Starlight on Willow Lake

Wiggs breathes some new life into the Willow Lake series by introducing three new Bellamy siblings, distant cousins of the family featured in Summer at Willow Lake, Dockside etc. The romance between Mason Bellamy and his mother's home health aide, Faith, is very understated to the point of nonexistent (Mason has a girlfriend/fiance for most of the book, so while he and Faith develop a friendship and strong attraction, they don't act on it until the last few pages). But the rewarding part of the book is actually Alice Bellamy's journey from bitter, helpless quadriplegic to a person with a disability who learns, with Faith's help, that she can still have a rewarding life. Faith is also transformed, from grieving but scrappy widow to a show more woman ready to open her heart to new friends and love. Mason's brother and sister are obviously sequel bait, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Faith's teenaged daughter Cara and her geeky friend Milo turn up again someday a la Daisy Bellamy.

A few characters from other Lakeshore Chronicle books make brief appearances but for the most part Starlight reads perfectly well as a standalone or as an introduction to Chronicles 2.0 for new readers. After almost 10 years, this series has had its ups and downs but it is generally reliable well-written women's fiction. show less

Fan favorite Susan Wiggs returns with her beloved Lakeshore Chronicles series with her newest release, Starlight on Willow Lake. This heartwarming novel has a light romantic element but the deeper issues and personal growth of the main characters provide an extra layer of depth to the overall story.

Just as Mason Bellamy and his siblings are spreading their father's ashes in New Zealand, they get news that their mother, a quadriplegic, has been injured in an accident at her home in Avalon. Even worse, they quickly discover their mom, Alice, has driven yet another caregiver to quit without notice. With neither his brother Adam nor his sister Ivy able to stay with her until a new home health aid is hired, Mason has no choice but to move in show more temporarily and help interview prospective employees. Although the two were once extremely close, Mason has kept both an emotional and physical distance from her for the past twenty years and he is not looking forward to extended visit with her.

In the years since her husband's death, Faith McCallum has struggled financially and things have reached a crisis level for her and her two daughters Ruby and Cara when she is hired to work for Alice. Although they are unused to such elegant surroundings, the three settle in at the Bellamy estate and quickly breathe new life into the household. Faith is taken off guard by her reaction to Mason, but she has absolutely no plans or desire to act on her unwanted attraction for her employer's son.

Faith is no pushover and she easily holds her own when Alice's bitterness about her situation spills over into her treatment. She quickly recognizes there is more to Alice's accident that a simple fall and she immediately takes her suspicions to Mason. Despite his reluctance to return to Avalon, his concern for his mother means a complete reorganization of his life until his brother returns from firefighter training. Mason is astonished by how much he begins to enjoy the slower pace of life in the small town and he begins to re-evaluate his future.

Alice shows a surprising interest in Faith's daughters and although she is a bit gruff, the three share an uncomplicated friendship. Eight year old Ruby's observations are insightful and she easily cuts through the nonsense to the heart of whatever subject they are discussing. Seventeen year old Cara has been forced to grow up too soon and she is rather cynical and jaded about her future. Alice challenges both girls to face their fears and in doing so, she becomes less prickly and more accepting of her new circumstances in life.

Faith and Mason bond over their shared concern for Alice. For the first time, Mason is able to discuss the precipitating event that caused him to pull away from his parents twenty years earlier. Their day to day lives overlap and an easygoing friendship slowly grows between them. When their feelings for one another run a little deeper than expected, Mason rethinks what he wants for his future while Faith must decide whether or not to risk her heart again.

Starlight on Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs is a beautiful journey of self-discovery and healing for Mason, Faith and Alice. The entire cast of characters are multi-faceted and immensely appealing. The storyline is realistic and blissfully free of unnecessary drama or conflict. The romance between Faith and Mason is low-key and simmers in background as they each come to terms with their respective issues. A fast-paced and emotionally compelling novel that old and new fans of the Lakeshore Chronicles are going to absolutely LOVE. show less

Starlight on Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs is 2015 Harlequin MIRA publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Susan Wiggs pulled me into this story with such ease and subtlety that before I knew it, I was deeply involved with Mason, Alice and Faith and their interwoven sagas.

Faith is a dead broke caretaker. a widowed mother of two daughters, who desperately needs to find a steady job and a place to settle for the sake of her children, who have grown weary of being shuffled so often since the death of their father.

Having been hired by Mason to care for his paralyzed mother seemed like a blessing, but once Faith encounters Alice, she realizes she has her work cut out for show more her.

Mason is trying to come to terms with his father's death and help his mother cope with the hand of cards she has been dealt, but wishes he could do it at distance because he and Alice have a strained relationship. Mason is successful in his work and prefers to simply pay for anything his mother may need.

But, when his mother takes a puzzling tumble down the stairs, and his siblings can't stay with her, Mason has to man up and find a way to run his business and care for his mother. This development puts him in contact with Faith and from there Alice, Faith and Mason will get to know one another and themselves a whole lot better.

As I have gotten older, I have come to appreciate these types of stories more than ever. Thought provoking, emotional, and inspirational storytelling with depth and meaning always leaves me feeling rewarded and satisfied by the time I turn the last page. This book has all of these qualities and was well worth the time spent reading it.

For me, the person at the heart of this story is Alice. I know she was a real you know what at the beginning of the book, but I could see past all that and knew in my heart she was going to be okay, but that it would be a long journey for her. In the end, she was an inspiration to everyone in the story. She opened her eyes and her heart in ways many of us might not be able to. I ended up with a great admiration for her. But, she didn't get there all by herself.

Faith, Mason, Cara and Ruby all play a part in Alice's turn around. But, Mason too will learn some truths about himself, will admit his own regrets and mistakes, and will have an incredibly surreal chance to find peace… by considering his mother's profound words of wisdom. Faith and her girls also play a huge role, with Alice taking a real liking to Cara and Ruby.

While I am big fan of romantic build up, my only complaint was that the romance between Mason and Faith too long to develop. I was pretty sure Faith and Mason were moving toward a relationship, but I was beginning to think I had it all wrong, and because it took so very long for anything to get going between them ,it felt like a wet blanket was thrown on their initial chemistry and curtailed the passion and sentimental romance, but! I did like how Faith made Mason fight for her and how he rose to the occasion. The happy ever moment for Faith and Mason was symbolic and perfect for them, each facing their fears and learning to take a leap of faith.
I'm hoping to learn more about Adam and Ivy in the future.

A wonderful and compelling story that will warm your heart.

4 stars show less

A special thank you to MIRA and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A huge long-time faithful fan of talented Susan Wiggs, and her captivating Lakeshore Chronicles Series-- having read all the books in the series, her latest, STARLIGHT ON WILLOW LAKE (Lakeshore Chronicles #11) is by far, my favorite—lots of scandalous secrets, intriguing characters, and life lessons!

With the popular TV Hallmark series adaption of Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove series, and the new and upcoming Sherryl Woods, Chesapeake Series, I have my fingers crossed, Susan Wigg’s Lakeshore Chronicles Series will be next in line-- centered on this idyllic town of Avalon's Willow Lake, a remote lakeside town in the much loved Catskills, featuring show more the exciting Bellamy family and friends.

Meet the characters:

Faith McCallum, in her early thirties, widowed, a home care nurse and caretaker; raising a teenage daughter and a younger daughter with diabetes. She spent years taking care of her mother, her husband, and now her daughters. She cannot catch a break. She is currently being evicted, due to the past hospital bills from her husband’s diabetes, and loss of her job. She fights everyday to keep her family afloat, while looking for a new job. Best of all, with all her tragedies, she maintains a great attitude.

Alice Bellamy, now a paraplegic, is a miserable rich woman. After multiple surgeries, drug therapies, and intensive rehab, Alice had agreed to move to Avalon to settle into her new life as a widow and a quadriplegic, determined to find what independence she could, a few hours by train from New York City.

A former successful athlete, businesswoman, community leader, wife and mother; full of life-now shattered. With her spinal injury, she would never walk again--much less ski, salsa dance, cliff dive, run a triathlon, or even drive a car--she had raged against her fate. She has fired all her caretakers, with her negative attitude and sharp tongue. Everyone is afraid of her and no one wants to be around her. She has lost her husband in a skiing avalanche accident, and left her without any way to do anything on her own. She also has recently discovered secrets within her marriage, and she no longer has her independence, or her will to go on. She has lost complete control of her own life.

Mason Bellamy, Alice’s oldest son, is a successful man, wealthy, and smart, living in Manhattan with a stunning fiancée. He takes care of all the finances of his mother, and has set her up in Avalon, equipping her home, with a full staff, and environment with everything she could ever need; except his time.

When Alice’s daughter, Ivy has to leave for Paris, and her younger son, Adam has to go away for a firefighter’s mission training, Mason has to leave Manhattan to return to Willow Lake, to help with his mother’s care until they hire a new live in nurse and caretaker. He has spent his entire life since age seventeen escaping his mother. He feels guilty he knew the secret of his parent’s past.

Cara McCallum, a teen who is smart, intelligent, and a hard worker, yet she is aware she cannot dream of driving, getting a car, going to college, or other dreams, due to their financial situation. She does not have the means to expect clothes and material possessions.

Roby McCallum, younger sister, a diabetic, is smart, funny, and lights up a room. However, she has many fears to overcome. Alice may be the one person who can help her, while helping herself in the meantime.

As the book opens, we see Faith and her girls struggling, near being homeless; on the way to the interview with Alice and Mason Bellamy—when she discovers an accident and being the altruistic person she is, she stops to help a victim of a motorcycle accident, and is late for her interview. She helps save his life, and Mason witnesses a demonstration of her tenacity and skills.

Faith, and her funny, witty, and heartwarming daughters may just be what the doctor ordered for Alice, and for Mason. As the past and the present connect, these two families from different financial status, and walks of life, may be the perfect match for rebuilding, renewal, facing old fears, while gaining newfound courage and purpose to move on to an exciting future. Each person receives a gift from the other, creating a bond, closer than family.

As most of my book friends and followers are aware, I am typically not a huge fan of women’s fiction, romance, or chick-lit, as lean more towards crime, suspense, legal thrillers, or historical/literary fiction. However, there are a select number of contemporary authors, such as Susan, I always place at the top of my list, and anxiously await the next in the series.

If you have read any of Susan’s books, you are aware, they are not fluff and all feel good. They are rich in character, diversity, travel, and delve into social issues, emotions, and struggles of family and daily contemporary lives ---with suspense, intrigue, and sometimes a budding romance, despite all odds.

Fans of Luanne Rice, and Emilie Richards will be drawn to Susan’s style and talent for an inspiring tale of overcoming fears, facing the past, allowing others inside their hearts for much-needed change; leaving room for exciting new ventures. A great mix of characters (loved Faith, Alice, Cara, and Ruby)! Being a total wanderlust, I always enjoy Susan's books, filled with adventure, travel, music, art, culture; exotic, intelligent, and intriguing characters and settings--making for an ideal book club discussion.

While STARLIGHT ON WILLOW LAKE can be read as a standalone, recommend reading all of the books in this suspenseful series, rich in character and charm. Always love catching up with familiar characters. An inspiring and beautiful journey of self-discovery (for those with disabilities, caregivers, friends or families), of love, and healing.

A compelling tale, a romance, and one which will leave you awaiting the next group of characters, drawing you back to the captivating unspoiled Willow Lake, and the picture perfect storybook setting. show less

One of the reasons I was drawn to Susan Wiggs' Starlight on Willow Lake is that is set near the place where my husband grew up, in Ulster County in upstate New York.

Faith McCallum is a single mom to two girls, Cara and Ruby. Faith's husband Dennis died six years ago and left behind a mountain of debt, mostly in medical bills. Faith does her best to make ends meet as an LPN caregiver to private clients, but they are about to be evicted.

Financier Mason Bellamy is looking to hire a caregiver for his mother, who became a quadriplegic after being trapped in an avalanche that killed her husband. Alice Bellamy moved from Manhattan to the family's country house in Avalon, and has gone through a succession of live-in caregivers.

Faith responds to show more Mason's online ad and sees this job as an answer to her prayers. Faith, Cara and Ruby move into the Bellamy's spacious lakefront home and Faith can't believe that her luck has changed.

Alice is angry that the accident has taken away much of what she loved. She was an athletic, adventurous woman and now she was confined to a wheelchair. It was the loss of independence and privacy that hurt her the most, something a self-reliant woman like Alice found difficult to face.

While Alice held most people at arms' length, she took a shine to Cara and Ruby. She liked that the girls spoke openly and honestly to her, and getting to know them gave her something else to focus on.

Although Mason lives in Manhattan, he moves to Avalon for the summer at Faith's request. She feels that Alice needs to have not only a staff to care for her, but she needs her son as well.

Faith has had a difficult life, losing her mom and husband to early chronic illnesses and she has devoted her life to her daughters. But Mason has awakened feelings in her that she thought were dormant. Although Mason is engaged to Regina, a woman he works with who is as stylish, wealthy and career-driven as he is, he feels drawn to Faith.

What I liked about Starlight on Willow Lake is that through Faith we see the plight of the working poor, a growing demographic in society. Faith works hard, but getting out from under crushing debt is nearly insurmountable.

Cara understands their situation, and so she puts off her dreams of going to college because she doesn't want her mother to worry about paying for college. There are probably many people out there who feel like that.

There are many well written scenes in the book, but I most enjoyed the scenes of Alice bonding with the girls. Alice is a tough cookie, but the girls see through her rough exterior and speak to her honestly, as only children can.

I also loved the little shout-out to Wegmans (although there is no Wegmans near Ulster County, because if there was I would be able to hear my sister-in-law squealing with joy all the way here in NYC). I'm guessing that Susan Wiggs may know the Rochester area a bit because she also mentions Rochester as being represented in a college night program.

The characters in Starlight on Willow Lake are well-drawn and the storyline is intriguing. This book is part of Wiggs' Lakeshore Chronicles, and since it is mentioned that there are many members of the extended Bellamy family, I'm guessing the other books feature them. I will be looking for the rest of the series. show less

Starlight starts off really slow and boring with mason angst,
then takes off with the saga of broken Alice in her wheelchair
and her new caretaker Faith with her outspoken kids.

Friendship/Romance is again too prolonged...

The kids and the dogs are highlights!

Another solid entry in the long-running Lakeshore Chronicles. A year ago, Trevor Bellamy was killed in an avalanche while skiiing, and his wife Alice was left a quadriplegic. Oldest son Mason used his money to set her up in a beautiful home on the shores of Willow Lake, with an able staff, and brother Adam on site in case of problems. But Alice keeps driving her aides away, and now she has fallen down the stairs. Enter Faith, an experienced LPN who is one day away from being evicted. The prospect of a job that will provide a home for her and her two fatherless girls seems too good to be true.

There are rough patches, but Faith and her girls become family to Alice. And to Mason, who despite being engaged to the perfect woman finds that he show more has feelings for Faith. Because of family history, Mason refuses to be unfaithful. And Faith is wary about relationships because of her own past. The way that they find their way to happiness together is heartwarming and believable. show less