AUTHOR: Ann H. Gabhart
PUBLISHER: Revell, a Division of Baker Publishing Group
DATE: 2008, 2014
STARS: ****1/2
For Jocie Brooke, the summer of 1964 certainly was eventful, but it's nothing compared to what's coming to Hollyhill, Kentucky, and the Brooke family next. The past is coming to call, threatening to destroy the relationships that everyone thought were so strong. Two people--one thought to be gone for good and the other no one's ever heard of--are making their way to the small town. And it promises trouble for everyone.
This complex and beautifully written story is the perfect conclusion to The Heart of Hollyhill series. With true-to-life family drama, refreshing humor, and characters readers have come to love like dear friends, "Summer of Joy" will delight Gabhart's fans.
When I received an e-copy of Summer of Joy for review, I didn’t realize at first that it was part of a series. So the opening pages made me feel like a late-comer to a party of strangers. However, they didn’t stay strangers for long, as the author paints vivid pictures of the varied residents of Hollyhill.
David Brooke is the publisher of the local newspaper as well as the pastor of one of the town churches. His daughter, Jocie, is a lively and affectionate teenager who dreams of becoming an investigative journalist. She also carries a dream of having a mother, one who will love her for who she is. And she has someone in mind: Leigh Jacobsen, the woman David wants to marry, if only he could work up the nerve to propose.
This story is filled with quirky characters, sweet relationships, and just enough tension to keep this reader flipping the pages. I give Summer of Joy four and a half stars.