Book Review: Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen

Suley, Georgia, is home to Lost Lake Cottages and not much else. Which is why it's the perfect place for newly-widowed Kate and her eccentric eight-year-old daughter Devin to heal. Kate spent one memorable childhood summer at Lost Lake, had her first almost-kiss at Lost Lake, and met a boy named Wes at Lost Lake. It was a place for dreaming. But Kate doesn't believe in dreams anymore, and her Aunt Eby, Lost Lake's owner, wants to sell the place and move on. Lost Lake's magic is gone. As Kate discovers that time has a way of standing still at Lost Lake can she bring the cottages—and her heart—back to life? Because sometimes the things you love have a funny way of turning up again. And sometimes you never even know they were lost . . . until they are found.

Best Bits:  I love when a new Sarah Addison Allen book is released. The only way I can describe it is comforting. It's like visiting an old friend and being able to chat for hours. Sigh. She has an ability to weave magic into her stories that's almost dream-like in quality. People have small gifts (from the youngest characters to the oldest), and it never overtakes the story. Some gifts are subtler than others, but each person has a big impact on the movement of the plot. 

The themes in this book are love and loss, and this read came at a perfect time for me. The reader sees how the loss of a spouse impacts Kate, the love and acceptance Kate gives her daughter as she allows her to explore and enjoy childhood. We explore different facets of the themes through each character, and while the book is fairly short, each character is given adequate time to grow. The real beauty in every one of her books is how it makes you examine your own life, and she really pushes the reader to question if they're living life to the fullest. 

Nit Picks:  I have no nit picks. It was a perfect read filled with laughter and tears. I can't wait to re-read this in the middle of summer when I'll be able to connect with the setting. 

Lost Lake
By Sarah Addison Allen
Published by St. Martin's Press
296 Pages