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Reviewed by Ronél Steyn for Readers' Favorite
Lakewood by William Walsh brings us the journal of 18-year-old Robert English during his 1973 summer vacation. He is housesitting for his history professor who lives in Lakewood, Chautauqua County, New York. The house is the same house he lived in as a child and is also the house where his twin sister had died eleven years previously. He recently broke up with his girlfriend, so Robert is single and looking to have an adventure during his break. Every day, he types something about what happened, adding his thoughts on the occurrences. This is a story of love and loss, about discovering the truth and dealing with the hurts of the past. When lust pulls him away from the woman he loves, he loses her completely. Will he be able to win her heart again?
Written in the first person, readers are privy to the thoughts and musings of the protagonist in this story, getting to know him on a personal level. We share his pain and his joy. The author included big sporting events during that era as well as popular music, which made the story and characters more authentic. I loved that the main character has the same basic worries as most 18-year-olds. The questions about life remain the same, whether the year is 1973, 1998, or 2022. William Walsh has a unique talent for drawing the reader into another reality, another time, and sharing the emotions of a character. This story could be anyone’s tale and that is what makes it so beautiful. It ends with hope, acceptance, forgiveness, and determination. Lakewood also ends with healing.
