Starlight on Willow Lake

Starred review from August 3, 2015
Wiggs ensnares readers with her marvelous 11th Lakeshore Chronicles contemporary (after Candlelight Christmas). Single mom Faith McCallum is trying to make ends meet for herself and her two daughters, Ruby and Cara, in Avalon, a small town in the Catskill Mountains of New York. She is grateful for her good fortune when she gains employment as an in-home caretaker for Alice Bellamy, a widow who became a quadriplegic in a skiing accident that claimed the life of her husband. Though Alice is very bitter about her disability and lashes out at others, Faith is unafraid to stand up to her and help her to learn how to live happily again. And Faith is surprised by her attraction to Mason, Alice's wealthy son, despite the differences in their backgrounds and socioeconomic status. While Faith has always struggled financially, Mason enjoyed a privileged youth and much success after stepping into the family business as an adult. The most riveting aspect of this feel-good novel is the attraction between Faith and Mason, which leads to a gradual and unforgettable romance.

August 1, 2015
Adored best-seller Wiggs continues her Lakeshore Chronicles series (Return to Willow Lake, 2012). Young widow Faith is relieved to be hired as caregiver for a wealthy quadriplegic in a mansion on the shores of Willow Lake in the Catskills, as she and her two daughters face eviction yet again. Mason Bellamy is comforted, certain that this strong woman can deal with his bitter mother, Alice, who is confined after an accident on a skiing trip. Faith realizes the truth about Alice's tragedy and begins digging into the Bellamy family history to help heal them emotionally. Alice, Faith, and her daughters are all good for each other as they learn to confront their fears in the present and look to the future together. Mason and Faith move toward love in a quiet courtship that grows from a warm romance to a satisfying conclusion. Through her very appealing, multifaceted characters, Wiggs tells an affecting story about resilience in a positive, hopeful novel that will long resonate with readers. A good suggestion for fans of Barbara Delinsky.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)