During the summer Kate Pheris was 12, she spent a few magical weeks at Lost Lake, a small resort in rural Georgia run by her great-aunt Eby. Fifteen years later, Kate, now a young widow, takes her daughter, Devin, back to Lost Lake for a visit. Adrift after the loss of her husband, Kate falls under the spell of Lost Lake's charm, only to discover Eby is planning to sell the property to a developer. As Kate and Devin settle into the rhythm of life at Lost Lake, Kate wonders if there's a way to save the property--and create a new start for herself and her daughter.
With Lost Lake, Sarah Addison Allen (The Peach Keeper; Garden Spells) takes readers back to her beloved American South, creating a cast of charming, quirky characters--from the French cook Lisette (born mute but perfectly capable of making herself understood) to a few eccentric regulars who come back to the resort every summer. Although the story's action occasionally feels contrived, with a few plot threads left hanging loose at the end, Allen draws a mystical, peaceful world where readers will enjoy spending time. Allen weaves her signature gentle magical realism throughout the story, not controlling the action so much as nudging it along.
Charming, bittersweet and ultimately hopeful, Lost Lake is a treat for fans of Addison's previous novels or those who simply love a good Southern story. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams