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udith Keim enjoyed her childhood and young-adult years in Elmira, New York, and now makes her home in Boise, Idaho, with her husband and their two dachshunds, Winston and Wally, and other members of her family.
While growing up, she was drawn to the idea of writing stories from a young age. Books were always present, being read, ready to go back to the library, or about to be discovered. All in her family shared information from the books in general conversation, giving them a wealth of knowledge and vivid imaginations.
A hybrid author who both has a publisher and self-publishes, Ms. Keim writes heart-warming novels about women who face unexpected challenges, meet them with strength, and find love and happiness along the way. Her best-selling books are based, in part, on many of the places she's lived or visited and on the interesting people she's met, creating believable characters and realistic settings her many loyal readers love. Ms. Keim loves to hear from her readers and appreciates their enthusiasm for her stories.
Reviewed by Barbara Oliverio for Readers' Favorite
A vacation seems just the ticket for Jill Conroy in A Summer of Surprises by Judith Keim, so when her sister offers her the chance to house-sit a cottage on a sun-drenched beach, she packs both her physical and emotional bags and travels to Florida. What her sister forgot to mention is that Jill would be the housekeeper for the handyman doing repairs on the cottage, who then tells her there are other cottage residents: a nephew with his own daughter in tow. Jill adjusts to life with her new roommates while adapting to the blooming attraction to the nephew, the challenges of the insecure youngster, and new opportunities thanks to the kindness of the locals. Jill’s willingness to dive right in gives her the confidence to make changes in her career – and in her love life.
A Summer of Surprises is part of the Seashell Cottage series in which Judith Keim creates a peaceful setting for down-to-earth characters to experience meaningful life experiences. In this book, Jill beautifully manages to come to terms with her insecurities and also becomes a support system for people who are going through their life changes – eventually leading to her own happy ending. I enjoyed this quiet story of a pragmatic, realistic determination to overcome adversity and the development of a support network. This is definitely a book that can either be enjoyed under a beach umbrella or by a cozy fire, while dreaming of sunshine and calming ocean waves.
