Once Upon A Summer: Review

Once Upon a Summer is a fanciful collection of favorite and lesser known fairy tales. Perfect for your summer reading. An easy and enjoyable read with a cast of wonderful characters facing the challenges of falling in love with or without the fairytale…

And with a fun cover like this, how can you pass it up?

Want more fairy tale retellings? Check out my review of Once Upon a Christmas.

Fairy Tales are Tough, Aren’t They?

Guest post by Jaycee Weaver

Fairy tales are tough, aren’t they? On the one hand, it’s easy to be swept away into the simplicity, magic, and romance. On the other, it’s a fairly unrealistic view of the world. Life lessons, misery, and cautionary tales juxtaposed against insta-love and happily ever afters in which love conquers all. My favorites are the less common tales, but those don’t lend well to romantic retellings. 

In 2019 when Toni, Andrea, Teresa, Mikal, Angela, and I first began talking about Once Upon a Christmas, choosing a fairy tale to modernize and retell was effortless. I immediately had a gazillion ideas for The Little Mermaid. Gabrielle’s voice came to my mind very distinctly in A Splash of Love. Choosing a fairy tale for Once Upon a Summer wasn’t so easy. I must have read three or four dozen familiar tales. Even after I settled on The Frog Prince, figuring out how to take a one-and-a-half-page story and turn it into a full-fledged, well-developed novella with likable characters created a whole new set of issues. 

For starters, the Grimm’s tale features a spoiled, selfish princess who breaks her promises. That’s not exactly a recipe for a good Christian romance now, is it? As I sat to brainstorm ideas, it was actually Jaime, the hero, who spoke to me first. I knew right away he was the younger brother of my hero from Splash. I also knew he didn’t trust Charlotte, and with good reason. But since it’s Christian romance, those reasons had to be compelling yet redeemable, so I made sure to give her challenges and heartache to overcome too. 

Slowly, a story began to emerge with parallels borrowed from the original tale. A young woman raised amid Hollywood royalty. On the surface, a spoiled princess with a reputation for drama and a temper. A man who once lived in her world but has since been transformed from handsome young prince to someone less recognizable. Not necessarily as unappealing as a frog, but perhaps he works with people she might view as such. He offers a much needed rescue, extracts a promise, and along the way they fall in love. 

Still, I wanted Charlotte to encounter Christ in a life-changing way, and I also needed to get her to Albuquerque because that’s where the Reyes family lives (and where most of my books are set). Jaime was an actor until he grew sick of the lifestyle and discovered his true calling. All grown up, Jaime—who Charlotte knew as teen heartthrob JT Rana (Spanish for frog)—now runs a non-profit dedicated to reducing restaurant food waste and feeding the needy. Between his good works and his family’s warm influence, Charlotte must reconcile her past and what she’s always valued with her newly opened eyes and heart. 

Considering how The Frog Prince is the tale that’s so heavily influenced our view of kissing frogs (and the adage “Sometimes you have to kiss a lot of frogs before finding your prince.”), Unkissable seemed a fitting title. Neither character is particularly appealing to the other at first. There’s too much history. Too many differences. And yet… when God does His work on hearts, even the worst of people can become more than just kissable, they become lovable too. I certainly hope that comes across in my retelling.

Thanks for having me here! I’d love to connect with you, so be sure to check out my links and reach out!

Once Upon a Summer Collection
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release date: May 25, 2021 

Contemporary Retellings of Timeless Tales

A New Beginning by Andrea Boyd — Who is she? Acacia Martin raised by an impostor mom serving a prison sentence for her sins, or Jasmine Callahan abducted at birth from a family she’s yet to meet? Luckily, she has Drake to help her untangle the mess that is her life. Will he ensnare her heart in the process?

An Ever After Summer by Toni Shiloh — The employees of In a Bind are terrified of Jean-Luc Thibodeaux, so Bellamy Larson hops on a plane to France to deal with the beastly client. Yet once she arrives, she’s convinced he merely needs a friend. Then her heart begins to want ever after, not just one summer.

Gwen and the Three Dates by Teresa Tysinger — Life isn’t a romantic movie, but Gwen Lochs is determined to find her leading man. When she joins a cheesy dating site, Gwen agrees to just three dates. Can Ben Smith watch his best friend and soulmate find someone else? A romantic comedy about searching for that just-right love. Unkissable by Jayee Weaver — Reality diva Charlotte Lavigne’s on-camera meltdown reminds former teen-TV prince Jaime Reyes exactly why he left Hollywood ten years ago. A chance encounter leads to a bargain that transforms them both. When it’s time to face her past, will their rediscovered love be strong enough to build a future together?

Unkissable by Jaycee Weaver — Reality diva Charlotte Lavigne’s on-camera meltdown reminds former teen-TV prince Jaime Reyes exactly why he left Hollywood ten years ago. A chance encounter leads to a bargain that transforms them both. When it’s time to face her past, will their rediscovered love be strong enough to build a future together?

AUTHOR INFORMATION

Andrea Boyd Author bio –
Each of Andrea Boyd’s series represents a different genre but all fall into the category of romance. All offer an element of her own brand of humor. And all are a tribute to God. Besides writing, she loves spending time with her family, quilting, going to car shows, and driving around in her 1968 Barracuda convertible. Andrea lives with her husband, Tommy, and at least a couple of cats in York County, SC. Visit her at www.andreaboyd11.com. 

Newsletter- https://www.subscribepage.com/u8c5f9 
Twitter- https://twitter.com/andreaboyd111 
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/andreaboyd11/
Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14689507.Andrea_Boyd 
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/andreaboyd11/
Bookbub- https://www.bookbub.com/profile/andrea-boyd

Toni Shiloh Author bio –
Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and multi-published Christian contemporary romance author. She writes to bring God glory and to learn more about His goodness. Her novel, Grace Restored, was a 2019 Holt Medallion finalist and Risking Love is a 2020 Selah Award finalist. Visit her at www.tonishiloh.com.  

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authortonishiloh
Twitter: www.twitter.com/tonishilohwrite
Instagram: www.instagram.com/tonishiloh
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/toni-shiloh
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/tonishiloh

Teresa Tysinger Author bio –
Teresa Tysinger is a wife, mother, and communications director for a national non-profit. She writes charming Christian romance, inspired by grace. Teresa now resides in Texas, though part of her heart remains in North Carolina. She loves Jesus, coffee, and happy endings. Visit Teresa at www.teresatysinger.com. 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teresatysingerauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tmtysinger
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teresatysinger_author/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/teresatysinger/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16536072.Teresa_Tysinger
Amazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/Teresa-Tysinger/e/B071HVQ2V6
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/teresa-tysinger

Jaycee Weaver Author bio –
Lover of Jesus, family, books, coffee, music, and crafting (in that order), Jaycee Weaver is perpetually pursuing at least one of her passions. She writes contemporary Christian romance with realistic characters in everyday situations where they always find a happy ending. Visit her at www.jayceeweaver.com. 

Website: https://www.jayceeweaver.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jayceeweaver
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayceeweaver
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/weaverjaycee
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/weaversgrrrl
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17239020.Jaycee_Weaver
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jaycee-weaver
Amazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/Jaycee-Weaver/e/B076CVKRPJ
Honored to be an InspyRomance author on the web and Facebook.

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