Book Review | Finding Sutton’s Choice by Brenda Haas, perfect for readers who love compelling fiction, book club picks and small town fiction
Brenda Haas has penned an extraordinary piece of fiction.
Title: Finding Sutton’s Choice
Author: Brenda Haas
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Book Club pick
Book Blurb:
A cryptic voicemail message draws Charlotte back to the Lake Erie home she escaped.
It’s been ten, long years since her abrupt departure, and, with a cryptic voicemail, 28-year-old Pittsburgh writer Charlotte Sutton finds herself back in her hometown of Lakeside, Ohio. Only this time, her estranged father doesn’t recognize her, and a surprise half-sibling has taken her place.
Chuck Sutton—newspaper editor, retired baseball player, and the town’s most beloved celebrity—is thought to have Alzheimer’s disease. The community newspaper is also on the verge of closure, and a childhood friend holds a decade-long grudge. Despite all this, there is Lakeside. The quaint waterfront community, flush with ivy-covered cottages and vintage charm, hasn’t changed even as everything else in Charlotte’s life has shifted. She intends to stay only long enough to get her father’s affairs in order.
But, to reconcile her past and unearth family secrets, Charlotte must reconnect with Chuck through his Alzheimer’s diagnosis and reevaluate her own misconceptions about growing up in the small Ohio town that still holds her heart.
BOOK CLUB PICK! Brenda Haas grew up in the cornfields of Coshocton County, Ohio. She is a past Pittsburgh journalist who now lives in the Lake Erie Chautauqua town where her novel is set. She is available for Zoom and in-person book club discussions, author presentations, writing workshops, etc. For more information and a book club guide, visit www.brendahaas.com
Awards: — Finding Sutton’s Choice, a Lake Erie novel, received the Literary Titan Gold Book Award (2025), two International Impact Book Awards (Aging and Women’s Fiction categories, 2025), and a “Get It!” verdict from Kirkus Reviews.
Themes — Set in Lakeside, Ohio, the story explores parent-child relationships, failing mental health (Alzheimer’s), and the domino effect family choices have on who we become.
Audience — Recommended for readers of Ann Patchett, Elizabeth Berg, Karen White, and Lisa Genova.
My Review:
Calling Charlotte Sutton’s relationship with her father fractured is the understatement of the century. He abandoned her and her mother long ago and Charlotte’s life has never been the same. Her father is a hero in the eyes of everyone else but her. She receives a puzzling voicemail which propels Charlotte to return to her hometown. She’s shocked when her father doesn’t recognize her, his own daughter. His memory is failing and he’s suffering from Alzheimer’s. Charlotte must uproot her life and deal with long-buried family secrets, what it means to be a part of a small town, and reconcile her complicated relationship with her father before it’s too late.
Finding Sutton’s Choice is an emotional tale of life, love, truth, and sorrow. A truly unforgettable read, this book will leave you overcome with emotion. Brenda Haas takes you on an emotional journey, full of characters who will cling to you and a beautiful setting on the shores of Lake Erie. The narration infuses each scene with tension, angst, and emotion. The characters become a part of you.
Brenda Haas has penned an extraordinary piece of fiction. Her writing shines a light on how gut-wrenching it is to watch a parent slip away thanks to Alzheimer’s. Every scene is poignant, lushly described, and immersive. Fans of Hannah McKinnon, Deanna Lynn Sletten, and Elizabeth Bromke will love Finding Sutton’s Choice.
My Rating: 5+ stars
Buy it Now:
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Suttons-Choice-Brenda-Haas/dp/1645382389
Ten16 Press direct publisher –
https://www.orangehatpublishing.com/product/finding-suttons-choice/
Barnes & Noble –
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/finding%20sutton’s%20choice
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/235173980-finding-sutton-s-choice
Author Biography:
Brenda Haas—award-winning author, freelance writer/editor, speaker, and Lake Erie photographer—was raised in Coshocton County, Ohio. She spent many years as a reporter and columnist for Penn Franklin Publishing Company, a Pittsburgh press. Her writing has appeared in Leisure Living Magazine, The Beacon, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and My Outer Banks Home magazine, among other publications. Brenda lives in Lakeside, Ohio, the setting for her debut novel—Finding Sutton’s Choice. A circa-1870s Chautauqua resort community, Lakeside attracts generations of annual vacationers, artists, and educators.
Social Media Links:
LI: @Brenda Haas - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brenda-haas-8b9b109/
IG: @WriterBrendaHaas - https://www.instagram.com/writerbrendahaas/
FB: @WriterBrendaHaas - https://www.facebook.com/writerbrendahaas
BSKY: @WriterBrendaHaas - https://bsky.app/profile/writerbrendahaas.bsky.social
X: @HaasBren - https://x.com/HaasBren
Reviewed by: Nancy