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This Summer At The Lake

One second can change the course of an entire summer...

All Logan wants is to get out of his small Montana town and off to college in New York. Two months of working at the lake will give him the savings he needs to escape forever.

When an accident derails his summer plans he's left with no choice but to accept the help from the one person he wants nothing to do with--snobby rich girl Cassie.

Cassie has a secret bigger than Flathead Lake. Spending a few weeks with Logan will both make her dad happy and get her out of a mess of her own creation.

But when she starts falling for the one guy who hates everything about her, will she abandon the life she knows on the chance that he might feel the same?

238 pages, Paperback

First published January 29, 2019

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Daphne James Huff

31 books59 followers

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5 stars
7 (15%)
4 stars
17 (38%)
3 stars
12 (27%)
2 stars
5 (11%)
1 star
3 (6%)
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
Profile Image for Lara Knight.
579 reviews235 followers
July 20, 2019
I wanted to enjoy reading this and losing braincells but it was just so predictable and meh

I knew it was going to be YA trash and I was keen for it, but it was just too predictable and the characters were too bland.

I liked the premise, but this book just didn't capture me and I must admit I was disappointed

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with a review copy! All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for whimandwitty.
55 reviews6 followers
March 13, 2019
Daphne James Huff’s This Summer at the Lake is told in third-person POV as we follow our two main characters, Logan and Cassie. They are both spending their summer before college in a small Montana town. Logan’s only goal is for this summer to fly by so he can head off to college in New York. Cassie’s only goal for the summer is to have one last hurrah before she heads off to the college of her parents’ choosing. Yet, one eventful night pulls them both together and intertwines their lives in more ways than one.

spoiler free: I want to start off with what I liked about this book. For one, I really liked the author’s writing style. Personally, I have some difficulty with third-person POVs. It just feels more natural for me to read first-person as it allows me to feel as though I’m really connected to the character(s). However, Daphne James Huff wrote a very compelling third-person POV. I felt connected to the characters the entire time and genuinely invested in their development.

The author also weaved the mystery throughout the book quite nicely. There was foreshadowing from the very first chapter and this alone kept my interest throughout the story. It added an extra layer of interest to your typical YA contemporary love story.

With that being said, I do not recommend This Summer at the Lake for a multitude of reasons. My biggest qualm with this story is a plot-spoiler, so I’ll go in depth in the spoiler-section. Without spoiling it, there was an action taken by the main “hero” character, Logan, that was unforgivable (in my opinion). Honestly, it was unforgivable because the male love interest made this decision and he was supposed to love the female love interest, Cassie. I tend to have higher expectations for people to do the right thing when it potentially affects someone they love. Regardless, a normal human being shouldn’t have made the decision that Logan made. I know this is a very abstract critique, but it is hard to explain without spoiling it. Just know this plot point is a trigger warning and I did not like the way the author wrote it or the way the characters reacted to it.

Further, it was difficult for me to read through Logan’s character because he was so judgemental. This would have been ok if his character had developed throughout the story. Nope. He was judgmental in the beginning and judgemental at the end. He felt static, and this made his viewpoint less enjoyable to read.

Overall, I had to give this one 1/5. The issues I had with the book just made it impossible to enjoy on the whole and I can’t in good confidence recommend it to y’all. Even though there were elements there that I liked (it had the potential to be a very cute YA), it fell flat for me.

spoilers ahead:

Overall, I think there are many, many other YA contemporaries out there that I would recommend instead. I think the author got it wrong here, and the actions of the characters were irredeemable.

A copy of This Summer At The Lake was provided to me by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Kate R.
1,209 reviews42 followers
March 18, 2019
Unfortunately, this one didn’t work for me at all. I thought the writing was fine and the descriptions were good, but the characters were absolutely awful. I hated every single one of these characters. I had hopes for Logan, the hero, but he was so angry and complaining about the rich so much it was painful to read. Cassie, the heroine, changed throughout the novel so she wasn’t so horrible, but she was still not good. All the secondary characters were basically your stereotypical rich jerks. And I won’t spoil anything but there was a scene in there that made my blood boil. I was so appalled with how Logan handled that situation, and then they all just brushed it off, like it wasn’t that big of a deal and it definitely is, especially in today's world. I really wish I would have liked this one but it didn’t work for me at all.

* ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Barbro-Katrin.
307 reviews13 followers
April 16, 2019
Received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a reverse take on the classic ‘rich boy falls for poor girl’ story. I really wanted to like this, but there is only som many cliches in a story I can take. Rich parents pressure daughter to chose their alma mater, girl has a secret passion for art history, girl has never noticed boy before and suddenly she does, they fall in love in a span of 2 months. This is a story that has been done so many times before.
I couldn’t connect with Cassie, at the end of the story she still strikes me as a spoiled girl that don’t appreciate what she has
Profile Image for Lindsy.
712 reviews16 followers
January 27, 2019
I was able to beta read this book before it's published and I really enjoyed this read! I was able to read this in one day; start to finish. I liked the main characters and the chemistry between them. To most people Cassie seems like the popular cheerleader from a rich family who likes to party a lot but there's more to her then that and she definitely has character development throughout this story. Logan is the type of kid that needs two-three jobs to make it to college and always worries about his mom. I really liked Logan and felt bad for him a few times in this book but I'm glad everything works out in the end for him. In more ways than one. I thought the input of what each character is really into was cool because Logan and I have that in common.
Some of the characters and their actions kind of upset me and made me not really like them but that's the point of there actions. I don't think you are supposed to like Spencer and I didn't. I wasn't sure how I felt about her best friend either or her parents. This summer at the lake was supposed to be spent with her family but most of the time she was spending it with Logan because her family was busy with other things. I definitely would recommend this book!
Profile Image for Seema Rao.
Author 2 books76 followers
February 20, 2019
Relatable ~ delightful ~ tender

tl:dr: Misfortune sets of a summer romance

Huff's story of the boy from the wrong side of the tracks, if you will, and the cheerleader follows expected, well-worn paths. While this book doesn't break literary ground, the author's facility with character development makes it eminently enjoyable. This is listed as New Adult, though it's sweetness, and low-key sexual tension, make this book more of a YA read. This book is an ideal read for someone dipping their toe into romance and wants a happy ending.

3.5

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Seema Rao Write : Instagram| Blog| Twitter|
Profile Image for Nicole.
682 reviews30 followers
March 22, 2019
This novel was hit and miss for me.

I loved the scenery in Montana, I loved the idea of struggling to pay for school and having a hard life.

However the characters did not do it for me. Logan and Cassie had a lot of struggles in their relationship, which is needed for this novel to work. However, some choices that were made just really were hard to read, if you love someone you would never let them be in a dangerous situation and walk away.

Marissa was the worst...she wasn't even a friend to Cassie. This was probably my biggest issue with this novel. Their relationship seemed so forced and fake.

I would definitely read more from this author because overall I enjoyed the writing, and the way everything was described...like the Montana skyline, the hammerhead sharks...things like that. However I love character driven novels..and none of them really felt authentic to me.
Profile Image for Liana Key.
Author 2 books10 followers
January 27, 2019
Cassie is the popular cheerleader with the rich boyfriend, Logan is the poor boy who works two jobs and can't wait to go to New York for college. Cassie only notices Logan when she knocks him off his bike and the two spend the summer together. There are a lot of threads to the story, Cassie doesn't like her boyfriend but her best friend does, her parents are acting weird, Logan's mother is coping with an issue and Logan and his cousin are trying to have their best summer ever. I liked Cassie, she was trying to break away from the stereotype that her status gave her and her relationship with Logan helped her look beyond her privileged world. Logan was desperate to escape the small town and the burden of being underprivileged. A sweet read!
Profile Image for Patty.
1,555 reviews1 follower
April 13, 2019
This Summer At The Lake by Daphne James Huff is a sweet young adult romance. Logan can't wait to get out of his small town in Montana and go to college in New York. He already has earned a full ride, but he needs some spending money. Unfortunately rich girl Cassie, injures Logan, so she helps him any way she can. Will they fall for each other? Read and see. I enjoyed this story, but I could of done without the parents issues, especially Cassie's father. I recommend this book for a nice escape.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you.
Profile Image for Shannon.
17 reviews
January 20, 2019
Such a sweet read! It was fun to get to know Cassie and Logan as the story progressed and see how they grew as they handled their life circumstances. Overall a cute, fun read!
Profile Image for Tamara.
1,412 reviews
May 14, 2019
*I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

This book was a little more complicated than the description indicates, and that's okay. It was a pretty good combination of fun, cute love story and drama hanging over it with a little Romeo & Juliet thrown in there. The writing was fine--not amazing but also not terrible. There were a few instances when sentences were worded somewhat awkwardly.

For the most part, I liked the main characters, Cassie (18) and Logan (18). Cassie was a bit of a coward (her relationship with Spencer, her relationship with her parents, not telling Logan she was driving, etc), but she recognized her flaws and was trying to change into a better person. She wasn't actually the stereotypical rich girl she allowed people to believe she was. Logan was genuinely a good guy—hardworking, thoughtful, honest. Perfect? No. He was somewhat judgmental of Cassie based on her family's wealth and her status as a cheerleader. I wanted to throttle him for walking away from what he saw at the party, and I’m not sure his behavior afterwards actually makes up for it.

Supporting characters were mixed. Hideki, Logan's cousin, was easily my favorite of this group. He reminded me a lot of Ned in the new Spiderman movies. Spencer was the cliche of a rich, entitled jock, and Marissa was honestly not a friend I'd like to have. I can't even explain her except to say that it appeared her motivation for being friends with Cassie was to get to Spencer. Overall, I wasn't a fan of the adults in this book. Cassie's parents were overbearing and wanted their fingers in every aspect of her life--who she dates, where she goes to school, what she studies, what she does after graduation, etc. Even without that, though, they were just so fake, which I suppose was the point. Though I can understand why Logan's mom didn't want him involved with Cassie, it still bothered me that she tried to control that part of his life and judged Cassie based on who her parents were. The only adults I actually liked were Hideki's parents, and they weren't in the book very much.

How it ended:

Note: Some swearing.
Profile Image for ErinTurnsPages.
637 reviews6 followers
April 7, 2019
I really liked this book. It’s a quick read, easy to fall into, about young love between two people from opposite sides of the track. The authors voice shows through well and the characters are enjoyable, especially the relationship between Logan and his cousin.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for yahaira ✰.
327 reviews6 followers
April 19, 2019
This book was wild from start to finish!

First of all, all the lying was so bad. Cassie refusing to tell Logan the truth about anything was so crappy. I think I liked Logan more than anyone in this book.

Marissa was... not a very good friend. Spencer was such an asshole I couldn't stand him. Cassie deserves better.

I'm so glad there was so much character development at the end or else I would've given this 3 stars.

Living paycheck to paycheck is something I can personally relate to on some level but it was so sad seeing Logan constantly worry about his mom. He deserved to have one normal summer before college but I truly admired his selflessness.

*ARC was given by netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for DJ .
1,193 reviews8 followers
February 26, 2019
Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This Summer at the Lake is cute contemporary about the popular cheerleader and loner being thrown into an unexpected friendship. Cassie is the self-centered cheerleader without a care in the world, until she accidentally hits Logan with her car. She then finds herself bonding unexpectedly with this boy she's never paid attention too. Huff weaves a great story between two characters with great chemistry. I really didn't like Cassie at first but ended up liking her in the end. Logan was adorable throughout the whole book.
Profile Image for Korkoi.
7,926 reviews35 followers
January 30, 2019
Opposite sides of the track
By Korkoi

This book is an engaging romantic book that is a tale of personal redemption, second chances and family drama. Cassie knocks Logan off his bike and leaves the scene but later returns to help, without knowing there are potential repercussions to her family. It is a well written book that successfully achieved the right balance of romance to the other issues dealt with in the book.

I received an ARC of this book from Bookfunnel and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Valerie.
725 reviews9 followers
April 8, 2019
This book is the epitome of first love mixed in with a Romeo & Juliet trope. This book was enjoyable from beginning to end, and it easy to read in one sitting. It’s more of a high school/teen angst kind of book so nothing too evolved in terms of a storyline, I felt that the characters were not as developed as I would have hoped and both the female and male lead were kinda rushed through their happily ever after but since this book did deal with teenagers.. I didn’t expect for them to go through this huge adult like change.
Profile Image for Becky Rendon.
3,889 reviews82 followers
March 13, 2019
3.5 stars

This Summer at the Lake is a sweet YA story. The summer before college is the last hurts for some and others it's a break from the chaos.

She's looking for a change.
He's trying to live life to the fullest.

She has money.
He has none.

An accident brings them together but it will also rip them apart. Choices are made. Lies are told. The truth always comes out.

Watch out for speeding cars, bad friends, and the Spencers of the world.
Profile Image for Auburn.
719 reviews4 followers
April 7, 2019
A dual POV that brings two very different people together in a way that bridges gaps.
This book may start off weird and slow. It took a few chapters to catch up but then it only gets better. The romance is slow and brings about so many parts of different families. In the families that we believe we know and those things behind the scenes no one sees. The way the author took two very different people but made them fit so well worked.

Thank you for letting me read an early copy on NetGalley
7 reviews
February 11, 2019
Well written book about how one summer can change a person. The author artfully showed us the development of Cassie and Logan as young adults who learned who they are as people. The author did a great job developing the story and the characters so you felt like you were truly there with them by the lake.
Profile Image for Katie Kaleski.
Author 11 books109 followers
January 30, 2019
I liked this! There was a part or two that had me a bit confused and scratching my head, and some things were said a bit too repetitively, but overall it was an enjoyable read. I quite liked Logan and is relationship with his cousin. I read most of it in one sitting.
Profile Image for Antonella's book world.
305 reviews9 followers
February 28, 2019
4,5 STARS



YOU CAN ALSO FIND THIS REVIEW ON MY BLOG https://antonellasbookworld.blogspot....

This Summer At The Lake is the kind of book you literally eat out in one session.
It's a short cute story about a girl and boy who live in completely different worlds.
There is Cassie Hart, who had been cheerleader in high school, whose family is loaded and she is that kind of girl who doesn't usually miss anything. Initially she has a rich boyfriend, whose family basically owns the whole town, and a best friend who has a crush on her boyfriend.
Logan Hanes, instead, is the boy who lives in a different world. He's been accepted at Columbia University in New York with a full scholarship and he has a mum who works as much as she can do to make ends meet. He tries to save up as much money as he can by working as a waiter and in a cleaning company.
They've been in the same class for 6 years next to each other and just after Cassie runs over him a night they start to hang out and get to know each other.
What I really liked about this book is the chemistry between the main characters. Logan was unsure about her at the start, and he was a little bit judgemental, but after a while he started warming up.
Also, I found Cassie an interesting character. She seemed the usual cheerleader/loaded/bitch/popular girl that you would find in all the high school movies and books, but when you read about her in her pov, we could see how much different she is was reality. She fought against herself and her need to make her parents proud. She fought against what she wanted and what she was supposed to do. She put her family first and then herself and this was probably why I really really loved her as a character.

Logan, on the other hand, was another matter. From the start I disliked the way he snobbed Cassie. it's a paradox because you would expect Cassie being a snob with her background, but we could see how judgemental and critical Logan was toward Cassie even though he just knew her name.
The only downside of this book is Logan and his snobbishness. From the beginning to almost the end he didn't grow up as a character, he just seemed a little bit static, as if anything didn't change about him if not at the very end. Cassie, on the other hand, is a character who really changed and grew up. She started as a snob and rich girl with her daddy who provides everything to her and she became a girl who realised that money aren't everything and that sometimes being humble is much more better.

*Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews