Review of Crystal Lake Gifts

[Laney K]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Crystal Lake Gifts" by Susan W Green.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Trish has recently expanded her store and is anxiously preparing for her big opening day. However, when the day arrives, she gets to the store to find that it appears that someone had broken in. There was a mess inside, but the alarm had not been tripped. The Chief of Police, Derrick, shows up to investigate, and Trish realizes that he had been her high school boyfriend. While both had sworn off romance, their attraction to each other was undeniable. Will they give in to their feelings? Will the added stress of alarms and malfunctioning parking meters drive more of a wedge between the pair? Find out by reading Crystal Lake Gifts by Susan W Green.

I thought the added stakes of the store's alarm malfunctioning and the parking ticket issues added a lot to this novel. Many people in town had been issued "time expired" tickets despite their claims that they had enough time on the meter. Given that Trish's store operated in town, her sales took a hit due to people becoming fed up with the parking issues. Given her recent expansion, this was quite stressful. Additionally, her alarm kept going off, incurring fines for the store due to the police being called unnecessarily. All of this added more tension to the book.

I do think that the characters could have been developed a bit more. Trish, for example, had all but sworn off romance because she told her late grandmother that she would focus on her business and be successful. While this is an interesting character trait, I feel as though this mindset could have been explored more. It does not seem entirely logical that, in order to run a successful business, you need to only focus on that. I think a deeper dive into her motives would have helped make her a more dynamic character.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. It was an engaging story, though I felt the characters could have been more dynamic. The book does not contain profanity or sexual content. It would be suitable for older teens as well as adults. If you enjoy romance novels, this is a cute option. I think the mystery of the store alarms and parking tickets added a layer of drama that would appeal to those who like a bit of mystery. Despite being the second in the series, Crystal Lake Gifts can be read as a stand-alone novel.

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Crystal Lake Gifts
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[Gerry Steen]

I understand from your review that this story is a fun and easy read. I hope that the author takes your critique into account to lift this book to 5-star status. Great review!

[Louis Donald]

The blend of romance and mystery in this story sounds fun, especially with the added tension of the alarm malfunctions and parking ticket issues. I agree that exploring Trish's character more deeply would have made her more relatable, but it seems like a light, enjoyable read for fans of romance with a bit of intrigue.

[Louis Donald]

The mixture of romance and mystery in this story sounds fun, especially with the added tension of the alarm malfunctions and parking ticket issues. I agree that exploring Trish's character more deeply would have made her more relatable, but it seems like a light, enjoyable read for fans of romance with a bit of intrigue.

[Kelvin Omollo]

The added tension with the parking issues and the mystery surrounding the store's break-in makes for an interesting setup. Your insights on Trish’s character and the book's dynamics are really helpful for potential readers. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[Pearl Flourish]

The mix of romance and mystery sounds like a fun read, especially with the small-town drama around the store alarms and parking tickets. Trish’s inner conflict about love and success could have been deeper, but it still seems like an enjoyable story.

[Shaniz Tobiaz]

A great review there, i will give this genre of book a try.

[George Bastem]

A charming blend of romance and small-town mystery, with just enough tension to keep things interesting. Trish and Derrick’s rekindled connection adds warmth, while the store troubles bring a relatable dose of stress and drama.