The Summer Hideaway

The Summer Hideaway (Lakeshore Chronicles, # 7) by Susan Wiggs

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was the very first audiobook I listened to on my car's CD player. I love listening to books on my way to and from work! It makes even traffic jams delightful. :) Listening takes much much longer than reading for myself, but that's OK.

In this particular story, a dying George Bellamy hires a young private nurse, Claire Turner, to take care of him in his final days...and to fall in love with his grandson, Ross. George's family thinks Claire abducted him, since they don't understand why he is returning to the town and summer camp where he spent several significant summers during his youth. Claire, however, merely wants to keep a low profile and do her job. She & Ross both object to George's matchmaking scheme.

The story is really three alternating stories: present day, George's youth, and Claire's traumatic past. I was very impatient to get back into my car every day to hear what happened next! The funny thing about listening was how obvious it was when Wiggs got a little repetitive, however. For example, I'd recommend removing a few of the times Claire insists (to herself) that she can never ever have a family, as well as most instances where Claire is described as "intriguing." I got it the first time!

The one thing I had a hard time listening to was at the beginning when Wiggs is telling of Ross's final day as a med-evac pilot in Afghanistan. Although my husband is not being redeployed this spring, I still have a hard time listening to tales of war.

Overall, I loved this book. Time to check out more audiobooks!

For readers' advisors: story doorway, with character secondary



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