The Summer That Made Us by Robyn Carr Published by MIRA on September 5, 2017
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That was then…
For the Hempsteads, summers were idyllic. The lake was a magical place, a haven where they were happy and carefree. All of their problems drifted away as the days passed in sun-dappled contentment. Until the summer that changed everything.
This is now…
After an accident turned the lake house into a site of tragedy and grief, it was closed up. None of the Hempstead women speak of what happened, and relationships between them are uneasy at best to hurtful at worst. But in the face of new challenges, one woman is determined to draw her family together again, and the only way that can happen is to return to the lake and face the truth.
A beautifully woven story about love, life and forgiveness! Seeking emotional healing is the main underscore of this story. It brings together a family that through circumstances and life were torn apart many years ago. In one healing summer, they come together to support one special member of the family, but in the end it’s a blessing for them all. I really enjoyed getting a glimpse into each of their lives and having the opportunity to see what really made each of them tick in their own way. The culmination of the summer gutted me, but there was too much happiness and love flowing to let that one heart-wrenching piece take away the fulfillment of the story.
For so many years, summers at the family lake house in Minnesota were idyllic for the Hempstead family … until tragedy strikes and leaves the place sullied with ugliness and grief. The house was closed up and they never ventured there again. The family members each found their own way of dealing with their loss, and lives swirled out of control.
Now years later, one member needs the closure of going back to their childhood oasis to find the peace she so desperately needs to complete her life. She hopes to bring her family back together in this place that they shared so much love and laughter and open their hearts to forgiving each other for wrongs they perceive and most of all, to forgiving themselves for the mistakes they each made.
I have not read this book by her but I’m an avid reader of all of her series. Especially Virgin River and Thunder Point.
I always enjoy her books too … and this one was even better than I was expecting from the description. 🙂
it’s her women’s lit book right?
Yes, there’s a hint of romance but not descriptive and definitely on the back burner. Mostly a family saga about picking up the pieces and coming back together years later to support one of the family members after a tragedy that had happened at the lake house splintered the family apart. A little different in that we get various family members points of view at different times throughout the story, but it works and tells the story well. 🙂