Review: One Night at the Lake
Title: One Night at the Lake
Author: Bethany Chase
Release Date: June 18, 2019
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Find it here: Goodreads
Synopsis from Goodreads: A tragedy on a hot summer night at a lake house forever alters the lives of two best friends—and the man they both love. But the truth isn’t as simple as it appears in this intricate novel of love, friendship, betrayal, and forgiveness in the tradition of Miranda Beverly-Whittemore’s Bittersweet. Leah Tessaro has been waiting for this moment for a long time: Her boyfriend, Ollie, is taking her to his family’s home on Seneca Lake for a week of lazy summer bliss, boating, and barbeque. The couple has been together for four years, and Leah is convinced that Ollie is finally going to pop the question. And Leah can’t wait to share the joyous news with her best friend, June Kang, who is joining them on their getaway, and whose presence will make everything feel more real. Seven years later, the moment June has been dreading has finally arrived: Her fiancé, Ollie, is taking her to his family’s lake house. But this is not an ordinary visit to an ordinary place; it is a house haunted by June’s long-buried memories of her lost friend, Leah—and the connection that appears to remain between Leah and the man for whom June’s love is as deep as her sense of foreboding. Alternating between the two women’s vibrant voices, One Night at the Lake is a gripping novel that explores a complex tangle of friendship, loyalty, and betrayal, all driving toward one question: What exactly happened to Leah on that hot summer night?
My Review: Overall I enjoyed this book. My issue with it is that it appears to be a mystery/thriller and its really not. Its more of a women’s fiction story with a tragedy in it. There’s a little aspect of mystery and it feels a little thrilling at parts but overall, its not. I liked the way the book was written, alternating timelines and POV’s between two best friends. However, I was disappointed in the ending. I was expecting something more and it felt like a let down. I’m still giving it four stars because it was well written and I will definitely be looking for more from this author.
*I received this book from Ballantine Books in exchange for an honest review*