Review: Stormy Lake by LD Stauth

Series: A Campground Mystery #1
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Word Alive
Released: April 30, 2017
329 pages

About the Book:

A camping trip with creepy spiders and menacing thunderstorms? Seriously?

Little did Maya realize those fears would be the least of her worries. Maya Montgomery is in desperate need of a vacation. When her best friend, Karly Foster, convinces her that a camping trip in Northern Ontario will be the remedy she needs, Maya is skeptical. After all, she has never camped a day in her life.

 

The moment Kerrick Kendall, park superintendent at Lake Williwaw Campground, lays eyes on the novice camper with the dancing freckles and large coffee-coloured eyes, he feels compelled to tell her his story. But is opening up old wounds worth the risk?

 

From frightening encounters with nature, to non-stop—often humourous—bickering between her friend Karly and an irritating park employee, the trip is filled with conflict.  But when Maya suspects she is being stalked, everything else that has happened pales in comparison. As danger escalates will Kerrick be able to protect the life of the woman who has captured his heart?

 

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was my second time reading this, but I didn’t remember a lot of it and quickly became invested in the characters. Ms. Stauth does a wonderful job of combining intrigue, suspense, and romance with faith lessons throughout. Maya is going on her first camping trip ever with best friend Karly. She is unsure about the whole thing at first, and just as she is starting to get comfortable with her new surroundings strange things begin to happen. Can the two park employees they have struck up a friendship with provide the safety they need? Who can and can’t they trust? I did not want to put this down; I had to know what was going to happen next.

I found myself immersed in camp life with the girls and jumping at every sound. I was cheering for all four main characters and enjoyed the different bonds of friendship displayed. The banter between Karly and Blake was really entertaining, and I laughed out loud numerous times. Kerrick has a heart for God and feels God prompting him to share his story with Maya, but where that leads may take him on a path he is not ready for, but it will be the path that is best. The character I related to the most was Maya. I easily understood her fear of being out of her element, her naivety when it came to camping and I too can’t stand bugs, spiders, or snakes. I would have reacted the same way as her in many of the scenes. I enjoyed that there were many lighthearted moments mixed in with the heavier suspense filled ones.

Favourite Quote: 

“When someone is angry with you, respond with a kind word or action. You'll be surprised at how it takes the wind out of their sails.”

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 

in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)