- Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor
- Rainshadow Road
The story in "Dream Lake" happens at roughly the same time as the one in "Rainshadow Road", but the protagonists are Alex Nolan, the third and most damaged of the Nolan brothers, and Zoë Hoffman, the curvy chef and co-owner of a bed and breakfast. A third protagonist is a ghost that inhabits the Rainshadow Road house and who, for reasons unknown, seems to be fated to haunt Alex.
Alex has had a rough time. Not only did he bear the brunt of his alcoholic parents, he is also getting divorced and is "a paycheck away from broke". Now he is also saddled with a sarcastic spirit who nags him for help, and becoming fonder of the bottle each day. He is a bitter man, who doesn't expect anything from life.
When he meets Zoë for the firts time sparks fly, but he knows he's bad news for a nice girl like her, and decides to keep the hell away from her. This resolution quickly comes to an end when Zoë asks him to repair an old house in Dream Lake belonging to her grandmother.
Zoë also has had a hard time, but she tries to keep a sunny attitude despite being recently divorced and having to take care of her grandmother, who has been diagnosed with vascular dementia. She feels attracted to Alex, but he also scares her.
I really liked the book. The protagonists have depth and have to deal with some pretty rough stuff, which was presented in a clear, sincere way. Zoë's cooking is an important part of the book, and has some elements similar to "Water for Chocolate", although not so obvious. The couples from the previous books made appearances when warranted by the argument, and didn't steal the show. Alex' relationship with the ghost adds an element of mystery to the story which was quite enjoyable. And the tease for the next book in the series was well done, although I have to say I was sorry to see the next protagonist become single. I really liked her boyfriend.
Next book:
- Crystal Cove
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