Shenandoah Summer    by John Jaffe Order:  USA  Can Warner, 2004 (2004) Hardcover Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth Alyssa and Darryl Brown satisfy her life-long desire to own a farm when they buy 'Finally Farm' at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. At the end of a long lane, the little yellow farmhouse is a fixer-upper with potential. A summer art colony, Limespring, is just up the road. Alyssa fits in with the artists quite well. Too well, some would say. Her husband, for one. Tug Palifax, an artist in residence for the summer, finds Alyssa as entrancing as her farm. Therein lies the problem. Shenandoah Summer is a love story - a rather predictable one. The story flows, though, and moves with purpose. I liked the characters. Alyssa is a positive, energetic person. A trifle fey, but that adds to her appeal. The artists at the colony are an exuberant lot, full of unusual talents. I would love to see Finally Farm. It's packed with the artists' works: a painted serpent twisting around the bathroom, a three-dimensional floor, a centaur whirligig kicking in the breeze. Alyssa's love of horses meshes with Tug's desire to draw the gentle animal, and Shenandoah Summer is an easy read that will play on your emotions. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Contemporary books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews