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Blue Sky Hill #4
Dandelion Summer
From the million-copy bestselling author of Before We Were Yours comes a beautiful novel which will make you want to laugh and cry.
All her life, Epiphany Salerno has been tossed like a dandelion seed on the wind. Now, at sixteen, she must move to the low-rent side of Blue Sky Hill and work where she's not wanted: in an upscale home on The Hill.
J. Norman Alvord's daughter has hired a teenager to stay with him in the afternoons. Widowed and suffering from heart trouble, Norman wants to be left alone. But in Epie's presence, Norman discovers a mystery. Deep in his mind lie memories of another house, another life, and a woman who saved him.
As summer comes to Blue Sky Hill, two residents from different worlds will journey through a turbulent past, find that an unexpected road trip can bring a life-changing friendship ... and discover clues to a family secret hidden for a lifetime.
Perfect for fans of Kathryn Hughes and Santa Montefiore.
418 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 5, 2011
About the author
Lisa Wingate
61 books13.7k followersLisa Wingate is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Before We Were Yours, which remained on the bestseller list for over two years. Her award-winning works have been selected for state and community One Book reads, have been published in over forty languages, and have appeared on bestseller lists worldwide. The group Americans for More Civility, a kindness watchdog organization, selected Lisa and six others as recipients of the National Civics Award, which celebrates public figures who work to promote greater kindness and civility in American life. She lives in Texas and Colorado with her family and her deceptively cute little teddy bear of a dog, Huckleberry. Find her at www.lisawingate.com, on Facebook at LisaWingateAuthorPage, or on Instagram @author_lisa_wingate
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 515 reviews
July 21, 2011
What a wonderful book! This is my first book by Lisa Wingate, but it will not be my last. I know I’ve said it before, but I’m a character-driven reader, and this book has two wonderful characters. Epiphany is a teenager who doesn’t quite fit in anywhere. Her mother never wanted her, and for her sixteen years, she’s been trying to find her place in life. When she gets a job looking after an elderly man on the rich side of town, she’s sure she won’t fit in there either. Except J. Norman Alvord isn’t a typical old man. He’s a grumpy man who is desperate to maintain his independence, and that means running of the teenager his daughter hired to help look after him. Both of them struggle to find their place in the world: Epiphany isn’t sure about her future, and J. Norman isn’t sure about his past. Can they work together to find the answers?
I think I enjoyed this book so much because I have taught hundreds of Epiphanys in my nine years working in low-income schools. Kids who are trapped in poverty, trapped in a school where it’s not cool to want to succeed, trapped in an environment that seems hopeless. This character captured my heart, and I was rooting for her to beat the odds from the beginning. J. Norm, as Epiphany calls him, is a cantankerous old man, and the two of them together create some funny scenes, which balance out the serious theme of the book.
One short passage stands out to me. It’s from a section of the book where J. Norm are on the run and he shows her Saturn in the sky. As she relaxes and looks at the massive sky, she thinks, “Maybe not everyone got the mom who baked cupcakes and showed up at all the school parties. There weren’t enough of those to go around, so maybe God used other people, like Mrs. Lora and J. Norm, to make sure you learned how to shell a purple hull pea or find Saturn in the night sky.” So while this book is a work of fiction, it is a beautiful reminder of how as God’s children, we need to be involved in other people’s lives, especially when they have been forsaken by the ones who should be there.
I think I enjoyed this book so much because I have taught hundreds of Epiphanys in my nine years working in low-income schools. Kids who are trapped in poverty, trapped in a school where it’s not cool to want to succeed, trapped in an environment that seems hopeless. This character captured my heart, and I was rooting for her to beat the odds from the beginning. J. Norm, as Epiphany calls him, is a cantankerous old man, and the two of them together create some funny scenes, which balance out the serious theme of the book.
One short passage stands out to me. It’s from a section of the book where J. Norm are on the run and he shows her Saturn in the sky. As she relaxes and looks at the massive sky, she thinks, “Maybe not everyone got the mom who baked cupcakes and showed up at all the school parties. There weren’t enough of those to go around, so maybe God used other people, like Mrs. Lora and J. Norm, to make sure you learned how to shell a purple hull pea or find Saturn in the night sky.” So while this book is a work of fiction, it is a beautiful reminder of how as God’s children, we need to be involved in other people’s lives, especially when they have been forsaken by the ones who should be there.
June 13, 2024
I really didn't know what I was getting into when I started reading this book, but I absolutely loved it!!! The story is a work of fiction but the main characters, Epiphany and J. Norman Alvord are based on real people. J. Norman Alvord is based on the life of one of the astronauts in the Apollo 13 mission and Epiphany is based on a group of different teenagers that the author, Lisa Wingate met over the years. It honestly reads like it was all a true story! It's a dramatic, beautifully written and well researched story that takes place in Texas. This story is gripping, beautiful and will touch your heart! 💛
" Where there's life, there's hope."
J. Norm, as Epiphany calls him, is a 75 year old retired astronaut who is recently widowed. He has a major heart attack in the beginning and has a near - death experience that leads him on a search for his family. Is J. Norman Alvord really who he was raised to be, or someone else? He remembers so many things that are out of place in his childhood memories but they are so vivid and real to him. I love this hymn that he remembers called "Children how shall I send thee?"
" Children, go where I send thee,
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee one - by - one,
One for the little baby boy..."
I love Epiphany's character!! She's a sixteen year old, sassy, sweet, beautiful and talented girl!! She's funny and makes me laugh out loud! She's hired to help J. Norm and make dinners and make sure he eats them. J Normans daughter is a very demanding and controlling woman who never got along with her Dad. So she hired Epiphany to help out. Turns out that both J. Norm and Epiphany have secrets to uncover about their live's and travel together to discover their hidden pasts. It's a race against time to discover the answers. Can they do it?
" Wherever our journey may take us, whatever struggles they bring, one solid truth underlies all that is. Not a drop of water falls from heaven unintended. We are, each of us, meant to change the ocean and to be changed by it, to become new creations as we travel our paths, and answer our challenges, and live and relive our Camelots."
This is a true treasure of a book that I found in the library!! Isn't it wonderful to find a true gem among the bookshelves? 💎
I really highly recommend this emotionally moving book that will have you laughing and crying tears of joy!! I actually said, " YAY!!!" and clapped my hands at the dramatic, poignant end of this book 📖 🌻!!!
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫 ✨ 🌻
" Where there's life, there's hope."
J. Norm, as Epiphany calls him, is a 75 year old retired astronaut who is recently widowed. He has a major heart attack in the beginning and has a near - death experience that leads him on a search for his family. Is J. Norman Alvord really who he was raised to be, or someone else? He remembers so many things that are out of place in his childhood memories but they are so vivid and real to him. I love this hymn that he remembers called "Children how shall I send thee?"
" Children, go where I send thee,
How shall I send thee?
I'm gonna send thee one - by - one,
One for the little baby boy..."
I love Epiphany's character!! She's a sixteen year old, sassy, sweet, beautiful and talented girl!! She's funny and makes me laugh out loud! She's hired to help J. Norm and make dinners and make sure he eats them. J Normans daughter is a very demanding and controlling woman who never got along with her Dad. So she hired Epiphany to help out. Turns out that both J. Norm and Epiphany have secrets to uncover about their live's and travel together to discover their hidden pasts. It's a race against time to discover the answers. Can they do it?
" Wherever our journey may take us, whatever struggles they bring, one solid truth underlies all that is. Not a drop of water falls from heaven unintended. We are, each of us, meant to change the ocean and to be changed by it, to become new creations as we travel our paths, and answer our challenges, and live and relive our Camelots."
This is a true treasure of a book that I found in the library!! Isn't it wonderful to find a true gem among the bookshelves? 💎
I really highly recommend this emotionally moving book that will have you laughing and crying tears of joy!! I actually said, " YAY!!!" and clapped my hands at the dramatic, poignant end of this book 📖 🌻!!!
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫 ✨ 🌻
April 6, 2013
I literally stayed up until 4:00 in the morning reading Dandelion Summer all the way through. (Didn't have to work the next day!) Wonderful, wonderful book. The development of the relationship between Epiphany and J. Norm touched me deeply. I never had a relationship with either of my grandfathers, and my father and I have been estranged for years. I've felt God tugging at my heart to try again to get passed old wounds, and He used Dandelion Summer to gently whisper encouragement in my ear. I haven't made that phone call yet, but I'm getting closer to having the courage that it will take.
The mystery of J. Norm's dreams was another favorite part of the book. Hoping to see some more mysteries or suspense woven into future stories! There were a few questions left at the end for the reader to wonder about, but it made me feel like I was reading about real people and the actual events of their lives. The closer we get to someone, the more we get to know them, but no one's life is ever completely revealed. I'll have to be content with that for now, and hope we'll get to read more about Epiphany and J. Norm in the future. :)
The mystery of J. Norm's dreams was another favorite part of the book. Hoping to see some more mysteries or suspense woven into future stories! There were a few questions left at the end for the reader to wonder about, but it made me feel like I was reading about real people and the actual events of their lives. The closer we get to someone, the more we get to know them, but no one's life is ever completely revealed. I'll have to be content with that for now, and hope we'll get to read more about Epiphany and J. Norm in the future. :)
October 12, 2017
Excellent! I loved this book. like two lost souls finding each other.
December 1, 2012
When I first opened Dandelion Summer, I wasn't quite sure what to think. An old white guy and a young, self-described "toffee-colored" girl. What could they possibly have in common? Wow, was I in for a surprise. The characters in this book are so real, so stubborn, and ultimately, so willing to grow, it is a blessing to watch the story unfold. I highly recommend it.
October 12, 2023
I have become a fan of this author. I love her writing. This is the 9th book of hers that I've read. I enjoy her stories.
I loved the two different POVs in this one. They were so different and yet they worked so well together. This author creates MCs that I want to pluck from danger and sad situations. That is what I enjoy the most...being pulled in and being given a front row seat.
I didn't really care for the picture perfect ending...red bows and rainbows everywhere. I think I even saw a unicorn. I think overall, it seemed rushed. I get why the author went there. I think it would have seemed long if she jumped in and tried to explain everything. But still, it didn't feel satisfying. So 3 stars.
I loved the two different POVs in this one. They were so different and yet they worked so well together. This author creates MCs that I want to pluck from danger and sad situations. That is what I enjoy the most...being pulled in and being given a front row seat.
I didn't really care for the picture perfect ending...red bows and rainbows everywhere. I think I even saw a unicorn. I think overall, it seemed rushed. I get why the author went there. I think it would have seemed long if she jumped in and tried to explain everything. But still, it didn't feel satisfying. So 3 stars.
June 18, 2015
"Weeds don't care, is the good thing. They don't need a fancy garen or somebody petting on them, covering them when it's cold, sprinkling them with drips of Miracle-Gro, or loving all over them. You give a reed a little crack ina sidewalk, and it'll put down roots, and suck up water and do its thing no matter what else happens. Weeds don't need much from anybody. They can look after themselves. When you're a weed, you can either die or you can push your way through the concrete and try to survive."
"The words were on the tip of my tongue, but it's a foolish man who willingly tates the dish of regret once he knows how bitter it is."
"The quilt was unlike the beach house or our home in Houston. The memory of the quilt was full, and real, tactle. I knew not only the sight of it, but also the feel, the touch, the scent, the sound. The memory surrounded me, wound through me, transported me, so that I was once again in the body of a young boy, wrapped beneath that quilt."
"Dear Deborah,
Words do not come easily for so many men. We are thaught to be strong, to provide, to put away our emotions. A father can work his way through his days and never see that his years are going by. If I could go back in time, I would say some things to that young father as he holds, somewhat uncertainly, his daughter for the very first time. These are the things I would say:
When you hear the first whimper in the night, go to the nursery and leave your wife sleeping. Rock in a chair, walk the floor, sing a lullaby so that she will know a man can be gentle.
When Mother is away for the evening, come home from work, do the babsitting. learn to cook a hotdog or a pot of spaghetti, so that your daughter will know a man can serve another's needs.
When she performs in school plays or dances in recitals, arrive early, sit in the front seat, devote your full attention. Clap the loudest, so that she will know a man can have eyes only for her.
When she asks for a tree house, don't just build it, but build it with her. Sit high among the branches and talk about clouds, and caterpillars, and leaves. Ask her about her dreams and wait for her answers, so that she will know a man can listen.
When you pass by her door as she dresses for a date, tell her she is beautiful. Take her on a date yourself. Open doors, buy flowers, look her in the eys, so that she will know a man can respect her.
When she moves away from home, send a card, write a note, call on the phone. If something reminds you of her, take a minute to tell her, so that she will know a man can think of her even when she is away.
Tell her you love her, so that she will know a man can say the words.
If you hurt her, apologize, so that she will know a man can admit that he's wrong.
These seem like such small things, such a fraction of time in the course of two lives. But a thread does not require much space. It can be too fine for the eye to see, yet, it is the very thing that binds, that takes pieces and laces them into a whole.
Without it, there are tatters.
It is never too late for a man to learn to stitch, to begin mending.
These are the things I would tell that young father, if I could.
A daughter grows up quickly. There isn't time to waste.
I love you,
Dad" Lisa Wingate Dandelion Summer
"The words were on the tip of my tongue, but it's a foolish man who willingly tates the dish of regret once he knows how bitter it is."
"The quilt was unlike the beach house or our home in Houston. The memory of the quilt was full, and real, tactle. I knew not only the sight of it, but also the feel, the touch, the scent, the sound. The memory surrounded me, wound through me, transported me, so that I was once again in the body of a young boy, wrapped beneath that quilt."
"Dear Deborah,
Words do not come easily for so many men. We are thaught to be strong, to provide, to put away our emotions. A father can work his way through his days and never see that his years are going by. If I could go back in time, I would say some things to that young father as he holds, somewhat uncertainly, his daughter for the very first time. These are the things I would say:
When you hear the first whimper in the night, go to the nursery and leave your wife sleeping. Rock in a chair, walk the floor, sing a lullaby so that she will know a man can be gentle.
When Mother is away for the evening, come home from work, do the babsitting. learn to cook a hotdog or a pot of spaghetti, so that your daughter will know a man can serve another's needs.
When she performs in school plays or dances in recitals, arrive early, sit in the front seat, devote your full attention. Clap the loudest, so that she will know a man can have eyes only for her.
When she asks for a tree house, don't just build it, but build it with her. Sit high among the branches and talk about clouds, and caterpillars, and leaves. Ask her about her dreams and wait for her answers, so that she will know a man can listen.
When you pass by her door as she dresses for a date, tell her she is beautiful. Take her on a date yourself. Open doors, buy flowers, look her in the eys, so that she will know a man can respect her.
When she moves away from home, send a card, write a note, call on the phone. If something reminds you of her, take a minute to tell her, so that she will know a man can think of her even when she is away.
Tell her you love her, so that she will know a man can say the words.
If you hurt her, apologize, so that she will know a man can admit that he's wrong.
These seem like such small things, such a fraction of time in the course of two lives. But a thread does not require much space. It can be too fine for the eye to see, yet, it is the very thing that binds, that takes pieces and laces them into a whole.
Without it, there are tatters.
It is never too late for a man to learn to stitch, to begin mending.
These are the things I would tell that young father, if I could.
A daughter grows up quickly. There isn't time to waste.
I love you,
Dad" Lisa Wingate Dandelion Summer
June 27, 2023
When 16 yo Epiphany "Epie" is hired to prepare meals for 70 something Norman, an unlikely and unexpected bond is formed. Will they be able to figure out if his memories of another house, life, and family are real or imagined?
After loving the rest of this series, Dandelion Summer, was the perfect addition and conclusion. At first, I wasn't at all excited to read about the rockets Norman helped build during his time working with NASA... but luckily, there was just enough history mixed with the current day story to maintain my interest. As always, I loved this author's writing style, and I felt drawn to both of the main characters, even grumpy old man Norman. Thank heavens Norman's mother and wife were such hoarders and kept so much memorabilia because it helped him solve his memory mystery haha. I loved hitching a ride on their journey to discovery and teared up several times.
"Launching a rocket is similar to any endeavor in life. You formulate your best plans... but you must be aware that... the unexpected may come along... If you wait until you can foresee everything, you'll never launch. The best you can do is to aim high and plan for contingencies."
Location: Dallas, Texas
After loving the rest of this series, Dandelion Summer, was the perfect addition and conclusion. At first, I wasn't at all excited to read about the rockets Norman helped build during his time working with NASA... but luckily, there was just enough history mixed with the current day story to maintain my interest. As always, I loved this author's writing style, and I felt drawn to both of the main characters, even grumpy old man Norman. Thank heavens Norman's mother and wife were such hoarders and kept so much memorabilia because it helped him solve his memory mystery haha. I loved hitching a ride on their journey to discovery and teared up several times.
"Launching a rocket is similar to any endeavor in life. You formulate your best plans... but you must be aware that... the unexpected may come along... If you wait until you can foresee everything, you'll never launch. The best you can do is to aim high and plan for contingencies."
Location: Dallas, Texas
May 16, 2019
Humor, family drama, and an unlikely friendship meld together to make Wingate's latest novel shine. The author's real strength is in her character development, giving each character a unique and likable personality--even when it's a prickly one on the surface.
SUMMARY: J. Norman Alvord has deteriorated physically since his wife died. Unable to care for himself completely, his adult daughter would love for him to move into an adult care facility. But J. Norman Alvord is not ready to leave his home and is not afraid to let her know. His daughter hires teenager Epiphany Salerno to help prepare meals and keep her father out of danger. Epiphany and J. Norman forge an alliance that proves beneficial to both of them on their quests to discover more about secrets in each of their pasts.
SUMMARY: J. Norman Alvord has deteriorated physically since his wife died. Unable to care for himself completely, his adult daughter would love for him to move into an adult care facility. But J. Norman Alvord is not ready to leave his home and is not afraid to let her know. His daughter hires teenager Epiphany Salerno to help prepare meals and keep her father out of danger. Epiphany and J. Norman forge an alliance that proves beneficial to both of them on their quests to discover more about secrets in each of their pasts.
July 27, 2012
So, I just finished reading Lisa Wingate's award winning "Dandelion Summer". READER ADVISORY. This book is un-put-downable. Do not start if you have any work in process. This is paradoxically a book you never want to end. I'm not telling you what it's about - just read for 15 minutes and see if you can put it down. Now I'm moping around, wondering if there's any point to getting back to writing my own book. TO MY WRITING FRIENDS - have you ever felt this way? To Lisa Wingate - What a wonderful story.
May 25, 2016
This is going on my list of favorite all time books! What an amazing story and ending! Here's a peek just to give you an example of the wisdom and beautiful writing!
"We do not live in this world at random, bodies drifting through empty space, forming and colliding by mere chance; nor are we the masters of our own destinies, as much as we may desire to be. Rather, we are like the dandelion seeds my brother cast into the summer sky, ferried along by He who guides the wind and stills the waters, our journeys a mystery to us; except in hindsight. Along the way we find those we are meant to love and those who are meant to love us. We fashion our lives according to what we have known and what we have yet to learn."
"Wherever our journeys may take us, whatever's struggles they bring, one solid truth underlies all that is. Not a drop of water falls from heaven unintended"
And so much more! READ THIS BOOK AND ENTIRE SERIES!
"We do not live in this world at random, bodies drifting through empty space, forming and colliding by mere chance; nor are we the masters of our own destinies, as much as we may desire to be. Rather, we are like the dandelion seeds my brother cast into the summer sky, ferried along by He who guides the wind and stills the waters, our journeys a mystery to us; except in hindsight. Along the way we find those we are meant to love and those who are meant to love us. We fashion our lives according to what we have known and what we have yet to learn."
"Wherever our journeys may take us, whatever's struggles they bring, one solid truth underlies all that is. Not a drop of water falls from heaven unintended"
And so much more! READ THIS BOOK AND ENTIRE SERIES!
February 3, 2017
Lisa Wingate is becoming one of my favorite Christian writers. This particular book had many facets that endeared it to me and here is one of my favorite quotes in the book:
Wherever our journeys may take us, whatever struggles they bring, one solid truth underlies all that is. Not a drop of water falls from heaven unintended. We are, each of us, meant to change the ocean and to be changed by it to become new creations as we travel our paths, and answer our challenges, and live and relive our Camelots...
Wherever our journeys may take us, whatever struggles they bring, one solid truth underlies all that is. Not a drop of water falls from heaven unintended. We are, each of us, meant to change the ocean and to be changed by it to become new creations as we travel our paths, and answer our challenges, and live and relive our Camelots...
July 6, 2011
I loved, loved, loved this book! It's very sentimental, but then again, so am I. Lisa Wingate returns to her "Summer" series with a wonderful tale about a cranky,retired rocket engineer and a teenager searching for a better life. The two form a close friendship and the adventure begins. Like her other Blue Sky books, Wingate left me feeling like I had been visiting old friends.
October 18, 2018
Heart warming
This book was so good. I enjoyed the characters and the story line. It had me turning the pages. It was an easy read and so heartwarming. I shed a few tears. I highly recommend it.
This book was so good. I enjoyed the characters and the story line. It had me turning the pages. It was an easy read and so heartwarming. I shed a few tears. I highly recommend it.
December 8, 2018
This book was the fourth and last of Wingate's Blue Sky Hills series. All four were really good, but I enjoyed this one the most.
June 25, 2020
Loved this one. Epie and J. Norm were great characters that made me laugh and cheer for them as they fought for what they wanted. Recommended!
February 1, 2021
WHO doesn't love Lisa Wingate's books? Characters so well developed they jump from the pages to dance around the reader, or in this case, one character might dance, and the other grumbles and shuffles! J Norm and Epiphany are the best of characters! One old and the other starting, but both bearing the weight of life's issues. These two come from different worlds but come together to fill in the blanks the other has and the story is one of beauty, love, respect, and dreaming... both of a life to come and of a life gone by.
J. Norman Alvord is old and nearing what might be the end of his life as he suffers from heart problems. He is recently widowed and deeply misses his wife who fit him and made him a better person, he is at odds with his only living child. Epie (Epiphany) is young, biracial, poor, and is at odds with her only parent, her mom who is beaten down by life and poor choices, and a lack of education. These two are thrown together as Epie works for "J Norm" and soon comes to admire and love him, believing him to take the place of a grandparent she has never had.
Between these two, they forge a relationship and take to the road on a high adventure, a last wild ride for one and the opening to a new world for the other. It will make you smile and cry and there is nothing better than that.
A great read for sure and gives a great deal of historical information about the early space program, so fulfilled 28. Includes a historical event you know little about... of the 2021 challenge I am in.
5 stars
Happy Reading!
J. Norman Alvord is old and nearing what might be the end of his life as he suffers from heart problems. He is recently widowed and deeply misses his wife who fit him and made him a better person, he is at odds with his only living child. Epie (Epiphany) is young, biracial, poor, and is at odds with her only parent, her mom who is beaten down by life and poor choices, and a lack of education. These two are thrown together as Epie works for "J Norm" and soon comes to admire and love him, believing him to take the place of a grandparent she has never had.
Between these two, they forge a relationship and take to the road on a high adventure, a last wild ride for one and the opening to a new world for the other. It will make you smile and cry and there is nothing better than that.
A great read for sure and gives a great deal of historical information about the early space program, so fulfilled 28. Includes a historical event you know little about... of the 2021 challenge I am in.
5 stars
Happy Reading!
April 19, 2023
This one is going on my list of all time favorite books.
May 7, 2019
Wingate writes with a lucidity and lightness that spins her story along despite its heavy themes. Her two immediately appealing characters, teenager Epiphany and elderly, ailing J. Norm, are so well-drawn in different yet equal ways that their two voices balance this tale of loss and despair. Epiphany needs love and care, unable to find it at home and struggling with bullying at school. J. Norm is grieving for his wife, haunted by dreams that must be early memories, but memories of what? He needs the answer but lacks the physical strength or family support to find out the truth of his own identity. It would have been easy for Wingate to tie each knot neatly by the end of the story, but she gives just enough resolution for us to feel relieved yet leaves enough slack so that there are still possibilities. A good and intelligent read. Adult; upper teens may enjoy.
June 19, 2022
It was refreshing to read a work of fiction in which there was no major emphasis on a romantic relationship.
I enjoyed both J. Norman's and Epiphany's stories, but I wish each had been a little more involved. The ending was a bit abrupt and easy, and it certainly lacked closure for Epiphany's side of things.
I did appreciate the author's sense of humor.
"...I'd purchased from some wandering Girl Scouts their entire load of cookies as well as the wagon, on the promise that they would tell other neighborhood children I'd stolen their goods, and that this was no longer a safe place to conduct door-to-door sales." p 40
I enjoyed both J. Norman's and Epiphany's stories, but I wish each had been a little more involved. The ending was a bit abrupt and easy, and it certainly lacked closure for Epiphany's side of things.
I did appreciate the author's sense of humor.
"...I'd purchased from some wandering Girl Scouts their entire load of cookies as well as the wagon, on the promise that they would tell other neighborhood children I'd stolen their goods, and that this was no longer a safe place to conduct door-to-door sales." p 40
August 18, 2024
This author is a favorite of mine now. This is the 2nd book I read by her (Before We Were Yours was great but heartbreaking). I adored this, especially the satisfying ending and the relationship arch of the two main characters.
March 9, 2024
In Dandelion Summer by Lisa Wingate, J. Norman Alvord is a retired widower with heart trouble. As he fades in and out of consciousness from an angina incident, he has a vivid memory of a house with seven chairs and a black maid. His mother never had a maid, and he was an only child. Norman wonders if this is truly a memory or a figment of his imagination. If it’s real, where was this house and who was the woman?
Norman’s daughter, Deborah, is at her wit’s end with her curmudgeonly father. They’ve never gotten along, but she promised her mother she’d take care of him. She tries to nudge him to think about moving to a facility. but he refuses. So for the short term, she hires a woman to come in once a week to clean her father’s house and the woman’s daughter to come in two days a week after school to make dinner, clean up the kitchen, and keep an eye out for her dad.
The daughter, Epiphany, has an Italian mother and black father, though her father is long gone. Epiphany, or Epie, as she is sometimes called, doesn’t feel like she fits in anywhere. She’s bullied at school until the school’s basketball star takes a liking to her. But he is bad news.
Epie and Norman don’t hit it off at first. They are opposites in almost every way. But when Epie agrees to keep some of his secrets, like Norman’s searching for clues about the house in his dreams upstairs, where his daughter has forbidden him to go, Norman grudgingly accepts Epie’s presence. Eventually he tells her what he s searching for and accepts her help bringing boxes from the attic.
Clues and more emerging memories lead Norman and Epie to a road trip for more information. But with Norman’s heart trouble and Epie’s inexperience, will they make it?
The point of view switched back and forth between Norman and Epie. I listened to the audiobook wonderfully read by Jason Culp and Bahni Turpin. Their voices and expressions added so much more to the reading/listening experience.
This book was the fourth in Wingate’s Blue Sky Hill series. I hadn’t read any except the second book, The Summer Kitchen, but I didn’t feel there were any gaps that didn’t make sense. This book stood well enough on its own.
Though I thought the road trip was unlikely in real life, the author made it plausible. I enjoyed the slowly developing relationship between Norman and Epie–first just tolerating each other, then learning to appreciate things about each other, and then coming to truly care for each other like a grandparent and grandchild.
The mystery of Norman’s background was unraveled quite nicely, keeping me curious and invested throughout the book.
I was struck by how both Norman and Epie were misunderstood from the outside. In the book, we’re privy to their thoughts and circumstances that no one else knows. Epie seems like an underachieving student to her teachers, but they have no idea what she has to deal with from the other students and a mom who has gone from man to man. And they don’t take the time to find out what underlying problems there might be. Yet Norman can see her innate intelligence and the need to be nurtured.
Some quotes that stood out to me:
Wingate has a penchant for sometimes halting the flow of dialogue by putting extra information between the speaker’s answers (one of my writing pet peeves). But overall, I really enjoyed this book.
Norman’s daughter, Deborah, is at her wit’s end with her curmudgeonly father. They’ve never gotten along, but she promised her mother she’d take care of him. She tries to nudge him to think about moving to a facility. but he refuses. So for the short term, she hires a woman to come in once a week to clean her father’s house and the woman’s daughter to come in two days a week after school to make dinner, clean up the kitchen, and keep an eye out for her dad.
The daughter, Epiphany, has an Italian mother and black father, though her father is long gone. Epiphany, or Epie, as she is sometimes called, doesn’t feel like she fits in anywhere. She’s bullied at school until the school’s basketball star takes a liking to her. But he is bad news.
Epie and Norman don’t hit it off at first. They are opposites in almost every way. But when Epie agrees to keep some of his secrets, like Norman’s searching for clues about the house in his dreams upstairs, where his daughter has forbidden him to go, Norman grudgingly accepts Epie’s presence. Eventually he tells her what he s searching for and accepts her help bringing boxes from the attic.
Clues and more emerging memories lead Norman and Epie to a road trip for more information. But with Norman’s heart trouble and Epie’s inexperience, will they make it?
The point of view switched back and forth between Norman and Epie. I listened to the audiobook wonderfully read by Jason Culp and Bahni Turpin. Their voices and expressions added so much more to the reading/listening experience.
This book was the fourth in Wingate’s Blue Sky Hill series. I hadn’t read any except the second book, The Summer Kitchen, but I didn’t feel there were any gaps that didn’t make sense. This book stood well enough on its own.
Though I thought the road trip was unlikely in real life, the author made it plausible. I enjoyed the slowly developing relationship between Norman and Epie–first just tolerating each other, then learning to appreciate things about each other, and then coming to truly care for each other like a grandparent and grandchild.
The mystery of Norman’s background was unraveled quite nicely, keeping me curious and invested throughout the book.
I was struck by how both Norman and Epie were misunderstood from the outside. In the book, we’re privy to their thoughts and circumstances that no one else knows. Epie seems like an underachieving student to her teachers, but they have no idea what she has to deal with from the other students and a mom who has gone from man to man. And they don’t take the time to find out what underlying problems there might be. Yet Norman can see her innate intelligence and the need to be nurtured.
Some quotes that stood out to me:
Maybe not everyone got the mom who baked cupcakes and showed up at all the school parties. There weren’t enough of those to go around, so maybe God used other people, like Mrs. Lora and J. Norm, to make sure you learned how to shell a purple hull pea or find Saturn in the night sky.
I would have lived more fully in the moment, realize how easily a perfect day can slip by unnoticed. Any day is the glory day if you choose to see the glory in it.
It’s funny how mistakes are so much clearer after you’ve already made them.
Wingate has a penchant for sometimes halting the flow of dialogue by putting extra information between the speaker’s answers (one of my writing pet peeves). But overall, I really enjoyed this book.
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October 6, 2025This is the last book in the Blue Sky Hill series. It was good but I didn’t like it as well as the other 3.
Epiphany Salerno (age 16) lives in a house on the low-rent side of Blue Sky Hill and works where she’s not wanted-in the high-rent district of The Hill.
J. Norman Alvord (70ish) is widowed, with heart trouble. He wants to be left alone but his daughter has hired Epiphany to stay with him in the afternoons.
J. Norm (as Epie calls him) keeps having dreams of another life and he and Epie take an unexpected road trip. They form a life-changing friendship and uncover long-held family secrets.
Epiphany Salerno (age 16) lives in a house on the low-rent side of Blue Sky Hill and works where she’s not wanted-in the high-rent district of The Hill.
J. Norman Alvord (70ish) is widowed, with heart trouble. He wants to be left alone but his daughter has hired Epiphany to stay with him in the afternoons.
J. Norm (as Epie calls him) keeps having dreams of another life and he and Epie take an unexpected road trip. They form a life-changing friendship and uncover long-held family secrets.
April 21, 2021
Loved this book! so glad it was chosen for book club read. Love the story of poor Epie - she is growing up biracial in the home with her white mother and step father. She longs to know more about her father's family but her mother refuses to share any info. She has a difficult time at school and a difficult time with the kids at school and one boy in particular. Fortunately she fills in for her Mom as a caretaker for an older man who is widowed and in failing health. He and his daughter don't have a great relationship but he quickly develops a relationship with Epie. They get into some high jinx together as they both try to discover more about where they came from. Their relationship is heartwarming and they both benefit from it. Really enjoyable read!
September 18, 2020
Thank you to narrators Jason Culp and Bahni Turpin for bringing to life Epi and J. Norman Alvord. Plus, thank you to J. Norman for teaching Epiphany not to sell herself short, or let herself be disrespected. In the bargain, they found a lost family, healed a family, and created a family. A girl who needs a family, and an elderly man healing his, and finding lost siblings.
August 8, 2025
Wingate novels are like sitting down with a large bowl of ice cream. Delicious at first bite drawing you in to take another spoonful. They are delectable through and through. Filled with weaving themes and characters that inspire and challenge and perhaps even break us open in some way or another, every time you finish one of her inspiring books you just want more. This summer series was no different. The inspiration lingers in your heart long after you put the story down.
August 30, 2017
I enjoyed this book, but I wanted more of the mystery unraveled at the end. I felt that it kind of left you hanging. I know that that may be true to real life, but I wanted to know how they actually found the people they were looking for, rather than just showing up at the dinner at the end.
March 15, 2022
This book was very pure and I think that’s what I enjoyed most. The relationship between Epiphany and J Norm was ever-developing and became a genuine bond when two people really need someone there. Though I’m not always a fan of somewhat predictable endings, I loved the way this one tied up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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March 14, 2021Was the fourth in the series - but all about different people - just at same location. Very good - I like this author and this one didn't disappoint either!
December 22, 2021
Two very different people come together in this novel. A sullen, rebellious, bullied Black/Italian teenager is forced to babysit a older, miserable, retired rocket scientist senior who has heart problems. Each has a mystery in their past that needs to be solved. Escaping together on a trip through the Southern States, they attempt to solve their mysteries and to build on each other’s strengths. An uplifting story.
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