Rating: 
Summary: Almost indescribable, but I'll try...
Review: This is the first Mary Alice Kruesi book that I have read, but it won't be the last. I picked up this book after a wretched day, and felt soothed immediately after reading the first chapter. MAK's writing is light, lyrical and a pleasure to read - I liken it to a puff of fresh spring air blowing over me. I enjoyed every aspect of this book - Laurel and Dane's slowly evolving relationship, the connection between Maybelle and Laurel and the fantasy aspects - but I loved Laurel's character the most. Laurel's life was mired in the safety of a practical, goal oriented life before she took a big risk which she struggled with throughout the entire book that opened up her life and soul. Normally, I read either historicals (Balogh, Quinn, Garwood), humourous contemps (SEP, Gibson) or romatic suspense (Nora, Howard or Johansen), but I gave One Summer's Night a chance, and I hope others do also.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully enchanting!
Review: This romantic tale of faerie magic was a wonderful book. Yes, it had a slightly more leisurely pace and more description than is "politically correct" these days, but to be honest, I found it to be a refreshing change of pace. It was almost as if the author was gently seducing me into the story and boy, once she had me, I didn't want her to let me go! Before I even realized it, I had read huge chunks and was nearing the end. Aside from being a powerful and beautifully written romance, it was also a great female wish fulfillment story. Who wouldn't want to leave behind the hustle and bustle of modern life to live in a charming cottage and eat fairy cakes with Maybelle while being wooed by the gorgeous "gardener" next door? Laurel and Dane are both on a search for self, but in the process, they find each other and that's truly the greatest magic of all. So grab a hot cup of tea, curl up in a comfy chair, open ONE SUMMER'S NIGHT and prepare to be enchanted!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully enchanting!
Review: This romantic tale of faerie magic was a wonderful book. Yes, it had a slightly more leisurely pace and more description than is "politically correct" these days, but to be honest, I found it to be a refreshing change of pace. It was almost as if the author was gently seducing me into the story and boy, once she had me, I didn't want her to let me go! Before I even realized it, I had read huge chunks and was nearing the end. Aside from being a powerful and beautifully written romance, it was also a great female wish fulfillment story. Who wouldn't want to leave behind the hustle and bustle of modern life to live in a charming cottage and eat fairy cakes with Maybelle while being wooed by the gorgeous "gardener" next door? Laurel and Dane are both on a search for self, but in the process, they find each other and that's truly the greatest magic of all. So grab a hot cup of tea, curl up in a comfy chair, open ONE SUMMER'S NIGHT and prepare to be enchanted!
Rating:
Summary: For all lovers of a modern Midsummer Night's Dream
Review: Upon finding herself on the threshold of adulthood, 21-year-old Laurel Carrington realizes that she doesn't know anything about herself, except that she doesn't want to continue in the path laid out for her by her scientific father and long-time boyfriend. When she receives a letter from a famous painter known for her mystycism and elusiveness, she does the first impulsive action in her life and moves to Fallingstar, Vermont to find herself.
This book is a wonderful story mixing fantasy and contemporary romance, interweaving each character with mystical quirks and qualities set to a magnificent setting of fairy-laden woods and misty mountains. The main characters of Laurel and Maybelle Starr practically dance off the page, each complimenting and changing the other for the better. Laurel slowly emerges from her restrictive scientific cocoon to realize the magic and wonder of nature and fantasy, while Maybelle becomes more human upon deciding to share a secret she has kept for 21 years.
The romance between Dane Walden and Laurel is rocky, yet satisfying as it evolves from suspicion to wonder, as each changes and delves into the fairy tale writing itself around them.
For anyone who is a fan of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," this is the book for you, full of mischief, love, wonder and delight in the human spirit and the magic that can only be found in the land of the fey.
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