I have never read a book by Melody Carlson I did not enjoy. This one will be added to the list. It was a refreshing change from historical novels. I never fail to learn something new from the books I read. When I heard of people going to school to get a degree in hotel management I never realized all the Hospitality Industry entailed professionally!

Anna Gordon is a young woman with big dreams to pursue a career she loves. She puts her plans on hold to move back to her small home town and be with her widowed grandmother. Making the best of the situation and wait or God to direct her, she gets a job managing the Value Lodge. The name should tell you enough! It was fraught with frustrations dealing with indifferent owners, lax employees, and outdated facilities. She feels her education and expertise is worthless there. Just when she thinks she cant handle anymore, the opportunity of a life time opens up.

A friend arranges for her to interview for a job at a stylish, high-class, new hotel opening in New York City! She gets a job, but not as manager. Much to her disappointment, she is hired as head of housekeeping. She decides to do her very best and hopefully move up in the future. The real blow to her comes when she finds out that Sean ONeil is the new manager. He is an old crush of hers from high school. Still drawn to him, she struggles to maintain a professional attitude and relationship. Much to her surprise, he is very interested in more.

That wasnt the only adjustment she faced. It was quite a change from her little community to bustling New York City! I have never been to the Big Apple, but I feel like I got a mini trip their through Anna! Ms. Carlson made the sights and sounds so real. I especially liked her descriptiveness of the hotel and Annas first apartment. This is a fun book, and such a sweet story of romance. An added bonus is a sneak peek at the authors next book in her Follow Your Heart series. I cant wait to read it too!

I received a copy of this book from Revell's Blog Tour Program for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.

I loved this book. Will read it again and again. I love stories with characters that evolve in their actions and perspectives to see what God wants them to see. It has a component of romance and a message of sticking to the path God puts you on, even when trouble comes and being true to yourself. Definitely a story of making something good from something bad. Enjoy!

I am so blessed to be able to read Melody Carlson's latest novel Once Upon a Summertime, before the closure of summer for me. What an incredible series this is going to be and I can't wait for the next novel in this series! For those looking for an exceptional romance, pick this one up! You won't be disappointed.

Anna Gordon has always had a heart for hospitality, and thus the reason for getting her degree in hotel management. Having lived a rough childhood, living on the streets at times, she relished those moments when they would find a place to stay in a motel. She tried her best at those times, to make it the best it good be, despite what her parents did, and the very reason why she had such a desire for those guests that would come to a place to stay, wanting to ensure that it was truly a great experience.

Yet she never dreamed after all those years of attending school, that she would wind up working at the Value Lodge and living on her grandmother's couch. While all her other friends, were busy living it up at exotic locations managing exceptional hotels, she was questioning if this is as good as her life would get. Was this what her degree would be used for? Not to mention that the Value Lodge was beyond run down and the employees lazy and without the same desire for seeing the potential of what could be. So when an offer to move to New York and help manage one of the high end newly renovated hotels becomes available, Anna believes God might just have a plan in mind if she is willing to place her faith in Him.

She meets a long time friend from home, Sean O'Neil, who most girls had crushes on in high school has now been appointed as the day manager. The two eventually realize that they need a friend while trying to make their way in an unfamiliar city, but if sparks begin to fly, they both could be out of a job when the hotel mandates a no romance or dating policy among it's employees or guests. But all Anna needs is a chance to prove herself worthy so she can move on to bigger and better goals and New York right now offers her the best chance at a new life, she had only dreamed of before.

I received Once Upon A Summertime by Melody Carlson compliments of Revell Publishing and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of the book for my honest and personal review. This was such a great novel, that I read it in one sitting. I was completely lost in the world of what it is like to manage a hotel, and being a huge dreamer of one day opening a Bed and Breakfast, this one will appealed to me. Readers even get a sneak peek at the second novel in this series, even though it is unnamed at this time, I can't wait to add this one to my personal collection at home. For me, this one well deserves all 5 out of 5 stars.

Anna was not expecting to spend her career as a hotel manager at the Value Lodge. When she is "let go" for trying to pull the place together, she's not too devastated. Her friend gives her a lead on a gorgeous boutique hotel in New York City that is hiring and she doesn't look back.

Once Anna is in New York, she finds that someone from her past is also working at the hotel. I am sure you can guess where that leads! This book is written with engaging characters and a really fun storyline. I loved it and definitely recommend it for a light, summer read.

Thank you, Revell, for this great book! As always, this is my honest opinion. Here's to many more!!

An adventure in New York for Anna. God leads when we don't see it. A guy from Anna's home town gets job she wants. But a friendship starts and becimes more. Loved learning about what it takes to open a new hotel It is hard to put book down.