Disclosure: I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Post contains affiliate links; opinions shared are mine.

All Summer Long by Melody Carlson has been my purse book for a couple of weeks now.  You know, the book that I carry around so I can sneak in bits while waiting in the car line or something.  Fans of mind-candy Christian fiction, especially those who also enjoy travel, will find this a real page-turner.  The plot is really predictable, but there are a few things going for All Summer Long. 

First, it’s set on a yacht-turned-dinner cruise ship.  The description of the boat’s original woodwork and design caught my interest.  Normally I’m not a real fan of boating, but it seemed so charming that I couldn’t resist reading more.  Tia and Leo were teen sweethearts, albeit a very short-lived romance that consisted of a few days during summer camp.  It seemed a charming beginning, until Leo’s fiance showed up at dinner the night of their reunion.  It rings of that Alannis Morissette song “Isn’t It Ironic?”  Finally, Tia is a chef, and the descriptions of her meals were mouthwatering. Her family and friends often consume alcoholic drinks, so if that bothers you in books – be forewarned.

There were several unrealistic factors in the storyline, though.  Somehow Tia seemed to have superhuman abilities. as she was able to accomplish SO MUCH in mere hours, I started to get a little jealous of her busy bee syndrome.   Her constant vows to stay away from Leo just didn’t bear up, which got annoying.  Normally I enjoy Melody Carlson’s lighthearted writing style, but All Summer Long tended to be tedious when it came to dialogue.  It seemed that every single thought, statement, or whim of a character became a belabored point.   But really, who reads romance for the real-life possibilities and literary genius?

Now, let’s talk about THE PURSE that carried All Summer Long! I grabbed this little gem on Jane.  Seriously, that site has become my go-to. Goodbye Pinterest, hello Jane!  My friends and I love to share our finds. This purse was so cute that I purchased another one for my college roomie’s Christmas gift. I can’t wait to see what she thinks of it!