J'adore vraiment la saga Lakeside car Helena Hunting nous emmène dans la petite communauté de Pearl Lake et comme dans toutes les petites villes côtières, tout se sait. On passe un très bon moment avec nos héros et j'ai été vraiment très surprise de la tournure que cette comédie romantique va prendre. On y aborde des thématiques fortes et on va donc s'attacher à ces héros qui n'ont pas eu une vie facile.

Teagan Firestone, notre héroïne de 26 ans, est la soeur de Van qui était le héros du précédent tome. Elle va quitter la ville de Chicago pour tenter de se ressourcer dans une vie plus paisible et avec un rythme de vie plus apaisé. Enfin, cela c'est en théorie car en pratique, Teagan ne sait pas dire non et cela va la conduire à enchaîner les cinq boulots qu'elle aura. Elle est tout le temps sur le qui vive et ne pas pouvoir se poser ou se reposer sera aussi un moyen de ne plus penser. La perte de sa mère a eu des conséquences fracassantes sur toute sa famille. Son père n'a pas su gérer le bateau en plein naufrage et heureusement notre héroïne a su tenir les comptes. Il est donc désormais temps de lui laisser le temps et l'espace pour refaire sa vie. Cela est d'autant plus vrai qu'avec Danielle, il semble enfin épanoui. Son frère Van est parti vivre loin d'elle et son autre frère Bradley a fini en prison. Mais dès son arrivée à Pearl Lake, elle sent qu'elle pourra se faire sa place et même des amis. Si dans un premier temps, elle ne sera vue que comme la soeur de Van, elle saura se faire apprécier à sa juste valeur. Elle a toujours été là pour les autres et quand on va suivre son histoire, on ne va pas de suite se rendre compte qu'elle est une cocotte minute prête à imploser. On sent qu'elle a des failles mais elle ne les montre pas. J'ai adoré la relation qu'elle va parvenir à tisser avec notre héros et on espère donc que cette parenthèse dorée évoluera autrement.

Aaron Saunders est notre héros insaisissable de 27 ans. Il se dégage de lui une certaine aura de mystère car on sait certaines choses à son égard mais de nombreuses pièces du puzzle sont manquantes. La première rencontre avec Teagan sera explosive et on se dit qu'entre eux deux, cela va mal partir. Sur le plan professionnel, on ne peut rien lui reprocher et son travail pour Van est parfait. Il est clairement doué de ses mains et ce n'est pas sa réputation de charmeur qui va le contredire. Il a en effet noyé sa solitude dans des étreintes sans saveurs mais il semblerait que cette page là soit bien tournée. Cette information n'a pas encore fait le tour de toute la ville car certaines femmes n'hésiteront pas à le voir comme un homme objet. Sa mère Noreen travaille avec Teagan mais elle préservera la vie privée de son fils en n'en dévoilant pas certains pans. Nous allons donc nous poser des questions à son sujet et si nous pensions connaître la vérité, nous risquons de nous tromper. La culpabilité et le mensonge font partie de son quotidien et on va comprendre en partie pourquoi il ne veut faire entrer personne dans sa vie. J'ai aimé apprendre à le connaître et à aller chercher sous les apparences. Il sera très intéressant de voir les rebondissements le concernant car il saura nous offrir de sacrées surprises.

Bref, j'ai adoré cette nouvelle comédie romantique que nous offre Helena Hunting. On va passer un agréable moment à Pearl Lake et on va vivre de belles émotions auprès de personnages qui ont tant à dire mais aussi tant à cacher. Un second tome à découvrir très vite si vous lisez en VO.

Awww I love this book so much! The author took this book to a much deeper level than I was expecting and I really enjoyed that. I enjoyed the character and the growth they went through. It did lack a little teenie tiny bit with the romance. I did want more in that department. Both characters had some demons to overcome but it was an enjoyable and rewarding story by the end.

I loved the first book in this series of standalones, Love Next Door, so I was of course excited for this one. This one was just as good as the first. Teagan is Van’s sister. Van was our hero from book one. We already know that she’s gone through a lot from her part in that story, and so it makes sense when she would want to move to Pearl Lake for a fresh start, especially after her brother seemed to really grow and be happy when he moved there. Her taking one small part time job after another, till she ended up with basically about 5 separate jobs though, that was crazy! And then she was adding in all these other things like organizing a whole farmers’ market for the town! It was obvious something was going to have to give for her. There were also little signs and details along the way that other issues were at work in her stress and stability.

Then there was Aaron. At first I had trouble really liking him. He was rude to Teagan, while he was nice to everyone else. Even flirty with most women. Not getting his viewpoint right away either made a difference too. But once he finally was able to open up a little, he grew on me. He had his one weekend a month that he went away and no one knew exactly what he did or where he went. We got a small glimpse from his viewpoint at one point early on, and it made it seem like something. But what it really ended up being was definitely unpredictable! I liked the way Hunting took that aspect.

I love how both characters had their flaws and things they needed to work on before they could become a healthy couple. This is something that this author does so well with. Another perfect story from Helena Hunting!

The second book in her Lakeside series, Love on the Lake by Helena Hunting is a beautifully written heart-wrenching story. Aaron and Teagan have been through so much and you can't help but root for a happy ending for them.

Although it's the second book in the series, it can be read as a standalone. And I have to say it was nice to see characters from the first book, and even a few Easter eggs thrown in. IYKYK

Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Love on the Lake is a fantastic addition to the Lakeside series!

Helena Hunting is one of my favorite authors. Her writing style is engaging and her stories are always entertaining. She does an excellent job with Teagan and Aaron's story.

They were interesting characters and I thought their relationship development was well done. They shared a great connection. There are certainly stumbling blocks as they fall for one another, but it was easy to see why they cared for each other. I was hooked from the beginning and couldn't put the book down!

This book took several angsty & twisty turns I wasn't expecting. We met our heroine, Teagan, in the first book, Love Next Door, that featured her brother, Van. We also met our Hero, Aaron, who works for Van's fiancée, Dillion's family construction company. When Teagan relocates to Pearl Lake in search of what she wants to do with her life, she runs into Aaron, who is instantly cold towards her. They eventually hash things out, but that's the easy part of this story. He's keeping a major secret which creates tension in their new relationship. She's also unknowingly keeping a secret that threatens their relationship even more. Will it be too late for them once all the secrets come out?

I love a good feel good love story with all characters who have been through a lot find their happily ever after. Teagan is a great heroine and really becomes a rock for Aaron. Love when you least expect it, when you aren’t looking for. It can smack you in the face and be some of the scariest to accept, but really make some of the best stories.

Excellent excellent story. I was immediately immersed in this book from the beginning. I liked Teagan in the first in the series so I was glad for her to get her story. The story made me laugh and cry. The story really touched me personally.

I need to move here!
Vivid scenery, spicy passion from a slow burn, pretty much every person is good-looking, and you have the making of a fantastic book!
Love on the Lake is a sweet book about finding each other and finding yourself. Aaron and Teagan will melt your heart and it helps that they have amazing personalities. Teagan is a go-getter who just doesn't always know her limits, and Aaron is a hard worker who has a secret in his past. The two of them together are combustible, and I loved being back in Lakeside. There are some familiar cameos, but this can easily be read as a standalone. Can't wait to see what comes next!

Mixed feelings review alert!

I loved Aaron. I love how much he loves, and although sometimes I wanted to shake him and make him talk, I understood where he was coming from. I especially loved that he was always there for Teagan. I liked Teagan and I sympathized with her a lot. I liked how she was determined to find herself. And I like that she worked hard on all of her projects.

I liked how seeing how these two got to know each other and seeing how their relationship progressed. I loved how both characters slowly overcame their situations, even when it was hard for them to do so. I also loved Dillion and Teagan’s relationship.

With all that said, I think that romance wasn’t the main focus of this book. I think the struggle and situations surrounding both characters and how they overcame them, especially Teagan’s situation, was the main focus. Although I don’t particularly mind this, and I do think HH did a great job in portraying the issues presented, it still made me feel like something was missing. I’m not sure if this makes sense or not, but I’m trying to not give any spoilers. I also had some slight issues with the pacing, but overall the storyline is good and I do recommend you check it out.

Love on the Lake is the wonderful 2nd story in the Lakeside series by Helena Hunting. I fell in love with both Teagan and Aaron in book 1 and I just KNEW their story would be incredible. Little did I know how emotional and raw it would be, touching on some very heavy topics. This book gripped me from Page 1 and I struggled to put it down. Excellent story! Highly recommend.

3.5 ✨
Aaron and Teagan story was a grumpy sunshine one and oh how I love those. It the best feeling seeing the heart underneath all that delicious grumpiness and Aaron fit it all to a T. I loved how once Teagan stole his heart there was nothing he wouldn’t do for his girl. Both Aaron and Teagan had past traumas that played a major part in their relationship. I loved seeing Teagan put herself first to figure what she wants out of life. If you like a grumpy sunshine story that sweet with some emotional feels, this one is for you.

I adored the first Lakeside book, Love Next Door so I was very excited to review the next instalment. This is also our first Helena Hunting release of the year and I could not be more excited to be working with her again this year!

Characters: Our heroine is Teagan, she is Donovan’s sister whom you may remember from Love Next Door. We meet Teagan as she is moving out of her dad’s house and into the apartment above Donovan’s garage. The Teagan we met in the previous instalment seemed like an entitled rich girl, and now being in her head was so enlightening. I loved that she was caring, hardworking, and selfless. Helena matched these what are often seen as positive qualities and turned them on their head in the later parts of the book. Our hero is Aaron, the foul-mouthed construction worker, he works at the company that Dillon and her father run. This muscular, tattooed man comes across as a grump at first, but really he was that classic boy who did not know how to express his feelings so let’s just be moody with her instead. I did really love both of these characters and was invested not only in their romance but their personal journeys.

Setting: This story is set in Pearl Lake. As Teagan picks up odd jobs all over town, you get to know more about Pearl Lake and its inhabitants. The town dismissed her at first, but as the story progressed she wormed her way into all their hearts. I loved this as it was very much the same journey I was having with Teagan. It was so wonderful to see Teagan and Aaron interact with the cast of side characters, I adored how Teagan formed a stronger sisterly relationship with Dillon and befriended her besties.

Pacing: Pacing was pretty good overall. My one issue was that it felt like more time was given to Aaron’s problems than Teagan’s. We got more on-page time to see his healing process while Teagan’s used a lot of flashforwards. Despite the rushing, I really think Helena did a good job describing Teagan’s suffering and experiences.

Romance: These two were sure hot and heavy. I loved that from the very beginning Teagan went after what she wanted. Some characters kiss and go on a first date, but that did not make as much sense for Teagan and Aaron. Their first kiss cascaded quite quickly into a delicious hookup. I adored their relationship journey, how they came to be boyfriend and girlfriend. That Teagan wore her heart on her sleeve while Aaron kept up his guard. I wanted them to work out so badly, I became such a fervent fan of them and this story!

Love

This is a heart-wrenching and heart-warming story all in one.

I feel pride for Teagan and her selfless determination to stand by her family and take care of them after her mother passed away when she was young. I appreciate her acknowledgment that her presence in her father’s house was awkward when his new girlfriend, Danielle, moves in. Her father deserves to be happy after so many years alone raising his family. Teagan, however, doesn’t need to be a witness to it day in and day out, thus her move to Pearl Lake into the new apartment above her brother, Van’s garage.

I admire Teagan’s drive and determination to support herself and taking on numerous part-time jobs to try and figure out where her skills and passion lie. I also love Aaron’s stoic self when meeting Teagan for the first time. I pictured in my mind a stern and imposing giant of a man! He appears to be so tough, but in reality, he’s at a loss to hold a decent conversation with Teagan.

I was very anxious for Teagan when her habits and schedule started affecting her health. However, I was proud of the way Aaron stood by her side even though it was devastating for him, he was willing to do anything she needed to get in a better place.

I love this story! It’s so full of heart and deep emotions. At the beginning, one felt like Teagan is on a runaway train to destruction, but this fabulous author created the “almost” perfect man for her in Aaron; one who recognizes she has a problem that is deeper than the surface along with the obvious hectic schedule and her behavior. This author brought us on Teagan’s entire journey from do all, be all to rock-bottom, then up again to a healing place where her self-love becomes a priority and her love and assistance for her family gets put into perspective. Ultimately, Teagan’s love for Aaron gives her the peace and acceptance she has always needed. Love, Love, Love this!

Pearl Lake is quickly becoming one of my favorite Helena Hunting escapes- in a large part because of how much I enjoyed Love on the Lake. Tender with feeling, brimming with Helena witty charm, and beautiful told, Love the Lake is simply charming.

Love on the Lake gives us a layered romance between Teagan and Aaron- two souls trying to find the best of themselves amidst their own past pains. Aaron starts out gruffy and broody, the telltale facade of man hiding in plain sight, a man broken by parts of his past. LIke so many Helena leading men before, his swoony side stole my heart. When he opens up his heart and how beautifully he loves Teagan, he gave me all the romantic feelings. And Teagan is such an endearing and captivating heroine-she has a spark and a fortitude that are admirable, the perfect bold and unbending force to break down Aaron’s walls. She's the best kind of try-hard, a girl full of sunshine and determination, even if her quest to make others happy comes at her own detriment. Their chemistry had that great Helena Hunting energy- the emotional tension, the magnetism, that push-pull gravitational force. As they start to find resonance in their own character journeys in facing their own baggage and exposing their own secrets, we see their vulnerabilities connect them so sweetly, how they show up for and love each other as they both struggle to find that in themself.

The characters as always are interesting, witty, and thoughtfully complex, and the small town setting continues to bring lots of charm. I did think the ending was a bit too quick for my HEA loving heart, but I fell so in love with this beautifully rendered couple and their much deserved heart-healing romance.


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This book was absolutely beautiful! Helena Hunting really hit me in the feels with this one. I fell completely in love with Teagan and Aaron. Their chemistry and the development of their relationship was heart warming to watch. To see that they were always there for one another through the good times and the bad. They were always there to support each other, be that strength, that happy place for the other.

Their relationship wasn’t without its faults or hurdles, but they always came out the other side stronger for it. This story was beautiful and perfectly imperfect. There are so many emotions whirling around in my brain and so many a amazing thing I want to say about this story but don’t know how to put it into words. But I will say that this very much a must read!

Oh, I loved Teagan and Aaron! Both were working so hard to overcome their pasts, and not always successfully. Aaron wants to prove he’s more than the rumors that follow him everywhere, and Teagan just doesn’t understand what’s going wrong. Serious issues are dealt with in thoughtful ways, and this book is just so important and beautiful.

"Teagan Firestone has always been the dutiful daughter, especially since her mom died"

"Aaron Saunders, who dropped out of college to work construction for Pearl Lake’s upper class. He’s a mystery and has a playboy reputation"

when Teagan tries to move on in her life she finds herself Pearl Lake.
this book was so cute and romantic but also touched on the subject of addiction- I think Helena did amazing job in showing the way to overcome and live with it.
I just love the grumpy Aaron!!!
I loved the first book but this was way better .
Helena`s writing never disappoint I get the emotion rainbow - funny moments, sexy time and heartbreak.

I loved the book! one of my favorite this year!!!

Loved it!!! Another great book by Helena that didn't dissapoint! This book is a little emotionally heavy but thats what makes it amazing!

Teagan is working through a lot of changes in her life and decides to move in with her brother, Van, and start helping around the town. She is helpful, positive, and a wants to make people happy in any way she can. The one person she’s having trouble winning over is Aaron. Aaron generally keeps to himself nowadays but is a flirt with everyone but Teagan.

I feel like the book focused a little bit more on Teagan’s struggles and growth than it did on their romance and found it read more women’s fiction to me than romance. Because if that, I feel like I got a really in-depth look into both Teagan and Aaron’s backstories and it was beautiful to see them grow independently, but I did feel like I was missing some of the romance between them after all of their individual stories. It does have some of Helena’s classic wit but tackles some heavy topics in a good balance of humor and emotion.

I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.