All Summer Long

Follow Your Heart #2

by Melody Carlson

When chef Tia D'Amico moves to San Francisco to help her aunt turn an old luxury yacht into an upscale restaurant, she is delighted to be reunited with childhood crush Leo Parker, only to discover that he is engaged.

Genres: Romance, Christian Fiction, Contemporary, Fiction, Christian, Christian Romance, Contemporary Romance

424 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2016

About the author

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus.

She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.

Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.

Reviews

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

After graduating from culinary arts school and having no job prospects, Christina Louise ‘Tia’ D’Amico from Norton, WA decides to work for her Uncle Tony in his restaurant. She doesn’t plan on staying long ~ just long enough to build up her resume. Unfortunately, two years later, she’s still there. When her Auntie Julie phones with a job proposal, Tia jumps at the chance. 


Her auntie has just inherited a 1958 completely restored 62-foot yacht, the Pacific Pearl, and hopes to run it as a floating restaurant with Tia as the chef! When Tia arrives in San Francisco she runs into someone from sailing camp when she was a teenager…and it changes everything! 


This was a light, fun, clean read with a character I was rooting for, a character I wanted to have a pep talk with and a character I loved to hate! I felt like I was in San Francisco and really didn’t want the book to end. 

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Warning: this book hinges on a love triangle
Haven’t I said how much I dislike love triangles? Especially super obvious ones? Especially ones where the person in the middle of the triangle is excused for flirting with someone they aren’t promised/committed to just because their own person is more or less a jerk?

So, yeah....I was not a good audience for this book.

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

All Summer Long was not that enjoyable of a read for me. I didn't like the romance. I mean, someone is engaged and then it seems like he flirts with another woman (who is the leading lady of this story). Sorry, but I didn't like that. There's more I could mention, but that would include spoilers, so I won't.

I liked the whole boat rehab and the location. I also liked how quick of a read this was, but that didn't make up for my dislike of the romance. The ending also seemed really rushed and unbelievable to me.

All in all, an okay read.

*I received a complimentary eBook copy of this book for my honest review. As always, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 3 out of 5]

About this book:

“Tia Gets a Second Chance at Love When an Old Crush Suddenly Reappears
Tia D'Amico is thrilled to move to San Francisco to help her aunt transform an old luxury yacht into an upscale floating restaurant. What's not to love? Sunset dinner cruises, upscale wedding receptions--the possibilities are endless and far more appetizing than staying in a monotonous job in her Podunk hometown. Besides, some of her best memories are tied to San Francisco--especially the memory of Leo Parker, her crush from a long-ago sailing camp.
When the same Leo Parker turns out to be the yacht's captain, Tia is floating on air. But will it all come crashing down around her when she discovers his heart belongs to someone else?”


Series: Book #2 in the “Follow Your Heart” series. (Review of Book #1, Here! But can be read as standalones.)


Spiritual Content- Prayers; Church going; Mentions of prayers & blessings over food; Mentions of church; A couple mentions of those in the Bible; A couple mentions of Amazing Grace; A couple mentions of Heaven;
*Note: A mention of astrology.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: an ‘idiot’, a ‘wimp’, two ‘dumb’s and nine forms of ‘stupid’; A bit of sarcasm & eye rolling; Mentions of drinking, bars, alcohol, wine & champagne; Mentions of vomiting; Mentions of divorce & a mom leaving; A couple mentions of smoking; A mention of gambling; A mention of a young kid who was hit by a car (no details other than he’s fine);
*Note: A couple mentions of Starbucks; Mentions of brands & magazines (GQ, Ralph Lauren, & Nine West); Mentions of secular songs.


Sexual Content- three not-detailed kisses and two semi-detailed kisses; Remembering & mentions of a kiss (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Dancing & Embraces (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing & Nearness; a ‘babe’ and five ‘baby’s; A (teasing) mention of a ball and chain (when referring to marriage); A couple mentions of kissing; A couple mentions of Tia finding a strange sense of comfort when a couple guys find her attractive; A couple mentions of a girl turning a guy’s head; A couple mentions of Tia’s mom who was involved with her boss; Mentions of marriage & engaged couples kissing and embracing; Mentions of flirting & jealousy; Mentions of dates; Love, falling in love & the emotions;
*Note: A mention of unisex clothing; A mention of a tank top & a pair of shorts.

-Tia D’Amico, age 25
P.O.V. of Tia
305 pages

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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
This was a very light romance read. I wasn’t sure how the author would wrap it up, but she did so quickly in the last 50 pages that it did feel a bit rushed. I don’t think this is her best book ever, but it was still cute and better than a Hallmark movie. ;)


Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...


*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Revell) for this honest review.

[Anna M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Melody Carlson’s “All Summer Long” is a nice slice of cheese on a summer’s day. (Although I read this in October.) It’s sweet but it’s also very, very cheesy.

As a passionate chef, Tia is excited when her aunt asks her to renovate a yacht and turn it into a dinner cruise. She is even more intrigued when she finds out she will be working with her old crush, Leo, from sailing camp. But when she discovers he is engaged, things start to get interesting.

If you’ve seen a Hallmark movie, you probably feel like you just read the Hallmark movie formula, or something similar to it. This book reads like a Hallmark movie in print. If you’re not convinced that it’s Hallmark worthy, look up ‘All Summer Long movie’ and you will discover that this book has indeed been turned into a Hallmark movie. (However, I’m not sure how similar it is to the book.) So, when I say it’s Hallmark worthy, I really mean it.

Tia as a character is sweet but a little bland. Outside of cooking and Leo, she doesn’t really have any other goals. The story itself doesn’t lend her an opportunity to grow as a character either. Everything is supremely predictable. Of course Leo is the perfect guy for her, and Leo’s fiancée isn’t the perfect girl for him, so things are obviously gonna work out alright in the end. I even caught myself guessing what was gonna happen in the next chapter, and usually I was pretty close.

The story also jump started. Tia had no time to really consider whether or not to pack up and move. Her aunt asks her to come the next day without any other forewarning, and she just gets up and leaves, excited for this new opportunity. It was very unrealistic.

Also, even though Leo and Tia were friends, and Tia was constantly struggling to be around him and his fiancé, I had a hard time believing they were actually romantic. They just seemed to go from really great friends to flirting hard really quickly after Leo and his fiancée break up. Although this is supposed to be a clean book, I think there could have been some physical attraction and flirting along the way to build up the slow-burn and actually convince readers these two people want to be together.

I could talk forever about the abundance of clichés but I’ll keep it short, because ultimately I liked it. Some people may look at me funny when I admit this, but despite how often this type of book makes me roll my eyes or cringe, I appreciate the wholesome entertainment. It’s a bit of light reading that I like to have around every once in a while, and Melody Carlson gave me exactly that.

No, I don’t recommend it to those of you who are not fans of Hallmark movies. But if you are, or at least like light reading from time to time, then please pick up this book. I could think of a lot worse books you could be reading.

[Shirley Chapel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another good story by Melody Carlson. Though it is the second book of the Follow Your Heart series it can be read as a stand alone. It was an easy and enjoyable read.
Tia had been working for her Uncle in his Italian restaurant as a chef. Her Aunt in San Francisco invites Tia to move there and help her to get a yacht she inherited, remodeled into a dinner cruise boat. Tia gladly excerpts her Aunts offer and leaves for San Francisco to start a new chapter in her life.
She gets a surprise when she arrives at the airport to learn that her Uncle there has had a heart attack and is in the hospital in ICU. Her Aunt sends the ships captain to meet her at the airport and as it turns out Tia already knows him from years ago when she used to visit her Aunt and Uncle during the summer months. She's always had a crush on him but is disappointed to learn that he is engaged to a beautiful young lady.
Leo and Tia are thrown together a lot as they prepare the yacht for the workers to come and start the remodeling project. She tries to distant herself from him but finds this impossible to do since they see each other almost everyday as they oversee the work crews . Things don't always seem right between Leo and his fiancee and Tia tries not to get involved. The closer the wedding date comes the more it seems that the couple aren't meant to be together.
Will Leo go ahead and marry his fiancee or follow his heart? Will Tia's Uncle recover from his heart attack ? Will the yacht be ready in time for the Summer season and will everything fall into place as it should?
Fans of Melody Carlson will love this contemporary romance. I highly recommend it .

[Janell R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The storyline of this book was quite lovely and incorporated many elements that I loved: an Italian background chef, a remodeling project, and beautiful word pictures of the setting which was a small dinner-cruise boat! She truly is a talented author as far as drawing you into the story and holding your attention, and I never felt like I had to ‘convince’ myself to keep reading.

However, there were some drawbacks as far as my personal preferences are concerned. Number one, I don’t particularly like love triangles, especially where a couple is already engaged, and then the main girl appears on the scene…it just doesn’t make for a very comfortable read to me. *Spoiler* toward the end of the book when he finally breaks up with his fiancee, he starts into the next relationship in a matter of a week or less…not ideal in my opinion. *End of Spoiler* Also, the spiritual content of the book seemed to portray more of a relationship-of-convenience with Jesus Christ, instead of being an integral part of the characters’ lives. There were a couple mentions of attending church. Lastly, there seemed to be no issue with imbibing alcoholic beverages.

So, as far as quality of writing I would definitely give it 4 1/2 to 5 stars, but as far as my personal thoughts on the content, I would say 3 stars.

*Disclaimer: I received this book from Revell Publishing Company in exchange for my honest review.

[Melanie Kilsby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Melody Carlson creates a beautiful summer read that makes you want to become a chef and buy a boat all in the same night!

Charm, love and forgiveness is nestled neatly within these lines. When we begin life's journey as a young adult, we realize soon life has a way of taking you places you never expected to go. So much is true for Tia in this story! She gets an offer of a life-time and gets to be a personal chef on a boat traveling, instead of working at home with her Uncle. Who wouldn't want that?

There is a bit of a love-triangle that goes on here and I really wasn't sure how Melanie was going to solve the problem of it all lol! It was quite the predicament. But she made it flawless and I loved how it ended well for all those involved. Forgiveness is a wonderful thing :D

I am not sure if I love Melanie's YA or Adult/NA Romances better? They are so good!!!

Thank you so much Melanie!
16+

Recommended as a Contemporary Christian Romance Novel
This book was given to me in return for my honest review by Revell.

[Vera Godley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a light, sweet read. So pull up a chair on the porch or at the beach or wherever you're retreating, and relax. All Summer Long moves gently through the renovation of an old yacht basking in the sun and breezes of San Francisco and the Bay. Nearby are the fabled houseboats of Sausalito and the male lead lives on one he inherited.

Having visited San Francisco several times and enjoyed the many captivating views of the City, the Bay, and the quaintness of Sausalito, I looked forward to a story set in those environs. I was not disappointed. I've seen scenes across the bay at night and in the fog and when the sun glistened on the water. I've felt the wonderful breeze. So when these were described, I felt I was there.

This is a heartwarming story that holds a charm unlike so many modern novels. Uplifting in that the main characters are people of faith and not afraid to voice their desire to pray. I love the scenes where the young folks gather on deck for gatherings around the firepit, singing and playing varied musical instruments.

This is a story that while mainly about young adults is a good read for teens, young adults, and the rest of us who have a few more years on us. A safe, clean read.

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary copy from the publisher, Revell, to facilitate this
review. I was not compensated for the review and opinions are my own, alone.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite Christian authors is Melody Carlson and I have decided this year to try and get back into reading more CF and what better author to restart than Melody Carlson and catching up on the books of hers I haven't yet read. This particular one takes place in San Francisco which I loved as in December 2013, I visited it with my friend Nina and loved it. It reminded me of Wellington where I was born in New Zealand. The different places the main character visits, I felt myself going "I've been there, I remember that place". In All Summer Long, Tia is moving back to help her Aunt Julie and her Uncle turn their yacht they have inherited into a dining experience and a floating restaurant. With Tia's cooking background, she has been hired as the chef and to help with the menu and design. This is the change she was looking for and a new start. Tia is in for a surprise as she is about to be reunited with the guy she shared her first kiss back when she was sixteen at Sailing camp when she last visited her Aunt - Leo Parkes. Leo has been hired as the ship's captain. Sparks fly and chemistry sizzles between the pair but what happens when it turns out Leo is engaged to Natalie and she is not what anyone expected for Leo. Tia tries to move on, but her heart has been captured by Leo. Can Tia take a step back and let Leo decide which girl he wants, when he takes his step back and decides to really "follow his heart"? Who will Leo choose - Tia or Natalie? Find out in All Summer Long by Melody Carlson. Now after doing some research, I discovered that Hallmark had picked up this book and made a movie and I was keen at first to give it a go but after seeing the cast and reading the plot - I just couldn't as they had the actors too old and the main guy in the movie as Jake, not Leo and it didn't help that there was a Jake in this book but he was a tiny side character. It's like come on, it's not that hard - if you are making a movie based on a book - try to stick as close with ages and names.

[Lisa M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good but I didn't like the love triangle. It got annoying.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Similar to a Hallmark movie... interesting and sweet.

[Madison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by Melody Calson, and unfortunately I did not enjoy it as much as I expected. This is also the second book in the Follow Your Heart series, but the books can be read as standalones. I enjoyed the setting of this book, most of which takes place in San Francisco aboard a boat that is being renovated. Unfortunately it was the complicated romance plot that I did not enjoy.

When Tia's aunt decides to turn an old yacht into a restaurant, Tia jumps at the chance to help out and become the head chef. But the day she arrives in town she discovers that the captain of the ship is the guy she met at sailing camp nine years ago. Just when Tia thinks they might be able to start something that never got to develop all those years ago, she learns that Leo is engaged. As they work together and become friends, it is hard for Tia to keep her emotions uninvolved.

Leo and Tia hit it off from the moment they meet. Or I should say meet again. They instantly recognise each other and resume their friendship, and in Tia's case, crush. And this is where I had some issues, because Tia is absolutely devastated when she learns Leo is engaged, and really nine years ago they only seriously knew each other for one day! It seemed totally out of proportion. In fact, many of the characters' emotions are overblown and little things are made a big deal. I would have enjoyed this more if Tia and Leo were serious friends and had slowly lost touch, or maybe if there were a few flashbacks to validate how much they meant to each other all those years ago. Tia's emotions would have been more believable. As it was, the only time I agreed with Tia and her romantic ramblings was when she told herself she was being ridiculous!!

Apart from her dramatic emotions, Tia was fairly relatable. At the start of the book, she still lives at home and her life hasn't developed in the ways she expected. She has devoted her life to her skills in the kitchen and her family, leaving her social life on the back burner. She and Leo are a good fit, but there is plenty of drama that comes from Leo's other relationship. Faith also plays a very small part in this book and, aside from a few mentions of prayer and the odd church attendance, faith did not seem to factor into the characters' decisions.

I really enjoyed the story of the boat being restored, loved the details of the redesign and enjoyed the collection of friends Tia pulls around herself. I could clearly imagine the nights aboard as they gathered around the fire pit to share music and s'mores.

Overall, this was a fun book with plenty of potential, but unfortunately the love story was not one that I enjoyed.

The publishers provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Find more reviews on my blog Madison's Library.

[Kav · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet, breezy summer romance.

Loved the whole dinner cruise angle. Most of the story takes place as the old yacht is being transformed into a floating restaurant and Carlson did an amazing job of describing it all. I could feel the deck rocking underneath my feet and smell the fresh sea air. Not to mention the descriptive food details -- foodies will be pleased. And the San Francisco setting was an added bonus.

The story is told exclusively from Tia's point of view and I liked her right off. She's ready to spread her wings and heading to San Francisco to help her aunt on a new business venture is a dream come true. But dreams can be complicated. Like when your teenage crush is the captain of the ship. What follows is a summer of discoveries -- in more ways than one.

A classic, light-hearted romance that's perfect for an afternoon escape read.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

All Summer Long by Melody Carlson is a contemporary romance and book number two in the San Francisco Romance series. It can be read as a stand-alone.
I always love Melody Carlson's novels. I must confess that this is my first book of hers that has not been a Christmas novel and I loved it.
All Summer Long is a wonderful gentle romance. It is also a book about friendship. Sometimes being a friend means sacrificing your needs and desires in order to maintain your friendship.
Closely linked to the friendship theme is that of family. Family means support. Sometimes it is travelling many miles to be there in a time of need.
The novel is also about transformation. Neither Tia nor Natalie were popular girls at Summer camp ten years ago. Now they are both transformed. There are two types of transformation - inner and outer - I shall let you read All Summer Long to find out who is transformed and how.
Looking good on the outside is okay but being good on the inside is of vital importance. Some people look perfect on the outside but are like rotten apples on the inside. Others are pearls of great price as their inner beauty just radiates outwards.
Melody Carlson shows the importance of being truthful. A little lie can easily become a big lie. Being truthful about all things is best.
Likewise keeping secrets can be harmful. Secrets can be a burden. It is far better to be open and honest.
Surprises can be great but not if the surprise is just a way of controlling others but just wrapped up in a nice parcel.
Melody Carlson has drawn some wonderful characters who are both believable and likeable. Their interactions and exchanges were delightful. The storyline was engrossing.
All Summer Long is a fabulous, light hearted, feel good novel. It's a perfect read, not just for Summer, but all year round. Melody Carlson has an engaging style that draws the reader into the story. For a perfect read I can highly recommend All Summer Long.

I received this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review. No monetary compensation was received and all views expressed are my own.

[Just Commonly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light-hearted and sweet, All Summer Long by Melody Carlson centers around the undeniable memory of a first kiss, the attraction of it and what the future holds. Having lived in San Francisco for some time, I love the "tourist-y" activities in the book, reminding me of good memories. I did enjoy the process of renovating the yacht and turning it into a restaurant, touching on construction, the needs of the chef, and the administrative aspects such as hiring and marketing. All Summer Long mainly focus on Tia and her thoughts, adding some of Leo's, giving us the full spectrum of Tia's inner emotions and fears. Though she is our main character, I wish it delve a little more into other supporting characters as well. To top it off, I'm not crazy about the process at which Tia and Leo became a couple. Of course, as readers, we love a happy ending, but to me, the development is just as important and without any gray areas to when exactly did they fall in love. There isn't a strong inspirational message, but I didn't expect one with a light read as such. Even for that note, I must say I did enjoy reading this. It was quick, light and definitely sweet throughout. Despite the process and seemingly lack of character growth, the happy ending ticked this novel up to the likable and recommend slot.


This review first appeared on Just Commonly Blog.

NOTE: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, Revell for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. For my review policy, please see my Disclosure page.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

All Summer Long is the 2nd book in the Follow Your Heart series by Melody Carlson but it can be read as a stand-alone with no problem.

I enjoyed reading about Tia and Leo's experiences in getting this cruise boat up and running and Tia's excitement at getting this chance to spread her wings. The descriptions of San Francisco were lovely and relaxing. However, I didn't really enjoy the "romance" in this book. I generally enjoy Melody Carlson's books. Her books are usually a clean, sweet, easy read. And for the most part this one was that. However, the romance between the two main characters was non-existent because he's engaged. Like I said, I enjoyed the main story line but it would have been a whole lot more engaging if you were reading about a developing romance between Tia and Leo instead of just Tia's struggle to keep her feelings to herself. Just my opinion. Also, for this to be a Christian romance, there wasn't much Christian content at all.

*Thanks to Revell Reads for a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are my own.*

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion in any way.*

2.5 stars, rounded up.

I love Melody Carlson's books, but this one isn't going to be one of my favorites, unfortunately. I couldn't root for Tia and Leo at all because he was engaged, and since that was the main plot it was hard to enjoy it. I wish the boat-turned-restaurant plot had been more fleshed out, because I found that to be a lot more interesting.

I also didn't like the ending. I didn't particularly like Natalie, but she didn't deserve being dumped for Tia. I know that's not "technically" what happened, but it's more or less what happened. I also think Leo proposing to Tia was WAY too soon, and I was shocked that she didn't even know his birthday was in December! Who gets engaged without knowing their fiance's birthday?!?

I didn't dislike this book by any means, it just wasn't quite what I'm used to getting with Melody's books.

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Carlson’s second Follow Your Heart romance takes readers to San Francisco. What a fun storyline, with the characters restoring a boat in order to provide dinner cruises. The romance angle is well written, yet it is a bit far-fetched to believe that Tia has carried a torch for so long. A fast-paced, enjoyable tale sure to please those looking for a heartfelt story.
Tia D’Amico graduated from culinary school, but has no prospects other than working in the kitchen of her family’s restaurant. When her aunt in San Francisco offers her the position of executive chef on a yacht, Tia jumps at the chance. She is surprised to discover that Leo Parker, her childhood crush, is the captain of the boat, but he also has a fiancée, who is a pretty nice person. As Tia and Leo immerse themselves in the restoration of the boat, can they deny their feelings for one another?
- See more at: http://www.rtbookreviews.com/book-rev...

[Keira-- OLD ACCOUNT · Rating 3 out of 5]

I believe this is the sixth Melody Carlson book that I've read, and I'm happy to say that I enjoyed this one. I didn't love the general plot of the story, so there were parts I skim-read just to get through it. I've never really loved it in a book where the girl has a crush on the main guy, even though he has a fiancee. This one had a very obvious love triangle thing going on, and I didn't love that. The parts about renovating the yacht were interesting, and I enjoyed the cooking portions.
I've now read two of the three books in this trilogy, and I'm going to get to the third soon, because they're very light, casual reads that you don't have to invest much in. The characters weren't overwhelmingly special, and some of the lines were pretty cheesy, but I did enjoy getting through this one, and it fulfilled everything I wanted in a quick Melody Carlson summer romance.
Also, there was virtually no faith content, which was a serious downer in my eyes.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tia gets invited to San Francisco to work as head chef on a yacht. Little does she know that a blast from the past – former crush Leo – will be the captain.

This is an innocent, sweet, young romance with all the silliness and heart-wrenching you’d expect from a twenty-something with a mad crush. Carlson makes no bones about providing a few life lessons throughout the story, but for the most part it’s a fun look at boating and cooking. Carlson writes in wonderful friendships and fellowship, and includes solid family relationships as well. This romance is squeaky clean – just a couple of appropriate kisses – and perfect for young adults.

https://randombookmuses.com/2016/06/0...

NetGalley provided an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Bungluna · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea of a second chance at love with an adolescent crush is wad got me to read this book. However, there is little passion involved, and I don't mean the physical type. The hero is engaged from the get go but doesn't seem to feel much passion for his fiance. The heroine pines for the hero, but really doesn't feel passion for him either. There's mention of praying and going to Church, but no passion for faith either. The whole story felt flat, except for the part to do with prepping a yacht as a dinner cruise ship. That did show some passion at least.

[Duchessbookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

**My Mom's Review**

I really enjoyed reading this book and appreciate this clean romance story. I looked forward to spending time with the characters. The details of the different settings really draw you in and are fun to get to know. The characters aren't without their struggles, but provide a positive example as the issues are resolved. Great happy endings, I look forward to more books in this series.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't really tell if this was an inspie or not, because there's a weird god diversion in the middle (I am not opposed to god, it just felt a little abrupt) and then not much else, plus it's fundamentally about an emotional affair even if it claims that it isn't. So idk.

But at any rate, the writing was mediocre at best and the genre confusion did not help.

[Heather andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book, I loved Tia and Leo. I was worried about me liking the book when I read the blurb, but I really had nothing to fear because I enjoyed the book.

[CarolynB · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a light, cute, quick read which I thoroughly enjoyed. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Jennifer Maloney · Rating 1 out of 5]

Where do I even start with this one?

First of all, I did like the writing style. It was easy to read and very quick. I didn't have trouble keeping characters or plot-lines straight. It was a good summer-read type of writing style.


The problem was the horrible protagonist. She was genuinely awful. Like I would never want to meet and try to befriend her. Ever. She has the romantic maturity of a sheltered 12 year old, despite being 26. A guy so much as looks at her and she starts worrying that she's "sending him the wrong signals" and "leading him on". Like girl, relax... he's just being friendly. Calm down. A male side-character offered to pick her up some dinner once (because he had a car and she didn't) and she completed freaked out, worrying that it was a date, that she would have to let him down easy, and searching her heart to ensure that she didn't have any romantic feelings for him. I mean, seriously?? CALM DOWN!! He's literally just a friend who offered to run to the store for you. No flirting. No dating. No insinuations. I don't even know how her mind interpreted what he did to be something potentially romantic. Ironically, when one of the female side characters literally said to her, "I'd like to take you on a date," she didn't construe it as even remotely romantic. (It wasn't, but that's beside the point). I don't know how she manages to take the most innocent of situations and make them romantic in her mind, but then when someone says something that could literally be taken romantically, it doesn't even occur to her.

She also has a tendency to be secretive, shady, and sometimes downright rude, all under the guise of trying to be a good Christian woman. She goes through most of the book trying to avoid the guy she's crushing on, simply because she's crushing on him when he has a fiance. Like that doesn't mean you have to be mean to the poor guy. Get over yourself. He's your coworker and seems to be a genuinely nice guy. Why do you have to be a crappy friend? On the flip side of things, she started keeping secrets from him that would potentially really, really hurt him, all because she promised his fiance she would. It's one thing to be true to your word, but you're purposefully hurting your friend now. If a mobster made you promise that you wouldn't tell your family he planned to murder them, would you keep that secret? Sometimes protecting the people you care about comes first over breaking a secret to someone you hardly know and have little respect for. The kicker was, when she finally succeeded in being honest in the book, it was to the shady fiance, and she was so flippin' rude about it. Like yelling and judging and just being so so so rude. How exactly is that a caring, Christian reaction?

If all that wasn't enough, the ending. Oh the freaking ending... Wow...

So out of nowhere, this guy who has never once flirted with her in the entire book, GRABS her and kisses her. Like out of nowhere. Seriously no build up whatsoever. Suddenly they're "dating" and she's worrying about seeming like "the other woman" and how people will perceive this new couple-hood. Will her mind never stop? She overthinks everything!! Is it shady that you're with this guy who literally just broke up a minute ago? YES! So instead of worrying about what people think, maybe you should listen to your gut for once and not do it! To make matters worse, he PROPOSES after they've been together a month. A MONTH! What the...? I am so confused. Yes they seem like they're probably perfect for each other, but there was literally no chemistry between them at all for the entire book and now suddenly they're engaged? That's seriously the most unromantic engagement story I've ever read. Ugh. Kind of creepy actually.


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I haven't read enough of this author to know if this is how she normally writes her characters, so I'm actually curious to read more. Like I mentioned at the beginning, the actual writing style was fun and quick. So... I'll probably be submitting myself to more of this at some point. Hopefully her other characters are more mature and less narcissistic, judgmental and rude.

[Clwseattle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I first encountered Melody Carlson in the "Grace Chapel Inn" books, (which, sadly, are getting harder to find) and Courting Mr. Emerson is just wonderful. In those books her writing is mature and, as I wrote previously, "is kind, soothing and gentle. Even in discussing religion and God, she does it gracefully and with a gentle touch."

Not so with All Summer Long. Yes, the main character is kind. But the writing about her flashes of kindness seem forced and make her appear to be less than genuine. Nothing about the writing of All Summer Long conveys maturity in the main characters. The dialogue is both wooden and juvenile. The story is formulaic and predictable. Someone made the good point that although they are certainly excited to rehab the yacht, there is no such zeal or depth of feelings in the characters or for each other. I agree.

I'm not entirely sure a heart patient would be eating cannelloni, bread and tiramisu before, or after, a quadruple bypass. It seems rather unlikely.

All Summer Long is listed as "Romance fiction, Christian fiction and Religious fiction" It falls short on on all three. Merely mentioning attending church and referencing saying a prayer occasionally does not make a story "religious".

2 Stars, generously

[Danielle Turko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tia is feeling in a rut. When she graduated culinary school, staying at her family restaurant wasn't necessarily what she had in mind. When her aunt calls and invites her to be the head chef on a dinner cruise boat she's planning to open, Tia jumps at the chance. When she gets off the plane, she discovers her uncles health issues have landed him in the hospital, and the ships captain is going to pick her up. The captain who she knew when she was 16 and attended a sailing camp, and they shared her first kiss on the last day. When she sees him again now, a decade later, she is sure this is their second chance. When she discovers Leo is now engaged, she feels all her hopes and dreams come crashing down, but she's determined to make the best of it. As she gets to know Leo more, and his fiancee, she realizes this won't be easy but she's determined to not get in the way of true love, and still keep her dream of being a great chef.
This book wasn't quite as rushed an ending as the previous book in the series, although I still wished it was slightly more detailed. The ending was really sweet, and the characters were all very likable. Another great book from Melody Carlson

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

A non nonsense young woman who is a chef gets the chance help open a floating restaurant with her aunt in San Fransisco harbor - a dream come true. Her dream becomes challenging when she has work along side a guy she had met as a teen, her first love. Sounds great, except he's engaged to a woman who wants to change him into someone unrecognizable and more acceptable to his family. How do they all work it out?
+ SF scenery, boat trips, sunsets +wonderful descriptions of food made me hungry + close knit family supportive of each other during challenging times medical problems +religion depicted as part of life but not preachy
p.63 She considered herself a realist, pragmatic and practical. If something broke, she would try to fix it. If it couldn't be fixed, she would move one. In this case, she needed to move on. If not physically then emotionally.