Review: "Love Finds You in Mackinac Island, Michigan" by Melanie Dobson

Reviewed by *Katie McCurdy for Legacy of a Writer

4/5 Stars

THE BOOK:

As the Gilded Age comes to a close, Elena Bissette's once-wealthy family has nearly lost its fortune. The Bissettes still own a home on fashionableMackinac Island, where they will spend one last summer in the hope of introducing Elena to a wealthy suitor. But Elena is repulsed by the idea of marrying for money.

Quickly tiring of the extravagant balls, Elena spends most evenings escaping back into Mackinac's rugged forest. There she meets Chase, a handsome laborer who shares her love for the night sky. The two begin to meet in secret at an abandoned lighthouse, where they work together to solve a mystery buried in the pages of a tattered diary.

As Elena falls in love with Chase, her mother relentlessly contrives to introduce her to Chester Darrington, the island's most eligible bachelor. Marriage to the elusive millionaire would solve the Bissettes' financial woes, and Elena is torn between duty and love.

MY REVIEW:

Love Finds You in Mackinac Island, Michigan is the first book I've read by Melanie Dobson. I was delighted to discover how much I enjoyed it! The characters were well portrayed and described, the plot was engaging, and the writing easy to read. It didn’t take many chapters for me to get lost into Elena's world.

It’s always fun to read a “Love Finds You” book because while I’m eager to read the story, I am just as eager to read about the place where the story takes place. MacKinac Island sounded like some kind of dream vacation! Described in this vivid, gilded setting, I could close my eyes and just picture the wealthy picnickers lounging on the beaches with their maids fussing about them.

(Warning: Spoiler!) I was a bit confused—after the climatic meeting of Elena and Chester—as to why the two were at such odds. I mean, I know he was upset at her for keeping her identity a secret…but didn’t he do the same thing? This one angle in the story gave me pause and, even after I finished it, still didn’t completely satisfy me. Their reactions seemed extreme. But, as I’ve said before, this might just be me (End of Spoiler!)

All in all, Love Finds You in Mackinac Island, Michigan was a very enjoyable read that kept my interest glued to the characters within the pages. Now that I've had a taste of Dobson's talent, I will definitely be looking forward to reading her other Love Finds You books that I own. :-) Living in Florida, people often ask me what’s a good ‘beach read’, and now I would quickly and highly recommend Love Finds You in Mackinac Island, Michigan.

* I reviewed this book for Summerside Press via Litfuse. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.