The Hideaway

My bookclub read The Hideaway by Lauren Denton and though the group was mixed on their opinions, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Sara, a woman in her late 20’s/early 30’s inherits an old house that belonged to her late grandmother, Maggie. Throughout the novel, we learn about each of their lives, the hits and misses, romances and relationships. Sara thought she knew all about her grandmother but as an adult she was able to discover The Hideaway a side of her few knew had existed. It is a bittersweet novel, as Sara realized Maggie was so much more than just her grandmother. It is hard to describe what seems like an obvious observation, that a younger Maggie had a full and extensive life before Sara or even Sara’s mother, was born. This realization give Sara the courage to trust her herself to make risky decisions about her own life. She had been living in a sheltered existence, avoiding reality while pretending that she was happy and fulfilled.

The Hideaway will make you think about the people in your life, past and present, and wonder how well you know them. It made me wish I could go back and ask my grandparents more questions about their earlier lives. Written well, going back and forth between the two time periods, readers will find themselves drawn into both stories and I think, find the end satisfying.