The Hideaway by Lauren K Denton -- my REVIEW

The Hideaway by Lauren K Denton is a story full of Southern charm and nostalgia.  Sara is thrown into a world she thought she knew but hardly recognizes when her eccentric grandmother, Mags, dies.  Her life in New Orleans is busy and (she thinks) full and enough.  Her grandmother's house, the Hideaway, is a new burden that she does not want to deal with.

Sara returns to the Hideaway and reacquaints herself with her grandmother's friends and life.  She is surprised to realize things about Mags' life and past.

Alongside Sara's story is Mags' story.  Chapters relate Mags' life from a young married woman to a pregnant mother to a B&B owner to a single mother to a grandmother to a grandmother raising a child.  Mags changes and develops, enters into different relationships (including the love of her life), experiences crushing loss in different ways, and evolves into a very original woman.

Eventually Sara finds out much of Mags' secrets and they affect her life as well.  The Hideaway undergoes some major changes, as does Sara's life...and I won't say more than that :)

The writing in this book is lovely, descriptive and easy to read.

This book was published by Thomas Nelson, which is pretty much a Christian publisher (isn't it?) so I was surprised at the lack of Christianity in the book as well as some themes that were quietly non-Christian.

All in all it was an interesting book.  Nothing really that surprising, sort of vaguely happy ending, kind of predictable.  It was a well-written story.  I don't really love books that see-saw between storylines chapter to chapter, but it was fine, not confusing.

So--I'd say it was okay, not a favorite by all means.  I didn't like the unresolved love and futile-ness of that. . .but life is not ideal, I know.  It does offer a sense of sentimentality.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”