It was a joy to be with her as she grew and dealt with joy and pain. The first person POV was well-done and Maggie was a very real, human, complex character. I was never overcome with the desire to shake her or Courtney and yell at them for making stupid choices or not talking to each other. Maggie is flawed and mostly self-aware, even though she counters it with denial, she’s not maddening about it. They’re the family we all wish we had, through good times and bad.

Maggie’s family is loving, supportive, and charming. The characters were a joy to read and get to know. I was a huge fan of Heart Block but this one steals the prize. Right off the bat, I’ll say that this book takes over as my favorite of Brayden’s books. The fact that Courtney has grown up more beautiful than ever certainly doesn’t help matters. But when Courtney loses her father and returns to Tanner Peak to take control of the family store, Margaret comes face-to-face with her past and the woman she’s tried desperately to forget. Margaret hasn’t seen Courtney in years and that’s for the best. Who would have imagined that they’d fit together so perfectly? Courtney was smart, beautiful, and put together-everything Margaret wasn’t. She hated her name, was less than popular in school, and was always cast aside as a “farm kid.” However, with the arrival of Courtney Carrington, Margaret’s youth sparked into color. Margaret Beringer didn’t have an easy adolescence. Just because you’re through with your past, doesn’t mean it’s through with you. So I requested a copy from NetGalley and cautiously began. So what changed my mind and got me to give it another try? I’d heard from a couple of friends that this book was different the characters each had their own distinct voices. I’ve always thought the author was a good storyteller but that wasn’t enough for me anymore. I’ve enjoyed a few of her older books but her newer books seemed to be filled with characters that sounded so much alike that I couldn’t have told them apart without dialogue tags. It’s been a couple years since I read a book by Melissa Brayden.

Strawberry Summer by Melissa Brayden