From the TBR Pile: Blog Tour: The Summer of Me by Angela Benson

Author: Angela Benson

Publisher: William Morrow

Date of publication: April 2016

The national bestselling author of Delilah’s Daughters and The Amen Sisters returns with a moving story about a single mother who, in one unforgettable summer, discovers the woman she can become.

As a single mother, Destiny makes sacrifices for her children—including saying good-bye for the summer so they can spend time with their father and stepmother. Though she’ll miss them with all her heart, the time alone gives her an opportunity to address her own needs, like finishing her college degree. But Destiny’s friends think her summer should include some romance.

Destiny doesn’t want to be set up . . . until she meets Daniel. The handsome, warm, and charming pastor soon sweeps her off her feet. But is romance what she really wants? Or needs?

As the days pass, Destiny will make new discoveries—about herself, the man she’s fallen for, and the people around her. And she’ll face challenging choices too. But most of all, she’ll grow in ways she never imagined, learning unexpected lessons about trust, forgiveness, and the price of motherhood . . . and becoming the woman she truly wants to be.

I was really looking forward to The Summer of Me. I grew up with a single mom and I know she didn't have it easy. In the end, the book was just an OK read for me. I had a hard time connecting with Destiny. I find when I can't connect, I have a hard time buying into the story. It's a quick read, so I kept reading hoping I would like it more, but I just never really did.

There were a few things that bothered me about the book. This may get a bit spoilery, so skip it if you aren't a fan of spoilers...

First, when there are kids in a story, I like them to act their age. What six-year old has a phone and Facebook page? You aren't allowed to even have a Facebook page until you are 13. Unless your parents lie about your age. The conversations the kids had in the book made them seem more like teenagers than in going first graders. My kids are not far from having been in first grade and they never sounded or acted like these two.

The other thing that bothered me was Destiny herself. I couldn't get behind her choices. While it was admirable that she wanted to return to college, she went about it the wrong way. She had an affair with a man who was a total jerk and got pregnant. She didn't take him to court to get child support and custody agreement. Then gets upset when he doesn't want to send her his payments while they are living with him for the entire summer. He shouldn't have to in my opinion. Also, she probably would have gotten more child support had she gone to court in the first place. Her second job idea was clearly very sketchy and probably illegal from the start. Yet, she is surprised when she is arrested for money laundering and identity theft. After Bertrice said to her, "We aren't doing anything illegal, well not really.", she shouldn't have been surprised. The whole thing wrapped up too neatly and unrealistically for me. Don't get me started on Daniel who let it all play out, helping to potentially ruin this woman's life.

I could go on. The book does have some nice uplifting messages, and it is a clean romance, so there is that. Maybe this just wasn't the story for me.

About Angela Benson

Angela Benson is a graduate of Spelman College and the author of fourteen novels, including the Christy Award–nominated Awakening Mercy, the Essence bestsellerThe Amen Sisters, Up Pops the Devil, and Sins of the Father. She is an associate professor at the University of Alabama and lives in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Find out more about Angela at her website and connect with her on Facebook.

Angela’s Tour Stops

Tuesday, April 19th: Raven Haired Girl

Wednesday, April 20th: Comfy Reading