Sins of Summer by Linda Heavner Gerald

Review: 4 Star

Find It On Amazon

Sins of Summer by Linda Heavner Gerald is a page-turning fiction read with a distinctive, memorable protagonist. Successful interior designer Audrey is simultaneously up-scale and relatable, as she struggles with a difficult past and her façade world begins to crumble around her. Unable to bear the hypocrisy of the wealthy elite, her marriage crumbles as she falls into alcoholism and preoccupation with her identity. When a villain emerges from the shadows of the beach house where she first experienced trauma, Audrey and her newfound friend Diana must face the ultimate music—God’s purpose and plan amidst so much wrongdoing. Audrey’s situations kept me reading breathlessly and the story pace was quick and exhilarating. The characters and situations flowed evenly into each other, keeping interest high.
​
Linda delves into some sexual issues in this page-turning contemporary novel, writing with remarkable vividness. I eagerly followed Audrey and Diana as they grew from emotional hollowness to greater spiritual purpose through the subtly drawn faith element, but the story’s emphasis was on relationships and empowerment. Linda Heavner Gerald handles the dramatic plot and multiple points of view with great effectiveness.  Some form of gender-based violence or mistreatment links most of the women in the book, and Sins of Summer captures this topic in a crystallized fictional form. There’s a little glamour, a little adventure, and more than a little heartbreak and triumph. Not for younger audiences because of the content, but for mature readers looking for something a little different Sins of Summer would be an intriguing summer reading choice.