Title: Awakening of the Summer
Author: Yorker Keith
Publisher: BookBaby
ISBN: 978-1-54392-342-1
Pages: 320
Genre: Fiction
Reviewed By: Susan Brown
Pacific Book Review Star
Awarded to Books of Excellent Merit
Romance is in the air at the mountain resort which is home to a complicated love triangle between a man, James, and two sisters, Sophie and Kelly; all three of whom are on a summer escape from their city lives.
The three meet one sunny afternoon by a lake on the grounds of the New Hampshire resort at which they are staying. James is a painter; a pastime far removed from the Wall Street firm at which he is an economist. His passion for oil painting brought him to the shore of the lake in the shadow of nearby Mount Washington to capture the pastoral beauty of the surroundings. Without warning, the two sisters cavort into the scene, bringing with them a dynamic energy which sets the stage for the unfolding liaison to take place between this threesome.
Before James embarked on his summer vacation, his co-workers warned him to be careful of summertime romances. James, however, connects with both sisters, plunging into a romantic entanglement he fears might wreak havoc with his gentle heart. He is so taken with the sister duo, though he decides to create a trio of paintings, two of which will feature each sister, titling it Summer Lake Series.
The storyline gets more complex. James takes each sister as a lover, both of whom accept the unconventional situation. Then, in a surprising twist, the sisters’ boyfriends appear on the scene, throwing a snag into the trio’s budding romances. So the three-some becomes a five-some and the erupting drama that’s created is full of intrigue, secretiveness, tightened tensions and eventually becomes a full bore emotional roller coaster for the group.
Yorker Keith guides the reader through the turmoil with the self-confidence of an author who knows where the story is headed. His writing is clear, concise and steady. There are no wait-a-minute head-scratching moments which cause the reader to backtrack a few pages because they feel lost. There is a lot going on with these five people, and Yorker Keith handles all of their swirling emotions, the inherent hostility, anxiety, fear, love, acceptance, forgiveness – like a master juggler. The intricate web they’re all entangled in eventually blows apart with, not surprisingly, disastrous results.
I’ve read two other books authored by Mr. Keith and continue to be impressed by the fact he always does his homework on the backstory. In this novel, it’s the art of painting that serves as the thread which weaves the action together. He doesn’t just make James a painter, he informs and teaches the reader along the way about what makes a painting exceptional; composition, perspective, color and of course, emotion. We see James as more than just a character who dabbles on canvas. We see him as someone with the artistic courage to step outside of his comfort zone.
Awakening of the Summer has all of the elements which make a good love story great. There is passion, sacrifice, unpredictability, trauma, twists and turns and most importantly, likable main characters who we want to see in a loving relationship by the end of the book. Cupid’s arrow hits its mark in this romantic tale under the author’s expert guidance.
