One Summer

I like this kind of story but I didn't expect it from this author. I thought for the price, there would be more substance and a typical story line. I think I'll have to get samples before I buy another from him.

I really enjoyed reading this book. One Summer has a great story line, and really grabbed my attention. This book is totally different form his series, and again shows that David Baldacci is a greay writer mastering different disciplines.

This is a bit of a turn for David Baldacci from his regular style of work. I enjoyed the work and felt that he did a good job of describing how people deal with grief in different ways. He also did a good job of dealing with how family relationships are built, how they struggle, how fear sometimes tramples relationship but how love and understanding do eventually work their magic to build strong families.

Jack Armstrong is dying! He has a terminal illness and doesn't have much longer to live. His wife and kids are frightened, each of them dealing with the inevitable in their own way. Lizzie is strong and dependable and there for every need. Michelle, their teenage daughter is withdrawn and moving further away from relationship with her dad. Cory is scarred for what is happening and unsure how to respond. Jackie, the youngest, has no idea what is really going on so he just goes on with life as normal.

Jack promises Lizzie to do his best to live until Christmas. With just a week left he starts to write her one letter a day to leave for her as a memorial of his love and care for her and the family. On Christmas eve Lizzie realizes that she forgot to pick up Jack's med's from the pharmacy, so against the wishes of her husband, she leaves home in a storm and heads to the pharmacy. Later the police show up to tell Jack that Lizzie was killed in a car accident.

Devastation is the only word that can describe what happens. What can Jack do, he is bed ridden and will die soon. The kids need someone to care for them. Enter the grandparents. They take and divide the kids up amongst family members and park Jack in a hospice facility to wait out his time and then die.

But Jack has a change of mind about dying and starts to fight back. Long story short, he recovers and the doctors say it is a miracle. Jack is convinced it is because of Lizzie in heaven watching out for him.

Jack gets his kids back and moves to the childhood home of his wife. It is there that the bulk of the story takes place. I don't want to give spoilers so I will be general here. Bottom line, Baldacci builds his characters, adds new ones to the mix, develops their relationships to each other and works through a variety of issues regarding parenting, grieving and well, just learning to move on.

As someone who works a lot with people who are grieving the loss of loved ones the book really spoke to me because Baldacci does a great job of describing how some people handle their grief. This is a great read.

If you are use to Baldaccis regular work you might not like this book. But if you are willing to try something a bit different I don't think you will be disappointed.

Thanks David for giving us a very good story about family.

Enjoy!

It is difficult to imagine that David Baldacci actually wrote this book, or if he did he shouldn't stray from his usual genre. There is little character development, extremely predictable storylines and incredibly simplistic and unimaginative writing. I could say plenty more but I'll leave it at this.

I regret buying this book and regret even more reading it. I stuck with it to the end, however, hoping that Baldacci's reputation as a writer would pull this one out of the pits. But it remained overwrought, shallow and contrived. It was just plain amateurish.

As a veteran of nine combat tours, I felt a kinship with "jack". The story of family, love, loss, and rebirth made this old soldier laugh, cry, and want to re-hug my wife and kids. Not traditional Baldaci but VERY well done.

Absolute bore! I have read every book David has written and I kept wanting to put this one down. Some say it is a sweet story but I wasn't looking for something sweet from him. It is of course a believable story but one that drags on and on with little excitement. There is just nothing in this book that I would recommend to anyone other than someone looking for a way to waste a lot of time. I am still not finished (on kindle - 80% done) but like many others, I may not go back to it.

This was a unique and moving story. It makes you sad, happy and mad over and again. When a book can elicit this much emotion and make me reluctant to leave the characters behind at its end, I know it's a worthwhile read and recommendation. Baldacci does not disappoint.

This was a great book, fun and exciting to read. It held my interest. It was thrilling in the final chapters. Most of all it was an entertaining book to read. I always enjoy reading books by this author.

This is a change from the normal Baldacci fare; it is a quick read with few characters and a very predictable plot. There are few if any surprises. It is feel-good book. Truthfully, I thought it was a disappointment from what I have come to expect from the author. Let's get back to the Camel Club, please.

I have read David Baldacci books before this one, he should stick to his usual subject matter. This was such a waste of reading time! I haven't read a Danielle Steel book in 25 years, but this one could have been written by her back in the 80's. Don't waste your precious time or money on this one.

I bought this book because it was by. DAVID BALDACCI and was very disappointed in it
I love his books because of the mystery and intrigue. This book had neither! I put the book down several times out of boredom. If you love Baldacci don't bother with this one

he certainly blew his nose on this one......bring back the earlier Baldooch. what's next, dick and jane play solitaire?
way too much suspension of disbelief required. as in, did the sheriff ever wonder where the baseball bats came from? what happened to the tool pouch? pee-pee, ca-ca, poo-poo ............no stars!

Baldacci should stick to his strengths, political/military thrillers. Here he tries to outdo Nicholas Sparks, turn on the waterworks, go for the Kleenex, and IMHO fails in comparison. The plot strains credulity--protagonist is dying from an unidentified fatal disease but upon the tragic, unexpected death of the wife he loves dearly, our hero miraculously recovers without a trace of the illness and, in taking over the care of his three children, including a musically precocious, difficult-at-times teenage daughter, relocates to his dead wife's childhood home, a beach house on the Carolina shore. Mean mother-in-law sues to gain custody of the children but then sees the light (pun intended if you read the book). At the same time, the protagonist meets a single, attractive (of course) woman while he's down at the shore and proposes to her after he makes peace with the haunting memories of his deceased spouse. Many times the dialog from the teenage daughter is more grown up and prescient than would be expected from one not yet an adult. If it's a hanky fluttering, tear-jerker, broken heart story taking place along the Atlantic shoreline that you're looking for, stick to Sparks--he's unequaled at the genre.

David Baldacci is a qifted writer who has created great stories, fabulous threats, wonderful characters and compelling prose. This book contains none of the above. One Summer should be called One Bummer. Its total pap. A character named Jack Armstrong, all American boy, high school quarterback, war hero dying from a mysterious malady. (are you starting to think creative writing 101?) A miracle cure while in hospice starts a forgetable journey to save his family in the bosom of his dead wifes home state. This story is a total waste of time and soils the name of a truly great writer. Shame on you Mr B.

If you are a Baldacci fan and love his books.... pass on this one. I'm sure it will have a following among the "chick book" fans because Baldacci is a superior wordsmith who knows how to write fabulous prose. The subject matter and plot just didn't interest me. I'll await the revival of the Camel Club.

Wow!!! I love David Baldacci's books, especially his "Camel Club" series but "One Summer" has to be the best thing he has ever written and it's not even in his normal genre. It's basically about a family that is falling apart because the father is terminally ill and not expected to live but a few more days at most. The mother gets killed in an auto accident, the mother-in-law takes his 3 kids and spreads them around to her other children for them to finish raising and puts the father in hospice where he miraculously recovers. He retrieves his children and moves to South Carolina to live in his wife's childhood home. Don't miss it. It is one fantastic read.

this book started off well but once the first bit of tragedy occured within the next chapter the ridiculous scenario began and predictably ended,,, sad, sad, sad - and I dont mean the tear jerky kind

This is the first David Baldacci book I've ever read.It was great & very hard to put down. It made me laugh & cry all at the same time. This book reminds you to love your family every day & to let them know that you love them. You just never know.

This book was so sappy sweet, I couldn't believe it was a new release. I felt I was reading a book from back in the 70's!! It was just too perfect and I never felt like reaching for a kleenex. Way too contrived, way too miraculous - a waste of my precious reading time. Not recommended at all!

I have read several books in author David Baldacci's "Will Robie" series and have enjoyed them, so when I saw ONE SUMMER at a used book sale, I thought it would be a good summer read and a nice change of pace from Baldacci's other stuff. Well, it was a change of pace--but not in a good way!

Baldacci writes well, and that is the case here too, at least regarding basic sentence structure. Unfortunately, however, the story is extremely schmaltzy (and I LIKE cheesy romance novels!) and also incredibly predictable. The main character, Jack Armstrong, has a mysterious yet fatal illness--in a very lazy move, Baldacci never bothers to identify the disease. After an another tragedy hits his family, Jack makes an incredible, unexplained recovery (and Baldacci does not even TRY to explain). Then he suffers a series of easily avoidable conflicts with his children, but through it all, he meets a woman with a heart of gold who stands by him no matter what. And of course, everything wraps up perfectly at the end.

I was actually surprised by the lack of imagination that went into this plot. The entire book reads like a Hallmark move, although those are actually more fun. Overall, I simply found this novel flat and unenjoyable. I will probably read Baldacci again but will stick to his thriller books only.

This was my first David Baldacci read. This started off so amazing! The first ten chapters were so emotional and I was shedding tears almost right away. I was not expecting this, but it was just very emotional and a strong start to this story.

Unfortunately, the middle of this book was so boring to me. It lost that initial spark and I honestly wanted to just give up on it. It started to pick up again towards the end.

I listened to this on audiobook and I did not like the music at the end of certain chapters. It took away from the power of the letters being read. Also, I was expecting a romance, and this was far from it! Yes, there was the love between the parents but this was mostly about dealing with your grief after losing a loved one.

Overall, I was not a huge fan of this and it was only ok.

This is the first book I have read by David Baldacci. I received it in the mail as a gift. This is typical chik-lit or escapist literature. It starts when Jack Armstrong is on his deathbed, he is only 34. He has six to eight months to live. So Jack writes letters to his wife for her to remember him by, one every day. The couple has three kids, Michelle, going on sixteen, Cory twelve, Jackie two. Jack and Lizzie have been high school sweethearts, marrying right after graduation. Jack is a war hero, fought in Afghanistan and Iraq. He came home, became a contracter, fixes up homes, businesses, what needs to be worked on. He's a good dependable man. The story begins on one cold winter in Cleveland, Ohio around Christmas. Jack runs out of medicine, Lizzie drives out and is killed driving on the ice. Her mother, Bonnie, blames Jack for her daughter's death. She sells their house, puts Jack into hospice to die alone, places the kids with relatives then heads back to Arizona, she and her husband Fred.

Then a miracle happens. Jack gets better, leaves the hospice, goes and gets his kids from relatives. Mikki, his daughter, is a teenager and is giving everyone problems. Bonnie is angry, Jack is an unfit father. So Jack takes the family and moves to a small town on South Carolina's shores, the low country. Mikki hates his move, likes it after she makes friends. The two boys are happy. This family goes through good and bad times. Bonnie, still angry, decides Jack is an unfit parent and wants the kids back. Jack works hard night and day to make a lighthouse work again, his wife had loved this lighthouse. This is Lizzie's lighthouse. Jack feels fixing the lighthouse makes him closer to Lizzie. Everything ends well, a feel good book. There are many writers who write this type literature.

This book was a huge disappointment. The dialogue was flat and at times cringe worthy. The story didn’t flow nicely. I was unable to become invested in these one dimensional characters. The storyline was at times predictable and unbelievable- literally. I realize it’s fiction, but it didn’t work in this book (the elements that were fiction). The writing was that of a student in a creative writing class. I honestly don’t know why I wasted my time finishing this book! Based on others’ reviews, Baldacci may be a good writer but this book was a total miss. Who knows after allowing some time to pass, I may try another book from him.

I only read this one because, once I discover an author that I like, my anal tendencies force me to read everything by the author that has ever been published. Although Baldacci’s main genre deals with political/government thrillers, every once in awhile he’ll take a detour and write about the sweet and sentimental. That, itself is o.k., but unfortunately, he doesn’t really fare too well in this area. Maybe he does fare well in this area, and it’s just that I don’t particularly like books of this nature. I really wanted to like this one. I really wanted him to pull it off. I actually started out reading this book and thinking it might turn out o.k. Even half-way through it I thought I might be able to give it at least a passing grade. Unfortunately, the last 25 pages or so takes what is a very mediocre effort and brings the whole experience down to a category of “just plain bad and stupid.”
Baldacci has been guilty of “lazy writing” before in many of his other books. Even some of the good ones. This book has “lazy writing” all over the place. By “lazy writing”, I mean that when he’s trying to advance the plot, he gets lazy and pulls things out of thin air that make absolutely no sense, nor really are believable, just to ensure that the story can keep going and moving in a forward direction. I’ll get to that in a bit.

This story is about Jack Armstrong. A 30 something year old man with a wife and three kids. Unfortunately, Jack is dying. He only has a few weeks to live when our story starts in November, and Jack is hoping to hold out long enough to celebrate one more Christmas with his family. What is he dying of? Baldacci never tells us. The only thing we know is that the disease is so horrible, that Jack can’t even pronounce it. This is the first example of “lazy writing”. I guess Baldacci figures that if he gives us a real disease, he’ll have to do some research and explain why things might happen the way they eventually do.

One night during the hectic holiday season, Jack’s wife forgets that they’ve run out of his medication, so she heads out to the drugstore on a cold wintery night where they live in Ohio. She’s killed in a car crash. So now the three kids have no mom and a dad that will be dead in a few days. Well, Jack’s in-laws are in town, fortunately, and arrangements are quickly made to permanently disperse the three kids to different relatives while Jack goes to die in hospice. There’s a toddler, an elementary aged child, and a teenage daughter. The teenage daughter seems perpetually ticked off at the world early on in the book because….well…she’s a teenager, and teenagers are supposed to be in a constant rebellious stage. I guess. The only thing she really clings to is her guitar because she’s a budding songwriter/guitar player or something.

So Jack goes to hospice to die, but (GASP!) he doesn’t die! Somehow during the next several weeks he miraculously recovers! So much so, that he’s able to walk out of hospice, retrieve his children (against his mother-in-law’s wishes. Why? I honestly don’t know) and start life over again in a South Carolina beach house owned by one of his late wife’s relatives. It seems Jack’s wife grew up in this town, and she sadly had some skeletons growing up there. I believe she had a twin sister that died there when they were very young due to meningitis or something. So Jack wants to start anew there, and maybe reconnect with his wife’s past.

Anyway, this is where the story really gets sappy and stupid. I held out hope at this point because I felt like things could have turned out o.k. story wise, but Baldacci, again, succumbs to more lazy writing. Early on in the summer, Jack is trying to mend his distant relationship with his rebellious teen-age guitar playing daughter. They stop to eat at a local restaurant called “Little Bit of Love” because the name of the restaurant is, according to Jack’s daughter, a “Def Leppard song” (It’s not. Why couldn’t Baldacci pick a real Def Leppard song? “Pour Some Sugar On Me” for instance?) They go to the restaurant, and they meet the owner, who just happens to be a divorced woman who, golly-gosh-darn-it, just so happens to be “good looking” and “about Jack’s age”. This woman, golly-gosh-darn-it, also happens to have a son who is the same age as Jack’s daughter! Her son, golly-gosh-darn-it, just happens to be a musician as well! And the woman also has, golly-gosh-darn-it, some work at her house that Jack can do for her because, well, golly-gosh-darn-it, since Jack just moved here out of the blue, he needs to find some kind of work to pay the bills. Oh, and also, this good looking divorced restaurant owner also, golly-gosh-darn-it, happens to be (ta-da) a lawyer! A lawyer? Jack doesn’t need a lawyer. Well, because of Baldacci’s lazy writing, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out he’ll probably need one sooner or later.

It would be pointless (and painful) for me to go on any further with this lousy excuse of a story. Everything is simply too stupid and contrived. I do remember another golly-gosh-darn-it instance early in the story: For no apparent reason, completely out of the blue, Jack decides to show his daughter a “self-defense move”. This comes out of nowhere, has no connection to what is currently happening, and is so ridiculously out of place, that it’s incredibly obvious that his dear daughter will somehow need this “self-defense move” sometime before the summer is over. I’ve seen middle school students tell a more convincing tie-in within a story.

Again, I had hopes for this one. It really could have been so much better. Really, the only good thing I can say about this book is that it’s somewhat short, and I think I read the whole thing in about two days. The last 30 pages, I read in about 5 minutes, just skimming the highlights (now THERE’S a misnomer!) Had I read it carefully, I would have become nauseous. I really hope that all “sappy” books aren’t this bad. Of course, if they are, I could easily become a millionaire. And so could just about anyone else that puts a pen to paper.

A very disappointing book. Way to melodramatic. It's one thing to throw obstacle after obstacle in the path of a thriller's protagonist but doing so in this "family" story is too much. After reading a number of pages and feeling disappointed, I'd decided to force my way through this book because I'd liked Baldacci's thrillers and I thought a book of a different genre would be, well, good for me. However, when I'd read to somewhere in the 130s, I mistakenly took up reading again on p. 200. What do I encounter but Mikki in trouble. Eek, wrong place. I turned back to the 130s and started reading where I'd stopped before and what do I find? More trouble. Sounds like the Music Man: We've got TROUBLE, right here in River City, Trouble and.... It was too much for me. Again, fine, even expected, in a thriller but not in a book like this. I venture to say that if the conflict scenes were removed or toned down, if the melodrama were reduced, what would be left would be, in volume, not a Reader's Digest Condensed Book entry, but a pretty darn good short story. However, a good short story pumped full of filler mostly in the form of overblown trouble does not make a good novel.

One Summer by David Baldacci is a story about a family in crisis.

Jack and Lizzie Armstrong are happily married with three children. When Jack is diagnosed with a terminal illness the Armstrong’s world changes forever. And while the family deals with the impending death of their father they’re suddenly dealt another blow.

**Spoilers, sorry.**

One Summer is my first David Baldacci book and a moderately entertaining book.

I agree with others reviewers that the first few chapters were depressing. The protagonist, Jack Armstrong, is diagnosed with a terminal illness (a condition which is never revealed by the author) then Lizzie the co-protagonist is involved in a car accident and dies. I pretty much saw this was coming as I’m sure everyone else reading the book did. Oddly enough when Jack is sent to hospice to die, he recovers; “It’s a miracle.” people say. With his life in shambles Jack is determined to win back his kids from his mother-in-law who’s fighting for custody.

I believe that One Summer was predictable and I’ll add that some parts were downright corny. A good example is the drama that occurred with Mikki and the ‘popular girl’ in school, Tiffany. Then there was the scene when she and Blair are kissing, and when Mikki gets ‘jumped’ by several people and Liam saves her, these scenes had no correlation to the plot. In my opinion, there was too much unnecessary drama added to the book.

Now, despite the fact that One Summer had a semi plausible story line, I still enjoyed the book. The plot moved along at a good speed and the characters though annoying at times came across a genuine. I particularly like that the story focused on how Jack struggled to piece his life back together.

I look forward to reading another of Mr. Baldacci’s mystery/suspense books as I understand that’s his strong suit. I give One Summer three and a half stars.

This book is a departure from David Baldacci's usual genre. It's an emotional story about love and loss, and about moving on after a loss. The plot twists start early, with terminally ill Jack convinced he is going to leave his wife to raise their three children, but then losing her in freak accident on a snowy night! Jack is relegated to hospice to die while his children are parceled out among relatives. Instead of dying, Jack recovers and manages to reunite his family, thus becoming the single parent.

Most plot points are resolved in the book, but a few do seem to be left dangling. Blake just sort of disappears after being a bit of competition for Liam early on. Tiffany, with whom Miki has several run ins throughout the book, seems to fade into the sunset after the talent competition. Considering that Miki and Liam upstaged her moment of glory after her fourth consecutive win (deserved or not), I expected her to want to retaliate. Jack's friend, Sammy, supposedly is interested in Ann Bethune, but we never hear if that works out or not.

Another surprising read from David Baldacci. I've really enjoyed his thrillers, and sort of enjoyed The Christmas Train. And definitely this one, which is very different from the others. It kind of had a Nicholas Sparks feel to it, and I don't mean that in a bad way. In fact, It was a very pleasant change of pace.

Jack Armstrong had been given a death sentence, his cancer 100% fatal. Shortly before the end of his life, his wife was killed in a car accident and in a moment of pure selfishness, his mother-in-law convinced him to let her place their three children with her and two of his wife's sisters - in effect, leaving him to die alone. Except he didn't. Defying all odds, even after being placed in Hospice to live out his last few day, he begins to get better. Every day there's another improvement - until tests reveal all trace of his disease is gone. With the help of long time friend Sammy, he gets healthy and strong again, then gets his kids back.

Before his wife died, she said she planned on taking the kids to her childhood home the following summer. Surprisingly, the beach house still belongs to the family even though no one has lived in it for a couple of decades. Still grieving, but trying to honor her plans, Jack takes them instead, though angry teenage daughter Mikki resents it at first. Sammy comes along to help out and they begin to heal, and to make friends, especially in cafe owner Jenna and her teenage son, Liam.

It takes a while, but Jack is beginning to be the father he wants to be, and that his kids need him to be, when another tragedy threatens to strike - in the form of his mother-in-law, who blames him for her daughter's death. I don't want to give away what happens, so I'll stop here. All I can say is that it's a good story. Well worth the read.

***I purchased this at a brick mortar store about three and a half years ago and only just got around to reading it. Not because it didn't sound good, but because my to-be-read list is about fifty miles long.

Outstanding storytelling of one young father's second chances, losses, and a dire attempt to built a loving home in the face of disaster and human injustices. Only Baldacci could spin a heart wrenching and heartwarming tale with such depth. Take a journey with Jack Armstrong and his family and you won't be disappointed that you did. See a unique side of this author depicting skills with a different, but most enjoyable, style in writing.

This was a book club selection and it's simply not a book for me.

It's about a guy named Jack who's a thirty-something veteran. He has a wife and three kids and when we meet him in chapter one he's almost dead from a fatal disease which he never names. Then his wife dies in a car accident before he kicks the bucket and he's shipped off to a hospice to die alone and his children are shipped off to live with relatives. But then Jack miraculously recovers and tries to pull his life back together.

It's like the author went down the Hallmark movie cliché checklist:

Resentful mother-in-law cliché: check.
Incompetent father cliché: check.
Rebellious teenage daughter cliché: check.
Custody battle cliché: check.
Sappy love letters cliché: check.
Learning to love again cliché: check. Check. Check.
I could go on...

I have no complaints about the writing or editing. It was fine. *shrug* These characters and situations, though, just weren't believable to me. Real people are not cliché. Real life is not cliché. And yet. Here we have this novel. And many, many others just like it.

This book earns a C-. The writing is competent but it's boring and predictable. Skip it and spare yourself the loss of five hours you will never, ever get back.

I'd never read Baldacci before so thought I'd begin with something that wasn't a scary thriller. I listened to the audio of this book, and by the sixth disc (before which there is hardly any conflict) I was LOL because it was so sappy...including the throbbing music that accompanied Jack's great rescue at the end. Mr. Baldacci read the male parts of the book and I was shocked that he didn't hear how many adverbs he used and how often...luckily, quickly, happily, etc. One Summer is very similar to a Danielle Steele story, for which I was not prepared...but I enjoyed it nonetheless mainly because the audio was easy listening. I have two words for the protagonist, Jack: man up. His obsession with his late wife was tiresome and I yelled out more than once, "quit your whining!" Poor Jenna has to throw a dead cat in his face before he notices her. I'm not sure how much experience the author has with teens, but Michelle and Liam seemed exceptionally mature, while poor rich girl Tiffany is a "Hairspray" stereotype. I think I'll move on to one of Mr. Baldacci's regular books.

I love Baldacci's thrillers/political espionage works. This was a nice change of pace for him, and reminds us once again that men can love just as fiercely as women can. The main character Jack is a man you can't help but admire. He survived tours in Iraq/Afghanistan, facing death there and again at home when he is diagnosed with a fatal illness. The unexpected loss of his wife and soul mate on Christmas Eve, is what finally breaks the camel's back... or does it? Can he survive against all odds and be the Dad that his kids deserve and need, when they have all been left untethered by their grief and unexpected loss? I loved the human-ness of all the characters. The teens being realistically self-centered and lacking confidence. The adults, finding their own way to move on.

Do not believe all these bad ratings that it is not worth the read, it is, albeit a bit sappy. It's very down to earth and most of it is believable. The fact that Jack recovers from a fatal-illness is a stretch, and the irony of the tragedy that happens in its place too. This is not a spoiler, as this information is described on the jacket, or first page of the paperback.

I found it written well, not "Danielle Steelish" at all - maybe the subject matter is more like Steele, but the writing definitely is not. As a woman, I loved the letters he wrote from his deathbed, a main part of the story, but I can understand how others might find them too emotional. That is reality folks, if one is dying, it is emotional, especially if you are a young man leaving behind a young family. One feels the need to get everything said while you can. The advantage to facing your own immortality is that you have the time and incentive to get it done. I'm glad I read it, but I,like many other reviewers, prefer the fast pace of his crime dramas.

Wow is what I can say about this book and if you gave it less than 4* I just cannot figure out why!!! No this is not typical mystery/suspense Baldacci it is his other side and don't knock it till you try it. Jack, husband and former army ranger, and Lizzie, wife and mother etc. etc., are soul mates and have been together since they were young and they are perfect for each other but Jack has fallen on hard times and is dying he is hoping to make it to Christmas for his kids and wife when an accident claims Lizzies life and he is sent to hospice and the kids are split up and sent to live with family on the west coast. Days turn into weeks in hospice and Jack starts to get better, but how his disease is a killer and he was almost dead! Is Lizzie saving him from beyond the grave?? Well it sure seems like a miracle has happened Jack gets stronger and finally gets his family back and they head to South Carolina where Lizzie grew up in a large beach house and it has it owns lighthouse!!!! Omg for me this would be a dream come true (not the dying part or suffering) but those are 2 of my favorite things BEACH and LIGHTHOUSES! Anyway life gets better but he is in for a rude awakening raising 3 kids and working but thanks for the help of his bff Sammy who helps him thru out the book. Jack feels closer to Lizzie here where she grew up and many interesting things happen good and bad but you have to read it! I really, really, highly recommend it! 5+++++*********. This is my first David Baldacci and it won't be my last. My mom and friend read it and also gave it 5* so I had to read it myself and I highly agree with them. This book will MOVE you in many ways it is POWERFUL! Read it :)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, despite the fact that it was a fairly predictable, sappy story. It is a perfect summer read, and that is exactly what I needed at the time. I had just finished A Death in the Family by James Agee, which also dealt with loss and grief, but it was on a much deeper, much more serious, much more profound level. I need a lighter, quicker, less emotionally exacting read, and while this is also a story of grief and loss, Baldacci delivers a nearly effortless summer novel.

This is the first Baldacci book I have read, and I do like his way with words. I like that he can deal with a tough subject without ripping the reader to emotional shreds. I like that the story was fairly face paced, and that it focused on an entire family's reaction to and recovery from grief over an unexpected death. I also liked that Baldacci moved the characters through sadness, anger, depression, etc. without getting so bogged down that the story suffered. I liked that it ended on a positive note, but that getting to that point involved some drama.

Sure, it is a fairly formulaic novel. Perhaps not the typical fare for Baldacci, but pretty standard for it's genre. Baldacci, however, is a writer worth getting to know better, and this was a good, easy, and (dare I say it) even fun start for me. I would recommend it...especially if you're going on vacation and looking for a book that entertains without exhausting the reader.

Although I knew the name David Baldacci up until this book i've never read anything by him. I know this isn't his typical genre of novels (he's primarally a crime/thriller writer) That being said, I was recommened this book and decided to bring it with me to read on the plane on the way to vacation. This book was awesome, it was heartbreaking and tragic, and the roller coaster ride keeps going throughout the whole book. Tragedy strikes within the first couple pages and the book continues to pull at your heart strings throughout the rest of the book as well.

I don't ever cry from reading books for whatever reason, (although I am a super emotional person and cry at almost everything I watch on TV) so I don't know why books don't get me to that point. That being said my eyes burned and welled up quite a few times while reading this book, it's extremely emotional and it's an emotion that everyone who's ever lost someone they cared about can relate too.

The characters are well-developed and I enjoyed them all. The plot moved along quickly and I never found myself bored with the story, in fact I felt like I flew through the pages. The only reason this book didn't get a 5 star rating from me was because I felt like at times the plot was too predictable, and there was too much drama, like too many bad things happened to this family that it started to feel forced and not genuine.

If you've read the book blurb, there are no spoilers in this review.
The former terminally ill Jack should be dead and buried, but he's a medical miracle, cured of some ambiguous form of cancer. Instead his healthy wife resides six feet under, killed in a car accident while out picking up Jack's pain meds when Jack had just days to live. Lizzie's one-dimensional mother Bonnie blames Jack for her daughters death, farms out his three children to various family members across the country, and leaves Jack to die alone in a hospice (huh?). When Jack recovers, Bonnie doesn't want him to regain custody.
if your belief is not yet suspended, then this might be the perfect book for you.

I'm a cancer survivor and I have lost half a dozen friends to cancer, so I'm not an unbiased reader, so I know cancer doesn't disappear days before death. I know dysfunctional families. I also know child custody.

The writing was mediocre, the plot contrived, the characters flat, the dialog stilted. Still, I rooted for Jack and his family and I'm a sucker for happy endings.

This novel is so unlike Baldacci's thrillers that we are accustomed to, but it is a welcome change for me. As an audiobook McClarty and Cassidy embraced the listeners by making me want to hear more every day I was in my car. Quite often when I am listening to a book I find that my attention does have a tendency to wander, but I don't think that happened once, and if I happened to miss something I had to rewind it to make sure I didn't miss a thing!

Jack is terminally ill with three children that need parental guidance at home. Knowing his time on earth is limited, he agrees with his mother-in-law as he watches his children being separated to live with various family members, while he lies alone in a hospice center just waiting to take his last breath. He ends up spending a lot of time in the hospice center when he not only lives longer than expected, but suddenly seems to recover. When he is finally given a clean bill of health months after his admittance, the doctors are amazed at the miracle that Jack seems to have spun.

At the hesitance of his family members, Jack is able to get his kids back together again and living with him. Not long after their reunion, when life seems to be getting back to some form of normalcy, the kids maternal great-grandmother passes away and leave a South Carolina beach home to Jack and his family. Jack is surprised that he was chosen to inherit this piece of property, but as a carpenter she figured that Jack is the one who would give the home the care that it needed.

So Jack, his kids, and his best friend Sammy, pack up all of their belongings to go investigate the beach property, that the family has always called 'The Castle'. When they arrive at the castle they are astonished to find The Castle is basically a dilapidated beach house, but the kids have hope that this will not be their permanent residence. Although things look rough on the surface, Jack sees the beautiful home that this could be once again.

A lot happens to Jack and his family during that summer at The Castle. For a bit Jack seems to lose himself in the construction projects, while his kids drift further away from him. When he finally realizes that his priorities are out of whack they all make some changes that bring them back to a family level. The only problem is that it may be too late for these changes.

This was a great audiobook, one that I think I enjoyed more than if I had actually read it. With themes of love, miracles, and family obligations, you will want to hear every word that is spoken. I do not hesitate in recommending this selection in the audioversion.

This book is not the typical David Baldacci type fiction and that becomes apparent after reading the book's cover. This is a romantic novel perhaps marketed for the fairer sex. However, I needed some light reading material to intermittently read over the Christmas holiday and this fit the bill.

The story begins with Jack, husband and dad, bedridden with an incurable decease. His condition has deteriorated to the point where he is terminal and under hospice care. The story takes another sad turn with his wife, Lizzie, rushing out to get pain medication and has a fatal automobile accident. This becomes very tragic because there are three children in this family that will soon be orphaned.

The story continues to build on a miracle that happens to change the family destiny. Their daughter, Michelle (Mikki), is a rebellious teenage that takes on a main character role in the story. The story builds on a new life for the family along with some challenges. Two romances begin along the way that will warm your heart.

A nice story, a good read and a nice ending.

This is not the first family drama written by the great crime author (read the excellent Wish You Well) and we sure hope it will not be the last.
Baldacci seems to be leaping from the one genre to the other without any apparent difficulty. On the one hand in his books we meet trained killers, read conspiracy theories, and enjoy scenes of fast paced action, and on the other we find ourselves enjoying stories full of love and tenderness and, yes, with a touch of melancholy at the top. However, even the latter, manage to grab the reader by the throat and never allow his or her attention to drift away for a single moment from the action, from start to finish.
It all begins when we meet Jack Armstrong, an Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran. He's a dying man, confined in bed, breathing with the help of machines, at his home in Cleveland. What the enemy bullets and the bombs haven't managed to do, is now done by a mysterious illness, from which the chances to survive are minimal, or rather nonexistent. However he's not alone, as he always has by his side his loving wife Lizzie, whom he married when very young, and his young sons; Jackie, who's just two years old and Cory, who's twelve. They all seem to have come to terms with the idea of his demise. However, there's someone who's not there for him, and that hurts. His daughter Michelle, or Mikki, as they all call her, is a girl of sixteen who at a first glance doesn't seem to know how to handle the situation, so instead of sticking close to him, she chooses to stay as far away as she can. Jack, trapped day and night in his own bed, in his very home, he mentally visits his past, counts his blessings and spends as much time as he possibly can talking to his family, but also secretly writing a series of letters to Lizzie. Through these letters he intends to explain to her some things, and confess some others, while, in a way, he also wants to convince her to go on and lead a happy life after he's gone.
Christmas day will be his last; or, at least, that's the plan. However destiny, as usually is the case, has its own plans for him. Thus on Christmas Eve the wheels will suddenly turn and Lizzie will die at a traffic accident. As one would expect now things will dramatically change, as Jack will not only lose the love of his life, but also his kids, who will move away to live with their grandmother and aunts, each in a separate home, leaving him behind to die. Death, his death, seems to be the only thing he can control anymore and any time he decides to leave the world, the exit door will open. The only thing he needs to do is push a button and ask the doctors to put him out of his misery. However, even though death looks to be an attractive option, something holds him back from embracing its graces, despite the fact that "Sometimes living was far harder than dying". As he reaches the point of no return, and decides to put an end to it all, exactly then the miracle happens; he starts to get better. Nobody can believe this miraculous reversal of fortune; not his doctors, not even himself. Each passing day though brings him closer to full recovery, and as time goes by his will to live is getting stronger and stronger. Now, with the help of his best friend Sammy, is determined more than ever to put things right, and make a new beginning with his kids. To achieve that though, he first has to make peace with his past. "You should respect the past. You should never forget the past. But you can't live there". The road to salvation will be long and winding, and Jack, better late than never, will at last come to realize that he needs other people's help to reach his destination.
This is a well written story that talks about love and death, about the big passions that rule our lives, about the darkness that lurks in the teenage soul, as well as for the big truths that we fail to see, even though they are constantly right in front of our eyes. A brilliant novel by a master storyteller.

This is a great beach read to finish out the summer with.

Jack Armstrong is dying of a terminal disease. He is determined to live through Christmas so he can spend one last Christmas with his loving wife, Lizzie and his three children, Mikki, Cory, and Jackie. Jack writes a collection of letters for Lizzie, to be found after his death. Right before Christmas, Lizzie is killed in a car accident while picking up prescriptions for Jack. Lizzie's parents come to make arrangements which include putting Jack in a hospice facility and farming the boys, Cory and Jackie, out to their aunts while they take their teenage granddaughter, Mikki to Arizona. Jack is left alone to die in a strange place.

Then the unthinkable happens. Jack begins to show improvement and miraculously recovers. Some might think this is far fetched but go with it here. You'll be glad in the end you did. After a stint in rehab, he rebuilds his life and brings his children back home. They become a family once again but there are troubles to be had. Mikki is an angry teenager, Cory is having problems in school and little Jackie proves to be a handful.

When Jack inherits Lizzie's childhood home on South Carolina's beachfront, he packs up the family and moves there. Life is not much easier there. Jack revisits the letters he wrote to Lizzie to try and make sense of it all. Jack feels the need to reconnect with Lizzie any way he can.

The storyline was very fast moving and I had a hard time putting the book down. I found this book to be full the miracles of hope, love and family. There were many twists and turns in the story. Life can change on a dime and those changes can be quite unexpected.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The descriptions of the South Carolina were stunning. I could almost hear the crashing waves and feel the sand between my toes. The characters were well developed and I felt as though I knew them all, including the ones I was not fond of.

I have not read any books by David Baldacci and I understand this is not his usual type of book. I for one, am glad he broke away from his usual writings and gave us this little gem of a book.

"Arise for our help,
And redeem us for Your mercies' sake." -- Psalm 44:26 (NKJV)

Life can be filled with pain and emotional suffering . . . but sometimes things turn out differently than we expect. When that happens, will we take full advantage of any second chances that come our way? That's this novel's theme.

Before going further, be sure to realize that this book isn't a typical Baldacci thriller . . . in fact, it's not a thriller at all. It's a story about a family trying to knit itself together in a new way.

If you are looking for a thriller, look elsewhere . . . but don't complain that I didn't warn you if you decide to read this book expecting what you've always gotten from Mr. Baldacci. You won't find it here.

If you read the book, expect that you may feel like crying. It's a sad story.

If you are looking for lots of surprises in the story, that's not in the cards unless you don't read the jacket copy.

It's a book that carefully develops one character, Jack Armstrong, and his search for redemption through changing his relationship with his family.

Those who will like the book best will be those who would like to make up for any wrongs they have done to their families by turning over a new leaf.

Ultimately, it's an uplifting story.

The main drawback is that the plot felt artificial to me. As a result, I couldn't get as emotionally into the story as I usually do.

The main strength of the story is that it will cause you to think about how you can behave better with your family.

First off, I LOVE David Baldacci's thrillers. He is a real talent, up there with the big boys, so what happened here????

Lazy - what's up with the refusal to name the (always fatal) illness? Was it ALS? Huntington's? Why the big mystery? What, he didn't want to look up the spelling for a like scourge and it wasn't on spell check?

I bought this drivel at the grocery store, desperate for a read while I awaited delivery of good books. Thank goodness I only paid 8 bucks - still too much, but the store wants 18! Dreary, sappy, stupid. I got tired quick enough of the constant reference to Jack's military career. Every page it was brought up, injected here and there to what, make him the big man? I have't a clue. Of course he LOOOOOOOVES this perfect wife, the one he was never home for, while out being the big military hero. Guilt will do that to folks who habitually shove their families to the back burner while they prefer to slay dragons. He did get home often enough to make three kids, so I suppose he at least knew her somewhat. How convenient, for the story, to have the poor wifey get killed, trying to ease Jack's pain... ugh. Guilt piled upon guilt, I suppose that was the whole idea of this drivel, because let's face it, if he'd just gone ahead and died like he was supposed to, there would be no story. Those love letters to the wife - total gag fest. I got a few sentences into the first one and just skipped over it. Halmark cards, anyone? Really, what else would some chronically negligent husband write while waiting to die?

And that lady lawyer/turned restaurent owner Jenna? How contrived and perfectly convenient there too! The reader is supposed to swallow the fiction that this lovely slim pretty smart woman is going to be interested in some new-to-town construction worker who never went to college at all, saddled with THREE KIDS, too boot! And who works her store from 9 am to midnight, but she and her son Liam just happened to be outside to see Mr. WAR HERO beat the heck out of some bums? Aaaaaand,she just happens to have kept current her law license, and in North Carolina even as she wasn't from there? Uh, huh. Family law too, no less. Major eye roll, I cannot believe how lazy and unimaginative DB was scooping up this mess.

But what I really flipped over was the absurd notion that this woman, who insisted she'd gotten offers of marriage from many before, is willing to chase after and be all there for some guy who makes it perfectly clear that she can never replace his dead wife in his affections. She will always compete with the ghost. Jack's carrying around those dumb letters he wrote, the ones he's so enamored of, was the clue, ya think? Poor Jenna. Some women...

And at the end. I was actually sorry Mikki made it. Shame on me, but really, that was the final straw for the story, make it bonified hokey. Both of them should have drowned, save the rest of them from this self involved jerk. When at the end, DB reprinted the letters for us readers - you're kidding, right? Wow, he must really think he's something else, what a romantic! Do you suppose he'd mind if we were to copy some of that sap for our loved ones? Somehow I think not. He'd be THRILLED!
GAAAAK! Save your money, and sanity.

One Summer by David Baldacci

This is NOT a Camel Club book with a complicated and convoluted conspiracy. It doesn't have the flavor of The Christmas Train either. This is a Baldacci that demands a box of tissues. A family is subjected to the ultimate stress of losing a member. This is a story of how they cope with the emptiness that results and how they re-knit the fabric of their lives.

Just when you think you have David Baldacci's modus operandi well in hand you discover unseen depths and different directions. Although this book seems more appropriate in the Harlequin genre, it grabs your attention and emotions in typical Baldacci fashion. You do not want to put it down, you want to know what else can possibly go wrong.

Succinctly (I know not my normal MO) this book is a in-depth revelation of family turmoil and reconciliation amidst a devastating tragedy. Most frequently in Baldacci's work and other action adventure authors' work we become immersed in the fast pace and thrilling circumstances. This book forces you to think about the impact of death on normal folks, not action heroes but perhaps the next door neighbor.

David Baldacci has a breadth of talent that is awe inspiring. This book is akin to a reverse 180 while cruising along at autobahn speeds. It is a major change of pace but certainly a winner.

I highly recommend it.

This is the first book I have read by this author. I wouldn't be likely to read any others except that so many others have mentioned that this isn't him typical genre. So I may give him another chance. This book is very amateur-ish. None of the characters were developed enough for me to feel any emotional attachment to them. And yet time and time again I was expected to feel something for Jack or Mikki. Jack's two youngest children were like ghosts in the story, their characters were left completely undeveloped. And the budding romances were hoakie. The dialogue was trite. The whole story was lame. There were parts that moved so quickly but I wanted more information. I felt like I was left hanging. After you get past the part where Jack survives and Lizzie dies you can just stop reading. The rest of the book is so predictable, you can probably figure out what's going to happen.

Lizzie dies

I bought this book at a Scholastic book fair and looked forward to a chance to read it. I'm a fan of David Baldacci, and I especially liked Wish You Well, which wasn't one of his suspense/thrillers. I had high expectations but was greatly disappointed. The back cover description sums up the whole book. There are no surprises, no memorable characters--not even any emotional hooks. It was dull. I found myself thinking a) Baldacci's publisher hit him with a deadline, so he rushed this book together with no research (he didn't even bother to name the incurable disease Jack miraculously recovered from)and no real effort was made to create a memorable book or b) he didn't write this book. I tend to lean toward "b." Seriously...did he REALLY write this book? The whole thing was predictable--the back cover text said it all. I need to include one more huge complaint. Jack wrote 6 letters to his wife on his deathbed. He never got around to writing the seventh letter he planned until the end of the novel. The first six letters were shared during the book and somehow were deemed so important that Baldacci had them reprinted at the end of the book, along with letter number 7 that we never got to read. Just a "Dear Lizzy" and a "Love Jack." So I went to those unnecessarily reprinted letters, wondering what he had written to Lizzy in that seventh letter, and guess what? There was no body to the letter in the "reprint" either. Why? That's my question. Why? Did you hit the deadline and have no time? Did you not care what your ghostwriter wrote? There were other absurdities (ridiculous talent show, no name for the disease and an unexplainable recovery, meddling mother-in-law, an arrest that was never mentioned again, a hearing with an attorney who didn't even try, a hurricane wave that splashed onto shore and dragged a girl and a piece of driftwood into the ocean), but the lack of letter number seven took the cake. I'd recommend, David Baldacci, that you write your own books in the future.

This is a very different Baldacci - certainly not what I expected. In fact, I almost closed the book and thankfully I persevered as it turned into a very good book. The book traces the unexpected circumstances of a loving family man who had an appointment with death. For this you will cry your eyes out but this story is short lived as the unexpected happens - though i really hate to say what and ruin the plot. Enter mother-in-laws, lawyers, thugs and teenage romance all entwined with catastrophe and healing.

Unexpectedly, there are life lessons between these pages that should be taken home by all of us. For this reason, I'd tell every adult parent and couple to read this book - if for no other reason.

WOW!! I had borrowed this book via Overdrive that was due to be returned. Since I had to wait a while for it, I decided to give it the time before I returned it. AND WOW!! "One Summer" by David Baldacci is most definitely NOT Baldacci's normal fare (nor mine), but I haven't been quite so taken with a story in a very long time. Life happens. The good, the bad, and the ugly. People grieve, grow and learn and, sometimes, find love again. This is a story of learning to live with loss, to rebuild family in light of that loss, and becoming better and stronger people as a result. I cried many tears; my heart broke and then began to heal. David Baldacci, you have hit a major home run with this story!!

Wanted to like this book, but didn’t. I had never read David Baldacci, but was impressed with him after watching a 3-hr interview on BookTV, so decided to start with one of his standalone novels, rather than one of his thriller series. Guess I picked the wrong one. I liked that he keeps the reader off balance by introducing unexpected plot twists, but overall the novel was unsatisfying. Plot and dialogue did not feel genuine. Some situations felt contrived. There’s a lack of sensory language, so it always felt like Baldacci was telling me something rather than showing me.

I met the author, David Baldacci at the James River Writers Conference a long time ago. This is the first time I read his book, "One Summer." The title sounded like something romantic, so I picked it out at the library. I learned that he writes from his heart. He must be a good husband and dad; I felt that through reading this book, especially the letter to his wife before he thought he was going to die. It made me cry. The love for his dead wife does not change, but he finds his new love. Anyway, in heaven, there is no marriage, according to the Bible. So if he and his two wives go to heaven, they will be like angels. David Baldacci, thank you for giving me tears. It is nice to cry once in a while.

This story was read with watering tears. I read this book in one day. Not too happy with ending but he was young yet. He really loved Lizzy. My husband of 25 years died and I miss him lots and lots. Thanks for a wonderful book

I've read everything David Baldacci has written, beginning with "Absolute Power" in 1996. Few writers can match him when it comes to the action thriller. I've had the good fortune to interview him several times since 2006.

Too bad Baldacci had to spoil his winning streak with "One Summer," a saccharin story about a family's tragic loss, miracle and ultimate healing.

The story begins at Christmas. Jack Anderson, a young father of three and loving husband to Lizzie, is at home, waiting to die of some disease with a long name that he "could not pronounce or even spell."

When Lizzie is killed in an accident on the way home from getting Jack's medicine, the family is torn apart.

Michelle, his teenage daughter, Cory, his 12-year-old, and Jack, Jr.. a toddler are sent to live with relatives while Jack is moved into hospice to die.

But, wait. There's more.

After Michelle gives her father a goodbye hug, he experiences a miracle.

"Something was burning in his chest that he could not exactly identify or even precisely locate. ... As the clock ticked, the burn in Jack's chest continued to grow."

After running a series of tests, the hospice doctor tells him, "Okay, I officially believe in miracles. Your blood work came back negative. No trace of the disease. It's like something came along and chased it away. ... There's no way to explain it medically."

Jack gets up from his deathbed, gathers his children and heads to the fictional town of Channing, South Carolina, where Lizzie's family still owns a summer place called "The Palace."

Baldacci loses his way early on in "One Summer." The characters, while admirable, are one-dimensional and experience little, if any, growth as the story progresses.

Michelle gets involved in pretty stupid predicaments with cookie-cutter small-town characters. She needs a strong hand, but Jack is too wrapped up in repairing a lighthouse on the property to deal with his daughter's issues.

If you can believe it, Jack becomes romantically involved with a woman. A former attorney, she runs a restaurant in town.

If you want a vapid story you can finish by the water without having to use brain cell one, then by all means, pick up a copy of "One Summer." Otherwise, wait until Baldacci leaves the romance novels to Danielle Steel and Jackie Collins and returns to what he does best - political thrillers and espionage.

Jack has overcome quite an obstacle in his life, a terminal illness. In the wake of that miraculous event, he has lost his best friend and wife, Lizzie in a car accident going to get him meds. As he recovers from his illness, the loss of his wife and having his kids taken away from him by his in-laws, he reflects on all that his life has been up to this point. Reconnecting with his children finding his own way in this world is what Jack is up against now. This is not quite what I expected from Baldacci as my mother recommended this author to me. While this is the first book I have read by Baldacci, it was quite enjoyable, and made me interested to read more of his books. Not sure if I will continue to read them if they all turn up to be this romantic in nature.

Ok I agree it''s sappy and corny but I read through it fast because it captured my interest. Baldacci has a way of getting you to want to know what is going to happen next. He succeeded and the story won out.
Now my wife loves Hallmark Family Movies and would love this book, so I am looking at it from someone else's perspective. There are people upon settling into a book want this kind of hopeful theme with ultimately satisfying endings. One Summer succeeds. For me, I liked it when the protagonist defended his family's honor with his "I was a Ranger" fighting skills. That part my wife would have not liked.

It's days until Christmas and this year in the Armstrong home they aren't waiting for Santa, they're waiting for dad to die. Jack Armstrong gave it the good fight and in the end it's the kids and especially Lizzie that he'll miss when the light finally goes out. He spends his final days with what little strength he has to write Lizzie a letter a day in which to pour out his heart and his love. Then on Christmas Eve the unthinkable happens and Lizzie is killed in an accident. Left with no choice Jack agrees to go into Hospice care while the children are whisked away and split up between family members far away while he's left to die alone. With only breaths left Jack makes his peace only to find that the universe has something entirely different in store for him.
David Baldacci is in a class by himself when it comes to telling a story, from the first paragraph he has his audience right in the palm of his hand and in this case with tissues. He takes us on an emotional ride with his plot of death, illness, regret and despair and just when all faith is gone he gives us that ultimate emotion, hope. The narrative is so exact that you can feel the salt breeze on your face and the brightness of the lighthouse in your eyes. The author then goes one step more and conveys his characters emotions so well that you can feel the anger the hurt and the joy in equal measure. He gives us remarkably unforgettable characters, not celebrities but just everyday Joe and Jills that put one foot in front of the other to make it through another day. Mr. Baldacci does an amazing job with his protagonist Jack, portraying a realistic picture of a man in crisis. His other characters are imperative to his story, from the children to Jack's in-laws, Jenna and Liam to the petty villains.
Be prepared for a memorable journey, a journey from the abyss back to the living, from the heartbreak of loss to the spirit of renewal, from the terror of loosing love to the elation of finding it again and maybe the most important lesson we'll learn is that blind faith is blind for a reason. Take this journey with your eyes open so you don't miss a stop on the trip because with every destination you'll learn something important.
This is a love story, a family drama, and an important piece of literary fiction, it's also the first must read of the summer and a title you'll find yourself going back to time and time again.

Finished, loved it. Love all of Baldacci's books so far. This is one of his family stories, largely set in South Carolina, definitely has its tear-jerker moments. At one point I was reading, and took a drink of milk, and read a CERTAIN SENTENCE — and I froze, the milk still in my mouth — and I sat like that for a minute or two.

Definitely recommended. Very nice story, very easy to read.

My Aunt sent me this after she read it. (I mostly read recommended books for fiction choices.) Though I enjoyed it in winter, One Summer kept me interested and moving on, one short chapter after another in this heart warming family story. Though I like realistic novels best, I do believe in medical miracles and the storyline grabbed me from the start. I really liked the characters and the life lessons and inspirational sentiments that left me grateful of my own life and family. I had not read anything by this author before and after reading some of the reviews I'm interested in checking out his "better" writing.