Acquired Book By: I received a complimentary copy of “Refuge at Pine Lake” direct from the author Rose Chandler Johnson in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

What I loved about the length Johnson took to undertake this journey into the healing of Matt's soul is how stillness and mindfulness play such a strong role in how the tides of his life begin to churn into a new direction. Nature and the natural environment which surrounds a setting like Pine Lake are a prime place to find internal renewal because it is singularly one of those kinds of places where you can let your guard down, allow your spirit to drink in the calm and let the serenity of singular moments of just 'being still' envelope you. This is where Matt started to notice he could be different, if only for brief spells and that in of itself was positive change.

Caleb rubs me wrong - the more you see of the bloke, the more cautionary you become of his presence. He has this alpha male vibe about him, where he has controlling tendencies and the way his mind jumps to conclusions certainly can't be healthy. Yet, Robin is smitten by the bloke much as that boggles your mind as you read their scenes together - he isn't really supportive of her but would rather put her down and in place than to give her the credit she deserves. I thought for sure when their mutual friend Jenny spoke on her behalf he'd cut the needling into her affairs but apparently he's thickheaded as much as he's clueless.

Johnson sets this into a proper potboiler of a drama as you have a stirring interest developing into a bit of a love triangle, as not only is Caleb trying to draw the attention of Robin but so is Matt; Matt the bloke who wanted to shutter the world off from his life and tuck into the abyss of a life spent in the hallowed halls of the past. The closer they come together as they share space and meals at the lake house, the more intensely aware they are of each other and this innate chemistry developing between them. Of course, this budding potential of a relationship isn't sitting well with her current beau but then again, isn't that what her Mum and sister tried to encourage her to accept? How love alights like a butterfly at a moment your not expecting?

I admit, I was expecting there to be an epic dust-up in this dramatic heart shifting romance because one thing was for certain from the beginning - all the key players were in the middle of their own evolution. Robin was redefining herself as an artist and storyteller whilst letting herself breathe outside the role she fulfilled as a teacher. Matt needed an honest and humbling chance to sort through his soul-wrenching anguish and Caleb was hyper focused on his brand, his business and the forward motion he needed to take to reach his goals. All of them were in the midst of a dramatic love story where each person had to come to their own realisations, conclusions and let time percolate the ending which would befit each of them in turn.

My favourite minor character was Charlie - the salt of the earth grandfatherly influence who helps Matt reset his life and gives Robin happier memories to latch onto about her father. He's kind-hearted and has the right kind of timing to show up in your life almost as if he's intuitive aware of your needs prior to realising what they might be yourself. His wisdom comes in quiet reflections of a life lived without regrets but full of his share of guttingly difficult loss and sorrow. Charlie is on the other end of the tunnel Matt has been walking through and that in of itself is how the two found themselves sharing such a strong bond.

Refuge at Pine Lake is one of those stirring accounts of life evolving through a spiritual awakening - where people need to take a respite away from their lives in order to sort out their most authentic selves. There is something preventing them from living a life which will grant them the most joy and happiness; the adversities of our lives are meant to test us but not to burden us past the point of return. Johnson has penned a dramatic INSPY Introspective Contemporary where you step through the footsteps of her characters Matt and Robin as they re-align themselves with the truth neither of them was ready to accept until they found themselves sharing a sabbatical at Pine Lake.

I am hopeful this is only the beginning of an on-going series - there are tangents and threads to continue to explore, minor characters to re-bridge into leading characters and a setting which has a serene affirmation of its own about the mercy, grace and forgiveness a faith-led life can provide.

// This is a quotation of my full review originally shared via jorielovesastory.com

Oh I love it when a story takes place in the south! I really enjoyed the welcoming community of Pine Haven, Georgia.

Refuge at Pine Lake is a tender and emotive story dealing with loss, healing, friendship, and second chances. I’m in #booklove at the moment, so please forgive me as I gush…

Robin, Caleb, and Matthew make a perfect love triangle. The two men are vastly different, yet I understood Robin’s pull toward both of them (in the beginning, anyway.) Her passions, desires, and struggles felt authentic, and I never once had the urge to shake sense into her. Ha.

The main and secondary characters’ outside relationships and individual battles gave the story so much depth. I connected to Robin with ease, I was leery of Caleb (though I didn’t have a concrete reason) and I sympathized and rooted for Matt. (Gush. Me thinks me has a crush.) I wanted to hug him and encourage him on his sabbatical of healing. With Robin and Matt having similar interests and passions, their friendship had a solid, believable foundation to build from.

The two things that I enjoyed most about this story were the pacing and the heart (no pun intended.) The story took its time—not in a dragging-out-so-I-wanted-to-skip-pages kind of way, but more like a savory simmer that kept me enticed, and then completely sated in the end. The pacing in this story made me so happy, because oftentimes authors move this kind of relationship too quickly. The slow-boil romance here was perfect.

I can’t wait to visit this endearing Pine Haven community again and to soak in the soothing peace it provides. I love when I close a book with a sigh.

Sigh…

Quotes from the book:
It was good to be home, back in the place she’d known only happiness.

Love is always a timely gift.

My thoughts on the cover:
A serene and welcoming scene.
My thoughts on the title:
A fitting title.

★★★★★

Author: Rose Chandler Johnson
Publisher: Chanson Books
Series: A Pine Haven Novel Book 1
Pages: 385
First line: “When God burns down your house, you know it’s time to move.”
Source: I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of SLB Tours. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

#RefugeAtPineLake #PineHaven #SouthernFiction ( )

Another summer read that made me want to pack a bag and head for a long week (or month) at the lake, Refuge at Pine Lake welcomes you to the beauty and majesty of Georgia country.

I appreciated that Matthew McLaughlin is not your typical hero from the romance genre. He is drowning in grief and guilt, to the point he is going through the motions of life. And, in fact, it’s the heroine of this book that rescues him.

There’s a bit of a love triangle in this book but I never liked Caleb for Robin. The guy just never sat well with me. I always felt like he was on the verge of being caught in a lie (and you’ll have to read the book to find out whether or not that was true).

A couple scenes slowed the cadence down, and I questioned whey they were included but overall, Rose Chandler Johnson gives readers a story of dreams lost, grace, and hope for a better, brighter future.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. ( )