Do you have a favorite summer? Somewhere (or place in time) you go when you close your eyes? I do, the Summer of ’64 spent at my grandparents summer house. It was three stories high painted white with dark green trim and large green shutters. It had French doors that opened out onto the wraparound porch which had wicker furniture on it. Best of all, it had my favorite feature: a back staircase that went from the third floor all the way down to the pantry in the kitchen. We used to sneak down after bedtime and snitch potato chips from the pantry. Grandma always knew it was my older brother and I–we were 8 and 6 at the time. I couldn’t figure out how she knew it was us, must have been the soggy potato chips for lunch the following day. LOL! Their house was located at 216 Monmouth Avenue in Spring Lake, NJ (unfortunately, the last time it was sold, they didn’t renovate the house, they tore it down). Dad worked for DuPont and was transferred from NJ to Tennessee that year. My parents hadn’t made the decision to move to TN yet, and Dad commuted home on weekends. Mom had a better idea for the summer though, to have him spend those weekends in Spring Lake. During the week, Mom and my grandparents ensured that my older brother, two younger sisters, and I had the best summer because they knew how much we missed Dad.

Their house was three blocks from the ocean on the corner of Monmouth and Third. We had to walk past the Hewitt Wellington Guest House/Hotel (a gorgeous Victorian built in 1892–which is still there!) and the Monmouth Hotel a beautiful old building built in 1875 (which burned down in 1900, rebuilt and reopened in 1904, and demolished in 1974) to go to the South End Pavilion. Spring Lake had two huge salt water pools with a pavilion on Ocean Avenue: one at the north end by the gates to Belmar and the south end near Wreck Pond.

We had the best time: going to the beach to swim in the salt water pool, stopping in the snack shop on the boardwalk to buy a big pretzel stick or candy necklace for a penny. Peterson’s was the place to go for ice cream. We could walk to St. Catherine’s Cathedral for church on Sundays. The cornerstone was laid on March 17, 1901 and it was dedicated May 25, 1902 and is still there. We loved walking across the wooden bridges spanning Spring Lake and then feeding the ducks before walking to the Party Box–they had the best toys! I still have the Tiny Tears that Grandpa bought for me. Mom was horrified that he spent $10 on a doll. Can you imagine?

Do you have a favorite summer or favorite summer place to visit?

Giveaway

Two giveaways: e-book copy of my June 24 release:

1 – The Duke’s Champion (The Duke’s Guard, Bk 13).

2 – Print bundle (US only) includes:
The Duke’s Lance (TDG, Bk 12) +
C.H.’s Reader’s Log +
Dragonblade Reader’s Guide to C.H.’s titles

Purchase Links for The Duke’s Champion (The Duke’s Guard, Bk 13):

USA: https://www.amazon.com/Dukes-Champion-Guard-Book-13-ebook/dp/B0F9QY519S
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dukes-Champion-Guard-Book-13-ebook/dp/B0F9QY519S
CANADA: https://www.amazon.ca/Dukes-Champion-Guard-Book-13-ebook/dp/B0F9QY519S
AUSTRALIA: https://www.amazon.com.au/Dukes-Champion-Guard-Book-13-ebook/dp/B0F9QY519S

Meet the Author

If we have not met yet, I’m delighted to meet you! Here’s a little bit about me…

I have been writing romance novels for almost half my life, well at least for the last 30 years. I’m a diehard romantic and have to confess the broad shoulders and wicked glint in the brilliant green eyes of a stranger had my breath snagging in my breast, my heart beating madly, and my future flashing before my eyes. At the age of seventeen, I’d met the man I knew I was going to spend the rest of my life with.

I write Historical & Contemporary Romance featuring characters that I know so well: hardheaded heroes and feisty heroines! They rarely listen to me and in fact, I think they enjoy messing with my plans for them. Over the years I have learned to listen to them! I have always used family names in my books and love adding bits and pieces of my ancestors and ancestry in them, too!

Where You Can Find Her:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CHAdmirandAuthor   
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/c.h.admirand/   
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/212657.C_H_Admirand   
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRSXBeqEY52VV3mHdtg5fXw