Review of The Lake House by Jerry Cole

The Lake House by Jerry Cole 3*
BLURB: Lieutenant Carlos Vasquez is recuperating at his quiet family cabin after a traumatic incident of war left him emotionally scarred. A hard and stoic man, he has spent his life believing that true happiness could never be attained for a man like him. Having seen the world’s grimmest realities, he harbors a cynical view of fate and has decided that a person’s happiness is based on luck rather than whether or not they deserve it. A shell of a man, Carlos is shaken out of the grim pattern he is living when he encounters a young girl during a life-threatening incident. He is quickly pulled into her world of irresponsible rock star fathers and soft-hearted pastors. This colorful cast of new people in his life take Carlos on a series of events involving secret coves, fabulous birthday parties, and a long, dramatic, child custody battle.

By chance, the wise-cracking girl is connected to a mysterious man from Carlos’ past. The details unfold and the lieutenant discovers that the lives of the people in his life are a lot more involved and complicated than he initially anticipated. Having assumed the least in everyone, his perspective is challenged, but will it stay that way for long? Why is this mysterious man from his past in this girl’s life, and what does he want from Carlos? Will he sacrifice the happiness of a little girl if he pursues happiness, or perhaps, something more?

Assisting Carlos in his recovery and foibles in love is his force of nature grandmother, Abuela Maria, who has a history of war, love, and healing of her own. She pushes him further into the lives of others with no small amount of meddling, tough love, and confidence not often found in little old ladies her age. Will Carlos find the happiness everyone so desperately wants for him?

My Review: I read a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy of this book & am voluntarily leaving an honest and unbiased review. I must admit this book did not appeal to me as much as some of the author's other stories. For one I never really understood the relationship between the main two characters as most of the time I felt that Carlos was living a completely different reality to the one Rev was living. I also didn't understand Rev and his taking on the daughter of his ex wife, it jsut didn't seem to me a realistic thing for anyone to do. I gave it a 3 because of the character of Abuela Maria and just wish she had been in the book more as, for me, she was the most real person in it.