Vacation Sweethearts #1

ebook, paperback

by Jan Thompson

Print Length: 438 pages

Publisher: Georgia Press LLC

Publication Date: July 4, 2016

ASIN: B01I09Y4RW

She is laid back.
He is uptight.
Never the twain shall…kiss?

A deadline-driven workaholic assistant school principal who meticulously plans his schedule months in advance meets an easygoing art teacher and studio potter with no sense of time, living her life as the seasons come and go. When they cross paths again at the Summer by the Sea Day Camp sponsored by his church in Nassau, Bahamas, how can they get along if they cannot see eye to eye?

From USA Today bestselling author Jan Thompson comes SMILE FOR ME, book 1 in the Vacation Sweethearts collection of wholesome, sweet and inspirational Christian romance novels set in some of Jan’s favorite vacation places around the world.

A spin-off of Jan’s Savannah Sweethearts series, these Vacation Sweethearts novels begin with SMILE FOR ME, Byron and Tina and their summer romance in the Bahamas.

Tina MacFarland is laid back…

“Come to the Bahamas, they said. It will be fun, they said. Well, arriving in Nassau, I feel I could be okay if Byron’s not around. I made it! I’m here! That’s good enough for me, but apparently it’s not good enough for Mr. Uptight. Why does he bother me so? I don’t need his approval—Oh yes, I do. As a volunteer art teacher at the day camp, I have to answer to Byron for four weeks. Well, thank God it’s only for four weeks. And then I’m outta here, and he’ll be out of my hair. Surely I can last through day camp. What could possibly go wrong in a month? Nothing I can think of…”

—Tina MacFarland, Potter, Ceramic Artist, Art Teacher, Volunteer at the Summer by the Sea Day Camp in the Bahamas

Byron Moss is uptight…

“This is what I’ve always wanted, right? Then why does this assistant headmaster position hem me in? I feel constricted, restricted, afflicted. I fear I have taken a wrong turn in my career. What is God’s will for my life? And what does Tina think about—Tina? What does she have anything to do with my career decisions?”

—Byron Moss, Assistant Headmaster, Chapel by the Sea Christian School in the Bahamas

Never the twain shall…kiss?

Ah, Byron and Tina. How would they navigate the super-conservative work environment where office romance is frowned upon? Can they change the old rules? Or will the old rules change them? Let’s find out in the Caribbean, where the waters are blue, skies are pretty, and hearts are warm…

My thoughts: I thought to pick out a nice short novella to fill in this day, since I'm under a tight deadline and no time to read a long book. Lo and behold, this ain't no novella! It is seriously long!

I did skim this book a lot as it was more telling than showing and there was a lot of author intrusion, but there was a fun, innocent, humorous twist to this story that kept me interested and wondering what would go wrong or happen next.

Tina is a flighty heroine, colorful, flamboyant, in your face clueless, and oh so clumsy. Brian is straightlaced, a rule-follower, ten minutes early or he's late, and oh so chained to a planner. Tina drives him nuts. Bryon drives her nuts. Is there any hope at all for this couple?

I liked how Bryon has to mentally adjust his thoughts and thinking about Tina, determined to think positively about her since she is volunteering as a missionary. And how Tina tried to work with Bryon's schedule instead of deliberately antagonizing him.

A good read. I would read more by this author. I like the humor.

I bought a copy in the Whispers of Love collection. No review was required