Your Oasis on Flame Lake Author:Lorna Landvik Best friends fast approaching forty in the small Minnesota town of Flame Lake, Devera and BiDi were recently voted ?Least Changed? at their twentieth high school reunion?a label neither one finds very appealing. For each craves a change in her life: Devera desires a break from her humdrum marital routine; BiDi longs to reconnect with her distant... more » fourteen-year-old daughter (the only girl on the high school hockey team), not to mention jump-start a sex drive stuck in neutral. So when Devera?s husband decides to fulfill his longtime dream of opening a nightclub in his basement, Your Oasis on Flame Lake arrives not a moment too soon. Nothing fancy, it?s just a BYOB joint where you can hang out, sing, dance, tell jokes, and be yourself. But then an unexpected crisis throws both families into chaos, forcing them all to take stock of their lives?and learn the power of forgiveness.« less
This is the third book I have read by this author. I did not like it as much as Patty Jane's House of Curl or Once In a Blue Moon Lodge, but still a good book.Â
The story is told by six different characters: Darcy, Devera (her mother), Dick (her father), BiDi (Devera's best friend from high school), Sergio (BiDi's second husband), and Franny (BiDi's teenage daughter).
Dick Lindstrom is an appliance and car salesman who has a secret dream to open a night club which he eventually does, naming it "Your Oasis On Flame Lake". He has a close relationship with Darcy, his youngest daughter.Â
Devera is nearing forty and struggling with displeasure in her life and marriage. Therefore, she starts having an affair with her night school history professor, Gerharg Ludwig. Unfortunately, Dick finds out about the affair on Halloween night.Â
Sergio is affectionately referred to as the "Ricky Ricardo of Minnesota". In addition, he owns a chain of successful gourmet cake shops and is an adoring stepfather to Francine (Franny). His dream of having a son with BiDi finally comes true near the end of the book.Â
BiDi (Beverly Diane), is quite self absorbed and her priorities for maintaining a perfect body and household causes her to neglect both her husband and daughter. As a result, Sergio has an ongoing affair with Noreen, who just happens to work at the cake shop.Â
Darcy, best friends with Frannie (even though Frannie is two years older). She is the only one (besides Dick) who appreciates the nightclub and loves to do celebrity imitations.
Franny, the only girl on the high school ice hockey team. Regrettably, two boys on the losing hockey team beat her up after she scores the winning goal. She decides to stay quiet regarding their identity, probably due to being afraid of retaliation from her attackers, embarrassment from her peers, and not feeling comfortable telling her mom due to their difficult and strained relationship.Â
Overall, I thought this was an enjoyable read. Darcy and Dick have such a cute and funny father-daughter relationship. I am definitely looking forward to reading more books by this author.Â
