Summer At Lake Haven by RaeAnne Thayne | Book Review

I received this book for free from Publisher, Library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

A lakeside summer, a new beginning…
Samantha Fremont has been struggling with the weight of her mother’s expectations for years. But now that her mother has passed away, it’s time for Sam to be bold and finally establish the fashion design business she’s always dreamed of. And the perfect opportunity has fallen into her lap. Her friend’s getting married and has asked Sam to create her wedding dress…if only she can avoid the bride’s infuriating brother, who’s temporarily the boy next door.
Ian Summerhill knows a sabbatical in Haven Point is exactly what he and his children need to recover from their mother’s death. His romantic relationship with his ex-wife may have ended years ago, but caring for her throughout her illness broke his heart. All he wants is to watch his little sister walk down the aisle and to see his kids smile again. And somehow his lovely new neighbor is instrumental in both. But as their uneasy truce blossoms into a genuine friendship and more, Ian has obligations in England he can’t ignore—and a secret that threatens the fragile trust he and Sam have built.

A few years ago, I got really sucked into RaeAnne Thayne’s Haven Point series. I binge read book after book from the series and got used to the format which basically was Christmas set book, spring/summer set book and repeat. So, when I saw Summer At Lake Haven was coming up and I guess wrapping the series, I was so excited for it. Unfortunately, I did not account for picking it up at a time when I wasn’t in a good headspace to read books. So, straight up, my frame of mind and body impacted my impression of this book.

Summer At Lake Haven is Samantha Fremont’s story, finally. Samantha and her mother Linda have been side characters in pretty much all of the previous Haven Point books. Unfortunately, Samantha’s mother, Linda, has died. And so, Samantha is living in her mother’s old house and also running the boutique. She starts to make decisions for herself without the influence of her mother’s voice. One of those decisions is adopting a dog. Anyways, the house next door to Samantha ends up being rented for the summer by single father Ian Somerhill.

When Ian’s children fall off the dock, Samantha ends up rescuing them. This ends up opening the door between Samantha and Ian. Oh and did I mention that Ian is British? He’s a professor who specializes in salmon. Also, Ian’s sister is about to become a permanent Haven Point resident and is getting married, so another reason for Ian to be in Haven Point over the summer.

I think that Summer At Lake Haven was just not the book for me. Maybe I have outgrown Haven Point? Maybe it is just that I associate this book with being ill. Usually I would read Thayne’s books in a single day but this one took me over two weeks to get through. I was not at all invested in the romance between Samantha and Ian. And that was rough because I wanted to be invested, I wanted to care more. Overall though, I think if you are a fan of Haven Point, you should give this book a shot – particularly for series closure. You may end up enjoying it so much more than I did.

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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