Amy's Review of The Summer Remains and Autumn Rising by Seth King

Synopsis

Twenty-four-year-old Summer Johnson knows two things. The first is that due to a quickly worsening medical condition, she faces a risky surgery in three months’ time that may or may not end in her death. The second is that she would like to fall in love before then. As spring sinks into her namesake season on the Florida coastline, Summer plays the odds and downloads a new dating app - and after one intriguing message from a beautiful surfer named Cooper Nichols, it becomes clear that the story of what may be her last few months under the sun is about to be completely revised. All she has to do now is write something worth reading. Tender, honest, devastating and triumphant, The Summer Remains explores a very human battle being waged in a very digital age: the search for a love that will outlast this temporary borrowing of bones. In an era when many feel compelled to share and re-share anything about everything, prepare to feel a love so special, you will want to hug it close and make it yours forever.

Synopsis

Autumn Mahal and Hank Basara know they should stay away from each other. Both recovering from the loss of a mutual friend, and each bearing scars of their own, they know their love would look like a worn cliché, a trite romance novel for teens, some crappy made-for-TV movie languishing on your great aunt’s DVR. But as summer gives way to September and flirtation leads to something deeper, they learn there are some types of love you cannot run from, no matter how hard you try to flee. 

Hilarious, heartbreaking and hopeful, Autumn Rising is a novella about the happiness we ruin for ourselves, the truths we can’t hide with a filter, and that elusive and victorious moment when we let love rush in and carry us to the sky. In a world of constant TMI, prepare to feel a story worth sharing – a story that will stay with you long after the summer fades to autumn.

4 stars

Author’s note:  The medical condition as described in this book is not real.  Similar diagnoses are but for the sake of discretion certain words were altered.

Well hell …. You know I'm going to be honest.  Its probably not fair that I gave these books only 4 stars.  It’s a beautifully written story; sad and tragic connected to realistic events which is why the genre isn’t my exact cup of tea.  Im just being honest.  Its very difficult for me to read books like this.  Having said that,  the female lead in this book is one tough girl which made it even worse for me to get through the pages.  Summer doesn’t want to be labeled.  She doesn’t want people pity.  She wants to live until she can live no more.  The “hail Mary” surgery she is about to take on is an 80/20 chance.  This girl is spot on a survivor, a warrior.
 
Upon her recent diagnosis Summer wishes to spend her 3 months before the surgery on the coast, reading, exploring and maybe just maybe falling in love.  Yup you see where this is going.  Summer takes her chances on a dating app where she meets Cooper Nichols.

Cooper is unaware of Summer’s condition and doesn’t appear to be affected by her scars.  When he does learn of what is to come look out.  Dear lawd get yourself a case of tissues.  Cooper is ‘broken’ himself but on the inside. He has his own past and fears.  He struggles every day to accept his life as it is now which he sees as so unfair.  Moving forward is something he is not doing.  Why would he at this point.  He has no dreams, no way to beat the hand that life dealt him.  

The Summer Remains takes us through Cooper and Summer’s journey.  I'm not spoiling anything as usual but the events in this book are nerve racking as hell.

The novella is based on Autumn and Hank; two characters you meet while taking the journey with Cooper and Summer.  I'm just going to tell you … Autumn has cancer and Hank has an injury himself as he is a war veteran.  Yeah .. you have another case of tissue?  Actually this book was hilarious at some points.  Autumn and Hank are an unlikely pair both bringing out the worst or the best in each other depending on how you look at it.   Both are emotionally damaged from their own claw through life and circumstances beyond their control.   Autumn is a shallow snarky mess where she says what she wants which you will love but then also wish at times she had a filter attached to that mouth.   Hank is gritty and raw.  I don’t need to say anything else about him.  You get it.

I will say the books will both potentially fill you with some hope for this world.  Maybe out there we can find some of these spirits and realize that our lives aren’t all that bad!  Click them up if this is your cup of tea.  Upset I read it .. or course not but know what you are walking into before you get there and prepare yourself.   Great writing – great story.