Susan's Review of The Getaway By Emily March---Lake in the Clouds Book 1

After years of putting her family first, Genevieve Prentice is making a fresh start—but it’s never easy to leave the past behind.

Widowed young, Genevieve Prentice dedicated her life to raising her four children. Now, though, they’re all grown and scattered to the wind, and Genevieve is ready for a change. In a flash of inspiration, she puts her home on the market and heads to Lake in the Clouds, Colorado, to renovate a rustic waterfront lodge with her sister. But just as they begin, Genevieve gets the shock of a lifetime: the arrival of her son.

Jake Prentice built a career out of being dependable, one that left him perennially stressed and overworked. Finally heeding his mother’s words of wisdom, he’s quit his job and is ready to find out what truly makes him happy. And now, as he stands surrounded by open sky and fresh, pine-scented air, he’s got no regrets . . . until former colleague Tess Crenshaw appears at the lake, forcing him to reassess what—and who—he really wants.

As they work together to renovate the lodge, Genevieve and Jake embark on a heartfelt and inspiring journey to learn about themselves, each other, and the true meaning of family.

                            

I thoroughly enjoyed Emily March’s The Getaway! The novel is filled with relatable characters, romance and family drama. The bond between sisters Genevieve Prentice and Helen McDaniel plus the unspoken attraction between Jake Prentice and Tess Crenshaw drew me into the story.

Genevieve Prentice has had enough of the bickering between her four children. She realizes that she cannot fix their problem. However, she can put herself first and move forward. Genevieve is a strong woman and I enjoyed how she rediscovered herself, her passions—and all the possibilities in her new chapter.

Jake Prentice is a dynamic character— he’s the family fixer and a workaholic. He is overwhelmed with the constant cutbacks at work, the bickering between his brothers and sisters and feels guilty that he laid off one of the company’s rising stars; Tess Crenshaw. I enjoyed the pages where Jake finally understood that he is responsible for his own happiness. Jake travels to Colorado to visit his mom and aunt and take the time to figure things out.

Loved that the author chose to tell this story of family and new beginnings from three points of view. I related to Genevieve’s story as it’s difficult to put yourself first, not your family. Loved that she embraced her new community, made new friends and went on the Sound of Music trip with her sister—something they had talked about for years! Jake ignored his attraction towards Tess as he was her manager. Loved that Jake reached out to Tess and invited her to Colorado. The romance between the couple sizzled as they explored Lake in the Clouds. Loved that Jake put his relationship with Tess first and that she understood that Jake needed to embrace all of the new opportunities that life had to offer him.

Emily March is one of my favorite authors. Her novels are written from the heart, the characters are relatable and her stories are centered on families. The Getaway is a realistic portrayal of family life— love and laughter, sibling rivalry, forgiveness, understanding and a romance that will tug at your heartstrings. Love the community of Lake in the Clouds and the peace and serenity that surrounds it.

I am looking forward to the next book in this series—loved the sparks between Gage and Genevieve, intrigued that Willow and her children are returning to Lake in the Clouds and can’t wait to count Helen's cuckoo clocks in the Raindrop Inn!

Reviewed by Susan Gorman

ARC provided by the publisher