Review: The Light in Summer by Mary McNear

The Light in Summer

by Mary McNear

Publisher: William Morrow

Pages: 384

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  It’s summertime on Butternut Lake, where the heat of noon is soothed by the cool breezes of the evening, where the pace grows slower, and sometimes, just sometimes, the summer light makes everything clearer...

For the lovely Billy Harper, Butternut Lake is the place she feels most at home, even though lately she feels the only one listening to her is Murphy...her faithful Labrador Retriever. Her teenage son, Luke, has gone from precious to precocious practically overnight. Her friends are wrapped up in their own lives, and Luke’s father, Wesley, disappeared before his son was even born. No wonder she prefers to spend time with a good book, especially ones where everything ends in perfection.

But Billy is about to learn that anything is possible during the heady days of summer. Coming to terms with her past—the death of her father, the arrival of Cal Cooper, a complicated man with a definite interest in Billy, even the return of Wesley, will force her to have a little bit of faith in herself and others...and realize that happiness doesn’t always mean perfection.


Kritters Thoughts:  I adore this series.  This is a part of the Butternut Lake series and yes it is a series, but this is one of those series that you can read out of order, you can start wherever you like and enjoy.  

This is the 5th in the series and it centers around Billy Harper (a female, I know I had a hard time the whole book with a female named Billy!) and she is the local librarian and a single mom and has been splitting her time between these two important parts of her life.  She hasn't pursued love because being a good mom has been her number one priority for thirteen years.  In walks Cal Cooper who is moving back closer to his sister and her family and is having reprioritize his life as things have changed.

I would describe these books as a combination of women's fiction with a side of romance.  There is a fantastic plot for all the fans of women's fiction, but there are definitely some spicy scenes for those who like a little romance.  

I absolutely adore this series and would keep reading one each summer, but I wouldn't mind if Mary McNear wrote something new also.  I would love to see what she could do in a new series, new town and new place.  


Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.