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Summer Lightning
Melissa Loring knew that she was a lucky girl. She had everything she’d ever dared ask for, including the love of Tripp, a handsome, devoted boyfriend. But somehow, Melissa wanted more. She’d always had the magical feeling that someone was watching over her, and she dreamed of meeting an earthly love who could make her feel the same way.
Then on Melissa’s seventeenth birthday, her dream came true—almost. Schuyler Whitfield revealed himself as her invisible protector—and a ghost. And he offered her his love.
Now Melissa must decide whether to accept the love of a specter or to hold on to her real-life love with Tripp. But can an ordinary guy ever compete with the seductive power of the unknown?
Then on Melissa’s seventeenth birthday, her dream came true—almost. Schuyler Whitfield revealed himself as her invisible protector—and a ghost. And he offered her his love.
Now Melissa must decide whether to accept the love of a specter or to hold on to her real-life love with Tripp. But can an ordinary guy ever compete with the seductive power of the unknown?
200 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
28 people are currently reading
248 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Corsi Staub
82 books1,899 followersNew York Times bestseller Wendy Corsi Staub is the award-winning author of more than ninety novels, best known for the single title psychological suspense novels she writes under her own name. Those books and the women’s fiction written under the pseudonym Wendy Markham have also appeared on the USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookscan bestseller lists.
Her current standalone suspense novel, THE OTHER FAMILY, is about a picture-perfect family that that moves into a picture-perfect house. But not everything is as it seems, and the page-turner concludes “with a wallop of a twist,” according to #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben.
Her critically acclaimed Lily Dale traditional mystery series centers around a widowed single mom—and skeptic—who moves to a town populated by spiritualists who talk to the dead. Titles include NINE LIVES; SOMETHING BURIED, SOMETHING BLUE; DEAD OF WINTER; and PROSE AND CONS, with a fifth book under contract.
Wendy has written five suspense trilogies for HarperCollins/William Morrow. The most recent, The Foundlings (LITTLE GIRL LOST, DEAD SILENCE, and THE BUTCHER’S DAUGHTER), spans fifty years in the life of a woman left as a newborn in a Harlem church, now an investigative genealogist helping others uncover their biological roots while still searching for her own.
Written as Wendy Markham, Wendy’s novel HELLO, IT’S ME was a recent Hallmark television movie starring Kellie Martin. Her short story “Cat Got Your Tongue” appeared in R.L. Stine’s MWA middle grade anthology SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN and her short story “The Elephant in the Room” is included in the Anthony Award-nominated inaugural anthology SHATTERING GLASS.
A three-time finalist for the Simon and Schuster Mary Higgins Clark Award, she’s won an RWA Rita Award, an RT Award for Career Achievement in Suspense, the 2007 RWA-NYC Golden Apple Award for Lifetime Achievement, and five WLA Washington Irving Prizes for Fiction.
She previously published a dozen adult suspense novels with Kensington Books and the critically-acclaimed young adult paranormal series “Lily Dale” (Walker/Bloomsbury). Earlier in her career, she published a broad range of genres under her own name and pseudonyms, and was a co-author/ghostwriter for several celebrities.
Raised in Dunkirk, NY, Wendy graduated from SUNY Fredonia and launched a publishing career in New York City. She was Associate Editor at Silhouette Books before selling her first novel in 1992. Married with two sons, she lives in the NYC suburbs. An active supporter of the American Cancer Society, she was a featured speaker at Northern Westchester’s 2015 Relay for Life and 2012 National Spokesperson for the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation. She has fostered for various animal rescue organizations.
Her current standalone suspense novel, THE OTHER FAMILY, is about a picture-perfect family that that moves into a picture-perfect house. But not everything is as it seems, and the page-turner concludes “with a wallop of a twist,” according to #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben.
Her critically acclaimed Lily Dale traditional mystery series centers around a widowed single mom—and skeptic—who moves to a town populated by spiritualists who talk to the dead. Titles include NINE LIVES; SOMETHING BURIED, SOMETHING BLUE; DEAD OF WINTER; and PROSE AND CONS, with a fifth book under contract.
Wendy has written five suspense trilogies for HarperCollins/William Morrow. The most recent, The Foundlings (LITTLE GIRL LOST, DEAD SILENCE, and THE BUTCHER’S DAUGHTER), spans fifty years in the life of a woman left as a newborn in a Harlem church, now an investigative genealogist helping others uncover their biological roots while still searching for her own.
Written as Wendy Markham, Wendy’s novel HELLO, IT’S ME was a recent Hallmark television movie starring Kellie Martin. Her short story “Cat Got Your Tongue” appeared in R.L. Stine’s MWA middle grade anthology SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN and her short story “The Elephant in the Room” is included in the Anthony Award-nominated inaugural anthology SHATTERING GLASS.
A three-time finalist for the Simon and Schuster Mary Higgins Clark Award, she’s won an RWA Rita Award, an RT Award for Career Achievement in Suspense, the 2007 RWA-NYC Golden Apple Award for Lifetime Achievement, and five WLA Washington Irving Prizes for Fiction.
She previously published a dozen adult suspense novels with Kensington Books and the critically-acclaimed young adult paranormal series “Lily Dale” (Walker/Bloomsbury). Earlier in her career, she published a broad range of genres under her own name and pseudonyms, and was a co-author/ghostwriter for several celebrities.
Raised in Dunkirk, NY, Wendy graduated from SUNY Fredonia and launched a publishing career in New York City. She was Associate Editor at Silhouette Books before selling her first novel in 1992. Married with two sons, she lives in the NYC suburbs. An active supporter of the American Cancer Society, she was a featured speaker at Northern Westchester’s 2015 Relay for Life and 2012 National Spokesperson for the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation. She has fostered for various animal rescue organizations.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 19, 2021
As far as I can tell, this is Wendy Corsi Staub's first book, but you would never guess from reading it. It is a confidently written gothic supernatural romance about Melissa Loring, a girl who would seem to have it all. Her boyfriend, Tripp Moody, is about as perfect as boyfriends get, and is completely devoted to her. However, Melissa has been feeling cold all the time, up in her turret bedroom. She's been getting hazy. She's hearing a strange melody. Then words start appearing on her computer screen, communicating with her! This is actually the work of Schuyler Whitfield, and Melissa falls helplessly in love with him, not quite clicking that he's a ghost. Soon, Melissa starts shutting out everybody in her life, much to their concern, due to her overwhelming desire to be with Schuyler.
This was a little too slow-paced, and not a lot really happened, for me to give it a higher rating, but it was still an absorbing read. Staub is very good at creating atmosphere - describing scenes and stuff like the weather without going overboard, and it sets the story's mood quite effectively. Melissa's change in personality over her desire to be with Schuyler also operates at a lower level as a parable on depression, mental illness and abusive relationships. Therefore, although Melissa becomes quite stroppy and unlikeable, we understand where this is coming from. I just wish a bit more had happened! Too much of the story is just Melissa being morose and lacking energy, and the people around her asking if she's okay. Umm...no, she's not okay. The ending was effective and delivered some good plot turns that spoke to its underlying themes.
This was a little too slow-paced, and not a lot really happened, for me to give it a higher rating, but it was still an absorbing read. Staub is very good at creating atmosphere - describing scenes and stuff like the weather without going overboard, and it sets the story's mood quite effectively. Melissa's change in personality over her desire to be with Schuyler also operates at a lower level as a parable on depression, mental illness and abusive relationships. Therefore, although Melissa becomes quite stroppy and unlikeable, we understand where this is coming from. I just wish a bit more had happened! Too much of the story is just Melissa being morose and lacking energy, and the people around her asking if she's okay. Umm...no, she's not okay. The ending was effective and delivered some good plot turns that spoke to its underlying themes.
July 8, 2024
- Not horror, more of a paranormal romance with a ghostly love triangle. So gothic
- Loved the moody setting—an old Victorian on the coast of Maine
- Enjoyed the writing in this one! V atmospheric and great descriptions
- Was pleasantly surprised at the ambiguous-ish ending (won’t spoil, but i appreciate the twists and that it felt like there was more to come)
- Loved the moody setting—an old Victorian on the coast of Maine
- Enjoyed the writing in this one! V atmospheric and great descriptions
- Was pleasantly surprised at the ambiguous-ish ending (won’t spoil, but i appreciate the twists and that it felt like there was more to come)
August 7, 2021
Really enjoyed this one. Gothic paranormal romance. Was Meg Cabot’s The Mediator inspired by this? I’m not sure there was any lightning in the book and it takes place in October not summer.
December 18, 2020
Who can resist a ghost story located in Maine?
May 1, 2023
Sometimes falling in love is like being hit by lightning: quick and fast. Especially when there is no thunder, no warning, but just the briefest flash.
It can also be mysterious and unnerving like feeling cold in the heat, feeling like your mouth is dry.
Summer Lightning is one of those terms like Indian Summer, Strawberry Spring used to describe the weather. As its cover would suggest as well as the blurb on the back...this has nothing to do with that in a literal sense.
This is Gothic Romance for teens at its early 1990s best. It has the privilege to be set in Maine which nowadays has its otherworldly vibe thanks to Stephen King and H.P. Lovecraft setting his own tales in New England. A very modern day The Ghost and Mrs. Muir with computers and Sweet Valley High drama.
Melissa Loring celebrates her seventeenth birthday with her family and two of the closest people in her life with no familial relation. Next door neighbor Robbie who has grown up with Melissa since she was little and Tripp Moody, her boyfriend of almost a year.
The boy next door doesn't have a crush on Melissa but isn't too keen on her jock boyfriend, best girlfriend Polly isn't too thrilled with him either but Tripp is actually too nice a guy to notice. Plays baseball and football, looks like a young Tom Cruise but he has manners and is polite...and he adores Melissa.
She feels pretty lucky to have a boyfriend like Tripp but can't imagine why he is in love with a brunette, book nerd like herself instead of some blonde cheerleader type. Melissa is at that stage in her relationship with Tripp where she wants a little more but since Tripp doesn't pressure her...it has her with some odd feelings.
Her parents get her the latest computer for 1993 for her birthday so she can write stories instead of using her late grandfather's typewriter which is starting to lose the battle and is destined for the attic.
Melissa gets something extra with her computer, however, and the back pretty much spoils it as well as the only reasonable explanation - a ghost.
Once Melissa gets over the shock and realizes this isn't some trick, she begins to communicate with a spirit who identifies himself as Schuyler Whitfield. The name sounds familiar and soon, their connection becomes a strange but compelling one.
Melissa sees Schuyler's face when she and Tripp are out for a ride in his car, dark hair and almost silvery eyes, while they are kissing. Melissa yearns for it more than any other kiss Tripp has given her and later that night, she goes to the house next door and sees Schuyler Whitfield waiting for her.
They talk, they embrace, they kiss and soon it is all Melissa can think about. She loses her appetite, drifts off into fantasies, ignores her friends and even Tripp as well as wearing her hair back now in a long braid...bringing attention to her appearance becoming pale and wan.
Melissa doesn't listen to anything anyone says, becoming as Robbie puts it: "bitchy" but still keeping her boundaries and not ticking off her parents...slightly. You can tell it is really bad when her bratty thirteen year old sister, Tracy, seems concerned with how her older sibling is acting.
There is a connection between Melissa and Schuyler but it has a much deeper meaning connected with his past, Melissa's own childhood and the two old Victorian houses upon the high cliffs of their small, Maine town.
Melissa will soon have to make a choice.
She believes she has already made up her mind that she wants to be with Schuyler forever but of course, there is only one way to remain with a ghost.
Can a love from the living world be enough to compete with a love from the world beyond...a love from the distant past?
Completely enthralled by this book that I could not put it down! A part of me knew a little bit of what was to come because I am a sucker for these kind of stories yet I was thrown by a few of the reveals and twists.
The climax had me on the edge of my seat and I had to take a breath before getting to the ending.
It seems like a pretty, clear cut ending but there is this tiny layer of ambiguousness to it that could mean the future of our main character Melissa is not completely rosy...there could be more summer lightning on the horizon...
If you are a fan of ghost stories with Gothic undertones, it is a good read even if you are not too keen on romances. I would recommend Summer Lightning by Wendy Corsi Staub whether you like one or the other.
Having only read two of Staub's books so far, Summer Lightning is the far more intriguing read than Witch Hunt but both are so different despite being in the same genre.
I can only let you decide for yourself which one is better...
It can also be mysterious and unnerving like feeling cold in the heat, feeling like your mouth is dry.
Summer Lightning is one of those terms like Indian Summer, Strawberry Spring used to describe the weather. As its cover would suggest as well as the blurb on the back...this has nothing to do with that in a literal sense.
This is Gothic Romance for teens at its early 1990s best. It has the privilege to be set in Maine which nowadays has its otherworldly vibe thanks to Stephen King and H.P. Lovecraft setting his own tales in New England. A very modern day The Ghost and Mrs. Muir with computers and Sweet Valley High drama.
Melissa Loring celebrates her seventeenth birthday with her family and two of the closest people in her life with no familial relation. Next door neighbor Robbie who has grown up with Melissa since she was little and Tripp Moody, her boyfriend of almost a year.
The boy next door doesn't have a crush on Melissa but isn't too keen on her jock boyfriend, best girlfriend Polly isn't too thrilled with him either but Tripp is actually too nice a guy to notice. Plays baseball and football, looks like a young Tom Cruise but he has manners and is polite...and he adores Melissa.
She feels pretty lucky to have a boyfriend like Tripp but can't imagine why he is in love with a brunette, book nerd like herself instead of some blonde cheerleader type. Melissa is at that stage in her relationship with Tripp where she wants a little more but since Tripp doesn't pressure her...it has her with some odd feelings.
Her parents get her the latest computer for 1993 for her birthday so she can write stories instead of using her late grandfather's typewriter which is starting to lose the battle and is destined for the attic.
Melissa gets something extra with her computer, however, and the back pretty much spoils it as well as the only reasonable explanation - a ghost.
Once Melissa gets over the shock and realizes this isn't some trick, she begins to communicate with a spirit who identifies himself as Schuyler Whitfield. The name sounds familiar and soon, their connection becomes a strange but compelling one.
Melissa sees Schuyler's face when she and Tripp are out for a ride in his car, dark hair and almost silvery eyes, while they are kissing. Melissa yearns for it more than any other kiss Tripp has given her and later that night, she goes to the house next door and sees Schuyler Whitfield waiting for her.
They talk, they embrace, they kiss and soon it is all Melissa can think about. She loses her appetite, drifts off into fantasies, ignores her friends and even Tripp as well as wearing her hair back now in a long braid...bringing attention to her appearance becoming pale and wan.
Melissa doesn't listen to anything anyone says, becoming as Robbie puts it: "bitchy" but still keeping her boundaries and not ticking off her parents...slightly. You can tell it is really bad when her bratty thirteen year old sister, Tracy, seems concerned with how her older sibling is acting.
There is a connection between Melissa and Schuyler but it has a much deeper meaning connected with his past, Melissa's own childhood and the two old Victorian houses upon the high cliffs of their small, Maine town.
Melissa will soon have to make a choice.
She believes she has already made up her mind that she wants to be with Schuyler forever but of course, there is only one way to remain with a ghost.
Can a love from the living world be enough to compete with a love from the world beyond...a love from the distant past?
Completely enthralled by this book that I could not put it down! A part of me knew a little bit of what was to come because I am a sucker for these kind of stories yet I was thrown by a few of the reveals and twists.
The climax had me on the edge of my seat and I had to take a breath before getting to the ending.
It seems like a pretty, clear cut ending but there is this tiny layer of ambiguousness to it that could mean the future of our main character Melissa is not completely rosy...there could be more summer lightning on the horizon...
If you are a fan of ghost stories with Gothic undertones, it is a good read even if you are not too keen on romances. I would recommend Summer Lightning by Wendy Corsi Staub whether you like one or the other.
Having only read two of Staub's books so far, Summer Lightning is the far more intriguing read than Witch Hunt but both are so different despite being in the same genre.
I can only let you decide for yourself which one is better...
December 14, 2015
I know I only gave this 3 stars, but I loved it. I love earlier YA horror (we're talkin 80s and 90s here, huzzah). Loved the ending and would have probably re-read this again and again as a young teen.
September 2, 2011
I liked this book - I especially appreciated the representation of the computer guy ...
May 30, 2025
Not this one, sorry I’m not a fan of this kind of nonsensical story, macabre, evil spirits and make no mistake these two are exactly that, far from a happy ending, only a distant menace. I’m really disappointed in this one. There’s no joy in it, not on a single page.
I just hope I can forget it and enjoy something else of hers as I have before, or move on completely. This is enough to make me depressed and that is not my nature.
I just want this out of my system and wish I’d skipped it entirely and would advise anyone to do the same, it is not a love story as the blurb made it seem, not at all, it’s a horror story from beginning to end. Not for me.
I just hope I can forget it and enjoy something else of hers as I have before, or move on completely. This is enough to make me depressed and that is not my nature.
I just want this out of my system and wish I’d skipped it entirely and would advise anyone to do the same, it is not a love story as the blurb made it seem, not at all, it’s a horror story from beginning to end. Not for me.
January 15, 2017
Seems like a YA
It was an "okay" short novel. I'm not sure but it appears to be a book for young adults. Predictable storyline and marginally interesting characters. I'm a WCS fan but this is definitely not my favorite.
It was an "okay" short novel. I'm not sure but it appears to be a book for young adults. Predictable storyline and marginally interesting characters. I'm a WCS fan but this is definitely not my favorite.
May 29, 2023
okay still processing what I just read…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2016
actual page number- 226 pages
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews