REVIEW: The Barefoot Summer by Carolyn Brown

The Barefoot Summer by Carolyn Brown is a beautiful story about forgiveness, finding family under the most unusual circumstances. This is the story of 3 women, Kate, Jamie and Amanda, the story of how they grew to love each other like sisters, and in the end were able to find love again after what felt like the ultimate betrayal.

When Conrad Steele was murdered in a flower shop, his wife Kate was shocked to find out at his funeral, no less, that she is not the only Mrs. Conrad Steele. Seems her good for nothing husband had not one, not two, but three wives, each married to him 7 years apart, each married to him on the same date, and to make matters worse, one of them has a daughter by him, Gracie, and one is about to have a baby any day now. The icing on the cake, all 3 are suspects in the investigation into his murder, suspected of acting alone or together to get rid of Conrad.

In order to let things settle down, all 3 women separably decide to hide out at the cabin in Bootleg, each staking claim to the cabin, each refusing to leave. So the story goes, and as each woman begins to talk to the others about Conrad, and they start comparing notes, each works their way through the stages of grief, while Kate and Amanda fall more and more in love with Gracie each day. Before you know it, they are working together to help each other along, defend each other when accusations come flying they they somehow were involved with Conrad’s murder, support and help each other as they begin making plans and decisions about staying in Bootleg permanently.

What I really loved about the interactions between these women is that in their own ways, they were stronger than they looked, stronger then they thought that they were. And of course Little Gracie was the spark plug that had them all interacting with each other, looking out for each other, because lets face it, who can refuse a sweetheart like Gracie. In the middle of all of the bonding time is Paul, Gracie’s little friends daddy who is a widow and takes an interest in Jamie, and Waylon, the lawman who takes a shine to Kate and truly wants to help prove that none of the women were involved in what happened to Conrad, because lets face it, as the story goes on, you find out exactly what a RAT Conrad Steele really is.

This story just takes you and carries you along for a wonderful ride full of laughter, tears, and 3 amazing HEA’s. I feel like these characters are not just people in a book, but that they are truly family and I feel so invested in their journey. Another amazing HIT for Carolyn Brown!
 

Book Info:

 Published January 3rd 2017 | Montlake Romance |

Leaving one widow behind is unfortunate. Leaving three widows behind is just plain despicable. Oil heiress Kate Steele knew her not-so-dearly departed husband was a con man, but she’s shocked that Conrad racked up two more wives without divorcing her first. The only remnant of their miserable marriage she plans to keep is their lakeside cabin in Bootleg, Texas. Unfortunately, she’s not the only woman with that idea.

Fiery, strong-willed Jamie wishes Conrad were still alive—so she could kill the scoundrel herself. But for their daughter’s sake, she needs that property. As does Amanda—twenty-eight, pregnant, and still weeping over the loss of her true love. On a broiling July day, all three arrive in Bootleg…with a dogged detective right behind who’s convinced that at least one of them conspired to commit murder. One momentous summer filled with revelations, quirky neighbors, and barefoot evenings on the porch offers three women the chance to make the journey from enemies to friends, and claim a bright, new beginning.