Secret Summer Dreams

The dearest wish that ever could be is to spend the summer of my thirteenth year with my father… Leaving Dressel Hills, Colorado behind will be a tortuous thing for me though.

Book: Secret Summer Dreams by Beverly Lewis, Bethany House Publishers, 1993
 

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Target Audience: Girls 12-14

Subjects: Friendship, dating relationships, family relationships, growing up

Summary: Holly knows exactly what she wants out of this summer and being stuck at home watching her mom fall in love with another man and his sickly spoiled son is not it! Her plans are to go to California to get to know her absent dad better. She has been dreaming of this ever since he attempted to reconnect with her months ago. The trouble is that no one seems to think she should. Her mom is afraid of losing her. Carrie and Andie do not want to spend any part of their summer without her. And the boy interested in her does not want her to go either! How can she pursue her dreams with no support?

Notes: Holly is a brat! Whenever someone suggests something other than what she wants, she gets mad. It is even more noticeable in this, the second book, than in the first. In fact, that seems to be the general theme of the books. If anyone does not like what they hear, they get mad, whether it be Holly, Andie, Carrie, or even to a small degree, Holly’s mom. Holly prays about her decision, but will not accept her mom’s answer. When a friend challenges her to be obedient to her mom, she just gets mad, even though she previously wrote in a story about how this friend challenges her to spend more time with God and that attracts her to him. Then later, he apologizes saying he was wrong, even though he was the character in the right. Basically, when the main character gets mad or rude enough, she winds up getting her way. So there is plenty of spiritual stuff, going to Church, praying, reading a devotional book, etc., but not actually living their faith. It’s almost as if the characters have to appear religious since it’s a Christian book, but there does not have to be any character living their life by the Word of God.

Recommendation Scale: 1/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Ephesians 6:1-3 – Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—  “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.