there is an opening for a beautician at the salon there. The owner of the salon is Rose and she is known as the Ice Queen. Sounds like fun. The two form an unlikely bond and friendship. You must read along to find out all the local gossip and maybe how Rose became known as the Ice Queen. Will either women find love again or do they even want to. A beautiful southern novel about friendship and life in a small town.

This is a book about friendship and starting over no matter your age.

The book does have some romance but no graphic scenes or language. The relationships in the book don't feel rushed which makes it feel more realistic.

The one issue I had was the changing back and forth between the two women's stories. It felt choppy and really interrupted the flow of the book for me.

All in all, it's an enjoyable story, and I believe it's worth reading.

I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This was a quick read perfect for summer. This was cute and sweet and left me smiling.

This was an easy read, but not a very eventful book. I did the like writer’s style as I've never read one of her books before. Lilly was left by her husband shortly after moving to a new town. Learns she needs to move as their rental was tied to his place of employment. She meets Rose who offers her a job and a place to live in a retirement community. Kind of a oh I knew that was going to happen kind of book, but I did enjoy it. I was able to read this book through NetGallery in exchange for posting an honest review.

The Summer House is a beautiful story about overcoming obstacles, finding the strength to stand on your own, and the courage to find love again. Lily Bishop wakes up one morning to find her husband has left with only a goodbye note as an explanation. She lives in a town she recently met to and has no support system in place and, to make things even more difficult, she finds that she has less than a week to find a new place to live. She sees a help wanted ad to be a hair dresser at an active living retirement community and manages to find a job and a home in one shot.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved Lily’s resilience and her compassionate nature. Lily’s new boss, Rose, is another strong lady who has overcome adversity. She tends to keep people at arm’s length to avoid being hurt again. Lily manages to get through Rose’s defenses and I absolutely love the friendship that develops between them and how Rose began to branch out. I loved the people at the retirement community. There was so much fun banter. I do love that while there is romance, Lily didn’t just jump into another relationship. She took time to heal and better her situation. I also loved that they started off as friends before moving forward with their relationship. I liked that the relationships don’t feel rushed. Overall this was an amazing summer read and I definitely need to read more by Lauren K. Denton.

This book reminded me so much of Steel Magnolias! What a sweet, heartwarming book this was. A great palette cleanser after reading a few suspense books.

This gave me all the summer sweetness feels and made me want to just go away to this darling place! I absolutely loved the characters and the storyline.

This is the first time I have read anything but the author, but when I saw the book cover I thought it looked like a place I would love to be reading my next book.

This is a book about starting over, even when you think you world has ended. Lily Bishop wakes up one morning to find a good-bye note and divorce papers from her husband on the kitchen counter. Sick of being controlled by him and his mother who has always beena third wheel in their marriage when she finds out the house they recently moved into is being given to another employee Lily has to make some tough choices. Having only moved to Alabama a few weeks before because of her husbands job she needs to find some new place to live and a way to make some money.

This is a really lovely book about family, frendship and communit spirit. Without giving too much away the bond between Rose and Lily is lovely and it is so nice to see it bloom and for them to start to heel each other. I enjoyed the writing style and pace of the book. And I will defintely look out for her work in the furture.

Thank you to NetGalley for a caopy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"The Summer House" by Lauren K. Denton is a cozy, heartwarming story set in a charming Alabama coastal town. Lily Bishop’s life takes an unexpected turn, and as she navigates loss and uncertainty, she begins to find strength, hope, and a fresh start. The small-town southern charm in the community of Safe Harbor really shines here—with friendly neighbors, porch swings, and all the feels of a close-knit community. The endearing characters are memorable and so believable.

I loved seeing Lily’s growth throughout the story. The mix of family drama, gentle romance, and new beginnings made this a really satisfying read. It’s perfect if you’re looking for a book about second chances and learning to embrace life’s twists and turns with hope, and allowing others to grow in their own time, and be accepting of others all along the way.

If you want a relaxing, feel-good novel with heart and hope, The Summer House is definitely worth a spot on your "to be read" list.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lauren Denton, and Thomas Nelson for an ARC of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for this arc. This was such a lovely listen. The author has a way of story telling that had me reminiscing about the past or feeling like I’m actually there in the book. This book felt like a Elin Hilderbrand book, but cleaner. I Ioved how we got to know all the different characters in the community and the way they gossiped. It was a very enjoyable listen. I would definitely read another book by this author. When I first started, I thought it would be too slow for me, but the gossiping town and the story line had just the right pace for a cozy summer read.

Summer read set in a retirement community where Lily lands a job cutting hair after waking to a note from her husband… with divorce papers. Hilarious group of bored retirees… no steam, but sweet as southern tea!

Thank you NetGalley

Realized as I started listening that I actually purchased this audiobook a few years back and was pleasantly surprised by the opportunity to listen through it again.
Lauren has a wonderful way of weaving in the view points of multiple characters while maintaining the integrity of each character's voice and keeping the personal story arcs intact.
I loved getting to travel to Safe Harbour Village with Lily and Rose. The viewpoint of a multi-generational group provides dimension and understanding to how a common experience can bring people together regardless of lifestyle or life stage.
The way Lily gets to experience a new start, new relationships, chosen family & friends is a reminder that life does not end when we experience loss or hardship, but rather we can seek new opportunities.
Bonus points for the top tier narration of this audio book. The soothing southern drawl makes the listening experience that must more enjoyable.