Review: Stuck In Manistique by Dennis Cuesta

Near the midpoint of the Upper Peninsula, along a Lake Michigan bend of shore, is the town of Manistique, Michigan. Mark had never heard of Manistique before the death of his estranged aunt, but as sole beneficiary of Vivian’s estate, he travels there to settle her affairs. As Mark tours his aunt’s house for the first time, the doorbell rings.

Days after graduating medical school, Dr. Emily Davis drives north, struggling with her illicit rendezvous on Mackinac Island. She never makes it—on the highway near Manistique, her car collides with a deer, shattering the car’s windshield. Stranded for the night, Emily is directed to a nearby bed and breakfast.

Maybe it’s a heady reaction, the revelation that his aunt, an international aid doctor, ran a bed and breakfast in retirement. Or perhaps he plainly feels pity for the young, helpless doctor. Regardless, Mark decides to play host for one night, telling Emily that he’s merely stepping in temporarily while his aunt is away.

As a one-night stay turns into another and more guests arrive, the ersatz innkeeper steadily loses control of his story. And though Emily opens up to Mark, she has trouble explaining the middle-aged man who unexpectedly arrives at the doorstep looking for her.

Will these two strangers, holding on to unraveling secrets, remain in town long enough to discover the connection between them?

Expected publication: October 29th 2018 by Celestial Eyes Press  
Genre: Fiction

Kristine's Thoughts:

** I received an advanced readers copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!**

I think I might be in the minority with my opinion of this book based on other early reviews I've glanced at. The synopsis sounded so good and like a story that I would really enjoy. I really did want to enjoy it.

However...

It all fell a little flat to me. The plot, the setting and the characters. I really struggled to connect to any one part of it but I couldn't. It was all very average and sometimes very dull. The time I spend trying to get through this book was way more than I spend on most books. It just never seemed to grab my interest long enough for me to want to keep picking it up. Mark was hard to connect to. He seemed somewhat bitter and angry for no apparent or logical reason. He wasn't likeable at all which made it hard for me to care much about his outcome in the story.

I really feel like this story needed more development with the characters and the setting. I never quite got the feel for Manistique or any of the people that found themselves there. It just wasn't for me.

About the Author


Dennis Cuesta is the author of STUCK IN MANISTIQUE, his debut novel. The book is scheduled to be released on October 29, 2018.

A native of California, Dennis attended the University of Michigan and remained in the Upper Midwest during his early career.

He and his wife did get stuck in Manistique once, long ago. The interrupted trip served as inspiration for the novel. Dennis now lives in San Jose, California with his wife and son.

Connect with Dennis

Website/Twitter/Goodreads