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Summer Letters
When twenty-year-old banker Liam Roberts is introduced to a flirtatious and eye-catching young woman, their mutual attraction soon stretches boundaries he never thought he'd cross.
He quickly realizes that God's plan for him may take him on a surprising and unexpected journey. Caring and considerate, the young Midwesterner doesn't suspect that the pursuit of his soul mate would be wrought with heartbreak. Raised in a conservative environment, Liam struggles with finding faith not only in his religion, but also in others, especially women.
As spring turns to summer and Liam's love life starts to heat up, he leaves no stone unturned and he finds himself writing letters to someone he's never met. Will any of the women in his life be anything more than friends? If so, will he be left heartbroken once more?
Summer Letters is a tear-jerking romantic drama novel that is inspired on some real-life events
Make sure to watch the video trailers for "Summer Letters".
He quickly realizes that God's plan for him may take him on a surprising and unexpected journey. Caring and considerate, the young Midwesterner doesn't suspect that the pursuit of his soul mate would be wrought with heartbreak. Raised in a conservative environment, Liam struggles with finding faith not only in his religion, but also in others, especially women.
As spring turns to summer and Liam's love life starts to heat up, he leaves no stone unturned and he finds himself writing letters to someone he's never met. Will any of the women in his life be anything more than friends? If so, will he be left heartbroken once more?
Summer Letters is a tear-jerking romantic drama novel that is inspired on some real-life events
Make sure to watch the video trailers for "Summer Letters".
432 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2013
9 people are currently reading
5151 people want to read
About the author
Dan Petermeier
1 book134 followersDan grew up in Watertown, a small community outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is the second youngest of seven. Dan always was a writer and has written many short stories over the years.
Using his creative writing talents, Dan excelled in marketing and advertising. Dan opened his first business as a teenager and later was in the finance and automotive industries, where his writing ability was focused on customer correspondence and marketing efforts.
Dan and his wife Beth have been married for over 25 years and currently reside in Florida.
The writing of Dan's first published novel, "Summer Letters" began several years ago but due to everyday demands, little time was devoted to completing it. In early 2012, Dan spent most days working on "Summer Letters" before the initial manuscript was ready for publisher review. On August 13, 2012 (Dan and Beth's wedding anniversary), a publishing contract was signed. Hundreds of additional hours were needed for revisions and editing before the book was released. On October 1, "Summer Letters" was released.
In addition to writing and reading, Dan loves watching NFL football, enjoying the wonderful Florida weather, watching TV and attending musical performances by Beth who is very vocally gifted.
More information can be found on SummerLetters.com
Using his creative writing talents, Dan excelled in marketing and advertising. Dan opened his first business as a teenager and later was in the finance and automotive industries, where his writing ability was focused on customer correspondence and marketing efforts.
Dan and his wife Beth have been married for over 25 years and currently reside in Florida.
The writing of Dan's first published novel, "Summer Letters" began several years ago but due to everyday demands, little time was devoted to completing it. In early 2012, Dan spent most days working on "Summer Letters" before the initial manuscript was ready for publisher review. On August 13, 2012 (Dan and Beth's wedding anniversary), a publishing contract was signed. Hundreds of additional hours were needed for revisions and editing before the book was released. On October 1, "Summer Letters" was released.
In addition to writing and reading, Dan loves watching NFL football, enjoying the wonderful Florida weather, watching TV and attending musical performances by Beth who is very vocally gifted.
More information can be found on SummerLetters.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
March 11, 2014
After being honored by the author Mr. Dan Petermeier and being sent a free copy of this book, I cant say enough good things about it. I told him I thought by reading the description this would be a modern classic love story, I believe that now more than ever. I finished this book in two days, I couldn't put it down. This book will leave you feeling every emotion that comes with being human, reminding you that we are just that human. While reminding us that God is greater and has a plan for us no matter if we like it at the time or understand it but it will work out much better than we could ever imagine. Its refreshing the deep religious connection this book has, warmed my heart from beginning to the end. I look forward to reading his future work. This has become one of my favorite books and strongly recommend if your thinking of reading it to go for it, you wont be sorry. God Bless!
September 5, 2014
This was a Goodreads win for me ... probably would not have bought it on my own, but I really did like the book. It will be a great one to recommend to my teenage granddaughters. All the time I was reading it, I kept thinking I was a Nicholas Sparks' book. It is about a young Christian man who is searching for his one true love ... how he finds her is quite a romantic tale. Is romance still alive in young people ... I certainly hope so. Dan Petermeier should have a great career ahead of him for writing ... very good book that I would recommend to anyone of any age.
March 22, 2014
A beautiful love story. Liam Roberts is introduced to the first girl who pulls at his heart strings. He falls quickly for her and is completely happy until a turn of events happens and God leads him in a different direction. After this heartbreak, his sister, Emma, encourages him to write a pen pal from a magazine. After he begins exchanging letters with someone he has never met, Summer, he begins to question if this is where he really should be, and why things maybe didn't work out in the past. When you put your trust in the Lord, he opens new doors, and that door may be even better than anything you could have imagined.
I really enjoyed this story. It was a beautifully written love story, that had the reader feel as though they were falling in love all over again. The author is really great with details and it helps the reader feel as though they are actually there with Liam, and experiencing the ups and downs of his life, with him. Liam is a caring and wholesome young man who tries his best to live a Godly life. I was a bit nervous with the prologue that is about Liam visiting the grave of a loved one, but you don't know who that is until the very end. I couldn't put the book down through the last 100 pages because I had to find out what was going to happen! This was such a beautifully written love story that shows a blossoming relationship based on respect, faith, and love.
I received a copy of this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I really enjoyed this story. It was a beautifully written love story, that had the reader feel as though they were falling in love all over again. The author is really great with details and it helps the reader feel as though they are actually there with Liam, and experiencing the ups and downs of his life, with him. Liam is a caring and wholesome young man who tries his best to live a Godly life. I was a bit nervous with the prologue that is about Liam visiting the grave of a loved one, but you don't know who that is until the very end. I couldn't put the book down through the last 100 pages because I had to find out what was going to happen! This was such a beautifully written love story that shows a blossoming relationship based on respect, faith, and love.
I received a copy of this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
October 26, 2013
In the book Summer Letters, Dan Petermeier creatively illustrates how a simple leap of faith can lead to something more than you ever could have imagined. Something as insignificant as a letter, could lead to a bond that lasts a lifetime. Liam, who is newly single, decides to write a letter to Sutton, who is a girl he has never met. To his surprise not only does he receive a response back, but the letter is from a girl named Summer. Throughout the course of the summer, they continued to send messages to each other and slowly create a strong friendship. What would happen when the two finally meet each other in person? Well you will have to read the book to find out. Not only is this story truly worth the read, but it also offers many life lessons when it comes to love. Petermeier also sheds a different light on a love story. As you read you will find the book very hard to put down. And when you turn the last page, Petermeier will leave you wanting more. If you love a good romance novel, Summer Letters will have you hooked from the very first page. So what are you waiting for? Go purchase it today and see for yourself what a letter can do to bring two people together. After all love doesn’t know what distance is.
July 13, 2015
I really enjoyed Summer Letters from Dan Petermeier. I love romance stories and this one is one of my favorites that I have read in a long time. This is the first book that I have checked out by Dan Petermeier and I would say that his work is comparable to Nicholas Sparks. This book follows the main character Liam who is tired of having his heart broken. Liam is still trying to find himself and is worried about women who will hurt him. He writes a letter to Sutton who is a girl that he has never met. A woman responds and their correspondence over the summer turns into something I didn't expect. I found that the story was wonderfully written and I loved the romance in it. This is such a great read!
September 13, 2014
I had awarded the book 5 stars by the end of chapter 4! Beautifully written it is one of those books that demands a slow and contemplative reading. It quickly draws you in but author Dan Petermeier doesn't give much away, which requires reflection on the central themes of love and faith.In both respects there is a religious influence but it isn't forced upon the reader. A well written and intelligent romance, perfect for the darker nights.
October 13, 2013
Loved this book! The story is well written and I didn't figure it out until the end. Now, I can't wait for the sequel...hint, hint Dan Petermeier! I would love to learn more about some of the other wonderful characters.
April 25, 2014
In my opinion, "Summer Letters" is a marvelous read. Right from the first page,I was engulfed in the story of Liam and Summer. This book had me laughing and crying all the way to the very last page. Such a wonderful book!
April 5, 2015
I won this book through GoodReads First Read program.
This book wasn't written for me. It was written for young ladies ages 14-24 is my guess. The story is about Liam (who is kind of needy) and his search for his soul mate. He starts with Liz. He is convinced she is the one and he goes over the top to show his love for her. She dumps him mainly because his over the top actions. He then goes back and forth between Morgan, who he is physically attracted to and Summer, who he has a long distance relationship with. He and Summer exchange many letters (the things people use to use to communicate before email and texting). They eventually get together and the reader finds out about true love.
I do like how the author brings God into the story and I will give Liam a ton of credit for being able to keep his hands off Morgan who offers herself to him on a regular basis. Not sure many 20 year old men could do that. However, the story included so much meaningless details that prolonged the story from a couple hundred pages to over 400 pages. I enjoy long books but how about making what is included meaningful to the story?
The author is from Minnesota originally and is now living in Florida which made me wonder if there is a lot of his story in Liam's.
I gave the book to my 19 year old daughter. I think she, and her friends, are who the book is written for.
This book wasn't written for me. It was written for young ladies ages 14-24 is my guess. The story is about Liam (who is kind of needy) and his search for his soul mate. He starts with Liz. He is convinced she is the one and he goes over the top to show his love for her. She dumps him mainly because his over the top actions. He then goes back and forth between Morgan, who he is physically attracted to and Summer, who he has a long distance relationship with. He and Summer exchange many letters (the things people use to use to communicate before email and texting). They eventually get together and the reader finds out about true love.
I do like how the author brings God into the story and I will give Liam a ton of credit for being able to keep his hands off Morgan who offers herself to him on a regular basis. Not sure many 20 year old men could do that. However, the story included so much meaningless details that prolonged the story from a couple hundred pages to over 400 pages. I enjoy long books but how about making what is included meaningful to the story?
The author is from Minnesota originally and is now living in Florida which made me wonder if there is a lot of his story in Liam's.
I gave the book to my 19 year old daughter. I think she, and her friends, are who the book is written for.
June 27, 2015
This is a beautifully written story of love and how it presents itself so many different ways in our lives. Having faith, courage and trusting yourself are all themes that flow throughout the pages of the book. This made it a very rich reading experience for me.
The book itself was well-plotted and kept my interest throughout. There was no boring middle. The characters were written in such a way that they had good backstories and seemed three-dimensional. In a way, it was a little like watching a good movie.
This is one of those stories that stays with you long after you've read it. You think about certain scenes in the book and how they relate you and your own challenges with life, love and faith. I would read something else by this author and I would recommend this book to any reader.
The book itself was well-plotted and kept my interest throughout. There was no boring middle. The characters were written in such a way that they had good backstories and seemed three-dimensional. In a way, it was a little like watching a good movie.
This is one of those stories that stays with you long after you've read it. You think about certain scenes in the book and how they relate you and your own challenges with life, love and faith. I would read something else by this author and I would recommend this book to any reader.
November 27, 2018
This book was sweet, but incredibly boring. The end picked up a little - who doesn't love a good love story, but because the book was slow and boring, it was easy to put down and not picked back up again for a while, I think it took me the longest ever to get through this book and how irritating was it to read Brandon Grant talking in third person? Ugh! Only gave it three stars because of the boring content page after page, but I liked how all of the content was PG rated! When my 12 year old peeks over my shoulder as I am reading, I knew I didn't have to worry about what could be read.
April 21, 2016
I never expected to be grabbed by the power of love and faith portrayed in this book! I could not stop when I started reading it; I just couldn't! Dan Petermeier made me understand through this book that God has a plan whose ends are great blessings for us if we can only trust Him. It's really amazing the deep religious affection the book possessed, right from beginning to the end. I will recommend this to my aunt who is a bit skeptical about religion & love, owing to her experience, perhaps it could be an eye opener for her!
It's an impressive well-written piece!
It's an impressive well-written piece!
April 2, 2014
When Liam falls in love with Liz and there romance is tested and breaks. Liam feels God is guiding him to someone who can return his love and devotion to the lord. Liam finds a pen pal, Summer, who is someone he can confide in and truly love. The letters between Summer and Liam are beautifully written. Liam's family and Summer's family have great standout characters of there own, that they could be written in a whole new series. Truly a wonderful read.
August 29, 2015
If you're looking for a good romance read, then look no further!! Summer Letters is a book that will touch your heart and one that you will no doubt remember. I love the idea of letters in this novel--it's such an outdated form of communication but really adds another level of intimacy between Summer and Liam. I also loved how the theme of faith is intertwined with the plot of the book. Definitely worth checking out if you enjoy realistic, tear-jerking romances!
September 22, 2014
This book was such an awesome love story. Did not turn out how I imagined it would. But I still loved it and was so thankful for the ending. I would read this book over and over again. So glad I won a free download of it. I will definitely be buying a hard copy to keep and retread over and over again.
May 18, 2017
Could not finish this book. Poorly written, poor grammar in places. Just not for me.
April 23, 2018
Why did her brother always talk in third person? Long and strange book.
November 2, 2016
I was lucky enough to be sent a free signed copy of this book and I am so happy I was!!!! I could NOT put this book down! I read it in a day & a half! I absolutely loved this story! I felt a bunch of emotions as I read it, so I guess that's why I couldn't put it down! I just had to know what happened! I won't spoil it for anyone who may be reading it now, but it is a really great book to read! I know I plan on reading it again! And, my daughter is excited to read it as well!!!
May 18, 2016
Disclaimer: I won a copy of this book through the Summer Letters Facebook giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
Let me start by saying a few things. I am a homosexual Atheist. This book is a straight Christian romance novel. It might be weird or hypocritical of me, but I really enjoy Christian romance novels. I read books to get a glimpse into lives totally different from mine, and this book is completely different from my life.
In this book, Liam deals with a lot. He falls for a girl, Liz, after being set up on a date by his best friend, and they have a happy, very Disneylike relationship before a Valentine's Day surprise goes wrong. After the event, which leaves Liz hospitalized for a time, she decides that they shouldn't continue seeing each other. So Liam's sister Emma (who is by far my favourite character) urges him to choose and write to a penpal from this Christian Mingle-esque magazine she has. He agrees, and then we meet Summer, who becomes Liam's friend and correspondent through a chain of events involving a brother that speaks in third person and two stereotypically sweet Southern belle twins. At some point, Liam also ends up having a bit of a fling with a local girl named Morgan who tests his Christian faith and apparently doesn't think waiting until marriage is an option for her.
That's all I'm going to say in regards to the plot because I don't want to spoil anything else (and trust me, there are quite a few plotlines I can spoil). Petermeier's writing is very descriptive, and the plot falls into Nicholas Sparks territory. There are a few plot points that go unresolved but are given clear enough answers, like 'Who was trying to convince Liz that Liam was cheating on her?' and 'Why did Liam suddenly stop speaking to his best friend?' (context clues, people.) I had a few issues with things here and there, but they were worth looking past to finish the book.
As someone who has gone through quite a few long-distance relationships, it has given me hope that things will eventually work out if you follow your instincts and learn who is worth fighting for and who is worth letting go.
Overall, I'd recommend this book to your friendly neighbourhood Christian and to anyone who who is going through or has gone through a long-distance relationship. It was never too unrealistic or too sweet and sappy, and felt like the main characters were actual people, which is an issue I come across quite frequently while reading romance novels. I will acknowledge that, with books I usually enjoy, not all characters need a backstory though, and every character, no matter how small, was written with a quite chunky backstory. There was a lot of small information that took a bit to process, and had that not been the case, I would have finished much faster. Summer Letters is accurate in showing that there is not always a happy ending, but that there is always a glimmer of hope if one can look past the stormclouds and find a silver lining.
Let me start by saying a few things. I am a homosexual Atheist. This book is a straight Christian romance novel. It might be weird or hypocritical of me, but I really enjoy Christian romance novels. I read books to get a glimpse into lives totally different from mine, and this book is completely different from my life.
In this book, Liam deals with a lot. He falls for a girl, Liz, after being set up on a date by his best friend, and they have a happy, very Disneylike relationship before a Valentine's Day surprise goes wrong. After the event, which leaves Liz hospitalized for a time, she decides that they shouldn't continue seeing each other. So Liam's sister Emma (who is by far my favourite character) urges him to choose and write to a penpal from this Christian Mingle-esque magazine she has. He agrees, and then we meet Summer, who becomes Liam's friend and correspondent through a chain of events involving a brother that speaks in third person and two stereotypically sweet Southern belle twins. At some point, Liam also ends up having a bit of a fling with a local girl named Morgan who tests his Christian faith and apparently doesn't think waiting until marriage is an option for her.
That's all I'm going to say in regards to the plot because I don't want to spoil anything else (and trust me, there are quite a few plotlines I can spoil). Petermeier's writing is very descriptive, and the plot falls into Nicholas Sparks territory. There are a few plot points that go unresolved but are given clear enough answers, like 'Who was trying to convince Liz that Liam was cheating on her?' and 'Why did Liam suddenly stop speaking to his best friend?' (context clues, people.) I had a few issues with things here and there, but they were worth looking past to finish the book.
As someone who has gone through quite a few long-distance relationships, it has given me hope that things will eventually work out if you follow your instincts and learn who is worth fighting for and who is worth letting go.
Overall, I'd recommend this book to your friendly neighbourhood Christian and to anyone who who is going through or has gone through a long-distance relationship. It was never too unrealistic or too sweet and sappy, and felt like the main characters were actual people, which is an issue I come across quite frequently while reading romance novels. I will acknowledge that, with books I usually enjoy, not all characters need a backstory though, and every character, no matter how small, was written with a quite chunky backstory. There was a lot of small information that took a bit to process, and had that not been the case, I would have finished much faster. Summer Letters is accurate in showing that there is not always a happy ending, but that there is always a glimmer of hope if one can look past the stormclouds and find a silver lining.
June 30, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Liam is young. Liam also is ready to find the woman God wants for his life partner. With Liz he does many impulsive ways to show his love. Creative, fun ways. But when one goes awry Liz breaks up with him. Rather than wallow in self-pity, Liam picks up his life and moves on. Emma, Liam's sister introduces him to Morgan and they start seeing each other. She also convinces him to start a pen pal relationship with an unknown girl from a Christian Connection magazine. The girl he writes passes the letter on to another friend, Summer. Liam and Summer start writing. Slowly at first and then to writing daily or more often than once a day. Liam is attracted physically to Morgan. Liam is attracted mentally and emotionally to Summer. Which of these girls is the one God desires for him? Are either of the girls to be his lifetime mate? The book develops the characters beautifully and gives you no clue as to Liam's choice. The reason I only gave it 4 starts is that I found it wordy. There were some things that could have been edited out without any lose in the story line or in the development of the characters. I would recommend it to a person of a younger generation.
April 12, 2014
I enjoyed this novel, the story was realistic and the author was very descriptive. Many times throughout the story i felt like i was standing in the room. While it was a christian based story it by no means avoided the tough subjects. The characters deal with real life choices presented while growing up. Since i grew up near the setting of this book it was fun to have the characters visit places that i have also been and also enjoyed in my teens. It is a wonderfully romantic story that will have every girl looking for their Liam and wanting to have a friend and sister like Emma.
May 14, 2014
I won this book for free through Good Reads, and overall I thought it was a very romantic book! The journey that the main character goes on to find love is one of a kind, and kept my interest throughout the book. The book is a little longer than the books I typically like to read, mainly because the author is very descriptive about every detail in the book. I think the book would have been just as successful if it were a little shorter, however, I really did enjoy reading this book, and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to get swept away in a love story.
February 1, 2017
During the course of reading this book, I wasn't sure I'd like it so much. There were a few places where I felt the dialogue was stilted or unrealistic for the ages of the characters that were speaking, and a few places that moved rather slowly for my taste. But something just kept drawing me back. There are a couple mysteries in the book, one of which I immediately knew the answer to, but regarding the other one- I was completely wrong in my guess. Very poignant and heartwarming ending. All in all it's an enjoyable read.
January 19, 2015
Spellbinding!
Ah, this spellbinding love saga is outstanding. The spicy imageries and flavorful twists and turns danced all over the pages. Surely, I am impressed with the story line, it is well inscribed. Honestly, I was a little hesitant about reading this book, but when I behold the unique writing style I was captivated. Surprisingly, the well-crafted characters portrayed bottomless passions. Now that’s an A plus!
Ah, this spellbinding love saga is outstanding. The spicy imageries and flavorful twists and turns danced all over the pages. Surely, I am impressed with the story line, it is well inscribed. Honestly, I was a little hesitant about reading this book, but when I behold the unique writing style I was captivated. Surprisingly, the well-crafted characters portrayed bottomless passions. Now that’s an A plus!
February 21, 2015
Very romantic book! Wow I just can't stop reading this! I am just so amazed with this book because this book feels like it can easily happen to anyone which makes the storyline so believable. The characters are very convincing as well with very distinctive personalities. This book is definitely a movie material and wow...the writing is so exquisite , the author manages to translate the emotions of the characters into words so well.
June 1, 2015
This is one romance novel that you will be able to remember for a long time. I found the characters of this book to be perfectly vivid, and even from page one, I thought the descriptions were spot on. I found Liam to be a really easy character to like and root for, and of course that helped me enjoy the book immensely. As a person who reads romance novels quite often, I have to say that this went above and beyond my expectations. Bravo, Dan Petermeier!
December 19, 2014
This was a Goodreads win for me. I am so thankful for the author Dan Petermeier for providing me with this copy. This was a great novel from page 1 to the very last page. It was hard to put this one down. I hope there will be a sequel to this novel. This would be a great series. Again a big thanks to Dan Petermeier for this great story.
February 21, 2015
I liked Summer Letters a lot. I couldn't put it down. It's a sweet and refreshing love story and the description is excellent. I hate giving spoilers so let's just say I liked how the characters interacted and how it all came together. It had just enough suspense that I didn't know what was going to happen until the end.
March 31, 2016
I thought this book was really cute heartwarming, heartbreaking it all aspects of what you want to read in a different kind of romance book. It was a feel good book a definite good read I understand there's a trailer, possibly of the movie which I'm going to look into that. I would highly recommend the book it's a good read easy read it flows nice and smooth.
December 3, 2016
Beautiful Love Story
It took me a long time to get into the book. Longer than usual. However, once I got into it, I couldn't put it down. Such a beautiful love story that many of us dream of.
It took me a long time to get into the book. Longer than usual. However, once I got into it, I couldn't put it down. Such a beautiful love story that many of us dream of.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews