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Summer Light
Librarian's note: Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780553582659.
When it comes to love and family, the things you can’t see are what matter most of all.
Bestselling novelist Luanne Rice has inspired the devotion of readers everywhere. Now she presents her most magical novel to date, an entrancing story of love at first sight, the true meaning of family, and angels right here on earth.
May Taylor works as a wedding planner, passing on the timeless traditions of her grandmother and mother. The Taylor women have always believed in the presence of magic in everyday life--especially the simple magic of true love and family. Yet May’s own faith in true love was shattered when she was abandoned by the father of her child. Still, she finds joy in raising her daughter Kylie, a very special five-year-old who sees and hears things that others cannot. . .
Martin Cartier is a professional hockey player and sports legend. His father, a champion, taught him to play to win--at all costs. Now Martin’s success veils a core of heartache, rage, and isolation. Yet Kylie glimpses the transcendent role Martin will play in May’s life and her own--unless his past tears their blossoming love apart. Then only Kylie will see the way home--and only May will be able to lead them there, if she can believe in magic once more.
When it comes to love and family, the things you can’t see are what matter most of all.
Bestselling novelist Luanne Rice has inspired the devotion of readers everywhere. Now she presents her most magical novel to date, an entrancing story of love at first sight, the true meaning of family, and angels right here on earth.
May Taylor works as a wedding planner, passing on the timeless traditions of her grandmother and mother. The Taylor women have always believed in the presence of magic in everyday life--especially the simple magic of true love and family. Yet May’s own faith in true love was shattered when she was abandoned by the father of her child. Still, she finds joy in raising her daughter Kylie, a very special five-year-old who sees and hears things that others cannot. . .
Martin Cartier is a professional hockey player and sports legend. His father, a champion, taught him to play to win--at all costs. Now Martin’s success veils a core of heartache, rage, and isolation. Yet Kylie glimpses the transcendent role Martin will play in May’s life and her own--unless his past tears their blossoming love apart. Then only Kylie will see the way home--and only May will be able to lead them there, if she can believe in magic once more.
496 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
347 people are currently reading
1070 people want to read
About the author
Luanne Rice
112 books3,162 followersLuanne Rice is the New York Times bestselling author of thirty-eight novels, translated into thirty languages. Rice often writes about love, family, nature, and the sea. Most recently she has written thrillers, including one based on a murder that affected her family. She received the 2014 Connecticut Governor’s Arts Award for excellence and lifetime achievement in the Literary Arts category.
Connecticut College awarded Rice an honorary degree and invited her to donate her papers to the College’s Special Collections Library. They are archived in the Luanne Rice Collection.
Rice has also received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from St. Joseph University in West Hartford, Conn.
Several of Rice's novels have been adapted for television. Her monologue for the play Motherhood Out Loud premiered at Hartford Stage and has been performed Off-Broadway in NYC and at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles.
Rice is a Creative Affiliate of the Safina Center. She lives in southeastern Connecticut.
Connecticut College awarded Rice an honorary degree and invited her to donate her papers to the College’s Special Collections Library. They are archived in the Luanne Rice Collection.
Rice has also received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from St. Joseph University in West Hartford, Conn.
Several of Rice's novels have been adapted for television. Her monologue for the play Motherhood Out Loud premiered at Hartford Stage and has been performed Off-Broadway in NYC and at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles.
Rice is a Creative Affiliate of the Safina Center. She lives in southeastern Connecticut.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
February 20, 2013
I actually wanted to give this book three stars, because I didn't like how angry the hero was most of the time... but the truth of the matter is, he acted exactly like a guy would. And the book hooked me. I mean, really hooked me. In spite of the fact that there was a lot wrong with it.
May is a wedding planner who dresses like crap and works out of a barn filled with owls and bats... yes, she stores gowns there. How. Stupid. I've had a barn full of bats - you don't put ANYTHING you like there, hello. She lives with her ancient great-aunt who ends up running the business, living alone half the year, and jet-setting to see May. Riiiiiight. May is drop-dead gorgeous but spends the entire book sitting around or eating ice cream. My butt spread just reading it.
May's daughter (from a fling with a rich, married lawyer she didn't know was married, how cliche is that?) is 'gifted' - she sees the dead, and can talk with them. May thinks Kaylie is schitzophrenic, even after her predictions come true, she finds things that were hidden, etc. Wow, isn't May a keen, understanding heroine that you just want to love, already?
One of the predictions was that a plane they were on was going to crash - also on the plane was the Boston hockey team. Kaylie leaves her seat to 'go to the bathroom' and asks Martin - the superstar, of the hockey world (of course) who is tall, also drop-dead gorgeous, and just happens to be single - to help her and her mother when the plane crashes. Ironically, Kaylie is the same age as his deceased daughter (who is floating over his head and told Kaylie about the crash... cuz dead people know the future, right?).
WHY did I think I liked this book, again???
Martin sees May, falls in insta-luv, they're married three weeks (or something) later. The rest of the book drags us from Canada (because uber-hunk Martin is French-Canadian with that sexy romance-novel accent, bien sur) to Boston (where he hates on hockey players and you spend 40% of the book reading about plays and people's faces getting bashed in) to Connecticut (where somehow May still runs her business 1/4 of the year). Wow... I'm having to drop stars off my review as I go!
Martin also hates his father, who was a gambler and who he blames for his daughter's death (although he's as much to blame as his dad). He's pissy and demanding and irrational and craps all over May for big portions of the book, and then (as if there isn't enough literary tension), Martin's eyesight fails, and he can't win the Piston Cup. Er, Stanley Cup. Whatever, boo-hoo. So he tries to throw May and Kaylie and the bat guano away, but his dead daughter appears to him (because of course, if you can't see 'em when you have eyesight, you'll definitely see 'em when you're blind), and skates with him and he decides that life is for living (?!) and makes up with his dad, forgives himself, let's go of his daughter, reunites with his wife, makes up with his teammates, embraces the guano, and wins the Stanley Cup.
The (happy, happy) end. I'm just glad they didn't have a miraculous cure to set like a cherry on top of this whole debacle... because I'm at the end of my review and have no more stars to remove. To think I stayed up til 1 am finishing this...
May is a wedding planner who dresses like crap and works out of a barn filled with owls and bats... yes, she stores gowns there. How. Stupid. I've had a barn full of bats - you don't put ANYTHING you like there, hello. She lives with her ancient great-aunt who ends up running the business, living alone half the year, and jet-setting to see May. Riiiiiight. May is drop-dead gorgeous but spends the entire book sitting around or eating ice cream. My butt spread just reading it.
May's daughter (from a fling with a rich, married lawyer she didn't know was married, how cliche is that?) is 'gifted' - she sees the dead, and can talk with them. May thinks Kaylie is schitzophrenic, even after her predictions come true, she finds things that were hidden, etc. Wow, isn't May a keen, understanding heroine that you just want to love, already?
One of the predictions was that a plane they were on was going to crash - also on the plane was the Boston hockey team. Kaylie leaves her seat to 'go to the bathroom' and asks Martin - the superstar, of the hockey world (of course) who is tall, also drop-dead gorgeous, and just happens to be single - to help her and her mother when the plane crashes. Ironically, Kaylie is the same age as his deceased daughter (who is floating over his head and told Kaylie about the crash... cuz dead people know the future, right?).
WHY did I think I liked this book, again???
Martin sees May, falls in insta-luv, they're married three weeks (or something) later. The rest of the book drags us from Canada (because uber-hunk Martin is French-Canadian with that sexy romance-novel accent, bien sur) to Boston (where he hates on hockey players and you spend 40% of the book reading about plays and people's faces getting bashed in) to Connecticut (where somehow May still runs her business 1/4 of the year). Wow... I'm having to drop stars off my review as I go!
Martin also hates his father, who was a gambler and who he blames for his daughter's death (although he's as much to blame as his dad). He's pissy and demanding and irrational and craps all over May for big portions of the book, and then (as if there isn't enough literary tension), Martin's eyesight fails, and he can't win the Piston Cup. Er, Stanley Cup. Whatever, boo-hoo. So he tries to throw May and Kaylie and the bat guano away, but his dead daughter appears to him (because of course, if you can't see 'em when you have eyesight, you'll definitely see 'em when you're blind), and skates with him and he decides that life is for living (?!) and makes up with his dad, forgives himself, let's go of his daughter, reunites with his wife, makes up with his teammates, embraces the guano, and wins the Stanley Cup.
The (happy, happy) end. I'm just glad they didn't have a miraculous cure to set like a cherry on top of this whole debacle... because I'm at the end of my review and have no more stars to remove. To think I stayed up til 1 am finishing this...
November 30, 2018
Did Not Finish at 2 percent.
I can't take seriously this book. We know that a child (Kylie) is apparently clairvoyant or has visions and is being studied at a university? I just noped out of the book at this point. I like romance and magical realism, but this is definitely not the book for me.
The writing also reads as off to me. It's very flat to me. When the heroine (May) tells you how she got pregnant with her daughter Kylie I was flabbergast. She was dating some guy, got pregnant, he tells her hold up, I'm really married, sorry about that? I just...there's not enough time to absorb information before the author moves to something else. There's no build up that is grabbing me at all.
I can't take seriously this book. We know that a child (Kylie) is apparently clairvoyant or has visions and is being studied at a university? I just noped out of the book at this point. I like romance and magical realism, but this is definitely not the book for me.
The writing also reads as off to me. It's very flat to me. When the heroine (May) tells you how she got pregnant with her daughter Kylie I was flabbergast. She was dating some guy, got pregnant, he tells her hold up, I'm really married, sorry about that? I just...there's not enough time to absorb information before the author moves to something else. There's no build up that is grabbing me at all.
December 27, 2013
Summer Light by Luanne Rice
This novel is about May who is a wedding planner with others and their business is in a barn in CT. Her daughter Cali is a clairvoyant and she hears from things that are hurt: animals, angels in a different time.
On a plane she got a vision of a little girl asking her to help her father-the hockey player. When the plane crash lands he is able to help May and Cali and their relationship develops. Each opens up to one another telling of their secrets-not all of them.
As time goes on they spend more time with martin at his hockey games where we learn more about the sport and at different places they travel to. May thinks he must talk to his father who's in prison and forgive him for what he did.
Each of them have hurts and secrets that they must over time learn to share with others to help them heal.
Love the travel and romance and learning new things. Felt right at home with all the technical eye talk as I also am blind.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
This novel is about May who is a wedding planner with others and their business is in a barn in CT. Her daughter Cali is a clairvoyant and she hears from things that are hurt: animals, angels in a different time.
On a plane she got a vision of a little girl asking her to help her father-the hockey player. When the plane crash lands he is able to help May and Cali and their relationship develops. Each opens up to one another telling of their secrets-not all of them.
As time goes on they spend more time with martin at his hockey games where we learn more about the sport and at different places they travel to. May thinks he must talk to his father who's in prison and forgive him for what he did.
Each of them have hurts and secrets that they must over time learn to share with others to help them heal.
Love the travel and romance and learning new things. Felt right at home with all the technical eye talk as I also am blind.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
August 1, 2019
I enjoyed this, and thought it was a good choice for one of my summer reads.
December 6, 2013
two and a half stars. Sometimes you just feel like comfort food to make you feel better and in a way that's what Luanne Rice's books often are for me. It is about two stubborn people May and Martin and a little girl who sees angels and talks to them, supposedly. I'm not sure in the end even why I kept reading it, as the character of Martin was really annoying with his temper tantrums and his obsession with winning.
The story was sentimental, mystical, at times unbelievable and about ice hockey which I know nothing about and had even less interest in. So for all those reasons plus the scenes with Martin's father who is in prison which I admit I skimmed over along with the hockey scenes, I should have put this book aside. But for some reason it kept pulling me back. Ultimately it is a story about loss, grief, love and forgiveness or lack of it.
The story was sentimental, mystical, at times unbelievable and about ice hockey which I know nothing about and had even less interest in. So for all those reasons plus the scenes with Martin's father who is in prison which I admit I skimmed over along with the hockey scenes, I should have put this book aside. But for some reason it kept pulling me back. Ultimately it is a story about loss, grief, love and forgiveness or lack of it.
September 6, 2019
It was a good escape but the book was so full of improbable events that it really strained my credulity. However, at the time I was reading, the tale was gripping enough to keep me blissfully enjoying without screaming at the author for the unlikely story.
September 3, 2021
I was very pleasantly surprised at this book. I really enjoyed it!!! Great characters and a very good story line.
October 29, 2020
Sweet story. A feel good book. I used to read her books a long time ago and then stopped for some reason. I think maybe because I found them to be "too sugary." But, since we lived in a hockey town in AK when our kids were growing up and my son spent years playing hockey on travel teams (the girls played, too), I gave this one a try when I found it when cleaning out my book shelves a few weeks ago. I believe I found it on sale at a B&N book store so, for $5.99, thought it was worth buying. I would recommend it for a light read.
July 7, 2010
If there was a 3.5 that's what I would give this book. Very good, and very moving in parts, but sometimes seemed to take a long time to get where it was going.
January 3, 2008
It was alright. If you have nothing better to read then go for it.
Read
February 8, 2024Livro para passar o tempo, nada memorável ou especial. Martin, jogador profissional de hockey, conhece May e Kylie em um avião que passa por problemas técnicos, fica impressionado com a menina que previu o problema e pediu ajuda antecipada, sem saber que Kylie recebeu essa informação pela sua filha, já morta. Em pouquíssimas semanas e dois encontros, Martin já fala em se casar com May (precipitados, sim, eles mesmos acham). Casam-se. May quer forçar a aproximação de Martin e seu pai, preso por problemas fiscais, mas que teve culpa pela morte da neta, ainda que sem querer. O casamento fica a um fio, se perdoam e Martin percebe que está com problema na visão. Depois de uma insistência infinita da esposa, ele resolve ir a um médico e descobre que está cego de um olho e que está prestes a perder a visão completa. Ele quer continuar jogando para conquistar um campeonato (para esfregar na cara do pai, que ganhou 3x e ele, nenhuma). Nessa tormenta, sua filha aparece para ele e pede que perdoe o avô. Eles fazem as pazes, Martin joga cego (como? Não sei! Acabou de perder completamente a visão e já sabe se deslocar bem e jogar CEGO), ganha. May está grávida de um menino. Formam uma família feliz. Fim
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2024
The story was new to me. As far as I can remember, I haven’t encountered any novels, movies, nor series that has the same story of this one. Martin Cartier was my dream man, he was a chalant guy and he gets to say what on his mind. I am slighlty frustrated with May the moment she was forcing her husband to meet and reconcile with his father. Like girl?! Give him time to heal, he needs to heal more. I had to admit that only May gave me headaches the whole story, she has a reason and purpose, but she was really stubborn. However, there was a character development at the last parts — as she should. Martin’s anger era was not a red flag or a bad thing to me because his reasons were all valid and whoever in his shoes will done the same thing. In addition, I love Kylie’s character, it represents innocence and curiousity which was a normal thing to a kid. Only the difference was, she has some maturity to understand things, also maybe because she experienced a lot in a young age. Overall, the story has a great and unique plot. I would also like to commend the writing style, it was very convincing and interesting to read. Hopefully, I would get a chance to read more books by Luanne Rice.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2018
This one fell into my lap off someone's book shelf, an unexpected pleasure. There are many reasons I enjoyed this work of beautiful fiction. One, I adore hockey and appreciated the references to my favorite game. Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, the language used to create this novel is nothing short of amazing. Ms. Rice clearly spent time considering all ways to a present her ideas and choosing the one that painted the most vivid picture. I was not expecting much from this book, but it delivered. This is now taking a spot of honor on my bookshelf among personal favorites to be reread. Bravo! 4 stars for a beautiful story of strength.
May 28, 2017
Luanne Rice has the talent to wring emotions from even the coldest of hearts. On a frozen lake in Canada, a hockey star is born...while in Connecticut a family of wedding witches presides. While this seems like an odd mix, Rice makes it come together. This book is not a strong as some of her later books, I found some of the writing and wording to be jarring, especially when she tried to write from the perspective of the 6 year old.
May 27, 2021
I loved this book despite the fact that I truly dislike paranormal stuff. It was a charming love story which included a lot about hockey, which for me added a lot to it. Martin eventually came to terms with reality and found life good again. An unusual theme for a romance, but certainly a good one. And May displayed amazing bravery while dealing with Martin's problems and her child's issues as well. Lots of bad reviews on this one, but I loved it anyway.
August 12, 2021
Moving story of connections made possible by what seems the impossible. I enjoyed the hockey theme that runs through the story, but this is not a hockey book. It’s about connection with others through the unexpected and the daily struggles of life all made possible through the power of love. Friendships and the support they give to others and faith to know that all things are possible with those friendships and love connections.
October 10, 2017
I really enjoyed it. I thought May was admirable. She brought out the best in everyone. Also, I thought the love connection was cute. They really worked as a team . Last but not least, I loved that Kylie ended up proving that she saw angels. If you like cute romances with a good ending , then you should give this one a go.:)
September 22, 2020
It was excellent book I ever read!
I feel bad for Martin who was blind during in the summer where he couldn’t see at all...He got his family and friends to help what he needs..I’m happy that he finally got the Stanley cup for the Boston Bruins so he can retired from playing hockey because he was blind...
They had a baby boy and his name is Nate...
I feel bad for Martin who was blind during in the summer where he couldn’t see at all...He got his family and friends to help what he needs..I’m happy that he finally got the Stanley cup for the Boston Bruins so he can retired from playing hockey because he was blind...
They had a baby boy and his name is Nate...
January 27, 2022
Summer Light
May and Martin met when the plane they ere on crash landed at Logan field in Boston. Martin played right wing for the Boston Bruins and May was a single mother, who was a wedding planner. Twice the Bruins lost in the final game for the Stanley Cup. Martin's goal is to win the Stanley Cup until his daughter Natalie teaches him what is really important.
May and Martin met when the plane they ere on crash landed at Logan field in Boston. Martin played right wing for the Boston Bruins and May was a single mother, who was a wedding planner. Twice the Bruins lost in the final game for the Stanley Cup. Martin's goal is to win the Stanley Cup until his daughter Natalie teaches him what is really important.
May 6, 2017
I thought this was a sweet romance. It was a little predictable, but good. I enjoy romances now and again. This is the first time I've read a book by Luanne Rice but would definitely be willing to read another one by her. I enjoyed the hockey aspect of this story. Overall, a worthy read.
November 18, 2017
(2001) May is a wedding planner and Martin is a top notch hockey player. Add a father in prison and vision problems for Martin, and of course it is not easy. Love prevails. The book is long (480pp) but an excellent read.
October 27, 2018
Beautifully written. If you are fed up of modern age rom-coms and are eagerly looking for a decent love story, then this is the book. Heart-melting. You'll surely fall in love with all the characters.
dnf
August 23, 2019DNF’d at 30 pages
This was just not keeping my attention. The writing was not very good, the romance was instalove with no buildup at all. And there was a weird paranormal element that could have been cool if better handled.
This was just not keeping my attention. The writing was not very good, the romance was instalove with no buildup at all. And there was a weird paranormal element that could have been cool if better handled.
September 2, 2019
If you need a book about the power of forgiveness or love, this would be it. I picked it up because I love hockey, but I flew through it because of the message it gave. Never doubt the strength of forgiveness.
October 28, 2019
This was a fantastic book!
I love that NHL hockey was the backdrop of the book, it is a sport I love and have watched since I was young. The characters and the locations were beautiful. Thank you for this novel Luanne Rice!
I love that NHL hockey was the backdrop of the book, it is a sport I love and have watched since I was young. The characters and the locations were beautiful. Thank you for this novel Luanne Rice!
June 18, 2022
I liked this book. It was a good romance without a lot of graphic sex. It also had a good story line and the characters were well developed. It had me on an emotional roller coaster some of the time which is what a good story should do for a reader.
May 3, 2024
What an awesome book! Can’t believe I have never read this one yet. The story unfolded in ways that I had not seen coming. A family that overcame several obstacles that could have been life altering and detrimental yet, they were not. This is a book that everyone should read!
June 7, 2017
Overall a good read. Enjoyable story line and captured my attention.
August 3, 2017
Love, family and hockey what could be better?
August 15, 2017
A great summer read with understanding characters who draw you in!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews