Summer of the Oak Moon by Laura Templeton

Genre: Romance, Drama

Release Date: May 5, 2015

Publisher: Month9Books

Format: ebook                     Pages: 300

Source: Publisher

Goodreads Synopsis:

Rejected by the exclusive women’s college she has her heart set on, Tess Seibert dreads the hot, aimless summer ahead. But when a chance encounter with a snake introduces her to Jacob Lane, a black college student home on his summer break, a relationship blooms that challenges the prejudices of her small, north Florida town. 

When Jacob confesses that Tess’s uncle is trying to steal his family’s land, Tess comes face to face with the hatred that simmers just below the surface of the bay and marshes she’s loved since birth. With the help of her mentor Lulu, an herbal healer, Tess pieces together clues to the mysterious disappearance of Jacob’s father twenty-two years earlier and uncovers family secrets that shatter her connection to the land she loves.

Tess and Jacob’s bond puts them both in peril, and discontent eventually erupts into violence. Tess is forced to make a decision. Can she right old wrongs and salvage their love? Or will prejudice and hatred kill any chance she and Jacob might have had?

My Thoughts:

The Cover: I loved the cover of Summer of the Oak Moon. It was the first thing that attracted me to the book. Beautiful glowing butterflies are escaping a jar into a dark night. This cover reminded me of long hot summer nights and made me want to read the book even more.

The Plot:  This story was absolutely amazing. What started out as a forbidden love type of story became something else entirely. A story about prejudice and menace, I could not put it down. The story line and plot twists kept me on the edge of my seat. And when I was trying to figure out how our fantastic storyteller would end things, I was left breathless and horrified that humans could be this way to each other. Not for the weak of heart, Summer of the Oak Moon is a heart stopping story that I could not put down.

Characters: The characters from this story are all very well written with strengths, weaknesses and flaws that make them come to life. I loved our young, innocent protagonists, trying to find their way in a world that not only frowned on their friendship (forget love) but would harm them physically because of it. Our villains were despicable, making me cringe.

Is it Worth Reading?:  Oh yes, while Summer of the Oak Moon was definitely not what I expected, I feel that it is far better. It was a very moving and thought provoking story that I am sure I will read again. I highly recommend Summer of the Oak Moon and give it four out of five crossbows.