A Summer of Chances - Roxanne Tully

Ruminations of an Insomniac..

Sticky sweet and rife with self discovery, Roxanne Tully paints a vibrant picture with her words. It's said that you will find what you're seeking, when you stop looking. Throwing caution to the wind, Amy followed a whim and then had to get creative. Unsure of her future and not positive what she is searching for, this is the story of a wayward path leading her to epiphany. 

"Amy, whatever your reasons are for coming here, even if you don't know what they are, you're following your heart. Only brave people follow their hearts when they don't know where it's leading them." - Rick Foster 

This book challenged me, but not in the way most would assume. Eyes wide open, I dove into pages saturated with summer nostalgia, just as the coldest weeks of our year (I'm talking minus 20-30°C here) decided to settle in. Alas, burying my head in the sand to stave off my reality, I adored the journey these words took me on.

Tully's words took me back to my youth. To a place where I would purposefully soak in every drop of my surroundings. A time that my fingers itched for pencils and brushes, at the most inopportune moments, because I so desperately wanted to capture the very essence of my surroundings on paper. But more than that, she threw in a subtly building (PG) romance. It's soft and enchanting. I didn't want to overuse "sweet" but it's honestly the most fitting word. 

Rating:

Book Boyfriend: 8/10 (he is genuine and adorable, but I felt like we didn't quite get enough of him) 

Flow: 9/10 

Plot: 8/10 (while I enjoyed the story, it could have been longer. and the climax didn't quite hit the mark for me)

Overall: 8.5/10 (it's a wonderfully written story. i would recommend it to someone looking for a quick, soft read or to teen readers - it's actually a YA book, and it 100% fits there -) 

Currently available on Kindle (and Kindle Unlimited).

Synopsis:

Feeling trapped by the mundane surroundings of her hometown, undeclared college student Amy Kragen escapes cross country in a blind trust in fate. Fate, being a pop-up ad for Bays Beach Summer Camp—just as she was looking for a “sign.”

After miraculously landing a job with room and board as the camps’ new nature art counselor, Amy started feeling more comfortable with her decision. Unfortunately, her very existence becomes a nuisance for Rick Foster, an athletic water sports instructor with captivating green eyes. She seems to always be getting in his way—making running into him a dreadful moment each time. That is until forced joint camp sessions start leading to spontaneous adventures and an undeniable attraction.

But when Amy continues to ignore her uncertain future, friends and family step in with a reality check. Will she turn away and go back to a safe existence, or follow through on her journey of taking chances?