A fascinating take on love beyond age difference “Patio Lanterns”, by Barbara Kellyn, is also an interesting story about family, community and the connection and sense of belonging to a place.
I loved the chemistry, attraction, passion, tenderness mixed with hot sexual desire between Robin and Rick.
The way the author addressed the age gap issues felt raw, honest and heartfelt.
I also loved the sense of humor.
Watching Rick so smitten with Robin is just sweet, even endearing, and totally plausible. He’s really an alluring man.
There’s a freshness in their relationship that is captivating.
Robin is also an appealing character: I liked her disinhibition, feistiness and surprising competence and coolness.
I liked the characters, the relationships and interactions and the general tendency to doing the right thing despite the cost.
The story is well written and an enjoyable read.
The level of smut was too much and didn’t grab my interest.

A quirky, heart-on-its-sleeve lakeside romp about messy families, impulsive choices, and unexpected second chances. Robin is a whirlwind of chaos and charm, and while she can be a bit much at times, there’s a real sweetness at the core of her story. The romance is unconventional and fun, though the plot gets a little tangled along the way. A solid summer read for fans of dysfunctional families and heroines still figuring it all out.

Really enjoyed this read! After finishing it, I am still thinking about all the wonderful things to unpack. I think the family cottage setting and the drama around deciding what to do with the cottage is really relatable. I know a few families that have gone through this emotional process -- maybe not to the extent of Robin and her sisters! I loved "spontaneous" Robin hooking up with "stable" Rick and how they bring out the best in each other. I also thought the youngest, middle and oldest sisters' relationship felt quite genuine. Lots of sibling tension that rings a bell! I especially loved the bond that formed between Robin and the scary old lady. I will admit, I was surprised when I found myself shedding a tear or two when I wasn't laughing.

Barbara Kellyn delivers again with this delightful tale that's refreshing as a dip in a lake on a steamy summer day, hotter than a roaring bonfire under the stars and more satisfying than an ooey, gooey Smore's melted over the campfire.

Robin and Rick will leave you breathless in the very best way and the surprise between them...well, yeah. Just read.

This book is perfect for your own vacation to the lake, an entertaining, snort-inducing spice fest that's made for binging as the summer sky melts into those blissful summer nights.

i would like to live at this place. simply so that i can say i live at this place and light up every time i do. i mean come on who isnt smiling right now. go on say the name in your heads or shout it out loud. you see...smiling.
but the book is equally as smile making and delightful.i couldn't put it down. i was thoroughly involved and just wanted to read read and read. but then wanted to stop so the book and the feelings from it could last forever. so yeh, you could say i loved this book. and Barbara's writing was just brilliant. like how she managed to bring light to each word like they were bouncing off the page to my heart i just dont know.
and i mean the man. haha. dont ill go shy...
this is such a smart and beautiful book. we come to it as three sisters are coming to their families cottage by the Lake to scatter their mothers ashes. Robin( oh i love her) is the youngest. and living by the tropes it seems...or is she. because she think shes the outcast or lost black sheep. like everyone thinks of her as the one who doesn't know what shes doing or have her sh*t together. she currently just been travelling with a band aa their merch manager. but lets just say that didn't go so well. so all she is is herself and a 3 legged dog. fab, thats going to change how people see her. but actually for me Robin was fab. there was sooooo much about this woman.
but of course she doesn't arrive on time. ha ha ironic she is early. when she cant get in the house she goes next door. this is where her young self had her crush. and erm...oh...yes! what comes next you will want to follow those footsteps of hers all on your own fresh and new so you can smile fresh and new just like i did.
this book was delicious. and it is a book full of everything you'd ever want from a book. go for it and love it.

Want a gorgeous, swoony romcom with a lakeside setting to die for? Like your female characters complex and relatable? Love a well-seasoned side of beefcake who knows how to put experience to good use in the bedroom?

Then you need to make Patio Lanterns your next read!

I love Barbara Kellyn’s writing. Her books are intelligent, beautifully written, and always put a smile on my face. In Patio Lanterns, three sisters—Robin, Lark, and Dove—are back at the family’s lakeside cottage to scatter their mother’s ashes. Robin is the youngest and has always seen herself as the black sheep of the family, the one who can’t seem to get it together. She’s been travelling with a band as their merch manager and now, after they’ve imploded, she’s stuck with no money and a three-legged, smelly dog called Mutt Lange.

She accidentally arrives a day early at the cottage, and when she can’t get in, she heads to the neighbour’s house, where she hopes to find her old crush.

I’m not going to say what happens next because I don’t want to spoil all the surprises, but suffice it to say she gets more than she expects…

I read Patio Lanterns over two days—I couldn’t put it down. It made me laugh, swoon, and get hot under the collar. If you’re after twists and turns, quirky side characters with big secrets, family dynamics we can all relate to, and plenty of heat from the get-go, then you’ll love this book.

Kobo Originals always deliver, and this is another stand-out title from Barbara Kellyn. I can’t wait to read the next two books in the series!

A Canadian summer romp-com with heart!

I would like to request that Barbara Kellyn write my life. I want to live at Lake Whippoorwill, and if I could please have my own Rick Hunter? Thanks very much. Zaddy, indeed!

This book has everything I want in a romance; it’s heartwarming AND hot. I laughed hysterically and bawled my guts out. And the setting and scenery described in Patio Lanterns gave me warm, summertime camp feels. I loved every minute of this book.

*taps microphone* Is this thing on? Book 2, please, now!