Tour! An Excerpt & Review of When Summer Comes by Brenda Novak

Genre: Adult Fiction (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: January 29, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA

The Blurb:

One day, Callie Vanetta receives devastating news

She needs a liver transplant. But her doctors warn that, in her case, the chances of finding a compatible donor aren't good.

Determined to spend whatever time she has left on her own terms, she keeps the diagnosis to herself and moves out to her late grandparents' farm. She's always wanted to live there. But the farm hasn't been worked in years and she begins to fear it's too much, she'll have to return to town.

One night, a stranger comes knocking at her door...
He's an attractive and mysterious drifter by the name of Levi McCloud who offers to trade work for a few nights' shelter. Callie figures she doesn't have anything to lose. He needs a place to stay until he can fix his motorcycle; she needs an extra pair of hands. The arrangement seems ideal until what was supposed to be temporary starts to look more and more permanent. Then she realizes she does have something to lose — her heart. And, although he doesn't yet know it, Levi stands to lose even more.

My Review:

When Summer Comes by Brenda Novak is book three in the Whiskey Creek Series, however you don't need to read the previous books before reading this book. I didn't, and I feel like it stands alone just fine. Callie's situation really gripped my heart. This girl is so loved. She has her family and a huge network of friends, but she still doesn't want to let them know about her sickness. Then Levi shows up. He's exactly what she needs. Actually, they need each other. He has issues of his own. When Summer Comes had me rooting for the characters and crying right along with them. It's one of those stories that really makes you feel invested in the characters. I haven't read the previous books in this series yet, and still I thoroughly enjoyed When Summer Comes. In fact, it has peaked my interest so much I'd like to check out the other books in the series as well.

When Summer Comes by Brenda Novak was provided to me by the Reading Addiction Blog Tours for review. The opinions are my own.

The Excerpt:

Panic turned Callie’s knees to water as she felt the raw power of Levi’s quick, sure movements. She opened her mouth to scream but couldn’t draw in enough air.

For the first time, she was afraid of him. Reallyafraid. In that moment, she knew without a doubt that he could do anything he wanted to her, and that, despite her diagnosis, she still cared.

The fear didn’t last, however. As soon as he realized it was her, he eased his hold enough to turn her in his arms. “I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I hope...I hope I didn’t hurt you. I didn’t

His words fell off, but she understood. He hadn’t known it was her. She should’ve announced herself. She would have, except that she’d been waiting to get close enough to touch his arm, in case he was sleeping. “It’s okay,” she said. “I...I shouldn’t have surprised you.”

“What are you doing out here?”

He released her but she couldn’t let go of him. She was still trying to overcome the effects of receiving such a fright, worried that she might crumble to the ground. “I-I wanted to see if you’d come inside.”

“Why?”

His deep voice rumbled in her ear, but he must have felt her shaking because his hands no longer hung at his sides.

They were sliding up her back. She could feel the warmth his splayed fingers provided as he drew her into a solid embrace that reassured her but did nothing to slow her galloping heart.

Instinctively, she turned her cheek against the soft cotton of his T-shirt. Don’t read anything into this. He’s just being kind. Such contact was normal, given her reaction. But she couldn’t deny that the chemistry between them had suddenly changed. She liked the feel of his firm chest, the security she felt in the circle of his arms, but there was also a sexual element—probably because he wasn’t completely dressed. She’d already felt the band of his briefs, the crisp hair on his legs as he brushed up against her.

She swallowed hard as his hands settled between her shoulder blades. “I couldn’t sleep.”

“Why not?”

“I was...I was worried that maybe Denny and his fool of a friend would come back and cause trouble.”

“They might. But they’re the kind of trouble I can handle.”

About the Author:
New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Brenda Novak is the author of more than forty-five books. A three-time Rita nominee, she has won many awards, including the National Reader’s Choice, the Bookseller’s Best, the Book Buyer’s Best, the Daphne, and the Holt Medallion. She also runs an annual on-line auction for diabetes research every May at www.brendanovak.com (her youngest son has this disease). To date, she’s raised over $1.6 million. Come meet the long-time friends who have made Whiskey Creek the “Heart of Gold Country” with WHEN WE TOUCH, WHEN LIGHTNING STRIKES, WHEN SNOW FALLS and WHEN SUMMER COMES.

To learn more about Brenda Novak and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads and Twitter.

This book will be on discount from $6.99 to $1.99 across all ebook platforms for a limited time (Apr 1 - Apr 30).