This book was a joy to read. I was browsing in Target and saw that they were having a big sale on all Romance Novels and since I'm a new convert to the books, I decided to take a peek. Well that peek turned into me purchasing 10 books not on the same day but within the time limit to take advantage of the sale indeed. The cover of the book caught my eye and I must admit that the covers of books are pretty much what sway me to it and then I turn it around and take a read of the brief explanation. If it captures my attention then its gonna be a definite purchase. So that is my explanation of how I bought "One Season of Sunshine" by Julia London. I must admit that this is the first book of hers that I've read and I wasn't disappointed.
Characters:
Susanna Price- wife and mother of 2 children
Asher Price- husband of Susanna
Riley Price- 13 year old daughter of the Prices
Levi Price- 5 year old son of the Prices
Jane Aaron- nanny for the Price kids
Jane Aaron a 2nd grade teacher and graduate student working on her masters. Jane was brought up in a home with 2 brothers, loving parents who owned a local restaurant in Houston, called The Garden. The family would have their dinner in one of the rooms of the restaurant every night before they opened up for business. What a nice family tradition, to have dinner together the old fashioned way. I always say a family that prays and EATS together, stays together haha~ Jane had black hair and could not cook a meal if her life depended on it, but her brothers were very good cooks like their parents. Jane wasn't athletic, but her brothers were tall, slender, blonde hair and blue eyes. Jane loved her family to death and wouldn't trade them for the world, but something was missing and she couldn't quite put her finger on it. As time passes on, Jane begins to feel uneasy not knowing who her real birth mother was and the question always lingered in her mind, why did my birth mother give me away? Why didn't she love me? Jane was adopted and it didn't bother her until recently. She felt an emptiness that wouldn't stop bothering her until she was able to answer those questions of who she was, what natiionality was she, is her mother still alive? So many questions needed to be answered.
Jane was born September 1980 in Cedar Springs, and that's all she knew. Summer came around and Jane made up her mind, she was going to move to Cedar Springs and get some answers however she could. Her family was not happy about her move and Jane reassured them she would be back before the start of the new school year. She also had a steady boyfriend for 3 years who loved her and wanted to marry her, but when he proposed on that day, Jane didn't say no and she didn't say yes. Time is what she needed to straighten things out in her life right now. He (Johnathan) adored her and loved her more than anythng, but at this point and time in Janes life, she wasn't ready to committ, not just yet. She wanted to know who she was, etc. So she broke his heart and was still friends with Johnathan. I was king of mad at Jane at this point, I mean come on 3 years in a relationship, the guy loves you and proposes and you just let him go , whoa that is alot to take in for a guy. poor Johnathan. Jane told him she was just being honest and the truth hurts almost all the time.
Before Jane sets out to leave from Cedar Springs her mom tells her, Jane God has put is in our care and you're right where you're suppose to be. You might go and not find what you're looking for or get disappointed, whatever it is, remember we are here and we are your family, we love you Jane and you are my daughter! Jane shed some tears and told her that she is her mother and loves her very much, this is just something she has to do for herself. She said her good byes and left for her journey to Cedar Springs.
Jane got a job as a live in nanny for Asher Prices kids. Their mother Sussana Price passed away in a car accident about 2 years ago and frankly Asher Price was desperate for a nanny. He was partner in an advertising firm which needed his attention and required that he would travel for weeks at a time out of state. His home was lavished with fine paintings and art work and photos of his late wife hanging everywhere. Jane was hired and settled into the guest house which was beautiful and right by the pool. As time progresses she sees how much the kids love their father and are often anxiously awaiting for their father to return from his trips. Asher Price absolutely loved his kids and there was nothing more that he loved to come home to then the sound of his kids sweet voices when they would greet him from a trip.
I admired Asher Price for raising his 2 kids the best way he knew how. Cedar Springs was a small town and everyone knew everyone in town. He adored his kids and they were his first priority in life and then his work which had taken him away from his kids so many times. His family was a sweet one and his wifes death came as a tragic shock to all of his family and his wifes. He had to adjust his life and make sure the kids were taken care of, that he could work for the things they needed in life. But it wasn't all about money, in this book, we see that money comes and goes, but the genuine time needed to be with family is priceless. He watched his little 13 year old Riley bloom into a beautiful young woman. His 5 year old son Levi loved to blurt out things and watch movies and play board games with his dad, what a pleasant family pass time. Their little Price family had gone thru many ups and downs and his children did not fully understand the extent of their mothers accident and lifestyle.
Jane the nanny was able to connect with Riley and Levi and she grew to love them as her own. It's funny how Jane is adopted and her mother she was raised by was able to love her, nurture her even though she was not her birth mother. And here Jane comes and begins to love these 2 kids who are not hers, as her very own. Very interesting indeed~As Jane becomes closer to the kids and their father, she realizes that there is more to their little happy family than what Asher portrays. Susanna his late wife was stunningly beautiful and always looked prestige and glamorous, yet there bits and pieces that Jane couldn't put together about Susanna's life with her family. Pictures of Asher looked as if he were so lonely in his marriage to Susanna. Jane didn't have all the answers and quite friankly she wasn't sure if she wanted to know. As her mother told her before she left Houston, some things are better left alone..hmm.
As the story progresses, Jane and Asher have this attration and they both sense the feeling. Both of them are in the laundry room and Asher is frustrated that Levi wet in his bed and he's complaining to Jane and then he just reaches out and plants a big one on her..the forbidden kiss~
Do things work out between them? Does Jane get to find out who her birth mother is? Does she find out what kind of family and lifestyle the Prices lived, was it a happily ever after family or a family of deep secrets? You can find out when you read the book and find the answers.
This book when I read it, was one of those you just can't put it down and had to find out what happened next. I found myself in between the lights on my way to work, reading and I could see the cars next to me looking over, but I didn't care, those fricken stoplights take forever ugh~ I really enjoyed reading this book. But, I did feel like the author kind of described Susanna a little too much in the book for me even thought she was a main character. In this book, my heart went out to ASHER PRICE-SUPER DAD~He just loved his kids to pieces and at the same time was in love with Jane Aaron. He needed to find a place for all of them to fit perfectly in his life. FIND OUT IF THERE WAS A PERFECT FIT~
Big ups to Julia London for a great book that I thoroughly enjoyed. I look forward to reading your other novels.. Another fine author to add the list of great writers. THANK YOU~
