Summer Promise by Robin Jones Gunn is a fantastically written book that I feel many teenagers or young-adults can relate to. In case you haven't had the pleasure of reading and being sucked into this exquisite book yet you could almost relate it to the same setting as "Summerland." The story of 14 year old, Christy Miller, venturing off to her aunt and uncles at Newport beach California for the summer turned out to be a lot more than what she bargained for. Christy, a Wisconsin native, had always gone to church and been a relatively good girl. However, during her first week in California she is exposed to cruel people and horrific sights. Although her time in California starts off rough, Christy quickly finds a young man named Todd Spencer, the summer fling she had so desired however, Todd Spencer would turn out to be so much more. My all-time favorite quote in the novel is "Christy looked up into the face of the cutest guy she had ever seen. He matched exactly the description she had given to Paula (Christy's friend from Wisconsin) months ago of "the perfect guy": sun-bleached blonde hair falling across a broad forehead, a strong jaw, a straight nose, and screaming silver-blue eyes." Todd welcomes Christy and shows her to his group of christian friends. Throughout the novel Christy is faced with the decision of following Christ or following society. She is faced with topics like drinking, drugs, and unhealthy relationships. Summer Promise is a book that any young adult can relate to. Although the book is about facing small worldly problems it opens the reader up to much bigger topics like that of faith and salvation. The problems that young Christy Miller faces are problems that young teenagers are still facing today. This book can comfort any child who may be facing these same problems and doesn't know how to deal with them. In my christian based opinion I feel like this is a marvelous book that can help out any young girl who is going through a hard time or enjoys a small romance novel with a side of liberating faith. Robin Jones Gunn writes her novel in such a way that it is not hard to comprehend, however her writing does give you a lot to think about. She does an excellent job in finishing off her novel in such a way that will leave you wanting more. Luckily, Robin Jones Gunn has many sequels to this novel that are just as great and I urge any reader to sit down and enjoy one of her finely written books, once you start you won't be able to stop!
Robin Jones Gunn posted this week on a social media site that during a radio interview she was introduced as Christy Miller. I can see why. The character she created is so realistic that I, as a non-fiction aficionado, enjoyed this book greatly.This is a Christian book, and I normally have a bias against books that weave the "plan of salvation" into the story line, but aside from that I want to read the rest of this series, and I'm not even the target age range!I believe this was ooriginally published in the mid 90s, it's a bit dated in the fact the teenagers have no cell phones! I thought different times how crazy it was none of them texted! What a difference fifteen years makes!The book doesn't shy away from difficult topics. Drinking. Drugs. Death. Sexually active friends. An alcoholic mother of a friend. These might make this book not a great choice for a tween, but unfortunately this is the world in which teens live, so tackling these topics in a book would likely be a great help to some girls.Christy is from Wisconsin, but living with her aunt and uncle for the summer. She makes new friends who are different from those she knows back home. She takes risks in wardrobe and changes her hair, starts wearing make up and she falls for a guy who takes her to Disneyland for her birthday, but then at the end of the day things aren't quite the way she thought they were. . . The biggest thing I disliked about this book is it's part of a series, and of course, when the end comes, you're left wondering what is going to happen next. But, I solved that by reading reviews online of book two in the series. I do want to finish reading this series at some point!FTC disclaimer: I received a digital download of this book for review purposes. The opinions are my own.
What do You think about Summer Promise (1989)?
Check out more reviews at Books to the Sky.(I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.)I honestly couldn't finish this book. I had no idea this was going to be religious.The entire time I was reading the book I felt like I was being preached at. There was a part where Todd, Christy's love interest, made it seem like if you weren't Christian then you weren't worthy.I strongly disliked her Aunt Marti. From the beginning she was trying to change everything about Christy; what she ate, what she wore and how she acted. I did like her Uncle Bob though. He told her to be herself and that was good enough.Note: This book was originally published in 1988, it was republished this year for the Kindle.
—Kaitlin
I first read this series when I was 12 years old. I was absolutely in love with Todd and I adored the lessons that I learned in this book. I am now seventeen and I still am such a huge fan of Christy Miller. The first book, this book, is my least favorite book in the series but I still enjoy it. I just have trouble getting through it because Christy is such a whiny little baby!! I am not an emotional person and I have trouble trying to be patient with Christy because all she does it cry... She does mature later on though and love watching her grow!! If you're a Christian lady and want to grow spiritually while enjoying a cute romantic series, I suggest you pick up Christy Miller!! :)
—Abigail the Fangirl
Targeted toward tweens to young teens, this well written story tackles the challenges of being a teenager and kicks it up a notch by focusing on the Christian teen. Christy is the average teen who only wants to be accepted and ends up in some very uncomfortable and unsafe situations. She lives on a farm, goes to church every Sunday, and is the all around "good" girl. She is soon to be 15 and not only wants friends, but wants a summer romance while she stays with her Aunt and Uncle. Her being boy crazy has an influence on how she looks at things and at times, her attitude is down-right annoying.This book focuses heavily on peer pressure and how it can change one's life by making wrong decisions. After a particularly disturbing incident that happens to one of Christy's friends, there comes to light a very strong salvation message making this a wonderful tool to give to the teen that is beginning to question things about God. All in all, this is a great book to give to any girl who struggles with peer pressure!!
—Theresa
