The Guest House
By Erika Marks
ISBN# 9780451418852
Author’s Website: http://www.erikamarksauthor.com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Dawn
Summary:
For generations, the natives of Harrisport have watched wealthy summer families descend on their Cape Cod town, inhabiting the massive cottages along the town’s best stretches of beachfront. But when rich Southerner Tucker Moss breaks the heart of local girl Edie Wright in the summer of 1966, an enduring war starts between the two families that lasts for generations….
Edie’s youngest child, Lexi, should know better than to fall in love with a Moss, but at eighteen, she falls hard for Tucker’s son, Hudson—only to find herself jilted when Hudson breaks off their engagement.
Eleven years later, Lexi returns home after two years away studying architectural photography, just in time for yet another summer on the Cape. When Hudson’s younger brother, Cooper, arrives unexpectedly to sell the seaside estate after the death of his father and hires Lexi to photograph it, an unlikely attraction forms, and Lexi finds herself torn once again between passion and family loyalty.
Then renovations at the Moss guest house reveal a forty-six-year-old declaration of love carved into a piece of framing—and a startling truth that will force two women and the men who love them to confront the treacherous waters of their pasts.
Review:
Lexi Wright is back home after attending photography school in London for the past two years. She seems to be in a good place, until she finds out Cooper Moss is in town to sell his family home. Cooper wants Lexi to photograph the home. For Lexi, it brings up a lot of emotions she left behind a long time ago. As she works, memories of her time with Hudson are overwhelming.
The book jumps back and forth in time. The points of view change from the older generation to the younger generation. All of their lives intertwine in this small town.
Everyone knows your business. They are all aware of the Wright/Moss feud but do they know the real story? or are they assuming they know?
Many years ago Edie (Lexi’s mom) had been engaged to Tucker Moss before moving on and marrying Wright. Many assume Edie was cuckolded by Tucker.
The Moss house is in disrepair. A lot of work is needed to prepare it to be sold. As the repairs begin on the guest house, the same families are drawn back in. They all have memories there. And they need to put those memories to rest.
I love how this book was written. Through memories we learn of the relationships and heartbreaks of these two families. The same mistakes are repeated for generations until Cooper and Lexi finally learn from those mistakes.
Cooper is my favorite character. He went against the odds. He refused to follow in his parents footsteps. Instead, he forges ahead with his own life. He worked and paid his way through college. He has a career as an author. In fact, he has put some of the “guest house” happenings as well as characters in his books. Cooper has the courage to stand on his own, to not conform. I respect that so much.
I recommend this book to adult women. It is well written, the characters engaging.
