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Strawberry Summer
Just because you’re through with your past, doesn’t mean it’s through with you.
Margaret Beringer didn’t have an easy adolescence. She hated her name, was less than popular in school, and was always cast aside as a “farm kid.” However, with the arrival of Courtney Carrington, Margaret’s youth sparked into color. Courtney was smart, beautiful, and put together—everything Margaret wasn’t. Who would have imagined that they’d fit together so perfectly?
But first loves can scar.
Margaret hasn’t seen Courtney in years and that’s for the best. But when Courtney loses her father and returns to Tanner Peak to take control of the family store, Margaret comes face-to-face with her past and the woman she’s tried desperately to forget. The fact that Courtney has grown up more beautiful than ever certainly doesn’t help matters.
Margaret Beringer didn’t have an easy adolescence. She hated her name, was less than popular in school, and was always cast aside as a “farm kid.” However, with the arrival of Courtney Carrington, Margaret’s youth sparked into color. Courtney was smart, beautiful, and put together—everything Margaret wasn’t. Who would have imagined that they’d fit together so perfectly?
But first loves can scar.
Margaret hasn’t seen Courtney in years and that’s for the best. But when Courtney loses her father and returns to Tanner Peak to take control of the family store, Margaret comes face-to-face with her past and the woman she’s tried desperately to forget. The fact that Courtney has grown up more beautiful than ever certainly doesn’t help matters.
264 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2017
138 people are currently reading
4009 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Brayden
32 books2,758 followersMelissa Brayden is the multi-award winning author of more than twenty-five sapphic romance novels and is hard at work on more. She is a wine enthusiast, a fan of all donuts, and is probably staring off into space as you're reading this. You can find her at www.melissabrayden.com and on most social media sites.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 388 reviews
October 13, 2021
'NetGalley ARC provided by The Publisher in exchange for an honest review'
**'Books must be written,not talked..It's always a part of a writers' purpose as a storyteller to first create characters that the readers will be anxious for..'
Decent read!
An interesting and romantic story:- good structured,from the page layouts to the narration,then the account of both leading character (Margaret & Courtney) whether in their past and present,is an excellent exposition of unreciprocated teenage love and angst --: making their emotions and actions feel both real & raw. There were few missteps,regrettable comments and questionable relationships that the author included in the storyline but i choose not to dive into it will rather let readers feather through while reading because some of the details were a bit detracting from the real root of what i think readers should know about them which eventually did show how they felt naturally,their heartwarming energy,unapologetic,unshakable love,incredible chemistry and their dash of heartache that led both to one another. This journey was encouraging to both leading character along the way with their friends and precious family who all saw where they will go into their future lives -- a well written book. Highly recommend to everyone!
**'Books must be written,not talked..It's always a part of a writers' purpose as a storyteller to first create characters that the readers will be anxious for..'
Decent read!
An interesting and romantic story:- good structured,from the page layouts to the narration,then the account of both leading character (Margaret & Courtney) whether in their past and present,is an excellent exposition of unreciprocated teenage love and angst --: making their emotions and actions feel both real & raw. There were few missteps,regrettable comments and questionable relationships that the author included in the storyline but i choose not to dive into it will rather let readers feather through while reading because some of the details were a bit detracting from the real root of what i think readers should know about them which eventually did show how they felt naturally,their heartwarming energy,unapologetic,unshakable love,incredible chemistry and their dash of heartache that led both to one another. This journey was encouraging to both leading character along the way with their friends and precious family who all saw where they will go into their future lives -- a well written book. Highly recommend to everyone!
March 29, 2017
Loved this! I'm a big Brayden fan (well who isn't?) so I was excited about this book. In reading some of the reviews, I realized this was going to be different that some of her recent books. It was different. The first half of the book is YA or maybe New Adult would be better. Then the second half is in present time when they are in their late 20's. I'm not big on flashbacks, so I was a little worried about it. Luckily it is all in the first half and didn't switch back and forth. I liked this much better and had no problems getting into the story. The other difference in this book was that it had a bit of a heavier feel to it. I cried more than once. It reminded me more of Braydens first book Waiting in the Wings, which is my favorite. It may be why I loved this book so much. Because this book was heavier, it made you feel for the characters. You just really connect to them, especially Maggie, who's head space we are in. This is a perfect example of how to write a really good first person story.
I don't want to go into the storyline too much to spoiler anything. I will say the characters are great. The romance and love story is off the charts. The sex scenes are steamy and these characters have unbelievable chemistry. There is some drama and some angst that drew me to tears. Overall this is just a well written, enjoyable Brayden book.
For me this is a must have for romance fans. Fans of good YA or NA will also enjoy this. Brayden did not have any trouble writing about teenagers. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read anything else Brayden writes.
P.S. I have been in a reading funk this past week. This book was perfect to break that funk and get me reading again. It's nice to be able to count on how good a Brayden book will be.
An ARC was given to me by Bold Strokes Books, for a honest review.
I don't want to go into the storyline too much to spoiler anything. I will say the characters are great. The romance and love story is off the charts. The sex scenes are steamy and these characters have unbelievable chemistry. There is some drama and some angst that drew me to tears. Overall this is just a well written, enjoyable Brayden book.
For me this is a must have for romance fans. Fans of good YA or NA will also enjoy this. Brayden did not have any trouble writing about teenagers. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read anything else Brayden writes.
P.S. I have been in a reading funk this past week. This book was perfect to break that funk and get me reading again. It's nice to be able to count on how good a Brayden book will be.
An ARC was given to me by Bold Strokes Books, for a honest review.
March 9, 2017
In her last five books, Melissa Brayden's pretty much mastered the art of intricately balancing smart, vivacious women, sparkling banter, and delicious sexual tension, sprinkled with a manageable dash of heart-tugging angst, to kind of produce a perfect blend of lesbian romance that just... entertains...without being overly serious or campy. Okay, I'm sure every other contemporary lesbian romance writer is doing a variation of that, or is trying to, but Ms. Brayden seems to have perfected that formula.
Strawberry Summer is a bit of a departure from that formula in that for a good 70% of the time, its a lengthy flashback to the past--to a time when the protagonists were in their teens, making this primarily a YA book. Which is perfectly fine for readers who love YA (unfortunately, not me). Completely missing from that part is the author’s trademark wit and sass. I'm sure she was trying for earnestness and innocence, the leads being teenagers, but it doesn't make very engaging reading. :). Okay, It might have been more interesting if there was tension or conflict somewhere...anywhere… (lol, do I sound desperate?) And one more thing, this is told from a first person point of view, so we're stuck with the voice of a character who, to me, was the less interesting of the two. And on more than one occasion, she came across as self-absorbed and downright selfish. And more than once, I (not knowing Courtney’s background then) wondered what Courtney saw in her. I realize I'm being too harsh, but this part of the book doesn't approach the charm and appeal of a typical Brayden book. It's nice enough, I guess, if you haven't tried her other work. On the other hand, I'll have to admit it's an honest portrayal. But if she's going for serious (and that's not her style), it doesn't go deep enough.
The surprising thing (which is really unsurprising if you know the author’s strength) is that things take a complete u-turn when the timeline reverts back to the present. Everything about the last 30% of the book is vintage Brayden. Every. Little. Thing. And it totally saves the book. If you're a Brayden fan, don't let my review discourage you. Even 30% of Brayden is better than a 100% of many other writers, at least, when it comes to entertainment value. ;)
Hmm, I can't help but wonder if the narrative had been structured in such a way that the timelines go back and forth, instead of being stuck for so long in the past, the book might have been less dragging. But I'd much rather have the book end on a high note, in typical Brayden style, than if it had taken a nosedive at the end.
Special mention needs to be made for a bunch of amazing side characters like Travis and Maggie’s parents (are they for real?), and even the dog! I also feel that Courtney would have been a much more nuanced and sympathetic character than Maggie (am I being too obvious Im in love with Courtney?;)), if her pov had been explored. Especially her self-identification as bi-sexual (she isn't, even if she thinks she is). And really, does she have to be absolutely movie-star beautiful? (I know, I know..that's typical Brayden :)… But that's one thing that won't hurt the book one bit, you know, if the author ever decides to depart from her formula again. ;)
3.5 for the first 65%
5 for the remainder
ARC from Netgalley / BSB
Strawberry Summer is a bit of a departure from that formula in that for a good 70% of the time, its a lengthy flashback to the past--to a time when the protagonists were in their teens, making this primarily a YA book. Which is perfectly fine for readers who love YA (unfortunately, not me). Completely missing from that part is the author’s trademark wit and sass. I'm sure she was trying for earnestness and innocence, the leads being teenagers, but it doesn't make very engaging reading. :). Okay, It might have been more interesting if there was tension or conflict somewhere...anywhere… (lol, do I sound desperate?) And one more thing, this is told from a first person point of view, so we're stuck with the voice of a character who, to me, was the less interesting of the two. And on more than one occasion, she came across as self-absorbed and downright selfish. And more than once, I (not knowing Courtney’s background then) wondered what Courtney saw in her. I realize I'm being too harsh, but this part of the book doesn't approach the charm and appeal of a typical Brayden book. It's nice enough, I guess, if you haven't tried her other work. On the other hand, I'll have to admit it's an honest portrayal. But if she's going for serious (and that's not her style), it doesn't go deep enough.
The surprising thing (which is really unsurprising if you know the author’s strength) is that things take a complete u-turn when the timeline reverts back to the present. Everything about the last 30% of the book is vintage Brayden. Every. Little. Thing. And it totally saves the book. If you're a Brayden fan, don't let my review discourage you. Even 30% of Brayden is better than a 100% of many other writers, at least, when it comes to entertainment value. ;)
Hmm, I can't help but wonder if the narrative had been structured in such a way that the timelines go back and forth, instead of being stuck for so long in the past, the book might have been less dragging. But I'd much rather have the book end on a high note, in typical Brayden style, than if it had taken a nosedive at the end.
Special mention needs to be made for a bunch of amazing side characters like Travis and Maggie’s parents (are they for real?), and even the dog! I also feel that Courtney would have been a much more nuanced and sympathetic character than Maggie (am I being too obvious Im in love with Courtney?;)), if her pov had been explored. Especially her self-identification as bi-sexual (she isn't, even if she thinks she is). And really, does she have to be absolutely movie-star beautiful? (I know, I know..that's typical Brayden :)… But that's one thing that won't hurt the book one bit, you know, if the author ever decides to depart from her formula again. ;)
3.5 for the first 65%
5 for the remainder
ARC from Netgalley / BSB
April 1, 2018
5 “Melissa Brayden is a fav now” Stars
↥
I FEEL THAT QUOTE IN MY SOUL. It explains my sexuality in simpler words than my poem. yes. I did just promote myself.
Disclaimer: Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.
➽ FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED
So this one of the few books I have given 5 stars this year, and I haven’t written a review yet, SHAME ON ME. But also clap your hands because my guilt made me write the review.
This was the second book I read from Melissa, and I fell deeper in love with her writing and stories. It was very sapphic, refreshing, cute, fun and a bit angsty. It definitely had a bit more drama than Eyes Like Those. All my friends or people I follow that are religious readers of this author kept saying this was their least favorite book, so I started this journey with extremely low expectations, and it paid so well. I LOVED IT.
Plot wise this book is very simple. Maggie lives in a small town in California, where she thinks she is the only closeted lesbian, which has never been a problem since she didn’t involve much with her classmates. Until one they Courtney moves to town and basically changes her reality. We see the development of their relationship during various years of their lives, and I was freaking rooting for them to be together like nobody ever. The story was always moving, and it didn’t feel boring at all.
Courtney and Summer overtook my life for a minute there, but the side characters were also very precious and well written. I had a special bond with Courtney because I could identify myself with her, her sexuality and ambition. Maggie was also great, and she grew so much during the whole book. I was a huge fan of Maggie's family, they were so supportive and fun, especially her mom, I mean she wrote smutty novels! The way we can see how the bond with people changes during the years, was freaking awesome, you know, not everything stays the same. I actually loved so much some of our side characters that my heart was overdose with feels.
The romance, was so sweet and pure. It started as a friendship but then the kiss scene happened, one of my favorites of all time may I say, and the butterflies in my stomach just kept growing. The relationship was real, it underwent difficulties all couples could identify with, it was perfect. Also, Melissa added a bit more drama than the last novel I read by her and I loved it, it made more invested in everything. Also, the sex scenes were just the perfect amount of hotness.
So you may have read my review so far and be like, honestly it doesn’t sound that special why do you love it so much?
I feel I am getting hungrier and hungrier for lgbtqia+ books were coming out is not a huge part of the story. At least not in a depressing and sad way.I deal with enough in my everyday life In books, I am searching for escape and ways to live my perfect life, and this book fell into my hands in the perfect moment. It was very queer and very cute and heartwarming. Also, that small town vibe was so tuned with my marathon of Gilmore Girls, but with more rainbows.
My challenge this year: I have decided to read all the current books Melissa has out. I am an addict.
I recommend this if you are looking for a cute, heartwarming, romantic and hot sapphic read.
"If I had to describe it, I would say that my attraction to another person doesn't seem to be tied to their gender. It just doesn't, and I can't fully explain that. For me, attraction is about everything wrapped into one. What the person looks like, how they make me feel, how we connect. All of it. At least that's what I've experienced so far."
↥
I FEEL THAT QUOTE IN MY SOUL. It explains my sexuality in simpler words than my poem.
Disclaimer: Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.
➽ FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED
So this one of the few books I have given 5 stars this year, and I haven’t written a review yet, SHAME ON ME. But also clap your hands because my guilt made me write the review.
This was the second book I read from Melissa, and I fell deeper in love with her writing and stories. It was very sapphic, refreshing, cute, fun and a bit angsty. It definitely had a bit more drama than Eyes Like Those. All my friends or people I follow that are religious readers of this author kept saying this was their least favorite book, so I started this journey with extremely low expectations, and it paid so well. I LOVED IT.
Plot wise this book is very simple. Maggie lives in a small town in California, where she thinks she is the only closeted lesbian, which has never been a problem since she didn’t involve much with her classmates. Until one they Courtney moves to town and basically changes her reality. We see the development of their relationship during various years of their lives, and I was freaking rooting for them to be together like nobody ever. The story was always moving, and it didn’t feel boring at all.
Courtney and Summer overtook my life for a minute there, but the side characters were also very precious and well written. I had a special bond with Courtney because I could identify myself with her, her sexuality and ambition. Maggie was also great, and she grew so much during the whole book. I was a huge fan of Maggie's family, they were so supportive and fun, especially her mom, I mean she wrote smutty novels! The way we can see how the bond with people changes during the years, was freaking awesome, you know, not everything stays the same. I actually loved so much some of our side characters that my heart was overdose with feels.
The romance, was so sweet and pure. It started as a friendship but then the kiss scene happened, one of my favorites of all time may I say, and the butterflies in my stomach just kept growing. The relationship was real, it underwent difficulties all couples could identify with, it was perfect. Also, Melissa added a bit more drama than the last novel I read by her and I loved it, it made more invested in everything. Also, the sex scenes were just the perfect amount of hotness.
So you may have read my review so far and be like, honestly it doesn’t sound that special why do you love it so much?
I feel I am getting hungrier and hungrier for lgbtqia+ books were coming out is not a huge part of the story. At least not in a depressing and sad way.
My challenge this year: I have decided to read all the current books Melissa has out. I am an addict.
I recommend this if you are looking for a cute, heartwarming, romantic and hot sapphic read.
April 26, 2017
Just like the most recent Jae book, Falling Hard I believe it was/is titled, there is nothing specifically 'wrong' with the latest offering from either author. There just wasn't anything specifically special about either. And I kind of expect special from Brayden and special from Jae. It's unfair of me, I know, but . . . that's one of those risks that occur when you read an author enough to put them into a 'must read' category.
One positive - the book kept veering into directions where I just knew I'd be annoyed - that traps would be sprung, clichés would be expressed, but the book kept from going that extra annoying step. So kept from springing the traps and clichés of other books.
This book here stars Maggie who is was and always will be a lesbian – even her family knew that (though Maggie herself hadn’t gotten around to telling them). She ends up entangled with another woman and they have something of a relationship. Nothing of Courtney’s view is seen, though, just Maggie’s. One of the vaguely cliché parts is the part where Courtney, reminiscent of a Gun Brooke book, has a dick of a rich father and a either almost not there mother, or a not-interfering with dick father mother (though, to be fair to Brooke, one of her books does have the ‘dick’ parent be the mother). But then some of the steps I expected to have happen . . . didn’t actually happen – some of the roads traveled down in other books that involve rich dickish parents and young women trying to live their life (either outside of their control, within their control, or some mix).
I took the opportunity offered to mention one of the ‘traps’ and messed up my paragraph. Mmphs.
ETA: part of that 'messed up my paragraph' was the part where I wanted to emphasis that Maggie was a lesbian, while Courtney just 'was', she doesn't like labels, though, boiled down, Maggie 'labels her' as a bisexual (since Courtney lusts after who she lusts after, regardless of gender, and Maggie sees that as bisexual).
Book opens with a prologue. Margaret is hopping around town, somewhere around 26 or so, and somewhere ‘Now’ (It is unclear when the events of this book occur – judging by the constant mention of Facebook, and how the town just put up a Facebook page, and how Facebook was founded in 2004 . . . I’d put the flashback years somewhere around 2006 to 2010, depending on how ‘slow’ the town was to jump on the bandwagon, and the ‘Now’ time at about 2015 to 2017 (the now time is 7 years after the flashback time, wait, I know – the characters are roughly 24-25 in now time then since they were roughly 16-17 in the flashback years (wait, no, started at roughly 16, ended at roughly . . . 19? 20? So somewhere around 26-27 in the Now years)). While Margaret is hopping around doing her thing, she runs across Courtney – who she hasn’t seen in a long time. And doesn’t really want to see now. Bad situation all around – the two had dated when they were even younger than they are now and it ended badly.
Then the book proceeds to spend a good long portion, maybe 65% or so of the book, in a ‘flashback’ back to high school and college (part of my problem of dates – we kept having ‘we did this here [insert scene] *the next summer* [insert scene] *the next summer* [insert scene] *2 summers later* [scene] *9 months later* [scene] *six months later* [scene]’ and by the end of all that I’ve no real clue how much time actually passed, though I got the impression a ton of time passed.
In terms of characters and growth . . . I didn’t really notice as much as I’d expect. Though I’m basing that almost entirely on how throughout the story Margaret had a massive chip on her shoulder and was a reverse-snob – anyone who was slightly popular, fashionable, etc., was assumed to be a asshole; and you - the reader – saw that crop up through time in the flashbacks (didn’t want to be near Melanie and group because they were fashionable/popular, though it was more Margaret’s issue not theirs (which she saw, once she actually talked with them, as them ‘chilling the hell out’ but . . heh, no, it was Maggie actually talking with them and not being a dick to them – hell, her own older brother was the most popular kid when he was at the high school, so all that ‘farm kid vs. town kid’ was probably there but not to the extent Maggie thought it was; years later Maggie made snide comments about Courtney’s Chicago friends based on their supposed snobbishness; then in the ‘Now’ sections Maggie was still making comments like that – though she tried, at least, to stop herself and to suppress them they still existed. She’s a successful real estate agent and had a successful management level second job with the strawberry farm and she still had this chip on her shoulder – though she was friends with some of those who she said had to chill out before she would be friends with them).
Basically my point is that everything is from Maggie’s point of view, and therefore ‘unfair’ to Courtney’s side of things and yet, Maggie is the one coming off ‘bad’ here. So, there’s that.
Wow, this is a bunch of stream of conscious gibberish. Mmphs.
Rating: 3.48
April 25 2017
One positive - the book kept veering into directions where I just knew I'd be annoyed - that traps would be sprung, clichés would be expressed, but the book kept from going that extra annoying step. So kept from springing the traps and clichés of other books.
This book here stars Maggie who is was and always will be a lesbian – even her family knew that (though Maggie herself hadn’t gotten around to telling them). She ends up entangled with another woman and they have something of a relationship. Nothing of Courtney’s view is seen, though, just Maggie’s. One of the vaguely cliché parts is the part where Courtney, reminiscent of a Gun Brooke book, has a dick of a rich father and a either almost not there mother, or a not-interfering with dick father mother (though, to be fair to Brooke, one of her books does have the ‘dick’ parent be the mother). But then some of the steps I expected to have happen . . . didn’t actually happen – some of the roads traveled down in other books that involve rich dickish parents and young women trying to live their life (either outside of their control, within their control, or some mix).
I took the opportunity offered to mention one of the ‘traps’ and messed up my paragraph. Mmphs.
ETA: part of that 'messed up my paragraph' was the part where I wanted to emphasis that Maggie was a lesbian, while Courtney just 'was', she doesn't like labels, though, boiled down, Maggie 'labels her' as a bisexual (since Courtney lusts after who she lusts after, regardless of gender, and Maggie sees that as bisexual).
Book opens with a prologue. Margaret is hopping around town, somewhere around 26 or so, and somewhere ‘Now’ (It is unclear when the events of this book occur – judging by the constant mention of Facebook, and how the town just put up a Facebook page, and how Facebook was founded in 2004 . . . I’d put the flashback years somewhere around 2006 to 2010, depending on how ‘slow’ the town was to jump on the bandwagon, and the ‘Now’ time at about 2015 to 2017 (the now time is 7 years after the flashback time, wait, I know – the characters are roughly 24-25 in now time then since they were roughly 16-17 in the flashback years (wait, no, started at roughly 16, ended at roughly . . . 19? 20? So somewhere around 26-27 in the Now years)). While Margaret is hopping around doing her thing, she runs across Courtney – who she hasn’t seen in a long time. And doesn’t really want to see now. Bad situation all around – the two had dated when they were even younger than they are now and it ended badly.
Then the book proceeds to spend a good long portion, maybe 65% or so of the book, in a ‘flashback’ back to high school and college (part of my problem of dates – we kept having ‘we did this here [insert scene] *the next summer* [insert scene] *the next summer* [insert scene] *2 summers later* [scene] *9 months later* [scene] *six months later* [scene]’ and by the end of all that I’ve no real clue how much time actually passed, though I got the impression a ton of time passed.
In terms of characters and growth . . . I didn’t really notice as much as I’d expect. Though I’m basing that almost entirely on how throughout the story Margaret had a massive chip on her shoulder and was a reverse-snob – anyone who was slightly popular, fashionable, etc., was assumed to be a asshole; and you - the reader – saw that crop up through time in the flashbacks (didn’t want to be near Melanie and group because they were fashionable/popular, though it was more Margaret’s issue not theirs (which she saw, once she actually talked with them, as them ‘chilling the hell out’ but . . heh, no, it was Maggie actually talking with them and not being a dick to them – hell, her own older brother was the most popular kid when he was at the high school, so all that ‘farm kid vs. town kid’ was probably there but not to the extent Maggie thought it was; years later Maggie made snide comments about Courtney’s Chicago friends based on their supposed snobbishness; then in the ‘Now’ sections Maggie was still making comments like that – though she tried, at least, to stop herself and to suppress them they still existed. She’s a successful real estate agent and had a successful management level second job with the strawberry farm and she still had this chip on her shoulder – though she was friends with some of those who she said had to chill out before she would be friends with them).
Basically my point is that everything is from Maggie’s point of view, and therefore ‘unfair’ to Courtney’s side of things and yet, Maggie is the one coming off ‘bad’ here. So, there’s that.
Wow, this is a bunch of stream of conscious gibberish. Mmphs.
Rating: 3.48
April 25 2017
March 4, 2017
Ouch. Trust me when I say that it pains me to give this the lowest rating of all the other Melissa Brayden books I've read. This isn't bad, but Brayen isn't the most popular writers amongst lesbian romance readers for writing "decent" books. She writes the kind of book that you never want to put down and they leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy afterwards. So this was a little disappointing, especially coming after a killer like First Position.
Brayden tends to follow a similar formula in all of her books. Because of the whole flashback thing, this one deviates a little from that formula, but that made it more similar to Brayden's debut novel, Waiting in the Wings. That was unfortunate, because I happen to love Waiting In The Wings a little too much, flaws and all, and I just didn't love this one.
In WITW, the time jump is unexpected. They have a short-term relationship and then suddenly it's over and a lot of time passed and the book focuses on them meeting again and rebuilding that relationship after so long. Here, from the first chapter we already know things ended badly between Maggie and Courtney, but then the book spends a whole lot of time telling us their story from the beginning. This format is tricky because it's hard to get too invested in that story when we're always waiting for the tragic breakup to happen, and this is what really ruined the book for me.
This was also told in first-person, which I didn't mind at all in WITW, and that brings me to my biggest problem with this book: I found Maggie boring. Not because she's a small town farm girl or whatever. I think the worst was her narration. The girls were in high school when they met, which means Brayden ventured into YA territory here, and... it could've been better. Maggie kept saying (and/or thinking) over and over again that she's "so boring", that she'd rather stay on her own than hang out with the popular kids (whom she blatantly misjudged without even giving them the benefit of the doubt), that her life is "pathetic". I'm admittedly not a fan of small town romances in general but Brayden did that too in How Sweet It Is and Molly wasn't like this.
The similarities between this and WITW don't end there. Courtney, like Adrienne, had family issues and therefore expected her love interest to prioritize her and show her that she mattered. The major breakup reason in both books was pretty much the same. I didn't mean to keep comparing this to WITW as I read it, but it was hard not to notice.
There were still some really great scenes, but overall, the truth is I was unimpressed. I hate to sound so harsh, but as someone who loves Brayden's work, I just expected better.
ARC received by Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Brayden tends to follow a similar formula in all of her books. Because of the whole flashback thing, this one deviates a little from that formula, but that made it more similar to Brayden's debut novel, Waiting in the Wings. That was unfortunate, because I happen to love Waiting In The Wings a little too much, flaws and all, and I just didn't love this one.
In WITW, the time jump is unexpected. They have a short-term relationship and then suddenly it's over and a lot of time passed and the book focuses on them meeting again and rebuilding that relationship after so long. Here, from the first chapter we already know things ended badly between Maggie and Courtney, but then the book spends a whole lot of time telling us their story from the beginning. This format is tricky because it's hard to get too invested in that story when we're always waiting for the tragic breakup to happen, and this is what really ruined the book for me.
This was also told in first-person, which I didn't mind at all in WITW, and that brings me to my biggest problem with this book: I found Maggie boring. Not because she's a small town farm girl or whatever. I think the worst was her narration. The girls were in high school when they met, which means Brayden ventured into YA territory here, and... it could've been better. Maggie kept saying (and/or thinking) over and over again that she's "so boring", that she'd rather stay on her own than hang out with the popular kids (whom she blatantly misjudged without even giving them the benefit of the doubt), that her life is "pathetic". I'm admittedly not a fan of small town romances in general but Brayden did that too in How Sweet It Is and Molly wasn't like this.
The similarities between this and WITW don't end there. Courtney, like Adrienne, had family issues and therefore expected her love interest to prioritize her and show her that she mattered. The major breakup reason in both books was pretty much the same. I didn't mean to keep comparing this to WITW as I read it, but it was hard not to notice.
There were still some really great scenes, but overall, the truth is I was unimpressed. I hate to sound so harsh, but as someone who loves Brayden's work, I just expected better.
ARC received by Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 21, 2017
5, Fan-freakn-tastic, big fat stars!!
This is the first book I've read by Melissa Brayden so I had no idea what to expect. With that said, I didn't expect it to blow me out of the ballpark.
The story starts in present day and then back tracks to the time the two heroines were in school. Some might say that means this story fits into the YA category. However, I'm loathe to say such as I am not a fan of YA stories, yet I reveled in every little glimpse I got into the lives of these characters.
I don't want to give a single thing away about the plot, because I want other readers to experience things firsthand.
What I will say is - it made me smile, it made me cry, it made me angry, it made me happy, and finally it left me emotionally fulfilled.
Copy provided by the publisher, Bold Strokes Books, via NetGalley
This is the first book I've read by Melissa Brayden so I had no idea what to expect. With that said, I didn't expect it to blow me out of the ballpark.
The story starts in present day and then back tracks to the time the two heroines were in school. Some might say that means this story fits into the YA category. However, I'm loathe to say such as I am not a fan of YA stories, yet I reveled in every little glimpse I got into the lives of these characters.
I don't want to give a single thing away about the plot, because I want other readers to experience things firsthand.
What I will say is - it made me smile, it made me cry, it made me angry, it made me happy, and finally it left me emotionally fulfilled.
Copy provided by the publisher, Bold Strokes Books, via NetGalley
January 24, 2020
If there is one book I would love to hug and never let go, it'll be Strawberry Summer by Brayden.
Yes, my GR account hasn't been hijacked. This is me, Farah Ibrahim, reviewing and rating a Melissa Brayden's book with nothing but pure love.
The characters are imperfect and flawed, yet completely and utterly lovable. If you desire only a happy story that leads seamlessly into a perfect relationship, consider looking elsewhere for your next read. However, I can almost guarantee that you'll fall hard for this incredible cast of characters and that this book will stay with you long after reading. It does everything BUT disappoints.
The things I love about Maggie is, she is fragile in some ways, but absolutely tough as nails in others. She isn't helpless or frail, despite a part of her soul being broken. She is strong, intelligent, witty, perceptive and although she makes choices that people around her don't understand, they are her choices to make. She is sad and angry, dealing with a tragic act of random cruelty that takes her away from her soulmate and dreams. So she copes with it in the best way she knows how, by doing what feels right to her, not what anyone else wanted her to do. I love that about her.
Courtney is a great character. Sociable yet a bit of a loner, but deeply understanding, caring and protective. Once she has given her heart to someone, you know that you'll have it for life and death even. Maggie gives Courtney a safe zone to be herself. The real her. The one she feels she has to hide from the world. Giving her the space and security of being able to share exactly as much or as little of herself as she wanted. No judgments. No questions. No obligations.
I'm utterly floored by this author's ability to move me so dramatically with words. My favorite part of this book is the way past events were interwoven with the present day and how they affected the characters. I find these passages are filled with innocence, hope, lost youth love, impossible situations and, most importantly, the power of best friends so beautiful and captivating.
I bought the audio ages ago, if you listen to the samples of her other books, you'll be thanking God again and again that Paige McKinney read this instead of The Soho Series' narrator.
This is one of the best Lesbian romance ever, I love Turbulence by Noyes but now, it has a worthy competitor. Btw, Brayden unintentionally or intentionally mentioned two movies when Courtney and Maggie were having their first date. Can you guess what they are?
Yes, my GR account hasn't been hijacked. This is me, Farah Ibrahim, reviewing and rating a Melissa Brayden's book with nothing but pure love.
The characters are imperfect and flawed, yet completely and utterly lovable. If you desire only a happy story that leads seamlessly into a perfect relationship, consider looking elsewhere for your next read. However, I can almost guarantee that you'll fall hard for this incredible cast of characters and that this book will stay with you long after reading. It does everything BUT disappoints.
The things I love about Maggie is, she is fragile in some ways, but absolutely tough as nails in others. She isn't helpless or frail, despite a part of her soul being broken. She is strong, intelligent, witty, perceptive and although she makes choices that people around her don't understand, they are her choices to make. She is sad and angry, dealing with a tragic act of random cruelty that takes her away from her soulmate and dreams. So she copes with it in the best way she knows how, by doing what feels right to her, not what anyone else wanted her to do. I love that about her.
Courtney is a great character. Sociable yet a bit of a loner, but deeply understanding, caring and protective. Once she has given her heart to someone, you know that you'll have it for life and death even. Maggie gives Courtney a safe zone to be herself. The real her. The one she feels she has to hide from the world. Giving her the space and security of being able to share exactly as much or as little of herself as she wanted. No judgments. No questions. No obligations.
I'm utterly floored by this author's ability to move me so dramatically with words. My favorite part of this book is the way past events were interwoven with the present day and how they affected the characters. I find these passages are filled with innocence, hope, lost youth love, impossible situations and, most importantly, the power of best friends so beautiful and captivating.
I bought the audio ages ago, if you listen to the samples of her other books, you'll be thanking God again and again that Paige McKinney read this instead of The Soho Series' narrator.
This is one of the best Lesbian romance ever, I love Turbulence by Noyes but now, it has a worthy competitor. Btw, Brayden unintentionally or intentionally mentioned two movies when Courtney and Maggie were having their first date. Can you guess what they are?
April 24, 2017
*2.5 stars*
Everyone has a lot of love for this book and this author, so perhaps my feelings of "meh" about Strawberry Summer are just my issues and my issues alone. However, I found the story to have a lot of flaws that really detracted from my enjoyment.
At this point, I'm just about desperate to find a F/F that I like. I've read over half a dozen lesbian romances, and I haven't been enthralled by any of them. I'm not sure if the problem is me or my expectations, but I had a lot of hopes riding on Strawberry Summer.
The story is told in an interesting format. We meet the two MCs in the present... and they are NOT together. There is a lot of tension between them, and we just know that some ish went down in the past. Then, the story hops back a number of years and we get to see how things began and where things went sideways.
I'll admit, this isn't my favorite way of telling a story. There kept being these foreshadowing lines and dialogue that I knew would come back to haunt the MCs, and we as readers had to keep guessing if this was the convo or chapter when things would go horribly awry.
That feeling of impending doom made it hard for me to engage in the story. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Also, I like my stories to have a lot of buildup before the MCs get together. Here, they are together very soon after they meet, and then we sort of get the narrative of the ups and downs of their relationship. My personal taste is more of a slow burn, but that isn't what this book is about.
However, my main issue was that I found Maggie to be really dull as a main character. She didn't captivate me, and I had a hard time seeing her appeal. I get why Courtney was more enticing, but I felt like Maggie was lackluster and underdeveloped.
Overall, though I liked the small town setting and the second-chance romance, I had a really hard time engaging with this one. My expectations were really high based on glowing reviews and a lovely cover, but they weren't quite met. I'll try a different book from this author in the future and hope she can make my F/F dreams come true.
*copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
Everyone has a lot of love for this book and this author, so perhaps my feelings of "meh" about Strawberry Summer are just my issues and my issues alone. However, I found the story to have a lot of flaws that really detracted from my enjoyment.
At this point, I'm just about desperate to find a F/F that I like. I've read over half a dozen lesbian romances, and I haven't been enthralled by any of them. I'm not sure if the problem is me or my expectations, but I had a lot of hopes riding on Strawberry Summer.
The story is told in an interesting format. We meet the two MCs in the present... and they are NOT together. There is a lot of tension between them, and we just know that some ish went down in the past. Then, the story hops back a number of years and we get to see how things began and where things went sideways.
I'll admit, this isn't my favorite way of telling a story. There kept being these foreshadowing lines and dialogue that I knew would come back to haunt the MCs, and we as readers had to keep guessing if this was the convo or chapter when things would go horribly awry.
That feeling of impending doom made it hard for me to engage in the story. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Also, I like my stories to have a lot of buildup before the MCs get together. Here, they are together very soon after they meet, and then we sort of get the narrative of the ups and downs of their relationship. My personal taste is more of a slow burn, but that isn't what this book is about.
However, my main issue was that I found Maggie to be really dull as a main character. She didn't captivate me, and I had a hard time seeing her appeal. I get why Courtney was more enticing, but I felt like Maggie was lackluster and underdeveloped.
Overall, though I liked the small town setting and the second-chance romance, I had a really hard time engaging with this one. My expectations were really high based on glowing reviews and a lovely cover, but they weren't quite met. I'll try a different book from this author in the future and hope she can make my F/F dreams come true.
*copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
March 1, 2017
Melissa Brayden is to me one of the very best writers in the lesbian romance genre. She has set a very high standard, you know like Mount Everest high. Each and every book a met or surpassed the quality and awesomeness of the previous book. That’s unbelievably difficult to achieve, to time and time again bring just the best of the very best. There is a but! With that being said Strawberry Summer is not my favorite of hers. Don’t get me wrong it’s good, totes is, it’s just not great.
Strawberry Summer spends a lot of the story in a flashback. When we meet the two main characters Courtney Carrington has just moved from Chicago to a small picturesque farming community just outside of Santa Barbara. The first day at her new high school, she meets and has her a-ha moment with Margaret Beringer. Margaret is kind of a loner, not unpopular, just keeps to her small group on the fray of popularity. She’s a strawberry farmer’s kid who spends her days hanging out with nature and reading Hemingway for fun. Courtney, a strikingly beautiful department store heiress is immediately smitten and doesn’t hold back her admiration. This is a story of first loves in a star-crossed lover kind of way. Time and distance keep pulling these two apart but they spend most of their late teens and early 20’s as a couple.
There inlays one big issue. You know as the reader a shoe is going to drop, you are waiting for it the whole time. This is a romance novel, they must break up to get back together, and they met as teens for God ’s sake. You know it’s going to happen! Right! So there many stories that have done this exact same format and have done it very well. Poppy Jenkins is probably the biggest standout, At Seventeen by Gerri Hill did this format very well too. To me, this particular book spends too much, like 75+% of the book in flashback mode. You just keep waiting for the younger days to be over and get to the now. Well, at least I did.
The other issues. It’s not fun! I know I can’t believe I wrote that, but it wasn’t. There just isn’t that great dialogue between the mains that you expect from a Brayden book. Up until know, you had amazing witty banter and wordplay. You just don’t see it in this one, maybe because Margaret is a more serious character and humor isn’t her go to language. I was missing it, I wanted it back! I also wanted that amazing tension Brayden is the queen of ratcheting up. Again, not there! I didn’t feel that the transitions were as seamless as previous books either, I kept thinking, another summer and they are still together, where are we headed, why is this not moving along at a faster pace. So much of the book was in the past, I just kept wishing more of it would have been focused on the present.
There are good moments too. Moments that are so sweet you smile and moments so tragic your heart breaks. Overall it is a good book, it really is. There are going to be people that adore this one, promise. To me, this one was somewhat, formula wise, reminiscent of Waiting in the Wings, but without the tension and amazing interchange between characters. Even the supporting cast was cute but lackluster. This feels harsh, and I don’t mean it to be. It is a good book, I totally promise. I liked you, Strawberry Summer, I do, but I don’t love you. 3.75 stars
Strawberry Summer spends a lot of the story in a flashback. When we meet the two main characters Courtney Carrington has just moved from Chicago to a small picturesque farming community just outside of Santa Barbara. The first day at her new high school, she meets and has her a-ha moment with Margaret Beringer. Margaret is kind of a loner, not unpopular, just keeps to her small group on the fray of popularity. She’s a strawberry farmer’s kid who spends her days hanging out with nature and reading Hemingway for fun. Courtney, a strikingly beautiful department store heiress is immediately smitten and doesn’t hold back her admiration. This is a story of first loves in a star-crossed lover kind of way. Time and distance keep pulling these two apart but they spend most of their late teens and early 20’s as a couple.
There inlays one big issue. You know as the reader a shoe is going to drop, you are waiting for it the whole time. This is a romance novel, they must break up to get back together, and they met as teens for God ’s sake. You know it’s going to happen! Right! So there many stories that have done this exact same format and have done it very well. Poppy Jenkins is probably the biggest standout, At Seventeen by Gerri Hill did this format very well too. To me, this particular book spends too much, like 75+% of the book in flashback mode. You just keep waiting for the younger days to be over and get to the now. Well, at least I did.
The other issues. It’s not fun! I know I can’t believe I wrote that, but it wasn’t. There just isn’t that great dialogue between the mains that you expect from a Brayden book. Up until know, you had amazing witty banter and wordplay. You just don’t see it in this one, maybe because Margaret is a more serious character and humor isn’t her go to language. I was missing it, I wanted it back! I also wanted that amazing tension Brayden is the queen of ratcheting up. Again, not there! I didn’t feel that the transitions were as seamless as previous books either, I kept thinking, another summer and they are still together, where are we headed, why is this not moving along at a faster pace. So much of the book was in the past, I just kept wishing more of it would have been focused on the present.
There are good moments too. Moments that are so sweet you smile and moments so tragic your heart breaks. Overall it is a good book, it really is. There are going to be people that adore this one, promise. To me, this one was somewhat, formula wise, reminiscent of Waiting in the Wings, but without the tension and amazing interchange between characters. Even the supporting cast was cute but lackluster. This feels harsh, and I don’t mean it to be. It is a good book, I totally promise. I liked you, Strawberry Summer, I do, but I don’t love you. 3.75 stars
March 5, 2017
When you fall in love with a book and just don't want it to end... This is Strawberry Summer!
When the first line in a book is "Courtney Carrington was the last person on Earth I wanted to see." you know you're in for a ride. But I knew that anyway because I was reading a book by Melissa Brayden! Can she actually write an inferior or second-rate novel? My answer is a categorical 'no'. The standard at which she writes is why she is up there with the great Lesbian Fiction Authors of this decade and because her writing is impeccable but also her stories draw you in and make you feel like you're a part of them. In a way her characters dance to her rhythm while we clap to the beat... It’s intoxicating.
Maggie is quiet, reserved and tends to keep to herself at school, that is until Courtney walks into her classroom and her world changes. Courtney and Maggie set off on a romantic journey that guides them through many years of love and sometimes sadness but with the ultimate goal of happiness... But can it be with each other?
Melissa wrote this novel in the first person narrative and there are only a few novels that I enjoy that are. This is one of those novels and now that I've read it I don't think it could be written any other way. Plus did you see the cover? It's one of my favourite covers to date!
The chemistry that is written between these two characters is palpable and the relationship had the 'meant to be' quality throughout. I normally favour one main protagonist over another but in this novel I loved them both as a couple, as friends and as lovers. They both clicked together and, for lack of a better expression, completed each other.
There are many things I love about this novel and I could pin point them all but I really don't want to give any spoilers if I can avoid it because I wouldn't mind rereading this again with fresh eyes to relive the excitement of the not knowing what's coming next.
But here are a few little things... Firstly I want to mention that Melissa takes us back in time to the friendship and love Maggie and Courtney found as young adults. Now flashbacks can sometimes be a little much in some novels but when you get it right it works in a way that adds a counter balance to the story and gives us as readers more relatable protagonists because we've all been there. This book certainly took me back to my first crush on a girl. The feelings that you didn't know what to do with and the looks at each other wondering are they thinking the same thing but in reality knowing it could never happen because you're gay and haven't told a soul yet! These are the moments I rarely reflect on but as I'm reading this book I'm wondering why I don't... good times make for great books right?
Anyway I digress... but the book became more relatable with the teenage angst and the feeling of falling in love at a young age (not to mention with someone of the same sex) and it makes the book more raw and passionate when we understand the back-story. Melissa has gone a step further because giving us the knowledge of the past has intensified the hurt but also the love these two protagonists feel. This novel left me feeling very emotional wrung out (but in a wonderful way) by the end because I was feeling the emotions along with the protagonist the whole time I was reading.
Also the secondary characters were written extremely well and I can't see this story being as good without them. Maggie’s parents and her brother, Clay just set the tone in so many ways. They added levity, love and moments that I thought my heart would burst with adoration. But also their friends gave insight into Maggie and Courtney by asking probing questions that would otherwise gone unanswered. There is a chapter in the book were Maggie asks for her brothers advice on dating a girl and they are interrupted by their parents. It was in that moment that I fell a little in love with Maggie’s family.
Lastly I liked how there were no major homophobic plots played throughout the book. It was extremely refreshing that this young couple could just be without the added stigma. Also I love that Melissa wrote a character that doesn't except labels about herself and her sexuality! I was mentally high fiving her when reading that section.
I would love for this to become a series of books surrounding the town because I don't think I'm ready for it to be over but this is true with many of Melissa Books.
This book is easily going onto my favorite’s bookshelf but it also might be a favourite among Melissa Brayden’s other novels and that's a hard feat because I love all her books. So if you love lesbian romance fiction this is definitely the book for you as It hits all the right buttons and keeps you wanting more...
A beautifully written, 5 stars.
When the first line in a book is "Courtney Carrington was the last person on Earth I wanted to see." you know you're in for a ride. But I knew that anyway because I was reading a book by Melissa Brayden! Can she actually write an inferior or second-rate novel? My answer is a categorical 'no'. The standard at which she writes is why she is up there with the great Lesbian Fiction Authors of this decade and because her writing is impeccable but also her stories draw you in and make you feel like you're a part of them. In a way her characters dance to her rhythm while we clap to the beat... It’s intoxicating.
Maggie is quiet, reserved and tends to keep to herself at school, that is until Courtney walks into her classroom and her world changes. Courtney and Maggie set off on a romantic journey that guides them through many years of love and sometimes sadness but with the ultimate goal of happiness... But can it be with each other?
Melissa wrote this novel in the first person narrative and there are only a few novels that I enjoy that are. This is one of those novels and now that I've read it I don't think it could be written any other way. Plus did you see the cover? It's one of my favourite covers to date!
The chemistry that is written between these two characters is palpable and the relationship had the 'meant to be' quality throughout. I normally favour one main protagonist over another but in this novel I loved them both as a couple, as friends and as lovers. They both clicked together and, for lack of a better expression, completed each other.
There are many things I love about this novel and I could pin point them all but I really don't want to give any spoilers if I can avoid it because I wouldn't mind rereading this again with fresh eyes to relive the excitement of the not knowing what's coming next.
But here are a few little things... Firstly I want to mention that Melissa takes us back in time to the friendship and love Maggie and Courtney found as young adults. Now flashbacks can sometimes be a little much in some novels but when you get it right it works in a way that adds a counter balance to the story and gives us as readers more relatable protagonists because we've all been there. This book certainly took me back to my first crush on a girl. The feelings that you didn't know what to do with and the looks at each other wondering are they thinking the same thing but in reality knowing it could never happen because you're gay and haven't told a soul yet! These are the moments I rarely reflect on but as I'm reading this book I'm wondering why I don't... good times make for great books right?
Anyway I digress... but the book became more relatable with the teenage angst and the feeling of falling in love at a young age (not to mention with someone of the same sex) and it makes the book more raw and passionate when we understand the back-story. Melissa has gone a step further because giving us the knowledge of the past has intensified the hurt but also the love these two protagonists feel. This novel left me feeling very emotional wrung out (but in a wonderful way) by the end because I was feeling the emotions along with the protagonist the whole time I was reading.
Also the secondary characters were written extremely well and I can't see this story being as good without them. Maggie’s parents and her brother, Clay just set the tone in so many ways. They added levity, love and moments that I thought my heart would burst with adoration. But also their friends gave insight into Maggie and Courtney by asking probing questions that would otherwise gone unanswered. There is a chapter in the book were Maggie asks for her brothers advice on dating a girl and they are interrupted by their parents. It was in that moment that I fell a little in love with Maggie’s family.
Lastly I liked how there were no major homophobic plots played throughout the book. It was extremely refreshing that this young couple could just be without the added stigma. Also I love that Melissa wrote a character that doesn't except labels about herself and her sexuality! I was mentally high fiving her when reading that section.
I would love for this to become a series of books surrounding the town because I don't think I'm ready for it to be over but this is true with many of Melissa Books.
This book is easily going onto my favorite’s bookshelf but it also might be a favourite among Melissa Brayden’s other novels and that's a hard feat because I love all her books. So if you love lesbian romance fiction this is definitely the book for you as It hits all the right buttons and keeps you wanting more...
A beautifully written, 5 stars.
April 18, 2017
I love romance novels and in particular I love Melissa Brayden novels. In my opinion she is the queen of lesbian romance because she knows how to create an incredible pace between the romance and the characters. I have already read all her work and they are for me five stars books, so I knew that I wouldn’t be disappointed by her latest book.
My opinion: this is a five star book, as she creates a young adult book full of attraction, first love, drama, obstacles, bad father, etc. The three first parts of the book there is a flashback where Maggie, one of the main characters, tells us about her cute story with Courtney. The last part is told in present when they are adults, and they must deal with all the mistakes of the past.
My opinion: this is a five star book, as she creates a young adult book full of attraction, first love, drama, obstacles, bad father, etc. The three first parts of the book there is a flashback where Maggie, one of the main characters, tells us about her cute story with Courtney. The last part is told in present when they are adults, and they must deal with all the mistakes of the past.
July 3, 2018
I was really pleasantly surprised with this book, it was really good, entertaining and fun.
The story starts in the present, when the main characters are not together, then it goes back to the past and tells the whole story from the start. The book is set in a really long interval of time and you are really able to see how the characters grow up and develop. Also the large time span helps you sympathize with the characters.
The characters weren’t necessary the most unique ones, but they were lots of fun. I really liked the main characters. They both tried to be independent and I loved that they both had goals. Especially Maggie was a great character on her own, I loved seeing her grow up. At the beginning of the book she was self conscious and shy, but by the end she was amazing and confident.
The romance story was amazing. I love Maggie and Courtney! They were really cute and hated when they broke up. I don’t think that I’ve liked so much a couple recently. Over the course of the whole book you get to see how they meet, fall in love, break up, grow up, get back together, fight for each other. After so much it’s hard not to want them together.
I really liked this book and I can’t wait to read something else by this author.
The story starts in the present, when the main characters are not together, then it goes back to the past and tells the whole story from the start. The book is set in a really long interval of time and you are really able to see how the characters grow up and develop. Also the large time span helps you sympathize with the characters.
The characters weren’t necessary the most unique ones, but they were lots of fun. I really liked the main characters. They both tried to be independent and I loved that they both had goals. Especially Maggie was a great character on her own, I loved seeing her grow up. At the beginning of the book she was self conscious and shy, but by the end she was amazing and confident.
The romance story was amazing. I love Maggie and Courtney! They were really cute and hated when they broke up. I don’t think that I’ve liked so much a couple recently. Over the course of the whole book you get to see how they meet, fall in love, break up, grow up, get back together, fight for each other. After so much it’s hard not to want them together.
I really liked this book and I can’t wait to read something else by this author.
July 28, 2019
I am really not liking audio books. I keep trying. And I keep getting annoyed at the odd voices and incorrect tone. In this one, Courtney sounded like a butch pothead. Maggie sounded like a flighty blonde. And there is nothing sexy about any of the dialogue during intimate scenes because it is like Courtney is falling asleep despite Maggie's cheer leading level declarations.
Despite all of that, the book was excellent. Right to the favorites shelf.
This felt like an epic tale as it covers quite a bit of time. There are a lot of life events that happen. A couple of surprising things that really added to the level of attachment/enjoyment for me.
I cried several times.
There are always some things that annoy me in books and I just have to get beyond them. I'm happy to report that this book did not have anything like that to put me off at all.
I would have liked to have seen Melanie get a true love.
I recommend this to people who like to read about romance, forbidden romance, high school, coming out, first love, farm life, small towns, and Abraham Lincoln.
Despite all of that, the book was excellent. Right to the favorites shelf.
This felt like an epic tale as it covers quite a bit of time. There are a lot of life events that happen. A couple of surprising things that really added to the level of attachment/enjoyment for me.
I cried several times.
There are always some things that annoy me in books and I just have to get beyond them. I'm happy to report that this book did not have anything like that to put me off at all.
I would have liked to have seen Melanie get a true love.
I recommend this to people who like to read about romance, forbidden romance, high school, coming out, first love, farm life, small towns, and Abraham Lincoln.
June 11, 2018
This was such a beautiful book. I found it on sale on Audible and bought it as it was the only lesbian book in said sale. What a find.
I was a little worried when it opened up with such angst (it looks like a beach read, a fun summer book to read while drinking umbrella drinks) and then flashed back, however I absolutely loved this format. It was almost two books in one, the early years and adulthood.
Margaret "Maggie" Beringer lives on a strawberry farm with her parents and older brother. A few days before the end of school one year, a new girl strolls into town and into her class and changes her life forever, Courtney Carrington.
This story transcends time, relationships, and tragedies. While I'm usually not a fan of time-span books, I loved how I was able to see the characters as they age and change due to circumstances in their lives and how they find their way back to one another. I can't say that there weren't sad parts, but life isn't without bouts of sadness, so neither should fiction be. I enjoyed the chemistry between Courtney and Maggie (so very much) and the secondary characters, especially Maggie's dog Ernest/Ernie and her parents.
I was a little worried when it opened up with such angst (it looks like a beach read, a fun summer book to read while drinking umbrella drinks) and then flashed back, however I absolutely loved this format. It was almost two books in one, the early years and adulthood.
Margaret "Maggie" Beringer lives on a strawberry farm with her parents and older brother. A few days before the end of school one year, a new girl strolls into town and into her class and changes her life forever, Courtney Carrington.
This story transcends time, relationships, and tragedies. While I'm usually not a fan of time-span books, I loved how I was able to see the characters as they age and change due to circumstances in their lives and how they find their way back to one another. I can't say that there weren't sad parts, but life isn't without bouts of sadness, so neither should fiction be. I enjoyed the chemistry between Courtney and Maggie (so very much) and the secondary characters, especially Maggie's dog Ernest/Ernie and her parents.
May 25, 2017
4 STARS for the audiobook, narrated by Paige McKinney. (Minus 0.75 stars for narration. See below why. )
I'm not that into YA books although I find I read them more than I thought. This book is partially a YA - if only because the first part of the book, Maggie and Courtney are in High School and College. It's not technically told in flashback as it does follow a straight (so to speak :-) ) timeline.
The book is told in first person - by Margaret aka Maggie. She is a native to the small CA town and her family owns one if not the largest Strawberry farm in the area. Courtney is the heiress to a department store chain who moves to her father's hometown where he has built a new store. We meet them when they are juniors in High School.
I really enjoyed the book, but I want to think it might have been a 5 star book if not for the narration. Oh she wasn't a horrible narrator overall, it was just her choices for Maggie's speaking voice. Maggie's thoughts are in a pleasant adult voice but talks in a very juvenile, high speaking voice. I thought - oh good they are now in college - maybe now she will deepen Maggie's voice. But no. It's even more annoying to hear an adult with this voice. Especially since she has given Courtney a low sexy voice. Maggie's reactions sometimes sound like a teenager. I couldn't help thinking - why would Courtney find this attractive? However all the other voices she does are well done - which made Maggie's glaringly more annoying. I'll definitely re-read this book, but read it myself next time.
In spite of the narration - I liked the book and loved Brayden's side characters. All are so well done. LOVED Maggie's parents. And even Travis. I also loved their loving family life. Reminds me of my nephew's family. They have EPIC, very competitive game nights - even now when the kids are in and/or graduated from college! Boyfriends and girlfriends must survive this gauntlet. As the now infamous quote from my niece will attest - standing on her chair yelling when her teammates lost focus... "Pictionary Is NOT just a game people!"
I'm not that into YA books although I find I read them more than I thought. This book is partially a YA - if only because the first part of the book, Maggie and Courtney are in High School and College. It's not technically told in flashback as it does follow a straight (so to speak :-) ) timeline.
The book is told in first person - by Margaret aka Maggie. She is a native to the small CA town and her family owns one if not the largest Strawberry farm in the area. Courtney is the heiress to a department store chain who moves to her father's hometown where he has built a new store. We meet them when they are juniors in High School.
I really enjoyed the book, but I want to think it might have been a 5 star book if not for the narration. Oh she wasn't a horrible narrator overall, it was just her choices for Maggie's speaking voice. Maggie's thoughts are in a pleasant adult voice but talks in a very juvenile, high speaking voice. I thought - oh good they are now in college - maybe now she will deepen Maggie's voice. But no. It's even more annoying to hear an adult with this voice. Especially since she has given Courtney a low sexy voice. Maggie's reactions sometimes sound like a teenager. I couldn't help thinking - why would Courtney find this attractive? However all the other voices she does are well done - which made Maggie's glaringly more annoying. I'll definitely re-read this book, but read it myself next time.
In spite of the narration - I liked the book and loved Brayden's side characters. All are so well done. LOVED Maggie's parents. And even Travis. I also loved their loving family life. Reminds me of my nephew's family. They have EPIC, very competitive game nights - even now when the kids are in and/or graduated from college! Boyfriends and girlfriends must survive this gauntlet. As the now infamous quote from my niece will attest - standing on her chair yelling when her teammates lost focus... "Pictionary Is NOT just a game people!"
May 20, 2018
This was exactly the fluffy and soft kind of f/f book that I was looking for and that I needed.
Maggie is a very endearing protagonist and she easily wins you over from the first page. She is still pretty young when she meets Courtney in class when she moves into Maggie started to develop a crush on her. Everything about this feels incredibly realistic.
Years pass and the relationship continues whenever Courtney returns to town and they start dating for real. They are so soft together it made my heart jolt in my chest I loved it.
The main reason why I gave it four stars was because after a tragic event happened in the book something happens between Maggie and Courtney which kind of annoyed me. Still the ending of this book was enough to bring out a huge grin on my face. This was a great experience and I plan to read more of Melissa Brayden's books in the future.
Maggie is a very endearing protagonist and she easily wins you over from the first page. She is still pretty young when she meets Courtney in class when she moves into Maggie started to develop a crush on her. Everything about this feels incredibly realistic.
Years pass and the relationship continues whenever Courtney returns to town and they start dating for real. They are so soft together it made my heart jolt in my chest I loved it.
The main reason why I gave it four stars was because after a tragic event happened in the book something happens between Maggie and Courtney which kind of annoyed me. Still the ending of this book was enough to bring out a huge grin on my face. This was a great experience and I plan to read more of Melissa Brayden's books in the future.
May 30, 2017
So.
Either Brayden has lost all inspiration, or I've lost the ability to feel. Because this book felt so boring to me, so uninspired, cheesy and superficial. Ugh I'm so frustrated.
She did the bare minimum in terms of characterisation and plot. Things happen too fast, months/years are skipped too often: where is the slow buildup? I didn't have time to warm up to the characters before things happened.
I'll stop there because I feel as uninspired about this review as I did reading this book.
Either Brayden has lost all inspiration, or I've lost the ability to feel. Because this book felt so boring to me, so uninspired, cheesy and superficial. Ugh I'm so frustrated.
She did the bare minimum in terms of characterisation and plot. Things happen too fast, months/years are skipped too often: where is the slow buildup? I didn't have time to warm up to the characters before things happened.
I'll stop there because I feel as uninspired about this review as I did reading this book.
April 23, 2017
ARC provided by NetGalley in return for a fair review.
I was a bit dubious about this one, on one hand, it's Melissa Brayden, and her books rarely disappoint; on the other hand, I'm not usually a fan of reunion books, so I wasn't sure if it could overcome that.
It did. I loved it for the most part. I'm not usually a fan of flashbacks, but here the backstory actually takes up two thirds of the book, and honestly that was the part I enjoyed most, the end seemed a bit rushed, while most of the warm (and some of the more heartbreaking) moments happened during the 'past' section. I loved the way their relationship unfolded, and Maggie's family's reaction to her coming out was both sweet and funny. The secondary characters were fleshed out and interesting (although the Louis storyline just seemed to be left dangling) and I was also happily surprised that most of the supporting characters didn't evolve into the tropes I thought they would, while the 'event' that happens mid way through had me reading with a lump in my throat.
The major downside was that it was written in first person, which meant that Courtney got the short end of the stick. We don't really get a handle on her emotions (or many of her motivations) and most of this isn't revealed until a big conversation happens towards the end (although I'm sure the readers were following her emotional cues a bit better than Maggie did). It also meant that we didn't get to see the flip side of how her life went. How did her mother react to her coming out? What was she doing while she was away from town? It's hinted at, but I would have preferred a more well rounded view. If this had been written in a first person point of view switch, I probably would have given it five stars. I also got a little tired of the 'I'm only here for a few months' thing, it got more than a little repetitive, as did Maggie's insecurity, which seemed baseless.
That said, this is still a charming story, with quite a bit of heart. Anything by Melissa Brayden is worth reading, and this is no exception.
I was a bit dubious about this one, on one hand, it's Melissa Brayden, and her books rarely disappoint; on the other hand, I'm not usually a fan of reunion books, so I wasn't sure if it could overcome that.
It did. I loved it for the most part. I'm not usually a fan of flashbacks, but here the backstory actually takes up two thirds of the book, and honestly that was the part I enjoyed most, the end seemed a bit rushed, while most of the warm (and some of the more heartbreaking) moments happened during the 'past' section. I loved the way their relationship unfolded, and Maggie's family's reaction to her coming out was both sweet and funny. The secondary characters were fleshed out and interesting (although the Louis storyline just seemed to be left dangling) and I was also happily surprised that most of the supporting characters didn't evolve into the tropes I thought they would, while the 'event' that happens mid way through had me reading with a lump in my throat.
The major downside was that it was written in first person, which meant that Courtney got the short end of the stick. We don't really get a handle on her emotions (or many of her motivations) and most of this isn't revealed until a big conversation happens towards the end (although I'm sure the readers were following her emotional cues a bit better than Maggie did). It also meant that we didn't get to see the flip side of how her life went. How did her mother react to her coming out? What was she doing while she was away from town? It's hinted at, but I would have preferred a more well rounded view. If this had been written in a first person point of view switch, I probably would have given it five stars. I also got a little tired of the 'I'm only here for a few months' thing, it got more than a little repetitive, as did Maggie's insecurity, which seemed baseless.
That said, this is still a charming story, with quite a bit of heart. Anything by Melissa Brayden is worth reading, and this is no exception.
August 28, 2017
Sometimes it is safer to read a book with your eyes and not listen to it for the first time in audiobook format. When you read a novel, your imagination fills in the visuals and the voices of the characters. You are not influenced in any way by the interpretations of others. My first impression of Margaret Beringer was influenced by the voice actor’s interpretation and hers is now the voice I hear when I try to reread the story. The choppy, abrupt way Maggie speaks to Courtney when they first meet conveys her nervousness and immaturity. It works in their teen years. I could easily identify with the awkward, self-deprecating Maggie in all her brainy, nerdy glory. I loved the scene at the beach house, that first kiss with Courtney. Sweet, poignant and oh so endearing. With one kiss maturity smacks Maggie between the eyes. What happens next and over the next few summers could not compete with this one moment and this one scene.
I’m not a big YA fan or reader. Maggie conveys many of the reasons I have no desire to revisit my youth and that is a tribute to the author’s massive talent. In Strawberry Summer I found myself loving the chapters in the past and annoyed with the present day interactions between Maggie and Courtney. It didn’t help that the voice actor kept Maggie’s clipped, almost petulant voice pattern from her youth. It made her sound mean-spirited and made the adult Maggie hard to like. It also made the reader struggle to understand why Courtney would try to reconnect with this brittle woman.
Not my favourite novel by this author but no denying her skills at pulling emotions from her readers and giving us memorable characters. I will never forget the love and acceptance shown by Maggie’s family when she comes out to them. “What’s another word for thrust?” from her romance author mom kept me laughing for days.
ARC received with thanks from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley for review.
I’m not a big YA fan or reader. Maggie conveys many of the reasons I have no desire to revisit my youth and that is a tribute to the author’s massive talent. In Strawberry Summer I found myself loving the chapters in the past and annoyed with the present day interactions between Maggie and Courtney. It didn’t help that the voice actor kept Maggie’s clipped, almost petulant voice pattern from her youth. It made her sound mean-spirited and made the adult Maggie hard to like. It also made the reader struggle to understand why Courtney would try to reconnect with this brittle woman.
Not my favourite novel by this author but no denying her skills at pulling emotions from her readers and giving us memorable characters. I will never forget the love and acceptance shown by Maggie’s family when she comes out to them. “What’s another word for thrust?” from her romance author mom kept me laughing for days.
ARC received with thanks from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley for review.
August 3, 2018
Melissa Brayden is at the top of my favourite lesbian books authors (see full list here: https://lezreviewbooks.wordpress.com/...). Her books have romance, angst, hot scenes, wit and funny dialogues. All these elements balanced in well conceived plot and subplots. The reader can safely expect a very enjoyable reading experience.
Having said this, I might have set the bar too high and now I expect to be wowed by every single book like I was with, for example, Kiss the girl. It wasn't the case with Strawberry summer, hence, my 4 star rating. Don't get me wrong, all the elements of Ms. Brayden's style are present, the main characters chemistry, the hot scenes, the banter, the witty dialogues, the lovable secondary characters but just maybe not in Ms. Brayden's usual eloquence.
The book is divided roughly in two parts, it starts with Courtney and Maggie meeting as teenagers and follow their romance through college years up to their breakup. The second part takes us to the present time, the characters in their mid twenties, when Courtney comes back to Maggie's hometown. If they'd get their happily ever after is for the reader to discover. Here is my issue with the plot: it seems divided into two distinctive and separated parts and doesn't seem to flow seamlessly. Present and past aren't integrated as a whole. The reader gets a brief introduction of the present in a short preface and then is taken to the past for 65% of the book. In my opinion, the past section dragged for too long to maintain the conflict tension and resolution. However, don't let my comments put you off, despite my criticism, I found this book a very enjoyable read anyway.
ARC provided by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
See all my reviews at
www.lezreviewbooks.com
Having said this, I might have set the bar too high and now I expect to be wowed by every single book like I was with, for example, Kiss the girl. It wasn't the case with Strawberry summer, hence, my 4 star rating. Don't get me wrong, all the elements of Ms. Brayden's style are present, the main characters chemistry, the hot scenes, the banter, the witty dialogues, the lovable secondary characters but just maybe not in Ms. Brayden's usual eloquence.
The book is divided roughly in two parts, it starts with Courtney and Maggie meeting as teenagers and follow their romance through college years up to their breakup. The second part takes us to the present time, the characters in their mid twenties, when Courtney comes back to Maggie's hometown. If they'd get their happily ever after is for the reader to discover. Here is my issue with the plot: it seems divided into two distinctive and separated parts and doesn't seem to flow seamlessly. Present and past aren't integrated as a whole. The reader gets a brief introduction of the present in a short preface and then is taken to the past for 65% of the book. In my opinion, the past section dragged for too long to maintain the conflict tension and resolution. However, don't let my comments put you off, despite my criticism, I found this book a very enjoyable read anyway.
ARC provided by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
See all my reviews at
www.lezreviewbooks.com
March 1, 2017
Margaret Beringer for me is a feeble and faint hearted. She's afraid to take risk or getting out of her comfort zone. So when in school she's the less popular type. Everything changed after she met Courtney.
Good thing she got a great family. I fell in love right a way.
Her parents, Evie and Henry are really loving and supportive.
Her brother, Clay is totally hilarious and is portraying the "annoying but sweet brother". And it's pretty cute.
Clay! :((((
Courtney Carrington is driven, ambitious and will do anything to get want her wants. She's a daughter of a Department store mogul but her father is not giving her an easy way to enter their business.
There a lot of likable characters. I think everyone is awesome except for Courtney's father.
I like Travis and Berta.
And I was hoping that the next small town book will be Melanie's story.
This book made me feel a lot of emotions.
I wouldn't change anything on this book.
When you read a Brayden book you'll not think about genders, you'll just think about 2 people falling in love. And it's hard to be annoyed with the Mcs because you also understand where are they coming from.
The magic got me and I can't stop myself from reading. I'm cranky If someone bothers me.
That's also one more thing I hate about it can't function well until I've finished the book.
Highly recommend if you like plots about first love or you like strawberries or maybe you're into hottie and F/F Mcs. You will never go wrong with this.
Good thing she got a great family. I fell in love right a way.
Her parents, Evie and Henry are really loving and supportive.
Her brother, Clay is totally hilarious and is portraying the "annoying but sweet brother". And it's pretty cute.
Clay! :((((
Courtney Carrington is driven, ambitious and will do anything to get want her wants. She's a daughter of a Department store mogul but her father is not giving her an easy way to enter their business.
There a lot of likable characters. I think everyone is awesome except for Courtney's father.
I like Travis and Berta.
And I was hoping that the next small town book will be Melanie's story.
This book made me feel a lot of emotions.
I wouldn't change anything on this book.
When you read a Brayden book you'll not think about genders, you'll just think about 2 people falling in love. And it's hard to be annoyed with the Mcs because you also understand where are they coming from.
The magic got me and I can't stop myself from reading. I'm cranky If someone bothers me.
That's also one more thing I hate about it can't function well until I've finished the book.
Highly recommend if you like plots about first love or you like strawberries or maybe you're into hottie and F/F Mcs. You will never go wrong with this.
February 27, 2017
*The copy provided by NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books Inc. in exchange for an honest review*
There are authors you wish them to have 100 books already published, so you can read them and only them in the following year or so. Melissa Brayden is that author for me. No matter of the plot, of the book, of the characters, whenever I read one of her books, there is that warm, fuzzy feeling it causes inside of me. Something just melts inside, and you can't do anything but live through and feel with and for those characters. Strawberry summer is no exception. Both Margaret and Courtney are so well written, so wise for their age, so convincing as character, both in their teen years as well as in their twenties. Melissa Brayden, when she writes happy, love scenes, is able to create warmth and loveliness, and, if she writes about unfortunate moments, you feel the deepest sadness and grief for the characters.
There are authors you wish them to have 100 books already published, so you can read them and only them in the following year or so. Melissa Brayden is that author for me. No matter of the plot, of the book, of the characters, whenever I read one of her books, there is that warm, fuzzy feeling it causes inside of me. Something just melts inside, and you can't do anything but live through and feel with and for those characters. Strawberry summer is no exception. Both Margaret and Courtney are so well written, so wise for their age, so convincing as character, both in their teen years as well as in their twenties. Melissa Brayden, when she writes happy, love scenes, is able to create warmth and loveliness, and, if she writes about unfortunate moments, you feel the deepest sadness and grief for the characters.
June 7, 2017
Strawberry Summer” did not feel at all like a Melissa Brayden book. I’ve waited a few days after finishing it to finalize my thoughts.
I loved her Soho Loft series, and I’ve enjoyed her other books. I don’t want Brayden to become a cookie-cutter author, turning out book after book based upon a successful formula (ok, yes, I’m thinking Radclyffe here), but neither do I want to automatically buy and applaud any effort just because it has her name on it. How would I feel about “Strawberry Summer” if it was the first book I’d read from an author named “Jane Doe”?
Regardless of the name of the author, I simply didn’t enjoy this book. I struggled to finish it, and I’ve struggled to convince myself during the past few days that I wasn’t disappointed. Well, guess what? It’s only a book, and it’s silly that I feel a need to apologize for not loving the latest Brayden offering.
The first 70% of the book is a flashback. One, that’s way too long; two, the flashback was an odd tool here – why not just start the book out when the MCs met in high school and let us be part of their lives in real-time as they age instead of setting things up with “and there will be great anger when the MCs meet again later in life”? Three, flashbacks work best to highlight changes in people or their circumstances during different time periods. The side-characters have changed, but the MCs didn’t really change.
The last 30% of the book brings us to their lives at the current time. By then, I was annoyed with both MCs for poor decisions they’d made, and the explanations for the decisions and their mutual forgiveness and understanding just felt weak.
As MCs, both Maggie and Courtney are likable; they’re the sort of women you really want to root for and want a HEA. During the YA first part of the book, Maggie is portrayed as loving her small town, while at the same time not fitting in and being one of the cool kids. She has a strong, loving family, yet yearns to leave town to strike out on her own. The contrasts are never really explained. She knows she likes girls, but hasn't acted on her desires. Courtney appears as the gorgeous, confident new girl, and the two become inseparable. Even after Courtney’s family situation causes her to move out of town, things look good for our MCs.
Until a tragedy occurs, and bad choices ensue. This book is not about people wanting different things in life (e.g., career vs family) and choosing different paths; it’s about how people can react to heartbreak, and how short-term choices are often reactionary, and not in one’s own best interest, and certainly not in the best interests of a couple who love each other.
As a teen, Maggie’s character sounded wise beyond her years; as an adult, Brayden’s efforts to give her witty banter sounded flippant and diminished her as a woman of substance. Perhaps much of that was the narrator – I didn’t like adult Maggie’s voice. We see Courtney through Maggie’s eyes, and I would have liked to have learned more of her through her own eyes. Overall, I wish “Strawberry Summer” had done a better job exploring what makes a couple destined to be a couple. Reunited as adults, the MCs were more lust-driven than they were as teens. It just seemed emotionally weak, after more than a decade of time, and five years apart, for a HEA to be based primarily on their inability to keep their hands off each other.
So overall, this book felt a bit like an experiment for Brayden. It has lots of YA elements, but it’s not a great YA book. It has women destined to be “The One” for each other despite time and heartbreaks, yet the HEA felt unsatisfying. I rate “Strawberry Summer” 3* - meh.
I loved her Soho Loft series, and I’ve enjoyed her other books. I don’t want Brayden to become a cookie-cutter author, turning out book after book based upon a successful formula (ok, yes, I’m thinking Radclyffe here), but neither do I want to automatically buy and applaud any effort just because it has her name on it. How would I feel about “Strawberry Summer” if it was the first book I’d read from an author named “Jane Doe”?
Regardless of the name of the author, I simply didn’t enjoy this book. I struggled to finish it, and I’ve struggled to convince myself during the past few days that I wasn’t disappointed. Well, guess what? It’s only a book, and it’s silly that I feel a need to apologize for not loving the latest Brayden offering.
The first 70% of the book is a flashback. One, that’s way too long; two, the flashback was an odd tool here – why not just start the book out when the MCs met in high school and let us be part of their lives in real-time as they age instead of setting things up with “and there will be great anger when the MCs meet again later in life”? Three, flashbacks work best to highlight changes in people or their circumstances during different time periods. The side-characters have changed, but the MCs didn’t really change.
The last 30% of the book brings us to their lives at the current time. By then, I was annoyed with both MCs for poor decisions they’d made, and the explanations for the decisions and their mutual forgiveness and understanding just felt weak.
As MCs, both Maggie and Courtney are likable; they’re the sort of women you really want to root for and want a HEA. During the YA first part of the book, Maggie is portrayed as loving her small town, while at the same time not fitting in and being one of the cool kids. She has a strong, loving family, yet yearns to leave town to strike out on her own. The contrasts are never really explained. She knows she likes girls, but hasn't acted on her desires. Courtney appears as the gorgeous, confident new girl, and the two become inseparable. Even after Courtney’s family situation causes her to move out of town, things look good for our MCs.
Until a tragedy occurs, and bad choices ensue. This book is not about people wanting different things in life (e.g., career vs family) and choosing different paths; it’s about how people can react to heartbreak, and how short-term choices are often reactionary, and not in one’s own best interest, and certainly not in the best interests of a couple who love each other.
As a teen, Maggie’s character sounded wise beyond her years; as an adult, Brayden’s efforts to give her witty banter sounded flippant and diminished her as a woman of substance. Perhaps much of that was the narrator – I didn’t like adult Maggie’s voice. We see Courtney through Maggie’s eyes, and I would have liked to have learned more of her through her own eyes. Overall, I wish “Strawberry Summer” had done a better job exploring what makes a couple destined to be a couple. Reunited as adults, the MCs were more lust-driven than they were as teens. It just seemed emotionally weak, after more than a decade of time, and five years apart, for a HEA to be based primarily on their inability to keep their hands off each other.
So overall, this book felt a bit like an experiment for Brayden. It has lots of YA elements, but it’s not a great YA book. It has women destined to be “The One” for each other despite time and heartbreaks, yet the HEA felt unsatisfying. I rate “Strawberry Summer” 3* - meh.
March 14, 2017
Have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I've not been a fan of the last couple of books I read by the author and stopped reading her altogether the past couple of years but this one has taken over as my favorite Brayden book. The characters all sounded like different people and the story had some twists and turns that weren't predictable. Lots of honest emotion going on - both from the characters and from me. No tears though. I dropped no tears but did get a few lumps in my throat.
All of the characters that we spend any real time with had their own personalities and depth and I cared about them. The situations people found themselves in felt legitimate and I had no BS-calling moments.
Sorry Heart Block, there's a new champ in town.
I'd give it a 4.5 but rounding up for all the reasons above.
Thanks to NetGalley and BSB for the opportunity to read and review it.
All of the characters that we spend any real time with had their own personalities and depth and I cared about them. The situations people found themselves in felt legitimate and I had no BS-calling moments.
Sorry Heart Block, there's a new champ in town.
I'd give it a 4.5 but rounding up for all the reasons above.
Thanks to NetGalley and BSB for the opportunity to read and review it.
July 12, 2018
Strawberry Summer is an intimate tale of two lives and of their twining in the span of time going from adolescence to maturity, it is a second chance romance, after a quite long time of separation, and it is also a story about the importance of both roots and wings for the inner life of a person.
A different “Brayden”
It is a rather uncommon novel for Melissa Brayden, being it written in first person and having sometimes tones more serious, less easygoing. But this already happened in Waiting in the Wings, her most succesful and yet most different novel so far. The “second chance” theme was in that story too. In Strawberry Summer there’s still some heavier drama. But the typical lighthearted banter still pervades many moments and will joyously grow up in the end.
The author succeded in portraying her main characters as teenagers and young adults, another new aspect in her novels. She has been delicate in adding to their personalities the insecurity of their age, according to their different experiences and psychology.
First person narration
The choice of first person narration from the point of view of Maggie has a very interesting effect, I think. Courtney, the girl Maggie falls for, is initially portrayed as cool, self-confident, all sexy and misteriously charming. But with the growing of their relationship, her frailties and insecurity will emerge. And that’s what made her so dear to me.
On the contrary, in the beginning, Maggie thinks of herself as clumsy and unable to socialize and behaves accordingly, but gradually she starts to see herself through Courtney’s eyes, to see her qualities, her strength, and to grow accordingly in her behaviour, becoming more sure, more open. And with Maggie acquiring consciousness of herself, the reader also comes to know her better and to like her.
A third person narration with switching point of views is entertaining for the reader. Because it is more immediate. Because it’s easier. We see both the characters from different angles and that’s complete, right away. Following a first person narration requires patience, attention and a bit of reading between the lines. But providing a reader doesn’t get impatient, it is more charming in the end, when it is magistrally done as in this book.
Roots and wings
Roots and wings, I was saying. To simplify a bit, Maggie has solid family roots, but has to develop her wings, while Courtney is wings oriented and needs the roots her parents did not give her.
The book shows the importance of the balance between the two. And it is subtle because it doesn’t only focus on what’s missing when one of the two aspects is lacking. It shows how both wings and roots have the proverbial two sides of a coin. And the attachment to one, when the other is needed bring forth the dark side of both. We see Maggie failing because she sticks with roots when she should not, and Courtney failing because she follow wrong wings, having no longer faith in roots.
The weak spot
For my main critic to the book I have to go under spoiler. That includes the character of Maggie going dangerously on the verge to become umpleasant. Not quite, but very near.
Conclusion
Strawberry Summer is a beautiful and really not banal story. I loved it dearly, even with its complexity.
But it has been a very difficult review to write. I read the book twice before just attempting to do it. And it came far too long. I hope I didn’t make too indigest.
A different “Brayden”
It is a rather uncommon novel for Melissa Brayden, being it written in first person and having sometimes tones more serious, less easygoing. But this already happened in Waiting in the Wings, her most succesful and yet most different novel so far. The “second chance” theme was in that story too. In Strawberry Summer there’s still some heavier drama. But the typical lighthearted banter still pervades many moments and will joyously grow up in the end.
The author succeded in portraying her main characters as teenagers and young adults, another new aspect in her novels. She has been delicate in adding to their personalities the insecurity of their age, according to their different experiences and psychology.
First person narration
The choice of first person narration from the point of view of Maggie has a very interesting effect, I think. Courtney, the girl Maggie falls for, is initially portrayed as cool, self-confident, all sexy and misteriously charming. But with the growing of their relationship, her frailties and insecurity will emerge. And that’s what made her so dear to me.
On the contrary, in the beginning, Maggie thinks of herself as clumsy and unable to socialize and behaves accordingly, but gradually she starts to see herself through Courtney’s eyes, to see her qualities, her strength, and to grow accordingly in her behaviour, becoming more sure, more open. And with Maggie acquiring consciousness of herself, the reader also comes to know her better and to like her.
A third person narration with switching point of views is entertaining for the reader. Because it is more immediate. Because it’s easier. We see both the characters from different angles and that’s complete, right away. Following a first person narration requires patience, attention and a bit of reading between the lines. But providing a reader doesn’t get impatient, it is more charming in the end, when it is magistrally done as in this book.
Roots and wings
Roots and wings, I was saying. To simplify a bit, Maggie has solid family roots, but has to develop her wings, while Courtney is wings oriented and needs the roots her parents did not give her.
The book shows the importance of the balance between the two. And it is subtle because it doesn’t only focus on what’s missing when one of the two aspects is lacking. It shows how both wings and roots have the proverbial two sides of a coin. And the attachment to one, when the other is needed bring forth the dark side of both. We see Maggie failing because she sticks with roots when she should not, and Courtney failing because she follow wrong wings, having no longer faith in roots.
The weak spot
For my main critic to the book I have to go under spoiler. That includes the character of Maggie going dangerously on the verge to become umpleasant. Not quite, but very near.
Conclusion
Strawberry Summer is a beautiful and really not banal story. I loved it dearly, even with its complexity.
But it has been a very difficult review to write. I read the book twice before just attempting to do it. And it came far too long. I hope I didn’t make too indigest.
February 2, 2019
Perfect, as are most of Melissa Brayden’s novels.
October 21, 2019
I think I've found my new favourite Melissa Brayden novel. And that's a lot to say considering the fact that I really loved Kiss the Girl and Waiting in the wings. I had been saving up this book for a later read when I was in the sad zone. I don't know if it was wise because I cried like a baby towards the ending 25%. The first bits made me feel all warm but I knew an inevitable breakup was coming based on the synopsis. But wow did that break me. And then the whole second chance thing? I'm a total sucker for that. So I ended up finishing this in one read. No regrets. I do feel pissed off about some things, probably because it parallels my life but oh well. Books are supposed to make you introspect aren't they? But nevertheless, this is now officially my favourite book from this author :)
April 3, 2017
I expected more
I'm going to keep this review short since there are a lot of other far more detailed ones on here.
This book started of with a somewhat new-adult feel to it and finally more than halfway through only then turned contemporary. I can't really put my finger on what exactly it is that felt missing from this book but it does not compare to Melissa Brayden's other books.
Every other book I've read by her was an absolute gem that I just couldn't even look away from not to mention put down. This one however had me wondering throughout the first 85% whether or not it would even make 4 stars, which it barely did.
Bare in mind though, given the quality of her previous works, that level of brilliant writing would be immensely difficult to maintain. This was still a good read but it was by no means Waiting in the Wings or Just Three Words which is my favorite.
I'm going to keep this review short since there are a lot of other far more detailed ones on here.
This book started of with a somewhat new-adult feel to it and finally more than halfway through only then turned contemporary. I can't really put my finger on what exactly it is that felt missing from this book but it does not compare to Melissa Brayden's other books.
Every other book I've read by her was an absolute gem that I just couldn't even look away from not to mention put down. This one however had me wondering throughout the first 85% whether or not it would even make 4 stars, which it barely did.
Bare in mind though, given the quality of her previous works, that level of brilliant writing would be immensely difficult to maintain. This was still a good read but it was by no means Waiting in the Wings or Just Three Words which is my favorite.
June 5, 2017
This is a charming sweet romance of discovery, lost love and re-found love. It is my first book by this author so I had no preconceived ideas regarding it's content. What I got was a mind blowing wonderful story about love being discovered in high school, the world getting in the way and losing that first love. Then the reconnecting after many years apart finding that their love and honesty of that love still existed strong and true.
I am not going to tell you anything else because I will let you discover that on your own. What it did was take me through several powerful emotions. Yes I did I cried for not only their love lost but the deeper loss when you lose someone. I also laughed a lot as well. But also parts made me angry, frustrated at times but at the end I gave a huge sigh of relief.
It is an extremely well written book which once started I could not put down.
Yes I would recommend this book without a doubt. All I'll say is enjoy!
*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*
I am not going to tell you anything else because I will let you discover that on your own. What it did was take me through several powerful emotions. Yes I did I cried for not only their love lost but the deeper loss when you lose someone. I also laughed a lot as well. But also parts made me angry, frustrated at times but at the end I gave a huge sigh of relief.
It is an extremely well written book which once started I could not put down.
Yes I would recommend this book without a doubt. All I'll say is enjoy!
*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*
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