Stardust Summer

by Lauren Clark

[Cocktails and Books]

This was a great story about realizing the importance of family, believing in love and starting over.

Grace Mason lived her life for her son, remembering that fairy tales don't happen. She keep a small house in the town in Ocean Springs, Mississippi and works as a teacher's aide so she could be there for her son. But when her estranged father falls ill, Grace finds herself rushing to the small town he lives in off Keuka Lake. She thought she would be there for a few days and return to her orderly life. She didn't realize that everything was about to change.

I loved Grace. She was one of those characters that you just hope she'd find a way to let go of the hurt and anger she's held on to for so long and find her happy. She was this amazingly strong woman who raised a son on her own and did it without her family close by because of the rift between herself and her father and step-mother. It was sad to think that when she finally understood why her father moved and worked on her relationship with her step-mother so many years had passed. But she was a woman who wasn't afraid to admit when she was wrong and she did it. Not only with her step-mother, Kathleen, but also with the only man who has sparked any romantic interest for her in years, Ryan.

Ryan was another character that I loved. He was a workaholic that didn't know who to let go of the hurt and anger over his marriage falling apart. It wasn't until Grace appeared next door that Ryan started feeling again. He was quirky, funny and exactly what Grace needed. My only wish was for their slow growing romance was to have it develop more on the page. It seemed like all of a sudden it was so clear what they meant to each other, without having actually gone through their courtship.

This was a lovely read and another example of why I love Lauren Clark's books. She's able to create these characters that you just "get" from the very moment you meet them and you want nothing more than for them to figure their life out and get their happily ever after. This is definitely one that you should pick up to read this summer.