I absolutely adored this warm hug of a book. I only picked this up because the cover was attractive on the net galley menu. I had no idea what to expect. What I got was one of the loveliest, slice of warm pie, enveloping stories I’ve read this year. This was quiet and beautiful and all around absolutely lovely. I am so glad I read this book, and I cannot wait to find any of this author’s other work, or look forward to anything else she publishes. Outstanding, absolutely recommend.

I am not sure why this book is NOT yet rated 5 stars by everyone! It was the best read I have had in awhile! I typically do not listen to audio books but this one had me hooked from the very begging to the end! It was romantic, heartbreaking, suspenseful! There was no smut. Such a very quick clean read. If you’re looking for a new book for your book club I highly recommend this book! I am now a new fan of this author! I will be looking into more books from her from here on out!

The Summer House was such a breath of fresh air. I loved each character and how you felt like you knew them. I would highly recommend this to everyone.

I love beach town/city stories with characters starting over. This is a great weekend read and will be a non disappointing to your summer TBR list. Amazing story.

I received a audiobook copy from Thomas Nelson/Zondervan Audio and Netgalley. Opinions are my own.

A poignant tale of love, loss, and learning to let go and start afresh. With a diverse cast of characters and history, each one works toward a brighter future with hope and courage while helping one another along the way. The narrator did a great job with the story and it was a pleasurable read.

I absolutely LOVED this book! It was such an easy, enjoyable listen with a charming story that completely pulled me in. The characters were all so lovable, and the cozy village made it a place I never wanted to leave.

The biggest highlight was the mention of The Avett Brothers—what a surprise! I literally squealed. 🫶🏼

I truly didn’t want the story to end and I'm really hoping there will be a sequel. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author and crossing my fingers for another visit to Safe Harbor soon!

loved this audiobook!! a woman is left by her husband unexpectedly and tries to pick up the pieces... so heartfelt and moving.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Lily is blindsided. Things weren’t perfect, but life was good – she and her husband just moved to this small town on the water for his job and had started to create a new life here. And then this morning, she woke up to divorce papers and a missing husband. She can’t reach him by phone, his mother keeps calling, his office says he quit his job, and now she has to move out because the house belongs to his former employer, too. Lily has no family here, no friends, and no idea where she’s going. All she knows is she has to move forward – she’s always made it work before, and she’ll do it again.

The best-selling author of The Hideaway is back with her latest summer romance novel The Summer House. Lauren K. Denton is known for the small town southern charm throughout all her works. A native to Mobile, Alabama, Denton uses her local knowledge to build vivid scenes and backstories for her characters in this novel. This book delivers the perfect summer read full of redemption, romance, and reconnection.

I give The Summer House 5 out of 5 stars. My favorite part of this novel was how relatable each of these characters were. I connected immediately with Lily and Rose, as well as the cast of supporting characters. I chose the audio version of this book and could easily visualize each scene and the characters. I was so impressed with the storyline and loved this book so much I didn’t want to put it down!

With topics of abandonment by spouses and coparenting, this book may tough for some audiences. However, this is a great light read for your summer getaway and would make a great book to read with your girlfriends! If you enjoy books by Mary Kay Andrews, Heather Webber, or Kristy Woodson Harvey, I think you’ll love this novel, too!

I was drawn to this book because of the cover at first glance when I saw it on Netgalley – the beautiful southern porch with a swing and string lights is my dream set up! When I read the publisher’s blurb about a romance set on the Gulf Coast I knew I had to read this book. And I was not disappointed!

I listened to the audiobook of this and loved it. The narrator was absolutely perfect for the southern setting and the multiple POV. I found the story itself pretty inspiring in its own way. Lily wakes up to find her husband has left her and has got to put her life back together. By chance she finds a help wanted ad that leads her to Rose. While 40yrs apart, they both have some healing and fresh starts to make. Enter Rawlins and Coach, they are exactly what both women need. It’s completely clean and no smut. Just a number of people finding their own joy in life and figuring out what’s important along the way.

This was an absolutely wonderful book. I listened to it on audiobook and the narrator was top-notch which I think was crucial to to making this story come alive so well for me. Rose and Lily were well developed, complex characters that were likeable, even Rose with her complex personality and hard exterior.

The setting really came to life with the author's words and descriptions; I felt like I was on the warm coast of Alabama enjoying the sunshine and the water along with the crew. Which brings me to the setting, which is a retirement village. The description of it is spot on and comes to life and the supporting characters are fun and add so much to the story as well.

If you get a chance I would definitely give this a read or a listen.

Lauren K. Denton's The Summer House (audiobook) offers a heartwarming journey of rediscovery, proving it's never too late for a fresh start. Denton's signature Southern charm weaves through the tale of Lily Bishop, whose life is upended when she finds a goodbye note and divorce papers from her husband, just weeks after their move to Alabama for his job. Devastated and alone in a new town, Lily desperately needs both employment and a new home.

Opportunity arrives in the form of a hair stylist position at Safe Harbor, a small retirement community. This community is the brainchild of Rose Carrigan, a woman who built it after her own husband left her for his assistant. Rose runs a tight ship, keeping everyone, even her own family, at arm's length with her strict rules and cold exterior. Yet, Lily's arrival begins to thaw Rose's hardened heart, forging an unlikely friendship between the two women.

Lily's salon quickly becomes the hub of town gossip and shared secrets among Safe Harbor's colorful residents. As Lily finds herself drawn to Rose's nephew, Rawlins—a single dad who understands starting over—and observes a resident carrying a torch for Rose, both women begin to wonder if life and love hold more possibilities than they've ever imagined. The Summer House is a charming and inviting story about unexpected connections, the power of community, and the courage to embrace new beginnings, no matter where life's currents take you.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this book. I really enjoyed the characters, their growth and the setting. Such a fun book.

I just loved this book and didn't want it to end!
I absolutely loved this novel and couldn’t put it down. I felt like I was right at home amongst all the characters, some quirky and some down-to-earth.
If you are looking for a book that is both emotional and empowering, this story will bring you on that journey. For fans of women’s fiction and clean romances, this one will bring you through a calm, charming, feel good, community.

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.

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 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.

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

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.

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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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.

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 want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the audio version.
I really enjoyed the author. She did such a great job.
This story was sweet and simple. If you like story types love Steel Magnolias you will like this. Perfect for those who love southern story plots. This is a easy listening cozy story about finding yourself and starting over. Highly recommend

this was a great book, It represents the difference in others and how they can become friends? Lives change things happen and everyone nneds a safe harbor. The narration was wonderful. I did not become uninterested at all.