For the release of Carolyn Miller’s, Reclaiming Hope. we were ask to share about our dream island escape. This was a hard one for me. I had to think about the few islands I visited. Then it hit me.
Mackinac Island.
It was on my bucket list to see someday. I heard so many talk about it. It’s beauty. How interesting it was historically. This summer I was finally able to make one of my dreams come true and we visited the islands this past summer.
It was just as people had said. No cars, only horses. The houses were quaint and pretty. The fudge….AMAZING! My favorite though was seeing the hotel – The Grand Hotel. We were able to walk through the lobby…so much history! There was pictures of several presidents, ambassadors, celebrities, and other famous people. The stores were cute and had fun, albeit expensive, items. There was a coffee shop and a place to get ice cream. The front of the hotel had a spectacular view of the water. I could just sit out there and rock all day taking in the view and reading several books. Can we say relaxing?
Did I mention there is a garden? It was beautiful and peaceful. We were only there a day so we had to rush a bit through each thing. I would love to be able to just stroll through the garden and take it all in.
While we were there, we were told that all the rooms in the Grand Hotel have a different theme – not a single one is like the other. How fun would it be to be able to stay in a room, see what it looked like, and be able to see parts of the hotel that was just for guests?
One last thing, I can’t mention The Grand Hotel without mentioning the High Tea. It’s AMAZING! You choose the seat you want. It is not at a table, but on antique (or they look very antique) high-back chairs around a coffee table. There is a waiter who comes to ask you what you would like to treat and which tea you would like. They are dressed like…Think a footman at Downton Abbey. Then comes the desert trays. Three tiers. THREE. They are filled with all kinds of deliciousness. From chocolate dipped strawberries to eclairs, to scones to macrons, to tea sandwiches. It all tasted so good. I would have to say the fruit tart was my favorite. What I thought was really smart about the tray was that it was just bit sized pieces. Enough for you to taste it all and not feel like you have had a huge meal.
So there you have it…If I could escape to any island, it would be Mackinac. I would love to see all of The Grand Hotel and stroll through it’s garden. Have high tea with my family. Then spend time at each place on the island, including doing some shopping while having a piece of fudge now and again. Then sit on the porch of the hotel, rock and read. I think two weeks ought to do just fine!
So how about you reader friends? Where would you go?
More about Reclaiming Hope
Opposites attract—and repel. But which is more powerful?
Callie Steele might be a bit… focused on work, but despite what her employers say, she enjoys her well-ordered, productive life.
When she’s sent to meet the owners of an estate requiring post-hurricane landscaping, Callie meets their son, Kai Brody, a super-chilled pro surfer, who is as opposite from her as they come. Though initially smitten, Callie knows a relationship with Kai is a bad idea—a very bad idea.
Kai, however, can’t help but be intrigued by someone who challenges him to make something of his life again. He’s determined to pursue her, if she’ll give him half a chance.
The more time they spend together, negotiating the challenges of work, illness, and family, the more their opposing outlooks clash and connect. What do these unlikely friends really want from life? Is it best to focus on work or recreation?
As Kai and Callie answers from the Lord, they also must consider if such complete opposites have enough in common to make a relationship last.
Reclaiming Hope concludes the Hooper Island stories of the Independence Islands Series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.
The Independence Islands Series: beach reads aren’t just for summer anymore.
Get your copy HERE.