Publisher: Mira
Date published:
August
28, 2012
ISBN: 978-0778313847
Genre: Women’s
fiction
Book format: Hardback
Obtained via: Publisher
Reviewed by
name and email address: Gina Ginalrmreviews@gmail.com
Sonnet Romano has always been organized, methodical and totally
on top of whatever goal she has set for herself. Even on her first day of
kindergarten she had a self-possessed character with poise beyond her years.
Now, as an adult, she’s with a man who is the perfect match for her, on her way
to a fellowship that will secure her future and standing by her father as he
makes a run for the senate. What more could she ask for?
Zack Alger is the classic frog to a prince story—from a skinny
kid whose dad embezzled from the town to a total hunk all the girls are
clamouring after. As a videographer he has the unique ability to capture life’s
moments in stunning videos. Zack could
pretty much care less about the women who fawn all over him. Long ago one
particular woman caught his eye and heart. Now he just needs her to realize
they are destined to be more than friends.
Sonnet always saw Zack as her best friend. The person she could
tell all her secrets to. They shared happy times, sad times and one very
romantic night making love. Unable to believe what she’d done Sonnet tries to
shut Zack out of her life. But something goes wrong at home, terribly wrong and
Sonnet decides to move back to Avalon and her home at Willow Lake to help those
she loves the most heal.
I’ve loved Susan Wiggs’ Lakeside Chronicles series from start to
finish. The earlier books (Summer at Willow Lake and The Winter Lodge) are my favourites—they
parallel so strongly events in my own life it felt at times that Ms. Wiggs sat
down and asked me about what meant the most to me. She creates amazing
characters that could well be people in your own community. Willow Lake and the
town of Avalon are the kind of place you’d like to live in, if only for a short
time. As the series progressed the author took on more of life’s trying
moments: a terror attack, a child
struggling in school, a veteran and in her latest, RETURN TO WILLOW LAKE, a series of divergent emotions and events
that would make any family feel their lives are running out of control. From
the thrill of a new baby to the devastation of cancer emotions pull the reader up
and down through an emotional rollercoaster.
I struggled through reading most of the book. I have tried to
assess if it was the combination of emotional issues or the subject matter in
general that left me feeling flat about the book. At times I felt the author
was trying to meet expectations of a story for Sonnet and did not feel inspired
to write it. The first eight books were
400 or so pages each; RETURN TO WILLOW
LAKE is 311. I applaud an author who
tells the story that needs to be told and doesn’t load up a book with needless
prose to hit a word count.
The couples in the earlier books had such great connections to
each other and the love story parts of them left long lasting impressions. I missed seeing, catching up as it were, with
the characters from the earlier books.
It was a pleasure to “see” Zack and Sonnet grow up through the
series and become their own, very unique people. I loved it when Sonnet tells Orlando, aka the
perfect guy, exactly what he can do with his massive ego.
I highly recommend this series and while each book stands alone
and can be read out of order, reading the books in order is truly worthwhile.
This is an objective review and not an endorsement of
this book.
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