This was the first book by Sandra Heath that I ever read, and it really knocked my socks off! Everything rang true from Summer's depression over the loss of her lover, to her coping with a serious case of diabetes. But the best part, of course, was when she was able to travel back in time and live another woman's life. It was magical! And something all of us have fantasized about at one time or another. :)
If you are only able to read one book by this terrific author, make it Summer's Secret. You WON'T be disappointed!

Trust Sandra Heath to find yet another way to incorporate her three fictional loves -- Regency, paranormal, and super-sensual -- into one terrific read! SUMMER'S SECRET is a trip to the past through hypnotic regression -- hip, funny, delightful. And sexy.

Six months after the accidental death of her lover, a bout with pneumonia, and being diagnosed with diabetes, Summer Stanway of Massachusetts, visits her only close relative, her sister Chrissie, who lives in England. Chrissie's husband Andrew is a hypno-therapist, and, thinking to humor the recuperating Summer, he agrees to try hypnosis.

Summer finds herself in 1807 as Olivia Courtenay, a young widow, meeting a friend of her former husband at the Black Lion Inn at Tetbury. She is energized with good health and exhilaration, especially after a late-arriving gentleman climbs down from his obviously expensive carriage. He is the very image of her late lover, Jack.

But just then, Andrew brings her back to the present. Arrgghh! After begging for one more attempt later that night, Summer places a tape recorder under the sofa, and later, in the middle of the night, tries Andrew's methods for herself.

Two hours of mad, passionate love with the mysterious Brand convince Summer she must journey again and again to the past, where she finds family and and mystery, too. But when the batteries go dead in the tape recorder, Summer is flung into a coma, and begins to do some serious thinking. One more trip to the past helps her decide the path she must take. I'd probably do the same, and I'll bet you would, too.

The Summer series by Katherine Applegate has been my favorite series for quite some time. The stories are believable, and Summer is the average 'girl next door'. Coming from Minnesota, as Summer did, I can relate to a lot of the things in the books. Readiing them was a plesant trip that took me from the frigid tundra of central Minnesota to the beaches of Florida. I would recommend these books to any girl who ever dared to dream.

This book kept me reading for hours. Especially on the beach! I finished the first three books in three days. I kind of knew who Summer's brother was the whole time, But I was still surprised when they said who it was. If you haven't read it yet, I definitely recommend it! I also recommend the Ocean City series too! I love her books.

Many fun ideas for crafts that don't require Martha Stewart skills. Made the cookie cutter soaps with my girlfriends and had a great time. Plan on making the vacation placemat this summer on vacation. The food also looks great. The picture of the black bean and salsa salad made my mouth water in the store. I will be making that soon. Also appreciate the adult versions of thirst quenching recipes. Instructions and ideas are basic and that's just what I need.

I GOT THIS BOOK OUT OF THE LIBRARY, AND JUST HAD TO HAVE A COPY OF MY OWN. THIS BOOK BRINGS ALL OF THE FUN OF CHILDHOOD AND SUMMER BACK TO US PARENTS, SO WE CAN MAKE MEMORIES FOR OUR CHILDREN.THE PICTURES ARE BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL TO LOOK AT, AND THE INSTRUCTIONS EASY TO FOLLOW. THIS IS A FUN BOOK FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!

This has to be one of the best SVU books around! Jessica and Ben are now a couple, but that doesn't mean it's going to stay that way before next summer. When Jessica's foot gets split open by a knife in the sand ON THE BEACH Ben's right there not even caring about her blood on him. They are such a sweet couple! Elizabeth and Ryan eventually make-up with each other- more like MAKE-OUT actually. The Sweet Valley Shore team is being sabotaged by non-other then Rachel! In the end, which is entirely predictable, she gets into trouble, Elizabeth and Ryan get together, Jessica and Ben worry about keeping touch when their living miles away from each other. You'll have to see what happens in the next Lifeguard miniseries! You won't believe it!

This is a great book. I got it from the library and simply loved it. I think Jess and Ben make a cute couple. Todd and Elizabeth also do. I think it was romantic when Jess waz dripping blood on Ben, and he didn't care. He cared if he waz holdin her right.

My husband and I, along with our two sons, toured the Bernese Oberland following this terrific guide. The Alspach's were quite right about children, of all ages, enjoying this region. Following their well-planned excurions gave us every opportunity to explore and enjoy this wonderful section of Switzerland.

You will see the most beautiful sights following this detail-oriented guide; their step-by-step directions to each destination were very easy to follow and they thoroughly explained what we should look for along the way, the history of the area, and what you can expect when you arrive at the point of interest. The map provided for each excursion is a tremendous help and the beautiful photographs within the book invite you to continue on to another destination within this spectacular region.

This guide is a very valuable tool and our well-worn book is ready to go with us when we visit the region again this August.

Last September I visited the Bernese Oberland area for 5 days. The Alspach's book guaranteed that I got the most out of my vacation. I was able to visit the top of the Jungfrau, hike the Faulhorn trail, and visit the waterfalls. I can't wait to go back and explore the other hikes and activities that Phil and Loretta suggested.

If you plan on visiting the Bernese Oberland area, this book is essential. You will not be disappointed, it will guarantee a great time, regardless of the weather.

Take A Chance is a remarkable story of life, challenge, engagement and collaboration, told from the perspective of a father taking the opportunity to introduce himself to his thirteen year old son in a precious and powerful way.

As I find myself trying to find the balance between the demands of home and the requirements of work, this story brought me back thirty years to the summers spent in the mountains of the Southeast. More importantly, it brought to light the need to reach balance in the activities that often compete with the critical task of "Being There" for the children as we strive to provide for their futures.

I have read this novel and will soon share it with my twelve year old. The sights, sounds, and smells came back to me like a day hadn't passed. The memories of adventure, teamwork, and friendship also poored over me like a flood. On a different yet very important level, the application of this level of engagement and collaboration to the work and presentations I now provide is a concrete example of how our organizations could be structured. Listen to the story of how that cabin of 10 kids and two counselors bonded to become ONE extremely functional unit. This was the experience I had as boy of that age, and one that I strive to experience within the organizations I now serve.

Look at Collins (Good to Great), Lencioni (Five Dysfunctions of a Team) and Axelrod (Terms of Engagement) and you will find the salient features of their works exemplified in Take A Chance. Would anyone disagree that the characteristics embodied in the character of "Chance" were not those of a Level 5 leader?

Read, remember and share with your kids. The time you give them now is a far greater investment than the 401K :-)

Well done, Mr. Melrose! Your tale brings a new and refreshing look at the calling we strive to serve. You have soared beyond expected limits, to help us all find (or find again) our better selves. Thank you.

The book tells a lot about what it is like to go to camp. I enjoyed the part about the ropes course. I liked the end,too, because it was exciting.

I have seen the towns that they talk about in the book, and Shining Rock, because I live near the place where Camp Hampton is supposed to be.

This is a good book.
Try it.

...

Finally this cookbook has been re-released. I own many, many cookbooks and this is by far my all time favorite. You can use these recipies as a first time try on your guests. No worries.

This book is full of delicious and appealing receipes for summer. It's wondefully put together, and so easy to follow. The receipes are easy enough that anyone (even those with little experience) could create wonderful and tastey meals. The photography is beautiful and it's enjoyably constructed. Highlights are the "Cold Lobster Salad" and the "Summer Squash Gratin" ...but, there are so many more that I can't wait to try. I recommend it to any cook out there!

"That summer began like always, with hoots and shouts, all of us running in the sun, freed from school..." But, as his brother, the narrator tells us, on the fourth of July, Joey "took sick." He went to bed and stayed there. When he perked up, the whole family was filled with hope, and when he got worse again, they realized the awful truth. "What do you do when you know you are leaving the world, when your heart hurts with grieving? Joey was leaving. It was clear as the rain that stung his window that summer." Gram sat by his bed keeping vigil and quilting, and when Joey couldn't sleep, Gram taught him how to quilt. And so that summer, he sewed the pieces of his young life together, all the things he love, "a patch with an owl because he loved its call, the cow he squeezed from clay (first grade), and his fishing pole and a lightning bug and a country road and his baseball glove..." Author, Tony Johnston, and illustrator, Barry Moser, invite the reader to share in this very intimate and moving experience. Mr Johnston's quiet, understated, and eloquent text is at times both poignant and uplifting, and rich in beautifully poetic figurative language. Mr Moser's stunning artwork captures the special moments of Joey's life in dazzling full-colored illustrations, juxtaposed with touching and emotional gray and white "snapshots" that seem to be pulled from the family photo album. Together, word and art paints a remarkable portrait of life, strong love and loss, told with great insight, wisdom, and truth. Perfect for youngsters 5 and older, That Summer is an inspiring story that deals with the sensitive subject of the death of a loved one with honesty and respect, and should help open important discussions. As Barry Moser writes in his dedication... "For all the courageous people who care for terminally ill children, with my deepest respect and admiration." An amazing book that shouldn't be missed.

"That Summer" is a poetic blend of the carefree days of a childhood summer disrupted by the reality of terminal illness. The narrator's brother, Joey, becomes ill during summer vacation. As his illness progresses, he begins to piece a quilt: "Cut scraps into shapes of all the things you love," Gram said,"then join them with thread." Illustrated with beautiful graphite and chalk pictures by Barry Moser, Tony Johnston weaves a story of a brother's love, a family's loss, and a patchwork of memories through powerful figurative language: "...that summer, a gleam of guilt glided through my heart like a gleam of snake down a hole." This is one of the most moving childrens' books I've ever read.

They say that timing is everything and the fact that this particular writer just happened to be sitting on the Boulevard Montparnasse on the right evening of the right year, means we have a further insight into the lives of those Paris expatriates, Hemingway and Fitzgerald and others. At the same time, this may be an opportunity for some people to discover Morley Callaghan, who is a very fine writer in his own right. His life ran parallel to Hemingway's for some time, as they met in Toronto and later in Paris and remained friends thereafter, even if they saw each other only rarely. In a sense, he is just the person to give us a penetrating look behind the legends that were being created in the cafés and bars of the ville lumière at the end of the thirties. This is a delightful book as well; Callaghan is nobody's fool, which means he's not writing for the mundane reasons that might otherwise be expected, and you can trust him. He is painting a portrait of a world teetering on the very brink (it is the summer of 1929), and in his own artful way, he has succeeded in giving us a rare glimpse into the ill-lit streets and nightclubs just before it all fades away into the decade of hopelessness that followed. It's well worth finding this book if you can - it's a little gem.

That Summer in Paris by Morley Callaghan is another version of Hemingway in Paris which is probably a lot closer to the truth.

If you need or want to know the truth, read this book. Hemingway sure made a seductive myth about himself. We don't fault him for improving on the truth. The Hemingway version is fun to read but this one is fun too.

By the way, Callaghan wrote an outstanding short story called "Luke Baldwin's Vow." You can see why Hemingway thought highly of him.

I had never heard of Morley Callghan before reading this book. Which is unfortunate because the book is hard to put down. It is well-written, informative, amusing, thought provoking and gives insight into several notable literary figures from a first hand perspective.

A perfect companion to Hemingway's "A Moveable Feast"...written about the same people and time, but with a different point of view...