Once Upon a Summer by Melody Carlson

This book is an interesting look at the behind the scenes workings of a fine hotel.  The reader is drawn into the hustle and bustle of New York City life when Anna arrives from her small hometown.  We see the glitter of the Big Apple through her eyes.  Ms Carlson excels in descriptive scenes not just in a geographical sense but in pull of the heartstrings in her characters.  The description of the characters first day spent together was so amazingly written that I had tears by the end of that section for the pure joy they felt in each other’s company.

I’ve read many books by Melody Carlson and enjoyed every one, this book included.  However, this book, unlike many of her others, did not have the characters in a vibrant relationship with Christ.  I was disappointed in that fact because I really, really liked the main characters and their interactions with each other.  There were only a few times it mentions praying over a meal.  But in their angst to balance their professional lives vs their growing attraction to each other God is not brought into the story at all.  I have seen Ms Carlson do this in other books so I kept waiting for this to be included in the story and it was not. 

The ending of the book was very suddenly almost like the brakes were put on.  The conclusion at the end of this book was extremely abrupt.

I would recommend this book to others as an interesting read with strong, likeable characters and a chaste love story.  But if you are looking for a love story where the characters go to God for guidance this is not the book for you.

I received this book free from the publishers for my honest review and I was not required to write a positive review.