The Days of Summer

This is a positively wonderful read - emotional, thoughtful, realistic, and full of love, living it, dealing with it, encountering it. I loved each one of the characters, including Victor Banning. What incredible depth of character in all her people. It was so good that as soon as I was finished with it, I turned around and read it again, to find all the important things that I truly want to remember. Give yourself a treat and read this book.

Interesting and entertaining. Perfect poolside read. I really enjoyed it. Nice sotry and not so much sex.

In 1957, Rudy Banning arrived drunk at his wife's art showing. Despite their privileged lifestyle and Rachel's fame as an artist it's not a match made in heaven. Enraged by Rachel's trying to get him out of the public eye while intoxicated, Rudy stumbles out to his car. In an attempt to stop him, Rachel climbs into the car and attempts to take the keys but he's belligerent and drives at a breakneck speed through the Los Angeles streets. Rudy's drunk driving caused the fiery crash killing both himself and his wife as well as up and coming singing star, Jimmy Peyton. After the accident, the Peyton's young children, Cale and Jud are sent to live with Rudy's father, Victor. They'd never met this cold, overbearing grandfather who seems to delight in pitting them against each other. Jimmy's widow, Katherine, and their daughter, Laurel, move in with Jimmy's mother, Julia. She's a controlling, possessive woman who lived her life for Jimmy and now that he's died she's transferred that obsession to Jimmy and Katherine's daughter as well as trying to keep any memories of Jimmy in the forefront of everyone's mind. By 1970, Katherine and Laurel moved to Santa Catalina Island where Jud and Cale meet Laurel purely by accident. None of them are aware of the tragedy that binds them together. Laurel begins dating Cale but Victor's meddling soon comes between them, then Lauren develops feelings for Jud. The brother's go back into competitor mode and Laurel is finally told the truth about the history between the Bannings and Peytons. Is there any way to resolve the pain and anger between these two families? Jill Barnett's THE DAYS OF SUMMER spans over thirty years of history among the three generations of Peyton women and Banning men. Hurt, anger, jealousy, devotion, and love are all amplified by the raw emotion that can be felt throughout this entire book. What truly fascinated me with this story is the obsession that Victor carries for obtaining all of Rachel's artwork at any price, and the fact that Katherine has a painting but out of spite chooses not to sell. I loved the little secrets that slip out at different stages while you're reading. With each secret revealed you feel like you understand a little more about the characters. Nobody's perfect, and hindsight is 20/20. We all have things we wish we could have done differently and I adore that you get the chance to see not just how Laurel, Jud, and Cale all turn out but how the next generation turn out as well and some of the conflicts they face. This is a wonderfully poignant story that is the perfect summertime read. It's full of drama and characters that readers will adore. Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

Few books grab you and make you feel. This one makes you think and feel just about life. You end this book with a better feeling and outlook on life. Thank you Jill Barnett. I haven't read any of your other books but I will. I promise!

This is truly the best fiction book I've ever read. I wanted to read this book from cover to cover in one sitting. There was so much emotion for me in this story that I forgot whose life I was living. I could feel to the core of my being the emotions in the life of these characters. I cried, laughed, and was continually astonished at the way love, and love lost could change someones life so drastically.