What I'm Reading: Courting Calla

The sun is shining and the blue sky is dotted with fluffy white clouds. After what seems like endless rain in southern Illinois, it is finally a beautiful summer day. Of course the sun brings heat, which I’ve never dealt well with. Maybe that’s why I favor autumn. There is one thing I enjoy about summer. It’s not the beach. I don’t go swimming very often. It’s not hiking. I’ll wait until cooler weather when stepping on a copperhead is less of a possibility. It’s not even grilling out. We don’t save that for summer in my house. We grill all year long.
In summer, the one perk that comes with the heat is that it’s the perfect weather to enjoy a tall glass of ice cold lemonade. There is nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than the sweet, tanginess of lemonade. It doesn’t have to be fresh, but it does have to be good. No canned lemonade. If I’m not making it myself, I’ll spring for the good stuff. My absolute favorite is Simply Lemonade’s Raspberry Lemonade. One glass has the perfect balance of flavor for cooling off during the hot summer days.
There are days I need a lemonade type book to read. Long, tiring, stressful weeks cry out for a quick, refreshing dose of fiction with just the right amount of sweet and strife. As I’ve been trying to adjust to a new schedule and job, it’s definitely been one of those weeks. I wanted a refreshing story to help calm my mind and entertain me. God blessed me by bringing Courting Calla by Hallee Bridgeman to my attention.
Calla’s crush on Ian has gone unnoticed in the years they’ve worked for the same company. Though in the same business, one is high up the ladder of executive success while the other struggles to make ends meet with her clerical job.  It’s not hard to understand how she’s seen him but until her broken down car forces the issue, he’s not seen her.
Misunderstanding and embarrassment bring Ian and Calla together. Shared interests and easy conversation keep them coming back to each other. The dark clouds on the horizon of their summer sky are those that come from two ends of the social spectrum coming together and a secret shame Calla has shared only with her closest friend.
Calla’s own step-mother has been using her identity for years, piling up debt in Calla’s name. Grief and embarrassment have kept Calla from having the funds to pursue her culinary education while enslaved to bills she should never have been responsible for. Just as she’s ready to handle the situation, the truth comes out in a devastating way.  Her predicament is hard enough to face, but when it leaves Ian wondering if she thought he was her ticket out of trouble instead of the love of her life, things go from bad to worse.
You’ll have to read Courting Calla for yourself to find out if blue skies return for Ian and Calla. You won’t be disappointed. In fact, I think you should enjoy it this summer with a tall glass of ice-cold lemonade for a refreshing afternoon all around.
By the Book: Great stories and cool drinks are wonderful for refreshing yourself after a long week. But don’t forget you need times of spiritual refreshing too. While you may enjoy the ministries God has brought into your life, they still demand time, energy, and focus. Giving without taking time to recharge isn’t good for you or for those you’re ministering to. Find a quiet place to meditate on a favorite Psalm. Follow it up with your favorite praise music and a time of thankful prayer.
Check out Courting Calla for yourself: