April 14, 2011

Book Review - Larkspur Cove by Lisa Wingate

Larkspur Cove
by Lisa Wingate

Andrea Henderson, now living at a home owned by her parents in Larkspur Cove with her fourteen year old son Dustin, is broken from an unexpected and hurtful divorce.  Luckily, she has found a job as a social worker.  Matt McClendon, a local game warden on Moses Lake, is haunted by memories of accidental deaths in his family.  When a little girl is spotted with Len, a dysfunctional and slightly “off” occupant of the wrong side of the lake, Andrea and Matt decide to check on the situation and end up getting involved…in many ways.

One can’t help but become immediately taken into the lives of Wingate’s characters.  The dialogue is realistic, the emotions well-drawn, and the relationships complicated.  Each of the characters, even Len,  has a sensitive side that is revealed through the plot.  The fellows who hang out at the Waterbird for their coffee and talk add interest, along with Andrea’s intuitive boss, Taz and the chatty Rev. Hay.  Andrea’s son, Dustin, bitter from his parents’ divorce and longing for friendship and love from his father, is an evolving character in the story, as well.

I appreciated Wingate’s descriptive powers as she lets us see the surroundings near the lake and Len’s ramshackle house, and hear the crying of the mockingbirds and the night sounds of the water , setting the scene for the final dramatic moments of the book.    

Both Andrea and Matt must learn how to trust God more and to live in the present, rather than the past.  Each comes to the relationship with heavy burdens, but a charming little girl helps them put the focus on what is really important.  I gave this book the highest rating because I found it engaging and a joy to read!

*This book was provided to me by Bethany House Publishers for my review. The opinions expressed in my review are totally my own.

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