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Summertime Dream (The River Book 1) Kindle Edition

4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 69 ratings

The Fourth of July is over, but for these summer lovers the fireworks have just begun.

An unexpected inheritance brings business consultant Christopher Gordon from Los Angeles to quaint Falk's Bend. He's carved time from his demanding schedule to dispose of his great-grandparents' home and explore his roots. However, disturbing family secrets and the sweet temptation of writer Margie Olsson derail his plans, challenging him to seize the elusive dream missing from his hectic life--love.

A recent brush with death shook Margie's life, but not her dreams, and she's ready to move forward. Only, standing up to her loving, over-protective family isn't easy. Helping Christopher explore the derelict mansion and unravel his grandmother's mysterious past allows a fun taste of independence. But when her experimental summer fling ignites into unexpected love, can her small town dreams work with his big city life?

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Summertime Dream is a perfect glass of Lemonade on a hot day. Simple, elegant and beautifully written. I enjoyed each scene. Loved the chemistry between the characters and the house. Great story!" ~ Deborah Diez

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00HJDS3E6
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ The Wild Rose Press (December 24, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 24, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 717 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 340 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 69 ratings

About the author

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Babette James
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Rone Award winner BABETTE JAMES writes sweetly scorching contemporary romance and loves reading nail-biting tales with a satisfying happily ever after. When not dreaming up stories, she enjoys playing with new bread recipes and dabbling with paints. A teacher, she loves encouraging new readers and writers as they discover their growing abilities. Her class cheers when it's time for their spelling test! She lives in New Jersey with her wonderfully patient husband and extremely spoiled cats.

For more information about Babette and her books, visit: http://babettejames.com/

Follow Babette on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/babette.james. She loves to chat with readers.

Follow her on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/BabetteJames

What others are saying about Babette's books:

"Babette gives you a story that will have you wanting to turn the page..." -Urban Girl Reader

"I think Ms. James gave us a deep and profound plot line. Her characters were phenomenally well written and I was incredibly impressed with the quality of this book. 5 stars for an fantastic book!" -Sirena, Swoonworthy Books

"Babette James is the creator of sweet contemporary romances. She gives the reader just what they are looking for. A story of life, love, and heartache." Mary-Nancy Smith, InD'Tale Magazine

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
69 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book a sweet and sexy small-town romance. They describe it as a lovely, fun read with good writing quality that keeps them hooked. The characters are likable and realistic, with natural and innocent qualities. Readers appreciate the summertime setting and mystery in the small town. Overall, they find the book an enjoyable and heartwarming read.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

13 customers mention "Romance"13 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the romance in the book. They find the love story sweet, with intrigue and a realistic range of emotions. The writing is smooth, with drama to keep readers engaged. The relationship between the hero and heroine is subtle yet blossoming, making the celebrations engaging.

"...to the unfolding story, and all helped in exploring what relationships, love, and family is all about. I would definitely read this author again." Read more

"...While the first book got sexy very quickly, this one takes its time before anyone gets physical. But that suits the characters...." Read more

"...A beautiful and subtly built relationship between hero and heroine blossomed into steamy passion, while the back stories of family led to..." Read more

"...If you want to see more of this incredibly sweet couple, follow up with Ms. James' "Clear as Day"...." Read more

8 customers mention "Readability"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read. They describe it as a quick, fun, and sweet small-town romance.

"...It was a leisurely read, and I felt I'd been transported back to the summer and small town American life...." Read more

"This was one of the sweetest, most charming books I've read in a long time...." Read more

"This was a great read, kept you in suspense and it was a smooth romantic book!..." Read more

"this a lite ,pretty good read.would have been better with a more in-depth story.just happy I didn't spend money on it" Read more

7 customers mention "Writing quality"6 positive1 negative

Customers enjoy the writing quality. They find the characters engaging and the author's writing style compelling. The book is described as a poignant read with well-developed characters.

"I really enjoyed the author's Clear as Day, and looked forward to reading about the other characters we met in that book...." Read more

"...Masterfully written! Do not hesitate to pick up this book!" Read more

"...I loved the setting and the characters and the writer kept your heart glued to the pages Loved it" Read more

"...Short answer- I didn't. A poignant read filled with characters who aren't afraid to love, though some take a bit longer to figure that out...." Read more

6 customers mention "Character development"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the characters likable and realistic.

"...Also, the secondary characters were all well drawn, necessary to the unfolding story, and all helped in exploring what relationships, love, and..." Read more

"...The characters were likable and their problems were realistic...." Read more

"...I especially love the naturalness, and innocence these characters possess...." Read more

"...I loved the setting and the characters and the writer kept your heart glued to the pages Loved it" Read more

3 customers mention "Authenticity"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's authenticity. They find the characters realistic and natural, with a range of emotions.

"...I especially love the naturalness, and innocence these characters possess...." Read more

"I loved the characters, they were so real. The author made me care for them, cheer for their relationship...." Read more

"...impressed with the sophistication of the writing; the intrigue; the reality and range of emotions, and the underlying mystery...." Read more

3 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoyed the book's pacing. They found the small town setting and mystery intriguing.

"I fell in love with these characters right away. Intrigued by the summertime setting and mystery in this small town, I couldn't put the story down...." Read more

"The best of small towns, with likable people and houses you really want to go into and celebrations that draw you right in...." Read more

"Small town magic in the summer - how cold I resist this book? Short answer- I didn't...." Read more

3 customers mention "Sweetness"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the small-town romance. They find it sweet and steamy, with likable characters.

"...The scenes between Christopher and Margie range from sweet to steamy, and the secondary characters all add so much to the story...." Read more

"A Sweet and Sensitive Story!..." Read more

"A sweet, leisurely paced romance..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2014
    There wasn't anything I didn't like about this touching story. It was a leisurely read, and I felt I'd been transported back to the summer and small town American life. The pacing allows the reader to sink into the story world and to care about the main characters. The house and it's restoration enables the hero and heroine to work together, to learn quickly about each other, to bond, and all the while exploring clues to a decades old mystery. I fell as much in love with the house, as the characters. Also, the secondary characters were all well drawn, necessary to the unfolding story, and all helped in exploring what relationships, love, and family is all about. I would definitely read this author again.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2014
    I really enjoyed the author's Clear as Day, and looked forward to reading about the other characters we met in that book. While the first book got sexy very quickly, this one takes its time before anyone gets physical. But that suits the characters. Chris and Margie meet at a Fourth of July picnic. She's a hometown girl and he's just stopping through to take care of a house that's been left to him by his great-grandmother. Margie's survived a serious health crisis and is coddled by her family. Though she loves them, she feels a bit stifled. Chris is a quiet man, but he and Margie hit it off. As she assists him with cleaning out his property, they stumble upon some tantalizing clues regarding a family mystery. They also fall in love. But Margie's surgical scars make her afraid of rejection and Chris fears he's too old for her. On top of that, his life is in the city while she's a country mouse.

    The characters were likable and their problems were realistic. I liked the way Margie finally broke free of being everyone's "little sweetie." I especially enjoyed it when she told off her bossy older brother (really, I wanted her to cuss him out). Reading this book is like sitting on a porch swing with a cool glass of lemonade on a summer's day. I look forward to future books from this author.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2014
    This was one of the sweetest, most charming books I've read in a long time. A beautiful and subtly built relationship between hero and heroine blossomed into steamy passion, while the back stories of family led to compelling intrigue and mystery. Masterfully written! Do not hesitate to pick up this book!
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2014
    I fell in love with these characters right away. Intrigued by the summertime setting and mystery in this small town, I couldn't put the story down. I especially love the naturalness, and innocence these characters possess. A sweet love story that will take you back to when you first looked in your special someone's eyes!! If you want to see more of this incredibly sweet couple, follow up with Ms. James' "Clear as Day". They are not the main characters, but you can see a little more of their love story.
    5 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2014
    This was a great read, kept you in suspense and it was a smooth romantic book! I loved the setting and the characters and the writer kept your heart glued to the pages
    Loved it
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2014
    this a lite ,pretty good read.would have been better with a more in-depth story.just happy I didn't spend money on it
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2014
    Loved this sweet and sexy small town romance! Totally Recommend and Will Definitely look for more stories from Babette James!

    Falk's Bend, Missouri is your typical small town where everyone knows everyone and their family history, and nothing exciting ever seems to happen. At least, that's the way Margie Olsson's life has been up until recently.

    Then things started to shift. She got sick, her brother's wife suddenly left town, and Margie didn't marry her high school sweetheart. When a complete stranger shows up at the towns annual Fourth of July picnic extravaganza, she impulsively kisses him, changing everything she thinks she knows about life, love, and what a kiss should really be. And she wants more.

    Christopher Gordon and his sparkling green eyes makes for one sexy hero! The scenes between Christopher and Margie range from sweet to steamy, and the secondary characters all add so much to the story. A little bit of house remodeling, a little bit of mystery and a whole lot of fun.

    I thoroughly enjoyed this story from start to finish. A quick, fun read, I would recommend this as a great "beach read" to anyone who needs a little escape from their own everyday life (even if you don't have time to sit on the beach to read it!)
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2014
    The best of small towns, with likable people and houses you really want to go into and celebrations that draw you right in. An enjoyable romance with nice people.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report

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