The Neighbors - Hannah Mary McKinnon I really liked this one, entertaining , twisty and emotionally charged domestic suspense novel that was quite the page turner. This is the exact sort of novel where upon finishing I go “ Darn! I really wish had kept this one for my holidays

We are all intrigued when a new family moves into the neighborhood and next door neighbors is even more intriguing until you realize these neighbors have have a connection with your past and a past you might want to keep hidden.

The Neighbors started out really strong and held my attention all the way to the end. This is my kind of fun summer read when I am relaxing outside and want a little distraction from the norm.

Enjoyed the character development and plot for this Novel as I felt I got to know most of the characters. I loved the dislikable characters if that makes sense. Also enjoyed how each character had their own narrative in the story as this made the story flow. A fast paced novel which I listed to on Audible and I really enjoyed the experience as I think the narration was really good.

I think readers who enjoyed books like [b:The Wife|34971475|The Wife|Alafair Burke|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1499099806s/34971475.jpg|56247075][bc:The Wife|34971475|The Wife|Alafair Burke|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1499099806s/34971475.jpg|56247075] might enjoy this one also.

Flossy Merrill's children, her husband, and The Summer House have always been her first loves.

 

Nothing mattered to her as much as her family. The family wasn’t together for a few summers in a row because of commitments, but this summer Flossy managed to get everyone together to celebrate their father's 75th birthday party.

 

Flossy also had another reason to get the family together, but she and Richard couldn't bring themselves to tell their children even though they knew they had to sooner than later.

 

Getting together was easy this year, but wasn't easy once everyone arrived. Sibling rivalry still continued into adulthood, and each of Flossy and Richard's children had some issue with each other and in their lives.

 

Paige still seemed bossy, Sam still liked to pick on Clem, and Clem was still mourning the loss of her husband.

 

The characters will grow on you and bring you into their problems and their heartaches as well as their joys. I enjoyed the sibling and parental interactions with some being comical, some being emotional, and some being serious.

 

THE SUMMER HOUSE is a perfect read for anyone who has a tradition of spending family vacations together. We never did that, but it would be fun to compare what your family vacations were like and how they might be compared to the family vacations of the Merrills. It would be interesting to see any similarities and differences.

 

This was my first book by Ms. McKinnon, and I truly enjoyed THE SUMMER HOUSE. I would love to spend some time in that gorgeous house. :)

 

THE SUMMER HOUSE was a heartfelt, lovely read about a family I think most readers could identify with.

 

If you know this author's work and have enjoyed it, you will not be disappointed in THE SUMMER HOUSE as you become involved in the lives of the characters and feel the emotions they are experiencing. 5/5

 

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.

By Hannah McKinnon

ISBN:1476777640

Publisher:   Atria/Emily Bestler Books

Publication Date: 6/2/2015 

Format: Other 

My Rating: 4 Stars 

 

An ideal summer beach read, and perfect for book club discussions, Hannah McKinnon’s THE LAKE SEASON, is a moving beautiful story of sisters, dark family secrets, with a stunning idyllic lakefront setting in New England--A desperate last-chance summer, rediscovery, and new possibilities for the future.

Iris has always been the responsible sister, while her sisterLeah dropped out of college, the free-spirit, hiking through Yellowstone and job hopping, leaving Iris to pick up the pieces. Everyone always liked Leah, the life of the party, and Iris boring and uptight.

Now, Iris finds her life and marriage falling apart (Paul, husband and three children-Sadie, Lily, and Jack). She feels no one likes her at the moment, so why stay. Once again Leah calls her back to their childhood home for help, off she goes to help with the preparations for her sister’s wedding to a rich man the family has never met.

The air is filled with tension upon the arrival. Iris is looking forward to the time away from her own family to decide about her own life and future. However, will she put her responsibility for others aside to find her own passion? What about an unexpected romance with an old class mate Cooper Woods, while working with the barn renovations?

Leah always been the favorite daughter and seems never to take responsibility for her actions - a case of sibling rivalry? Everyone loves Leah, she's engaged, yet they have not been in touch for years. Leah seems to have it all, but something isn't quite right. Leah does not act like someone madly in love. What gives?

Families aren’t easy – they are complex and most of the time our friends know more about us than our own family members. McKinnon cleverly takes all the messy-life topics and creates a compelling and heartwarming realistic story for a summer of healing, forgiveness, sisterhood, and rediscovery!

Charming and heartfelt! Add to to your summer beach read collection.

By: Hannah Roberts McKinnon 

ISBN: 1476777640

Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books

Publication Date: 6/2/2015 

Format: Paperback 

My Rating: 4 Stars

 

An ideal summer beach read, and perfect for book club discussions, Hannah McKinnon’s THE LAKE SEASON, is a moving beautiful story of sisters, dark family secrets, a stunning idyllic lakefront setting in New England, a desperate last-chance summer, rediscovery, and possibilities for the future.  

Iris has always been the responsible sister, while her sisterLeah dropped out of college, the free-spirit, hiking through Yellowstone and job hopping, leaving Iris to pick up the pieces. Everyone always liked Leah as the life of the party, Iris is boring and uptight.

Now, Iris finds her life and marriage falling apart (Paul, husband and three children-Sadie, Lily, and Jack). She feels no one likes her at the moment, so why stay. Once again Leah calls her back to their childhood home for help, off she goes to help with the preparations for her sister’s wedding to a rich man the family has never met.

The air is filled with tension upon the arrival. Iris is looking forward to the time away from her own family to decide about her own life and future. However, will she put her responsibility for other aside to find her own passion? What about an unexpected romance with an old class mate Cooper Woods, while working with the barn renovations?

Leah always been the favorite daughter and seems never to take responsibility for her actions and a case of sibling rivalry? Everyone loves Leah, she's engaged and they have not been in touch for years. Leah seems to have it all, but something isn't quite right. Leah does not act like someone madly in love. What gives?

Families aren’t easy – they are complex and most of the time our friends know more about us than our own family members. McKinnon cleverly takes all the messy-life topics and creates a compelling and heartwarming realistic story for a summer of healing, forgiveness, sisterhood, and rediscovery!

Charming and heartfelt! Add to your summer beach read collection.

Title: The Lake Season
Author: Hannah McKinnon
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Emily Bestler Books
Publication Date: June 2, 2015
Format: egalley via Edelweiss

 

Synopsis

 

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

 

My review (published at Read, Run, Ramble):

 

Thank you, Simon & Schuster via Edelweiss for providing me with an early copy of this book!

 

The only thing I didn’t like about this book is how badly it made me want to escape to a similar location and just “be”!

 

Iris’s husband, Paul, drops a bombshell that leaves her unsure of not only how they got where they are, but how to move forward. In an attempt to find some answers for herself, Iris escapes (sans kids and husband) to New Hampshire with her parents. Through chaotic and mysterious wedding planning events for her sister, Leah, manual labor with an old classmate, and some serious BFF intervention, Iris finds exactly what she’s looking for, and more.

 

McKinnon built a beautiful and affecting setting, making it so easy to get sucked into the easy going atmosphere of being at the lake for the summer.  Readers have no choice but to feel laid back and ready for summer when reading this one.

 

My affinity for sister stories can never be diminished (or really any sibling story) and this one is so great. McKinnon brings readers the ups and downs – the joy and the hassle; the fun and the rivalry. Likewise, she brings us the parental side too; showing us that parenting two very different children comes with its struggles as well.

 

Now, the lake and the laid-back summer feel isn’t all that this book brings. McKinnon writes some serious drama here. Iris has several relationships to explore and McKinnon does a fabulous job of showing a well-rounded view of how the character sees those relationships and how she cycles through different levels of understanding and even decision. As an author, she’s done a great job of giving the relationships and the issues at hand a face, a name, and a reality. Life isn’t easy. Life is sometimes ugly. Home isn’t always comfortable. Home isn’t always a safe place to fall. Home isn’t always the location you thought it might be. However, as Iris’s father teaches her, there’s more than one road leading home.

 

Renewal, forgiveness, and self-discovery are all wrapped up in this touching tale. I look forward to reading many more stories by McKinnon.

 

I was provided with an ARC of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I am not compensated for any of my reviews.