Summer Promise

Robin Jones Gunn deals with some authentic teen issues while keeping with a Christian world view. I enjoyed this fast little read very much, and look forward to reading more from this author.

Summer Promise is the story of Christy Miller, a 14-year-old girl from Wisconsin that is spending her summer with her aunt and uncle in California. She has trouble making friends in the beginning, but after her aunts gives her a complete makeover she gains the confidence to finally go out and socialize. Her new friends seem wonderful, but looks can be deceiving. Christy has a wild and eventful summer, during which she learns all about herself.

This is another book that, as a mom, I would encourage my daughter to read in her teens. Though Christy has to deal with some tough issues, including death and finding herself, she shows younger girls that it is okay to be upset. The main message I took from this book was that when you put your show more life in God's hands, he will help you deal with your problems.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It is a wonderfully wholesome and entertaining story. This book was hard to put down. Though the religious aspect was a bit overpowering at some parts, I couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen next. I'm still left wondering what is going to happen next, and encourage you to read the story and find out why. show less

I honestly couldn't finish this book. I had no idea this was going to be religious.

The entire time I was reading the book I felt like I was being preached at. There was a part where Todd, Christy's love interest, made it seem like if you weren't Christian then you weren't worthy.

I strongly disliked her Aunt Marti. From the beginning she was trying to change everything about Christy; what she ate, what she wore and how she acted. I did like her Uncle Bob though. He told her to be herself and that was good enough.

Note: This book was originally published in 1988, it was republished this year for the Kindle.

Summer Promises Book 1 by Robin Jones Gunn
I requested this book through Librarything early reviews. I had never read anything by Robin Jones Gunn before.
Synopsis:
Christy joins her Aunt Marti and Uncle Bob for the summer in California. She is excited to hit the beach and make new friends. Christy does not have success the first day on the beach. She is so upset that her aunt decides to cheer her up by taking her shopping and getting a new look. The second day was more successful and Christy is able to make friends. Aunt Marti wants to continuously shower Christy with gifts. How will this affect the relationship that Christy has with her aunt? Or her new friends? Will she be able to gain proper prospective on what is truly important in show more life?
My thoughts:
This book is a young adult genre book. I don’t usually read these books. I thought the story was great! What girl wouldn’t want to have a relative who would buy them everything they wanted? I felt that I could identify in some ways with the main character. show less

The summer of her fifteenth birthday, Wisconsin farm girl Christy Miller goes to visit her aunt and uncle in Newport Beach, California. While there, she makes several new friends, including surfer Todd, and their friendship will eventually develop into romance. As the summer progresses, tragedy strikes Christy's new friends, and she learns some lessons about faith.

YA book with positive messages about youth and Christianity; this book lacks the "sex and drugs mentality" of more recent YA novels.

Targeted toward tweens to young teens, this well written story tackles the challenges of being a teenager and kicks it up a notch by focusing on the Christian teen. Christy is the average teen who only wants to be accepted and ends up in some very uncomfortable and unsafe situations. She lives on a farm, goes to church every Sunday, and is the all around "good" girl. She is soon to be 15 and not only wants friends, but wants a summer romance while she stays with her Aunt and Uncle. Her being boy crazy has an influence on how she looks at things and at times, her attitude is down-right annoying.

This book focuses heavily on peer pressure and how it can change one's life by making wrong decisions. After a particularly disturbing incident show more that happens to one of Christy's friends, there comes to light a very strong salvation message making this a wonderful tool to give to the teen that is beginning to question things about God.

All in all, this is a great book to give to any girl who struggles with peer pressure!! show less

Summer Promise is the story of Christy Miller, a 14-year-old girl from Wisconsin that is spending her summer with her aunt and uncle in California. She has trouble making friends in the beginning, but after her aunts gives her a complete makeover she gains the confidence to finally go out and socialize. Her new friends seem wonderful, but looks can be deceiving. Christy has a wild and eventful summer, during which she learns all about herself.

This is another book that, as a mom, I would encourage my daughter to read in her teens. Though Christy has to deal with some tough issues, including death and finding herself, she shows younger girls that it is okay to be upset. The main message I took from this book was that when you put your show more life in God's hands, he will help you deal with your problems.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It is a wonderfully wholesome and entertaining story. This book was hard to put down. Though the religious aspect was a bit overpowering at some parts, I couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen next. I'm still left wondering what is going to happen next, and encourage you to read the story and find out why. show less