Lake House, 1963, 1971, and 2007

The novel begins with the Kessler family and Thomas Bayber being neighbors in their respective lake houses, and many of the important events in the novel occur in this location as well. Thomas's house, in particular, hosts some of the most pivotal moments, such as Alice discovering the truth about Thomas and Natalie, and Thomas and Alice beginning and ending their affair. The houses border a lake and are surrounded by woods, where Alice often goes to search for birds and read poetry. Though the author never has the townsfolk interact on the page with the characters, through the discussion between the characters, it can be gleaned that this is a place where the same families visit often, where people know everything about each other, and where gossip thrives.

Orion, Tennessee, 1972 and 2007

Orion is described as a small town, which Natalie randomly selects when she sells...