Publication Date: November 12, 2024
Note to self: when attempting to reboot your life by selling everything you have, cashing in your 401k and moving across the state to refurbish a massive, old inn, it might be good to check place out first. Lark Lake Lodge was the only thing I ever got out of my dumpster fire of a marriage to my selfish, lying ex. And okay, maybe I daydreamed a bit too much about a charming hideaway that merely needed a good cleaning and some throw pillows. Instead, I got a post-apocalyptic refuge for inhospitable creatures. And don’t get me started about the broken windows, bug infestation, and actual trees growing indoors.
But the most unexpected thing I found upon arrival was Harlan. My woodsy, taciturn, bookish, hot dad neighbor was always at the ready to help me when I needed it. On one hand, the side of me wanting to be an independent badass bitch was reluctant to take his help. On the other, he was really handy, and I was in a constant state of jelly-legged, red cheeked, crush energy when he was around.
While my new home near Saugatuck, Michigan was picturesque, and the adorable Bassett hounds Harlan bred stole my heart, I quickly learned that a relationship with two people who’ve been destroyed by uncaring exes can turn into a roller coaster ride of complications.
If you enjoy a small town romance with forced proximity, a strong female main character, cute dogs, a cinnamon roll male main character (with occasional bossy moments), top notch banter, and tons of humor in a tropey renovation setting, check out this laugh-out-loud romcom.
This standalone romance won the Put Your Heart in a Book award from the New Jersey Romance Writers and the Maggie Award from the Georgia Romance Writers. Don’t miss out on this great read from award winning comedian, author, and playwright, Maggie Eliot.
Maisie Carver is determined to start over following a contentious divorce that forced her to pick up the pieces of her life and focus on rebuilding a quaint inn outside a tourist town. The only drawback?
It is literally falling apart.
Author Maggie Eliot delivers a side-splitting romantic comedy in Lark Lake Lodge, complete with a hunky single dad next door and two adorable hound dogs. Even though Harlan is Maisie’s ex-husband’s friend, his offer to help is welcome.
Told in first person by Maisie, the laughs keep coming, especially as she experiences life with zero cell service and wifi along with the critter-infested mess that is supposed to be picturesque. It doesn’t take long before the sparks of attraction fly, but both Maisie and Harlan are somewhat leery of relationships after past hurts.
Both characters are enjoyable and easy to relate to in this light-hearted story. While somewhat predictable, the storyline is warm and welcoming, especially with the loveable Basset hounds.
Lark Lake Lodge focuses on a woman whose efforts to start a new life offer exciting new possibilities.
MAGGIE ELIOT transitioned from the stage to the page in 2024 with the release of her debut novel Humor Me, book one of the Detroiters in Love series. Her standalone second book Lark Lake Lodge releases on November 12, 2024 and A Whole Lotto Love (Detroiters in Love Book #2) is slated for January 2025. In her past life, she was an actor, improviser, writer, and director with The Second City as well as founding, teaching, and performing in improv programs in Detroit since 1996. She’s the youngest of six girls, an award-winning playwright, a mom and wife, a proud member of Greater Detroit Romance Writers, and shamelessly laughs at any scene that involves eating while crying.