Hello, everyone! Sorry for the late post! Between coming down with a cold over the weekend and a rapidly approaching anthology submission deadline, life has been a bit crazy, but I finally had time to finish reading and write a review for Dragonfly Summer!

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Book: Dragonfly Summer by Valerie Howard

Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction

Blurb:

Life can change in the blink of an eye.

Dani wants nothing more than to keep teaching the sweet children she loves in the special ed classroom at the elementary school, but with her mental health deteriorating at an alarming rate, that dream seems out of reach. And when she accepts her teenage sister’s emotional plea to travel across the country to visit, Dani knows the secrets and nightmares she left behind are lurking around the corner, threatening to consume her.

Tom Lavine recently left prison after a decades-long stint, and he doesn’t know where—or if—his aging self fits into this world anymore. God’s forgiveness is one thing, but society doesn’t look kindly upon people like him. When a former cellmate reaches out to Tom to let him know he recently discovered a grave marker carved with a familiar name, Tom knows he must make the long trek to visit the cemetery to find closure. Maybe confirming he really is the monster everyone thinks he is will finally put to rest the crazy idea his chaplain planted in his mind about applying to ministry school someday.

When Dani and Tom meet on the train, they forge an unlikely friendship and help each other navigate the day-to-day logistics of cross-country travel while opening up about the lingering pain of past mistakes. Long-held beliefs are challenged as they discuss their individual issues, worries, and the devastating moments that changed them forever. And just when healing seems within reach, both lives are upended when Dani and Tom come face-to-face with their greatest fears.

Fans of Lisa Wingate, Sara Brunsvold, Amanda Cox, and Katie Powner will also enjoy the true-to-life characters and faith-driven stories written by Valerie Howard. Available in Kindle, paperback, and hardcover formats. Audiobook coming soon! (cover and blurb from Goodreads)

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Recommended Age: 18+ (15+ for mature readers)

My Review:

My Overall Thoughts: This was a great book! I appreciated the Christian themes and the OCD representation. After reading a lot of romances lately, I also appreciated the fact that this story did not have any romance!

Plot: This story was more character-focused, centered on the two MCs overcoming their own personal struggles, and their journeys collide when they find themselves on the same train heading to the East Coast. Dani’s POV helped me understand better what life with OCD is like, and I enjoyed reading about Tom settling into his life being recently released from prison and being a new Christian. There were some interesting twists that kept me engaged, too (though I will say, I did predict what was supposed to be the biggest plot twist).

Characters: I really enjoyed the characters! Even though I have never been in situations like either of them, I could easily understand and sympathize with them. I loved Dani and Tom’s friendship and the way they were able to support each other. I also liked how Dani worked in a special education classroom; as a special education major, it was fun to read a book with that career featured! The side characters were overall well-written, too. The only thing I struggled with is that in a few points I had a hard time exactly understanding characters’ motivations behind decisions, and I wished I knew a little more about Dani and her mother’s relationship in the beginning.

Writing Style: To be honest, I am not a fan of first person, present tense point-of-view, which made it hard to get into the story at first, but after a while, I was able to overlook it and still enjoy the story. Other than that, it was an easy-to-read story, and the writing helped me understand the characters’ thoughts and feelings well.

Themes: I enjoyed the themes of friendship, reaching out to others, finding healing in the midst of mental health struggles, surrendering to God’s will, and embracing truth. They were deep and well-written. I also liked the symbolism of “dragonfly days.” (Read the story to find out what means!)

Content Notes: One of the MCs has OCD and deals with intrusive thoughts of harming children, some of which are described. There are descriptions of panic attacks and mild self-injurious behavior. A man injures his pregnant girlfriend, and she loses the baby as a result of her injuries. Characters smoke and drink (not necessarily condoned). A character attempts suicide (off-screen). Discussions of babies being conceived out of wedlock (handled tastefully).

If you enjoy contemporary Christian fiction, this is a great summer read! I would definitely recommend it! I will be back again next Monday, but in the meantime, feel free to leave a comment below about what you have been reading lately!