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Type of bind: Mass Market Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN num: 9780778321903
ISBN number: 0778321908
Label: Mira
Manufacturer: Mira
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 416
Printing Date: August 01, 2005
Publishing house: Mira
Sale Popularity Level: 115111
Studio: Mira
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Product Description:
If you trust your heart, you'll always know who you are . . .
Each summer, Kate Livingston returns to her family's lakeside cottage, a place of simple living and happy times -- a place where she now hopes her shy little boy can blossom. But her quiet life gets a bit more interesting with the arrival of an intriguing new neighbor, JD Harris. Although she is a confirmed single mother and knows little of JD's past, Kate is soon drawn into the sweetness of a summer romance and discovers the passion of a lifetime.
JD has good reason for being secretive. In a moment of sheer bravery the Washington, D.C., paramedic prevented a terrible tragedy. Overnight the intensely private man became a national hero. He's hardly able to remember who he was before the media frenzy . . . until he escapes to this lovely, remote part of the Northwest. Now Kate Livingston and her son have rekindled the joy of small pleasures and peace, something he thought he'd never have again. But how long will his blissful anonymity last before reality comes banging at his door?
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Rated by buyers 
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ANother great book by Susan Wiggs! Couldn't put it down once I started reading it. As usual makes you want to read all of her book!
Rated by buyers -
Others have described the plot so I won't go there. I did enjoy the book. It was a nice easy read. A little hard to believe that someone who was made so famous on TV and newspaper could go unknown Kate but once you get past that, it is a lovely story.
Rated by buyers 
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JD was sizzlin', Kate was hot, and the potential for one smokin' romance was there, but it fell flat amidst all the family drama. Not my cup of tea. Too much about the son Aaron, too much about the foster runaway Callie, just too much emotional baggage with the kids. And not enough romance or scenes with the two main lovers.
Rated by buyers -
LAKESIDE COTTAGE by Susan Wiggs
August 12, 2007
Amazon Rated by buyers 4/5 stars
I had read a Susan Wiggs book a few years ago and had enjoyed her writing, so was looking forward to reading LAKESIDE COTTAGE. She writes about characters I want to get to know better, who live in places that come across to me as peaceful or beautiful, places that are far different from where I live in the city. In LAKESIDE COTTAGE, the story takes place along side Crescent Lake in the state of Washington on the Olympia Peninsula. It's a beautiful place, painted by Wiggs as an ideal spot for summer vacations and families.
Every year, the Livingston's head out to their family cottage, which has been in the family for several generations. But this year is different. Only Kate and her pre-teen son Aaron are coming up this year, and Aaron isn't too thrilled. He sees it as a jail sentence, with no one to play with all summer long. Kate sees it as a getaway, to forget about her worries. She was a writer who had been let go from a job that she felt defined her, and now she didn't know what to do. She was barely making ends meet, but because of the rental properties in Seattle she inherited from her father, she was able to eke out a living and support herself and her son.
The novel, however, starts with a bang. Special Forces Medical Sergeant Jordan Donovan Harris is one of many who are guarding the President of the United States as he visits patients at Walter Reed Medical Center. It happens so quickly that no one sees it coming, but Harris notices that the patient that the President is currently talking to, a man lying on a hospital bed, is not who everyone thinks he is. As the man on the bed throws out an explosive, Harris protects the President with his body, and before he knows it, Harris has lost consciousness.
It is at the lake that Kate meets "JD" Harris, the man that has now become a celebrity to the world. Kate, who lives without a television set, does not recognize the disheveled looking man who appears to be more of a hippie than a military man. But JD is hiding from the world, and hopes that no one recognizes him. Only one person knows about him, and that's his best friend Sam, who also happens to be someone that goes way back in Kate's life. Kate's son is attracted to JD, as he is to any man that comes into Kate's life. Aaron is desperate to find a father, and she's learned that it's better not to break his heart by dating men who will eventually leave.
While LAKESIDE COTTAGE is a love story between Kate and JD, it is also a story of a boy who desperately needs a father's guiding hand as he grows into adulthood. He's got a lot of issues, acts out often, and Kate doesn't know what to do with him half the time. As Aaron and JD bond, however, she notices a miracle is taking place. Aaron responds to JD's words, and for once, a man has not walked out of her life because she has a son.
Another important story line centers on a teenage girl that Kate discovers on the very first day at the lake, sleeping in their cottage. Her name is Callie, and she is one of the cleaning ladies for the summer. Kate learns that Callie is a runaway, but she doesn't want to return home and begs Kate for a place to stay while she works for her rent. Kate is touched by this girl and agrees. Callie soon becomes a regular member of the family, and she bonds with Kate and with Aaron. Callie also gets to know JD and learns his secret identity by accident. She promises not to tell a soul about this, a difficult thing to do for someone who could use the money a tabloid would pay her for this newsworthy information. In the meantime, she keeps dropping hints around Kate, pointing out whether someone could love another person if that person constantly lies to her. Callie wants JD to tell everyone the truth, as she does not understand why anyone could run from celebrity and being in the public eye.
The various sub plots come together nicely, and the reader will get to know and love these characters. I was rooting for everyone to have a happy ending. I also felt the characters were well researched, including Callie's medical condition, which is later revealed in the story. All the main characters felt real to me, and I didn't want this book to end. LAKESIDE COTTAGE is another winner by Susan Wiggs, an author that is growing on me with each novel I read.
Rated by buyers -
I have never considered myself a fan of the romance genre, but that doesn't mean I have anything against romance novels per se. In fact, I read them almost voraciously during my teen years. Like every other genre, there are good writers and bad writers, good stories and clunkers.
Susan Wiggs and Lakeside Cottage stand out as prime examples of quality on both counts. Wiggs' writing is solid, and the story is engaging. Romance is, of course, at the heart of the tale, but there is so much more going on here.
Our heroine in this case is Kate Livingstone, a feature writer recently fired by her newspaper. As luck would have it, she has the chance to escape her troubles and figure out her future at her family's cottage. This is her very first summer at the lake without her brother and his family, a fact that doesn't sit well at very first with her troubled young son, Aaron.
Two strangers enter the scene on the very first day: runaway teen California "Callie" Evans and the reclusive JD Harris. Both have secrets. Both will change Kate and Aaron's summer--and ultimately their lives.
Wiggs manages to avoid the overdone I-can't-stand-you-but-I-can't-resist-you form of romance in favour of a more natural approach. Kate and JD are a bit leery of each other at first--and both with good reason, given their romantic histories--but the conflict is underplayed.
I found it refreshing to read a romance so grounded in reality--JD's secret notwithstanding. After all, it's not every woman who falls in love with a man who saved the life of the US President. (And, no, that's not a spoiler.) JD's subsequent status as a media celebrity drives his actions throughout the book.
The subplot involving Callie is equally engaging. Her back story--including exposure to a twisted commune leader and too many years shuffled through foster care--comes to light slowly. We can feel empathy for all she's gone through. We also come to understand why she would choose to run away.
Overall, Lakeside Cottage is a well-formed story with intriguing, believable characters. You won't find too many surprises, but you will find an enjoyable read. Wiggs has written a sweet tale that manages to convey positive messages without lapsing into sugary sentiment.
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