A Summer of Surprises

We meet Jill who has always been known as the smart one. Her sister invites her to Florida for the summer and come to find out she was asked so that she could do all the work. Jill has gotten to the point that she needs more, what is it that she wants for her life. Jill whole life is about to change and for the better, she is not as plain as she thinks, she will not be a door mat anymore, it is time for her to live.

A great, fast paced summer read. Intriguing storyline, unique mix of characters, and plenty of descriptive and insightful real world references. You will fall in love with Seashell Cottage and all of the long walks on the beach. It is one of those, you can’t put down type of books. Staying up late to read because chapter after chapter draws you that much further in. Thank you for allowing me to read this great fun summertime book. Enjoy!

Thank you to NetGalley, Wild Quail Publishing and Judith Keim for the ARC of A Summer of Surprises In exchange I am giving my personal and honest review.

Jill was asked by her sister Cristal to housesit in Florida for her for the summer. Jill is a kindergarten teacher, and this was a perfect way to spend her summer off.
She was told Seashell Cottage was having a bit of repairs done on it. Little did she know that the repairs being done would be a turning point in her life.

Summer of Surprises is perfect name for the book because that is what her summer is filled with. This is a time of self-discovery for Jill and her sister.

This is the first book I have read by this author and I look forward to reading more.

A Summer of Surprised
by Judith Keim

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC of this book. It was not an author I was familiar with but I found a new
favorite. I found this book to be like a breath of fresh air. I really like thrillers and mysteries and this was really a nice change.
I will recommend this to our patrons.

A Summer of Surprises by Judith Keim is so much more then the description offered. Yes Jillian Conroy is tricked by her sister. She does wind up in Florida cooking and cleaning for two handy men. There is also sub stories about the child of the one gentleman. Their is a need to heal for many of the characters including the main character. This is just the tip of the iceberg as to what is going on within this story.

One of the story lines that I particularly enjoyed was the reinvention of ones self. It was a feel good take charge this is who I want to be feeling, Several characters are dealing with changes in their life paths. An off shoot of this is the self healing that comes when you take control of your destiny. When these changes begin to take hold the characters grow. They grow in confidence and maturity.

A lovely outcome of the self discovery that is persistent through out the story is the mending of family ties. Families often wound us with not only their actions but their words. Jillian as well as the young girl, Kacy, spending the summer with her father who is helping with the repairs to the cottage both know this first hand. As Jillian and Kacy become closer she realizes they both suffer from the manner in which their Mothers treat them. She will use not only her life experiences but her skills as an elementary school teacher to help Kacy see her potential.

Jillian wors part time at a summer camp. A camp who works on teaching the children that bullying is wrong as well as the skills to cope with being bullied. Their is a small subplot of installing healthy life styles in the young.

Mostly however this is a love story.. The love between family members. The love of friends, coworkers and adult relationships. There is new love and older love relationships within the story.. The author even has a couple who are finding second love.

The character development was excellent. I felt I knew these people my whole life. The story development was very well thought out I was drawn I from the beginning. It was a quick easy read.. I can not recommend this book enough. It will be a perfect summer read. It is also a perfect read for these unknown times. It is a feel good story that hits all the right notes. Enjoy!

I received an ARC from Judith Keim and NetGalley for an honest review. Once Jill went to Florida for the summer, she began to change. She seemed to have more confidence, decided she wanted a fresh start and started realizing what she wanted. We meet many wonderful people, each one adding something to her life. It was a summer of surprises but Judith added what I thought of little pieces of tidbits that just added to the story. It fascinated me how the owners of the camp ran it. They could get the girls to do things, make healthy, better decisions by the way they went about it.
With all that is going on in the world today, this book was a breath of fresh air, that showed positive ways to get something accomplished, that Jill made a lot of changes but knew it was right for her and that is why people should read this book. During this difficult time, if offers sunshine, sandy beach, sandcastles, relationships, and a glimpse of although a different life a life full of goodness.

A Summer of Surprises was a good summer read! This was my first time reading a book by this author and I will look out for her other titles after reading this one. The story is about a woman, Jillian, who agrees to do her sister a favor and house sit a cottage on a Florida beach for the summer, so her sister and friend can go to Europe. As we go through the novel we follow her complicated family relationships with her sister and her mother and watch her begin to heal from an abusive marriage that ended in the death of her fiancee (through a car accident). The story was a bit predictable (hence my 4 stars) but the character development was touching all the same. The honest look at difficult family dynamics and how we can break free from allowing those in our life to define our sense of self and our worth made this a book I enjoyed even though I was sure I knew how it'd end.

A sweet and fun beach read about changing your life and find out where you should truly be. This is the second seashell cottage book I have read and it doesn’t disappoint. If you are looking for a sweet story love, in this crazy time we are living in, you should check this out.

Thank you Netgalley, Judith Keim and Wild Quail publishing for the ARC.

What a wonderful book - perfect for a day of leisure at home. Jillian is duped by her sister to house sit for a friend. When she arrives, she finds out she is to cook and clean also for the work crew. She takes the time to breathe and re-evaluate her life and starts making some drastic changes. Changes that are necessary to undo the hurt from her deceased husband. The author paints a beautiful picture of the coast of Florida and the wonder to live there. There is a sequel coming out for this book next year. I am excited to read that one also.

I received an ARC from Judith Keim and NetGalley for an honest review. I enjoyed this book, it was a love story but not the typical love story. It was about learning to love yourself, your family with all their flaws, as well as a love story between two people who had been hurt by their former spouses. I loved the way Summer of Surprises was developed. It's a hopeful book, great for when times are messy.

Jillian Conroy is talking to her sister Cristal on the phone. her friend owns a cottage in Florida and needs someone to live there for summer but there's a catch. Jill is on summer break from teaching and in no rush to date. I liked Jill's interaction with Kacy.Kacy is one of the cottages handymens daughter.he is helping the other handyman who has a project and a company.brody is also a school psychologist. His wife left him for a doctor

Jill’s sister Cristal asks her to move into her friends cottage for the summer and oversee the work being done there. What Cristal doesn’t say is that Jill will be cooking and cleaning for the men plus a difficult eight year old.

That summer opportunities present themselves to Jill enabling her to think clearly about her future. Both she and the little girl become more confident during their time at Seashell Cottage. There are new starts for more than one character in the book and a couple of romances thrown in

It’s a great summer read full of kindness, friendship and a chance to discover what’s important in life

#ASummerOfSurprises#HerBalist
As the story opens Jillian is offered a house setting job in Florida by her sister. She knows there is more to the story As her sister always makes any situation for her benefit. Jillian starts to reinvent herself while in Florida. She no longer has her abusive husband as he has died in a car accident. She finds the cottage comes with two batsmen and a young daughter that she has to cook and clean for them. She makes a deal to help with Kacy . She becomes closer to Lacy and her dad.. She decides to stay in Florida and everything falls in place, a new job, a rent, New friends, and coworkers. Her sister calls. She is coming home early and begins to issue orders to Jillian. Jillian is now strong enough to stand up for herself. Jillian is no longer in her sisters shadow. She will no longer out up with her mother's breathing comments and verbal abuse. As the story revolves Jillian and Crystal discuss their past and move on to become true sisters. You will have to read the book to find out how Jillian's decisions make differences in her life. Read this great book to find out all the sun plots and secrets of the summer at the beach. Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read and review this book.

“It was going to be a carefree, barefoot summer.”

Description:
Jill and her sister Cristal are often competing against one another as their mother set the roles of their relationships early on. Their mother always referred to Cristal as the pretty one and Jill as the smart one.
Jill, although expecting a wonderful summer away, is set up by her sister to become the caretaker of the Seashell cottage on the Gulf Coast. Jill does not know this when she first arrives at the cottage and is thrown into the role of caretaker having to cook, clean, and watch over one of the workers children who is a spoiled 8 year old girl.
Jill is rightfully so upset about this in the beginning, but uses the summer to help find herself and grow from her past. You find out that Jill was in an emotional abusive relationship prior to leaving her life in New York. Jill is a teacher by trade and takes on a part time position at the summer camp during the summer. This position leads to Jill’s decision to permanently relocate to Florida, find a new teaching position, and leave her mother in New York with her past.

The Breakdown:
This book has it all. Romance, the hot construction worker, a whole lot of drama, family struggles and self-discovery. The emotions portrayed by Jill were very well done, I wanted to just give her a hug at certain points of the story.
Overall, I enjoyed the character development of Jill. She worked on overcoming the abuse from her marriage and she found both self confidence and the power to believe in herself. I look forward to reading more books by Judith Keim.

Thank you to NetGalley, Wild Quail Publishing and Judith Keim for the ARC of A Summer of Surprises. You can pick up a copy of A Summer of Surprises on June 23, 2020

A Summer of Surprises by Judith Keim, is a wonderful book with a sweet romance and sister issues. Jill Conroy is tricked by her sister, who invites her to Florida to house sit Seashell Cottage on the beach. When Jill arrives she realizes that is she is expected to cook and clean for the men working on the cottage improvements. I really enjoyed this book, and love the ending. I will be reading more books by this author, and I highly recommend if you enjoy romances.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book is a nice, light summer read. It's about finding yourself and changing your life. I enjoyed this book and will recommend it to my friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance digital copy of this book!

I enjoyed this light romance a lot.

Jill heads to Seashell Cottage for a summer away from her life. She's been stuck in a house shared with her deceased husband and tethered to her mother's demands. Time in Florida will be a joy after the request comes from her sister Cristal. She heads south knowing there will be a repairman, Greg, there.

Upon arrival she learns that she's supposed to cook for not only him but his nephew, Brody, and Brody's mouthy daughter, Kacy.

Within short order, she's finding herself drawn to Brody while also helping Kacy overcome issues of low self-esteem and carrying a bit of weight. She also finds her calling at the camp Kacy is attending that summer.

In the end, she waves goodbye to her past, ends up restoring her relationship with her sister and mother, and wraps up her new life in Florida with Brody by her side.

All in all a fun read with the gentle reminder that it is never too late to reinvent yourself or repair a relationship.

This book is so good!! It is well written and hooks you on the first page. The author makes the book come to life with with her words. You can see all the scenery and feel all the emotions. I highly recommend this book. Thank you Wild Quail Publsihing via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I have been an avid follower of Judith Keim books for several years. I truly enjoy her beach settings, and I feel the warmth and ocean breeze as I read! How we view ourselves and the change that can occur if we allow rang true through the characters of this book. The positivity that Ms. Keim brings as you read her stories leaves you anxiously awaiting her next book. A definite book to add to this summers beach reads!

A Summer of Surprises by Judith Keim is a delightful summer read! Jillian Conroy gets tricked again by her selfish sister, Cristal. Jill is given the opportunity to house-sit a beautiful cottage while the owner and her sister go to Europe for the summer. Sounds wonderful. right? later Jill realizes she will be taking care of the house and cooking meals for the two workmen who are there to make repairs and a few renovations. It gets even better, Brody brings his young daughter, Kacy, with him and is soon asking Jill for help with the difficult girl.
Now right here I have to say I was really doing a slow burn! Imagine the promise of a sunny beach, books, watching sunsets, and a bit of personal time. Now Jill is facing much more than she bargained for with Cristal. Also, Jill's mother is unbelievable in her attitude! Ok, let's move on to say, the story is written very well and kept me entertained once my anger at Cristal and Kacy faded a bit. LOL
It really is a summer of surprises for Jill. She lets people know that she will not be a doormat. Jill finds a new purpose and surprisingly, changes the direction of her life. It is a lovely story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book really helped me get into summer mode!! What I really loved about this book is how a young woman learns to love herself for who she is. Jill is shown to become more confident and strong throughout the story. The way she left her past behind her and found a fresh start to be the person she was meant to be was absolutely enjoyable. However, one issue I had about her was the love life. It was clear she had feelings for Brody right from the start, so I did not understand why she kept going out with Charlie? Even after Brody and her shared many moments? Those parts did not seem fair to Charlie and made Jill seem like a bad person. But, it was good to know that Brody spoke the truth with her and she realized who she was really meant to be with. A GREAT SUMMER READ!

Thank you Net Galley, Wild Quail Publishing and Author, Judith Keim for an ARC of this book. The review and comments are my honest opinion.
Emotionally distant sisters, Jill and Cristal have never been close and their mother has perpetually kept the sisters apart. Constantly extolling the beauty of Cristal, Jill, the smart one, has always felt alienated. Given the chance to become her own person, Jill moves temporarily to a beach town in Florida. What she finds there is more permanent than temporary and more than she could have dreamed. Judith Keim has written another wonderful book of healing and acceptance with just a touch of love that we have come to expect from this great writer of women’s fiction.

A Summer of Surprises is a book about a woman needing to get rid of the negativity in her life by visiting Seashell Cottage in Florida. Her summer vacation was not expected, she had three guests living with her while they updated the cottage. Jill learns to speak about her past and move on which includes becoming close to her guests especially, the father and daughter. This book is a real page turner because you want to find out if Jill lets her past go and falls in love.

An engaging romance and personal growth issues. A wide variety of problems for the various characters. Nice resolutions, most of which are predictable, but enjoyable.

I appreciated how Jillian took her life back and recreated her own happiness given the stagnant nature she felt in her hometown coupled with the emotional abuse from her late husband. A great restart to live and I thoroughly applaud all of her decisions with Brody, Kacy, Cristal and her mom. I resonated with this book and can't wait for the next one!

A Summer of Surprises was a wonderful story of reimagining life. Judith Keim was a new author to me and I enjoyed her novel. She is another author to add to my list of authors to read. The reclaiming of a life, and the reimaging of what is possible was wonderful.

It has been a couple of years since her husband died. Jill is just moving in place, but doesn’t know quite what to do. Her sister, Cristal has asked Jill to house-sit for a friend in Florida whose place is being renovated, while she is away. Jill is reluctant (for a few reasons), but decides that a summer away might be freeing. Her reluctance was appropriate as suddeningly she is chief cook and bottle washer for a couple of workmen and a child. All the free time seemed to evaporate as she also added chauffeur to her things to do, but it opened up an opportunity if she was brave enough to take that step. How much change can a person accomplish in a summer? How much can be a surprise? And then Christal returned early and another challenge happened.

The story captured my attention and made me believe that you can start over again with your family, if everyone is really invested. I enjoyed the main characters and found Jill’s reinvention of herself a remarkable feat of strength. A Summer of Surprises by Judith Keim was a good read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is my first by this author. I was interested in the story because of the relationship between the sisters. Jill is the younger of the two and told she was not "as pretty" as her older sister Cristal. Since she was told this at a very early age this shaped the way she thought about herself and what she attracted. This book is about Jill finding herself and repairing the relationship with her sister. I thought it was pretty good and a light summer read.

I totally enjoyed this book. A woman’s journey of
Faith, love and healing. Jill finds herself widowed at a young age, her husband was verbally abusive behind closed doors, making Jill think she would never amount to anything. When her impulsive, reckless younger sister offers her a vacation in exchange for house sitting duties At Seashell Cottage Jill decides why not and agrees.
The house sitting also involves housekeeping , meals and child care for the guys doing remodeling at the same time. A summer of finding love not only with a wonderful man and his daughter, new lifelong friendships, but most importantly Jill finds self acceptance and healing. I loved this book. I received an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.#netgalley

An entertaining and well written romance. Good plot and character development. Enjoyed the Florida setting. Readers of romance will enjoy this book. I received an arc from the publisher and Netgalley. This is my unbiased review.

It's the first book I read in this series even though I read other by this author.
I like how she writes and found this book engrossing and entertaining, with a plot that flows and an interesting cast of characters.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Excellent read. Jill started off doing her sister a favor, which turned out to be a working vacation. She Since she wasn't really surprised, but she made the most of it.. She met a very nice man with an eight year old daughter that had just a few issues. Jill had not had a very good marriage and she wasn't ready to settle down very quckly. There were parts of the book I really liked - how Jill and her sister Cristal finally came to terms with their relationship, how Kacy learned to be a good kid, and how the sisters learned how to deal with their mother. The characters were very well written and there were several side characters that were interesting too. Another good Judith Keim book. I've enjoyed every one I've read

This is a book in the Seashell Cottage series, but each book is absolutely a stand-alone book, though if you have read the others, you get occasional glimpses of familiar characters! This was a good summer beachy-read, but I found the original premise of luring Jill to Florida a little unbelievable and Jill staying even more unbelievable. She is promised a stay in Florida at Seashell cottage in exchange for taking care of the cottage - what her sister failed to tell her was that there were others staying there, and that she is responsible for cooking for them.

I really liked the story of how Jill comes out of her shell, and also how she connects with the little girl staying at the college, and starts to build a new future for herself.

Dysfunctional family dynamics, getting over an abusive relationship, and several other difficult issues plague the main characters and present barriers to finding love and happiness...will they be able to come together and form a new family? You’ll have to read the book and see!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I will leave a review on Amazon or B&N on June 23, 2020

A Summer of Surprises is another winner from Judith Keim. I have enjoy each of this authors books that I have had the pleasure to read, this one was no exception. Jill is a widow with plenty of unhappy memories, once again she does a favor for her sister Cristal and in the process her life will be changed forever. This is a excellent summer read, action packed and full of emotions and self-discovery. I would most definitely recommend this book to others.

I received an ARC from NetGalley, and the publisher and this is my fair an honest review.

A good summer read. When Jill gets tricked into going to Florida, little does she know her house-sitting would include cooking and taking care of a handy man, his nephew and his nephew's daughter. A lot of issues on both sides, but all works out for a HEA. Highly recommend this one, and found it hard to put down. Only thing I didn't like was Charlie. Didn't see the need.

A Summer of Surprises by Judith Keim.

Thank you to Netgalley, Wild Quail Publishing and Judith Keim for giving me this book for review.
This was my first Judith Keim novel and it will not be my last. I loved the way in which this story was written, with a multi perspective. For me it helps me get inside each character.
Jill is for me the main character in this novel, she is a teacher and is asked by her sister if she would look after a house in Florida for the summer. She is told that there is an older man in the house doing repair work to it but decides that will be ok. When she arrives however, Jill discovers that there is more to it that just house sitting. She decides to go with the flow and enjoy the summer and all that it will entail anyway. As Jill does this, she begins to find out more about herself and what she wants. We also discover that Jill is not the only one with secrets in her family.
The other characters in this novel are also very engaging and they really get under your skin. I don’t want to give away any spoilers but I would highly recommend this book. It has second chance romances as well, which are so lovely.
Here are a couple of quotes that I liked and I hope you do as well.
“A strong woman can change her future”.
“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves”

This book is the perfect summer beach read/fun/lazy afternoon read. I loved this story! Families and the different ways they interact and learn to work out their differences.. The main character had a terrible first marriage and had to learn to trust all over again. I loved the descriptiveness in the book and character development was great. This is truly a book to enjoy.

Jill Conroy needs a get-away from her life in New York state. When her sister Cristal offers her the chance to spend the summer at her friend’s beach house, Seashell Cottage, in Florida, Jill doesn’t think twice. She should have. Cristal has a history of not always being totally honest and this time she’s hidden a major component – two men and a little girl.

Greg Campbell and his nephew Brody are doing renovation work on the Cottage and are expecting Jill to be their housekeeper/cook. Fortunately, the men are easy to please, Brody is definite eye candy, and his daughter Kacy, while a challenge even for a third-grade teacher, is a cute kid.

This story was a twist on vacation-at-the-beach novels. No stereotypical construction men, bratty kids, manipulative sister, stressed teacher here. Each of the characters was multifaceted, with strengths and weaknesses that made them realistically human. As a former teacher I could really understand Jill’s struggle with her decisions and with her relationship with Kacy. It would have been easy for the Jill to “solve” Kacy’s problems but the way the author handled their interaction was more true-to-life than expected – no straight line to perfection. This is the first book I’ve read by Judith Keim, but it won’t be the last – I’ve already downloaded her Chandler Hill series.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. The opinion is my own.

Absolutely love this story of Jill rebuilding her life after an abusive husband and hurt from her family. I love her journey of making the big leap to start her life over and find her happiness in a new place. The love, new life and friendships she finds are uplifting. This story hit for me as I’m contemplating changes myself. It’s such a positive distraction from all the pain in the word right now. So grateful to the author for being a member of her review team, NetGalley and the publisher by reading an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book! It’s such a fun summer read and it touches on the topic of emotional abuse which is all too often not taken seriously enough. The reader gets a peek into the head of someone who has been emotionally abused and is made empathetic to the effects such a thing has on a person’s self confidence. It’s so much fun watching Jill rise above her experiences and create a life she loves! Family issues are mended and the reader is encouraged to take a leap of faith and chase their dreams!

A Summer of Surprises is Judith Keim’s third book in her Seashell Cottage series. Jill Conroy has been struggling. Her school year is just about over with only needing to close out the year and shut down her kindergarten classroom when she receives a call from her sister, Crystal, with whom she has a contentious relationship. Crystal is offering Jill a free summer at a gulf front cottage to housesit for a friend of hers. Wondering what the catch is but needing a getaway, Jill agrees to leave for Seashell Cottage as soon as her school commitments are fulfilled.

Upon arrival, Jill is quickly enlightened when she meets Greg Campbell, an older contractor staying at the cottage while doing repairs, who asks Jill if she is the one they hired to cook, clean, and do laundry for the summer. He then discloses that his nephew, Brody, and his 8 year old daughter Kacy will be arriving soon. Although immediately furious, Jill takes a beachside stroll and decides that she doesn’t mind the tasks in exchange for a summer in paradise.

But the tasks keep building when she is also asked to help with Kacy, a troubled and angry girl. However, Kacy is the key that opens doors for an unsure Jill to make the life changes she needs. Having been put down by her controlling mother and sister, then falling into an abusive marriage until her husband died in an auto accident a couple of years ago, Jill is ready to make a lot of changes in her life, and her time at Seashell Cottage is the impetus to begin these changes.

This is a lovely story of a young woman finding her way, standing up for herself, making big changes, and beginning to write the next chapters of her life in a manner that will bring contentment and happiness. Ms. Keim has a way of bringing the reader in to her stories, feeling the environment, and becoming friends with her well drawn characters. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

Loved reading this book. New author for me also. Jill goes to Florida to house at a cottage to find out she will be cooking and cleaning. She thought she was taking the summer off. What a great read.

A summer of surprises by Judith Keim

Well I absolutely loved this book. I loved how the story built with a slow budding romance, the friendships that were made , the self discovery of what she really wanted in life, learning to trust again after being controlled and hurt in the past physically and mentally and ultimately the love that blossomed. Perfect setting for the story. Cannot wait for the next book by Keim. Will most definitely recommend to family and friends. Many thanks to both the author and net galley for the opportunity to read this lovely book.

A Summer of Surprises by Judith Keim. A very good summer read. I loved the walks on the beach. I loved the characters the little girl Kacy is so much in love with being a family like her friend. The little girls have a pretend wedding being flower girls at the wedding of Kacys father and Jill. Of course there up and downs and problems along the way. But in the end so much happiness. Read the story you will love it.

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for a complimentary copy of A Summer of Surprises by Judith Keim for the purpose of reading and reviewing. My opinions are my own, and no one has influenced them in any way.

A Summer of Surprises is a well written novel with enchanting characters and a unique plot. The writing pulled me in right away and kept me engaged until the end. The story has plenty of emotionally charged scenes.

When Jill Convoy arrives at seashell cottage for her summer vacation, she learns she’s to be the housekeeper to Greg Campbell and his nephew, Brody while they remodel the cottage. She should have realized her sister had hidden the truth from her. She’s attracted to Brody and becomes attached to his daughter. I liked her character and could identify with her lack of confidence. Her ex-fiancée had really torn down her self-esteem.

Greg Campbell is a great hero. He is a loving father and helps his uncle. His patience with Jill amazed me. He will wait as long as she needs for her to be comfortable in her new life.

The romance is sweet and develops slowly due to Jill’s need to make a new life in Florida. This is a story of a young woman overcoming the loss of her dreams, finding many things she thought were true are not. Her willingness to start anew with her sister touched me.

If you enjoy women’s fiction with plenty of depth and substance and endearing characters, then you will enjoy A Summer of Surprises as much as I did. I have fast become a fan of Ms. Keim’s novels. Happy reading!

This book is a great beach read. Jill Conroy gets a call from her sister Cristal to house sit at Seashell Cottage in Florida. She decides to do it. She is a kindergarten teacher in Pennsylvania. She is also a widow. Her husband was an emotional abuser. Jill has a low self esteem because of it. Cristal doesn’t tell her that she will be a cook and housekeeper for Greg Campbell, Brody - his nephew and Kacy - Brody’s daughter. Jill ends up helpIng Brody with his daughter who has issues from her parents divorce. Jill falls in love with Florida and finds herself. I really enjoyed this book. Thank you NetGalley and Wild Quail Publishing for the E-ARC. This is my own opinion.

A Summer of Surprises, A Seashell Cottage Book by Judith Keim is a book not of changing the world but of changing your own life for the better. It contains an interesting look at family dynamics and the effect it can have on the members. It is also a book that gives hope to those who have been in toxic situations; hope that the past does not necessarily have to control the future. Jill found the she can overcome and make the positive changes that she wanted in her life. What is most enlightening is the rippling effect it had on the others around her. It reminded me of an old Bette Davis movie where she helps a young girl finding her own identity and love in the process. A Summer of Surprises is not a remake of that at all, it just reminded me of that movie.

This is the first book I have read by Judith Keim which I found to be entertaining. Surprising I kept wanting to see what new changes or what disturbance would happen to Jill next. I said surprising because none of the decisions that Jill made would be considered to be extraordinary, still I want to find out what would happen next. This is a sign of a gifted writer who can write about ordinary life, making you want to keep reading.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A new beginning and a chance at really peace and happiness falls in her lap when Jills sister convinces her to house sit for a friend in Florida for the summer. Her life has not truly been her own since she married her husband, even if he has now passed on. Her trip may not be exactly what she was told, but it could not have turned out more perfect and satisfying and the changes she finds herself makinh are for her and her alone. It's an easy summer read with depth and feeling and I enjoyed every minute of it.

“A Summer of Surprises” is a poignant novel in the “Seashell Cottage Series” that tells us all about Jill starting her life over and starting fresh on many levels.

Judith Keim has given us a charming, whimsical & emotional romance. I found myself teary-eyed a few different times while reading.

My heart broke for Jill during some of these difficult decisions that she had to make.

This was my first book in the Series and can be read as standalone.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for fair and honest review.

Great Romantic, Self Discovery Beach Read! The book is really well written. The characters are likable and relatable. Their problems and secrets are real and the reader is easily connected emotionally to the story. There were times when I had tears in my eyes. Every character had their own issues to overcome and were able to find healing through revealing their secret and looking to others for support. I loved reading this book!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

A Summer of Surprises, written by Judith Keim, is another amazing addition to her Seashell Cottage series. After reading this book, I have to say that Judith Keim could not have picked out a better title for this book because every character has a summer filled with unexpected surprises.

Jill Conroy should have known better than to trust her older sister, Cristal, especially since she knows exactly how manipulative she can be. However, she had to admit a summer spent on the Gulf Coast of Florida might do her some good. After all, how difficult can it be to stay at Seashell Cottage while her sister and the owner of the cottage travel around Europe? Jill gets that answer once she arrives at Seashell Cottage. Cristal told her an older man, Greg Campbell, would be sharing the house with her while he is doing some work on the cottage, but she failed to tell her that she would be responsible for cooking and cleaning for him. On top of that, she also learns that Greg's nephew Brody will be staying there for a few weeks to assist Greg with his repairs...and he is bringing his eight-year-old daughter Kacy with him. So much for a quiet summer at the beach.

The story that unfolds is both uplifting and heartwarming. Judith Keim tackles an issue that so many of us can relate to...weight and self-esteem. The author also tackles a very difficult topic...emotional abuse. Anyone that has ever experienced abuse knows exactly how difficult the road to recovery can be. Physical abuse is not the only form of abuse to leave scars because emotional abuse is just as damaging. All of her life, Jill was referred to as the ugly sister, while Cristal was always the beautiful one in the family. In addition to spending her life constantly being demeaned by her mother, Jill married a man that was emotionally abusive as well. Her husband Jay died in a car accident two years ago, but the scars from his emotional abuse are still with her every day. Jill is trying to figure out what to do with her life, and how to finally begin to heal from the scars of her past. The summer may not be what she initially hoped it would be, but it ends up being exactly what she needed in so many ways.

I do not want to reveal too much of the story, but trust me when I say this is definitely a book worth reading. The characters are all extremely well-written, and I loved every single one of them. My heart was breaking for Kacy, especially since she had so much to deal with at such a young age. I loved the way Jill immediately wanted to help Kacy and saw right through her acts of defiance. In addition to her own personal struggles growing up, the experience Jill has from being a teacher is evident in the way in which she deals with Kacy. Brody is a wonderful and interesting character, and all of his training as a school psychologist seems to go out the window when it comes to his daughter Kacy. It is difficult for any parent to see their child suffer, and Brody is hoping this summer at Seashell Cottage will give him the time to figure out his next steps to help Kacy.

Overall, this is a beautifully written story about friendship, family, love, and the long-lasting effects of abuse. This book is a roller coaster ride filled with a lot of emotions that so many readers will be able to relate to. The hurt and pain from the character's pasts are examined, and the road to healing is an amazing thing to witness as the book goes on. This book is truly a breath of fresh air, with characters that take the journey of healing...together.

I would like to thank Judith Keim, NetGalley, and Wild Quail Publishing for allowing me the opportunity to read and review A Summer of Surprises. My views are my own, and are in no way influenced by anyone else.