This is my post during the blog tour for Solitude Lake by Adele Darcy. In Solitude Lake a young widow finds healing and a second chance at love in small town Montana.
This blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours and the tour runs from 28 November till 18 December. You can see the tour schedule here.
By Adele Darcy
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age category: Adult
Release Date: May 2022
Blurb:
Following the tragic death of her husband, Susan Dixon struggles with the realization that the love they shared was crippled by his legacy of secrets and betrayal. Hoping to rebuild her life, Susan moves back to her hometown of Hidden Creek Montana. Settling into her family's cabin on the peaceful shores of Solitude Lake, Susan searches for healing in the rugged scenery.
Taking a summer job at the neighboring Solitude Lake Lodge, Susan rekindles a romance with her old flame, Jake Arnett. As the couple fall in love under the Montana skies, a past of heartache and missed opportunities haunts them. Susan needs to heal from her husband's betrayal, while Jake is afraid of repeating past mistakes. Can these star-crossed lovers let go of regrets and fall into a happily ever after?
Excerpt:
“It is great to see you.” Susan spoke the truth. She hated
that they had grown apart. Jake had always been her anchor.
He would always bear the distinction of “best friend,” even if
they had barely spoken in the past fifteen years.
“You look radiant.” Jake had missed Susan. She haunted
his thoughts daily. To Susan, Jake was a friend, but to
him...she was the world. Jake had loved Susan since they were
kids. Perhaps he was bitter that she chose Brad over him.
Seeing Susan again was a whirlwind. It unearthed suppressed
feelings he wasn’t quite sure how to handle.
“You’re not looking too bad yourself.” Susan bit her lip.
He looked as handsome as ever. “I appreciate the package you
sent back in January. It meant a lot to me.” Jake had mailed a
condolence letter to Susan with a box of pictures of Bradley,
Jake, and Susan from their days working together.
“I know that Bradley’s death was hard on you...” Jake
empathized. Through the grapevine he’d been able to piece
together the estate mess. Anger at the deceased burned like a
fire within him. He hurt for Susan’s loss, but cursed Bradley.
“I sold my house in Seattle. I’ve moved into the Lone
Moose on a permanent basis.”
“That is news.” Jake had heard Susan might be coming
back to town for a few weeks, but to learn she was in the area
for good—it was almost too much to bear.
“I’m going to work at the high school in the fall. In the
interim I’m looking for summer work to keep me busy. That
is, after I finish unpacking the horde, I lugged with me from
Seattle.”
“I’d love to catch up over dinner.” The words slipped out.
Jake wanted to share a meal with Susan, but a part of him knew
that reconnecting with her could lead them both down a
dangerous path. He had barely survived the first broken heart;
he wouldn’t survive another.
“That would be fun...” Susan couldn’t refuse, but also
wondered if dinner was the best idea.
…
“I ran into Susan Blanchard at the grocery store.” Jake’s
words cut the air like a rusted train racing off a bridge.
“Oh?” Molly’s motherly instinct was on guard as she
pressed her lips together apprehensively.
There was a time when Molly prayed that she might have
the chance to call Susan her daughter-in-law. That was before
Susan eloped with Bradley Dixon...breaking her son Jake’s
heart. The fault was not entirely Susan’s. Jake allowed fear to
hide his true feelings for Susan until it was too late. Molly
feared Susan’s return could rupture sealed scars; her presence
was salt in the wound for Jake.
“She’s moved back into the Lone Moose permanently...”
Jake recognized his mother’s ambivalence. “She has a job lined
up at the high school, starting in the fall.”
“That is news.” Molly raised her right brow to feign
surprise. Beatrix Blanchard had phoned Molly weeks ago to
clue her into Susan’s plight as a widow and her return to the
lake.
“Susan was kind enough to invite me to dinner at her place
on Wednesday. I accepted.”
“Is that a good idea?” Molly’s frown was accusatory.
“We’ve been best friends since we were toddlers. Why
wouldn’t it be a good idea?” Jake shrugged.
“It’s your history that scares me.”
“She needs a friend right now.”
“Susan has plenty of friends in town to console her. I don’t
want you tangled up in her web.”
“Web? Susan isn’t a black widow, ready to bite me with
toxic venom.” Jake was infuriated by his mother’s reaction.
“You know darn well that she is a strong and caring person.
She doesn’t deserve animosity, but compassion in the wake of
what that husband put her through.”
“You misjudge my respect for Susan Dixon. I think the
world of her. What I don’t want is for you to latch on to her.
She is vulnerable right now. If your relationship goes further
than friendship, you’ll wind up with another broken heart. I
don’t think the shattered pieces will be put back together this
time.”
“In terms of love, I got over Susan a long time ago. What
I don’t want to lose is our friendship.”
Molly sighed. She resigned herself to the fact that her son
was stubborn as he was blind in love. It was a lesson he would
have to learn the hard way.
Links:
- Goodreads
- Bookbub
- Amazon
Playlist
You can listen to the playlist for Solitude Lake here on Spotify.
Adele Darcy is the alter-ego of creative artist and travel blogger Adele Lassiter.
Solitude Lake is inspired by Adele’s time living in western Montana, where she spent countless hours exploring Big Sky’s wide-open spaces from Glacier National Park to Yellowstone Country and beyond.
She currently resides in North Carolina, where she loves to explore the Blue Ridge Parkway and spend days relaxing at the Outer Banks
Author links:
- Goodreads
- Amazon
Giveaway
There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Solitude Lake. Five winners will each win a paperback copy of Solitude Lake (US Only).
For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Solitude Lake. Five winners will each win a paperback copy of Solitude Lake (US Only).
For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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