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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

Friendship, Family, & Romance: What More Could You Want from Summer Reads?

by Chautona Havig · 9 Comments

Summertime Lilies offers a sweet, slow, gentle romance to keep those lazy, hazy, days of summer less crazy and a whole lot sweeter. via @chautonahavig

The cover grabbed me and wouldn’t let me go until I’d filled out the form requesting my review copy. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a great cover.

The synopsis–too funny for words.  I had to give this book a shot.  I mean, what could be better than a fiercely independent single mother, an adorable little boy, and a tender man aching for a shot at loving them both.  Actually, it sounds a lot like one of my books, and yet it’s completely different, too.

I love how books are like that–same general idea but… nope.  Nothing like it at the same time.

Summertime Lilies Summertime Lilies

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Friendship, Family, & Romance: What More Could You Want from Summer Reads?

The worst part about agreeing to read and review someone’s book is when you open it up to the first page and discover that it’s written in the style you hate most. First-person. Present tense.

Look, I grumble a lot about first person, but where I really struggle is with present tense. So here I was with my beautiful book and an opening that I could tell might be good… but I didn’t want to read.  Just being honest here.

And that’s the problem with reviewing books. You have to be honest. But no matter how kind you try to be, that honesty is going to hurt someone who put heart and soul into every one of those words.

So now I’m left with a conundrum.  I must be honest, and I must honor my commitment to read (done) and review (ouch!) a book I received free from the author because I requested it.

I felt certain in those first few pages that most of the problem would that present tense business.  Let’s face it.  If the trouble is your personal preference, then you can be honest without it being the author’s fault.

If that were all it was.

Yep, I’m getting the not-so-good out of the way so I can tell you what the author got right in Summertime Lilies.  Because she did–LOTS of right. She wrote lots of things I really loved, actually.

So here’s what I didn’t.  Conflict–there wasn’t much, really.  Tension… not much of that either. Writers often talk about “Mary Sue” characters–those perfect people who have token flaws and really are too good to be true. Too good to be interesting.  Well, in Summertime Lilies, I’d say the Mary Sue was the conflict/tension.

Lots of things came up that could have really created an engaging read, but instead, the author cleaned it up quicker than a neat freak at a crime scene. Not once did I believe that anything might keep Brittany and Matt apart. Their argument–both of them were right and wrong.  It was obvious.  The inlaw troubles?  Not there.  The token love triangle?  Yeah… that third arm was broken off at the nub right away (thank goodness).

And then there was the faith element.

The characters pray.  They go to church. And in an unexpected twist, they even consider what the Lord would want from them outside of church.  That was refreshing!  Part of me wants to complain that Brittany grew more from her interactions and bits of wisdom from a cousin than she did from the Lord–but I don’t believe it. Not really.

I think the point is that the Lord used this woman to speak some necessary truths into Brittany’s heart.  And that was a beautiful thing.

But an irreverent use of “God,” a few mild euphemisms, and a definite obsession with lusting after her neighbor with his shirt off left things uncomfortable for me. Had the faith element not been in there, I’d have considered it a “clean read” and moved along.  But with those elements, the others then stand out as a problem.

So with that out of the way, what did the author do right in Summertime Lilies?

A lot, actually.  For one thing, the pacing of the book was perfect.  Seriously, if it hadn’t been, I’d have struggled to get through the present tenseness.  That’s a big signal to me, by the way. Nothing shows pacing problems (for the way my brain works, anyway) faster than me being eager to walk away from it every thirty-two-point-six seconds.  Didn’t happen.

Characterization–amazing.  Seriously, I cared about these characters.  I fell in love with Grady–actually, he’s the best character of them all, except perhaps her brother Matt’s sister.  Those three characters have no Mary Sue tendencies.  Still, even Brittany and Matt, with their almost too-perfectnesses, made me care about them and root for them. And that happened even when I knew nothing would really stand in their way.  Even when I shook my head at the idea that Christmas presents would cause a real problem.

Description–mostly perfect.  Seriously. Not once did I go, “Get on with it already!” Instead, I spent most of the book knowing exactly where I was, what was around me, and all without too much attention drawn to the setting.  WOOHOO!

The Hook–not of this book, though.  Nope. It was the teaser chapter to the next book.  This one is about Brittany’s brother, and whooooeee!  I liked him in Summertime Lilies.  I did not like him in this teaser.  At all.  I wanted to smack him.  Give him a piece of my mind. Douse him in ice water.  All at once.

And that’s what left me on a great note. Because, you see… I’m dying to read that next book.  I’m so ticked off at the guy it makes my head spin.  Did you read that?  I am dying to read a book written in first-person, present tense because the author made me ticked off at a character being a jerk.

That’s what was missing from Summertime Lilies. I didn’t get that emotionally invested until the teaser for book two.  But that’s okay.  Because book two is going to be amazing. I can just taste it.

About the Book

Book:  Summertime Lilies

Author: LM Karen

Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction

Release date: Jan 30, 2021

A sweet and sentimental contemporary romance with a uniquely witty voice.

There are three things you should know about Brittany Masters:

  1. She’s a single mom and a nurse manager at the local cancer clinic
  2. She has big plans for a quiet summer
  3. She’s convinced that fudge pops are the answer to almost all of life’s most important questions

A new neighbor, Matt, making friends with her son while simultaneously pursuing her blow plans for a predictable summer right out of the water. A chance meeting at the cancer clinic where she works renews a connection with an old friend and gives her the perspective she’s been missing. From quiet nights on her front porch swing in Matt’s company to long talks in the clinic with her old/new friend, Brittany’s summer is anything but routine.

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Comments

  1. Carol Cox says

    June 6, 2021 at 5:26 am

    Chautona, I really like Adoring April in your new Save the date anthology.

    Reply
  2. Caryl Kane says

    June 4, 2021 at 4:11 pm

    Chautona, Thank you for sharing your honest thoughts.

    Reply
  3. Debbie P says

    June 3, 2021 at 9:29 pm

    Beautiful cover! This sounds like a great summer read.

    Reply
  4. Debbie P says

    June 3, 2021 at 9:28 pm

    Sounds like a great summer read!

    Reply
  5. Debbie P says

    June 3, 2021 at 9:27 pm

    This sounds like great summer read!

    Reply
  6. Amelia says

    June 3, 2021 at 6:52 pm

    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  7. Emma says

    June 3, 2021 at 3:20 pm

    This sounds like it could be a fun story! I don’t mind first person, present-tense all that much.

    Reply
  8. Hannah Corner says

    June 3, 2021 at 9:39 am

    Thank you for your comments about the pacing…a lot of times I have a hard time picking up a contemporary book because I’ve tried too many that are super slow. Or..super fast.

    Reply
  9. megan allen says

    June 3, 2021 at 7:59 am

    This looks so so good! Thanks for the book rec!

    Reply

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The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 204: A Chat with Sarah Sundin about The Sound of Light
byChautona Havig

A chat with Sarah Sundin is always fun, so when I learned we’d be discussing her upcoming release, The Sound of Light, last October, I was excited. Well… we chatted, and it’s finally time to share that interview. Listen in to what the title means, where Sarah came up with it, and the delightful story that she’s got waiting for us. I’m glad this episode came out in time for me to get the 40% off and free shipping deal from Baker because I apparently didn’t order it back when we chatted!

Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

How I Fell in Love With This Haunting Title

I didn’t know much about Denmark and WWII, so chatting with Sarah about The Sound of Light shed definite light (no pun intended) on the history of the Danes and how they stood up to Hitler… and got away with it (for the most part).

The Sound of Light tells the story of a physicist who meets a “slow, dull” guy who intrigues her in spite of herself. Come on… if that doesn’t grab you… Maybe the fact that this slow dude is really an Olympic rower in disguise who uses his father’s company as a front for who he is and how he helps Jews escape?  Yeah. That.

As always, Sarah Sundin has done her research and the result is a gripping story of resistance, protection, and ultimately love for God, our fellow man, and maybe… each other.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for my copy of The Sound of Light to arrive.

The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin

When the Germans march into Denmark, Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt exchanges his nobility for anonymity, assuming a new identity so he can secretly row messages for the Danish Resistance across the waters to Sweden.

American physicist Dr. Else Jensen refuses to leave Copenhagen and abandon her research–her life’s dream. While printing resistance newspapers, she hears stories of the movement’s legendary Havmand–the merman–and wonders if the mysterious and silent shipyard worker living in the same boardinghouse has something to hide.

When the Occupation cracks down on the Danes, these two passionate people will discover if there is more power in speech . . . or in silence. Bestselling author of more than a dozen WWII novels, Sarah Sundin offers pens another story of ordinary people responding to extraordinary circumstances with faith, fortitude, and hope for a brighter future.

You can also grab this book from Baker Book House at 40% off with free shipping! (which is cheaper than the Kindle version!)

And you can learn more about Sarah Sundin on her WEBSITE.

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Episode 204: A Chat with Sarah Sundin about The Sound of Light
Episode 204: A Chat with Sarah Sundin about The Sound of Light
January 31, 2023
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Episode 200: Comparing & Contrasting Two Split-Time Novels
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Episode 196: A Chat with Rom-Com Author by Becca Kinzer
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Welcome to Red Wing, Minnesota. Home of Hanisch's Welcome to Red Wing, Minnesota. Home of Hanisch's Bakery, Mandy's Cafe, the Uffda Shop, and Pepie the Lake Monster (who knew?)

Oh, and home to Twice Sold Tales, a charming bookstore in a charming town--but not for long.  Unless Milton arrives with his trusty parrotlet, Atticus (not Finch!), this local gem of a store may soon be out of print--so to speak.

Some might blame owner Harper Brevig. Let's face it. Her "bookside manner" isn't much to write home about (although I did write a book about it...). But no, she's making enough money, and she's not spending too much money (much to her disgust), so where's it going?

Find out in Twice Sold Tales which is on tour with Celebrate Lit! Check out the blogs and enter to win a cool prize package with a book, one of "Pepie's babies," and other fun bookish goodies!
Links to more info in my bio!

#TheMosaicCollection
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Reposted from @margueritemgray Come take a visit t Reposted from @margueritemgray Come take a visit to our newest set of islands – The Suamalie Islands! These islands are very different from the Independence Islands because they are touristy. Another way this series is different is we have added more authors. You will see some familiar Independence Islands authors but will also see some brand-new ones. Just like with our Independence Islands, each author will follow a type of business that goes across all the different islands.

There is a Giveaway of a $50 Amazon card to celebrate this new series. Enter January 28-February 5. https://promosimple.com/ps/245c3/suamalie-giveaway

Find out more about each book and author in the series by going to the publisher’s page: http://www.celebratelitpublishing.com/suamaliegiveaway/

#giveaway #suamalieislands #celebratelit
Welcome to Red Wing, Minnesota. Home of Hanisch's Welcome to Red Wing, Minnesota. Home of Hanisch's Bakery, Mandy's Cafe, the Uffda Shop, and Pepie the Lake Monster (who knew?)

Oh, and home to Twice Sold Tales, a charming bookstore in a charming town--but not for long.  Unless Milton arrives with his trusty parrotlet, Atticus (not Finch!), this local gem of a store may soon be out of print--so to speak.

Some might blame owner Harper Brevig. Let's face it. Her "bookside manner" isn't much to write home about (although I did write a book about it...). But no, she's making enough money, and she's not spending too much money (much to her disgust), so where's it going?

Find out in Twice Sold Tales which is on tour with Celebrate Lit! Check out the blogs and enter to win a cool prize package with a book, one of "Pepie's babies," and other fun bookish goodies!
Links to more info in my bio!

#TheMosaicCollection
#Bookstrings
#TwiceSoldTales
#ChristFic
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Welcome to Red Wing, Minnesota. Home of Hanisch's Welcome to Red Wing, Minnesota. Home of Hanisch's Bakery, Mandy's Cafe, the Uffda Shop, and Pepie the Lake Monster (who knew?)

Oh, and home to Twice Sold Tales, a charming bookstore in a charming town--but not for long.  Unless Milton arrives with his trusty parrotlet, Atticus (not Finch!), this local gem of a store may soon be out of print--so to speak.

Some might blame owner Harper Brevig. Let's face it. Her "bookside manner" isn't much to write home about (although I did write a book about it...). But no, she's making enough money, and she's not spending too much money (much to her disgust), so where's it going?

Find out in Twice Sold Tales which is on tour with Celebrate Lit! Check out the blogs and enter to win a cool prize package with a book, one of "Pepie's babies," and other fun bookish goodies!
Links to more info in my bio!

#TheMosaicCollection
#Bookstrings
#TwiceSoldTales
#ChristFic
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Reposted from @choosingjoynovels I may personally Reposted from @choosingjoynovels I may personally have been run into by a limb or two...

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Welcome to Red Wing, Minnesota. Home of Hanisch's Welcome to Red Wing, Minnesota. Home of Hanisch's Bakery, Mandy's Cafe, the Uffda Shop, and Pepie the Lake Monster (who knew?)

Oh, and home to Twice Sold Tales, a charming bookstore in a charming town--but not for long.  Unless Milton arrives with his trusty parrotlet, Atticus (not Finch!), this local gem of a store may soon be out of print--so to speak.

Some might blame owner Harper Brevig. Let's face it. Her "bookside manner" isn't much to write home about (although I did write a book about it...). But no, she's making enough money, and she's not spending too much money (much to her disgust), so where's it going?

Find out in Twice Sold Tales which is on tour with Celebrate Lit! Check out the blogs and enter to win a cool prize package with a book, one of "Pepie's babies," and other fun bookish goodies!
Links to more info in my bio!

#TheMosaicCollection
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