The Light in Summer by Mary McNear

The Light in Summer

by

Mary McNear

Blurb:

"For the lovely Billy Harper, Butternut Lake is the only place she feels most at home, even though lately she believes the only one listening to her is Murphy...her faithful Labrador Retriever. Her teenage son, Luke, has gone from precious to precocious practically overnight. Her friends are wrapped up in their own lives, and Luke's father, Wesley, disappeared before his son was even born. No wonder she prefers to spend time with a good book, especially ones in which everything ends in perfection. But Billy is about to learn that anything is possible during the heady days of summer. Coming to terms with her past--the death of her father; the arrival of Cal Cooper, a complicated man with a definite interest in Billy; even the return of Wesley--will force her to have a little bit of faith in herself and others...and realize that happiness doesn't always mean perfection."

My Review:

I haven't related to a character this much in a long time! Billy and I could be best friends! She is a librarian in a small town, and she loves to read as much as I do. At night she takes her beloved Jane Austen novels out onto her back patio and reads until bedtime. Although I can't do that at my house without a LOT of mosquito spray, I would love to. That sounds like the perfect ending to a day! The characters that surround Billy are also well written, realistic, and feel like they could be your neighbors. I love the voice in this book. It's well written, has the perfect amount of description, and is a fun and entertaining read. Although the kids are back at school (sad!), it's still technically summer, right? So this book is the perfect read to close out the summer. It has everything you need: a hot guy driving a porsche 911 GT2 RS, Jane Austen quotes, a little teenage rebellion, a past that suddenly collides with the future, and a budding romance. It is a bit predictable, but I still enjoyed the ride. This is one of my favorite passages from the book (Because it's totally me; I do this exact same thing!):

  

"Well, you'll definitely want to take enough reading material for the flight," Billy said. "But"--and here she glanced at the books in the stack--"seven books? Do you really think you can read that many? "Probably not," Mara said. "Except, what if I don't like one of them? Or even two of them? Or what if I read them really fast?" Billy smiled and, resting her elbows on the desk, leaned forward and asked confidentially, "Mara, do you have a fear of being without a book?" Mara nodded her head vigorously. Billy smiled. "I have that fear, too. It's why I keep at least three books in my shoulder bag at all times. In case I finish one and I don't like another. I also keep a book in the glove compartment of my car, and a couple more of them in the trunk. Just for good measure. Because you never know when you're going to need a book."

Rating: R (This book is not appropriate for younger readers. There isn't a lot of profanity, but there is some. There isn't any violence, but there are a few "intimacy" scenes, and discussions about "intimacy." Some of the scenes are more detailed than others.)

Recommendation: Adult

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.