Summer's List by Anita Higman | RE:View

Life isn't going the way Summer Snow had hoped it would. When faced with another disappointment in love and struggles at the children's bookstore she runs, Summer may just have a chance to change the course of her life when presented with a list lovingly composed by her granny.

Along for the ride, Martin Langtree not only gets the opportunity to go on an adventure, but rekindles a long-lost friendship. But could it become more than that?

I had high hopes for Summer's List by Anita Higman. I've enjoyed several of her novels in the past and the premise of this one sounded intriguing. A list to inspire adventure? Yes! A longtime friendship reunited? Yes! Unfortunately though, I was sadly disappointed.

Summer is mostly a loveable character and her relationship with Granny is sweet, but I felt as if the execution of this whole story was just slightly...off.

First, the dialogue throughout the whole book is much too formal. I understand it coming from Martin (an intelligent, geeky guy) but that trickled over into the other characters and created confusion for me. I also missed the sense of feeling and emotion that makes characters (and their relationships) jump off the page. It's the kind of depth that is imbued into a scene by details, descriptions, and thoughts. The chemistry was also mostly lacking between Summer and Martin, but when it was there it was fast, intense, and slightly out of the blue. It was also difficult to connect with the story because the reader was not accurately "dropped" into a characters head. Summer and Martin blurred on the page.

There were some great parts and creative ideas that I did enjoy, but overall I wasn't invested in the story even though I desperately wanted to be. Sad to say, I can't really recommend this, but I know others have read it and enjoyed it.

Rating: 2.8*
(I'm rounding up to 3* for Goodreads, Amazon, etc.)
Purchase: Summer's List

Book Description
(from Anita's website)

A dying wish alters the course of a young woman's life.

Life hadn't been easy for Summer Snow. In acts of selflessness-caring for her ailing parents and running her grandmother's bookstore-she had forfeited her youth and dreams for the needs of others. And the only tries she had at love... didn't turn out. She had the bookstore, she had her beloved granny, but she was missing something-or someone.

Opportunity strikes when Granny sends Summer on an unexpected adventure with one Martin Langtree, a kind but gangly young man from Summer's past. A childhood friendship is rekindled, a romance is sparked, and mysteries are solved in one magical Texas summer. Will Summer strike out on love again, or will things finally go her way?

With lovable characters and surprising twists, Summer's List is a simple delight.

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I received a free copy of this book for review purposes, but was under no obligation to read the book or post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.