Seneca Lake

The author did a great job of writing about a period in our history that many do not know too much about. I found myself wanting to learn more after reading this book and spent time researching online. Definitely recommend this one!

I absolutely loved this book...until it abruptly ended, leaving me wondering how her relationships evolve or end and what she decides to study in college. The ending was a complete letdown, after getting so completely invested in the characters. Perhaps there will be a sequel, where I will learn all the answers to the questions that remain.

I received a free copy of Seneca Lake from NetGalley in exchanged for an honest review.

It took me a couple of chapters to become engaged in "Seneca Lake" by Emily Heebner but once I did, I almost couldn't put the story down. It is kind of a snapshot of one young woman's life during WWII. Meg's brother is off in battle. A recent love interest has just left after asking her to write to him. And she wants to do all she can to help the war efforts. She lives with her Grandma and Grandpa in their home about a saloon. Her sisters live across the way with Meg's mother and father. The mother has suffered since Meg was born and wasn't able to take care of her. The story doesn't specifically say it but it sounds like postpartum depression that never went away. Although she agreed to write to Hank she is suddenly nuts about the Seneca indigenous young man named Arthur who works on the farm and has dropped out of high school. But he is kind and sensitive and I really liked him a lot and was rooting for him and angry with all the stereotypes and racist behaviors he had to endure. The story goes on about the two of them getting closer and boom something bad happens, something else bad happens. Then suddenly the book is over with little to nothing resolved. We don't know how two characters adjusted to coming back from war or if one of them even comes back. We don't know if there ends up being any kind of relationship with Arthur at the end. We don't know if the bad guys in town get their any karma. We don't know anything. And the ending was so abrupt and completely unsatisfying. This is wasted potential for sure. It read like the first half of a really great novel. At only 130ish pages, the author should have developed the book, gave it a real conclusion and made the book a hundred or so pages longer. But the cover is gorgeous and the fact that the book covers a period of time that isn't written about in fiction very often are pluses.

This novel was a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. Having grown up in Rochester, New York, I gravitated to the title because I was curious about Emily Heebner's historical tale set in the Finger Lakes.

Meg, a high school senior, finds herself at a crossroads during the later part of World War II, when she has to determine her path forward in love and life. Arthur, a Native American who Meg has grown up with, emerges as a love interest as Meg begins to see him as more than a brother. However, given the time period, Meg also sees the prejudice of her community when interacting with Arthur. As their romance takes off, Meg is forced to make decisions that impact her future, including whether she will outgrow her hometown of Valois.

What I enjoyed about this novel was that it captured the spirit of the Finger Lakes, the people that live in the area, and the rich history that is caught between the water and the hills of the area. Mentions within the story include women's suffrage; Mark Twain's summer home and the writing of two of his novels, including Huckleberry Finn; the Underground Railroad path through New York state to Canada; and the Native Americans who inhabited and loved the land long before European settlers forced them to relocate. Even though Meg and Arthur were fictional, as a reader I felt like the context of the story brought their journey to life.

While the novel did not end how I expected, it concluded in a way that was satisfying and allowed the reader to imagine what comes next. It also ended with a strong message of female empowerment which I particularly appreciated.

In Seneca Lake, e follow Meg at the tail end of World War 2, who is on the precipice of dating Hank, yet her friend Arthur has caught her eye. Arthur who probably won't finish high school, who isn't serving in the army because he's needed at home, whose father was no good. This won't end well for Meg, her family thinks highly of Hank and he would be a much better match.

The blurb states that Meg's grandparents urge her to give up her dream of Cornell, but I don't get the feeling that it's a dream of hers, I don't get the feeling she has any dreams outside of spending time with Arthur. I think as far as the back and forth between the two, it's sweet and I like the way Heebner has incorporated Native American folklore into Arthur's stories.

I really wanted to love this book and it had good moments, but when it came to fleshing out the characters and the storyline, including the ending, it fell a bit flat. I didn't feel there was much of a storyline, there was a lot of conversation going on between Meg and Arthur, but it didn't necessarily move the story forward. The ending, while satisfying, sort of just happened, and rather quickly at that. It was a very quick read and I thoroughly enjoyed the historical details of the war and Seneca Lake that the author included.

Residents of Upstate NY will certainly appreciate this sweet, uncomplicated story of a young woman growing up, learning to love, and finding her voice in a small town on Seneca Lake in the 1940s. There’s nothing remarkable about the story - it’s been told many times - but Emily Heebner has a given it some new life with her vivid descriptions of rural life, memorable characters, and well-written dialog. Meg’s grandparents reminded me of my own older relatives, many of whom I haven’t thought of in years. Reading this was like getting a hug from my Gram. This would pair well with a lovely afternoon spent sitting on a porch alongside a lake.

In SENECA LAKE, Meg is living her life at the beginning of the end of World War II. She really wants to date Hank, but her friend Arthur has caught her eye. Arthur who probably won’t finish high school, who isn’t serving in the army because he’s needed at home and is subject to lots of bullying for it. His father was no good and the bullies throw it up in his face all the time. Her family doesn’t think it will end well for Meg. They think Hank is the better choice and he would be a much better match for Meg but they don’t know who the real Hank is and neither does Meg for that matter.



Holy cow! What an awesome story SENECA LAKE is. I finished reading it with tears in my eyes, a huge lump in my throat, and a big stupid smile on my face. My emotions were all over the place. What an amazing story that is going to stay with me for a long long time. I found myself cheering for Arthur and Meg and praying they could find their happily ever after. Sometimes, it just doesn’t happen but I still had hope the whole time. I usually am reading many books at one time but once I started SENECA LAKE all other books were put aside. I was praying for Meg, wondering if tragedy would bring these two together or splinter them further apart. I finished reading the very last page with a huge lump in my throat and a big smile on my face! I can not wait to read more by Ms. Heebner.




The book description says that Meg’s grandparents urge her to give up her dream of Cornell, but I don’t think that it was a dream of Meg’s. I felt like all Meg wanted to do was spend time with Arthur. The way Arthur cares for Meg and protects her made my heart swoon. I love the way Emily Heebner wove in the Native American stories and heritage into Arthur’s stories. It was cute watching Meg and Arthur dance around their feelings for each other. Emily pulled me right in from the very beginning and never let me go. Even after I was finished reading, I found myself thinking of Meg and Arthur and all they went through.



I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I have tried to read this one several times since I received it and just can't get into the book.