Barefoot Lake by Kim Swizz (Oct 1, 2024) – If you love fall vibes, small towns and infuriatingly handsome neighbors, let me introduce you to the first book in the Wilcox Grove series!
Alice’s mom recently passed away after a long battle with cancer and the loss gave her some intense clarity about her toxic fiancé. A driven Boston professor on leave for a semester, Alice retreats to the small lake cabin in Wilcox Grove she has inherited. New to home ownership and rural lake life, Alice is definitely a fish out of water. Her chaotic home ownership is just one of the many reasons she drives her grumpy neighbor, Jake Preston, absolutely crazy. That must be the reason he simply cannot stop thinking about her (narrator: It absolutely was not the reason). As they continue to cross paths, they begin to realize that they might have more in common than they first thought and as Wilcox Grove (and Jake) begin to grow on Alice, she begins to reassess what brings her happiness.
With its charming cast of townsfolk, a local bar, grudges and gossip, a wise old man, and plenty of shenanigans, Wilcox Grove feels like a place you’ll want to move into immediately. Think Lovelight Farms or Stars Hollow, but with a Bostonian’s sharp wit woven through. Both Alice and Jake have experienced loss and have processed it in complex ways that they need to unpack to become the person they want to be for someone else. I adored how Swizz balanced humor and heartache while exploring what it means to start fresh. Both Alice and Jake are flawed, layered, and so easy to cheer for. I’ll be diving into book two right away – this is a series I’m thrilled to have discovered!
Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
🔥 Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Book Smart Kate 