Summer Storms

Seasons of Faith #1

by Rebekah Lyn

A broken down house, four hurricanes and a broken man.

Elizabeth Reynolds knows she is blessed. She has friends and a job she loves. So why does she feel something is missing? Restoring a broken down house was supposed to be the missing piece, but then she met Jeffrey Robbins a man frozen in grief.

Set in downtown Orlando Summer Storms offers an inside look into the workings of the industry.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Christian Fiction

318 pages, Paperback

Published April 2, 2012

About the author

Rebekah is a Christian with a heart for new beginnings. She is a Florida native and a graduate of Jacksonville University, Jacksonville, Fl. A love of history, research and journaling led naturally to a passion for writing. She enjoys travel and has traveled extensively across the United States and Canada as well as Europe and the Caribbean. Her reading taste run from the classics to light fiction. When she is not working or writing, she enjoys cooking,baking and sharing recipes on her blog, http://rebekahlynskitchen.wordpress.com

Her current works include, Summer Storms and the new release Winter's End, books 1 & 2 in The Seasons of Faith series and Julianne the first book in The Coastal Chronicle series. She is currently working on the second installment of the Coastal Chronicles, set in Brevard County, Florida during the early years of the space program.

Rebekah currently resides in Florida along with her "attack" cat, Mia. They would enjoy meeting with you on her Facebook page, www.facebook.com/authorRebekahLyn

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer Storms is Rebekah Lyn’s debut novel about troubled young professionals battling their emotional storms in the midst of Orlando, Florida’s storm season. As the hurricane season progresses, Lizzie, a hotel worker, learns to love and trust again through faith and friends after a personally devastating tragedy. Jeffrey, also recovering from tragedy, needs to learn how to heal and to forgive. As their lives intertwine and paths intersect, the power of faith is revealed in this moving and touching story.

[Tamie Dearen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book by Rebekah Lyn, but definitely not my last. I just attempted to read a Christian book by another author, and it was so boring, trite, and unrealistic, I couldn’t bring myself to finish it. I love the “realness” of the characters in Summer Storms, especially Lizzie. She was flawed, but lovable—a character with real depth—someone I could actually relate to. I like the way the characters in the book learn to deal with the storms in their lives—both physical storms and stormy events—with the help of God. I hate when the plot seems contrived to present the Christian story, and Rebekah never does that. The message flows naturally out of the lives of the characters. Well written and well edited. Highly recommended.

[Onisha Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elizabeth Reynolds has been longing for a home to renovate near her job in Downtown Orlando. She is thrilled to have found the perfect house and is throwing her energies into the work along with her contractor, Jeffrey Robbins, but ominous clouds are coming in the form of three killers, Hurricanes, Charley, Frances and Jeanne.

Downtown Orlando has it's own magic and if you are an Orlando fan, you should enjoy the setting of this book. You get a glimpse into the lives of the people in the tourism industry who work so hard to make dreams come true.
I also liked the message of Christ's forgiveness and second chances.

[K.J. Waters · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Rebekah's book about the 2004 hurricanes in Orlando. It was a well written novel with a Christian twist. I would have added another star but I don't usually read Christian lit so I'm sure if you're into that you'll appreciate it.

Rebeka is a solid writer with good descriptive abilities. I wish she had brought the action into the story a little sooner, but I definitely enjoyed the read!

[Beverly Brimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Storm Season

Very interesting read! Love how real history of these hurricanes is woven into the story! I well remember the year of these storms - 2004. If the story had continued, it would have told of the 3rd hurricane that soon followed those 2 that year. Like storms, the story told of how destructive a life of clubs, alcohol and flirtation with the wrong people can be. It also tells of the freedom after the storm that Jesus gives us when we trust in Him. God’s redemption and the walk with Him is so much more rewarding and fulfilling!

[Betty Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book,exciting story

This book of Christian fiction is hard to put down. Very realistic. ,showingaChristian can be a witness in so many ways. The book downstairs coat anything as it shows the trials of life. I am sold in this author.

[gilbert ricks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read. Gospel message clear to address real life issues

Great read. Gospel message clear to address real life issues.

Looking to read from this author. God bless you. Thanks

[Barbara Olaewe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it!

Amazing book. A had a hard time putting it down! I loved to the characters were built up. How these different people all played such a great role. I highly recommend this book!

[Marjorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

FAITH

Best story of mislaid faith I have read in a long time. Brings to light how me know the meaning of the Father!

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in Rebekeh Lyn's Seasons of Faith series. Something about this author's writing style in this book reminds me of Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove series. It seems to be organized the same way and the storytelling is similar. That's a good thing. The main character, Elizabeth Reynolds, is an independent person who has learned in her line of work to be strong as steel wrapped in soft kid leather. She is a concierge for a top rated Orlando hotel. Throughout the story, the reader gets a fascinating glimpse of the demands of a concierge and how Lizzie networks with others in her line of work for support and information sharing.

Lizzie has taken under her wing a younger man who shows potential as a concierge but needs training and coaching. In the meantime, Lizzie has found a place to live that's closer to her job but which needs a lot of work. While working on the house, she meets Jeffery and Ian. Jeffery is a construction manager with plenty of rough edges. His former fiance had died of cancer and he still hasn't reconciled himself to the loss. Ian was a friend of Jeffrey's and his fiance. Their friendship has suffered over the years since her death, yet is renewed when they both start assisting Lizzie with her home repairs. Eventually both seek out Lizzie for more than friendship and end up in conflict with each other.

The author portrays the inner storms in these varied life stories in such realistic ways that I found myself empathizing with each one even through all their flaws and foibles. Jeffrey was clearly struggling and using the bar hopping scene to ease his pain. In contrast, Ian had sought out a closer relationship with God to help handle the high pressure squalls in his life. The disparity in their lifestyles threatened their friendship in more ways than one.

Lizzie herself had gone through similar struggles when she lost both her parents in an accident just a few years earlier. Both men found peace in their friendship with her. When not one but two tropical storms hit the Orlando area in close succession, friendships and relationships become more defined and stressed simultaneously. How all this is resolved is what makes this story a satisfying one to read.

Rebekah Lyn's smooth writing brought me close to each character so well that I could feel their pain and their triumphs in very natural ways. The characters seemed like friends I would like to have myself. Their situations seemed real and true to life. While there is some intense suspense in the final chapters, for the most part the pace of the story line is moderate, sometimes leisurely and as comfortable as a walk through a park on a beautiful warm sunny day.

I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy character driven literature. An added benefit for me was the realistic and contemporary portrayal of persons who know the Lord and have a relationship with Him. At the end, we hear the complete Gospel story retold in a way that tugs at our heart as it did with one of Ms. Lyn's characters.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from Body and Soul Publishing on behalf of the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Deanna Gottreu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer Storms by Rebekah Lyn was a most enjoyable book about the ups and downs in the life of Lizzy Reynolds. She has finally moved on after the death of her mother and father and loves her work as the concierge at Hotel Lago in downtown Orlando, Florida. Lizzy lives outside the city but her dream is to own one of the historic houses in the downtown area. In searching for a more affordable place to live, she finds a house for rent in the historic district that she can afford. However, there is a big problem. The house has been vacant for years and is in need of a great many repairs and the yard could pass for a jungle. After praying, soul searching, and going over and over her budget, Lizzy decides to rent the house. One of the most touching parts of the book was the way that so many people pitched in to help Lizzy repair the house. Two of the main helpers were Emma and Ron who were “adopted” parents.

Jeff Robbins has refused to enter the family business of real estate which caused a break with his parents. He is very happy as the contractor in charge of building a high rise in the downtown area. Jeff meets Lizzy when she brings cookies to the work site for the workers and he is intrigued by her and also somewhat attracted to her. He offers to help with the repairs on her home and through him she then meets Ian who does a great deal of work on the house. Ian is also quite attracted to Lizzy and they share a common bond in the fact that they are both Christians and they also want to see Jeff become a Christian.

All the repairs were finally finished but then disaster struck when two hurricanes hit Orlando and did a great deal of damage to the house. Now Lizzy has to decide if she even wants to repair the damage or just give up on the house.

The author did a great job developing the plot, characters, dialogue, scene descriptions, and describing the action taking place. I felt as if I were walking the streets of the historic district with Lizzy and I was standing on the sidelines watching as she was dealing with difficult people checking into the hotel or demanding a special services. There was some romance in the book but it was not the main focus. The book had enough suspense to keep any reader happy. I would think I had the plot all figured out and immediately it would change. I was a little surprised at the ending but it was a very good one.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a well written and easy to read book that is also a great Christian story.

Thank you to the Author/Publicist for providing this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[Danielle Thorne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizabeth has lost her family and almost her faith, but with the support of special friends and her coworkers at Hotel Lago, she is learning how to move on. Agreeing to renovate a rental property in exchange for a new address is the next big step, but little does she know it will bring new friends and maybe romance. Her connection to the grieving Jeffrey Robbins is one thing, but her budding feelings for Jeffrey's friend, Ian, bring more changes and most importantly, big choices.

Summer Storms is an inspirational romance that focuses on faith and endurance, even as Elizabeth must believe she can resurrect a run-down property into the home it once was. She is patient and strong, with an amazing gift for understanding people at their worst. Her Christ-like traits are admirable. Even more relatable is Elizabeth's good common sense when she needs help or feels endangered. She has a true Christian grasp on what it takes to beat the pitfalls painful grieving can open up before a broken soul.

Author Rebekah Lyn writes with a familiar and natural flair that makes reading a comfortable, believable escape. There is an authentic, rich tone in this story's setting and characters. It is a great foundation for a series that begs to be continued. Summer Storms is a great Christian read, wonderfully written, and superbly edited.

This book was reviewed by Reviews for Education.com.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book of struggles of all kinds. Most of them are resolved, but not all of them. Perhaps they will be in the next book in the series. The situations the characters face are very real. So you will find something you can relate to in this book, whether it's a hurricane or a broken relationship. Even though this is a Christian novel, to my way of thinking, the Christianity is shoved down your throat. You learn how broken people can and do find Christ. So if your relationship with The Lord is broken or you feel so far away from Him. this will be a good book to read. I especially liked the last chapter where a person is led to Christ using FAITH (You will have to read the book to know what it is.). I wrote it down because it was so powerful and easy to do. When we want to share our God with others, we sometimes stumble over ourselves. The solution to that is in this book.

I was given a copy of this book by the author to review. I rteceived a copy in Smashwords. I don't know if the book has bad editing or if it didn't translate very well. But the gramatical errors I noticed were somewhat disturbing, but that's because I'm very picky about that. Most people won't notice them. Please read and enjoy Summer Storms.

[Trinity Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book Summer Storms by Rebekah Lyn is quite an excellent read. This is one of her first books and I think it is very good.
I always love books that have storms or tragedy in them and having two hurricanes in this one makes it fantastic.
I really came to love the characters and where they live and work. The description of the surrounding area is incredible.
I like how our own struggles and hardships can help out someone else who is going through similar circumstances. We never know what in our lives will help others.
Lizzie is a great help to Jeffery and Ian is there to help them both. Some of the scenes in the book are quite suspenseful and full of fast-action. You won’t find a boring part in Summer Storms and I was captured right from the start. An excellent read. Buy this book and help a new author and you will really be glad and enjoy this book. I recommend Summer Storms.


Thank you to the Author/Publicist for providing this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent quick read. This is an amazing book that looks at several different aspects of relationships. The author does an excellent job of looking at how different people deal with grief, forgiveness, and friendship. It's the story of a young lady who works at a hotel and is shopping around for a house. She final finds one that is completely run down, but she can see the potential. The only problem is that she does not know how to do home repairs. This adventure in home repairs is what brings several different people into her life. Each person plays an important role and she either teaches them something or learns something from them. There is a little bit of romance but it is not the main focus and just adds to the story. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and was able to read it over two evenings.

[Bonnie Jarrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Christian story about a young woman and her life

I really found this story very interesting and had a good ending. This was a clean love story with a good love story without any of the usual sexuality that is the general rule. I would recommend this book to others.

[Lillie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Christian message is presented effectively through interaction of characters. The characters grew in faith during the story. The focus was on the developing relationships and the growing faith of a group of friends. The ending seemed a little abrupt to me.