Sketches At The Edge Of Summer

Sketches at the Edge of Summer

In the heart of a picturesque lakeside town, the summer sun casts its golden glow on the lives of those who call it home. For Mia Roberts, a shy teen artist with a sketchbook always in hand, this summer holds the promise of transformation. In Sketches at the Edge of Summer, Mia finds herself at a crossroads—torn between her desire to express herself through art and the fear of stepping beyond the shadows of her introverted world. As the local art fair approaches, Mia's dreams of winning a coveted scholarship hang in the balance. Yet, it’s not just the competition that challenges her; it’s the whirlwind of friendship and heartbreak that unfolds around her. Tasha, her vibrant best friend, encourages her to embrace her talent and step into the spotlight, while Ethan, the boy with the captivating smile and an artistic spirit of his own, sparks a connection that leaves Mia both breathless and terrified. With every bonfire night spent under a canopy of stars and every scenic retreat to the lake’s edge, Mia begins to discover the power of vulnerability and the beauty of self-expression. Through the guiding wisdom of Ms. Delgado, a passionate art teacher who sees potential in Mia that even she has yet to recognize, Mia learns that growth often comes from embracing the discomfort of change. As she sketches the world around her—capturing the essence of friendship, the pangs of unrequited love, and the bittersweet intricacies of growing up—Mia grapples with her own insecurities and the weight of expectations. Sketches at the Edge of Summer is an intimate, heartfelt journey into the heart of adolescence, where every brushstroke on the canvas reflects a moment of bravery and every heartbeat echoes the struggles of finding one's voice. Will Mia find the courage to pursue her dreams, or will she let fear hold her back? As summer winds down, the stakes rise, and Mia must decide what truly matters: the art she creates or the life she lives. In a season filled with laughter, tears, and unforgettable memories, Mia discovers that sometimes, the most profound transformations happen at the edge of summer, where friendship and art collide in the most unexpected ways. Dive into Mia’s world and experience a summer that will change everything.

At the Edge of Summer

The acclaimed author of Letters from Skye returns with an extraordinary story of a friendship born of proximity but boundless in the face of separation and war. Luc Crépet is accustomed to his mother’s bringing wounded creatures to their idyllic château in the French countryside, where healing comes naturally amid the lush wildflowers and crumbling stone walls. Yet his maman’s newest project is the most surprising: a fifteen-year-old Scottish girl grieving over her parents’ fate. A curious child with an artistic soul, Clare Ross finds solace in her connection to Luc, and she in turn inspires him in ways he never thought possible. Then, just as suddenly as Clare arrives, she is gone, whisked away by her grandfather to the farthest reaches of the globe. Devastated by her departure, Luc begins to write letters to Clare—and, even as she moves from Portugal to Africa and beyond, the memory of the summer they shared keeps her grounded. Years later, in the wake of World War I, Clare, now an artist, returns to France to help create facial prostheses for wounded soldiers. One of the wary veterans who comes to the studio seems familiar, and as his mask takes shape beneath her fingers, she recognizes Luc. But is this soldier, made bitter by battle and betrayal, the same boy who once wrote her wistful letters from Paris? After war and so many years apart, can Clare and Luc recapture how they felt at the edge of that long-ago summer? Bringing to life two unforgettable characters and the rich historical period they inhabit, Jessica Brockmole shows how love and forgiveness can redeem us. Praise for Jessica Brockmole’s Letters From Skye “A remarkable story of two women, their loves, their secrets, and two world wars [in which] the beauty of Scotland, the tragedy of war, the longings of the heart, and the struggles of a family torn apart by disloyalty are brilliantly drawn.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Tantalizing . . . sure to please readers who enjoyed other epistolary novels like The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.”—Stratford Gazette “An absorbing and rewarding saga of loss and discovery.”—Kate Alcott, author of The Dressmaker “A sweeping and sweet (but not saccharine) love story.”—USA Today “[A] dazzling little jewel.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch “A captivating love story that celebrates the power of hope.”—Vanessa Diffenbaugh, author of The Language of Flowers

Summer Session