ARC REVIEW: The Treehouse On Dog River Road – by Catherine Drake

Title: The Treehouse On Dog River Road
Author: Catherine Drake
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
First published: May 10th 2022
Publisher: She Writes Press
Finished reading: April 23rd 2022
Pages: 256

“It’s not the place, it’s not the stuff you’ve accumulated, it’s the hearts you’ve accumulated. The people you have brought into this world and the people who they’ve brought into the world.”

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and She Writes Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

There was just something about the blurb, title and cover of The Treehouse On Dog River Road that caught my attention and made it impossible to resist adding this debut to my shelves… I’ve been looking for an entertaining and uplifting contemporary romance, and I definitely hit the jackpot here. This debut is focused on self-improvement, family as well as a slow-burn romance that hits all the marks; a very strong debut and Catherine Drake will definitely be firm on my radar in the future!

The Vermont setting is a real bonus and the descriptions made it come alive for me. The backdrop of the Green Mountains, the nature, the different activities the main characters went on during the story… It definitely made me want to visit myself. I could also appreciate that the natural disaster element was something that actually happened in the area; it made the story feel more credible. Another bonus is without doubt the central role of the dog Cooper. I always love it when a story incorporates a pet into the story, and Cooper was not only adorable but also important to the plot itself.

The story has a dual POV structure and switches between Hannah and Nathan. Both characters were easy to grow attached to and the rest of the side characters were great as well. It’s interesting to see their relationship slowly develop, and the fact that the two are (temporary) neighbors makes for a great proximity trope. I liked how the children of Hannah’s sister Molly are portrayed and incorporated into the plot; they made for cute additions and are of course easy ‘obstacles’ to prevent Hannah and Nathan getting to know each other better.

Family is an important element in The Treehouse On Dog River Road for both main characters. Hannah is looking after her sister’s kids of course, but we also see her parents popping up. Nathan seems to have a close relationship with his family as well and on top of this we have his sister’s wedding incorporated into the plot. Like I mentioned before, this story is also about self-discovery. Hannah is trying to find out where to go next and what her future life will look like… I like the way she tackled her thinking by starting a physically challenging project by building the kids a treehouse.

All in all The Treehouse On Dog River Road turned out to be a very satisfying debut that is mainly uplifting with a few heavier moments sprinkled in. It’s a great slow-burn romance without sexy scenes (another bonus!) and a family-focused contemporary about discovering yourself and making tough choices about the future. Recommended if you enjoy the genre!