Four Best Friends. Four Love Stories. Just One Summer.
Four college girls, best friends since childhood, have found one constant in their ever-changing lives–summer. Every June the girls choose a destination to reconnect, only this summer is different. This year, each one must face life’s challenges on her own, overcome fear and failure, and learn the beauty of falling in love for the first time.
A Summer Remade by Nicole Deese
Joss Sanders needs an escape, a reminder of a sweeter, simpler, and steadier time. Only her family’s cabin isn’t exactly how she remembered it as a child, and neither is the charming boy who lives next door. Change is everywhere. If Joss doesn’t stop living in the past, she just might miss the promise in her future.
Waves of Summer by Tammy L. Gray
Sydney Andrews wants nothing more than to get away from a controlling ex-boyfriend, find some clarity and enjoy a drama-free vacation. But nothing in Sydney’s life is ever that easy. Especially when the sexy bartender she meets at her mother’s wedding wants more than just her friendship. He wants the girl she’s forgotten how to be.
A Painted Summer by Amy Matayo
Darby Sparks has lived a very sheltered life. A homeschool graduate, a small town resident, and the only child of two over-protective parents. But she’s had enough. She wants to see the world and chase her dreams, and that’s just what she does…until she runs out of money. With limited options, Darby finds herself working for dangerously hot Lennon Dixon, the owner of a downtown Los Angeles tattoo parlor. To call the job unfamiliar is the world’s biggest understatement. And to call her attraction to Lennon unexpected is a very close second.
Wild Heart Summer by Jenny B. Jones
Twenty-one year old Avery Crawford has had to fight for everything in her life, and this summer is no exception. When her culinary internship in a chic restaurant falls through at the last minute, she gets an unexpected offer to work on a dude ranch in the quaint town of Sugar Creek. While Avery’s up to her apron in cattle drives, trail rides, and kitchen duty, the cute ranch manager Owen Jackson is determined to sweep her off her feet. Just as Avery finds herself unable to resist Owen’s Southern charm, her own family secrets begin to unravel, pushing her away from the ranch–and the love of one handsome cowboy.
Review
I thoroughly enjoyed this novella collection, just like I thought I would. And just like I thought would happen, I definitely wanted more. Some of these stories were so good that I wished for me. My thoughts:
A Summer Remade-This story was cute and literally had the boy next door. I think to a certain degree I didn’t quite connect with Joss. I did like Drew and wished I had more information about him. But overall, a very cute story and a lovely addition to the collection. I will say that the other stories in the collection didn’t quite feel over at the end, but this one did for me.
Waves of Summer-Tammy Gray! She’s my new favorite author this year and did not disappoint. I liked her hero Jacob because he was so straightlaced in contrast to the wild and exuberant Sydney. Now this is one short story that would be awesome as a full length novel. It had family secrets, big reveals, clashing personalities. Awesomeness that should continue.
A Painted Summer– This one might have been my favorite, most likely because it’s rare for me to read about tattoo artists and Lennon was just so fascinating to me that I wanted more of him. I also loved the fact that their romance was a bit forbidden in the sense that Lennon was Darby’s boss. I just wanted more of this one.
Wild Heart Summer-This story surprised me the most. I expected to like it the least, not because of Jenny B Jones (she’s amazing, frankly) but ranches, horses and cowboys are not terribly interesting to me once we enter the 20th century. But, I so enjoyed this book. There just wasn’t enough! And it was laugh-out-loud funny.
I thought the authors did a fabulous job of pulling all the stories together to make them feel cohesive. Spiritually, I wouldn’t call this a “christian” collection per se, I would call it more or less a clean romance collection. I thoroughly enjoyed them. I wish they were just prologues though so I could have kept reading. And let me just say I’m in awe at these authors story telling and if NA were more like this I would read it.
remaininhislove 