Después de que su hija se marchara de casa, Nina Romano estaba finalmente preparada para iniciar una nueva etapa en su vida. La aguardaba el apasionante mundo de las citas, los viajes y los sueños por realizar. Pero apenas había empezado a disfrutar de la soledad cuando se sorprendió a sí misma enamorándose de Greg Bellamy, el nuevo propietario del hotel del lago Willow, divorciado y con dos hijos a su cargo.
Greg había fracasado en su matrimonio por culpa de un trabajo exigente y agotador, pero creía haber aprendido la lección y estaba dispuesto a empezar de nuevo antes de que fuera demasiado tarde. Tenía que ocuparse del hotel, de su problemático hijo y del inesperado embarazo de su hija adolescente. Lo que menos tenía era tiempo para enamorarse. Y, sin embargo, empezaba a sentir que con Nina Romano todo podría ser diferente.

Not one of her better books ( )

didn't care for this one ( )

Your typical love story. Easy listening. Great Recipes at the end a Susan Wiggs signature. ( )

If you're looking for a sweet, contemporary romance to add to your summer reading, then Lakeside Cottage by Susan Wiggs should definitely be on that summer list.

Kate Livingston is a single mom trying to raise a ten-year old boy who has anger-management problems. Aaron, her son, is afraid of swimming and desperately wants a father. Callie is a runaway teen who is trying to stay under the radar. And JD Harris is an accidental hero trying to hide from the intrusion of fame into his life. All of them come together at The Lake, seeking to find solace and a summer of renewal. After several stalled attempts at happiness, each of them learns to let down their guard and open themselves to the possibilities offered by the world - overcoming fear and disappointment, acceptance, honesty, and most of all unconditional love - that will lead them to happiness if they are open to it.

There were times when I found myself rooting for each of the characters in turn and then times when I wanted to simply shake some sense into each of them. Although Kate and JD are the main characters here, I found myself drawn to the deeply introspective teen Callie mostly because her views on life were shaped not by her own actions but by external forces. Her life was a consequence of the world around her. This is an easy to read book. The descriptions of the lake and the secluded cottages dotting its banks bring a sense of sublime serenity to the reader. ( )