The Women of Great Heron Lake

By: Deanna Lynn Sletten

Narrated by: Jennifer Groberg

Two strong women, generations apart, living parallel lives.

When Marla Madison’s husband dies, she realizes her life has become very small. Her daughter is grown and Marla has spent the past two decades focused on his friends, his interests, and his home. Feeling lost, she throws herself into fixing up the 150-year-old family manor on the lake. She soon discovers an old journal in a secret drawer and is instantly intrigued. The handwritten book tells the tale of another Mrs. Madison from over a century ago, the first woman to live in the lake manor. As Marla reads the journal, she discovers that her life parallels that of the woman who wrote those words decades ago and Marla finds inspiration from her strength.

1875 - Alaina Carlton was content to become a spinster until her beloved father introduces her to Nathaniel Madison, one of the most prosperous men in St. Paul, Minnesota. Even though she values her independence, Alaina is intrigued by this man who pursues her. When they marry, she believes she’s found a man who will treat her as an equal, but soon realizes that isn’t entirely true. From their mansion on the illustrious Summit Avenue to their manor at Great Heron Lake, where the rich and powerful play, her life is no longer her own. But 15 years and two children later when Nathaniel grows ill, she takes her rightful place where women weren’t allowed in order to secure her children’s inheritance and her future.

An inspiring family saga of two determined woman who found meaning in their lives by following their passions and not allowing society, or propriety, to hold them back.

©2019 Deanna Lynn Sletten (P)2019 Deanna Lynn Sletten

Loved this book

Really enjoyed this story but a different narrator would have made it even better. At times the narrator was fine but she was real annoying when trying to speak a man’s voice. Would like to listen to more from this author but she uses this same narrator so I probably won’t.

Great story

It’s wonderful to relive the past days through a family lineage. Very well written. Thanks.

Good storyline. Narration awful.

The book was enjoyable, but the narrator was so interested in pronunciation that emotion was lost! Each character sounded too much alike, and many times the narration was almost robotic.

Narration was too robotic. Good story though.

Terrible narration, good story. I enjoyed it if I ignored narration. Overall not bad story.

Slow, but very good story!

The story was very good and inspiring. It started a little slow but I am very glad I stuck with it!!! The performance/reader was a bit mechanical.

Loved the story

Historical fiction is a favorite of mine. The storyline spans over a century and appealed to the novice genealogist I have become. My only criticism is some of the narrative of the male characters was difficult to listen too.

Thoroughly enjoyed it!

Only think that would have made it a little better is a narrator with a bit lower pitched voice. Still a great listen!

Wonderful story

This was a great story however I almost did not keep the book as the narrator voice was a little stilted and sometimes even sounded like a automated voice...perfect diction (no arguments about that), almost syncopated pace at times...but I kept pushing through and really enjoyed the story itself.

Good story, terrible narration

This was a good story but the narration was so distracting. In many places it sounded computerized and almost made me quit listening. There were also mixups with words or names in a couple of places.

Decent

Story starts off a bit slow and sometimes painfully detailed, with certain things being much too coincidental to be realistic to me, but ends up relatively interesting with a great message.