Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

The River #1

Summertime Dream

Rate this book
The Fourth of July is over, but for these summer lovers the fireworks have just begun. An unexpected inheritance brings business consultant Christopher Gordon from Los Angeles to quaint Falk's Bend. He's carved time from his demanding schedule to dispose of his great-grandparents' home and explore his roots. However, disturbing family secrets and the sweet temptation of writer Margie Olsson derail his plans, challenging him to seize the elusive dream missing from his hectic life--love. A recent brush with death shook Margie's life, but not her dreams, and she's ready to move forward. Only, standing up to her loving, over-protective family isn't easy. Helping Christopher explore the derelict mansion and unravel his grandmother's mysterious past allows a fun taste of independence. But when her experimental summer fling ignites into unexpected love, can her small town dreams work with his big city life?

255 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 25, 2013

3 people are currently reading
125 people want to read

About the author

Babette James

12 books94 followers
Author of sweetly scorching romance, a reader, and a lover of morning coffee. She lives in Florida with her wonderfully patient husband and extremely spoiled cats. When not dreaming up stories, she enjoys gardening and dabbling with paints.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
8 (21%)
4 stars
14 (36%)
3 stars
12 (31%)
2 stars
3 (7%)
1 star
1 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
Profile Image for Maria Rose.
2,637 reviews267 followers
March 31, 2015
This delightful romance is the story of Christopher and Margie. Christopher inherits an old house from an unknown relative in the small town where Margie lives. Meeting on the 4th of July, they share an instant attraction that leads to friendship and stronger feelings as they explore Christopher's new acquisition. Can a summer fling turn into a real relationship?

I loved this story! There were really 2 parts to it for me - the mystery of Christopher's great grandmother and the house she lived in , as well as the romance that developed between Christopher and Margie. The unveiling of the house in all it's ancient glory was quite interesting to read, and equally as intriguing as the mystery of Christopher's family genealogy. I thought this plot line was quite unique and unfolded in a well written and engaging way. The romance between Christopher and Margie was sweet and tender and developed at just the right pace. It was nice to read a romance where the characters don't just hop into bed on first meeting but instead develop feelings that lead to kisses that lead to more in an old fashioned and perfectly satisfying manner. The secondary characters also played roles in the dynamics of the story, adding to the overall feel and tone of the novel as friends and family relationships made for realistic encounters. The overall story was a fun, lighthearted read filled with tender moments and emotionally satisfying scenes. 5 delightful stars!
Profile Image for Katie O'Sullivan.
Author 35 books166 followers
September 22, 2014
Loved this sweet and sexy small town romance! Totally Recommend and Will Definitely look for more stories from Babette James!

Falk's Bend, Missouri is your typical small town where everyone knows everyone and their family history, and nothing exciting ever seems to happen. At least, that's the way Margie Olsson's life has been up until recently.

Then things started to shift. She got sick, her brother's wife suddenly left town, and Margie didn't marry her high school sweetheart. When a complete stranger shows up at the towns annual Fourth of July picnic extravaganza, she impulsively kisses him, changing everything she thinks she knows about life, love, and what a kiss should really be. And she wants more.

Christopher Gordon and his sparkling green eyes makes for one sexy hero! The scenes between Christopher and Margie range from sweet to steamy, and the secondary characters all add so much to the story. A little bit of house remodeling, a little bit of mystery and a whole lot of fun.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story from start to finish. A quick, fun read, I would recommend this as a great "beach read" to anyone who needs a little escape from their own everyday life (even if you don't have time to sit on the beach to read it!)
Author 4 books14 followers
February 21, 2014
Book Review: Summertime Dream
By: Babette James

Ah! The beauty of life's unexpected surprises. Where life's true adventures come out. This book is a great example of just that. The story takes a huge project which draws two people to fall in love. It's a romance book with a slight mystery to solve.

I really enjoyed the writing technique the author, Babette James used to express the characters current thought. Babette James used Italics font format to signify the thought. Then placed the thought directly after the comment or situation that caused the thought to surface. This helps the reader really get to know the characters. The author plays with many emotions in this story plot; love, insecurity, doubt, courage, trust, curiosity, gratefulness, pain, and kindness.

Reviw written by: Jesenia Sanabia
Profile Image for Rolynn Anderson.
Author 14 books42 followers
March 30, 2014
The coziness of SUMMERTIME DREAM comes from family loyalties in small town America. Margie is healing from physical and mental turmoil, seeking solace with her hometown family and friends. An appealing big-city guy, Christopher, comes to town to renovate an inherited home. Margie loves the old house and steps in to help him prepare it for sale, puzzled by the lives of the families who used to live there. The mystery of the house is revealed as Margie and Christopher’s romance sizzles, but their conflict over lifestyle spikes, as well. The question remains: how much can a person sacrifice and still be true to oneself?
Profile Image for Kim Beck.
222 reviews12 followers
May 8, 2014
Let me start by saying it's a great book. I truly special book about reaching for things you normally shy away from. It's about getting out of your comfort zone. It's also about healing. The only reason it's getting four stars is because of some editing issues, such as missing words or misspelled words. Or sentences seeming unfinished. But those are truly easy to look past because the story is beautiful
48 reviews3 followers
July 9, 2014
Entertained

this a lite ,pretty good read.would have been better with a more in-depth story.just happy I didn't spend money on it
405 reviews3 followers
June 29, 2015
Sweet romance

Such a sweet love story between Margie and Chris. Everything happens for a reason. Fate definitely happened in their lives. You will love this book!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.