Summer
scatters three friends, ties them back together, and makes them question who
they have been and who they want to be in the future.
Brenna expected to soak up the knowledge of great Irish writers at her summer workshop in Dublin. But there are some things even the best books can't teach you, and a passionate new friend and an old familiar full of surprises challenge Brenna to follow her heart. By the time she's back in the States, she can't wait to throw herself back into Jake's arms and tell him exactly what he means to her.
She puts the brakes on that plan when it becomes clear that Jake may not be ready to shoulder any more. He visits his family's palatial home in the mountains of New York, and is exposed to all the possibilities a life surrounded by his pampered relatives and washed in money would hold for him. But is it possible to accept so much and not change who you are? Jake has to face the reality that changing sometimes means losing things...but how much is he willing to put on the line?
Saxon has been thrust into a life of drudgery and indentured service he never dreamed of after a brush with the law puts him on family-enforced probation. Who would have thought Sussex County's resident bad-ass lay about would fall head-over-heels in love with a girl, an elderly aunt, and a shot at a whole new life. The problem is, he's a Maclean to his marrow, and it's in his blood to be a selfish screw-up. Isn't it?
Brenna, Jake, and Saxon spend one summer growing up, working things out, and doing their best to weather the changes that get thrown their way. But can the love and friendships of one amazing summer last through the ups and downs of the coming years
Brenna expected to soak up the knowledge of great Irish writers at her summer workshop in Dublin. But there are some things even the best books can't teach you, and a passionate new friend and an old familiar full of surprises challenge Brenna to follow her heart. By the time she's back in the States, she can't wait to throw herself back into Jake's arms and tell him exactly what he means to her.
She puts the brakes on that plan when it becomes clear that Jake may not be ready to shoulder any more. He visits his family's palatial home in the mountains of New York, and is exposed to all the possibilities a life surrounded by his pampered relatives and washed in money would hold for him. But is it possible to accept so much and not change who you are? Jake has to face the reality that changing sometimes means losing things...but how much is he willing to put on the line?
Saxon has been thrust into a life of drudgery and indentured service he never dreamed of after a brush with the law puts him on family-enforced probation. Who would have thought Sussex County's resident bad-ass lay about would fall head-over-heels in love with a girl, an elderly aunt, and a shot at a whole new life. The problem is, he's a Maclean to his marrow, and it's in his blood to be a selfish screw-up. Isn't it?
Brenna, Jake, and Saxon spend one summer growing up, working things out, and doing their best to weather the changes that get thrown their way. But can the love and friendships of one amazing summer last through the ups and downs of the coming years
YAY TEAM JAKE!! Thank goodness they got back together in Junk
Miles, I don’t know what I would have done with myself if he hadn’t taken her
back! *sigh of relief*
But now Brenna is headed to Ireland for a summer work shop
(I swear I will fight her if she cheats on my Jake again!), Jake is headed to
spend time with his real family (okay the secret – which wasn’t really much of a
secret since Jake already knew- is out), the MacLean’s and Saxon is sent to his
own personal hell…working for the summer and living with his great Aunt. No car, no money, no friends – no fun for
Saxon.
Brenna makes a new friend in Ireland, Evan Lennox, and meets
up with an old friend (that isn’t Saxon this time, thank you Liz!). She learns a lot about people and friendships
and works hard trying to make the most of this opportunity. She is still fiercely in love with Jake and
misses him, but still has love and care in her heart for Saxon…it’s just in a
different way than the way she loves Jake.
She is really taking this opportunity to grow as a person, and hope that
while she is growing up, she is not growing apart from Jake.
Jake is trying his hand at being a Maclean for the summer. Since his biological father has reached out
to him, Jake is taking the summer off all his hard work to see what life on the
other side is like. The Maclean’s have a
lot of money and money can buy you a lot of things. While Brenna is afraid it might change all
the things she loves about Jake, he feels like this is something he has to do,
get to know his biological family. This
kind of money buys big houses, boats and not a lot of rules and responsibility. It brings similar families together and is
meant to keep out those they think are beneath them. This is nothing Jake is used to being a part
of, he is usually on the outside. This
is Saxon’s usual playground. Will
spending too much time with these family members and the kids of families like
his turn him into someone he isn’t…will he become more like Saxon?
Saxon is flipping sides too.
He’s going to spend the summer with his great Aunt that used to watch
him when he was little. He’s going to be
washing dishes at a diner and being pretty much the low man on the totem
pole. Nothing Saxon is used to…this kind
of labor is meant for guys like Jake. The
owners of the diner are scary and scarier and their kids are mostly nice and
easy to get along with, except one.
Cadence refers to Saxon simply as “Crackhead” and wants nothing to do
with the druggie dish washer…so of course this is the girl that Saxon falls
for. Since he has no car, no friends and
nothing else to do, Saxon puts his spare time to good use by fixing up his Aunt’s
house and counting down the days til his inheritance comes through at the end
of the summer, and of course he wouldn’t be Saxon if he wasn’t thinking about a
girl. (In this book more than the other
two Saxon reminded me of Patrick Hayward from The Eden trilogy and The Patrick
Chronicles).
I like Cadence, she’s smart, hardworking and a bit tougher
and rougher than Brenna. But when Jake
looks and notices she’s attractive I find myself disliking her too. I know it was probably meant for us to be able
to see why Brenna fell for the two of them, and how you can love someone so
entirely but still think other people are attractive…but I don’t care…I didn’t
like it!
So much happens in this book it could almost be two books
(thankfully Liz didn’t have that idea)! Their separate summers alone could have
been a story, and then when they are all back in Jersey (well Saxon is still
away but in Jersey), how things have changed and what happens next could have
been its own story as well (although they would have been short stories). I am still finger nail biting (figuratively)
over Jake and Brenna!
I have to say though, I’m still left with a lot of questions
so I’m wondering if we are left up to our own devices, or if there are more
chapters of their stories on the way?
I know there is a spin off for Evan Lennox, Fall Guy (which
of course I have already started reading because I just can’t not know what
happens!) and I’m hoping we get some insight into the lives of Jake &
Brenna since Brenna and Evan are friends.
So Liz Reinhardt, I have a list of questions for you if you
are not planning on writing more…but if you are here is just one girl’s opinion….I
NEED THEM TO HAVE A HAPPILY EVER AFTER BECAUSE I FREAKIN LOVE JAKE KELLY!!! I’m
totally on the Kelly Boat!! Thank you *smiles*
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