Once Upon A Summertime by Melody Carlson

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Once Upon a Summertime
(Revell - June 2, 2015)
by
Melody Carlson
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

My husband Chris and I live in a cabin-style home next to the National Forest in the beautiful Cascade Mountain area of the Pacific Northwest. Our two grown sons and granddaughter live nearby and we try to see them as often as we can. We also have two 're-homed' pets to make life more interesting-our yellow Labrador retriever Audrey and a Maine coon cat named Harry.

My writing studio is in a separate building next to our courtyard (a garden area that's off limits to the voracious deer). The window behind my desk looks out into the Ponderosa pine forest, where I see deer, squirrels, rabbits, and an occasional raccoon. The other windows in my office overlook the courtyard which is frequented by numerous hummingbirds in the summertime-one August evening we counted nearly fifty of the little hummers.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Managing the Value Lodge in her hometown was not what Anna Gordon had in mind when she set out in the hospitality industry. But it's a safe choice for a woman whose childhood was anything but stable. Out of the blue, she gets a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reinvent herself by moving to New York City, where she hopes for a management position at a stylish new boutique hotel. The big city is full of surprises--not the least of which is Sean O'Neil. Her childhood crush has applied for the very same position!

Sweet, romantic, and endlessly entertaining, this romp through the storied streets of New York City will enchant readers. Melody Carlson has created characters so charming that readers will long to meet them in the lobby of the stunning Rothsberg Hotel.

My thoughts:

I have read Melody Carlson's books for years and am always eager when she starts a new series. This series intrigued me because it is set in New York City - a place I have never been - but I love reading about. A trip around the Big Apple through the eyes of small town girl Anna Gordon was a treat, as I felt just like her, seeing landmarks and memorable sights for the first time through the author's words. This was probably the biggest highlight of the book for me.

One of my first jobs was as a maid at a motel, which was unfortunately more like the Value Lodge than the Rothsberg, so I did find the part of the story that centered around the maids in New York interesting.

The romance between Anna and Sean O'Neil was a bit predictable, however, I did like the interaction and chemistry between them, especially as they played tourists throughout the city.

All in all, I did enjoy the book and would recommend it to those who enjoy contemporary romance - and I am also looking forward to the next installment in this series.

My sincere thanks to CFBA and Revell for generously providing a copy for review.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Once Upon a Summertime, go HERE.