Hannah Roberts McKinnon

Now this was a superb summer beach read. Perfect in every way. Forget that it is not a new or very different story, forget that you may have read something similar - you just have not read it so perfectly formed and written. The descriptions “glitter cerulean blue beneath a matching sky.”

Leah’s life has blown up. She has lost her job and her long time boyfriend. She is headed to her childhood home in Cape Cod to lick her wounds and figure out the next chapter. Told from multiple POVs show more various stories overlap to become a story about how relationships are formed, tested, lost and recovered. A damaged thirty-five year old learns that she can reach deep enough to start again. A teenager discovers how frightening it is to be a parent as she is learning that being a teenager can be equally terrifying. A panic stricken septuagenarian learns how to get up and out and carry on. A charming book store clerk holds his secret close as it is consuming him. And of course there has to be that good looking nice guy who is coming to the conclusion that maybe he is going to be alone despite best intentions. Each person is learning how much words matter, especially between friends and those we care about.

So many thanks to to Emily Bestler Books / Atria and NetGalley for a copy. show less

Hannah McKinnon's The Lake Season is an absolutely delightful gem! An idyllic lakefront property is the perfect setting for Iris Standish to rediscover herself as she tries come to terms with her upcoming divorce. She also learns startling information about her younger sister Leah who is also home preparing for her upcoming wedding. But it is her unexpected romance with Cooper Woods that truly helps her heal but the future of their relationship is uncertain once Iris returns to her regular show more life.

Although their sixteen year marriage has been troubled for quite some time, Iris is still stunned when her husband Paul tells her he wants a divorce. Barely able to cope with day to day life, a cryptic postcard from Leah provides Iris with an excuse to escape to her childhood home. The family farm has undergone a few changes in her absence but the one thing that appears to be exactly the same is her sister. Leah still seems to be a little reckless and attention seeking, but Iris becomes concerned by some of Leah's inexplicable behavior. Although Iris tries to get Leah to open up, Leah refuses to confide in her and their relationship becomes strained when the sisters fall back into childhood patterns.

Iris immediately feels like an outsider at her childhood home and she is further dismayed once she realizes how far out of the family loop she is. Leah's return does not help with the disconnect Iris is experiencing and when Leah steps back into her role of the favored daughter, Iris is not only hurt, but angered that no one expects Leah to take responsibility for her actions. Iris takes refuge in assisting Cooper with the barn renovations and she is pleasantly surprised by their easygoing friendship. In the beginning, working with Cooper provides her a mindless distraction from her worries, but as she becomes skilled at new tasks, Iris begins to thrive as she recovers her lost self-esteem. Her camaraderie with Cooper soon gives way to a mutual attraction and as they tentatively embark on a romance, sibling rivalry, jealousy and startling revelations threaten their fragile bond.

The Lake Season paints a realistic portrait of life's messy relationships. Siblings' relationships are often complicated by rivalry that sometimes lasts into adulthood while parental relationships often suffer from lasting resentment over perceived parental favoritism of one sibling over another. Marriages sometimes never recover from the stress establishing careers, infertility and raising children. Although staying together seems like the best choice for the children, should parents be expected to give up their happiness to give their kids a two parent household? Hannah McKinnon brilliantly weaves all of these thought-provoking topics into an emotional and compelling story that is heartwarming and ultimately healing. An utterly fantastic novel with a beautiful setting and an incredible cast of characters that I absolutely loved and highly recommend. show less

Think of a family who has summered for decades at a cottage on Cape Cod. There’s history here, a memory, but is there a future? Who holds the key? Who interprets the past, and steers the way forward? This is the story of The Darling family who gathers at their cottage, Riptide, for a wedding and a long held secret is revealed. It’s about how we define family, and how we define ourselves in our families. It’s a dive into maternal sacrifice, how it both clears a path and blinds you. show more Ultimately, it’s about choosing forward motion individually, together, over and over throughout life.

Told from varying points of view, and timelines McKinnon does an excellent job weaving this inter generational story. From grandmother Tish who raised her son Charley alone after becoming a young widow, to Cora who married Charley but was never accepted by her mother-in-law, to daughter Andi fresh from her divorce but here to support her sister, Sydney, as she gets married. These complex family dynamics ebb and flow like the tides at the cottage, informing a history of strong women who were often put in difficult situations. Sibling rivalry is explored, fueled by an othering, a favoritism by their grandmother. McKinnon uses this really well in frank and honest dialogue that felt both vulnerable and genuine. I loved the coming together of Tish and Cora, the personal recognition of Cora’s talent seemed representative of what Tish had missed. I would have loved to have known what happened afterwards. I’m always here for a good epilogue and feel it would have been really satisfying.

The Darlings is a fantastic pick for your next summer read, your beach/pool bag, or your weekend binge read in a shady lounge chair, drink in hand. I especially recommend for those who are needing a waterside getaway but are landlocked. This will take you right there friends!

Thank you so much to Goodreads Giveaway @goodreads , Atria/Emily Bestler Books @Atriabooks , and author Hannah McKinnon @HannahMcKinnonWrites for the advance copy. show less

Leah is returning to her childhood home in Chatham, Massachusetts after losing her dream job and breaking things off with her fiance. Upon her return, Leah impulsively decides to rent a dilapidated historic home in town and renovate it into a bookstore. With a quick turnaround in order to catch the summer vacationers, Leah enlists a lot of help: Brad, a college student who is staying with his conservative grandmother for the summer, Lucy, whose sister, Ella is recovering from a critical car show more accident and wants a place to escape the constant worry, Eudora, a retired high school counselor who has trouble leaving her house after her husband passed and Luke, Leah's brother's friend from high school who owns a woodworking business.

The Sandy Page Bookshop is a cozy beach read with all of the usual tropes. The characters are what make this story come to life, they were all well rounded with developed storylines and full arcs. The writing switched between the points of view of Leah, Lucy, Eudora, Luke and Brad. I felt invested in all of the characters and their stories. While Leah's story was predictable, I enjoyed seeing her shop expand and her relationships grow. Lucy's story is heartfelt, feeling the emotional depth of her sister's near tragic accident and dealing with her parent's emotions while navigating being a teenager herself. Eudora shows enormous growth while learning a few lessons about living a public life again. Brad is a bit of comedic relief and grounding while dealing with first love and generational constraints with his grandmother. Luke is the obvious love interest; however, he and Leah's relationship takes a natural path and allows interest to grow. The Sandy Page Bookshop itself is an amazing setting with the help of the characters, it shows the power of community. Everyone's story wrapped up quietly at the end and I wish I could have seen how The Sandy Page fared after tourist season.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. show less