Not quite magical enough

Sarah Addison Allen’s Lost Lake doesn’t quite contain the magical wonder that so defines her other books for me. It’s a perfectly serviceable romance, but despite the presence of a talking alligator and a teenage ghost, didn’t quite do it for me.

“Eby wanted to say so much to her. She wanted to say that waking up is the most important part of grieving, that so many women in their family failed to do it, and she was proud of Kate for fighting her way back. But Eby didn’t say anything. She could fix a lot of things, but family wasn’t one of them. It was one of the hardest things she’d ever had to come to terms with.”

Eby owns the resort at Lost Lake, which has been falling apart over the years, especially since her husband George passed away. Still, it attracts a small group of colorful characters every season, and the people of the nearby town still love Eby. Kate, Eby’s great niece, spent a wonderful summer there 15 years ago, but never returned since her mother and Eby had a falling out. Kate’s husband died suddenly a year ago, leaving her with an eight year old daughter and a powerful, controlling mother in law. After spending a year in a dreamlike trance, Kate wakes up and decides to rediscover Lost Lake with her daughter. When she arrives, she discovers that Eby has decided to sell the place — but Kate wants to change her mind.

There’s a boy from Kate’s past that still lives in town. He has a mysterious, painful past. Eby’s assistant, a French woman named Lisette, still carries the guilt from when her 16 year old boyfriend killed himself after they broke up. One of the frequent guests is in love with Lisette, but can’t get through to her. Another frequent guest, Selma, was given eight magical charms as a young girl — and has one left to use. Kate’s daughter, Devin, flourishes in Lost Lake, and becomes obsessed with an alligator that speaks to her. There’s a lot going on here, but for some reason, the whole story didn’t quite mesh for me.