Oh, this book really hit me in the feels! Teagan and Aaron both have issues, which Helena Hunting addresses with such care and compassion you know she's really done her research. I honestly loved this book so much, it had the perfect mix of humour, angst and steam! A must read and great follow up to Love Next Door.

I loved this beautiful, heartfelt, and tantalizing story! I was completely captivated by Aaron and Teagan's breathtaking romance right from the start. Teagan has moved to Pearl Lake to find herself. She has only taken care of others, not figuring out what or who she is on her own. When she first meets Aaron, they don't seem to hit it off, not understanding the other. But their fiery chemistry quickly brings them together. Aaron has a cryptic past that keeps him from opening up fully to anyone. He feels closest and begins to open up to Teagan more than anyone, but not completely, not knowing if she is willing to stay. I loved the supportive bond they formed, giving each other the room to open up to each other on their own terms. Teagan is there for Aaron in his time of need, but when the tables are turned, will Teagan be able to let Aaron do the same for her? I loved both Aaron and Teagan so much! They are both broken, with emotional scars that they hide so well, and are completely drawn to each other. They help each other face their heartache, and build strength to heal. It wasn't easy as they stumbled along the way, but found joy, and learned to live and love again. It was wonderful catching up with family and friends from the first book, who are all fun, loving and supportive. This story had the perfect balance of fun, sorrow, sizzle and heart. It felt so real and honest, that I was completely invested, and cared deeply for both Aaron and Teagan, and cheered for their HEA. I loved everything about this beautiful and mesmerizing story of hope and healing, family and forgiveness, and especially, unconditional love.

I have fallen so hard for these two amazing characters! The depth of the story, their back story, their struggles, their victories... I am there for all of it.

This new Lakeside series is set in the same universe as the Pucked series and I am so there for that!

Helena Hunting writes male main characters who certainly have flaws but who put in the work to over come them and Aaron is no different. This burly, smart, dedicated... oh so dedicated man is sitting on a secret... and you will want to hold him and help make it better. But! Helena Hunting also writes female main characters who are strong and over come adversity... and Teagan is no exception. She will also fight her demons in this. And fight hard to be the woman she can be and to be worthy of the love Aaron gives her... But when these two souls collide... the world silences!

A 5 star must read...

“I will love you even when you can’t love yourself.”

Teagan Firestone has had her share of setbacks- her moms death when she was only six, her affluent family losing their fortune, a brother in jail and finding out her boyfriend has been cheating on her with her best friend. Deciding it’s time for her to figure out what she really wants to do with her life, Teagan packs up & moves to Pearl Lake to stay with her brother. There she runs into Aaron Saunders, the local hottie that works construction with her family. Aaron is a natural flirt who is charming with all the ladies- except for her. For some reason with her he’s only rude, sullen & grumpy. Unable to avoid running into each other in the small town Aaron begins to realize Teagan is much more than the pampered princess he assumed she was. Romance blooms but both of them are keeping big secrets and lasting love is not always guaranteed.

I went into this book expecting a light frothy summer read, and it is so much more than that. It definitely has romance & fun, breezy moments, but the second half of the book takes on some serious subject matters and has much more angst. I actually liked the second half better, finally connecting to the main characters once Aaron’s perspective was shared. Aaron turns out to be a real sweetheart & his support of Teagan as she battles her problems is goal worthy. The romance wasn’t any easy one but it was worth the turmoil.

Teagan has been living with her father and recently helping restructure their lives financially. When her fathers girlfriends moved in she moves in to her brothers to start to figure out her life. Aaron work in construction in Pearl Lake and has a rep as a playboy. The two have a rocky start even if there is a spark. I felt the chemistry between these two and I really loved the story. It was a fun romantic read and I am loving all the characters not just the main ones. Definitely another 5 star from this author.

I absolutely adore this book. It's so great and charming. I love Helena's books so amazing. Love on lake is phenomenal

This was such a special read; this whole book was so moving so emotional and very relatable to me in so many different ways. I loved that Tegan and Aaron really understood one another, there connection was so emotional and special. watching Tegan grow into something that she saw for herself was amazing, I really related to Tegan and her anxiety alot it really shows how the author is in touch with her emotions and can really tap into it, really was special to read, watching the struggle between the characters was really cool shows how the right people in your life are there for you no matter what,

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book (given by author via Netgalley)...

3.75 stars

This is the story of Teagan, the younger sister of Van (From Love Next Door), and Aaron (Dillion's friend); you should definitely read Love Next Door in order to follow the flow of this story.

Teagan is a very sweet person, but she is very hard on herself and her need to help everyone is a major issue for her especially when it comes to her family. Aaron is your typical single bachelor, but his secrets are tearing him apart; he wants to stay numb, but his feelings for Teagan don't allow him to. I really enjoyed watching Aaron lose his battle of trying to not like Teagan, but he can't fight the kind social butterfly who only wants to help.

My heart hurt for both Aaron and Teagan, we spend majority of the book on Aaron's issues, but unfortunately, it seems there were more obstacles for our couple to endure. I was actually quite shocked on how Teagan was able to handle all the trauma in her life especially with Bradley; I guess my issue is that we spent majority of book on Aaron's issue and quickly jump and fix Teagan's issues in the last 20% of the book.

I don't hate Van and Teagan's father, but he is so uninvolved (or not present) in his family's lives that he missed some major signs that could have helped his children.

This book has some tragic reveals and covers hard topics such as substance abuse.

I wonder if Billy (Dillion's brother) or Bradley (Van's younger brother) will get their own books.

I always devour any offering Helena Hunting makes & I especially loved Love on the Lake (Lakeside book #2). You see she’s always able to create characters you can relate too, characters you connect with, and characters you fall in love with while they fall in love with each other.

Teagan Firestone (Van’s younger sister) is 26 years old and ready for some independence. Moving to Pearl Lake is the fresh start she so desperately needs. She knows if she could build a life in Pearl Lake she’d fall in love with the town just like Van did.

Aaron Saunders is Pearl Lake’s playboy. He’s a shameless flirt and women eat it up, yet he’s been anything but flirty with Teagen.

Neither are looking for love, and yet that’s exactly what happens...

Teagen is juggling multiple commitments, unable to say no, keeping herself so busy and pushing herself to almost breaking point. Aaron has been keeping people at arms length for so long now that it’s hard to know how to let anyone in. These two are trying so hard yet sometimes they’re barely holding it together.

This story was special, multilayered and touching. Family secrets and personal struggles are revealed, they’re the things Teagen and Aaron long to keep private in small town Pearl Lake. A place where you can’t escape your past and where your actions never go unnoticed…

If you love small town romances you will want to get to know the residents of Pearl Lake. This is Aaron Saunders and Teagan Firestone’s story and boy do they have a tale to tell.
Both Teagan and Aaron are working hard to escape their pasts and for Teagan that means packing up and moving to the small town of Pearl Lake, it’s a fresh start doing what she wants to do with her life. Aaron has lived his whole life in the town where everyone knows everyone’s business and that’s one of the reasons he will never date a local well that was his philosophy until he met Teagan. Hiding secrets is never a good way to start a relationship and we all know secrets will normally come out so what happens when Aaron and Teagan’s past comes back to haunt them ….
This is a book with all the feels, it’s emotional yet entertaining, it has wonderful characters, it’s sizzling hot and it’s full of witty banter but it was Aaron and Chloe’s determination to overcome the heartbreak they have both suffered that took this book to another level. Love n the Lake is a beautifully written love story that will appeal to a wide range of audiences.
I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley.

I absolutely fell in love with Teagan and Aaron from page one. These two characters are so perfect for each other and don’t always have an easy road when it came to their relationship.
With Teagan’s fathers girlfriend moving in she takes this as a sign to finally move out and live her own life. She heads to Pearl Lake to live in the apartment above her brother and future sister-in-law’s garage. In a short amount of time, she has found several jobs and enjoying putting her own touches on her new home. Aaron is a Pearl Lake resident and hired by Van to finish up the construction of the apartment. He isn’t a fan of the spoiled rich woman and the moment he meets Teagan he dislikes her based on a preconceived notion.
There is no shortage of chemistry between these two. However, between the two of them, there is no shortage of secrets either. They need to work through things individually in order to come out stronger in the end and it wasn’t going to be an easy road, yet they had the support of each other.
Teagan’s struggles and her past traumas play a huge part in this story, but they are a huge part of who she is. The way this was handled was done with care and in a way that is authentic.
If you’re looking for a small town romance this is one to read.

Love on Lake is the second book of Helena Hunting’s Lakeside series. When I finished reading the first book of the series, Love Next Door, I was hoping the next book would be for Teagan and Aaron. Thank you, Helena, for not making me wait long :) Here is a recap for those of you who missed reading the first book. Donovan, aka Van, is a successful, sought-after architect. When his grandmother passes away, he goes to Pearl Lake to sort out of her estate where he meets the Dillion, the next-door neighbor. After the betrayal of Van’s brother, Bradley, and all the problems created by Dillion’s brother, Billy, they found their happy ending in Pearl Lake.

Teagan Firestone is Van’s sister. She has always been the good girl of the family and that is due to losing her mom at a young age. After losing their mother, her father started drowning in his pain. The way he found to mourn the loss of his wife was by spending excessive amounts of money, which he didn’t have. What Bradley did to his older brother Van, was the wake-up call, all the family needed. Now that Bradley is in jail and her dad started to move on, Teagan started to question everything in her life. Just to take a break, she decides to take on Van’s offer to go to Pearl Lake and stay with him. When she arrived the Pearl Lake, both Van and Dillion were at work, and she wasn’t expecting to find and scare a half-naked hottie in her temporary home. Aaron Saunders is Pearl Lake’s notorious playboy. He is also working for Dillion and helping Van with the renovations of the studio on top of the garage. He was born and raised in Pearl Lake but then he left for college. However, he dropped out in his last semester and came back to town. Since then, he became a mystery to everyone. For Aaron, rich girls, who think they are entitled to everything they want is a repulsive and the moment he sees Teagan with her fancy car and clothes, he puts her in that category. However, just like him, she is not the person she portrays. Since the reason for her move to Pearl Lake is to figure out what she wants to do with her life, Teagan decides to get a couple of part-time jobs. At first, things are going great but since she cannot say no to anyone, soon she has too many jobs and tasks to juggle. All her life, Teagan always tried to make everyone around her happy and she was always afraid not being liked by people. It didn’t take long for her to become Pearl Lake’s sweetheart. There is only one person who is immune to her charming personality, Aaron. She cannot put her finger on why he dislikes her, but you know what they say, there is a thin line between love and hate and for Aaron and Teagan it is mostly lust at first. Their chemistry was off the charts and with every minute they spend together, their relationship became more and more. With time, she managed to break all of Aaron’s walls and became one of the most important people in his life. It was heartbreaking to hear the secret Aaron kept from everyone and living a double life where he kept everyone at bay but with the help and support of Teagan, he found the courage to face his demons. Once he was in a better place, he started to realize all the things that were alarming with Teagan. Unfortunately, when he tried to help and support her to face her demons, everything fell apart.

Love on Lake was an amazing story that will give you ‘ALL THE FEELS’. I cannot wait to read more of the Lakeside series. I am also curious about which hero/heroine will get the honors to be the star of the next book. Could it be Bradley, Billy, or the last two members of Terror Trifecta?

Would I recommend this book: Yes
Would I re-read this book: Already done :)
Would I read future books by this author: Yes

There has never been a book by Helena Hunting that I have been disappointed in or didnt like, and just like all the other books of hers this one was truly fantastic. This story was emotional, life challenges growing up and being independent, making adult choices , addictions and not realizing it, and a story twist I did not see coming.
As a reader you will be sucked into this story and wont be able to put the book down until it is finished. You will laugh and want to cry with the characters. You wont be able to help but fall in love with them. The challenges we deal with in life and how we move on.
This book was really fantastic and I absolutely loved it all. I can not put into words how to express how truly great thus story is, but I highly recommend this book for all to read.

I absolutely loved Teagan and Aaron’s story!!! This was one of those books that I got to the last two chapters and I was torn between devouring the rest of the pages or delaying the ending because they are the kind of characters you miss when you are done. Teagan is the former rich girl that her family was shaken up in her brothers book by their youngest brothers wing doing and Aaron is everyone in towns friend. Aaron is very short with Teagan initially because he doesn’t want to get close only for her to go back to the city and Teagan is just trying to find herself. Their chemistry is off the charts but will the secrets they both have cause them to break apart or get closer together. I highly recommend this read!

I loved this book, like I have loved every other book by Hunting. This was a great second book in the Lakeside series. I won't go into too many details so I don't spoil it, but Teagan and Aaron are wonderful. I loved his grumpiness and she is a ray of sunshine most of the time. They get through so many struggles and deep issues that made their HEA so beautiful at the end. This book will have you laughing out loud at times and so sad at other times due to some of the struggles, but everything happened perfectly. Another great book by Hunting!

I just love that Helena is writing a small-town romance, I've been enjoying this series a lot. It definitely has deeper emotions and feels than her rom-coms. And that is what is in Teagan and Aaron's story, not that it's not in Dillion and Van's story. But I think because of Teagan and Aaron's characters and backstories, it is more intensified.

Both of them have their own baggage and that contributes to them not wanting love or a relationship. They have been through so much, they have their own flaws and secrets. But they can't help but gravitate towards each other and their undeniable chemistry.

I seriously loved their characters' development and growth, especially Teagan's. You'll end up loving the two of them and root for them throughout. Though I wished their romance was focused more but I also enjoyed how they work out their own issues and struggles. And that twist! Definitely a shocker.

“I feel like behind all that sunshine is some darkness. The kind of murky shadows that might match mine.”

In Love on the Lake, author Helena Hunting shows readers that she is as deftly capable of humor as she is angst, as she creates a story about two complex people who have to conquer their demons in order to be whole for themselves and for each other. There are moments of laugh-out-loud humor, sharply witty dialogue, and wonderful world building. And there are quieter, more poignant moments that will test the strength of your tear ducts. Love on the Lake is the second in Hunting’s Lakeside series, though it can be read as a standalone. (However, I’d highly recommend reading book one first.)

Teagan Firestone has always been a dependable, dutiful daughter and sister. But when her life circumstances drastically change, she finds herself living in the small town of Pearl Lake, determined to understand who she really is and what she really wants. And what she really might want is to get to know the mysterious and inscrutable Aaron Saunders, despite the fact that she seems to annoy him to no end. When they grow closer, and their secrets eventually come to light, can they each weather the others’ storms?

Tonally, Love on the Lake is quite different from its predecessor, Love Next Door, in the best of ways. Hunting takes characters who readers were introduced to in Love Next Door and develops them in ways that I personally did not see coming. The way that Hunting depicts trauma, mental illness, and dependency feel searingly real, yet there isn’t an overarching sense of dread or heaviness, nor does it feel emotionally manipulative.

The ways in which the protagonists show up for each other is so impactful, and the chemistry and attraction they share is searingly hot. All of the secondary and tertiary characters also feel completely fleshed out, and the reader feels immersed in the intricate universe that Hunting had created. And, for fans of Hunting’s other work, there are some fun references to characters from other series.

Even though it’s early in the year, I can already assure you that Love on the Lake will be making my best of 2022 list.


Thank you to the author, Montlake, and NetGalley for generously providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Love on the Lake is book 2 in the Lakeside series. I just loved Teagan and Aaron so much. This story was about finding yourself, loving yourself and family. There were so many real life issues the characters were dealing with that just hit home on so many levels.
So many struggle with issues just as Teagan has and it felt so real. Aaron had his own issues to overcome but his love and caring ways for Teagan will just warm your heart.
Their hook up became so much more and surprised them in the best way. Teagan broke down his walls, and Aaron became everything Teagan needed.
This story, the characters and this town will warm your heart, give you all the feels and then some.
Helena Hunting wrote an amazing story that is a must read! Can’t wait for more from Pearl Lake!

No words for how much I loved this book! I’m a huge fan of Helena’s hockey romances and her romcom books as well. This book was a departure from those and it hit me, hard. Teagan and Aaron’s story is so much more than a small town, opposites attract, romance read, It’s a book that will make you think long and hard about a great many things.

𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗔𝗞𝗘 deals with some hard hitting issues and it does so beautifully and is still a sweet, sexy and humor filled read. I was invested from page one and could not stop reading even when I had too. It was that engaging. It was that good.

I’m loving this series and giving this book the judy.ann.loves.books stamp of approval, TBR and Enjoy!

The title of Helena Hunting’s “Love on the Lake” conveys “love” in so many layers. Book 2 of the Lakeside series (can easily be read as a standalone) is a story about accepting love, taking control of your life, and finding purpose for YOU and for no one else.

When 26-yr-old Teagan’s father has his girlfriend move in with them, Teagan is hit with the reality that she, too, would like to be settled and happy, thus deciding to move out and into her brother’s loft above his garage in the small town of Pearl Lake. As she tackles on five different jobs, she hopes to discover what her most ideal career path is. It’s clear to the town folk that she’s a multi-talented, creative, and friendly person who gives her 100% to every task, but what she’s going through behind the veil of perfection is how she deals with her mental illness. She hides it well, and only the closest ones in her life can truly “see” her.

Part of Teagan’s new life involves Aaron, who works with Teagan’s brother and fiancée. Broody and mysterious, Aaron is attracted to Teagan’s zest for life and her strength, determination, and patience. As they grow closer and more intimate, Aaron is faced with his own secrets and Teagan can’t help but slowly break down that wall he’s built to protect himself. “There are layers to this man, secrets and vulnerabilities.” Aaron’s nightmares are a constant reminder of how he feels about himself: Selfish, thoughtless, unworthy. I cried for this man. I know this man. But what crashes and burns is the fact he’s also discovered that the love of his life has a problem but doesn’t realize it.

“I’m so in love with her it’s almost painful. And if I can’t face down my own demons, how in the world can I expect her to face hers?”

I loved this story but that enjoyment involved some sensitive topics. Helena handles some heavy issues of mental illness, abandonment, addiction, and regret. At the same time, she delivers a sweet romantic story so beautifully and poignantly. I was touched by how Teagan and Aaron accepted and supported each other and their story truly encompasses the meaning of unconditional love.

Thanks to Netgalley and Montlake for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.