Review of The Summer of In Betweens

[Nzube Chizoba Okeke]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Summer of In Betweens" by Richard Read (Jose Saco).]

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3 out of 4 stars

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One summer had never been as eventful as the one that William Bill McCoy and Susan Myers had in The Summer of In Betweens by Richard Read (Jose Saco). As eighteen-year-old William prepared to graduate and start his first year at OSU, he never anticipated that his last summer would be spent separated from his longtime girlfriend, Susan Myers. However, Susan had been selected for a rare opportunity to be a summer aide at the Columbus office of Congressman Roger Bentley. Thankfully, William had his new summer work at the Chase Estate, working for the newcomer in town, Mrs. Maia Storm. Maia had rented an estate in the town of Hartland, escaping a sticky situation at home. However, it may seem the situation followed her to town. William and Susan were both drawn into new experiences that left them shaken, making the summer one they could never forget.

The book started more like a teenage/young adult story, especially with the background the author had given of the book's prequel. Initially, it seemed to be a simple story. But as the book progressed, a more intricate and exciting plot was revealed. The story intrigued, shocked, and emotionally engaged me. I liked that the author showed the story from different characters' points of view. It allowed me to enter the characters' minds, know what they were thinking and feeling, and connect with them on a deeper level. Read further enhanced readers' engagement with the book by providing visual aids in the form of pictures.

The book was graphic in a sexual sense. It explored behind the curtains of marriage as it examined delicate issues often tiptoed around in society, like sexual abuse in marriage. Sensitive readers should read with caution. However, lovers of romantic stories might be scintillated by the sexual tension that permeated some parts of the book.

Many of the characters had a warmth about them. Their conversations were punctuated by a lightness and humor that could make readers giggle with good-natured mirth. William and Susan's characters showed incredible strength and intelligence — a trait that might connect them to the reader. Maia's character embodied a mental strength and personal conviction that made her character endearing.

Some errors were observed in the book, and I found them disturbing. They bordered on misspelled or wrongly used character names. For example, on Page 236, the name 'Bannister' seemed to be a wrongly spelled version of the character Brock Lannister's name. However, it appeared that Roger Bentley ought to have been there contextually. A similar occurrence was spotted on Page 85 when the character William called another character's name that he had not yet known at that stage of the story. However, these errors took nothing away from the book's enjoyment and would only demand further editing.

The Summer of In Betweens was entertaining, and I enjoyed the reading experience. It was exciting and had some action topped off by fun romance. I'd recommend it to lovers of thrillers meshed with some clandestine romance. As a result of the number of errors found, I'd rate The Summer of In Betweens three out of four stars.

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The Summer of In Betweens
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[Amy Luman]

I am not a fan of any sort of romance in the books that I read and am very uncomfortable with even regular sexual situations. This is probably not for me. I do think, however, that the concept is a good one.

[Roy Nick]

I'm a fun of romantic volumes. This seems like a great read, despite the slow-paced nature, or so it seems. The review is skillful!

[Oluoma Chukwu]

This sounds like cliche romance stories anyway. But the thing is that I am a huge fan of romance books no matter how cliche they sound or seem. So, yes, I would be reading this one. Thank you for your recommendation and for this amazing review of this book.