**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net** 
 Racing the Sun is the second book in the Where Sea Meets Sky series, but it is a complete standalone. I didn't read the first book, but I did read the summary and those characters did not show up in Racing the Sun. Not to mention it takes place in a totally different area of the world. Racing the Sun takes place on the island of Capri, and I have to say that Karina Halle has made me bump Capri up on my list of places that I need to visit ASAP. It sounds absolutely gorgeous! Maybe a country is more gorgeous with a sexy budding love story though, who knows. 
 Racing the Sun is told entirely from Amber's point of view. Amber takes a tutoring position with a broken family in Capri after spending all of her money on her jaunt through Europe, leaving her with no money for a plane ticket home. I thought that was hilarious. I have no idea why, but I for some strange reason, I absolutely loved that she has been traveling so long and she just up and got a job in a foreign country to make more money to get home. (I know, I sound like a crazy person, but that is so far out of my comfort zone, that I just loved she was brave enough to do all of it.) 
 I loved Racing the Sun. The romance, the writing, the setting, all of it was a homerun. Karina Halle was inside my head with Amber. Even though she is way more impulsive and brave in a much different way than I am, I feel like our feelings and thought process were so similar. I felt like I was in capri tutoring those kids. At any given point in the story, I could take a situation that Amber was in and think "oh man, this is what I would do." or "uh uh, that would not stand with me." and then lo and behold, not more than a few pages later, Amber was doing just what I would do! Get out of my head Karina Halle. (or rather, stay but make me a Derio ::winkwink::) And I loved that while this was a heartwarming romance, it was a complete romance- with all of the ups and very realistic downs. 
 And the romance in Racing the Sun was great. I lurveed Derio. A lot. He only did one thing to annoy me in the whole story (and it certainly annoyed Amber too...of course) But watching Amber peel Derio back layer by layer until they each admitted their feelings was a beautiful thing to witness. Racing the Sun is the perfect book for summer. You will be instantly transported to Capri. Karina Halle's writing is pure magic. Grab a copy, lay out by the pool or on the beach (or under covers if its' raining) and enjoy. 
 This review was originally posted on Book Briefs