One Season of Sunshine Book Review

One Season of Sunshine 
Author: Julia London
Pages: 392 pgs
Reading Level: Adult


This is my first book by Julia London...I liked it!

It’s the story of Jane Aaron who was adopted when she was a few days old. Who has a great life: loving family, a nice boyfriend, great friends, and a job as a teacher (second grade) but, is still yet not satisfied with her life Jane has always felt that something was missing and that is finding out who her birth mother is and why she was given up? She moves to Cedar Springs where she was born in search of answers and there, she ends up working for the Price family as a nanny. Widower Asher Price has two children: 13 year old Riley and energetic 5-year-old Levi.

Asher's wife, Susanna, died in a terrible car accident a couple of years ago but, the family is still not over her death and their house like a shrine to Susanna Price. As Jane gets to know the family, she begins to suspect that Susanna might not be the perfect wife and mother everyone says she was. An attraction starts to grow between Jane and Asher but, as Jane gets closer to finding out the identity of her birth mother, secrets are exposed that might ruin a future for Jane and Asher.

I liked Jane’s character but, I was a bit upset because I thought she was a bit selfish and insensitive towards her family and boyfriend (Jonathan) in how she just packs up and leaves. She then does the same with the Price family. She is so into herself or finding her true self that she doesn't think on how it impacts everyone when she at the spur of the moment decides to just…leave. I really did not like how she kept stringing her boyfriend along and I was rooting for him when he finally told her he had moved on. Jane describes herself as being a flake and she is but, her character starts to grow and she changes.

On the other hand, Asher’s (Mr. Price) kids…ugh! I was amazed and loved how she was so firm but, loving at the same time with them. They are really difficult kids especially Riley Ann. I like that she wasn't intimidated by her. Levi just needed the void of his mother to be filled to have that loving and nurturing felling and Jane in my opinion filled that for him. I liked Asher right away and I could picture him to very handsome man though--he's trying his hardest to juggle a demanding career and still be a father his children who had lost their mother. I felt that Asher could have been there for his kids more. It seemed that he was more involved with his work than with his children. They lost their mother and not having their father around was as if the kids were being raised by nannies.

As the story progressed, it became less about Jane finding her birth mother and more about Jane becoming a very important part of the Price family. She changes the kids in many ways Levi stops bed wetting and starts behaving at camp and Riley even though you can’t really notice right away but, she becomes...social, she makes friends and starts drawing again. Which shows that all they needed was some T.L.C someone to give them attention and time.

I was really interested in Jane and Asher’s romance and very happy for them especially Asher he needed to have someone in his life to fill that void that was left from his wife Susanna. Jane having filled that actually brought Asher close to his children. 

The part where Jane was looking for her birth mother really dragged and slowed the story I wished she would just stop searching and just take all the dead ends as signs that she shouldn’t find out especially since it makes you assume who her birth mother might be but, even though you want her to stop searching want to continue just to know if your assumptions are right.

Overall, I liked the fact that the issues in the book weren't all tied up in a happily ever after but, the ending is satisfying. I like the author's voice she is very detailed and you could picture every scene makes you feel involved. All in all I enjoyed book, I recommend it and I wouldn’t mind picking up another novel by Julia London.

Synopsis: Handsome ad executive Asher Price lost his wife, the beautiful, mysterious Susanna, in a terrible car crash eighteen months ago. When he hires Jane as the nanny for his two children, sparks fly. Jane finds herself falling in love with both Asher and his children, but begins to suspect that Susanna was not the perfect mother and wife the family portrays her to have been. 

As Jane gets closer and closer to finding out the truth about both her own and Susanna’s past, devastating secrets begin to emerge that may be more than anyone can bear. Will the truth bring Jane and Asher closer together or tear them apart forever?