From Publishers Weekly
Although Wilson's first romance (Hawke's Cove) was a better-than-average effort, her second doesn't quite get off the ground. When author Cleo Grayson needs time to finish her latest novel, her friend Grace offers the use of her New Hampshire lakeside cabin, and Cleo gets a reluctant okay from husband Sean to go there for the summer and knock the book out. She's uncertain about the trip: she feels guilty about leaving her two children and she hasn't been able to fully trust Sean since he had an affair years ago. In her working solitude, Cleo meets and is drawn to neighborhood pariah Ben Turner, former rock star and current composer of commercial jingles. She and Ben become friends, and Cleo grows attached, even though she hears some nasty gossip about him from catty neighbors: they believe he killed his wife. The more time they spend together, the more Cleo is attracted to him, but it's only when she's slapped by undeniable evidence of Sean's new infidelity that she turns to Ben for comfort. Will Cleo try to find happiness with Ben, or will she try to salvage her marriage? The second act drags after the infidelity is discovered and it's pretty obvious who's going to end up with whom; it's just a question of when. The ingredients are all here, but the finished product feels slightly undercooked. (July) Forecast: Quibbles aside, Wilson delivers a smooth read, and the lake-shore jacket art is appealing. National advertising, a teaser chapter in the mass-market edition of Hawke's Cove and northeast author appearances should move a respectable number of copies. Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Writer Cleo Grayson has taken a summer sabbatical from her husband and two children in order to find solitude and focus for her next novel. During the weeks at Cameo Lake, isolated from her family, she becomes acquainted with a neighbor whose mysterious background has caused him to be ostracized by the remaining summer campers. As Cleo becomes better acquainted with Ben Turner, she is repeatedly reminded of betrayals in her own past and begins to question the choices that have formed her family life. Her friendship with Ben proves to be a source of strength for both of them as the summer progresses and the fragility of human relationships is tested. As in her previous work, Hawke's Cove, Wilson uses a clear grasp of family and marital dynamics to bring us a touching story of people dealing with real problems in very human ways. Kim Uden Rutter, Lake Villa Dist. Lib., IL Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Author Cleo Grayson McCarthy is offered the use of her friend's lake house so she can work on her next novel. The idea of solitude is irresistible to the busy mother of two, and her husband agrees to the plan. She settles in on an isolated lake in New Hampshire, where she encounters another loner, Ben Turner, whom she can hear composing a haunting melody in memory of his wife. They develop an intricate friendship, which is quickly put to the test. It seems that Ben is the local outcast, seen as the cause of his wife's death. Then Cleo's husband ends up dropping off their children, causing Cleo, angry at his selfishness, to wonder about his fidelity. She also realizes that her feelings for Ben go beyond friendship. Now, as she approaches 40, Cleo must decide how she feels about her marriage and whether her affection for Ben is a dream or the real deal. Wilson's tale is a sensitive scrutiny of one woman's struggle to discover what she wants in life. Patty Engelmann
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
Luanne Rice New York Times bestselling author of Summer Light Susan Wilson writes of love so gently, with such wisdom.I loved Cameo Lake.

Book Description
In the tradition of Luanne Rice and Kristin Hannah, Susan Wilson crafts novels rich with conflict and deep emotion. In this evocative work, she tells a tender, truthful, and reaffirming story of the fragile nature of love. A loving wife and doting mother, Cleo Grayson McCarthy has always put others first. Now, desperate to finish her novel, she convinces her husband that she needs to spend the summer at a borrowed cottage on Cameo Lake -- alone. But as she immerses herself in writing, Cleo can't help but be aware of the composer who lives across the lake. At night she hears music drifting from his house and senses he's a kindred spirit. A loner, Ben Turner is regarded suspiciously by the tight-knit lake community. But he and Cleo become fast friends, and when a painful betrayal leaves Cleo adrift, she finds unexpected comfort in Ben. Before she can determine if she should fight for her crumbling marriage, Cleo must look into her heart. And Ben, whose past still lies in shadows, must look into his.

Download Description
Putting herself first doesn't come easy to Cleo Grayson McCarthy. A loving wife and mother, she's always done her writing on the side, in hours stolen from her "real" life. Now, desperate for the solitude she needs to finish her latest novel, she convinces her husband that she must spend the summer at Cameo Lake in New Hampshire, out of reach of cell phones and the demands of family and friends. As she immerses herself in her work, Cleo becomes aware of the enigmatic man who lives across the lake. A reclusive composer, Ben Turner is an outcast in the community, struggling to come to terms with his wife's accident. But at night, Cleo hears his music drifting across the water, and senses she has found a kindred spirit. As they meet time and again -- often on the raft anchored in the middle of Cameo Lake -- Cleo and Ben begin a satisfying friendship surprising in its intimacy and depth. And when a painful betrayal leaves Cleo stunned and emotionally adrift, she finds unexpected comfort, and absolution, in Ben's arms. But love is never simple, and before Cleo can determine whether to fight for her marriage or seek a future with Ben, she must first know her own heart, and admit truths long left unsaid. Even as Cleo struggles to come to terms with her own truths, Ben must find a way to face his. An unforgettable tale of the many faces of love, Cameo Lake is Susan Wilson at her very finest.

About the Author
Susan Wilson lives on Martha's Vineyard with her husband and two daughters. Her newest novel, The Fortune Teller's Daughter, is available in hardcover.

FROM OUR EDITORS

Novelist Cleo McCarthy retreats to her friend￯﾿ﾽs lakeside cabin in hopes of finding the solitude and time she needs to write her latest novel. She leaves behind her two children and her husband, Sean, whose past philandering has left a rift of suspicion Cleo can￯﾿ﾽt seem to cross. While there, Cleo meets Ben Turner, a onetime rock-and-roll musician who lives in a cabin across the lake, where he serves as the area￯﾿ﾽs resident recluse. Though Cleo soon learns of the mean-spirited rumors surrounding the death of Ben￯﾿ﾽs wife the year before, his friendship is her only source of solace when Sean￯﾿ﾽs behavior suggests he may be straying again. When Ben and Cleo￯﾿ﾽs friendship grows into something deeper, Cleo is torn between this newfound love and her need to try to salvage what￯﾿ﾽs left of her marriage. Her only hope for happiness lies in risking everything she holds dear and facing the truths buried deep inside her own heart.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Putting herself first doesn't come easy to Cleo Grayson McCarthy. A loving wife, doting mother, and dutiful daughter-in-law, she has always done her writing on the side, in hours stolen from her "real" life. Now, desperate for the solitude she needs to finish her latest novel, she convinces her husband that she must spend the summer at her best friend's rustic cottage at Cameo Lake in New Hampshire, out of reach of cell phones and the demands of family and friends.

Even as she immerses herself in her work, Cleo can't help but be aware of the man who lives across the lake. A reclusive composer, Ben Turner is struggling to come to terms with his wife's accident. An outcast, he is regarded with suspicion by the lake community, even accused by some of harming his wife. But at night, Cleo hears his music drifting across the water, and senses she has found a kindred spirit.

As they meet time and again—often on the raft anchored in the middle of Cameo Lake—Cleo and Ben begin a satisfying friendship surprising in its intimacy and depth. And when a painful betrayal leaves Cleo stunned and adrift, she finds unexpected comfort and absolution in Ben's arms.

But love is never simple, and before Cleo can determine whether to fight for her marriage or seek a future with Ben, she must first know her own heart, and admit truths long left unsaid. Even as Cleo struggles to come to terms with her own truths, Ben must find a way to face his. An forgettable tale of the many faces of love, Cameo Lake is Susan Wilson at her very finest.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Although Wilson's first romance (Hawke's Cove) was a better-than-average effort, her second doesn't quite get off the ground. When author Cleo Grayson needs time to finish her latest novel, her friend Grace offers the use of her New Hampshire lakeside cabin, and Cleo gets a reluctant okay from husband Sean to go there for the summer and knock the book out. She's uncertain about the trip: she feels guilty about leaving her two children and she hasn't been able to fully trust Sean since he had an affair years ago. In her working solitude, Cleo meets and is drawn to neighborhood pariah Ben Turner, former rock star and current composer of commercial jingles. She and Ben become friends, and Cleo grows attached, even though she hears some nasty gossip about him from catty neighbors: they believe he killed his wife. The more time they spend together, the more Cleo is attracted to him, but it's only when she's slapped by undeniable evidence of Sean's new infidelity that she turns to Ben for comfort. Will Cleo try to find happiness with Ben, or will she try to salvage her marriage? The second act drags after the infidelity is discovered and it's pretty obvious who's going to end up with whom; it's just a question of when. The ingredients are all here, but the finished product feels slightly undercooked. (July) Forecast: Quibbles aside, Wilson delivers a smooth read, and the lake-shore jacket art is appealing. National advertising, a teaser chapter in the mass-market edition of Hawke's Cove and northeast author appearances should move a respectable number of copies. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

Writer Cleo Grayson has taken a summer sabbatical from her husband and two children in order to find solitude and focus for her next novel. During the weeks at Cameo Lake, isolated from her family, she becomes acquainted with a neighbor whose mysterious background has caused him to be ostracized by the remaining summer campers. As Cleo becomes better acquainted with Ben Turner, she is repeatedly reminded of betrayals in her own past and begins to question the choices that have formed her family life. Her friendship with Ben proves to be a source of strength for both of them as the summer progresses and the fragility of human relationships is tested. As in her previous work, Hawke's Cove, Wilson uses a clear grasp of family and marital dynamics to bring us a touching story of people dealing with real problems in very human ways. Kim Uden Rutter, Lake Villa Dist. Lib., IL Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews