Summer in the Spotlight by Liz Johnson Book Review

About the Book:

Kelsey Ahern has performed at the Victoria Playhouse on Prince Edward Island since she was seven. But when a hurricane destroys the building, it's not just her memories that are in jeopardy. Her future as a drama teacher is too. She teams up with Levi Ross, the facilities director at the high school, to produce a benefit show to raise money to rebuild the theater. Levi has a reputation for being able to fix anything, and Kelsey is sure there's more to the quiet man than meets the eye.

For his part, Levi has admired Kelsey for years, but he can't seem to find the words to tell her. When a popular weatherman arrives in town to cover the aftermath of the hurricane and takes an interest in Kelsey and her show, Levi realizes that the time has come to speak up--or lose the heart of the woman he longs for.

You can read an excerpt here.

My Review:

This is an enjoyable novel that explores the difficulty of romance between flawed people with histories having a huge impact on the present. We get glimpses of how current events similar to ones in the past can trigger post traumatic stress. Levi is a severely damaged character, hesitant to speak because of his father's cruel words in his youth. Though Kelsey is damaged herself, it was good to see how she brought Levi out of his shell. Kelsey is overly emotional and her character is almost overdrawn in that respect. She tries hard to make up for what she feels is a shortfall in her actions years ago.

The plot is a bit predictable with a disaster set to destroy the whole project and a result that was unsurprising. Johnson provides enough clues so we know what is coming. Even so, the romance is entertaining. We readers are challenged to think about where we look for our happiness. We also see how love can overcome the fear that scares us the most and help us do the hard thing. Johnson's writing style is a pleasure to read. There is a subtle faith message.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Liz Johnson is the New York Times bestselling author of more than a dozen novels, including Beyond the Tides and The Last Way Home, as well as the Georgia Coast Romance and Prince Edward Island Dreams series. She works in marketing, makes her home in Phoenix, Arizona, and daydreams of returning to PEI. Learn more at www.lizjohnsonbooks.com. Photo Credit: © Erin McFarland

Revell, 368 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)