Customer Reviews

One Season of Sunshine

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

We think allot about our past while living in the present preparing for the future. That is what Jane Aaron has done for too many years and she wants to break away from it all. She grew up in a wonderful household with a loving extended family but never got over the fact that she was adopted.

Jane decides that in order for her to live in the present and prepare for the future she must take a step into her past and find her birth mother. She wants to know why the woman did not keep her and figure out how she fits into the world so all the pieces of Jane fit into the puzzle of the family that adopted her.

So Jane takes a leave from her teaching position, puts her relationship with her boyfriend on hold, packs up her belongings and heads out for Cedar Springs, TX to find her birth mother and discover some answers. To supplement her stay in Cedar Springs Jane takes a nanny position with an out of control group who need more attention than she has the time for. They are children are recovering from the loss of their mother and the man in charge of all of them, Asher is globetrotting trying to keep his business afloat. Not enough time and too much anguish is tearing this family apart and as Jane begins her search for information she helps the children, Riley and Levi find a way back to live without grief and sorrow.

What Jane never thought she would discover is a relationship with Asher and as the layers of their lives unfold it seems that destiny has brought them together? As Jane unravels the secrets of her life she becomes entangled in Asher's, but being wrapped up in his arms is not a bad place to find oneself.

Julia London has been an iconic historical romance writer who last year ventured into the contemporary genre with the amazing Summer of Two Wishes. This book continues Ms. London's adventures in Cedar Springs and does update the reader on the last books characters but the new characters are even more charming, delightful and completely believable. We all spend so much time lamenting what has happened that at times we forget to work on today because tomorrow is at the door waiting to be opened. This book shows how great romance is written and I found it to be a complete delight.

Mary Gramlich is The Reading Reviewer located at [...]

I've read the author's historical romances before but this is my first contemporary by her and I was curious. To me One Season of Sunshine is more women's fiction than romance but I liked it nonetheless. It tells the story of Jane Aaron who was adopted when she was only a few days old. She has a great life: a loving family, great friends, a nice boyfriend and a job as a second grade teacher. But she had always felt that she's missing something in her life and yearns to meet her birth mother. So, she goes to Cedar Springs where she was born to search for answers and there, she ends up working for single dad Asher Price as a nanny to his two children--prickly teenager Riley and energetic 5-year-old Levi. Asher's wife, Susanna, died in a terrible car accident over a year ago but the family is still not over her death and their house is very Manderley-esque shrine to Susanna Price. As Jane gets to know the family, she begins to suspect that Susanna might not be the perfect wife and mother everyone says she was. A growing attraction between Jane and Asher develops but as Jane gets closer to finding out the identity of her birth mother, secrets are exposed that may ruin any future Jane and Asher might have.

Throughout the whole book, I wasn't sure how I feel about Jane. I thought she was a bit selfish and insensitive in how she just packs up and leaves, first with her family and then later with Asher and the children. It's like she doesn't think about the impact of her decisions and what her leaving has on them. I also didn't like how she just kept stringing along her boyfriend for most of the book when she couldn't make a decision as to what to do with him. She describes herself as being a flake and she is that but her character does grow. On the other hand, I really liked how she was firm but sweet to Asher's difficult children and wasn't intimidated by them, especially Riley. I liked Asher right away though--he's trying his hardest to juggle a demanding career and still be a father his children who just lost their mother. As we learn more about Susanna, I really felt for him and was happy when he got his second chance with Jane--I thought the romance between them was sweet.

As the story went on, it became less about finding Jane's birth mother and more about Jane becoming a vital part of the Price family. That's fine with me as I was more interested in Jane, Asher and the children and I thought the scenes where Jane was looking for her birth mom slowed the story down a bit. I liked that the issues weren't all tied up in a nice happily ever after bow but the ending is satisfying. Overall, this book is an easy read and, like in her historical novels, I like the author's voice. I enjoyed this book--I recommend it as a nice beach or a book club read.

Jane Aaron always knew something was different about her from the rest of her family. She was right. Jane was adopted. Jane loves her parents but now that Jane is grown up, she feels like a part of her is missing. It bothers Jane so much that when her boyfriend, Jonathan proposes to her, Jane turns him down. How can Jane expect to marry someone when she doesn't really know who she is?

The one thing Jane does know is that she was born in Cedar Springs. Jane moves to Cedar Springs to find out more about where she came from.

Asher is a single dad trying to raise his two children, Riley and Levi. Asher is desperate for a nanny. So when Jane applies for the job, Asher is thankful. The more time Asher spends in Jane's company, the stronger the attraction he feels towards her grows. Though, when Jane finally learns the truth about her birth mother...will Asher and Jane have a future together?

Having been adopted myself I could understand where Jane was coming from. I like Jane have wonderful parents. Though, I have never felt the need to seek out my birth mother. I liked Jane. She was sweet and not intimated by Riley. I wasn't really feeling the romance between Asher and Jane. I kind of pictured him more as the father type then the romantic male lead type. I do have to admit that I thought this book moved a bit slow at times. I kind of had an idea of who Jane's birth mother was and what had happened from the beginning of the set up of this book but didn't quite know if I was right. It seemed to drag a little when Jane was searching and I wanted the story to speed up. Overall, One Season of Sunshine shows glimmers of hope and sunshine.

Jane Aaron moves to Cedar Springs to find the mother who gave her up for adoption. The only clue she has is the hospital where she was born. Asher Price is looking for a nanny after the death of his wife eighteen months ago. The situation works for both of them; Jane will watch his children and be able to search for information on her birth mother. As they spend time together, Asher and Jane begin to fall in love. But with secrets about to be revealed, can their newfound love survive?

I thoroughly enjoyed One Season of Sunshine! The emotion between Jane and Asher leaps off the page and makes you unable to stop reading and I found myself reading late into the night. Julia London's newest contemporary romance should definitely be on every romance lovers must read list.

Melissa
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I always buy Julia London's books as soon as I can get my hands on them so when I saw that I could get this one a few days early I jumped at the chance. Sometimes this has lead to heartache and anger that I probably could have waited and gotten it cheaper; other times it has lead me to rejoice that I have read a book I will probably re-read again and again. This newest contemporary novel by Julia London just left me feeling nonplussed. It wasn't the best book I had ever read but it surely hadn't been the worst. About halfway through the book I had pretty much figured out what the conclusion would be but I did keep reading to see if my prediction was true so I guess she got me hooked in some way.

Adopted at birth Jane Aaron has recently felt a sense of dissatisfaction with her life that she thinks stems from never knowing why her mother gave her up. Moving to the small town she was born in (Cedar Springs) feels like the only way she can find clues to the origin of her birth. While there though she needs a job so she becomes the nanny to a rich widower's children and although she dislikes him at first she starts to become interested in her employer Asher Price. (For some reason every time I read his name in the book I kept thinking of Fisher Price and it kind of drove me crazy.)

Asher has some baggage of his own, his bipolar wife died in a tragic drunken car accident, leaving him to pick up the pieces and care for his twelve and five year old. He's been working constantly and living for his children full time; he feels like his family hasn't been ready for him to move on and start dating again. Jane is a refreshing change from most of the women he is surrounded by, she is not in awe of his money or afraid of his children and she slowly starts awaken feelings in him that he thought were long dead.

Being a romance novel you can pretty much figure out what is going to happen from reading the synopsis on the back of the book, which I don't mind because I'm a sucker for a happy ending. The whole of the novel the reader knows all of the facts pertaining to the mysterious death of Asher's wife but they are revealed to Jane throughout the book. It may have been a little less predictable had we learned the facts at the same time Jane did, rather than knowing them the whole time. I also thought that Jane's search for her mom held very few surprises and was pretty frustrating because she ran into so many dead ends during the process. I liked both of the main characters but they didn't overwhelm me like the ones in a good book do. I want to feel something when I'm done with a book, and the plot of this was set up for me to feel sympathy or empathy but in the end I was just ambivalent. If you're bored on a rainy day give this book a read, just don't expect for it to change your life.

i have read all of julia london's books- contemporary and historical. to me, wicked angel was her very best historical. one season of sunshine is her very best contemporary. the hero, asher, is to die for. and scenes with the two children are so well written and so on the mark. julia london is an extraordinary writer. and she shines in this latest contemporary. she always writes well.this book was outstanding. i really give it 4 and 1/2 stars because the descriptions of susannah are sometimes overdrawn. to me the family exchanges with each other( asher, riley, levi and jane) are the heart and soul of this book.other scenes depicting susannah and jane's search for her birth mother were less interesting to me.asher and jane's love story, however, was unforgettable.

This was a good read. I enjoy all her books. They are so good, I can't put them down.

The book "One Season of Sunshine" by Julia London really tugs on your heartstrings as a mystery unfolds before your eyes...literally. Jane Aaron, who was adopted as an infant by a family in Houston, Texas, was raised in a wonderful family. As she's building her life there with her fiancée, Jonathan, and writing her thesis to earn a PhD. in teaching, she starts to doubt the direction that her life is taking. Jane starts longing to find more about her past - namely the identity of who gave her up as a baby, and why. This quest takes her to the small town of Cedar Springs, Texas, where she finds temporary employment as a nanny for the children of the wealthy firm executive, Asher Price.

As bits and pieces of her puzzle start to fall into place, Jane realizes that she is falling head over heels for not only Asher's children, but also Asher himself. Just when things start to heat up between the two of them, Jane gets the shock of her life - Susanna Price (Asher's deceased wife), may have been her mother! After weeks of deliberation, and she finally finds out that it was not Susanna who gave birth to her, but the other woman who had died in the same car accident as Susanna.

In this strange twist of fate, it was ultimately Susanna's drinking problem that led Asher and Jane's lives to intertwine. When Jane allowed her heart to lead her in the right direction, she finally found peace. There are many different levels of loss that anybody could relate to, and I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages, because it teaches us a good lesson to always follow our heart wherever it may lead us.

Reading though these reviews, I'm surprised that no one has noted the allusions to that Bronte novel, " Jane Eyre." Formerly a teacher in a school, the adopted (=orphan) heroine Jane goes to work for a proud, enigmatic father, whose first wife was crippled by a mental illness that made her sexually insatiable. Like Jane Eyre, Jane Aaron falls in love with her employer. Further allusions to the Bronte novel ensue.

After her boyfriend of 3 years proposes to her, Jane Aaron finds herself unable to commit to moving forward with her life until she discovers the identity of her birth mother. Jane leaves her job and adoptive family behind and moves to Cedar Springs, the city of her birth. Planning to stay a full summer, Jane reluctantly accepts a nanny position for the children of well-to-do ad executive Asher Price.

Less than 2 years ago, Asher's wife died in a tragic car accident. As Jane makes friends with the residents of Cedar Springs and warms up to Asher and his children, she slowly learns that Susanna had a checkered past. There is an undeniable attraction between Asher and Jane, but in order for them to build a life together, they must both let go of the ghosts that have kept them stagnant for so long.

"One Season of Sunshine" was the first book by Julia London that I have ever read, and it was completely addictive. It has just the right combination of romance, mystery, and deep characterization to keep readers interested from the first page to the last.

When I first read the description of this novel, I knew I had to read it. I was interested to find out about Jane's quest to find her birth mother, and what she would learn about her. She is a solid and well-written character, someone I would love to be friends with. I shared in her frustration as she discovered one dead end and then another as she researched her birth.

The relationships the characters formed with one another were very real and heartbreaking. I especially loved how Jane, who was at first unsure if she could take charge of two children, started to treat them as if they were her own children. In the process she learned that the strongest bonds are the ones we create for ourselves, not the ones we long for just because of blood ties.

This is the second book that Julia London has written set in Cedar Springs, and I am now very eager to read the first one, which is called "Summer of Two Wishes". I have always been fascinated by small town life, and know I will adore that book just as much as I did this one.