Samantha Forrester has it all together. Deafness at age fifteen has not hampered her success. Life, although predictable, has hit a comfortable stride. Her world crumbles when secrets of the past are brought to light. She travels to Serenity Cove to settle her birth mother’s estate and search for her true identity. Samantha soon becomes enamored with the town. And then there’s police chief Logan Delatorre who startles her pulse, and grandparents who refuse to acknowledge her. More mystery unfolds when an attack is levied against her—someone wants her out of Serenity Cove. Samantha’s faith is called into question when she stumbles over the need to forgive. Can Dr. Ellie Clarimonde help her connect the pieces of her past and learn the power of forgiveness?
Kaleidoscope Summer by Rita Garcia
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have to say that I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I know that sounds bad, but let me elaborate. I began the book, and it was fine, but I felt no connection. That is until I had read about one-third of the way into the book. I suddenly got hooked, and I honestly did not want to put the book down. This book has a little bit of everything–mystery, romance, and forgiveness. Forgiveness is one of the key elements in this book, and it truly made me stop and think about the consequences of unforgiveness. Although the book deals with these issues from a Christian perspective, it is never preachy. In fact, even the counselor in the book talks about other issues besides spiritual issues, and I was quite pleased to read about that. I honestly don’t think this book would offend anyone–even those who do not subscribe to the Christian belief system.
I am grateful to tell you that there are no sex scenes and no profanity. The romance never comes across as being sappy nor cheesy. This book even deals with the issues of mental illness and disability. These are issues that many inspirational books don’t tackle–at least, not in the fiction arena. Though a small issue, I appreciate her short, manageable chapters. As far as I’m concerned, books that have manageable chapter lengths are much easier to read.
There is only one thing I would change about the book. The book is told from two different perspectives–Samantha and Logan. It took me a good fifty pages into the book to figure out that the perspective changed each time a new chapter began. That was somewhat unclear, and I think it would have been good for the author to point that out from the beginning. But this was just a minor detail. Overall, this book was amazing!
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
ABOUT THE AUTHORSlip Into Paradise with Rita Garcia’s Stories that Touch the Heart.
Romance is a big part of Rita’s novels; hope is an even larger element of the stories she writes.
She is currently working on a series of contemporary novels set in the small town of Serenity Cove. Romance, mystery and family drama intertwine in the small town of Serenity Cove.
Rita resides in southern California with her husband, Joe Garcia. They have four wonderful daughters and seven fantastic grandchildren who fill their lives with love, laughter, and never a dull moment.
Rita holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and is licensed by the National Christian Counselors Association, and trained in Biblical Counseling by the American Association of Christian Counselors. She has a passion for helping others achieve their most important life goals.
