ARC BOOK REVIEW ~ THE SUMMER HE CAME HOME BY JULIANA STONE

Title: The Summer He Came Home 

(Bad Boys of Crystal Lake, Book One)

Author: Juliana Stone

Expected Release Date: April 2, 2013

ARC provided by NetGalley

Sometimes the best place to find love is right back where you started…

Falling asleep in a different bed every night has made it easy for Cain Black to forget his past. It’s been ten years since he packed his guitar and left Crystal Lake to chase his dreams. Now tragedy has forced him home again. And though Cain relishes the freedom of the road, one stolen moment with Maggie O’Rourke makes him wonder if he’s missing out on something bigger than fame.

For Maggie—single mother and newly settled in Crystal Lake—love is a luxury she just can’t afford. Sure, she appreciates the tall, dark and handsome looks of prodigal son Cain Black. But how long can she expect the notorious hellion to stay?

The last thing either of them wants is something complicated. But sometimes love has its own plans.

Book Review

This is the first novel I've read by author Juliana Stone, and will certainly not be the last. 

Although this isn't a new plot idea -- bad boy rock star returning home and heroine running away to escape an abusive ex-- Stone's writing pulls you in to her world and I fell for the group of guys that have stuck together since early childhood. There is a sense of small town closeness (and even sometimes, nosiness) and strong bonds of friendship between believable characters and the reader will root for both Cain and Maggie as they struggle to find their way. 

There are hints of intriguing back stories with secondary characters to make you want to continue reading this series.  Mac and Jake will have their own struggles in upcoming books and I can't wait to see where Juliana takes them.  

There are no real surprises in The Summer He Came Home, but it has a solid foundation with a down-home feeling that lovers of contemporary romance can slip into and enjoy.