Sandy M’s review of The Summer He Came Home (Bad Boys of Crystal Lake, Book 1) by Juliana Stone
Contemporary Romance published by Sourcebooks Casablanca 2 Apr 13
This is my first Juliana Stone book. I can tell you right now, it won’t be my last. This is a great start to a series that has the potential to be very, very good. If Ms. Stone is able to keep the pace of this book, along with giving readers intriguing characters, she has a huge hit on her hands.
I know there are readers who don’t care for children in stories, but I love it when a hero shows that emotional, protective side not only for the heroine but also for her son. Cain Black does that wonderfully so in this book. The fact that Michael is starved for a father in his life only makes the scenes with Cain that much sweeter. Maggie, Michael’s mother, is new in town, just making it by cleaning the houses of local folk. She’s not looking for a relationship, wanting to keep her secrets as secret as possible, so it’s a bit startling when the attraction between her and Cain is instantaneous when they meet.
Cain is home after a ten-year hiatus, following his dream of music. He’s just about to make it big and is touring in Europe when he receives word one of his childhood friends didn’t come home from Afghanistan. Though torn up over Jesse’s death, Cain is actually glad to be home, tired and burnt out from a life on the road. He reconnects with the other bad boys of Crystal Lake, Mac and Jesse’s twin brother, Jake. As boys these four tested parents’ patience to the max, but the backbone of their lives is family and they’ve each grown into honest, stand-up men. Even if a little bad boy remains in each of them.
Though he’s only supposed to be home for a couple of weeks, once Cain meets Maggie and the more he gets to know her, he decides to stick around much longer. He wants to explore whatever it is between them. Maggie is wary, of course. It’s too fast, too soon and her past gives her pause to begin something new with a man. Especially this man, who will be on his way back to Hollywood and the glamor girls in no time. But when she sees the effect Cain’s presence has on Michael, let alone his effect on her, that barrier she’s built around herself begins to fall. I really enjoyed these two together, even though Maggie doesn’t share much about herself with Cain until much later, after he confronts her about that very fact, when trying to discern if her feelings are even close to what his are for her.
I also really like the relationship between the three men, especially amid grief. Mac has quite a volatile relationship with his father and Jake tries to look out for his brother’s widow, but you can tell from the beginning there’s something more on his part when it comes to Raine. Ms. Stone does a nice job of balancing the romance and the interaction of the friends coming together again, learning what life has been like for each other, just enough to whet the reader’s appetite to anticipate their books in the future.
I definitely look forward to those books. Jake and Raine’s story is next, and living through this rocky beginning with them here, I can see fireworks on the pages of their book. All of these characters are likeable and sympathetic, you can’t help but like them and root for them when it comes to love.
Grade: B+
Summary:
Sometimes the best place to find love is right back where you started…
Falling asleep in a different bed every night has made it easy for Cain Black to forget his past. It’s been ten years since he packed his guitar and left Crystal Lake to chase his dreams. Now tragedy has forced him home again. And though Cain relishes the freedom of the road, one stolen moment with Maggie O’Rourke makes him wonder if he’s missing out on something bigger than fame.For Maggie—single mother and newly settled in Crystal Lake—love is a luxury she just can’t afford. Sure, she appreciates the tall, dark and handsome looks of prodigal son Cain Black. But how long can she expect the notorious hellion to stay?
The last thing either of them wants is something complicated. But sometimes love has its own plans.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
