This coming of age novel focusses on the events of one critical summer when two young sisters go to visit their grandparents at their lake house in Arkansas.

Teenage Wren is testing her boundaries while the younger sister Sylvie is the onlooker who keeps Wren's secrets - including the most problematic ones (perhaps especially the most problematic ones).

Except when Wren goes missing, it becomes clear just how high the price of secrecy is...

This one was not for me. Rambling and inconclusive, it may appeal to readers who like intergenerational sagas without clear resolution.

This moves back and forth in time between 1988, the 1970s, and the 1940s to tell the coming of age stories of three generations of women. It's meant to be dreamy and atmospheric but I never quite fell into it. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Over to others.

This book was not good. I would not recommend this book to anyone I know, simply because it dragged out, was confusing, and just plain boring.

a beautiful story that felt really immersive and contemplative. i found myself wrapped up in these characters stories. there were parts that i felt dragged a little too much but over all a really gorgeous novel that i will be recommending.

a beautiful story that felt really immersive and contemplative. i found myself wrapped up in these characters stories. there were parts that i felt dragged a little too much but over all a really gorgeous novel that i will be recommending.

DNF. This was not my cup of tea. I tried and got 47% the way through thr book and had to stop. The ever changing points of view from different time periods is confusing. Maybe I should have written down everyone's names to keep them straight but sometimes I couldn't figure out which character was being referred to and whose point of view it was.

I did not enjoy this story for the confusing nature and it was difficult to get even slightly interested in the characters.

I was unable to finish this book and thus will not be posting a full review. Thank you for the opportunity and your consideration.

I was very very hopeful for this novel, and was immediately drawn into the story that focuses on multi-generations and a coming of age story. I am usually such a fan of these stories however this one did not click for me. I could not really find myself drawn into the characters stories. I wanted to love this novel and did love the setting and concept of the story but something was missing for me. I know that a lot of people will not feel the same way though, and I know that this book will find its intended audience!

i really loved this, and i wouldnt have picked it up otherwise!! i am so thankful i was able to read this story, and the audiobook was amazing!!

2.5 stars for me. I wasn’t really sure what to expect from the story and honestly I’m not really sure how I feel about it. A generational story told in multiple timelines thru 3 woman’s journeys thru life. How secrets and relationships can shape the way life results. I found there was a lot of details in the story but you don’t really get to know each character in depth. It’s not really a story that will stick me unfortunately. I don’t really feel it was my type of book

Five Oaks was somewhat difficult to get into. Though I have no complaints about the writing, I'm not always a fan of stories with multiple timelines and I think that might be the case here. It's not a bad book, just not one I feel strongly about.

As with other readers, I found the flipping back and forth somewhat confusing and found myself getting a little lost. It is a beautifully written book and should be savoured.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Couldn't finish this book, skipped the middle and read the end and I still couldn't put any pieces together. I couldn't make any of it make sense to me - what info was there to gain from the mother and grandmother stories? I know that not everyone book should have the information be so on the nose, but I never want to read a book and finish it and still be wondering what the hell I was supposed to be guessing happened. Not my kind of book, not my kind of storytelling. Too much to guess at, and too much not said.

This book had a very slow start and made it hard to get into. It was not the right time for me to read this.

I really got wrapped up in this book! Starts off in 1988 in Arkansas, then jumps back and forth between then, the late ‘70’s and the early ‘40’s, telling stories from three different generations of a family. The author does such a great job describing the setting. I felt completely enveloped in the story!

This is a coming of age story about two sisters who want to spend the summer up in the mountains with their grandparents
I enjoyed this book while it is the first one I have read by this author it will not be the last

I went into this book expecting somewhat of a thriller or suspense novel. I guess I thought this due to the mention of a young girl not returning after a night out in the description of the book. While this was not what I expected, I really enjoyed this book. This story followed the story of two young sisters spending the summer at their grandparent's lake house in Arkansas in the 1980s. We also get glimpses into the lives of the young girl's mother and grandmother. The mother, navigating a new life far from home as a student at a New England college in the 1960s/70s. And the grandmother experiencing life in coastal Texas and Arkansas during World War II as she studied to be a nurse. Bonds are formed, mistakes are made, and a tangled web of secrets is spun throughout the decades. I thought each of the stories told in this book were beautiful and really spoke to the fragility of innocence and how coming of age sometimes happens in an instant rather than slowly over time. The stories told in this book are so very real, sometimes painfully so. As an Arkansas native, I'd also like to note the descriptions of the lake and surrounding community (undoubtedly inspired by the Hot Springs area) was artfully and perfectly done. As someone who has spent countless summers in the same area, I could truly see the fog of the lake in the morning and feel the scalding wood of the dock beneath my feet. This story will stay with me. Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for the eARC of this novel.

When I read a coming of age story, I like to feel like I’m wholly engaged with every character in an intimate, passionate way and while I enjoyed the premise I felt as though I struggled to connect with the characters. The descriptions were beautifully done but sometimes I felt as though they were too much, detracting from the story. Overall I feel as though the story is just “okay”

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Much thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for my gifted e-copy of this book.

Five Oaks is a coming of age story told by a young Sylvie as she spends the summer with her sister at their grandparents house in Arkansas. This house has seen 3 generations grow up to be the women they are today, but the things that take place this summer will change them all.

At it's heart this is really a beautiful nod to growing up and how innocence can sometimes be taken away so quickly. This is a multi-generational story, so not only do we get Wren and Sylvie's story, we also get their mother and their grandmother's story of staying at this same lake house.

Each of these stories separately were detailed with their own heartache. The women in each were strong and resilient.

My main complaint with this is how we flip back and forth between the generations. It was very disjointed and I ended up taking notes so I could remember where each story left off and the next picked up. I do think this is still worth reading, but maybe tread lightly as there are some really tough situations.

TW: rape, abortion, sexual assault of an underage girl

Read if you enjoy:
*Coming of Age
*Multi-generational
*Young Love
*Female bonds

Five Oaks is a beautifully written story about two sisters that have went to spend the summer with their grandparents for the first time away at the lake house. Sisters promising to keep secrets. This is how the truth comes to life. You will visit this vivid lake house and find out why the family will never be the same. Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read this book.