Elementary school music teacher Callie Stevens thinks she’s finally figured out God ’s plan for her life—she even made a list to keep her on track. Moving in with her brother and reconnecting with her ex-boyfriend are at the top of the list. What ’s not on the list is running into her childhood crush, Ryan. God wanted her to connect with Kyle, right? Trying to figure out God ’s plan is hard … enough. But a dating-averse older brother, the young blonde who adores him, a pregnant best friend, and Callie ’s continual mishaps make her wonder whether her best-laid plans were truly God-inspired.
“The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men, Gang aft a-gley, And leave us nought but grief and pain, For promised joy.” —Robert Browning
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5 things from Summer Plans and Other Disasters by Karin Beery
1) Callie (finally a tall heroine!) moves in with her brother with a plan: connect with her ex, work with her brother jack and get her life back on track
2)Her brother, Jack, handles his own romance problems by running scared
3) Callie didn’t plan on falling for her brother’s best friend
4) Jack finally asks Stacy out… in the lighting aisle of the hardware store…. or did he?
5) Stacy finally found Jack at the farthest end of the pavilion, hanging trim. “I’m done cleaning.” She looked up at him, into his intense eyes. Captivating eyes. Beautiful eyes. There was something else she wanted to tell him. Something brown? No, that was the color of his eyes
This is my second book by Karin Beery and
I thoroughly enjoyed This book. I love that the heroine wasn’t tiny and put together. (Can any other tall girls relate?) super fun story
Love the setting (a lighthouse!) and the humor. The characters were engaging and relatable while still having some deep-seated issues they needed to work through. Wonderful debut novel for this author. I’m looking forward to more Karin Beery books!
I loved this book! The characters are so much fun that you’ll keep reading to see what they do next. From Callie’s lists planning her life, to brother Jack being afraid to commit, this story is definitely worth the read. Lighthearted and an easy ready, it still teaches us that our best plans don’t always work out. Aren’t God’s plans the best?
There are four points of view, which helps to keep things attention-grabbing. Along with clean romance (who gets the girl?), you won’t be disappointed in this premier novel by author Karin Beery. I hope we see more from her soon!
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. Proverbs 19:21 ESV
Summer Plans and Other Disasters is a light-hearted romance that contains an important lesson. The story revolves around Callie Stevens a school teacher who believes she has heard from God about what she should do over summer vacation and has planned accordingly. The only problem is that her plans seem to fall apart at every turn and Callie begins to doubt if she heard God correctly. Perhaps she just took the ball and ran with her own interpretation of what she heard.
Other characters include Callie’s older brother Jack, his best friend Ryan, Callie’s old flame Kyle, and her new friend Stacey. The narrative is related through several points of view and it is evident the characters are not always on the same page. Intelligent, accomplished Callie who does everything accordingly to plan is a disaster in the making which definitely adds quite a bit of humor to the tale. Jack is the perfect big brother, level-headed and competent except when he’s around a certain young lady. Ryan is a perfect leading man but then Kyle is not too bad either. The problem is will Callie figure out which one meets God’s plan for her or will she carry through with her own plans?
I mostly enjoyed this book even though at times Callie could be just a bit exasperating. Her education and accomplishments were in direct contrast to some of her quirky actions. Nevertheless, Summer Plans and Other Disasters is a great novel for those times when one wants to read something light and humorous. I would be open to reading a sequel, especially if it is about Jack.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Audra Jennings PR. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
Callie Stephens had big plans for the summer. Too bad that none of them are working out. Will she insist on forging ahead or will she learn to adapt and trust God?
This book is about how to trust God when nothing seems to be working out. Callie hits several roadblocks. Some of them are definitely of her own making as she tends to turn simple projects into dilemmas. There were many laugh out loud moments in this book. But there were also some moments when you could not help but want to cry for the character. If you have ever felt like you have run up against a brick wall trying to make something happen, you will be able to relate to this book.
I enjoyed the main characters in this book. The love story is sweet. But it also has a great supporting cast. I love how protective Callie’s older brother was of her and how he set up some guidelines on her behalf. I think single women need someone to act on behalf of them. The best friend was also funny.
I actually switched between reading and listening to this book. I really liked the fact I was able to easily transfer between one and the other. I was provided an audio copy through a book tour, and I used Kindle Unlimited to borrow the digital version.
Jasmine Zhwalen does a nice job with the narration. Her voice is soothing, but it did not make me fall asleep either. Her transition between male and female characters did not feel stilted or forced. I listened to the book at 1.25 speed. The narrator still was easy to follow at a faster speed, but I decided that I did not enjoy it quite as much at that speed. Again being able to both read and listen is such a nice option.
I have really enjoy reading Karin’s books. I wanted to write a review. All opinions are my own.
This is my second time to go through this book. However this time I listened to the audio version. Oh my this made the story come alive. Now it was easier to picture the characters and catch the little bickering between brother and sister. I thought that Jasmine did a great job of making this story even better with her accomplished reading and voices that distinguished each character.
This was a fun book to read. It was lighthearted yet had great lessons to be learned through the characters. Callie has it all together or so she thinks. She has this big plan to come back and stay with her brother for the summer. During that time she has a scheme to reconnect with her ex- boyfriend. What could possibly go wrong with that plan? I think she forgot that God has a plan for her life and it may not be exactly what she is wanting. I have never seen such a klutz before, but Callie is really no help to her brother at his job.
I know that Callie is suppose to be the star in this story, but I absolutely adored Jack who is Callie’s brother. He is smart and very protective of his sister. Their bickering was classic and I loved watching how their relationship showed how important family really is. Jack isn’t all that enthusiastic about Callie’s plan to win her ex-boyfriend back, but he stood by her and she went full steam ahead.
The book has a few other characters that play a key part in the story. In order for you to enjoy this story, I think you need to discover for yourself who these other characters are and how they will change Callie’s life. The theme for me in this book is about listening to God and trusting Him. There is nothing wrong with making plans for your future, but if you don’t take the time to listen to God, the wrong choice can spell disaster. Will Callie find what she is looking for?
I received a copy of the audio version from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
The saying goes, when people make plans, God laughs or at least thwarts those plans for His own good. Schoolgirl crushes, ex-boyfriends and more fill the pages of this book. As an audiobook, this story shines. It provides the perfect summer story. Perhaps because we have three sons followed by a daughter, this story resonated with me. Some of Callie’s antics and experiences I could relate to through experiences in my own life.
Sometimes when we get out of God’s way and submit to His will we receive the desires of our heart. Also, we often have to learn the hard way that what we think we want or what God wants for us cannot live up to our expectations. When we are still and quiet with no distractions around, we actually communicate with God and hear His voice and see His plans clearly. So if you are looking for a great summer book to listen to, check out this audiobook for yourself.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.