Enchanted August by Brenda Bowen is an updated take on Enchanted April (which I must immediately rent and watch this month). Four strangers rent a cottage on an island off the coast of Maine for the month of August, and the magic that is Little Lost Island and Hopewell Cottage begins to work on the troubles each have brought with them from home. There's Rose, who is a mother to twins, a frustrated poet, and married to a successful author. Lottie, a mother of a small boy, married to a lawyer who works too much and has a wandering eye; Beverly, an elderly man who comes with his sorrow and grief; and finally, Caroline--a popular young actress famous for her reaction to losing out on an Oscar who just wants some peace and quiet. Robert is the owner of the cottage, and he rents it out each August to people who need a bit of a break in their lives, and a bit of magic to sort them all out.
Little Lost Island is a beautiful island off the coast of Maine, home to many summer cottages (and by cottages I mean very large homes) that have been handed down through the generations. No cell phone service, no TV's; it's all about nature, seafood, and the beauty of the ocean. It is the perfect summer getaway from everything, and a place to heal and ponder life. Four strangers in one house starts out a bit awkward for them, but as the days go by, little by little they get to know each other and their stories. And Hopewell Cottage works its magic.
Oh, I wish I could go to Little Lost Island for a month. Brenda Bowen has built a wonderful setting and her characters are all just regular people with problems just like the rest of us. Of course, Caroline being a famous actress is a bit out of the norm, but really all she wants is to be left alone and figure out what her next step is in her life. In the end, that's what we're all trying to figure out.
And without further ado, here's the winner of a copy of Enchanted August
A HUGE thank you to Penguin/Random house for a review copy and sponsoring this giveaway.
Rating: 7/10 for a summer read that hit all the right buttons: an enchanting setting that makes me want to travel, likable characters, and a plot that moves along to a satisfying conclusion.
Available in paperback and e-book.
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