California Summer by Anita Hughes

California Summer by Anita Hughes

St. Martin’s Griffin; June 19, 2018

Review copy courtesy of St. Martin’s Griffin

Description:  Ben and Rosie are Hollywood’s newest director/producer dream team. After hitting it big at Sundance, it seems that their ten years of love and hard work are finally paying off. Rosie is happy making independent films, but Ben wants the A-List celebrity package: a house in Beverly Hills, fancy cars in the driveway, and his name on the biggest blockbusters. He’s willing to do anything, even sleep with the most famous producer in town, to get them.

Rosie is devastated by Ben’s affair, and she decides to take a break from show business. She accepts her best friend’s invitation to spend the summer at her parents’ estate in Montecito. It’s far away from L.A., the perfect place to start over.

In Montecito, Rosie meets a colorful cast of characters including Rachel, who owns a chocolate shop, and Josh, a handsome local who splits his time between surfing and classic cars. Suddenly Rosie has new friends and a new purpose. She starts a business in the village, and her luck seems to be turning around. But Rosie knows all too well that success comes with a price, and the price might be losing love…again. (publisher)

My take:  If you enjoy a sexy, contemporary romance with a beautiful setting you’ll want to read California Summer. Anita Hughes’ new novel is filled with gorgeous people who live interesting lives that are all in various states of emotional upheaval. Rosie begins to find her passion in life after living in the shadow of another person’s dream for years. She also starts to listen to her inner voice and a select few others who have wisdom to pass on to her. Filled with various characters, some more sympathetic than others (who are downright easy to loathe), the story is a nighttime soap lover’s catnip. Toss this one into the beach bag this summer. You’ll be glad you did!

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About the author:
ANITA HUGHES is the author of Monarch Beach, Market Street, Lake Como, French Coast, Rome in Love, Island in the Sea, Santorini Sunsets, Christmas in Paris, White Sand, Blue Sea, Emerald Coast, and Christmas in London. She attended UC Berkeley’s Masters in Creative Writing Program, and lives in Dana Point, California, where she is at work on her next novel. For more information about Anita and her books, visit anitahughesbooks.com

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Praise for Anita Hughes:
“Hughes crafts another fast-paced beach read for those who crave new beginnings that lead to happy endings.” –Booklist

“Anita Hughes is a master at sweeping the reader away to an exotic location! In CALIFORNIA SUMMER, Hughes takes us behind the gates to the manicured lawns, exquisite gardens, and mansions of Hollywood royalty to experience a second chance at a career and love. The perfect beach read!” –Mary Alice Monroe, New York Times bestselling author of Beach House Reunion

“A tender and triumphant look at what happens when life falls apart and you are left to rediscover the world through an entirely different lens than the one you imagined: new friends, new passions, new roads. Anita Hughes crafts a winning heroine you absolutely root for, and CALIFORNIA SUMMER made my heart sing.” –Allison Winn Scotch, New York Times bestselling author

“Hughes’ uplifting tour of past love and future endeavors, set in a dreamy getaway of excitement and self-discovery, makes for an ideal, quick beach read.” –Booklist on Emerald Coast

“How OOC could a family drama that’s set in sandy St. Barts get? Very.” –Cosmopolitan on White Sand, Blue Sea

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