AUTHOR: Holly Varni
DATE: 2023
PUBLISHER: Revell
STARS: ***
From the back cover:
Cora Matthews has long wondered why her mother stopped taking her to visit her grandparents' lodge in the small Northwoods Minnesota town of Moonberry Lake. Now, after burying her mother and breaking off her engagement just two weeks before her wedding, Cora has a chance to find out. Once there, she is stunned to learn that the old lodge is her inheritance--with a surprising condition attached. Maybe some time to regroup on the shores of a beautiful lake is just what Cora needs to figure out what's next for her.
But Cora's days on the lake are anything but relaxing. The only thing that's a bigger mess than her own life is the dilapidated building she's living in. Add a cantankerous handywoman, an angry neighbor, and an elderly woman who spends all her time talking to the "residents" in the cemetery and Cora's not sure she can stick it out. But if she can, she may find a love she never expected--from the most unexpected people imaginable. This homespun tale of new friendships, sweet romance, and ordinary miracles will have you wishing you could spend a summer (or a lifetime) on Moonberry Lake.
My review:
The cover of On Moonberry Lake drew me, and I looked forward to getting to know Cora Matthews and whoever she met in her journey to find answers. And the characters made the reading worthwhile. Interesting, intriguing and some over-the-top (Widge), Cora’s struggle to claim her inheritance take her down unexpected paths.
The storyline mostly held my attention, but I kept waiting for the Christian part of the fiction. Instead, I found advice to listen to your inner longings, to explore whatever makes you happy, and so on. God is mentioned, but only as a spiritual helper. Jesus is mentioned only because one character looks like pictures of Jesus.
I’m not sure how On Moonberry Lake got listed as Christian fiction, but it doesn’t fit, in my opinion. Therefore, even though I enjoyed getting to know Cora, Kitty, Widge, and the rest of the cast, I can only award this story three stars. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.