Review of Barefoot Summer

Summary: Madison’s heart closed the day her twin brother died.

Since losing her twin, Michael, in a drowning incident, Madison has rejected the faith he lived by. Instead, she’s devoted her life to fulfilling Michael’s dream—winning the River Sail Regatta in their small Indiana town, Chapel Springs.

As she trains for the regatta, Beckett O’Reilly is teaching Madison to swim. But he’s keeping a painful secret from her—and as they grow closer, that secret threatens to upend their lives . . . and the lives of both their families.

My Take:

Denise Hunter has a special gift for making a setting and characters come alive and burrow into your heart. I've been a bug fan of hers for a while, but this has got to be one of her very best.

Beckett is one of my favorite heroes ever. He's strong, handsome, and flawed enough to make sure we see him as human and not a superhero. I think one of the greatest ways to show love is through our time. He spent a lot of it patiently teaching Madison to not be afraid of the water and how to sail. From his point of view, none of that could benefit him. His chances with her were non-existent. She was competition in a race that he needed the winnings from. He did it because he wanted the best for her. What better example of love is there?

Madison is overwhelmed with guilt. It is blinding her to the truth about her brother, her needs and who Beckett is. She has nightmares and thinks the "fix" for her sleep problems and guilt is to fulfill the dream of her brother.

Both characters grow over the course of the book and have a very real relationship and romance. I find myself still wishing them the best as if they were people I knew. I bet they'll stay with you as well.

I got this book from the publisher in exchange for sharing my honest opinion.

Update - Conference, Computers & Kittens

So, picture me hanging my head in shame. I am so sorry I haven't posted in a while - a lot has been going on.

These are pics from my hotel room in Indianapolis. I went to the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference. I was overwhelmed, but it was a wonderful trip and everyone was so nice.

Then my computer died. I had just bought it to replace one that died of old age. Thankfully it was replaced for free - but it was hard to be without it. :o(

I also picked up another responsibility - the cutest, and fluffiest one ever.

These are our two rescue kittens - Desmund and Esther.

Desmund is twice as big and heavy - he was rescued 3 weeks earlier than she was. Other than size, they are identical. Their mother was killed and Esther was starving and sick when we got her. I had to feed her every two hours - all day & night. She also has a heart condition. When she got the proper meds, she changed completely --

You can see where they shaved her -- but she is so playful and curious about everything now. She has gained over a pound and keeps up with her brother. She'll play with everything from my Bible - to a spot on the carpet. :o)

She also loves to snuggle and sunbathe on the couch.

On the health front, I have been pretty good and I am seeing results. I've lost 15 pounds. :o)

I have lots of books to write about, so I'll post again soon. I hope you all are doing well and enjoyed the pics.