Summer Dream (Seasons of the Heart #1) by Martha Rogers

Summer Dream (Seasons of the Heart #1) Reviews

• 
  Kaity-Jane Culbertson

  I actually never completely read this book. I started it today because I didn't realize until then that the tour was due today and I always like to give a review with my tours. I sat down and started reading but by the time I got through a third of it I was speed reading, and by half I was just flipping through it. It just wasn't my kind of story. It was a love at first sight, fluffy, "squishy heart" story, as my mother would say, that was very unrealistic, in my opinion. The two main characters were practically in love by the second chapter after seeing each other in church for the very first time, already have fluttery stomachs etc and all that jazz. While I do believe that people can be attracted to one another at first glance because of appearance, that isn't what love is based off of and people don't get all lovey dovey from seeing a cute guy sitting in the back pew -- at least not really.
  
  Neither of the characters were easy to connect to, really. The only one I really liked was Daniel -- and he doesn't even get the girl! lol
  But, still, they were good characters -- just not my type.
  
  The writing language was simple, so it was easy to understand. But I did find on multiple occasion that the author was more telling us what happened, what someone was feeling, etc instead of showing us, which is crucial in well-written story. Now, it did not effect the actual story itself, but it did make it harder to feel like one was entering the book rather than just holding it in their hands.
  
  As for content, all I found was a brief kiss at the end. But, as I said, I did only skim the last half of this book so I may have missed something, but nothing stood out.
  All in all, I do think that many other people would enjoy this book, but it just wasn't for me. I do, though, recommend this book to romance lovers who enjoyed books by authors like Cara Lynn James, Kaye Dacus, and Laura Hilton.
• 
  ANNETTE

  This is my first time with this Author.
  The story is set in 1888. I love that era so I knew I was in for a treat.
  Rachel a preacher's daughter falling in love with a non- believer with some family problems. They both learn to listen to God because he has a plan for their lives.
• 
  Courtney

  This is the first book I’ve read by Martha Rogers and I thoroughly enjoyed the Summer Dream. I actually won this book from a blog and then it sat on my shelf for weeks actually because I had no time to get to it. It wasn’t until I was asked to review book 2 that I decided I better read book 1 first.
  
  This book is centered on the late 1800’s and we are instantly introduced to the Winston family and their daughter Rachel. Rachel is the daughter of a preacher and she has a lot of expectations put on her shoulders and one of those includes marrying a man that is a believer. This becomes quite a challenge for her though because the only man in town her age is her best friend’s brother Daniel and she really sees him more of a brother to herself than a beau. Then suddenly mysterious and stunning Nathan enters the story. Nathan is a visiting friend of Daniels and Rachel is instantly attracted to him. There is only one problem; he has turned his back on God and refuses to go to church or have anything to do with a woman who is a preacher’s daughter!
  
  My oh my was this an interesting plot and story line. I loved the whole concept of the preacher’s daughter being attracted to the non-believer. It wasn’t that she was instantly in love with him but she definitely was attracted to him. To me this concept was most believable because it is very common for us (being young men or women) to be attracted to whom we can’t have or who are mysterious! Loved that part of the story!
  
  This was also a story about God’s forgiveness and grace in our lives. We come to learn that Nathan has a huge reason as to why he is angry with God and there is a big part of the story where he has to learn forgiveness for his own sins and seek forgiveness from those he’s hurt. Rachel also struggles with patience and letting go of control so God can lead her life!!
  
  There were a lot of spiritual undertones going on in this book and at times I felt it was a bit too preachy for my style but overall I still enjoyed the story. My only other complaint is…..why-oh-why do we have to wait to the very end of the story, literally last page to have any kissing or romantic scenes?! I just need more kissing in a romance book and more “wooing” if you know what I mean!
  
  Summer Dream is still a great story that is filled with compelling and interesting characters along with a spiritual message that we all could use to hear now and again. I am looking forward to reading book 2, Autumn Song!
  
• 
  Sarah

  This book was a wonderful taste of the late 1800′s as the reader enters the life of the Winston family and their adult daughter, who longs to marry and begin her own home. Being the daughter of a preacher means that there are rules that need following including God’s law and the one in particular that comes up time and again is the struggle to not be yoked to an unbeliever, this is hard for Rachel, but she knows her dad’s wisdom is right from the Word of God and so therefor needs to be followed. I quickly read this book as I couldn’t put it down, even with some of the formal conversations, instead of saying snack you’ll hear “refreshment” but from my study of history I do believe formalities were strictly followed even within family units.
  
  My only sincere dislike was the emphasis that a character or characters didn’t spend enough time in church. While I don’t agree with forsaking the fellowship but I also know that not going to church doesn’t make one less of a Christian or even a nonbeliever. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed the book, this emphasis on church going, did grate on me a bit because it made it seem that if you weren’t attending church then you couldn’t be a sincere Christian and this is far from the truth.
  
  Overall, despite the church attendance issue, this book was a very well written inspirational story of a young women wanting to do the Lord’s Will but also struggling with her own fleshly desires. This isn’t to say that there were innuendos, there weren’t but Rachel goes back and forth in her opinion of becoming involved with a non-Christian even though she knows it’s wrong – eventually her Faith and the faith of her family and friends win over her suitor. A wonderful story of faith, redemption, love and how God will keep chasing us until He catches us or we completely forsake Him.
  
  **Special thanks to Anna Coelho Silva | Publicity Coordinator, Charisma House | Charisma Media for sending me a review copy.
• 
  Tammy G.

  As the daughter of a minister I enjoy stories that tell the tale of pastor's daughters. In Summer Dream we meet Rachel, daughter of a small-town minister with many decisions to make. Nathan is a likable guy with many decisions of his own to make.
  Nathan and Rachel seem like the perfect couple and Rachel would like to marry so when Nathan leaves town to get some answers....Rachel would like to marry, even though, she feels that she is "called" to the mission field in the Oklahoma Territory. So, she decides that she will go visit her aunt who lives in Boston. Low and behold! Nathan makes an appearance! But he seems more interested in Amy.
  Then the "White Hurricane" hits Connecticut. The "White Hurricane" was a great history lesson, as I have never read of this before.
  The storm catches Nathan off guard and nearly dies. He is nursed back to health by Rachel and her mother. This gives Rachel a chance to use some of her "missionary callings."
  I enjoyed Summer Dream because it is not just a romance but also a great historical read about the early days in Connecticut.
  History mixed with God's abounding grace and a pinch of romance to make a grand read!
• 
  Katie

  I really wanted to like this book...but somewhere after the 3/4 point in the book, I just lost all interest. I really had to push myself to keep reading. And the "love at first sight" angle of the book seemed a bit cliche. It's an okay, one-time read, though. And I am sure others who enjoy this kind of book would really like Summer Dream...but it just didn't have much in the plot to keep me interested. Bummer. :-(
• 
  Carol McClain

  If you hate conflict in your novels, then this is the book for you.
• 
  Deborah

  Equally yolked
  
  I chose this score because I thoroughly enjoyed the book him coming back to the Lord meant a lot to her not knowing what happened weighed on her heavily you're finally being happy that's all that mattered especially him coming home To the Lord!
• 
  Connie

  Summer Dream is a sweet story of an unexpected love that is different than what the two people involved imagine for themselves. They have some barriers to surmount, and there is forgiveness and hope to be found here. This is a great old-fashioned story!
• 
  Sonia Parham

  Very good start to the series
• 
  Paula-O

  Series Seasons of the Heart-Book #1"Summer Dream" by Martha Rogers
  
  
  Connecticut in the 1800's , The Winstons live in the parsonage next to the church that Papa Winston pastors. His family are devoted to him and the lifestyle they live.
  Daniel has a friend that he went to college with by the name of Nathan Reed who has come to visit and soon will meet the pastors daughter, Rachel. Nathan has secrets in his past that he needs to resolve and has been living and setting God and church away. He believes that he does not want to date a christian and though he is attracted to Rachel he tries to stay away from her.
  Daniel and Rachel have know one another many years growing up in the same community. When he returns from college they seem to be with one another a lot as they see movies -go to dances and etc. I think they both realize they are only friends and nothing more but they enjoy time together so they are usually seen together.
  It seems Daniel and Nathan always run into one another on their nights out and so Nathan and Rachel also see one another and both feel the attraction, when Rachel realizes Nathan wants nothing to do with religion -God or a good christian woman , she puts space between them knowing it would not work.
  God just might have plans for Nathan that will set him down and make him listen on this trip.
  A Blizzard , a little boy lost and a man heading to Briar Ridge seems to be headed for a collision. What happens later you will want to read.
  I enjoyed reading about Daniel-Nathan-Rachel and The Winstons.
• 
  Beverly McCall

  I stumbled onto this book during our recent road trip. We stopped at a diner in Utah and in the entryway there was a book stand. While waiting for our food to arrive, I walked over to the book stand. Martha Roger’s book intrigued me so I bought it. I’m not sure if I have read any of Roger’s previous books, but I must say I enjoyed this book tremendously. This story is set in a small town in Connecticut during the late 1880's.
  
  Roger’s female protagonist is Rachel Winston, a minister’s daughter, who life is pretty much a prescription-type of life. Rachel encounters a challenge to this prescription lifestyle, especially with regard to the concept of becoming a wife. She is not satisfied with the limited pickings. Roger complicates Rachel’s personal struggle through the introduction of the male protagonist, Nathan Reed, who is not the type of fellow a minister would select as his daughter’s lifetime mate. But, there is a strong attraction between these two main characters. Nathan is plagued by issues of his past that have fueled an anger against God and thus distanced himself from God’s love. However, being the mere human players as they are, they cannot fight their destiny that God has planned. Roger does an excellent job in revealing the struggles they go through and how they grow and change. Through their faith and prayers, these two evolve. Yet, at the end of the story, there is a hint that life may take these two on new adventures.
  
• 
  Holly (2 Kids and Tired)

  Rachel is drawn to Nathan, an unbeliever with a haunted past. Being a preacher's daughter and strong in her faith, she knows that their future is uncertain until Nathan can come to terms with his past and his anger at God.
  
  The story is fairly predictable and our characters discover that God knows and loves them. My main complaint was the language. The dialogue was very stilted and formal and conversations didn't flow naturally. Still, it's a sweet Christian romance with likeable characters. A nice clean story.
  
  I liked Summer Dream, but I didn't love it. I loved Martha Roger's Winds Across the Prairie series. I didn't like the first book as much as the rest of that series and I hope that is what is happening here. That the subsequent books will be better than the first. I do look forward to more.
• 
  Mary

  This was a heart warming story of a young lady who does want to follow the Lord's leading in her life, courtship, future, but has conflicts after she realizes she loves a man who may not return her feelings. She wonders if she should settle for less. After releasing these fears, this minister's daughter receives her Dream from the Lord.
  
  I believe women over 50 probably can appreciate this story more...
• 
  Amy S

  Clean, very Christian, romance. The story could have been very sweet but the characters and setting fell flat for me. Half the story revolved around a trip to Boston that didn't seem to add anything to the plot. The conflict with the male main character would have added a lot of depth to the story but it's glossed over to keep the book light and cheerful. No swearing, violence, or sex, but some vague references to rape.
• 
  Jan

  I enjoyed reading Summer Dream. Rachel is a lovely woman inside and out. She wonders if she will ever find a husband. She is the daughter of a small town minister. Nathan is attracted to Rachel but has no desire to become I enjoyed every minute of it.
• 
  Lisa M.

  Was good, but I have enjoyed other books by this author more---however, I still have every intention of reading the rest in this series!
• 
  Annette O'Hare

  Really enjoyed this book by up and coming author, Martha Rogers!