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Healing Summer
Ditched at the altar…biopsied for cancer…Mollie Hinkle is having a bona fide bitch of a summer.When life sucks so hard it takes your breath away, what's a girl to do? Road trip! Pack a bag, grab a few friends, and leave the past and the worry in the rear view mirror. What wounds can’t be healed by a drive across the Heartland, where quarter flips at cross roads determine the route and the future? All roads lead to Craig, the second son and bad boy of the haughty Coulter line. Craig has spent his life taking care of number one—himself. He’s not interested in a relationship and he’s definitely not looking to fall in love. But if a morsel drops in his lap, who is he to refrain? Mollie’s not looking for love either, but truth be told, she’s not opposed to it. Heck, if fate brought her to the miniscule Montana town to find happily ever after, she won’t fight it.Perhaps it is a summer where love, not time, heals all her wounds.
266 pages, Paperback
First published December 2, 2012
1 person is currently reading
307 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Seckman
16 books89 followersMulti-published author of romantic women's fiction. I am a former social worker, constant day dreamer, and mother of four fabulous boys.
I have a house in desperate need of cleaning. No set date on completion.
I have a house in desperate need of cleaning. No set date on completion.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
October 21, 2016
It's Craig Coulter's 30th birthday and what he wants least of all is the party is friend Ron throws for him. He goes off by himself, ignoring everyone, and spots a woman who catches his eye for no particular reason other than (perhaps) her vulnerability.
Mollie is on vacation in Montana and dealing with drama when one of her friends posts on her blog all about Mollie's break up and heart ache. In the post, her friend says she'll be hooking Mollie up with some guy who is suppose to be at the party. Actually...it's the birthday boy!
Their meeting is cute. I really enjoyed the two of them together. A bonus is Jack, Mollie best friend since childhood. Jack is a tough cookie who doesn't put up with BS, and she knows just what to say every time. Her dialogue was genius. Whenever Jack was around, the story was that much more enjoyable. I liked the main characters, but Jack and Ron did overshadow them.
What starts is a sweet love story and then things go wrong quickly with several misunderstandings that happened shocked me.
**spoiler** And, I have to be honest, the things Craig says at this point made me so angry. I wouldn't have forgiven him so easily. And the misunderstandings aren't explained when the two declare their love again. Everything is explained afterward, which didn't quite make sense to me. **end spoiler** That was the only thing that bothered me. Otherwise, this is a great romance!
Elizabeth knows how to create multi-dimensional character with clever dialogue.
Mollie is on vacation in Montana and dealing with drama when one of her friends posts on her blog all about Mollie's break up and heart ache. In the post, her friend says she'll be hooking Mollie up with some guy who is suppose to be at the party. Actually...it's the birthday boy!
Their meeting is cute. I really enjoyed the two of them together. A bonus is Jack, Mollie best friend since childhood. Jack is a tough cookie who doesn't put up with BS, and she knows just what to say every time. Her dialogue was genius. Whenever Jack was around, the story was that much more enjoyable. I liked the main characters, but Jack and Ron did overshadow them.
What starts is a sweet love story and then things go wrong quickly with several misunderstandings that happened shocked me.
**spoiler** And, I have to be honest, the things Craig says at this point made me so angry. I wouldn't have forgiven him so easily. And the misunderstandings aren't explained when the two declare their love again. Everything is explained afterward, which didn't quite make sense to me. **end spoiler** That was the only thing that bothered me. Otherwise, this is a great romance!
Elizabeth knows how to create multi-dimensional character with clever dialogue.
January 20, 2013
When Mollie and her two friends, Jackie and Joanie set out on their road trip, they had no idea how life changing it would be for any of them. Some good changes, and some, not so much. Seems Mollie’s friends think that getting her “hooked up” is just what the doctor ordered and when Mollie finds out, she’s not a happy camper.
Craig had said absolutely no birthday party this year. Seems his best friend, Ron, thought he knew better. Craig has been in a funk and Ron thinks a party is just what their doctor ordered. (See where I’m going?? ;)) But, when Craig notices a pretty young lady looking agitated, he can’t help but approach her. He overhears her on the phone, and once she turns her phone off, they strike up a conversation. And, oh what a conversation it is.
Craig is known as a “love ‘em and leave ‘em” kind of guy, but for the life of him, he can’t bring himself to think of Mollie in that way. They embark on a friendship of sorts, slow and easy. After all, Mollie will be heading back to Pennsylvania in a few days, so what’s the harm? And, if they’ll be parting ways in a few days, why in the world are they so drawn to each other? With Mollie just being dumped at the altar, literally, and Craig living up to his family’s expectations and not settling down, you’d think that they’d run in opposite directions. Well, I for one, thank God that they didn’t!!
Oh, how I loved this book. First, let me say how much I loved Mollie’s friend, Jackie, whom they call Jack (you’ll have to read to find out why). To say that she’s Mollie’s greatest supporter and fiercest protector just does NOT do that friendship justice. I hope I don’t upset the author, but I have to tell you that when Mollie is dumped, literally at the altar, Jackie is jumping pews and kicking ass as the groom-to-be is fleeing. Or, at least, he’s trying to flee……. She is my kind of girl!!! However, her friend Joanie? Let’s just say that she got hers. This is a wonderful story of friendship, loyalty and family redemption and I can’t wait to read the next installment. I have it from the top that it’s Trip’s story and his HEA just may involve some Russian bad guys and one good Russian girl!! ;) If you’re looking for great, fast-paced reads with great HEAs, then this is the series for you!!
http://thereadingcafe.com/healing-sum...
Craig had said absolutely no birthday party this year. Seems his best friend, Ron, thought he knew better. Craig has been in a funk and Ron thinks a party is just what their doctor ordered. (See where I’m going?? ;)) But, when Craig notices a pretty young lady looking agitated, he can’t help but approach her. He overhears her on the phone, and once she turns her phone off, they strike up a conversation. And, oh what a conversation it is.
Craig is known as a “love ‘em and leave ‘em” kind of guy, but for the life of him, he can’t bring himself to think of Mollie in that way. They embark on a friendship of sorts, slow and easy. After all, Mollie will be heading back to Pennsylvania in a few days, so what’s the harm? And, if they’ll be parting ways in a few days, why in the world are they so drawn to each other? With Mollie just being dumped at the altar, literally, and Craig living up to his family’s expectations and not settling down, you’d think that they’d run in opposite directions. Well, I for one, thank God that they didn’t!!
Oh, how I loved this book. First, let me say how much I loved Mollie’s friend, Jackie, whom they call Jack (you’ll have to read to find out why). To say that she’s Mollie’s greatest supporter and fiercest protector just does NOT do that friendship justice. I hope I don’t upset the author, but I have to tell you that when Mollie is dumped, literally at the altar, Jackie is jumping pews and kicking ass as the groom-to-be is fleeing. Or, at least, he’s trying to flee……. She is my kind of girl!!! However, her friend Joanie? Let’s just say that she got hers. This is a wonderful story of friendship, loyalty and family redemption and I can’t wait to read the next installment. I have it from the top that it’s Trip’s story and his HEA just may involve some Russian bad guys and one good Russian girl!! ;) If you’re looking for great, fast-paced reads with great HEAs, then this is the series for you!!
http://thereadingcafe.com/healing-sum...
February 12, 2013
I really do love Elizabeth Seckman's writing! She has replaced Stephanie Meyer's place as one of my absolute favorite authors...and yes that means Elizabeth is in my top 5 favs. Her writing is smooth, it's the kind that keeps you up late just to see what will happen next and will also wake in the middle of the night just to see where it all ends. The characters in Healing Summer, Craig to be specific, woke me up a 3am to finish reading even though I had read until midnight.
If you haven't read Past Due I would start there, Healing Summer is the second book. Though it is featuring different characters, these tie in and take place after Past Due. And I have to say I could not stand Craig in Past Due, I thought he was a total dipstick but reading Healing Summer I found myself loving the guy.
Mollie decides to take a road trip after her summer goes to hell in a hand basket, she may have cancer and her Fiancé dumps her at the alter. She ends up at a party she'd rather not be at and finds herself chatting with a charming guy.
Craig is not looking for a relationship at all, a roll in hay sure but absolutely nothing more. Mollie is interesting and he finds that her company is soothing to his spirit. Neither one of them want to complicate matters by a relationship, Craig just isn't looking for that in his life and Mollie knows that she will be heading home soon.
If you haven't read Past Due I would start there, Healing Summer is the second book. Though it is featuring different characters, these tie in and take place after Past Due. And I have to say I could not stand Craig in Past Due, I thought he was a total dipstick but reading Healing Summer I found myself loving the guy.
Mollie decides to take a road trip after her summer goes to hell in a hand basket, she may have cancer and her Fiancé dumps her at the alter. She ends up at a party she'd rather not be at and finds herself chatting with a charming guy.
Craig is not looking for a relationship at all, a roll in hay sure but absolutely nothing more. Mollie is interesting and he finds that her company is soothing to his spirit. Neither one of them want to complicate matters by a relationship, Craig just isn't looking for that in his life and Mollie knows that she will be heading home soon.
September 18, 2013
I tend to be an eye-roller during all of the starry-eyed parts you find in most romance novels, but with this book I just kept reading and kept drooling! Her characters are appealing without being unbelievable and the dialogue is smart, entertaining, and full of spunk that really makes the characters that much more real. Mollie is instantly relatable to 20-somethings everywhere who’ve faced the prospect of ‘settling’ and mistaking comfort and routine for love. And the relationship she has with her best friend Jack is endearing and touching, not to mention one of the deepest and most beautifully developed parts of the story! Craig is dreamy, but it doesn’t keep the reader from wanting to slap him across the face when he gets his pout on and lets his mouth take over :-)
I don’t pick up many romance novels since I usually find I can’t relate to the characters (especially being a snarky tomboy geek at heart). I’ll definitely pick up ANY book by this author!
I don’t pick up many romance novels since I usually find I can’t relate to the characters (especially being a snarky tomboy geek at heart). I’ll definitely pick up ANY book by this author!
January 17, 2013
This is the second book following Past Due. I loved the first but the second is my favorite of the 2. I guess you don't technically have to read the first to understand the 2nd but it helps to understand more of the background of some of the minor characters, and story lines. This book has it all. Romance, conflict, a little "mystery" you could say...where u just wanna skip ahead and find out what happens, so you stay up all night reading and before you know it its time to get the kids up for school. Craig is the type of character that you have to "meet" to love. Which is exactly how I prefer because I don't know how a story will end before I've finished the first chapter *cough cough harlequin*. Seckman also gives minor characters the ability to become favorites and you find yourself hoping she writes a book about them too! Highly recommend.
June 19, 2013
Healing Summer is a story that hooked me from the beginning. Craig Coulter is your typical playboy, but the minute Molly Hinkle arrives on the scene, his heart is as good as gone. I love the building tension in the plot. The entire time I read, I was rooting for Molly, hoping she'd get a clean bill of health. Mostly I love what Craig does when he realizes he can't live without her. From beginning to end, this book kept my interest. Elizabeth Seckman did a wonderful job weaving a plot just as captivating as her debut novel, Past Due, which was the first story of the Coulter men. I'd recommend this to anyone who loves a great romance.
March 17, 2014
“Healing Summer” has a wonderful heroine in Mollie. She’s a very sweet character who has seen a lot of struggle in her young life, but it hasn’t embittered her.
Read full review in the 2014 March issue of InD’tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2014 March issue of InD’tale Magazine.
June 3, 2013
Loved this book. The characters felt so real and the story line very authentic. This author knows how to connect to her reader.
February 20, 2013
i think not only is the author hot stuff...but the book is too. total romance! swoooooon
January 27, 2026
This story pulled me in right from the opening chapters. Mollie Hinkle’s summer feels painfully real heartbreak layered with fear and uncertainty and the author does a great job letting us sit with her emotions without making them overwhelming. The road trip across the Heartland isn’t just a physical journey; it becomes a quiet, meaningful process of healing. I especially liked how chance and choice intertwine through the flipped quarters at crossroads it’s a clever metaphor for life after loss. Craig’s character surprised me; beneath the “bad boy” exterior is someone just as guarded and human as Mollie. Their connection unfolds naturally, without forcing romance, which made the ending feel earned and hopeful.
September 3, 2016
I've had this book on my Kindle for quite a while, but it kinda got lost in the crowd. A recent visit to the author's blog reminded me that I hadn't yet read it...
So now I have. And I'm glad.
It's a delightful romance. Wonderful characters, too. At the beginning of the story, Molly and her best friend (nicknamed) Jack are on a "recovery trip" of sorts. Mollie just got her teeth kicked in... metaphorically speaking... when her self-centered cad of a fiance dumped her at the altar. You've gotta love maid of honor Jack, though, because she darned near kicked the fiance's teeth in... literally. Yep. Went right after him in the church and bloodied his nose. But that's not surprising. Jack has been looking after Mollie ever since they were kids. That's when Mollie battled cancer for the first time. Now, the cancer may be back, so this trip is also a way to help Mollie prepare for the biopsy results.
What she wasn't prepared for was meeting bad boy Craig. Not that he was any more prepared for meeting a woman like Mollie. The last thing he needs or wants is a woman in his life. He doesn't want to fall in love, doesn't ever expect to fall in love, and doesn't even believe he deserves to be happy.
Sure, from the get-go, readers can guess how the story's likely to end, but that doesn't matter one iota. It's still a delight to read. Even brought tears to my eyes a couple times. There's lots of ups and downs, misunderstandings, miscommunications, and hurt feelings, but you know what? In the end comes the heartening affirmation that truth and love CAN conquer all. And I, personally, will never grow tired of happy endings.
Turns out this is the second book in the series... but it stood on its own beautifully. Still, I also have the first book hiding on my Kindle, so I'll be reading that one in the near future. And my guess is, I'll enjoy it just as much as this one.
So now I have. And I'm glad.
It's a delightful romance. Wonderful characters, too. At the beginning of the story, Molly and her best friend (nicknamed) Jack are on a "recovery trip" of sorts. Mollie just got her teeth kicked in... metaphorically speaking... when her self-centered cad of a fiance dumped her at the altar. You've gotta love maid of honor Jack, though, because she darned near kicked the fiance's teeth in... literally. Yep. Went right after him in the church and bloodied his nose. But that's not surprising. Jack has been looking after Mollie ever since they were kids. That's when Mollie battled cancer for the first time. Now, the cancer may be back, so this trip is also a way to help Mollie prepare for the biopsy results.
What she wasn't prepared for was meeting bad boy Craig. Not that he was any more prepared for meeting a woman like Mollie. The last thing he needs or wants is a woman in his life. He doesn't want to fall in love, doesn't ever expect to fall in love, and doesn't even believe he deserves to be happy.
Sure, from the get-go, readers can guess how the story's likely to end, but that doesn't matter one iota. It's still a delight to read. Even brought tears to my eyes a couple times. There's lots of ups and downs, misunderstandings, miscommunications, and hurt feelings, but you know what? In the end comes the heartening affirmation that truth and love CAN conquer all. And I, personally, will never grow tired of happy endings.
Turns out this is the second book in the series... but it stood on its own beautifully. Still, I also have the first book hiding on my Kindle, so I'll be reading that one in the near future. And my guess is, I'll enjoy it just as much as this one.
February 19, 2015
Mollie Hinkle's summer started as the worst one ever. She was left at the altar, found out her fiance had been cheating on her, and then biopsied for cancer. Her best friends take her on a road trip to cheer her up, but things only get worse when one of the girls leaves them stranded in Montana. At a party her friend drags her to, Mollie meets Craig Coulter. Gorgeous and charming, he claims he's not looking for a relationship. Yet he can't stay away from her and she can't stop herself from falling for him. Is Craig just a rebound, a summer fling, or something more?
This is a sweet and emotional contemporary romance. I laughed a lot, melted in my seat, and cheered for the whole thing to work out. Mollie is immediately likable. She's the everyday woman. The real true and sweet one that we all want as a friend. Her best girl friend, Jack is the other woman we all want as a friend: feisty, protective, and loyal. I could imagine myself going on a road trip with them! And then there's Craig. Yum! He has his flaws, but I'm as forgiving as Mollie!
HEALING SUMMER is the second book in the Coulter series, and I have already started on the third! I thoroughly enjoy Elizabeth Seckman's genuine and refreshing style of romance. A solid 4.5 star read.
This is a sweet and emotional contemporary romance. I laughed a lot, melted in my seat, and cheered for the whole thing to work out. Mollie is immediately likable. She's the everyday woman. The real true and sweet one that we all want as a friend. Her best girl friend, Jack is the other woman we all want as a friend: feisty, protective, and loyal. I could imagine myself going on a road trip with them! And then there's Craig. Yum! He has his flaws, but I'm as forgiving as Mollie!
HEALING SUMMER is the second book in the Coulter series, and I have already started on the third! I thoroughly enjoy Elizabeth Seckman's genuine and refreshing style of romance. A solid 4.5 star read.
March 12, 2014
It took me quite a while to get around to reading this book, which I received in "proofed" pre-published form back in 2012. I really enjoyed the voices of the characters, and the interactions between them. Jack is a great best friend, fiercely protective and sometimes to a point of being smothering, but still, a girl couldn't ask for a better friend than Jack! I enjoyed reading about the two main characters as well, but I actually think I was more interested in Jack and Ron getting together. :P Still, it was nice to see things work out nicely for the main duo.
All in all I really enjoyed this first taste of Elizabeth Seckman's writing, and will definitely read more of her work in future. :)
All in all I really enjoyed this first taste of Elizabeth Seckman's writing, and will definitely read more of her work in future. :)
April 13, 2014
Mollie is recovering from two things: being dumped at the altar and the possibility of cancer. To take her mind off things after getting a biopsy and waiting for the results, she and her best friend go on a road trip. In another state, she meets Craig, someone irresistible who has a horrible reputation when it comes to women. Plus, he has no plans for a serious relationship. The two can’t stay away from each other, though.
A series of misunderstandings keep them apart…or do they? Mollie is a sweetheart and Craig is a sexy leading man. I call this a perfect combination—the book is a sweet-sexy romance. It was a joy to get to know these two characters, their friends, and their family members.
A series of misunderstandings keep them apart…or do they? Mollie is a sweetheart and Craig is a sexy leading man. I call this a perfect combination—the book is a sweet-sexy romance. It was a joy to get to know these two characters, their friends, and their family members.
February 14, 2015
Well, this was a pleasant surprise. I expected to read a few pages and set it aside as I do with romances, but not this time. I immediately connected with solitary-seeking Craig Coulter and his close friend Ron. Then enter Mollie and Jack (a girlfriend everyone girl needs), and I was hooked. All of the characters, even the cameos were well-drawn. The quick paced and authentic dialog kept the plot moving forward to the very end, and while the story had a "Cinderellaesque" quality, I enjoyed being in Ms. Seckman's story from start to finish.
July 1, 2014
Since being a teenager I have NEVER read a book like this.(I think the last one I read was Forever by Judy Blume).
I come to read this as it was a gift off a friend.
I thought at first I won't enjoy this BUT the way she flips the story from scene to scene really keeps you reading just to find out what's going to happen.
I also liked how the story portrayed how someone can go on through life knowing they have things awaiting them, they can have fun and live life to the full.
I come to read this as it was a gift off a friend.
I thought at first I won't enjoy this BUT the way she flips the story from scene to scene really keeps you reading just to find out what's going to happen.
I also liked how the story portrayed how someone can go on through life knowing they have things awaiting them, they can have fun and live life to the full.
December 13, 2012
Wonderful book...but then it's mine, so I am biased!
October 24, 2014
So booooorrrrring!
September 8, 2014
This was an intriguing story. The beginning feels you in. This is graphic.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews