All Summer Long

Tia D'Amico is feeling a bit like life is passing her by as she works as a chef in her family's restaurant in a little "podunk" town in Washington state.  Then her aunt calls and offers her a lifeline, the chance to come to San Francisco and be part of restoring an older yacht and turning it into an elegant venue for dinner cruises. Tia jumps at the chance and within 24 hours is on her way!

Melody Carlson takes the beautiful and romantic city of San Francisco and a cast of characters made up of the young and beautiful, the wealthy, and those who love the sea and boating, to spin a fun and fast-paced tale of love nearly gone very, very wrong.

The scene is set when Tia arrives in San Franciso to find that her aunt is not at the airport to meet her due to her uncle being in the hospital.  Aunt Julie arranges for the yacht's captain to meet Tia in her place and he turns out to be the same guy she met at a boating camp for teenagers when she visited her aunt and uncle 10 years earlier.  The same guy she had a major crush on and who gave her her first real kiss.

Leo remembers Tia, too, and they seem to have an instant connection, getting along and chatting easily on the way to the restaurant Aunt Julie made reservations at.  Tia is caught up in it and is thinking the move to San Francisco may be a very good move, indeed.  Just as her mind is beginning to imagine spending more time with the handsome captain Leo, he tells her someone else is meeting them at the restaurant...his brand new fiance!

The rest of the book is about the struggles Tia and Leo face regarding their feelings for each other, Leo's impending marriage, and of course, getting the yacht ready to sail.  It's a pleasant, easy read and I love that it's "clean" with no bodice ripping scenes and also that while there is a Christian undercurrent to it, it doesn't beat you over the head with it.

I highly recommend All Summer Long as a great beach or poolside escape.