This book gets off to a slow start...but hang in there! It's soon very gripping and in put downable! It will definitely make you look at your friendships....

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

I have recently read and enjoyed two of this author’s books (She Lies Alone and Two Widows), so I was looking forward to this one. While I did like this story, I will be honest in saying I thought it could have been better. The atmosphere was great. A secluded house by a lake, where old friends gather to catch up, surrounded by dark woods, with no cell service, miles from civilization, adjacent to an abandoned children’s camp and you have the perfect creep-inducing setting. However, I thought some of the plot points, including motivations, were not as well-built as they could have been. There were some good red herrings and a few good twists, but there were also some missteps. It was still a good read and I would recommend it. For a detailed review, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for a digital ARC of the book.

The Lake House by Laura Wolfe. Bookouture, 2021.

Five friends, flat mates in their undergraduate years, meet for a reunion as they all turn 40. A lawyer, a doctor, a psychologist, a physical therapist and a beautiful, wealthy stay-at-home but very community active wife and mother agree to rent a remote, inexpensive cabin on a lake for four nights, not realizing they will be without phone or internet access, that there has been a murder at the camp next door, or that their antisocial, rifle-toting landlord’s tattoos include a swastika. These five are so normal and average, they could be any group of old friends. The sequence of events could happen to anybody, and perhaps this is what is so terrifying.

Very well written, so descriptive we can see the cabin with its cobwebs, clean sheets and clean fridge, loaded with suspense. Characters are so likeable and well developed they grab our attention and sympathy.

By the time I reached Chapter 11, when they found their van with two flat tires, I was scared witless and unable to stop reading. I skipped to the last chapter, 31, then read chapter 12, then read 30, then 13 and finished the book reading that way. This is something I’ve never done before, even with the Shining, though I did drop it down two flights of apartment stairs in 1978 so I didn’t have to sleep with it in my room. The Lake House still gave me a nightmare, first in so many years I can’t remember, it’s that scary. And that good. Warmly recommended.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of The Lake House for free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. #TheLakeHouse #NetGalley

A little bit of a twisted, engaging read. The characters are interesting. The plot is full of suspense, action, and surprises. I was blindsided by the reveal. I loved the ending! I will definitely be reading this author again.

The Lake House is my first book by Laura Wolfe and I enjoyed it! It was a very enjoyable thriller! Four college friends decided to rent a cabin to getaway and celebrate their 40th year. When they arrive, their cabin isn’t exactly what they expected. When the owner shows up, he’s creepy and definitely not what was expected! Nevertheless, they continue their trip as planned...then the murders begin.

As I stated before, this was an enjoyable thriller. The plot moved at a decent pace and the writing kept me engaged. The characters were well developed, for the most part. I will say that, as a woman of almost 40 myself, some of their actions seemed a bit young for their age in parts. Overall, it was a nice escape from the stresses of life!

Lauren Wolfe successfully engages the reader in her novel, "The Lake House". The characters are college friends; roommates and housemates from an earlier time and it seems some if not all carry baggage about each other that affects their reunion at the lake house. The lake house itself is not what these ladies had in mind when looking for a bargain retreat for a girls; getaway weekend. The owner is a frightening man that seems to harbor secrets of his own and a killer instinct. In addition, on the other side of the lake, a murder was committed at a retreat and the shuttered camp poses some problems of its own. Serious issues begin to develop when people start to disappear. The retreat becomes a weekend of survival and mystery. This book is one of those "can't put down" novels. For lovers of murder, intrigue, friendship, and survival this is one of the best of this season's reads. Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review #TheLakeHouse.

This is a great read.
Five friends decide to have a break from their families and book a cabin in the woods for a few nights.
They’ve not seen each other for a few years so have plenty to catch up on.
When they arrive, the cabin doesn’t look like it did online and they realise there’s no phone signal or wi-fi.
They seem to be getting on ok but then the owner of the cabin pays them a visit and freaks them all out.
The next morning they wake to find all four tyres have been slashed on their van and realise they are stuck here.
They started out as five women together but soon two have been killed and they don’t know how to escape.
The story is told from Megan’s point of view and it’s a nail biting view when she comes face to face with the killer.
This is a gripping thriller where you wonder who will make it out of there alive.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I had a hard time putting this book down.
When 5 college friends rent a remote cabin to celebrate their 40th birthdays things quickly take a scary turn for the worse. Megan is the narrator, and the story alternates between the present and their college days. As Megan starts to realize things may not be what they seem, the options are too horrible to consider.
The writer kept up the creepy atmosphere, like someone may always be watching you, through out the book, and the final ending was quite a twist,
Don’t read this alone at night.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

I thought The Lake House by Laura Wolfe was a great book. It pulled me in straight away and had that many twists and turns that I didn't want to put it down - I had to know what was coming next. The ending did not disappoint and it had me guessing right to the end.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

Five friends gather to celebrate their up and coming 40th birthdays. A getaway to a cabin by a lake. Friends since college days, they have kept in touch, although this is the first time they have been together in five years. Narrated by Megan, the story moves back and forth between now and their college days. It's soon clear things are not as rosy as they appear and secrets are being kept.

Overall I enjoyed the story. What I did find was that some of the behaviour in relation to events which happened once they reached the cabin, didn't feel right. Had they been in their early twenties I might have seen a different picture. In the end I decided to suspend belief and simply relax and enjoy the read. The twists and turns certainly made it gripping. So many unexpected things were happening and every time I decided who might be responsible., there was yet another twist. An entertaining read. but not as good as Two Widows which I also read and reviewed,.

My thanks for Netgalley and Bookouture for an ARC of The Lake House in exchange for an honest review.

"People can be more forgiving than you realize sometimes"

The Lake House by Laura Wolfe

Jenna, Charlotte, Kaitlyn, Megan and Sam have been friends from college. They planned to celebrate their 40th birthday year by spending 4 days together in a lake house. They expected to find a nice and cozy house, deep into a forest, away from the distractions of the busy world. It is when they reach that they realise they have been fooled by false advertising. Even worse, this place has no phone reception. Things start to spiral out when buried secrets are unveiled, and two of them gets killed. An escape from this nightmare seems impossible, unless they all stand together and realise the truth about this so-called friendship.

This book, migosh, was an exciting ride! The story is told from just one POV, and is narrated in such a way that it becomes a vice you cannot escape. I finished this in just 2 sittings. It was fast paced, and I was really eager to know what happens in the end.And did I see the twist coming? Not really!

I really have mixed feelings about it though. I feel like the book had some repetitive elements, and the story was a very wild ride. I loved the repeating prolouge though. I also felt like the story ended a little abruptly.



Now about the characters. Charlotte is a person who takes the blame for everything. She is an example of how childhood trauma, abuse and bottled up emotions can change the nature of a person. Jenna seems to be outspoken and selfish. Travis is an example of how appearances can be deceptive. I found Megan to be the worst friend in the world. Her actions have negatively influenced the lives of two of her friends, and has destroyed Charlotte's life twice over. She even pretended to be a 'good friend' just to save herself. But because of some good luck, both of them forgave her. It is only Kaitlyn I found good, with a sympathetic heart and caring soul.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me an ARC in exchange of an honest review!

My first laura Wolfe book and a huge thanks to the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Lake House tells the story of a group of friends that are forty who go on a trip to take a break from their families to just relax and have a wonderful time. They end up at this cabin that has no internet, creepy guy and then the deaths start happening. This plot is crazy, the characters well developed, and the suspense is bonkers . Highly recommend it to everyone who needs an escape

The Lake House by Laura Wolfe
2 stars
The first 20% or so and the last 15% of the book are very good, the ending and the other 60% of this book is a convoluted mess. The non-ending is ridiculous and the bulk of the story is completely non-believable. I expect a certain amount of stretching reality while reading a mystery/suspense book. But, wow The Lake House pushes the boundaries so far past reality that it makes the whole thing laughable.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley.

4.5 stars rounded off! Taking away a star because of the suspension of belief it took, but adding a 0.5 because it got me out of the slump :)

Years after graduating, now thriving in their professional lives, five friends meet up at a secluded cabin near the lake to catch up with each other. This was supposed to be a perfect vacation at a scenic place, but things rarely turn out the way they are supposed to, especially amid secrets, lies, hurt, and betrayals.

I was in a terrible reading slump, and after two dnfs back to back, this book got me out of that slump, and if this isn’t the biggest compliment you can give to a book I don’t know what is 😄. This was truly a fun ride, just what I needed to get out of the dreaded slump. It’s like one of those locked room mysteries, probably my most favorite theme in thrillers, and it just delivered. Very atmospheric of a secluded abandoned place with a sense of unease from the get-go. The suspicions keep on shifting from one character to another, and secrets and lies keep on revealing one after another in flashbacks from the past college years. Very enjoyable but I felt like it needed a strong suspension of belief at a few points, illogical actions are a given, and food and sleep are very important when people are getting murdered left, right, and center 😄. The final twist was great, there's no way anyone could see that coming! All in all very entertaining, just the thing you need if you’re looking for a light and straightforward popcorn thriller!

Thanks to Netgalley, author, and publishers for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

This book starts well, because the initial premise is simple and relatable. Five women have stayed friends with each other since they first house-shared at college together. But now they've just turned, or are about to turn 40, they each need a break from their busy lives, children, work commitments, marriage difficulties. The idea of a long weekend, spent in a remote lakeside cabin, relaxing and reminiscing, sounds just wonderful.

I was with them all at this point. And I stayed with them all as the story started to turn more sinister. The cabin turns out to be far more remote than any of them realised, with the only other buildings in sight the home of the owner - an unfriendly and frightening-looking man who has a tattoo of a swastika - and a former summer camp for disadvantaged children, which has been closed ever since someone died there in suspicious circumstances some months ago.

The story is told in the first person from the point of view of Megan, and it does a good job of conveying the atmosphere as it turns from happiness and optimism into frustration and fear. The cabin is in a terrible condition. And with no phone in the cabin and no mobile signal, the ladies start to feel scarily isolated. Then two tyres on Charlotte's car are found to be flat, cutting off their last means of escape. Punctures sustained on the drive to the cabin, over rough tracks? Or something worse?

Then the first person dies. And then the second. And unfortunately, it's at this point that I could have put the book down, because it becomes just a bit too - a bit too silly. To go into detail at this point would mean giving away spoilers, but the actions that the surviving characters take are just mad. I get that fear and stress causes people to make bad decisions, but these are just scarcely believable. I also thought that rather too much was made of Jenna's ankle injury, which she sustained at a somewhat convenient time.

I'm glad I persevered with the book though, because the ending goes a long way to rescuing it. The solution, in which it is revealed that some of the others' memories of their college days are far more sad and bitter than Megan's own is still somewhat far-fetched, but it still manages to be thought-provoking. And the final twist, which is revealed in - quite literally - the last five words, is a real eye-opener.

I've been hovering between three and four stars as I've been writing this, and have reluctantly decided that I can't quite give it that fourth. But it's still a solid 3.5 stars from me. Accept that you'll need to suspend your disbelief in the middle, and just enjoy.

My thanks to Netgalley for the approval. I will post my review on Goodreads now and on Amazon on publication day.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3871828099

Sam, Charlotte, Kaitlyn, Jenna and narrator Megan head off to a girls weekend to celebrate their collective 40th birthday. These five women are college friends who have stayed in touch but drifted apart over the years. The trip, two years or so in the making, is meant to be a relaxing, low key weekend at a cabin on the lake to allow the women to reconnect.

During the early part of the book, we get background on each of the ladies and throughout the current stories, there are flashbacks of significant points in their college days. Early on, things start to get creepy, with a sketchy care taker and no cell service. Tensions rise quickly and it becomes apparent that some of the friends may be less happy in their lives than they have led the others to believe.

The story is fast paced and keeps the reader guessing. Who's lying and who can our narrator trust?

I read this book really quickly and while it's the first I've read from this author, I am eager to read more from her.
Highly recommend this book if you love fast paced, female friendship thrillers.

Thank you very much to Laura Wolfe, Bookouture, and Netgalley for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Definitely, for fans of The Guest List, The Lake House is a locked room mystery where five friends are stranded in a rented cabin where they are being picked off one by one by an unknown killer.

What makes these types of books so utterly read-able is the suspense. The Lake House is no exception, with tons of red herrings and foreshadowing. Even if you think you have predicted the rest of the novel, once the killer claims their first victim it's nearly impossible to put down. I found myself doubting the characters' actions and dialogue at a lot of points, but the frenzied panic of the entire situation getting way out of hand was very entertaining to read.

Another book that'd be great for a quick Kindle read overnight, even if a lot of the characters and concepts felt a little surface level.

FINALLY! Finally a thriller that’s... well.. a thriller! This book definitely had me on the edge of my seat. I read it in two days, I could not put it down!

Charolette, Sam, Kaitlyn, Jenna and Megan have all been friends since college. 2 is company, 3 is a crowd, but what is 5? They all turned 40 and planned on a getaway away from their husbands, kids, and jobs at a remote cabin miles from civilization. There are secrets. So many secrets. What could go wrong?

First, I really enjoyed Megan’s character. She was rational (maybe it was the therapist in her) and level headed. She was also very likeable. It was so interesting to read about all of the secrets that everyone kept and each one came as a shock. The Who dun it wasn’t obvious at all, which made it that much more enjoyable. The remoteness of the cabin and the lack of internet/service provided the claustrophobic feel that I so enjoy in books.

I would highly recommend this book and would love to read another book by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to review in exchange for an honest review. This is a book that would make a great halloween slasher movie. The suspense is great and characters are interesting if not all likeable. I loved guessing who was the Killer and yes I was wrong.

Great book and easy quick read

All I can say is... WOW! The Lake House was the first book I’ve read by Laura Wolfe, but it definitely won’t be the last!

The well-developed characters, and fast-paced story made this book nearly impossible to put down (I finished this in one sitting). The twists and turns kept me guessing throughout the book and I just had to keep reading. If you are a fan of thrillers, this is a must read!





I received an ARC from NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my honest review.