I am a huge fan of this author, and I have read many of her stories over the years. Each one of them is a feel-good, heartwarming story about family, friends, community and, of course, a bit of romance.
This new release also includes those same pieces, but we get some twists and turns with a bit of mystery, all featuring a woman in midlife.
Check out my thoughts and complete review below.
affiliate link included
Wake-Up Calls by Mariah Stewart
Publisher: Montlake
Publication date: May 1, 2026
ISBN-13: 978-1662512698
OVERVIEW:
Kit Porterfield is coping with the upheaval of her personal life when another shock blindsides her. Maxine Meadows, an aunt she never knew existed, has bequeathed to her a rustic campground in Maine. With it comes a long-buried family secret that Kit’s late mother took great pains to hide for her entire life.
When Kit arrives to tenuously claim her inheritance, she learns the town’s history and finds the lakeside sporting camp and its beautiful wooded acres in need of restoration to their former glory. But it’s Kit’s own history that compels her to stay, and she’s not returning home until she uncovers the secrets that tore two sisters apart so many years ago.
Kit soon discovers clues in old photographs and in the tale of a tragic and enduring love story, but the most startling revelations are yet to come. For Kit, they could be the path to understanding the mystery that defined her mother’s life―and her own.
Wake-Up Calls by Mariah Stewart Review
There are several parts of the story that hit home with me. My grandmother owned a resort with 11 cabins at the height of it all. Located on the best bass lake around, I grew up experiencing some of the same feelings and community Stewart developed in this book. The plot really gave me pangs of homesickness.
Our main character experiences upheaval, change, and uncertainty throughout the story. But what she gains is so much more than what was left behind or changed.
The secondary characters are warm, kind, and accepting. You get that small-town feel, and the description of the setting makes you want to find a place just like this in real life.
This book isn’t as much of a romance as Stuart typically writes, but there’s a beautiful hint of something more to come, which I’m all for. So, for the women who love contemporary fiction with a feel-good, heartwarming finish, this book is an excellent choice.
Wake-Up Call’s is loaded with a family mystery, hidden gems, growing pains, found family, and a beautiful setting that calls to your heart.
4 STARS!!
Disclaimer: Affiliate links included. When you buy through links on my site, I may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Chris has personally reviewed the ebook listed above. She has not received any monetary compensation for her review but did receive a free ebook so she could evaluate and use it for this post. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ.
Hi! I’m Chris! Just a Midlife Wife sharing about life’s journey; screaming and kicking through it while supposedly aging gracefully…
Focusing on healthy living, low carb & keto, things I am loving right now, and life in general.