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Book Review of Summer Light

Summer Light
Summer Light
Author: Luanne Rice
Genre: Literature & Fiction
Book Type: Paperback
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As a wedding planner May Taylor sees happy betrothed couples daily. However, that kind of happiness has evaded her. She once thought she had that kind of lasting love only to find, after telling her boyfriend she was pregnant with their child, that he was already married. May has spent the ensuing six years dealing with her business and caring for her daughter, Kylie.

Kylie is being studied by psychologists after she has experienced strange visions, one of which occurs while she and her mother are flying home from one of her psychologist visits. She tells Boston Bruins hockey star Martin Cartier, sitting ahead of them in first class, to help her and her mom. Martin has no idea what Kylie means but when the airplane crash lands, he rushes to assist Kylie and May.

Martin Cartier is the star right wing for the Boston Bruins. Known as the Gold Sledgehammer, he has his share of female admirers and has even dated a few. But they were nothing more than a classy accessory to him. When he meets May its different. Somehow he knows they were meant to be together.

As Martin begins to court May, it isnt long before she begins the feel the same way and soon the wedding planner is planning her own wedding.

But Martin has some secrets in his past. Secrets he has told no one. He also has some well-known family tragedies he is reluctant to talk about including the death of his young daughter, Natalie, and his estrangement from his father, a hockey hall of famer, now serving time in prison for racketeering.

Martin is a huge star. One who has led his team to the Stanley Cup finals several years in a row. He wants nothing more than to win the championship something that has evaded him. During hockey season he is driven he has only one thing on his mind win the championship and take the Stanley Cup away from his arch rival Nils Jorgenson.

Kylies visions have seemed to increase since Martin has come into her life. In fact, she is now seeing visions and communicating with Martins deceased daughter, Natalie. Of course, no one believes her even when she tells them she is meant to bring them together - but bring who together? And how?

Despite some uncertainties, May, Martin, and Kylie are forging a happy life together. Summers spent at Lac Vert in Canada, Martins childhood home, are nearly idyllic. However hockey injuries Martin has suffered all of his life come back to haunt him threatening everything he has learned to care about. As the old Bible verse Martins mother cross-stitched years ago And a child shall lead them comes into play, will Martin and his family get the miracle they need?

This was an enjoyable story for those who like a little of the supernatural in their stories (angels and whos to say things like this cant happen?). Kylie is really the star of this book, sort of a younger version of the character Haley Joel Osment played in The Sixth Sense.

Rice has detailed the hockey world superbly, making even this non-hockey fan wanting to watch a game, so this shouldnt be a turn-off for those who dont like stories about sports heroes. Those scenes are really a fairly small part of the book. The story is more of the relationships between husband and wife, husband and daughter, husband and stepdaughter, father and son, and even between friends.

Luanne Rice is a wonderful storyteller and her books are now on my auto-buy list. I would compare her with such wonderful authors as Kristin Hannah or Barbara Delinsky. I even spent 4th of July reading it as others around me were celebrating the holiday. SUMMER LIGHT is truly a special read and its highly recommended.