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St. Caroline #1
Summer Again
A sweet summer romance set on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay
A wealthy heir called back home by family duty ...
The town of St. Caroline had never felt like home to Sterling Matthew. Even though the Matthew family could date their residence back nearly a hundred years, Sterling had grown up in boarding schools—and promptly decamped for the ski slopes of Europe after college.
When his father falls ill, his mother calls him home to run the family business, the renowned Chesapeake Inn. What Sterling finds, though, is a business on shaky financial footing and a staff resistant to the radical changes he has to make. No matter. He’ll do what needs to be done … and then leave St. Caroline for good.
A woman who’s pulled herself up by the bootstraps …
For years, Lucy Wyndham wondered whether she’d ever catch another glimpse of the boy she’d crushed on at the Chesapeake Inn’s summer camp for disadvantaged kids. He’d been tall and quiet. Mysterious and aloof. And the owner’s son. Now he’s her boss and the attraction is just as strong—but they’re no more compatible today than they were as teenagers. When he informs her that the camp must be eliminated to improve the resort’s bottom line, she embarks on an ambitious campaign to save it. Even if the price is her job ... and her heart.
Summer Again was previously published as Falling for the Prodigal Son.
A wealthy heir called back home by family duty ...
The town of St. Caroline had never felt like home to Sterling Matthew. Even though the Matthew family could date their residence back nearly a hundred years, Sterling had grown up in boarding schools—and promptly decamped for the ski slopes of Europe after college.
When his father falls ill, his mother calls him home to run the family business, the renowned Chesapeake Inn. What Sterling finds, though, is a business on shaky financial footing and a staff resistant to the radical changes he has to make. No matter. He’ll do what needs to be done … and then leave St. Caroline for good.
A woman who’s pulled herself up by the bootstraps …
For years, Lucy Wyndham wondered whether she’d ever catch another glimpse of the boy she’d crushed on at the Chesapeake Inn’s summer camp for disadvantaged kids. He’d been tall and quiet. Mysterious and aloof. And the owner’s son. Now he’s her boss and the attraction is just as strong—but they’re no more compatible today than they were as teenagers. When he informs her that the camp must be eliminated to improve the resort’s bottom line, she embarks on an ambitious campaign to save it. Even if the price is her job ... and her heart.
Summer Again was previously published as Falling for the Prodigal Son.
223 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 4, 2013
2199 people are currently reading
1556 people want to read
About the author
Julia Gabriel
40 books162 followersJulia Gabriel writes contemporary romance that is smart, sexy, and emotionally-intense (grab the tissues). She lives in New England where she is a full-time mom to a teenager, as well as a sometime writing professor and obsessive quilter (is there any other kind?). If all goes well, she’ll be a Parisienne in her next life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
September 24, 2019
Update: This book is free today on Amazon! A great way to be introduced to one of my new favourite authors, Julia Gabriel. The fourth book in this series captivated me!
Summer Again: Another fabulous read! I actually Googled "St. Caroline, Maryland" to see if it really existed: I would love to take a trip there: Julia Gabriel has created such an appealing setting for her St. Caroline series of books.
Julia Gabriel's first book in the St. Caroline series, Summer Again is so captivating! "Lucy Lou", as Sterling Matthew used to call her when they were teenagers, came from very humble beginnings, from a small town in the mountains of Virginia. She had been a rebellious, angry sixteen-year old girl when she first came to the Chesapeake Inn's annual summer camp for underprivileged children. Attending that camp had changed Lucy's life. Little did she know that fifteen years later, she would be working at the Inn and fighting against Sterling Matthew to keep that same summer camp program open. But Chesapeake Inn was in the red, and Sterling had been called back from his playboy lifestyle and wandering ways to take over the Inn from his dying father.
Don't expect this story to fall into all the usual tropes. While Lucy and Sterling had shared some hot moments in the neighbour's boathouse as teens, there were no declarations of undying love or broken hearts here. Lucy eventually worked her way through college, married and then divorced her faithless husband, and found a job at the one place she had always been truly happy: the Chesapeake Inn in St. Caroline. Sterling was shipped off to boarding school, then college, then off to Europe to "find himself" and live off his trust fund.
But, fifteen years later, when Lucy and Sterling meet again on the battleground that was Chesapeake Inn, sparks start flying and these two just can't seem to resist each other. The fate of the camp is always in the background of their attraction: each of them believes they can use their mutual sexual attraction to convince the other to back down on the campground issue. I will let you find out for yourself if these two resolve their issues and find a way to each other again!
Julia Gabriel creates lifelike characters, paints settings so alluring and inviting, and writes so beautifully that I am drawn right into her stories. I know I am repeating myself here: I said a similar thing in my review of book number 4 in this series, but this bears repeating. I just love feeling like I am sitting in a corner of the room, watching these characters in an unfolding drama.
And I dare you not to say "aaaaaaawwwww!" at the end of this book! Highly recommended!
Summer Again: Another fabulous read! I actually Googled "St. Caroline, Maryland" to see if it really existed: I would love to take a trip there: Julia Gabriel has created such an appealing setting for her St. Caroline series of books.
Julia Gabriel's first book in the St. Caroline series, Summer Again is so captivating! "Lucy Lou", as Sterling Matthew used to call her when they were teenagers, came from very humble beginnings, from a small town in the mountains of Virginia. She had been a rebellious, angry sixteen-year old girl when she first came to the Chesapeake Inn's annual summer camp for underprivileged children. Attending that camp had changed Lucy's life. Little did she know that fifteen years later, she would be working at the Inn and fighting against Sterling Matthew to keep that same summer camp program open. But Chesapeake Inn was in the red, and Sterling had been called back from his playboy lifestyle and wandering ways to take over the Inn from his dying father.
Don't expect this story to fall into all the usual tropes. While Lucy and Sterling had shared some hot moments in the neighbour's boathouse as teens, there were no declarations of undying love or broken hearts here. Lucy eventually worked her way through college, married and then divorced her faithless husband, and found a job at the one place she had always been truly happy: the Chesapeake Inn in St. Caroline. Sterling was shipped off to boarding school, then college, then off to Europe to "find himself" and live off his trust fund.
But, fifteen years later, when Lucy and Sterling meet again on the battleground that was Chesapeake Inn, sparks start flying and these two just can't seem to resist each other. The fate of the camp is always in the background of their attraction: each of them believes they can use their mutual sexual attraction to convince the other to back down on the campground issue. I will let you find out for yourself if these two resolve their issues and find a way to each other again!
Julia Gabriel creates lifelike characters, paints settings so alluring and inviting, and writes so beautifully that I am drawn right into her stories. I know I am repeating myself here: I said a similar thing in my review of book number 4 in this series, but this bears repeating. I just love feeling like I am sitting in a corner of the room, watching these characters in an unfolding drama.
And I dare you not to say "aaaaaaawwwww!" at the end of this book! Highly recommended!
September 15, 2017
For a romance novel, there was scant little romance to be found here. Lots of lust, but no romance.
Lucy lives & works peacefully in quiet, rich St. Caroline until her first crush, Sterling, comes steamrolling back into town. Her beloved boss dies, Sterling fires her, then he threatens the job of her best friend, literally calls her an "underprivileged ragamuffin", and then promises to do away with the beloved summer camp she loves.
And yet for page after page, all we read about is how much she wants to sleep with him. She's mad, she's sad, she's embarrassed, but she still wants to sleep with him.
And this had the potential to actually be a cute love story! A playboy ne-er do well who comes back to his hometown to turn the family business around ends up re-meeting a long-lost love who has worked hard to improve her position in life. This could have been the story of their journey into to a true and meaningful love while overcoming the innate boundaries of money and class.
Instead, it becomes... spoiler alert... their journey back into sex on the floor of a boat shed. What a waste.
But I guess I shouldn't have expected too much when the male MC's name is "Sterling". No, "Sterling" definitely doesn't pass the When Harry Met Sally sexy name test. So, I read it, I finished it, and the one thing I can say about it is this: Good thing it was free.
Thank you and goodnight!
Lucy lives & works peacefully in quiet, rich St. Caroline until her first crush, Sterling, comes steamrolling back into town. Her beloved boss dies, Sterling fires her, then he threatens the job of her best friend, literally calls her an "underprivileged ragamuffin", and then promises to do away with the beloved summer camp she loves.
And yet for page after page, all we read about is how much she wants to sleep with him. She's mad, she's sad, she's embarrassed, but she still wants to sleep with him.
And this had the potential to actually be a cute love story! A playboy ne-er do well who comes back to his hometown to turn the family business around ends up re-meeting a long-lost love who has worked hard to improve her position in life. This could have been the story of their journey into to a true and meaningful love while overcoming the innate boundaries of money and class.
Instead, it becomes... spoiler alert... their journey back into sex on the floor of a boat shed. What a waste.
But I guess I shouldn't have expected too much when the male MC's name is "Sterling". No, "Sterling" definitely doesn't pass the When Harry Met Sally sexy name test. So, I read it, I finished it, and the one thing I can say about it is this: Good thing it was free.
Thank you and goodnight!
February 13, 2020
3.5 Learning to See and Understand Stars
* * * 1/2 Spoiler Free
Isn't it interesting how two people can experience the same thing and each has a very different experience...how we perceive things and make assumptions can impact us; shape who we are as people...
This story approaches this idea from a number of ways and makes its point. All of us have turning points in our lives. Things happen to either open our hearts and minds to the possibility of a life we may not have known...or we can shut down and close our minds to the pain and wish things to be erased.
Our main characters shared a moment when they crossed over from gangly teens to sexual beings...first times marking them, leaving memories to catalog and file away. They came from two different worlds...each with challenges...some more obvious than others... but both suffering from the pain of being lonely and lost.
Both have lived their lives... one wandering the world, wanting financially for nothing, experiencing all the pleasures and running as far away from his home, the family business, as fast as he can. No memories were warm or fuzzy. They were more of wanting to belong to the visiting families as he watched from a distance seeing the closeness they had. Even the kids participating in the charity camp for disadvantaged teens his father had established looked like they were having fun. Funny, he would think, he was jealous of these ragtag kids bonding together for the brief freedom they had together excluding him.
Sterling did have a moment, though, with his Lucy Lou that summer... frantic, hormone-charged experience... they didn't know what they were doing... and then she was gone...
For Lucy, her experience of that short time at the camp... changed her path. It showed her the possibility of what a life could be... she saw with her own eyes the beauty of people being a complete family... she saw people who knew how to be focused and accomplish things. She was encouraged to do well in just everyday tasks and praised when they were completed. It was a welcoming feeling and she wanted more of it. It changed her once she returned home. She had learned what success felt like and used that feeling to guide her through high school, college and learning the hotel industry. She even used that experience to marry.
The marriage wasn't successful but life brought her back to the place where she had found herself... and gave her a second chance. The Inn needed a marketing director and her life's experience fit the bill. Lucy found her home; she officially became part of the family... working where she loved.
We find both Sterling and Lucy with opposing focuses for the Inn. His father is gravely ill; Sterling has been brought back by his mother holding his inheritance over his head. If he doesn't come and handle the Inn, he will be cut out of his mother's will when her time comes. The idea chills him to the bone. Having to be at the Inn brings back the loneliness and sad memories of his childhood. He has to arrange financing for the Inn and first on the agenda is to end the Kids Camp...
Lucy is stunned by Sterling's wanting to end the camp... the impact it has had over the decades has been massive... lives have been changed, her own life. She is not going to allow this to happen...she will think of a way to save it one way or another.
These two do seem drawn to each other even after all the years that have passed but they both have agendas...
This story had a couple of things going for it. It presented to the reader how impactful time at camp could be for inner-city or disadvantaged kids can be. It gave insight into these camps and how young people need encouragement in all forms. It may sound basic... but it is something to remember when approached by various organizations. Many of the characters were able to develop their talents after experiencing a taste of freedom and creativity at the camp.
I was a bit disappointed in Sterling, though. Although I understood his childhood wasn't as perfect as it may have looked from the outside, his stubbornness in refusing to see the potential of the camp was just selfish to me. He was holding a child's grudge... and his growth took a while.
Overall, my interest was held... I wanted to see what the outcome would be.
A gifted copy was provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * * 1/2 Spoiler Free
Isn't it interesting how two people can experience the same thing and each has a very different experience...how we perceive things and make assumptions can impact us; shape who we are as people...
This story approaches this idea from a number of ways and makes its point. All of us have turning points in our lives. Things happen to either open our hearts and minds to the possibility of a life we may not have known...or we can shut down and close our minds to the pain and wish things to be erased.
Our main characters shared a moment when they crossed over from gangly teens to sexual beings...first times marking them, leaving memories to catalog and file away. They came from two different worlds...each with challenges...some more obvious than others... but both suffering from the pain of being lonely and lost.
Both have lived their lives... one wandering the world, wanting financially for nothing, experiencing all the pleasures and running as far away from his home, the family business, as fast as he can. No memories were warm or fuzzy. They were more of wanting to belong to the visiting families as he watched from a distance seeing the closeness they had. Even the kids participating in the charity camp for disadvantaged teens his father had established looked like they were having fun. Funny, he would think, he was jealous of these ragtag kids bonding together for the brief freedom they had together excluding him.
Sterling did have a moment, though, with his Lucy Lou that summer... frantic, hormone-charged experience... they didn't know what they were doing... and then she was gone...
For Lucy, her experience of that short time at the camp... changed her path. It showed her the possibility of what a life could be... she saw with her own eyes the beauty of people being a complete family... she saw people who knew how to be focused and accomplish things. She was encouraged to do well in just everyday tasks and praised when they were completed. It was a welcoming feeling and she wanted more of it. It changed her once she returned home. She had learned what success felt like and used that feeling to guide her through high school, college and learning the hotel industry. She even used that experience to marry.
The marriage wasn't successful but life brought her back to the place where she had found herself... and gave her a second chance. The Inn needed a marketing director and her life's experience fit the bill. Lucy found her home; she officially became part of the family... working where she loved.
We find both Sterling and Lucy with opposing focuses for the Inn. His father is gravely ill; Sterling has been brought back by his mother holding his inheritance over his head. If he doesn't come and handle the Inn, he will be cut out of his mother's will when her time comes. The idea chills him to the bone. Having to be at the Inn brings back the loneliness and sad memories of his childhood. He has to arrange financing for the Inn and first on the agenda is to end the Kids Camp...
Lucy is stunned by Sterling's wanting to end the camp... the impact it has had over the decades has been massive... lives have been changed, her own life. She is not going to allow this to happen...she will think of a way to save it one way or another.
These two do seem drawn to each other even after all the years that have passed but they both have agendas...
This story had a couple of things going for it. It presented to the reader how impactful time at camp could be for inner-city or disadvantaged kids can be. It gave insight into these camps and how young people need encouragement in all forms. It may sound basic... but it is something to remember when approached by various organizations. Many of the characters were able to develop their talents after experiencing a taste of freedom and creativity at the camp.
I was a bit disappointed in Sterling, though. Although I understood his childhood wasn't as perfect as it may have looked from the outside, his stubbornness in refusing to see the potential of the camp was just selfish to me. He was holding a child's grudge... and his growth took a while.
Overall, my interest was held... I wanted to see what the outcome would be.
A gifted copy was provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
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July 25, 2018💝FREE on iBooks today (7/25/2018)!💝
April 25, 2017
Loved this romance...the camp setting evoked a "Dirty Dancing" feeling. This was a very romantic second chance romance.
May 31, 2017
As soon as I saw the setting of this book was the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, I knew I had to read it! Growing up in Maryland, this meant summer to me.
The author makes the Bay, the Chesapeake Inn and the camp for children come to life with her words. The conflict of Lucy having to now work for her teenage crush at the inn was difficult. I liked her character a lot and could feel the different emotions she was dealing with.
A good book to read on a hot summer day. And I'm sure you will might just feel a bit nostalgic like I did. I definitely recommend this heart warming book!
* I was provided an ARC to read from the publisher and NetGalley. I voluntarily reviewed the book.
The author makes the Bay, the Chesapeake Inn and the camp for children come to life with her words. The conflict of Lucy having to now work for her teenage crush at the inn was difficult. I liked her character a lot and could feel the different emotions she was dealing with.
A good book to read on a hot summer day. And I'm sure you will might just feel a bit nostalgic like I did. I definitely recommend this heart warming book!
* I was provided an ARC to read from the publisher and NetGalley. I voluntarily reviewed the book.
Want to read
March 30, 2013FREE today on Amazon US (3/30/2013)
April 15, 2018
Simple, sweet opposites attract/second chance romance.
Sterling was a little annoying at times due to his inability to see the worth of the camp for underprivileged kids because of his own perception of childhood slights by his father but that was part of his growth as a character. Lucy more than made up for Sterlings shortcomings. I loved her strength and tenacity.
Sterling was a little annoying at times due to his inability to see the worth of the camp for underprivileged kids because of his own perception of childhood slights by his father but that was part of his growth as a character. Lucy more than made up for Sterlings shortcomings. I loved her strength and tenacity.
August 16, 2014
4.5/5.0
In this masterfully crafted novel, Julia Gabriel pits the tenacious Lucy Wyndham against her past in the form of Sterling Matthew.
Read full review in the 2013 June issue of InD’tale Magazine.
In this masterfully crafted novel, Julia Gabriel pits the tenacious Lucy Wyndham against her past in the form of Sterling Matthew.
Read full review in the 2013 June issue of InD’tale Magazine.
April 6, 2013
A really good contemporary romance with subtle sensual moments. It was sweet and steamy, but not overtly sexual. I really enjoyed it, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
October 12, 2017
so after about 2 months I finally finished this book. it was good. not great but good. I enjoyed it. I like st. Caroline as a town. and the camp is amazing! the sexual attraction between Lucy and Sterling was great. I liked Douglas and eve and am in love with Gina and her baking! definitely worth reading this book and I will visit st. Caroline again in the other books
Want to read
August 13, 2017Freebie 6/4/17
September 10, 2017
I think this will go down as the worst book I've read all summer. Nothing about this was plausible. Not to mention nothing was even resolved at the end. It was less of a cliff hanger and more of let me create a somewhat satisfied ending than anything that makes sense. Both main characters are increasingly annoying. Even with their sob story backgrounds you never build an emotional connection toward any of them. All they want to do is have sex and stare at each other. Ugh.
July 26, 2014
This is my first review in English so… sorry for mistakes!
I would recommend this book for lovers of millionaires and/ or insta-lust stories. I had read some and this one falls into that category.
They are not my cuppa.
It is the only fault I can put on the story. If they had detailed it in the blurb, I wouldn´t had pick up this one.
I found it unrealistic and shallow. The MC are driven by sex, and only sex. (And FYI, there isn´t explicit description of sex in this book, it just describes the foreplay, then: blackout! I usually don´t mind it but in this case it appears odd because the foreplay is well described.)
Aside of tons of inner talk in which each character tell us their point of view, there isn´t any other interaction between them. No captivating or interesting talk between them to show us how the feel or what they want from the other, just the typical assumptions about “I´m not good enough for him” or “I don´t know if I want more from her than sex”. She is a weak character driven by lust and he is a spoiled brat driven by lust too.
Even now, at the end of the story, the “I love you” arrives still without explanations or apologies, or something else other than return to having sex. All goes well and everything is solved miraculously... what would have happened if there had not been "that magical donation"?
***
Recomendaría este libro a los amantes de los romances (o insta-lust) protagonizados por millonarios. He leído algunos y esta historia entra dentro de dicha categoría.
No es difícil de imaginar que no están entre mis favoritos.
Es la única “pega” que le puedo poner a la historia, si lo hubiesen detallado en la descripción del libro, no lo hubiese elegido.
Me ha resultado irreal y banal. La única relación que hay entre los protagonistas es la sexual, (aunque he de decir que no hay descripción explícita de sexo, tan sólo de los prolegómenos, después: apagón! A mí nunca antes me había importado pero en esta historia me ha resultado chocante, sobre todo por lo descriptivo de los previos.)
Aparte de páginas y páginas de diálogo interior, cada uno contando la historia desde su punto de vista, no hay más interacción entre ellos. No hay diálogo interesante o arrebatador que nos muestre cómo se sienten o qué es lo que quieren el uno del otro, sólo las suposiciones típicas de “no soy lo suficientemente buena para él” o “no sé si quiero algo más de ella que sexo”. Cuando los personajes toman decisiones, uno espera que tengan consecuencias, aquí no es así. Ella aguanta todo lo que le echan encima y más, y él es un niño grande malcriado…
Incluso ya al final de la historia cuando llegan los “te quiero”, siguen sin llegar las explicaciones o las disculpas o algo más aparte de volver a tener sexo. Todo sale bien y todo se soluciona milagrosamente…qué hubiese pasado si no hubiese habido “esa donación mágica”?.
I would recommend this book for lovers of millionaires and/ or insta-lust stories. I had read some and this one falls into that category.
They are not my cuppa.
It is the only fault I can put on the story. If they had detailed it in the blurb, I wouldn´t had pick up this one.
I found it unrealistic and shallow. The MC are driven by sex, and only sex. (And FYI, there isn´t explicit description of sex in this book, it just describes the foreplay, then: blackout! I usually don´t mind it but in this case it appears odd because the foreplay is well described.)
Aside of tons of inner talk in which each character tell us their point of view, there isn´t any other interaction between them. No captivating or interesting talk between them to show us how the feel or what they want from the other, just the typical assumptions about “I´m not good enough for him” or “I don´t know if I want more from her than sex”. She is a weak character driven by lust and he is a spoiled brat driven by lust too.
Even now, at the end of the story, the “I love you” arrives still without explanations or apologies, or something else other than return to having sex. All goes well and everything is solved miraculously... what would have happened if there had not been "that magical donation"?
***
Recomendaría este libro a los amantes de los romances (o insta-lust) protagonizados por millonarios. He leído algunos y esta historia entra dentro de dicha categoría.
No es difícil de imaginar que no están entre mis favoritos.
Es la única “pega” que le puedo poner a la historia, si lo hubiesen detallado en la descripción del libro, no lo hubiese elegido.
Me ha resultado irreal y banal. La única relación que hay entre los protagonistas es la sexual, (aunque he de decir que no hay descripción explícita de sexo, tan sólo de los prolegómenos, después: apagón! A mí nunca antes me había importado pero en esta historia me ha resultado chocante, sobre todo por lo descriptivo de los previos.)
Aparte de páginas y páginas de diálogo interior, cada uno contando la historia desde su punto de vista, no hay más interacción entre ellos. No hay diálogo interesante o arrebatador que nos muestre cómo se sienten o qué es lo que quieren el uno del otro, sólo las suposiciones típicas de “no soy lo suficientemente buena para él” o “no sé si quiero algo más de ella que sexo”. Cuando los personajes toman decisiones, uno espera que tengan consecuencias, aquí no es así. Ella aguanta todo lo que le echan encima y más, y él es un niño grande malcriado…
Incluso ya al final de la historia cuando llegan los “te quiero”, siguen sin llegar las explicaciones o las disculpas o algo más aparte de volver a tener sexo. Todo sale bien y todo se soluciona milagrosamente…qué hubiese pasado si no hubiese habido “esa donación mágica”?.
August 18, 2014
If you're looking for a quick, romantic story, you’ll love Sterling and Lucy’s journey together.. Two individuals from completely different lives and backgrounds.
Sterling is the only son of the wealthy family who owns the Chesapeake Inn. Lucy is now the marketing director at the Chesapeake Inn and was once an underprivileged teen who visited the inn's summer camp; the same camp where she and Sterling had an intimate summer together. Sterling, in an attempt to save his inheritance, after many years abroad he returns to take control of the inn due to his father’s failing health. He's no longer the fumbling teenager that Lucy lost her virginity to, but a very sexy, desirable man and now her new boss! Just what she needs, right?
From the very beginning they fight about how the inn should be run, because they see and remember things differently. The summer camp which Lucy insists benefits the community and a lot of kids with troubled lives/homes BUT Sterling sees it as an unnecessary cost on the inn's bottom line. The camp helped Lucy survive as a teen, but Sterling holds a grudge against the camp, because as the son of the Inn’s owner is wasn’t allowed to experience certain things during his youth.
Sterling and Lucy’s romance allows the reader to experience the ups and downs of their relationship as it crosses lines of pre-conceived notions from the past, a strong romantic attraction that neither is immediately eager to admit.
There are a lot of great secondary characters in this story that you will grow to love and I would say that Douglas was one of my favorites. You don’t get to see a lot of Douglas, a friend of Lucy's who works at the Kids Kamp and is a very good friend of hers, but you can't help but fall for him and his protectiveness of Lucy.
**I won my copy from a Goodreads giveaway that Julia held and I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read and review this book**
Sterling is the only son of the wealthy family who owns the Chesapeake Inn. Lucy is now the marketing director at the Chesapeake Inn and was once an underprivileged teen who visited the inn's summer camp; the same camp where she and Sterling had an intimate summer together. Sterling, in an attempt to save his inheritance, after many years abroad he returns to take control of the inn due to his father’s failing health. He's no longer the fumbling teenager that Lucy lost her virginity to, but a very sexy, desirable man and now her new boss! Just what she needs, right?
From the very beginning they fight about how the inn should be run, because they see and remember things differently. The summer camp which Lucy insists benefits the community and a lot of kids with troubled lives/homes BUT Sterling sees it as an unnecessary cost on the inn's bottom line. The camp helped Lucy survive as a teen, but Sterling holds a grudge against the camp, because as the son of the Inn’s owner is wasn’t allowed to experience certain things during his youth.
Sterling and Lucy’s romance allows the reader to experience the ups and downs of their relationship as it crosses lines of pre-conceived notions from the past, a strong romantic attraction that neither is immediately eager to admit.
There are a lot of great secondary characters in this story that you will grow to love and I would say that Douglas was one of my favorites. You don’t get to see a lot of Douglas, a friend of Lucy's who works at the Kids Kamp and is a very good friend of hers, but you can't help but fall for him and his protectiveness of Lucy.
**I won my copy from a Goodreads giveaway that Julia held and I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read and review this book**
July 1, 2013
If you're looking for a romantic summer read, you'll love the story of Sterling and Lucy, two individuals from completely different backgrounds. Sterling is the only son of a wealthy family who owns a quaint but upper scale inn in a sleepy coastal town. Lucy, now the retreat's marketing director, was once an underprivileged teen who visited the inn's summer camp where she and Sterling had an intimate one-night encounter.
Now Sterling is back after many years abroad to take control of the inn. He's no longer the fumbling youth she lost her virginity to, but a highly desirable man - and her new boss! Great set-up, right? Oh yeah!
From the start they clash on how the inn should be run, especially the continuation of the summer camp which Lucy insists benefits the community, but which Sterling sees as an unnecessary drag on the inn's bottom line. He's already been told by his mother he needs to improve profits or she'll cut him from her will.
The romance is breezy and sweet, allowing the reader to experience the ups and downs of Sterling and Lucy's relationship as it crosses lines of pre-conceived notions from the past, boss and employee, and of course, a strong romantic attraction that neither are immediately eager to admit.
There's also a secondary character I really loved. Although Douglas, a friend of Lucy's who works at the inn, doesn't have many scenes, you can't help but fall for him. He's wonderfully protective of Lucy and I loved the way he viewed Sterling (especially as a teen)!
Finally, the author brings the inn, the retreat and the Chesapeake Bay surroundings to life in such vivid clarity, the setting almost takes on the aspect of another character. I have a strong attachment to the eastern seaboard and adore books that can transport me there within their pages. I found Falling for the Prodigal Son, the perfect summer read!
Now Sterling is back after many years abroad to take control of the inn. He's no longer the fumbling youth she lost her virginity to, but a highly desirable man - and her new boss! Great set-up, right? Oh yeah!
From the start they clash on how the inn should be run, especially the continuation of the summer camp which Lucy insists benefits the community, but which Sterling sees as an unnecessary drag on the inn's bottom line. He's already been told by his mother he needs to improve profits or she'll cut him from her will.
The romance is breezy and sweet, allowing the reader to experience the ups and downs of Sterling and Lucy's relationship as it crosses lines of pre-conceived notions from the past, boss and employee, and of course, a strong romantic attraction that neither are immediately eager to admit.
There's also a secondary character I really loved. Although Douglas, a friend of Lucy's who works at the inn, doesn't have many scenes, you can't help but fall for him. He's wonderfully protective of Lucy and I loved the way he viewed Sterling (especially as a teen)!
Finally, the author brings the inn, the retreat and the Chesapeake Bay surroundings to life in such vivid clarity, the setting almost takes on the aspect of another character. I have a strong attachment to the eastern seaboard and adore books that can transport me there within their pages. I found Falling for the Prodigal Son, the perfect summer read!
March 30, 2013
I simply loved this book so much. The connection between Sterling and Lucy was really strong and even 15 years later it was still there. It's a great love story and a good read
April 5, 2013
Oh what a sweet story. I liked Lucy a lot and Sterling was just as annoying as one would expect him to be in a story like this.
October 11, 2015
Great romance. Loved the characters, their development and the story of their past. Great read.
November 4, 2014
I great romantic read! This is my first book by Julia Gabriel and I will be reading more.
Thanks Serif Books and NetGalley for ARC.
Thanks Serif Books and NetGalley for ARC.
June 5, 2017
I found the hero to be an arrogant snob and jerk and the relationship with the heroine is manipulative on both their parts. Neither is a character to like or care about.
October 7, 2019
Summer Again (St Caroline series Book 1)
By Julia Gabriel
I wanted something light to read and this book called to me through its cover and synopsis.
I found it a light read but struggled to get into it. It didn’t grab me and I almost gave up on it.
Once it had started going and I could see where it might be headed I found it more intriguing.
A privileged family run a hotel of relaxation and sorts. The son is pushed aside while his parents indulge in making the business successful and when a camp for under privileged children starts up every summer, Sterling Matthew is seen as the privileged boy who has everything and is a pretty boy, they have nothing.
They grow up and some of those kids (now adults )wind up working there and when John Matthew’s health deteriorates Sarah (wife time John, mother to Sterling) has to call her son home for help with the business.
Lucy, who loved her time at the summer camp had been working there for some time and was treated like a daughter by Sarah and John. But when Sterling arrives back in town, there are a lot of conflicting ideas about what can happen to the business.
I found all of the characters quite likeable and the book is very light, not dark at all, which is what I wanted from it.
Summer Again started off as a stand-alone until Julia Gabriel wanted to write a series and St Caroline seemed the obvious choice.
I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for a light read.
By Julia Gabriel
I wanted something light to read and this book called to me through its cover and synopsis.
I found it a light read but struggled to get into it. It didn’t grab me and I almost gave up on it.
Once it had started going and I could see where it might be headed I found it more intriguing.
A privileged family run a hotel of relaxation and sorts. The son is pushed aside while his parents indulge in making the business successful and when a camp for under privileged children starts up every summer, Sterling Matthew is seen as the privileged boy who has everything and is a pretty boy, they have nothing.
They grow up and some of those kids (now adults )wind up working there and when John Matthew’s health deteriorates Sarah (wife time John, mother to Sterling) has to call her son home for help with the business.
Lucy, who loved her time at the summer camp had been working there for some time and was treated like a daughter by Sarah and John. But when Sterling arrives back in town, there are a lot of conflicting ideas about what can happen to the business.
I found all of the characters quite likeable and the book is very light, not dark at all, which is what I wanted from it.
Summer Again started off as a stand-alone until Julia Gabriel wanted to write a series and St Caroline seemed the obvious choice.
I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for a light read.
June 20, 2017
Lucy Wyndham has a dream job, working as the marketing manager for the Chesapeake Inn in St. Caroline. When her beloved boss, John Matthew, falls ill, John’s ne’er do well son, Sterling, returns to take over the Inn. Changes are immediately made and Lucy is dismayed to find that number one on Sterling’s list is doing away with the summer camp for underprivileged kids, especially since Lucy herself was once one of those kids. Lucy and Sterling repeatedly butt heads over the termination of the camp, yet they still find a way to rekindle the teen romance they began fifteen years earlier.
This was a feel-good, yet somewhat unlikely, romance novel. The characters were vulnerable, which made them likable to me. Told from the POV of both Lucy and Sterling, readers see glimpses into their true feelings about each other, St. Caroline, their childhoods and more.
The book is short – just 194 pages – but at times I felt it dragged a bit because of the repetition of the same “save the camp for the kids’ sake” theme. However, it’s a good way to get a feel for the author’s writing and I’d definitely give another one her books a try.
4 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, https://ebookreviewgal.com
This was a feel-good, yet somewhat unlikely, romance novel. The characters were vulnerable, which made them likable to me. Told from the POV of both Lucy and Sterling, readers see glimpses into their true feelings about each other, St. Caroline, their childhoods and more.
The book is short – just 194 pages – but at times I felt it dragged a bit because of the repetition of the same “save the camp for the kids’ sake” theme. However, it’s a good way to get a feel for the author’s writing and I’d definitely give another one her books a try.
4 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, https://ebookreviewgal.com
February 28, 2019
For the past 5yrs, Lucy has the marketing director at the Chesapeake Inn in the seaside town of St. Caroline, MD. While she enjoys working there, her heart is with the camp for underprivileged kids that is sponsored and run by the Inn. However, things are changing this summer...the elderly owner is dying and his son has returned to run the Inn. When he announces that this will be the camp’s last summer, Lucy sets about to change his mind.
Sterling Matthews has spent most of the years since high school on ski slopes and ‘finding himself’. He has never had to hold down a job because of his family’s wealth. With his father dying, Sterling is back to, hopefully, get the Inn out of its financial struggle...and put it up for sale. After all, Sterling did not enjoy his time growing up at the Inn. Now he’s meeting resistance from the lovely marketing director...the one with whom he had a summer fling when she was a camper 15yrs ago. Will this pair get past their personal agendas and do what’s best for the Inn...and each other? Some drama and angsty moments. I didn’t like Sterling for most of this book...lol...I would be giving spoilers if I explained. Just read/listen!!
Sterling Matthews has spent most of the years since high school on ski slopes and ‘finding himself’. He has never had to hold down a job because of his family’s wealth. With his father dying, Sterling is back to, hopefully, get the Inn out of its financial struggle...and put it up for sale. After all, Sterling did not enjoy his time growing up at the Inn. Now he’s meeting resistance from the lovely marketing director...the one with whom he had a summer fling when she was a camper 15yrs ago. Will this pair get past their personal agendas and do what’s best for the Inn...and each other? Some drama and angsty moments. I didn’t like Sterling for most of this book...lol...I would be giving spoilers if I explained. Just read/listen!!
June 25, 2017
Summer Again was once named Falling for the Prodigal Son, but I like this title better. Sterling was always the rich lonely boy lurking in the shadows of the camp while the kids had fun. His parents owned a fancy resort with a summer camp for troubled kids attached. Lucy was one of those kids fifteen years ago but she's come back to manage the marketing for the Inn. Upon his father's illness Sterling was requested to return from jaunting over Europe and run the Inn, never expecting to find his "first girl" working for his parents. I wouldn't necessarily call this a second chance romance because as kids they were just experimenting. Lucy was a very likable character, strong, intelligent, stubborn and lonely. Sterling started off as this tough guy wanting to make changes to the Inn and then skip town but I like the man he became the longer he hung around. Beautifully written romance with true heart and real situations. I received a copy ages ago from Netgalley, with the original title, but returned to it nearing the release of the second book in the series.
November 15, 2019
"Summer Again" by Julia Gabriel
The genre of the book is fiction.
"Summer Again" by Julia Gabriel is about Lucy, an accountant for a resort in St Caroline, is going through a rough patch. The owner of the resort is very ill and his son, Sterling, is taking his spot. Sterling is trying to make the resort more financially stable and the one way to do that is get rid of the summer camp for troubled kids. Lucy attended the camp as a teen and it truly changed her outlook on life. Her and Stirling were a summer fling during camp and sparks flew when they met. After spending quality time together, Stirling and Lucy got back together and saved the summer camp. The plot of the book is when Lucy and Stirling get together.
The thing I didn't like about the book was the it was very graphic in an inappropriate way. It was more of a mature book then what I was expecting.
The thing I liked about the book best was how detailed it was. I also connected to the book because the best part of my summers are all the camps I go to and how much they impact me.
The genre of the book is fiction.
"Summer Again" by Julia Gabriel is about Lucy, an accountant for a resort in St Caroline, is going through a rough patch. The owner of the resort is very ill and his son, Sterling, is taking his spot. Sterling is trying to make the resort more financially stable and the one way to do that is get rid of the summer camp for troubled kids. Lucy attended the camp as a teen and it truly changed her outlook on life. Her and Stirling were a summer fling during camp and sparks flew when they met. After spending quality time together, Stirling and Lucy got back together and saved the summer camp. The plot of the book is when Lucy and Stirling get together.
The thing I didn't like about the book was the it was very graphic in an inappropriate way. It was more of a mature book then what I was expecting.
The thing I liked about the book best was how detailed it was. I also connected to the book because the best part of my summers are all the camps I go to and how much they impact me.
August 9, 2017
There is a certain vulnerability in Sterling that is not readily visible until Lucy brings it out. This is a story of opposites who are really alike in so many ways. Lucy coming to grips with her own upbringing and the hurdles she faced was heartbreaking. The author has created in these two characters a vision of how even though outward appearances create the possibility of judgment that is wrong in so many ways.
I thoroughly enjoyed the history that Sterling and Lucy had, and its draw to bring him to realize just how much she meant to him and how they were really very much alike. The author has created characters who we can see a bit of ourselves...making their story so much more poignant.
This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I have voluntarily providing my honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed the history that Sterling and Lucy had, and its draw to bring him to realize just how much she meant to him and how they were really very much alike. The author has created characters who we can see a bit of ourselves...making their story so much more poignant.
This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I have voluntarily providing my honest review.
January 12, 2020
Good story.
I really enjoyed this book. It’s about Lucy, who works at an Inn in the town of St. Caroline, in Maryland. The kids camp that the Inn hosts was a turning point in Lucy’s life. It changed her life. As it does so many other underprivileged kids. When the owner gets sick and his son comes back to take over the running the Inn, Lucy doesn’t know what to think. Because Sterling Matthew, was the boy she gave her self to all those years ago when she was at camp. When he chooses to close the camp, Lucy has to find a way to save it.
I really enjoyed this book. It was well written and such a sweet story. The characters were great, and real. There were times in the book, that I didn’t care to much for Sterling, because of some of the thoughts he had about Lucy, but he changed by the end of the book. Definitely worth the read.
I really enjoyed this book. It’s about Lucy, who works at an Inn in the town of St. Caroline, in Maryland. The kids camp that the Inn hosts was a turning point in Lucy’s life. It changed her life. As it does so many other underprivileged kids. When the owner gets sick and his son comes back to take over the running the Inn, Lucy doesn’t know what to think. Because Sterling Matthew, was the boy she gave her self to all those years ago when she was at camp. When he chooses to close the camp, Lucy has to find a way to save it.
I really enjoyed this book. It was well written and such a sweet story. The characters were great, and real. There were times in the book, that I didn’t care to much for Sterling, because of some of the thoughts he had about Lucy, but he changed by the end of the book. Definitely worth the read.
August 17, 2019
I received an eARC of this book via NetGalley. Here is my honest review.
I started this book years ago and then, just didn't finish it. With the recent #reviewathon hosted by NetGalley this year, I have been going through my Kindle and trying to tie up forgotten reviews. Even though it had been awhile since I picked up this book, it didn't take long to get back into the story. Second chance stories tend to be like.
It's a great trope for a romance book and is a sweet story. It just felt pretty unbelievable. I felt that there was a real lack of character development and relationship development, and not just between the hero and heroine. The relationship that Sterling had with his parents seemed strained and never felt like they had any resolution or growth.
I started this book years ago and then, just didn't finish it. With the recent #reviewathon hosted by NetGalley this year, I have been going through my Kindle and trying to tie up forgotten reviews. Even though it had been awhile since I picked up this book, it didn't take long to get back into the story. Second chance stories tend to be like.
It's a great trope for a romance book and is a sweet story. It just felt pretty unbelievable. I felt that there was a real lack of character development and relationship development, and not just between the hero and heroine. The relationship that Sterling had with his parents seemed strained and never felt like they had any resolution or growth.
September 29, 2017
I found this book for free on Amazon via Freebooksy; this is my honest review.
It should have been a romance but it's lust all over the story. Chemistry, yes. Romance, no.
Not once did either think beyond the year's end, or about showing up together in town, have babies, going out romantically to a restaurant. No it was all about when am I going to see her/him naked again? When can I kiss her/him again? and on and on.
Good editing. Good story in general. Financial problems and the classic "privileged boy and the under-privileged girl", that was getting old at the end. But no romance.
It should have been a romance but it's lust all over the story. Chemistry, yes. Romance, no.
Not once did either think beyond the year's end, or about showing up together in town, have babies, going out romantically to a restaurant. No it was all about when am I going to see her/him naked again? When can I kiss her/him again? and on and on.
Good editing. Good story in general. Financial problems and the classic "privileged boy and the under-privileged girl", that was getting old at the end. But no romance.
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