Book Review: The Girl From Summer Hill by Jude Deveraux

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The Girl from Summer Hill
The Girl from Summer Hill #1
Author: Jude Deveraux
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Released: May 3rd 2016
Review Source: Ballantine Books

The first book of a new contemporary romance series set in the mountains of Virginia in a town with full of family legends, romance, and secrets from New York Times bestselling author of the Nantucket Brides trilogy.

Sparks fly as fiery Casey Reddick and brooding Hollywood actor Tate Landers clash in the Virginia summer heat. A chef who puts her career first and her love life second, Casey doesn’t see what every girl in town is swooning over. She made up her mind the moment she met Tate—he’s gorgeous, but stuck-up, nothing like his ex-brother-in-law, Devlin who’s playing the Wickham to Tate’s Darcy in local production of Pride & Prejudice. Casey makes the perfect Elizabeth Bennett—how could she be star-struck when she’s heard Devlin’s damning stories about Tate? As they rehearse together, however, Casey finds herself attracted to Tate—he’s much more down-to-earth than she expected and any physical contact between the two of them literally gives her a tingling, electric shock. As opening night draws near, Casey has some difficult decisions to make. Whom should she believe? The seemingly sincere, slighted Devlin or Tate, whose rough, arrogant exterior may only be skin deep. She’s come to love that jolt she gets when they touch—but will she get burned?

Art Imitating Life, or Life Imitating Art?

In this exciting novel by Jude Deveraux, we are introduced to Casey Reddick, an incredible cook who moved from DC to a small town in Virginia. There, she comes across the hunky Tate Landers - a big Hollywood star, who happens to own the plantation she lives on, and who she just can't stand the sight of. That summer, the town throws a huge production of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice. After being thrown in and cast as Elizabeth while Tate plays Mr. Darcy, the spiral of a complicated relationship begins, not only between Casey and Tate, but among many others in town. We are introduced to Devlin Haines, the man who plays Wickham. Casey finds out the hard way that he turns out to be even more repulsive (than the character he plays) in real life and definitely not who he claims to be. When Devlin runs off with a girl he thinks is eighteen, but is fifteen in reality, it is up to her, Tate and the others to come up with a plan to trick him into coming back on his own and bringing the girl back safely.

There are many twists and turns, and juicy parts thrown in, all the while leaving you waiting for more. I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed the book and how it was written; flowing with such ease and leaving you wondering what happens after the last page is turned.

If you are a fan of Jane Austen's books or even the movie adaptations, you will not be disappointed with this book!