Love at Solace Lake series by Jana Richards is a book series worth reading #smalltownromance #99c
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  • N. N. Light
    • Sep 18, 2023
    • 13 min read

Love at Solace Lake series by Jana Richards is a book series worth reading #smalltownromance #99c



Love is worth the risk…


When their grandfather dies, the Lindquist sisters, Harper, Scarlet and Maggie, inherit the northern Minnesota fishing lodge that had been in their family for three generations. The inheritance is bittersweet. They were raised at the lodge by their grandparents. The natural beauty of the place hasn’t changed, but the building itself is crumbling and desperately in need of repair. The lodge also reminds them of what they lost. Twenty-two years previously, their parents died there in what was ruled a murder/suicide.


As the sisters struggle to breathe new life into the failing lodge, old fears and questions rise to the surface even as new love presents itself. Why did their father murder their mother? What truths did their grandparents keep from them? The sisters must fight to keep the wounds of the past from putting their futures, and their fledging relationships, in jeopardy.


Title – Lies and Solace, book 1, Love at Solace Lake series

Author – Jana Richards

Genre – Contemporary small town romance

Publisher – Jana Richards Books


Book Blurb –


She can’t live with one more lie. He can’t tell the truth.


Harper Lindquist is convinced she’s found the answer to her financial prayers. Unless she pours cash into crumbling Solace Lake Lodge, she’ll lose her family’s legacy. Her would-be savior arrives in the middle of a Minnesota blizzard and she’s determined to prove to her reluctant, and trapped, financier the lodge is a sound investment. But Harper isn’t completely honest with him. And she has no idea the lake is hiding secrets of its own.

Ethan James is a liar, but his money is very real. He isn’t convinced a broken-down inn is a smart investment opportunity. But the more he understands Harper’s dreams and desires, the more he wants to be the man to make them come true. The trauma in both their pasts means neither can fully trust the other. They must find the courage to love, to trust, and to accept, or yesterday’s sorrows will keep them apart.


Excerpt –


She’d just placed the last dish on the drain board when Ethan entered the kitchen, his hair still damp from his shower. He’d shaved with the razor she’d found for him and was wearing his own clothes again. Once more the elegant, well-dressed businessman. The chasm grew between them even as he stood in her kitchen. She was stupid to believe there could ever be anything aside from business between them.


She lifted her chin, determined not to let her façade slip. “I’ve gathered all my estimates and drawings and put them in a bag so you can take them with you.”


“I appreciate that.”


They walked together to the front door, and Harper lifted his beautiful overcoat from the coat tree. It still held the scent of his after-shave, and she had to resist the urge to raise it to her nose and breathe it in. Instead, she held it out to him with a forced smile. “Have a safe trip back to Minneapolis, Ethan.”


“Thanks.” He took the coat from her and slipped it on. “I want to thank you for your hospitality.”


“It was my pleasure.”


So formal. But it was the only way she could get through the next few minutes.


He picked up the cloth bag with all her information on the renovation project. “Goodbye, Harper. I’ll be in touch soon.”


“Goodbye.” She shook his outstretched hand briefly.


He opened the front door and headed toward his truck. Harper grabbed a sweater from the coat tree and stood in the open doorway watching him leave, not quite able to shut the door on him despite the biting cold.


Halfway to the truck, Ethan stopped. For a second, he stood completely still, his head bowed. Then he dropped the bag, turned on his heel, and walked back to her, his steps full of purpose.


“Did you forget something?”


“Yeah.”


He pulled her into his arms, his mouth descending on hers with an urgency that set her blood on fire. She moaned as she molded herself against him, her arms winding around his neck, her fingers tangling in his damp hair. He swept her mouth with his tongue, demanding a response. She gave herself over to his kiss, loving the sweet taste of his mouth, the clean smell of his skin, the solid feel of his body.


All too soon he broke the kiss. He grasped her shoulders and pushed away from her, breathing hard. She searched his face for answers.


“I have to go,” he said. “I’ll call you soon.”


She nodded, unable to speak. He released her and walked back to his truck. No longer sheltered in his arms, the bitter cold swept through her. She pulled her sweater more securely around her shoulders.


Harper watched Ethan pull out of the driveway, her heart racing. When she could no longer see his truck, she closed the front door and leaned against it. The taste of him remained on her tongue and she could still smell his clean scent. Excitement and fear danced up and down her spine, fighting a duel inside her to decide which one ruled supreme.


Fear won. In one way or another, everyone she’d ever cared about had left her. She couldn’t bear for Ethan to be one more person on that list.


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Author Biography –



When not writing up a storm or dealing with dust bunnies, Jana can be found pursuing hobbies such as golf (which she plays very badly) or reading (which she does much better).


Jana lives in Western Canada with her husband Warren and two senior cats named Layla and Leelou. You can reach her through her website at http://www.janarichards.com


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Title – Secrets and Solace, book 2, Love at Solace Lake series

Author – Jana Richards

Genre – Contemporary small town romance


Book Blurb –



Scarlet Lindquist has agreed to help her sisters rebuild the dilapidated fishing lodge in Minnesota they inherited from their grandparents. Although the lengthy restoration is bringing the three sisters closer together, Scarlet’s support is temporary. Her leave of absence from her job in Chicago is temporary and she has no intention of staying at Solace Lake Lodge, where the lake holds dark secrets. When frightening childhood memories resurface, they are tempered by her fascination with an irritating contractor. If only she could trust her feelings for him. If only he could trust her.


Cameron Hainstock meets Scarlet at his brother’s wedding to her sister and their attraction is instantaneous. But Cam avoids the beautiful marketing executive. All his efforts are aimed at battling for custody of his only child. When the unimaginable happens and Cam faces the biggest challenge of his life, he’s reluctant to accept help to halt his downward spiral. Can they learn to trust each other and fight for a future together or will they go their separate ways?


Excerpt –


Scarlet smiled as she watched her sister and her soon-to-be husband cross the room. He was dark to her fair, tall to her petite, brown eyed to her blue. But in every way that was important, Harper and Ethan were a match. A perfect team. Ethan had made Harper’s dream to bring the fishing lodge back to life his dream as well. Together, they were turning the old lodge into an eco-friendly resort the whole family could be proud of.


To have someone to share her dreams, someone to have her back and love her no matter what seemed like a fairy tale to Scarlet.


“They’re a good-looking couple, aren’t they?”


Cameron’s deep voice broke into her thoughts, chasing away her fanciful notions. Nothing but wishful thinking.


“Yes, they are.”


He adjusted a limp, nearly asleep Tessa in his arms. Her head lay against his broad shoulder, while one hand rested on his chest, as if she wanted to feel the beat of her father’s heart. For some reason, the thought made her heart ache.


“Is Harper pregnant?”


She jerked her head up at his whispered question. “What? No, of course not!” In her surprise, her voice was louder than she’d intended.


“I had to ask. They’re getting married in a hell of a hurry.”


At least, she didn’t think Harper was pregnant. She and her sisters often withheld the truth about their lives from each other, especially when the truth was unpleasant, but she’d hoped they’d put those days behind them. Surely if Harper was pregnant, she would have shared the news with her and Maggie.


Harper had turned to give her a puzzled stare, alerted by sound of her raised voice. Scarlet flashed her a phony smile before speaking to Cameron again, this time in a lowered tone. “Do you think that’s the only reason he’d marry her? Call me sentimental, but I believe they’re marrying for love.”


“They barely know each other. What would be the harm in waiting a few months? I don’t want Ethan to get hurt.”


She, too, had concerns, but she was too insulted on behalf of her sister to admit to them. He better not be suggesting Harper was only marrying Ethan for his money. Five years ago, Ethan won over a hundred and seventy-five million dollars in a lottery, though Harper hadn’t been aware of that when they first met. Because of painful past experiences, he’d kept the secret far longer than he should have, afraid it would alter the way she saw him.


Scarlet straightened and looked Cameron in the eye. “I don’t want Harper to get hurt again. He lied to her about the money and she’s the one who walked away.”


He leaned in close, his voice low and his eyes glittering. “But she came back, didn’t she?”


Before she could respond, he turned and walked across the room. A moment later, he left the dining room of Miller’s Resort with his family, Tessa still in his arms.


Anger swirled in her gut. Was Cameron Hainstock planning to make trouble for Harper?


Her hands fisted at her sides. Not on my watch, he won’t.


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Title – Truth and Solace, book 3, Love at Solace Lake series

Author – Jana Richards

Genre – Contemporary small town romance


Book Blurb –


The truth could destroy them. Or set them free.


Maggie Lindquist left Solace Lake determined never to return. Circumstances have pulled her back and she’s helping to restore her family’s dilapidated fishing lodge. When she agreed to the plan she didn’t expect to have to work side by side with the man who abandoned her ten years earlier. She didn’t expect to like him, or want him ever again. But can she trust him as she once did?


Luke Carlsson rushes home to tend to his ailing mother. Her lengthy illness means he needs to stay, at least temporarily. And to stay, he needs to work. Solace Lake Lodge offers him a job and an opportunity to work with the woman he’s never stopped loving. But the restoration is unleashing secrets hidden for decades and no one is left unscathed. Especially not Maggie and Luke, whose love needs to be resilient enough to forgive, and strong enough to build a future together.


Excerpt –


The organist began to play Pachelbel's Canon in D, signaling the bride’s imminent arrival. All eyes turned to the staircase. Cam’s daughter Tessa led the bridal party. She wore a red lace dress and carried a basket of flowers in one hand.


Following Tessa, Maggie began a slow descent down the stairs, one hand on the railing and the other holding a bouquet of white roses. All the air rushed from Luke's lungs. Her full length, lace dress in dark red fit her perfectly. The low bodice that skimmed the sweet swell of her breasts nearly undid him. Her dark hair shone in the glow from the fireplace, her smile wide and happy.


When her gaze connected with his, his heart squeezed with unexpected longing. He swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry, his heart hammering. Maggie’s smile faltered. She quickly turned her attention to the men standing in front of the fireplace. She walked toward them, taking her place on the bride’s side, opposite Drew, her smile firmly in place once more. Only the slight trembling of the ribbons cascading from her bouquet hinted at any nervousness.


He was aware that Harper and Scarlet had descended the stairs and now stood with the others in front of the fireplace. He was sure they were both lovely, but he couldn’t take his eyes off Maggie. In her chef’s whites, her face pink with the heat of the stove and her hair dampened with perspiration, she was beautiful. Always had been.


But today, she was stunning. He’d never seen her more exquisite.


The ceremony went by in a blur. Scarlet and Cam exchanged vows and wedding rings, and sealed their union with a lingering kiss. They looked at each other as if they were the only two people in the room. The bond between them, the sense they knew without question they belonged together, and would always be together was profound. No matter what life threw at them, they would endure, as long as they stood side by side.


I want that, Luke realized with a start. He wanted to be with a woman who truly understood him, loved him. Someone to share his dreams, his hopes, his fears. His gaze drifted to Maggie once again. They’d had that once, that special bond, but they’d been far too young to appreciate it. Or at least he had.


When such a bond was broken, could it ever be mended? If Maggie knew the truth…


He pushed the guilt away. Tonight, he wanted to forget.


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Title – Christmas at Solace Lake, book 4, Love at Solace Lake series

Author – Jana Richards

Genre – Contemporary small town romance


Book Blurb –



An emergency brings Drew Barnes to Solace Lake Lodge, an inn deep in the Minnesota woods owned by his aunt and uncle. He’s sure desperation is the only reason they’d allow him to fill in as their bookkeeper. No one in his family has believed in him since his mistake got him fired from his previous job. Soon after he arrives, Drew is disheartened to discover thefts and financial irregularities at the lodge. The last thing he wants is to be put in the middle of another crime.


Sous chef Celeste Bishop has made a good life for herself and her nine-year-old daughter in the three years she’s worked, and lived, at Solace Lake Lodge. After being unfairly fired, this was the only job she could get, and she’s grateful her gamble on the lodge paid off. The only sticking point is the isolation since she never learned to drive. How can she show her daughter independence when she’s always relying on others?


Drew sees Celeste’s frustration and offers to teach her to drive. A powerful attraction ignites between them, and soon deeper, stronger emotions blossom. Drew is all in, but Celeste resists her feelings. She’s nine years older than Drew. An interracial relationship didn’t work for her parents. And loving Drew feels like a betrayal of her deceased husband.


As Christmas approaches, the thefts escalate. Can Drew stop the thief and redeem himself in his family’s eyes—and his own? And can he convince Celeste they deserve the gift of a happily ever after this Christmas?


Excerpt –


He closed his eyes. Celeste touched his arm. “Come on inside and I’ll make you some tea.”


He tossed his jacket onto the back of a chair while she went into her kitchen and put the kettle on to boil. “Tell me what happened.”


He recounted his argument with his sister as he paced back and forth in Celeste’s compact living room. “I’m afraid she’s headed into a disaster with Ryan. How can I stand by and do nothing?”


“Carrie’s a smart girl, Drew. I’m sure she knows what she’s getting into.”


“She thinks she does, but imagination and reality are two different things.” Drew stopped pacing. “It gets worse. Ryan came to see me today, asking for my blessing. He wants to ask Carrie to marry him.”


Celeste knew they were serious, but she didn’t realize they were talking about marriage. “What did you say?”


“That Carrie was too young to know what she wanted and what she needed to be happy. And that she deserved a normal sex life.”


“Oh! You really went there?”


“I did. Damn it, I probably shouldn’t have opened my big mouth. But I couldn’t stand by and say nothing, either.” He shook his head, his expression filled with confusion and regret. “Selfishly, what I’m most worried about is losing her. I hate the thought of Carrie no longer being in my life.”


Celeste put the teapot and a couple of cups on a tray and carried it through to the living room. “You’re not going to lose her. I know you love Carrie and want what’s best for her.”


He gave her a wry grin. “Thanks for not saying I’m a controlling jerk.”


“You’re not a jerk. You’re a good brother.” Celeste set the tray on the coffee table.


“I’m pretty sure Carrie doesn’t think so right now.”


“I know that whatever you said, you said out of love and concern.” She didn’t agree he had the right to get involved in his sister’s relationship, but that wasn’t what he needed to hear right now. “Carrie knows that, too.”


“I hope that’s why I did it.” Drew bent his head and stared at the floor. “I hope I didn’t discourage them because of Ryan’s disability.”


“You didn’t,” Celeste said. “You’re not like that.”


Drew lifted his head and looked directly into her eyes. “How can you possibly know that? I don’t even know for sure.”


“Because I know you.”


Celeste hated that he questioned his motives, even his basic goodness. She couldn’t let him believe the worst of himself. Without thinking, she stepped close and placed her hand on his cheek, the stubble of his beard tickling her palm. “You’re the most kind, loving man. A man who goes out of his way to be kind to a little girl and to teach a hopeless driver like me how to parallel park. You’re a good person, Drew Barnes. Don’t ever forget it.”


He stared at her, his eyes wide with surprise. Then he turned his head and kissed the palm of her hand. A jolt of electricity extended from her hand deep into her body.


“Celeste.”


His voice was a whispered plea, and she found she couldn’t ignore the attraction between them. She didn’t want to, not anymore. He lowered his mouth to hers, but hesitated, waiting for a sign from her.


She was done waiting.


Celeste wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. Their lips met in a hungry kiss, their bodies pressed together, arms tight around each other. When his tongue touched her lips, begging entry, she eagerly opened her mouth to him. Drew immediately swept her mouth with his tongue, the pleasure so intense her knees buckled. Over and over his tongue caressed hers. His hand snaked under her t-shirt to fondle her breast, his thumb and forefinger gently squeezing her nipple through the thin material of her bra. The delicious pleasure went straight to her core, dampening her panties. She wanted him there, now, touching her with his hands, his mouth. Filling her.


No! What am I thinking?


Terror filled her at her own thoughts. She couldn’t do this.


She tore her mouth away from his. “Please, I have to stop. I’m sorry, Drew.”


His hand stilled on her breast. Carefully, he withdrew his hand, then pulled down her t-shirt and stepped back. “I shouldn’t have come here. I’m sorry. I should leave.”


Celeste shook her head, her mind confused and her body burning. “Drew, I’m so sorry.”


“It’s okay.” His gaze didn’t meet hers. “I understand.”


“Drew—”


“Shhh.” He lightly kissed her forehead. “If we make love, I don’t want you to have any regrets. I don’t ever want you to be sorry.”


He grabbed his jacket and left. The soft click of the door reverberated through the small apartment. For a few minutes she stared at the closed door, her heart pounding as her body gradually returned to normal.


Whatever the hell normal was.


What was the matter with her? A wonderful, handsome man wanted her, and judging by the state of her body, she wanted him, too. So, why did the thought of making love with Drew, of getting close to him, fill her with such overwhelming fear?


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