Megan Walker’s Lakeshire Park is the perfect escape

LAKESHIRE PARK, by Megan Walker , Shadow Mountain, April 7, 2020, Softcover, $15.99 (young adult/ new adult/ adult)

Let’s face it. The past week has been a rough one. Schools, restaurants and stores are closed. It’s like winning the lottery when you find a package of toilet paper. Parents are making homeschooling work. And, if things weren’t bad enough, on Wednesday, Utahns were literally shook awake by a 5.7 magnitude earthquake.

At this point, we could all use a little escape — or a lot, depending on the day, the hour, the minute. If a romantic regency escape is jam, then Megan Walker’s Lakeshire Park may just be your cup of tea.

Brighton, England 1820. Amelia Moore wants only one thing — to secure the future happiness of her younger sister, Clara. With their stepfather’s looming death, the two sisters will soon be on their own — without family, a home, or a penny to their names. When an invitation arrives to join a house party at Lakeshire Park, Amelia grasps at the chance. If she can encourage a match between Clara and their host, Sir Ronald, then at least her sister will be taken care of. 

Little does she know that another guest, the arrogant and overconfident Mr. Peter Wood, is after the same goal for his own sister. Amelia and Peter begin a rivalry that Amelia has no choice but to win. But competing against Peter — and eventually playing by his rules–makes Amelia vulnerable to losing the only thing she has left to claim: her heart. —Synopsis provided by Shadow Mountain Publishing

Lakeshire Park is part of Shadow Mountain’s Proper Romance line, and it’s one of the stronger in the recency genre.

In Amelia, Walker has created a heroine who is pragmatic and quick-witted. Amelia is savvy and smart and is someone you want to succeed. Peter is equally as likeable, and his interactions with Amelia are what make this book a success.

Lakeshire Park is a fast read. Walker’s prose is tight and her pacing strong. As with other books of this genre, the happy ending is not a surprise, but there are some nice twists that make the book feel fresh.