The Lake Season by Hannah McKinnon

Jun 15, 2015 Susan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: digital-read, review-for-fresh-fiction, netgalley

Holy cow! Everyone needs to read this awesome debut novel!!

Iris Standish's life has been turned upside down. Her husband Paul has blind sided her with wanting a separation. THE LAKE SEASON is filled with love, heartbreak, family, and romance. Iris has always had the love of her family, which is why she runs home to them when her life falls apart. But she has always felt like an outsider looking in. Her parents, while maybe not meaning to, have always played favorites with her sister, Leah. No ma Holy cow! Everyone needs to read this awesome debut novel!!

Iris Standish's life has been turned upside down. Her husband Paul has blind sided her with wanting a separation. THE LAKE SEASON is filled with love, heartbreak, family, and romance. Iris has always had the love of her family, which is why she runs home to them when her life falls apart. But she has always felt like an outsider looking in. Her parents, while maybe not meaning to, have always played favorites with her sister, Leah. No matter what Leah does, no matter how many bad decisions she makes, her parents have always had her back. Iris doesn't feel like they are the same way with her.

Leah has shocked everyone by announcing she is getting married and wants Iris there to help her with all the plans. Once home, Iris is shocked by the changes her family has made to the farm and barn in her absence. The one thing that appears to be exactly the same is her sister. Leah still seems to be a little reckless and attention seeking - you know the kind that always has to be the life of the party. Iris becomes concerned by some of Leah's strange behavior. Although Iris tries to get Leah to open up, Leah refuses to confide in her and their relationship becomes just like it was when they were kids. Iris was always picking up the pieces to the mess Leah would leave behind and she finds herself doing it again. Why don't her parents make Leah take responsibility for her actions?

While all of this is going on, Iris finds herself constantly running into one of her teenage crushes, Cooper Woods. Iris hides out in the barn that Cooper is renovating for her family, to escape her problems. Cooper learns of Iris's troubles at home and offers to listen when she wants to talk. At the same time, he teaches her so many things as she helps him in the restoration of the barn. Their renewed friendship is just what each of them need. Neither one of them is interested in a summer fling, but is there really time for anything more?

I still can't believe THE LAKE SEASON is a debut novel. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. I read this wonderful story in two sittings! Hannah McKinnon pulled me right in from the very first page and never let me go. She does such a great job of describing the scenery and the way the characters are feeling that it was almost as if I were right there with them at the lake and the farm. I love when an author can put me in their story.

I usually am reading many books at one time but once I started THE LAKE SEASON all other books were put aside. I found myself cheering for the Standish family, wondering if tragedy would pull this family together or splinter it further apart. I finished reading the very last page with a huge lump in my throat and a big smile on my face! I can not wait to read more by Ms. McKinnon. ...more

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Feb 01, 2015 Julie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: women-s-fiction, edelweiss-review, e-serial

The Lake Season by Hannah Roberts McKinnon is a 2015 Atria/ Emily Bestler Books Publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is women's fiction at it's finest. I have a habit of reading several books at one time, but once I got several chapters deep into this one, I couldn't put it down.

Iris and Leah are sisters, but you would never know it judging by their personalities. Iris is a solid, hard working person who got t ...more

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Feb 21, 2015 Anna rated it really liked it

Shelves: new-author, chic-lit

I received this in a Goodreads giveaway a while back. I should have got to it sooner, as it is a wonderful summer beach read. The idyllic lake setting makes you want to dive in for a brisk swim. But all is not ideal for Iris, and her sister Leah. With her children at camps, Iris has returned home to come to terms with her husband asking for a divorce and to help prepare for Leah's wedding. Iris and Leah's relationship has always been a bit strained and competitive, and buried jealousies surface. ...more

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May 12, 2015 Laurence R. rated it really liked it

Shelves: to-review

This is your perfect summer novel. If you're going anywhere near a lake or any kind of beach, this novel is what you need.

I liked how this novel made me feel. Going to her parents' house is a way to take a break from her life for Iris, and I felt like I was on a break, too. This novel made me escape from my life and if that doesn't mean it's a good novel, then I don't know what does.

I found it hard to like all of the characters in this novel, first because I didn't feel very invested in the st ...more

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Jun 03, 2015 Mary rated it really liked it

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book! To me it was the perfect summer read. Our heroine "Iris" is at times hysterically funny, at others pensive and thought provoking. The lake house setting made me long to own one, or at least know somebody who had a lake house and invite me for the summer! I laughed out loud many times. At least once I wanted to slap some sense into her, but that's good, right? I have to admit, the stor ...more

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May 18, 2015 Eileen rated it did not like it

Shelves: books-i-didn-t-want-to-finish

Oh dear! This one falls very short in my estimation! I couldn’t wait to begin, as all the inducements pulled me right in – a beach book, Cape Cod, family turbulence, and so forth! Contrary to the many enthusiastic reviews, though, I found the writing flat and totally lackluster. Two dimensional characters did little to enrich the predictable plot. The author’s attempt to convey the superciliousness of parental cliques was unconvincing – a feat so effectively rendered by Lianne Moriarty in Big Li ...more

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Jun 19, 2015 Elvan rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: net-galley

The Lake Season falls into the category of Beach Reads, the kind of book with a predictable troubled heroine who finds redemption in some way. The locations may change from coastal small towns to mountain resorts. The heroine might have a dynamic job or a part time career which she juggles along with one to three children. Often divorce looms. How will our heroine cope and where will she find the strength to carry on? Will there be reconciliation or a new love interest? Will the beloved hobby tu The Lake Season falls into the category of Beach Reads, the kind of book with a predictable troubled heroine who finds redemption in some way. The locations may change from coastal small towns to mountain resorts. The heroine might have a dynamic job or a part time career which she juggles along with one to three children. Often divorce looms. How will our heroine cope and where will she find the strength to carry on? Will there be reconciliation or a new love interest? Will the beloved hobby turn into a profitable career option? These books are kick-back and feel good reads because we assume there will be a HEA for the heroine. We just have to get through her challenging life to reach that happy ending.

Iris Standish is the responsible older sister. She juggles a marriage, three kids and a part time job reviewing manuscripts and contacting publishers as a freelance agent. (Okay, that is an ideal job for book lovers who read this genre) Her kids are precocious and her teenager is challenging. Her husband wants a divorce.

Reeling and unable to consider how her life is about to change,depressed at the cold indifferent attitude of her husband Paul,she gets an urgent call from her younger sister Leah. Leah insists Iris come home to their parents farm to help with her wedding preparations.

Leah is the wild child of the family, running from one adventure to another and always supported by her doting mother. Iris has felt ignored and unappreciated by her parents and has not brought her family for a visit in five years. Needing to regroup and find herself, Iris leaves her kids in her husband’s capable hands and heads home to help with the wedding. The players are identified and the story can now evolve to its hopeful happy ending.

This is Hannah McKinnon’s debut novel. She writes with an easy style. The first half of the book does drag a bit but as the wedding looms and crisis after crisis force family members to face their past and forge a path to the future the pace improves.

I did struggle to like both Iris and her sister Leah. Iris is conflicted and indecisive. You just want to slap some sense into her or find her a spine,something to keep her family from treating her like a doormat.Leah is all over the place emotionally. One moment she is everyone’s best friend and the next she flying off with Iris’s potential love interest for a weekend in Vermont. The small town loves her work ethic and how much she has helped her parents get their market garden operation off the ground but she spends most of her time sulking and ignoring her fiancé Stephen. As facts are revealed the reader does gain some respect and empathy for both sisters. The same cannot be said for their mother Millie. She is a one dimensional inflexible character who shows no growth at all. She is balanced by the girls doting and loveable dad.

The men in the story are also one-dimensional. Iris’s husband Paul is evil walking. He is cold and indifferent to the needs of his wife. The farm handyman Cooper Woods is a caricature, a fantasy of the perfect love interest. He is gorgeous, single, caring and understanding. While Iris waffles he stands by patiently being cute and adorable. He’s a great guy. He does have a past but we learn very little of his back story. When Paul shows up for Leah's wedding I wanted Cooper to grow a spine as well. Too nice is sometimes too much of a good thing.

I did enjoy reading this book and can see this author joining the ranks of better than average Chick Lit writers. Add a little depth to the men in her stories and she can rank up there with many of the better Beach read authors on the market today.

*ARC received from publisher via NetGalley.
...more

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Jun 22, 2015 Judy D Collins rated it really liked it

Shelves: womens-fiction, romance, books-read-in-2015, 2015-new-releases, chick-lit, marriage, beach-read, hannah-roberts-mckinnon

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 sister Leah dropped out of college, the free-spirit, hiking through Yellowstone and job hopping, leaving Iris to pick up the pieces. Everyone ...more

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Jan 28, 2015 Kathy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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 life. 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 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. ...more

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Feb 19, 2015 Michelle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: women-s-fiction, literary-fiction, 2014

I read an ARC of this many months ago and it's stayed with me. Such a wonderful, memorable, affecting read. My blurb:

Two sisters, a glittering New England lake, and one desperate, last-chance summer set the stage for Hannah McKinnon’s emotionally affecting new novel, The Lake Season. The story features the complex Iris and her unpredictable sister Leah but its power extends well beyond the beautiful, heartbreaking bond between these two women. A memorable rumination on life, loss, and how to fin ...more

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Apr 06, 2015 Elizabeth rated it it was amazing

Shelves: kindle, netgalley, for-review

This book was a great novel that I just couldn't put down. It hit all the ups and downs I was expecting and more. The storyline took me to a place I've never been and a childhood that was completely different than my own. I loved Iris and her sister, Leah. Their mother, Millie, reminded me of my Mom when I was growing up. I have never read any books by this author, but will certainly seek them out now.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read and provide my honest opinio ...more

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Jun 30, 2015 Ekta rated it it was ok

Recommends it for: no one

Recommended to Ekta by: NetGalley

A woman uses her sister’s wedding as a legitimate way to take a break from her life. When she arrives in New Hampshire from Boston, though, she realizes that may she need more than a break; maybe she needs a fresh start. By getting back in touch with old friends and reviving her relationships with her family, the woman finds that fresh start. Hannah McKinnon tries to entice readers in the predictable, plodding novel The Lake Season.

Iris Standish can’t seem to do anything right lately. Her teenag A woman uses her sister’s wedding as a legitimate way to take a break from her life. When she arrives in New Hampshire from Boston, though, she realizes that may she need more than a break; maybe she needs a fresh start. By getting back in touch with old friends and reviving her relationships with her family, the woman finds that fresh start. Hannah McKinnon tries to entice readers in the predictable, plodding novel The Lake Season.

Iris Standish can’t seem to do anything right lately. Her teenage daughter offers her nothing more than an eye roll as conversation. She doesn’t know how to relate to the other mothers from school. And her husband has become distant lately. Iris has begun holding her breath, waiting for a shoe to drop.

When her husband says at the beginning of the summer that he wants a separation, though, Iris feels an entire rack of shoes has fallen on her head. After all the sacrifices she’s made with her career and everything they’ve gone through to have children in the first place, she doesn’t know what she could have possibly done wrong. But her husband has made his intentions crystal clear. As far as he’s concerned, their relationship is over.

A mysterious postcard shows up in the mail and turns into Iris’s ticket out of the house for a little while. Her younger sister, Leah, is getting married at the end of the summer to a man no one in the family has met. Iris and Leah haven’t shared a close relationship in many years, but now it seems Leah needs her big sister. The postcard simply says “Please come,” and Iris decides to answer her sister’s call.

She drives to her parents’ farm in New Hampshire and discovers that what started as a small stand of vegetables at the end of the driveway has turned into a thriving business. What’s more, Iris discovers that free spirit Leah acted as the driving force behind the farm’s success. Iris also finds out that her old crush, Cooper Woods, has begun spending considerable time helping her parents restore their old barn and other farm structures. As she tries to sort through her relationship with Leah and her parents, a renewed attraction to Cooper, and a revitalization of her career as a literary agent through an unexpected opportunity, Iris begins to regain the confidence she needs to face her future.

Author Hannah McKinnon’s novel doesn’t offer readers anything new in terms of plot or character. From the overtly cliché opening conflict to Iris’s longing for escape and the fact that she finds it in an upcoming family event that requires her presence, McKinnon hits every single box on the list of predictability. Readers will have a hard time understanding how Iris can allow herself to be taken for granted to such a degrading degree by her husband, and that provision guarantees Iris’s attraction to Cooper even before she reaches New Hampshire.

In fact, readers won’t find it difficult to guess all of the secrets held by Leah or anyone else in the book. Long before Iris and Company hit the forced climax, readers will know what’s coming. The only redeeming factor of the entire book comes in the form of a secondary character from a different part of the country. Unfortunately he doesn’t get enough “screen” time to make much of an impact.

I recommend readers Bypass The Lake Season.

(I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.) ...more

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May 18, 2015 Laurel-Rain rated it really liked it · review of another edition

As the older, responsible sister, Iris Standish has had a good run. A lovely home in suburban Boston, Massachusetts, three healthy children, and a part-time career as a literary agent. Yes, her oldest, Sadie, is now a teen and pretty sulky and occasionally rude, but the younger two are still lovely.

Suddenly, Iris’s husband Paul tells her that he wants a separation. And in a flash, her world begins to unravel. She forgets things, her house becomes a mess around her, and her children are looking a As the older, responsible sister, Iris Standish has had a good run. A lovely home in suburban Boston, Massachusetts, three healthy children, and a part-time career as a literary agent. Yes, her oldest, Sadie, is now a teen and pretty sulky and occasionally rude, but the younger two are still lovely.

Suddenly, Iris’s husband Paul tells her that he wants a separation. And in a flash, her world begins to unravel. She forgets things, her house becomes a mess around her, and her children are looking at her strangely.

Her sister Leah’s postcard with the cryptic message “Please come” couldn’t have arrived at a better time.

Off she goes to the family home in Hampstead, New Hampshire…her children are at camp and she wants to get away from Paul’s disapproving, critical presence.

But home is not what she expected, and Leah is glowing, announcing her upcoming wedding preparations as the reason she needs her sister. While Iris is feeling unneeded at her own home, she is feeling even more like an outsider here as Leah, of the irresponsible past and the mood swings, overshadows her and makes her feel like a sore thumb. And then draws her needlessly into the wedding preparations, while she flits off to do whatever she desires.

Then Iris sees an old high school friend, Cooper Woods, the handsome guy she never had, and he asks her to help him with the barn restoration he is doing at her parents’ place. She feels needed again. But then Leah inserts herself once more, as if she must take up all the air in the room. In spite of it all, something begins to develop between Iris and Cooper. Can it continue? Will she finally move on?

"The Lake Season" grabbed hold of me and kept me turning pages, feeling a wide range of emotions, from enjoying the beautiful settings to annoyance and frustration with Leah’s behavior. Sibling rivalry takes a dramatic turn, and before long, Iris will discover the well-kept family secrets about Leah.

In the middle of all that unfolds around her, Iris begins to find herself again. Who she once was, and who she will become. A delightful read that earned 4.5 stars.

...more

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Mar 27, 2015 Christina (Confessions of a Book Addict) rated it liked it

Shelves: adult-fiction, for-review, arc, beach-read

Iris has found herself at an important crossroad. She has been married for many years to her husband, Paul, and has three lovely kids with him. Things with Paul haven't been great for years, but she didn't see it coming when Paul announces he wants a divorce. Iris finds herself going through the motions of her life and living it in quite desperation. On a whim, she decides that a summer at her parents' farm on a beautiful lake is exactly what she needs as well as the children. Plus, she has to b ...more

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May 14, 2015 Stephanie rated it it was ok

Shelves: abandoned, arc

DNF @ 76%

Lately, it has been getting increasingly more difficult for me to fully trust books rated 4 stars and up. I received an ARC of The Lake Season via Netgalley and between the reviews and the blurb, I was actually pretty excited to crack it open. I imagined it would be a nice, easy, breezy summer beach read filled with juicy family drama and a romance I could get lost in. Not really an original story line, but seemingly very relatable. I didn’t get any of that. The novel moved so slow and ...more

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May 30, 2015 Andrea Stoeckel rated it it was amazing

[I received this book free from the publisher through NetGalley. I thank them for their generousity. In exchange, I was simply asked to write an honest review, and post it. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising]

"More than one road led home. It was all right to change course, as long as she kept her compass pointed in the right dire ...more

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Jun 04, 2015 Deborah Blanchard rated it it was amazing

Shelves: for-review, netgalley

First and foremost, I would like to thank Atria books and Netgalley for allowing me the honor and privilege of reading and reviewing this book. I absolutely loved this book! This is an exquisitely written portrayal of family life, with all of its ups and downs. It is filled with heartbreak, romance and love. The love of family and most of all, learning to find yourself and love who you are. It is about our strengths and our weaknesses. It is beautifully written and flows so effortlessly from beg ...more

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Jul 07, 2017 Sue rated it really liked it

For a "lighter" summer read - this was just what I needed! A great mix of relationships both family and romantic, nice surroundings of a lake and family home in New Hampshire. Writing flowed and just took me away for awhile. Wonderful characters too! Thank you Hannah McKinnon - I look forward to reading more of your novels. ...more

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Jan 11, 2020 Janine Young rated it really liked it

Took a little while to get the storyline started, but once it got going I couldn't put it down! Lots of secrets throughout the story that makes you want to keep reading more. Rooting for Iris the whole time! Great easy beach read. ...more

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May 26, 2020 Bonnye Reed rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: womens-fiction-and-nonfiction, romance, read-2020

I received a free electronic copy of this novel, A Glose Book, free from Simon & Schuster and Hannah McKinnon. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this debut novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. Ms. McKinnon has written several novels since - I look forward to watching her mature as a writer.

Iris has always been the 'older' sister, the responsible, mature, follower of the 'rules' one. Sister Leah has appeared to be much mor ...more

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May 24, 2015 Jules rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Atria/Emily Bester Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Lake Season by Hannah McKinnon is a story about relationships.

After her husband, Paul, announces that he wants a divorce, Iris uses the guise of returning to the family farm to help her sister, Leah, finalize her wedding as a way to escape the proverbially walls from crashing down on her. She needs to escape from her demeaning, dismissive husband’s glares and the demands I received a complimentary copy of this book from Atria/Emily Bester Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Lake Season by Hannah McKinnon is a story about relationships.

After her husband, Paul, announces that he wants a divorce, Iris uses the guise of returning to the family farm to help her sister, Leah, finalize her wedding as a way to escape the proverbially walls from crashing down on her. She needs to escape from her demeaning, dismissive husband’s glares and the demands of her three children so that she can have a little breakdown or get her act together. While the news that Paul wants to leave is harsh, she comes to grips with the fact that their relationship has been over for quite some time.

The bucolic setting of the lakeside town in New Hampshire and the family farm are just what Iris needs to find herself and get her mojo back. She gets fit and trim by swimming in the lake. Iris blows off steam and develops a friendship with Cooper Woods—the one time homecoming king and high school stud—while helping him rebuild the barn. Iris’ and Cooper’s friendship is delightfully caring.

I know it is more popular to root for the married couple to make things work, but I couldn’t in this case. It sickened me when Paul’s unannounced visit to the farm to beg Iris to ignore the divorce papers he sent her makes Iris consider going back to him for the sake of the children. Paul can’t make it a week without disparaging her decisions and choices. She stops thinking about her own happiness and starts worrying about everyone else again.

Leah is the opposite of her sister Iris. She is carefree, wild, thoughtless, self-serving. She’s that girl who needs everyone’s attention. She’s that girl who is jealous when anyone else receives attention. She is that girl who makes mistake after mistake and is perpetually forgiven for all those bad decisions. The sisters’ relationship is realistic. The rivalry and baggage they carry from their childhood makes for much tension especially as it becomes obvious to Iris that Leah is hiding something. The dynamics between the siblings and with their parents are complicated.

Hannah McKinnon has painted a perfectly messy reality at Hampstead Lake, New Hampshire. The farm is beautiful but a lot of work. The characters aren’t perfect people, but the care for one another enough to forgive the imperfections. The romance is charming, but the relationships are not easy. Life doesn’t get neatly wrapped up in a pretty bow after 400 pages, but it goes on.

The Lake Season is perfectly paced, and it would be a great summer vacation read. The plot tension is intense throughout. The story and characters are so engaging that I was riveted to the story. I was rooting for Iris with each new bend in the road she had to travel, and I was delighted when Iris eventually finds the road that leads her home.

This review is also published at Nerd Girl Official. Find your next good read at www.nerdgirlofficial.com or visit us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.NG?... ...more

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Jun 20, 2015 MarciaB - Book Muster Down Under rated it really liked it

Shelves: provided-by-publisher, arc, reviewing-by-request, netgalley, 2015-releases

This is the second book I have read in as many weeks where the heart of the story revolves around sisterhood, its ups and downs and a wedding although, unlike the previous romantic comedy, this one has a slight bit of darkness at its core and is more than just a fluffy beach read.

In The Lake Season Hannah Roberts McKinnon brings us a story about the complicated relationship between the two very different Standish sisters, Iris and Leah.

Told from the viewpoint of Iris, at the beginning of the nov This is the second book I have read in as many weeks where the heart of the story revolves around sisterhood, its ups and downs and a wedding although, unlike the previous romantic comedy, this one has a slight bit of darkness at its core and is more than just a fluffy beach read.

In The Lake Season Hannah Roberts McKinnon brings us a story about the complicated relationship between the two very different Standish sisters, Iris and Leah.

Told from the viewpoint of Iris, at the beginning of the novel we see her trying to come to terms with the fact that her marriage to Paul, barren of all intimacy and communication, is over. When a postcard from Leah arrives with just two words: Please Come, she fears the worst, knowing that Leah has always been the irresponsible one and makes plans for her children to attend camp so that she can head to her childhood home to offer some support while Leah plans her wedding. However, when she gets there it’s as if Leah has forgotten that she wrote that postcard.

Keeping her own pain and emotional turmoil to herself, she goes out of her way to lend a hand and an ear, sometimes to her own detriment, and as the days progress, finds herself drawn to a friend from school, Cooper Woods.

But her family is keeping secrets from her and, if there is anything that she is going to learn over this summer it’s that life is full of challenges, relationships (no matter who they’re between) are complicated and should never be taken at face-value, that sometimes our lives don’t pan out the way we plan and that blood is definitely thicker than water. She will also learn to stand up for herself in the face of adversity and realise that no matter how hard you try to help someone, they have to want to be helped in the first place.

I only just finished reading this book at the beginning of the week but I couldn’t wait to get my thoughts onto paper. I'm most amazed that this is a debut adult novel because Hannah McKinnon’s writing is beautiful and nostalgic and penned with the confidence of a writer who is well-versed in her craft.

Life is full of imperfect relationships, not least of all the sometimes tenuous one between siblings and parents, and I think that Ms McKinnon has captured this well. From harbouring petty jealousies, the shifting love between parents and their children, the quiet desperation of a marriage in crisis, the consequences of unrequited love and trying to find happiness within ourselves, she encapsulates every angle and the layers are slowly unfolded.

With plenty of drama to keep you reading, complex characters who are not always likeable, family secrets and an idyllic setting that will warm your toes, this is a thought-provoking story about hope, healing and coming home and I can’t wait to see where Ms McKinnon takes me next. ...more

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Jun 20, 2015 Kathy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc

4.5 stars - The Lake Season is a feel-good story of second chances in romance and family with an intense climax. It's always nice to know that you CAN go back home, and Hannah McKinnon brings to light that sometimes, you NEED to go back home.

McKinnon is a voice to be reckoned with in women's fiction with The Lake Season, a book I found myself caught up in from the start. The family dynamic is strong in this book with one marriage on the rocks, one wedding about to happen, and a prom king turned 4.5 stars - The Lake Season is a feel-good story of second chances in romance and family with an intense climax. It's always nice to know that you CAN go back home, and Hannah McKinnon brings to light that sometimes, you NEED to go back home.

McKinnon is a voice to be reckoned with in women's fiction with The Lake Season, a book I found myself caught up in from the start. The family dynamic is strong in this book with one marriage on the rocks, one wedding about to happen, and a prom king turned handyman to help iron out the wrinkles. There's a slight humor welcoming the reader before being led to some very intense and real-life issues that are often swept under the rug in many families. McKinnon has braved the liberal waters by adding social controversy, and it works.

Every character is relatable as a neighbor, family member, or close friend with real life problems, and the pacing is perfect as you enter into the lives of Iris and Leah. The author paints the perfect picture of dysfunction within a seemingly functional family, making me think of how I would react to certain situations. How would I handle the struggle of making important marital decisions when children are involved? Would I be able to sacrifice my own happiness for my children to have two parents at all times, in turn providing an example to my children for how not to have a happy marriage? Am I so wrapped up in my own troublesome life that I'm blind to what's happening to those I love? The author doesn't just leave you with thoughts to ponder, she offers several life lessons in the many themes throughout this exceptional story with a powerful climax.

Sometimes you need to go home to find that home is where you belong and to learn that you might have never really known your family after all. While this book is not complex or dim, it does touch on some very unpleasant subjects, extending a strong emotional appeal. The only issues I had with this book are those with Iris and Paul. Paul's reasoning in the end was never explained, and even though Iris felt uncomfortable about her newly discovered feelings for Cooper, I would have liked for Iris to have had an epiphany of sorts that she was doing the exact thing that hurt her so badly; I feel like I missed her degree of guilt. Those issues aside, if you're looking for a book to relax with this summer, The Lake Season by Hannah McKinnon is that book. Recommended by me for fans of Jill Shalvis, Elin Hilderbrand, and Wendy Wax, this is a perfect book for a relaxing, summer reading or book club. ...more

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Mar 30, 2015 Marla rated it it was amazing

Shelves: contemporary-fiction, edelweiss, 2015

My review (as 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 My review (as 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.
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Jul 27, 2015 Melissa rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2015, netgalley, womens-fiction, emotional

“How should you feel about a summer that you love, but that never should have happened?”

This is perfect for those lazy summer days when you want nothing more than to get lost in a great book. It’s a story of family secrets, sisterhood and the notion that things aren’t always as they appear. While heartfelt and sad at times, it still managed to have a light and fun air about it. Oh, and it was centered around a gorgeous lake. What could be more summer than that?

Iris has always been the respon “How should you feel about a summer that you love, but that never should have happened?”

This is perfect for those lazy summer days when you want nothing more than to get lost in a great book. It’s a story of family secrets, sisterhood and the notion that things aren’t always as they appear. While heartfelt and sad at times, it still managed to have a light and fun air about it. Oh, and it was centered around a gorgeous lake. What could be more summer than that?

Iris has always been the responsible sister. The one that finished college, got married and had kids. What everyone is “supposed” to do. Her sister, Leah, on the other hand, has always sort of been the wild child, going against the norm and hopping from one adventure to the next, with no plans to settle down. The life of the party.

It’s a little surprising when Iris receives a postcard from Leah asking her to come to the lakeside home where they grew up. Iris hasn’t seen her family in years, but it might be just what she needs. A little time away to gain some much needed perspective, especially since her husband just asked for a divorce. And what's better than a summer romance with your high school crush to help you move on?

“Please Come.”

This story was so well written and engaging. I breezed through the pages, all along trying to guess the secret the family was keeping from Iris. Of course, she had one of her own - the divorce. All of the characters were relatable and I felt like the issues in this family were too.

Things aren’t always as they seem, was one of the biggest things that I took away from this story. Both sisters looked at one another and sort of thought they had it all or their lives were so much easier. When in reality, they both had heartache and things they wish had turned out differently. Getting it all out in the open, cemented their bond and allowed them to heal, together.

The only thing that sort of bothered my was Cooper. Don’t get me wrong, I liked how things played out between him and Iris, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that his heart was with Leah, at least in the beginning. It felt like if he was given the choice, he would have chosen her, over Iris. I didn’t feel that way at the end, but it was hard for me to get over.

*Complimentary copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review* ...more

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May 21, 2016 Karla rated it really liked it

Shelves: chick-lit, friendship, romance, new-england, sisters, divorce, 2016, new-hampshire

A remarkable and moving story about Iris a momma jeans wearing, unselfish mother of three, in her forties living in Boston. Her husband's sudden news that he wants a separation sends her in a tailspin. She goes home to her folks to absorb this bombshell, work though it and find herself. Her family lives by the lake and own/run a large growing organic farm-stand in Hampstead, New England.

This is ironic because the focus is on her sister Leigh's idyllic wedding nuptials that take place in a few w A remarkable and moving story about Iris a momma jeans wearing, unselfish mother of three, in her forties living in Boston. Her husband's sudden news that he wants a separation sends her in a tailspin. She goes home to her folks to absorb this bombshell, work though it and find herself. Her family lives by the lake and own/run a large growing organic farm-stand in Hampstead, New England.

This is ironic because the focus is on her sister Leigh's idyllic wedding nuptials that take place in a few weeks there. the family is all coming together in this rocky precipice in their lives. Family secrets, sisterhood rivalries,and real love present themselves to Iris. She luckily is blessed with a beautiful loving family, close friends and growing career. She finds her passion for life and makes hard choices for her and her children's future.

This is a somewhat predictable story but it's a well earned escape and take to the lake read. I enjoyed the way I felt transported to this quaint beautiful place. Very dreamy.

Now let's get real! The only irritation I have is how unrealistic it is for a 40 year old woman to be able to have this heavenly place to disappear to where she is so loved and nurtured and feeds her soul. Who gets to do something like this???? I'd imagine if I was suddenly going though a tough divorce I'd have to live in my mom's two bedroom little apartment till I could manage to get back on my feet. So no money to charge new I'm single and lost lots of weight beautiful clothes, no lake side impeccable fancy farm to run to, no barn to learn to refurbish, no wonderful old friends that totally forgive me for never visiting for YEARS, no hottie pa tottie, perfect guy to let me cry on his shoulder with total patience for my circumstances. and no time to just find me! Ok maybe three people out of 1000 have these wonderful separation experiences??

I guess this is realistic fantasy to a point, but I really had a good time reading it. Love the quality of the writing and the dimensions of characters. I'd want to flee to a better place after the shit hits the fan too! ...more

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Jun 09, 2015 WTF Are You Reading? rated it liked it

Shelves: life-issues, adult, hard-to-beat-heroines, 2015-review-books, net-galley, stand-alone, eh-ok

This is not a bad book. It is however, very hard to read at times due to very strong dysfunctional family dynamics between all adult players in this drama.
The first 50% of this book is spent watching main character Iris, act as reigning doormat/martyr to everyone in the book. Including her children. Only to turn around and complain about it later.

Time to throw the Kindle across the room!

What this book is.

A classic case of "I want what you have," between two sisters who communicate more with the ...more

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Jul 08, 2015 Lindsey rated it liked it

Shelves: for-review, edelweiss, arc

(Source: I received a copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.)

Iris has been married to Paul for sixteen years, when he suddenly drops a bombshell - he wants a divorce. Her sister, Leah, is getting married at her parents' idyllic lakefront farm, and Iris decides to return home a few weeks early so she can try to figure things out. She leaves the kids with Paul so they can finish up their respective summer camps, and heads back to her parents' house.

Iris has always thou ...more

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May 15, 2015 Marti rated it really liked it

Shelves: own, pop-fiction, kindle, arc, net-galley-book, new-hampshire, zzz-books-2015

Hampstead Lake shining in the sun with the roll of hills and farmland is the backdrop of this novel about sisters and life. I really enjoyed The Lake Season about the complicated relationship between sisters and the unknown of the future with both of their lives in the air. The fact that this book takes place in my beloved state of New Hampshire is just the icing on the cake.

The relationships between sisters is often complex and for some fraught with memories from the past. Into this world are ...more

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May 11, 2015 Ashli rated it really liked it

Iris is having a bit of a rough time. Her husband has recently asked for a divorce. Her oldest daughter Sadie is treating her very coldly as well. Iris is having a hard time coping with the separation and needs to get away to think. She receives a postcard in the mail from her estranged sister. Leah (who is getting married), asking her to come to the town they grew up in. Iris hasn't been back home in a very long while and hasn't even met the man that Leah is marrying. When she arrives to her ch ...more

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