March’s Reading Challenge was read a book set in a place or time period you would like to visit.
My first selection is Amelia C. Gormely’s Saugatuck Summer and I absolutely loved it! Topher Carlisle is a twenty-one year old college student and his family is dysfunctional with a capital “D”. So in order to save money for college, he is staying at his best gal pal Mo’s summer house. Mo is gone most of the week so that leaves Topher and Mo’s dad Brendan along together for much of the time. Now Topher is crushin’ on Brendan (who is married), but he manages to keep his relationship with the older hottie to friendship. That is until Topher has an extremely sexy one night stand with yummy Jace. All of a sudden, Brendan is seeing Topher in a whole new light which leads to the two to begin a torrid romance. Oy. Talk about complicated and all kinds of wrong! Yep, this is about the time I wanted to smack Topher for risking his friendship with Mo and for cheating with a married man.
Anyway, fast forward to a few weeks, the relationship is FINALLY over and Jace re-enters Topher’s life. Jace is all kinds of amazing so my only complaint is I wanted more of him! I loved Topher and Jace together and despite the fact the two men are at very different times in their lives, their romance just works. And oh, my, their sex scenes are just unbelievable hot (especially the bath house!!).
Now the reason I selected Saugatuck Summer was a road trip a friend and I went on last summer. We drove the entire length of the Lake Michigan Circle Tour and we had a FANTASTIC time stopping at the various lighthouses. Here are pictures of my favorite beach and lighthouse. This is Little Sable Point Lighthouse which is located in Silver Lake Park (Mears, MI).
This is a view of the beach off to the left of the Little Sable Point Lighthouse:
And this is a view to the right of the lighthouse:
My absolute favorite lighthouse on the entire tour is the Little Sable Point Lighthouse. I know if I lived in the area, I would spend a lot of time here:
We also saw the most beautiful sunset:
The circle tour is absolutely amazing and I highly recommend it to lighthouse lovers!
My next selection is Elaine Hussey’s The Sweetest Hallelujah and I really liked this fast-paced and engaging novel.Betty Jewel is so concerned about what will happen to her ten year old daughter Billie that she places an unusual ad in the local paper. Even more shocking is the fact that Cassie Malone responds to it. Cassie’s world is turned upside down after Betty Jewel’s shocking revelations and despite her heartache, the two women form a fast friendship. Betty Jewel’s mama Queen is a strong woman with incredible faith and she rules her home with an iron fist. Billie is precocious, full of sass and she is not giving up her dream of finding her absentee daddy. Since the novel is set in Mississippi during the 1950s, race relations play a significant role in the storyline. Ms. Hussey’s research is impeccable and the problems that result from the friendships between Cassie, Betty Jewel, Queen and Billie are accurately portrayed. It is an absolutely heartwarming and thought-provoking novel that I highly recommend!
Now it’s your turn! Did you complete your challenge? Did you like the book you chose?
***
Read about this month’s challenge HERE.
Love your photos!
In March I read The Dry by Jane Harper, bought after reading your review! : oh yes, did enjoy! Not the touristy Australia but the drought scorched Victoria, which came across vividly. The past and present deaths had enough lies and deceptions and potential culprits to keep me satified. No big dramas but a solid story, some hanging questions but enjoyed – and off for book 2!
Thank you! I love taking pictures on my travels.
I hope you like Force of Nature. I loved how different it was from The Dry. Like you, I loved seeing the “real” Australia-Jane Harper does the same thing in book two.