About
the book:
After
breaking her engagement with a rising politician, Summer Snow is
adrift in life and love. Again. Summer's wise grandmother – hoping
to help her granddaughter – offers her a list of goals and
adventures to fulfill, telling her that she must carry out the list
with her long-lost childhood friend, Martin Langtree, someone she
hasn't seen since he moved away in their early teens.
Martin
is happy to help Summer with the list, but his two younger brothers
are addicted to their lavish lifestyle. They will do anything to keep
Martin from following through with the list and falling in love with
Summer.
My
review:
This
is a delightful book. The plot is touching. Summer's parents had been
in an accident and were seriously hurt as she was ready to go to
college. She cared for them during their dying days rather then
pursue college. Then, when her grandmother decided to retire from
running her children's bookstore, Summer took over. Now, her grandmother's
congestive heart failure means perhaps only months to live. Giving
Summer the list may be the last way she can influence her
granddaughter.
I
especially liked Martin as a character. He is a nerdy science whiz
but is practically at a loss in relationships. This will give you an
idea of his thinking, after he gave Summer a compliment. “Compliments
are an unknown quantity. … Too many variables. Not like a formula
I can control.” I liked the way his character was portrayed and
developed. A quirky, lovable, and honest man. Not so the brothers.
Martin was adopted and the brothers hold some resentment. They are
men with an attitude.
That
is just part of the complicated family of which Martin is a part. The
parents divorced and totally abandoned the boys when the youngest
turned eighteen. While sufficient financial support was provided, the
mystery of their suddenly absent parents had plagued the boys for
over a decade.
In
addition to quirky characters and a complicated family, there is a
little romance. Both Martin and Summer had come to a stagnant point
in their lives and their reunion opens up great possibilities. It was
fun to read how both of them grew over the course of the novel.
The
writing style was a bit unusual. It seemed that the characters spoke
in very controlled dialogs. Martin's brothers are developmentally
challenged and it seems as if the book was written in a manner
similar to their characters. I have read another book by Higman and
do not recall such simplified writing so I trust it was purposeful
for this novel.
I
liked the spiritual lessons in the novel. Summer's grandmother is a
real spiritual inspiration. There are lessons in forgiveness and
restoration as even Granny admits she doesn't get it right all the
time. We see the importance of prayer too.
I
would not say this is Higman's best novel but it was a delightful one
to read.
I
am taking part in a blog tour of this book and you can read other
reviews here.
Anita
Higman is a best-selling and award-winning author with forty
published books (some co-authored). She has a BA in the combined
fields of speech communication, psychology, and art. You can find out
more at http://www.anitahigman.com/index.html.
River
North, 288 pages.
I
received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Litfuse
for the purpose of an independent and honest review.
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