Summer Up ! by Tom Leihbacher

Release: July 14, 2022
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc
Source: Suzyapproved Book Tours
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle,

The last day of school had finally arrived, and summer break was on. With it came the promise of two and a half months of sun-drenched, fun-filled freedom. There were Summer camps, trips, sports , foods, and nights to look forward to. And to say nothing of summer afternoons hanging out at the town pool or the teenage art of sleeping in. But not every day was all fun and games for Charlie Riverton and his friends. During that memorable summer of ’75, they faced a protracted battle for turf rights in their own backyards.

It wasn’t easy, and they took their lumps along the way. But they stuck together and stood up for themselves. With helpful guidance from a heavenly friend, their shoulders grew a little broader and an unforgettable new chapter was written into Briarcliff Manor folklore.

Come join Charlie, Sky, and the whole cast from A Gift Most Rare on a summer-long, fun-filled, coming of age adventure.

About the Author:

Tom Leihbacher resides in his hometown of Briarcliff Manor, New York. He and his wife are active in community and church activities. In addition to membership at Sleepy Hollow Country Club, he enjoys dining at the local restaurants, spending time at his family home on Cape Cod, and taking long, daily walks with his rescue dog, The Gipper. His first novel A Gift Most Rare was published in October of 2020. Summer Up! is the sequel. There are two more books under development in this four-part series.

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Summer Up ! Review:

I loved reading “A Gift Most Rare” by the author and was looking forward to “Summer Up.” The story is a beautiful continuation to revisit the characters at Briarcliff. This book focuses more on DMarks, and how he changes during the summer as the group finishes middle grade and prepares for high school.

The author has a beautiful writing style that melts your heart. I enjoyed DMarks in the lead. At times, he is annoying for how he gets the group into trouble, but I loved seeing him transition with Sky’s presence, which even Charlie noticed. The author also adds a touch of adventure and excitement as DMarks faces off his rivalry with Will Morris. It was interesting to see the various pranks the two pull off and also a bit scary as to how far they would go to beat each other. Will also turned out to be one of my favorites.

Moreover, I loved the sense of community, as we also invest in the lives of the other residents at Briarcliff. I adored Mr. Olson and Mary and their budding romance thanks to Taylor and Annabelle. Similarly, Parker and Suzie were cute, and I loved how the author wrote their scenes together. At the same time, I also enjoyed Charlie and Michelle together and found them adorable.

Another beautiful thing about the story is that, even though it is religious, the author doesn’t force down the religious themes too much in the story. The book is beautiful because of the heartwarming characters and their simple idyllic lifestyle, which makes you want to feel like you belong there. I am so excited that two more books are coming out in this series, as I cannot wait to revisit the characters.

Overall, “Summer up!” is a great continuation!