The Summer House - Lauren K. Denton

From christianbook.com :
"When Lily Bishop wakes to find her husband's goodbye note and divorce papers, she takes a position as hair stylist at the Safe Harbor retirement community for income. She soon livens up the place Rose Carrigan founded just before her spouse ran off with his assistant. Will these jilted women become friends---and discover second chances at love? "

It feels weird to say that I really liked this book, when it started on such a rocky note.  But, if you can get past the opening of a woman's husband leaving her out of the blue, there's a lot to gather here about second chances and opening up to the people whom you find in your life.  Between Lily's fresh start, and Rose's path to forgiving herself and letting people in, the characters in this story were heartrendingly realistic, and down-to-earth, yet colorful and engaging.  I loved watching the interplay between the members of this community who had lived among each other for years, yet with the fresh perspective of 28-year-old Lily becoming part of them.  I could see a series set in this community of Safe Harbor, delving into the rich histories of those who live here, and perhaps interacting with and passing on their wisdom to the next generations.  

I give this book 4 stars.  Lily and Rose were traveling separate paths, yet both needed forgiveness, healing, and fresh starts, and I loved watching how their journeys affected each other and the community they were a part of.

You can find The Summer House HERE.
You can find the author's website HERE.

I received a complimentary copy of this book.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Glory Road - Lauren K. Denton

Jessie is content, if not happy, running her flower shop with her mom and daughter in her hometown.  Then, an old flame returns to town, a handsome wealthy man starts showing her attention, and her mom begins acting strangely.  What decisions does Jessie need to make, and how will they affect her small family's future?

This was such a lovely book.  While there was no great plot to rush the reader to the end, the slow moving glimpse of daily life for this little, unorthodox, family of three was heart warming.  None of the characters were made out to be perfect, and there were certainly challenges they needed to overcome, but none of it felt contrived.  Instead, it just felt like real live.  Even when Jessie needed to choose between the two men who were interested in her, neither man was the clear choice, and the book could have ended just as happily for her if she'd made a different choice.  But choosing life and to live it, rather than to hide oneself away, was the clear theme of this book.  Whether you're almost 70 and had a happy marriage, whether you're nearing 40 and have been badly burned by love in the past, or whether you're 14 and getting your first taste of a crush as well as deciding which voice inside of you you're going to follow, these three generations of women demonstrate that being  yourself and loving your family go a long way towards a happy life.

I give this book 4 stars.  I enjoy seeing characters thrive in unusual circumstances, and I enjoyed watching this family set boundaries and cross them and love each other along the way.

You can find Glory Road HERE.
You can find the author's page HERE.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.