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The End of Summer
A California woman returns to her childhood home in the heather-covered hills of Scotland to find her handsome cousin Sinclair, the man she had always wanted to marry
226 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1971
410 people are currently reading
2479 people want to read
About the author
Rosamunde Pilcher
176 books3,147 followersRosamunde Scott was born on 22 September 1924 in Lelant, Cornwall, England, UK, daughter of Helen and Charles Scott, a British commander. Just before her birth her father was posted in Burma, her mother remained in England. She attended St. Clare's Polwithen and Howell's School Llandaff before going on to Miss Kerr-Sanders' Secretarial College. She began writing when she was seven and published her first short story when she was 18. From 1943 through 1946, Pilcher served with the Women's Naval Service. On 7 December 1946, she married Graham Hope Pilcher, a war hero and jute industry executive who died in March 2009. They moved to Dundee, Scotland, where she remained until her death in 2019. They had two daughters and two sons, and fourteen grandchildren. Her son, Robin Pilcher, is also a novelist.
In 1949, her first book, a romance novel, was published by Mills & Boon, under the pseudonym Jane Fraser. She published a further ten novels under that name. In 1955, she also began writing under her married name Rosamunde Pilcher, by 1965 she her own name to all of her novels. In 1996, her novel Coming Home won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by Romantic Novelists' Association. She retired from writing in 2000 following publication of Winter Solstice. Two years later, she was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
In 1949, her first book, a romance novel, was published by Mills & Boon, under the pseudonym Jane Fraser. She published a further ten novels under that name. In 1955, she also began writing under her married name Rosamunde Pilcher, by 1965 she her own name to all of her novels. In 1996, her novel Coming Home won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by Romantic Novelists' Association. She retired from writing in 2000 following publication of Winter Solstice. Two years later, she was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 333 reviews
July 3, 2018
Love Pilcher! Loved "The End of Summer"
Rosamunde has a unique writing style which can be so absorbing that when you finally reach the final page you look around and the sun has come up! Fast paced, easily read, set in Scotland... What more could you possibly ask for?
Rosamunde has a unique writing style which can be so absorbing that when you finally reach the final page you look around and the sun has come up! Fast paced, easily read, set in Scotland... What more could you possibly ask for?
July 10, 2018
Eh, at least this was short. What a no-nothing story. I have pretty much loved every Pilcher book and to read this one and have it fall so short was a surprise. I think the main issue was that there was no development of any characters and you could call the story from beginning to end. It read like a not very interesting soap opera.
"The End of Summer" has Jane Marsh returning to her grandmother's home in Scotland called Elvie. Jane and her father left Scotland almost a decade ago. Jane knows that her grandmother wanted to keep her. And she wanted to stay too to live with her and her first cousin Sinclair. However, she felt a duty to follow her father and take care of him. Now that her father has a potential new love, Jane rushes home to Elvie and Sinclair. She soon feels torn between him and another love interest, her grandmother's lawyer, David.
Jane was a non-entity practically in this book. She is determined to stay with her father until he dares to fall for someone else. Then she leaves America with David to go back to her grandmother. And even though any person with eyes can see that Sinclair is not good, she stays blind to him and his ways. She doesn't seem to have a burning need to do anything but get married and have children. I wish she had felt passionate about something. The romance was really missing throughout this book and I am still annoyed I wasted my time on reading this. It read a lot to me like Christie and her whole bright young thing takes on terrible ass man in order to keep him on his ps and qs.
Dave and Sinclair were both cut from the same boring cloth. I really didn't care who Jane chose even though there is a whole information dump via a character for you to find out about a character who has kept things hidden (not really, just read between the lines).
Jane's grandmother was not portrayed as strong. I really had a lot of questions about decisions she makes, but we don't really get a chance to dwell on anything since the book is so short.
Jane's father is barely in this book and then shows up via letter that I thought was a cheat. There should have been more discussions between the two of them since he kept things from Jane and it also didn't make any sense to me as a reader.
The writing in this one doesn't sing to me like in previous Pilcher books. Scotland doesn't come alive and neither does Elvie. We get information dumps galore and nothing flows well because of that.
The setting of this book takes place I want to say in the 1970s. I say that because Sinclair makes a comment about the U.S. being full of anti-war protests. It doesn't feel like a book in the 70s because Jane seems to be anti-independent woman and having any thoughts of her own really.
The ending was lackluster. We have Jane with her choice at the end of summer (October) with her thoughts going towards the future.
"The End of Summer" has Jane Marsh returning to her grandmother's home in Scotland called Elvie. Jane and her father left Scotland almost a decade ago. Jane knows that her grandmother wanted to keep her. And she wanted to stay too to live with her and her first cousin Sinclair. However, she felt a duty to follow her father and take care of him. Now that her father has a potential new love, Jane rushes home to Elvie and Sinclair. She soon feels torn between him and another love interest, her grandmother's lawyer, David.
Jane was a non-entity practically in this book. She is determined to stay with her father until he dares to fall for someone else. Then she leaves America with David to go back to her grandmother. And even though any person with eyes can see that Sinclair is not good, she stays blind to him and his ways. She doesn't seem to have a burning need to do anything but get married and have children. I wish she had felt passionate about something. The romance was really missing throughout this book and I am still annoyed I wasted my time on reading this. It read a lot to me like Christie and her whole bright young thing takes on terrible ass man in order to keep him on his ps and qs.
Dave and Sinclair were both cut from the same boring cloth. I really didn't care who Jane chose even though there is a whole information dump via a character for you to find out about a character who has kept things hidden (not really, just read between the lines).
Jane's grandmother was not portrayed as strong. I really had a lot of questions about decisions she makes, but we don't really get a chance to dwell on anything since the book is so short.
Jane's father is barely in this book and then shows up via letter that I thought was a cheat. There should have been more discussions between the two of them since he kept things from Jane and it also didn't make any sense to me as a reader.
The writing in this one doesn't sing to me like in previous Pilcher books. Scotland doesn't come alive and neither does Elvie. We get information dumps galore and nothing flows well because of that.
The setting of this book takes place I want to say in the 1970s. I say that because Sinclair makes a comment about the U.S. being full of anti-war protests. It doesn't feel like a book in the 70s because Jane seems to be anti-independent woman and having any thoughts of her own really.
The ending was lackluster. We have Jane with her choice at the end of summer (October) with her thoughts going towards the future.
October 26, 2016
I read this out of a sense of nostalgia. I used to love Rosamund Pilcher's books. I still count Shell Seekers and September among my favourite books. It's not that I don't think her books are good anymore but reading this made me realise that her books appealed to me at a certain point in my life. Pilcher writes great characters and really makes me want to visit Scotland whenever I read one of her books but I think I shall leave her books in my memory from here on in.
June 23, 2023
Це моє перше знайомство з Розамундою Пілчер, до її книжок тягнуться тоді, коли хочеться чогось заспокійливого і, впринципі, ця книжка і є такою. Зазвичай читають її «Вересень» чи «в канун Різдва», але я, як завжди, вирішила розпочати нестандартно і взяла цю літню історію. «Кінець літа» є дійсно атмосферною книжкою, однак я не відчула зв’язку з самою історією, не можу сказати про неї нічого поганого, але і хорошого, на жаль, теж, окрім того, що природа Щотландіі і теплі дні були описані чудово. Ця книга для тих, хто полюбляє читати дуже спокійні і повільно текучі історії про інших людей і їхні долі, тут ви не знайдете динаміки чи екшену, тут немає великих таємниць, просто релакс. А ще головна героїня тут дуууже сліпа, вона нічого не помічає і це трошки бісило. На жаль, не можу сказати, що тут є романтична лінія, є потуги, але роман відсутній. Чоловічі персонажі картонні і вам в цілому все одно, що з ними станеться. Читати чи ні - вам вирішувати, але рекомендую взяти більш популярні історії цієї авторки.
September 14, 2020
Summer is slowly coming to an end so with this book in mind it made sense for me to decide to read it now. Almost from the beginning, I realize that I was right as the beautiful descriptions of Scotland's autumn landscape brought to my mind the appropriate images for this season that will soon be near us.
In this impressive but quite gentle natural landscape unfolds a love story of similar meekness, without great outbursts - except perhaps at the end - and without particular tensions (if you are looking for a story of unbridled erotic passion better to read something else), which has a restrained romance that exudes tenderness. The romantic element, however, concerns other things, like the appreciation of nature, the simple life of the countryside and the nostalgia for childhood.
All this made me like this book a lot while the end of the story I found it very essential as it reveals a symbolism of the title, with the end of the summer coinciding with the end of the illusions. An ideal read for the season, a book for those who see romance behind simple things like the end of summer.
Το καλοκαίρι πλησιάζει σιγά-σιγά στο τέλος του οπότε έχοντας υπόψη μου αυτό το βιβλίο λογικό ήταν να αποφασίσω να το διαβάσω τώρα. Σχεδόν από την αρχή δικαιώθηκαν καθώς οι όμορφες περιγραφές του φθινοπωρινού τοπίου της Σκωτίας μου έφεραν στο νου τις κατάλληλες εικόνες για αυτή την εποχή που σύντομα θα είναι κοντά μας.
Μέσα σε αυτό το εντυπωσιακό αλλά αρκετά ήπιο φυσικό τοπίο εκτυλίσσεται μία ερωτική ιστορία ανάλογης ηπιότητας, χωρίς μεγάλες εξάρσεις - εκτός ίσως από το τέλος - και χωρίς ιδιαίτερες εντάσεις (αν αναζητείτε μία ιστορία αχαλίνωτου ερωτικού πάθους καλύτερα να διαβάσετε κάτι άλλο), που έχει όμως έναν συγκρατημένο ρομαντισμό που εκπέμπει τρυφερότητα. Το ρομαντικό στοιχείο, όμως, αφορά και άλλα πράγματα, όπως την εκτίμηση στη φύση, στην απλή ζωή της επαρχίας και στη νοσταλγία για την παιδική ηλικία.
Όλα αυτά με έκαναν να συμπαθήσω πολύ αυτό το βιβλίο ενώ το τέλος της ιστορίας το βρήκα ιδιαίτερα ουσιαστικό καθώς αποκαλύπτει και έναν συμβολισμό του τίτλου, με το τέλος του καλοκαιριού να συμβαδίζει με το τέλος των ψευδαισθήσεων. Ένα ιδανικό ανάγνωσμα για την εποχή, ένα βιβλίο για αυτούς που βλέπουν ρομαντισμό πίσω από τα απλά πράγματα όπως το τέλος του καλοκαιριού.
In this impressive but quite gentle natural landscape unfolds a love story of similar meekness, without great outbursts - except perhaps at the end - and without particular tensions (if you are looking for a story of unbridled erotic passion better to read something else), which has a restrained romance that exudes tenderness. The romantic element, however, concerns other things, like the appreciation of nature, the simple life of the countryside and the nostalgia for childhood.
All this made me like this book a lot while the end of the story I found it very essential as it reveals a symbolism of the title, with the end of the summer coinciding with the end of the illusions. An ideal read for the season, a book for those who see romance behind simple things like the end of summer.
Το καλοκαίρι πλησιάζει σιγά-σιγά στο τέλος του οπότε έχοντας υπόψη μου αυτό το βιβλίο λογικό ήταν να αποφασίσω να το διαβάσω τώρα. Σχεδόν από την αρχή δικαιώθηκαν καθώς οι όμορφες περιγραφές του φθινοπωρινού τοπίου της Σκωτίας μου έφεραν στο νου τις κατάλληλες εικόνες για αυτή την εποχή που σύντομα θα είναι κοντά μας.
Μέσα σε αυτό το εντυπωσιακό αλλά αρκετά ήπιο φυσικό τοπίο εκτυλίσσεται μία ερωτική ιστορία ανάλογης ηπιότητας, χωρίς μεγάλες εξάρσεις - εκτός ίσως από το τέλος - και χωρίς ιδιαίτερες εντάσεις (αν αναζητείτε μία ιστορία αχαλίνωτου ερωτικού πάθους καλύτερα να διαβάσετε κάτι άλλο), που έχει όμως έναν συγκρατημένο ρομαντισμό που εκπέμπει τρυφερότητα. Το ρομαντικό στοιχείο, όμως, αφορά και άλλα πράγματα, όπως την εκτίμηση στη φύση, στην απλή ζωή της επαρχίας και στη νοσταλγία για την παιδική ηλικία.
Όλα αυτά με έκαναν να συμπαθήσω πολύ αυτό το βιβλίο ενώ το τέλος της ιστορίας το βρήκα ιδιαίτερα ουσιαστικό καθώς αποκαλύπτει και έναν συμβολισμό του τίτλου, με το τέλος του καλοκαιριού να συμβαδίζει με το τέλος των ψευδαισθήσεων. Ένα ιδανικό ανάγνωσμα για την εποχή, ένα βιβλίο για αυτούς που βλέπουν ρομαντισμό πίσω από τα απλά πράγματα όπως το τέλος του καλοκαιριού.
June 13, 2021
The summary for this long short story says a lot — except that Sinclair and Jane are first cousins, which would be more understandable if this were farther back in the realm covered by historical fiction, but it's only set in the 1960s (originally published in 1971). So much opportunity to do more of an exploration into that tumultuous decade, but instead this story focuses mainly on Jane, her return to her grandmother's Scottish estate, Elvie, and her dissolving relationship with her cousin, Sinclair, who clearly has ulterior motives. All about the theme 'You can't go home again,' (hello, Thomas Wolfe), Jane's eyes are opened about her "rakish" cousin as the story progresses. And then the story has a strange and twisted but rather neat little bow on the end.
Audiobook, as narrated by Jilly Bond: Bond is a wonderful voice for Pilcher's novels and stories — no exception here. Bond does a wonderful job with the narration and probably added more to the story than would've been found on the page by a less talented performer.
Audiobook, as narrated by Jilly Bond: Bond is a wonderful voice for Pilcher's novels and stories — no exception here. Bond does a wonderful job with the narration and probably added more to the story than would've been found on the page by a less talented performer.
April 6, 2020
Εύκολο, γρήγορο, ευχάριστο. Ρομαντική ιστορία που χρειάζεται ένα απόγευμα για να την ολοκληρώσεις.
May 27, 2020
This was a very slight tale of a girl, Jane, who has traveled the world with her rather feckless novelist father but has now finally returned to Elvie, her childhood home in Scotland. While staying there with her beloved grandmother she learns the painful truth about her cousin Sinclair for whom she has long held a long-cherished infatuation. Of course, the reader divines the truth right away through a couple of "clues". Thankfully, it is not long before Jane has his number as well. She is never in danger of doing something really stupid. It is a typical Pilcher in many ways but it does take an uncharacteristically dark turn at one point. What bumped my rating up a star, was a touching and revealing letter from her father near the end. It turns out there was a little more there than at first met the eye as far as his character goes.
Pilcher's heroines are always pretty and very nice. Nothing wrong with that. But Jane also embodies other traits that can be troubling. Besides being very young, they are also under-educated (by choice) and unambitious. They are easily victimized or taken advantage of. If they even have jobs, they are not careers, like teaching or nursing or management. They usually have no independent means of support so marriage to a rich or successful man is the only realistic option for a secure future. "Luckily" Jane finds her true lovemeal ticket at the end of this tale. I usually choose to overlook this trope while reading Rosamunde because her books are charming. But I felt I had to point it out, because even her old fashioned grandmother does.
Pilcher's heroines are always pretty and very nice. Nothing wrong with that. But Jane also embodies other traits that can be troubling. Besides being very young, they are also under-educated (by choice) and unambitious. They are easily victimized or taken advantage of. If they even have jobs, they are not careers, like teaching or nursing or management. They usually have no independent means of support so marriage to a rich or successful man is the only realistic option for a secure future. "Luckily" Jane finds her true love
"But nowadays every girl should be able to support herself"...hadn't I ever wanted to do some sort of job? ...I said, "Not really." I said that I was very happy being supported by my father.... "Oh my poor Jane."Yay Granny! ***3 1/2 stars**
August 18, 2017
A very short book, not a patch on 'The Shell Seekers'. It must have been written in the 60s but was only published in the UK in 90s, I assume the publishers were trading on Rosamunde Picher's success, it was rather disappointing. The characters weren't at all likeable, with the exception of David. The heroine, Jane, was really rather pathetic, she even had to ask for help to change dollars into pounds, she seemed to be the archetypal 'little woman' who had to have everything done for her. Her grandmother asks her about her plans for a career but she hasn't any - she is 21 years old, I wasn't drawn to her at all. Perhaps if it had been a longer book the characters could have been developed better, it was too long for a short story but really too short for a novel.
July 4, 2020
Ένα ακόμα ρομαντικό ανάγνωσμα από την αγαπημένη Rosamund Pilcher. Η συγγραφέας μας ταξιδεύει στο Έλβι με τις περιγραφές της, ενώ η παρουσίαση των ηρώων μας καλλιεργεί μεικτά συναισθήματα. Υπάρχουν ήρωες που είναι αγαπητοί και συμπαθείς από την πρώτη σελίδα και κάποιοι άλλοι που σκόπιμα οι Pilcher, παρουσιάζει αλαζόνες, τυχοδιώκτες, αφού επηρεάζουν την εξέλιξη της ιστορίας. Η ιστορία δεν είναι πρωτότυπη και το τέλος δεν ξαφνιάζει όμως η γραφή της Pilcher σε μαγεύει! Ως λάτρης της Rosamund Pilcher δεν θα μπορούσα να μην γράψω ότι είναι ένα ευχάριστο και απολαυστικό ανάγνωσμα.
September 12, 2023
Certainly not the Shell Seekers. Jilly Bond is a great narrator.
October 4, 2018
A fine coming of age tale set in Northern California and the wilds of Scotland. A young lady gives up a free-wheeling life with her author father to return to her grandmother's country estate in Scotland. It's true that you can never really go home again. When she goes back to her beloved homeplace, she finds that she sees it all with an adult viewpoint. It's at once comforting and disconcerting. Jane will have to make some difficult decisions about her own life. The depiction of Scots country life is beautiful and evocative. I would love to go there someday!
August 10, 2010
Pilcher is the kind of author whose words filter up off the page, circle around your brain caressing it, and then trickle down to your neck and shoulders, massaging every bit of stress and tension away. Lovely escape.
September 14, 2022
Definitely not what I expected of a summer read.
The love interests are a bit weird and I surely wouldnt recommend this book for its romance bits. But to admit, it did make me gigle at parts and look away from the pages shocked at others.
An okey book.
The love interests are a bit weird and I surely wouldnt recommend this book for its romance bits. But to admit, it did make me gigle at parts and look away from the pages shocked at others.
An okey book.
February 4, 2025
Μία απολύτως προβλέψιμη ρομαντική ιστορία.
Η Τζέιν ζει στην Καλιφόρνια με τον μπαμπά της, έναν ερημίτη σεναριογράφο. Χωρίς καμία φιλοδοξία και χωρίς μόρφωση, περνάει το χρόνο της με άσκοπες βόλτες στη θάλασσα και φιλοσοφικές αναζητήσεις με βλακώδη βάση.
Όταν ο μπαμπάς της επιστρέφει σπίτι με μια φιλενάδα και το σκυλί της, ο γλόμπος της ιδέας ανάβει με μιας στο μυαλό της και ακολουθεί έναν δικηγόρο σταλμένο από τη γιαγιά της, πίσω στην πατρίδα της τη Σκωτία.
Η ιστορία σώζεται μόνο από τις όμορφες περιγραφές και το ανάλαφρο γράψιμο της Πίλτσερ.
Η ηρωίδα της εξακολουθεί να είναι ένα άχρηστο πλάσμα που δεν ξέρει τι να κάνει στη ζωή της, εκτός από το προφανές : να βρει κάποιον - όπως έλεγαν στη γνωστή ελληνική ταινία του παλιού κινηματογράφου - "να της τραβάει τα έξοδα", κοινώς να παντρευτεί.
Και τον βρίσκει στο πρόσωπο του τοπικού δικηγόρου με το συνεπές κλισέ όλων των απανταχού άρλεκιν, των 15 ετών διαφορά. Εδώ επιπροσθέτως είχαμε και κάπως μειωμένη όραση αλλά σε αντιδιαστολή είχαμε μπόι και ομορφιά! Τι άλλο να ζητήσει μια κοπέλα!!!!
Δύο αστέρια και πολλά ...
Η Τζέιν ζει στην Καλιφόρνια με τον μπαμπά της, έναν ερημίτη σεναριογράφο. Χωρίς καμία φιλοδοξία και χωρίς μόρφωση, περνάει το χρόνο της με άσκοπες βόλτες στη θάλασσα και φιλοσοφικές αναζητήσεις με βλακώδη βάση.
Όταν ο μπαμπάς της επιστρέφει σπίτι με μια φιλενάδα και το σκυλί της, ο γλόμπος της ιδέας ανάβει με μιας στο μυαλό της και ακολουθεί έναν δικηγόρο σταλμένο από τη γιαγιά της, πίσω στην πατρίδα της τη Σκωτία.
Η ιστορία σώζεται μόνο από τις όμορφες περιγραφές και το ανάλαφρο γράψιμο της Πίλτσερ.
Η ηρωίδα της εξακολουθεί να είναι ένα άχρηστο πλάσμα που δεν ξέρει τι να κάνει στη ζωή της, εκτός από το προφανές : να βρει κάποιον - όπως έλεγαν στη γνωστή ελληνική ταινία του παλιού κινηματογράφου - "να της τραβάει τα έξοδα", κοινώς να παντρευτεί.
Και τον βρίσκει στο πρόσωπο του τοπικού δικηγόρου με το συνεπές κλισέ όλων των απανταχού άρλεκιν, των 15 ετών διαφορά. Εδώ επιπροσθέτως είχαμε και κάπως μειωμένη όραση αλλά σε αντιδιαστολή είχαμε μπόι και ομορφιά! Τι άλλο να ζητήσει μια κοπέλα!!!!
Δύο αστέρια και πολλά ...
May 23, 2025
The End of Summer
4✨
free little Library find
4✨
free little Library find
February 3, 2022
Very short novel. With Pilcher's style of storytelling and her characters.
But not a novel to start reading Rosamunde Pilcher. I have had the feeling that Pilcher a dozen years later would have created from this story much longer and more philosophical book. Still, I enjoyed it.
But not a novel to start reading Rosamunde Pilcher. I have had the feeling that Pilcher a dozen years later would have created from this story much longer and more philosophical book. Still, I enjoyed it.
December 25, 2019
5/10
un libro simple y soso
un libro simple y soso
September 16, 2024
I love the beautiful writing of Rosamunde Pilcher and I was so glad to find one that I hadn't read before. Her writing just transports you to another place and time. This was in fact perfect for The End of Summer!
August 25, 2024
This is enchanting ChickLit to close out your summer reading…with just a hint of frosty autumn air in the pages of this novel by Rosamunde Pilcher.
It's the 1960s on the beach near San Francisco. Twenty-year-old Jane Marsh lives in a dilapidated cabin with her distracted father, a writer who is now penning a movie script. Dad has taken off for Hollywood for a few days, leaving Jane at home alone when a handsome stranger comes knocking on the door at 9 p.m., scaring the daylights out of her. He is David Stewart, her Scottish grandmother's attorney, who has traveled all the way from Scotland to bring Jane home for a visit with her beloved grandmother on her remote and tranquil Scottish estate of Elvie. When Dad comes home with a lovely actress in tow, Jane decides on the spur of the moment to go to Scotland. And so the story begins…everything at Elvie is not as it should be, thanks to her scheming cousin Sinclair Bailey, a man she has long loved and admired but who seems to have changed radically since Jane has been away.
This is a book about family ties, the bonds of love between the generations, and our hopes for the future. It is filled with delightful characters that are bold and vibrant and make the Scottish countryside and community come alive.
Bonus: The ending is a bit of a shock, considering how placid and serene the story is until then, but there are broad hints at what's to come.
It's not great literature, but it is a lovely and charming book to read.
It's the 1960s on the beach near San Francisco. Twenty-year-old Jane Marsh lives in a dilapidated cabin with her distracted father, a writer who is now penning a movie script. Dad has taken off for Hollywood for a few days, leaving Jane at home alone when a handsome stranger comes knocking on the door at 9 p.m., scaring the daylights out of her. He is David Stewart, her Scottish grandmother's attorney, who has traveled all the way from Scotland to bring Jane home for a visit with her beloved grandmother on her remote and tranquil Scottish estate of Elvie. When Dad comes home with a lovely actress in tow, Jane decides on the spur of the moment to go to Scotland. And so the story begins…everything at Elvie is not as it should be, thanks to her scheming cousin Sinclair Bailey, a man she has long loved and admired but who seems to have changed radically since Jane has been away.
This is a book about family ties, the bonds of love between the generations, and our hopes for the future. It is filled with delightful characters that are bold and vibrant and make the Scottish countryside and community come alive.
Bonus: The ending is a bit of a shock, considering how placid and serene the story is until then, but there are broad hints at what's to come.
It's not great literature, but it is a lovely and charming book to read.
August 1, 2021
First published in 1971, this was an enjoyable, quick read but just too short! Rosamunde Pilcher's writing is so wonderful that I want to luxuriate in it for days, not just hours. And though she created some interesting, fairly well-developed characters and an atmospheric setting given how few pages the story has, I could have used more - especially when it came to the main character Jane's romantic relationship, which was lovely but rushed.
That said, for something I finished in one day, I liked it. To me this was Rosamunde Pilcher with a bit of a Mary Stewart vibe, since in addition to Pilcher's family relationships and domesticity there was also a suspenseful feeling that Jane was in some kind of danger. It was an interesting combination. Worth reading if you want a hit of Pilcher without the time commitment of one of her long novels.
3.5 stars
That said, for something I finished in one day, I liked it. To me this was Rosamunde Pilcher with a bit of a Mary Stewart vibe, since in addition to Pilcher's family relationships and domesticity there was also a suspenseful feeling that Jane was in some kind of danger. It was an interesting combination. Worth reading if you want a hit of Pilcher without the time commitment of one of her long novels.
3.5 stars
September 23, 2010
This is probably my least favorite of her short novels that I have read. A nice story, but to me it just felt like too many details were left to make a really good one. I almost felt like I was reading a condensed or abridged book, which I wasn't. I have read others of her short books and not felt that way. I usually love her books even though they are quite predictable (the shorter ones anyway). Anyone who loves Pilcher will want to read it anyway.
September 26, 2008
When we got back from our crazy, hectic weekend, I needed something peaceful to read. This is what I choose. I love Rosamunde Pilcher and have read everything she has written that I can possibly get my hands on. She is the only author I know who can write an entirely peaceful novel and still hold your interest. I always want to crawl inside her novels and take a nap.
January 19, 2020
This seemed darker than is typical of Pilcher's novels. Several disturbing secrets are revealed and two tragic events happen quite quickly then the book is wrapped up in a few brief pages leaving the reader little time to regain their footing. Definitely more foreboding and less cozy than I've come to expect from one of my favorite authors.
December 16, 2017
It’s so nice to have Rosamunde Pilcher’s books available as audiobooks now! This one was not one of my favorites, but was still a very pleasant listen!
April 5, 2020
I libri della Pilcher si leggono sempre velocemente, lo stile è fluido e commovente, ma sinceramente questo romanzo non mi ha entusiasmato. La storia di base è carina, un intrigo di affetti ed eredità, ambientata nell'incantevole campagna scozzese, purtroppo però non è molto sviluppata, l'autrice infatti si sofferma soprattutto a descriverci luoghi e ambientazioni, tutti molto affascinanti, ma si dilungano così tanto da portare alla noia, penso che se le eliminassimo, il libro si ridurrebbe della metà. Due le cose che proprio non mi sono piaciute: .
E' il terzo libro della Pilcher che leggo, gli altri erano decisamente migliori, continuerò quindi a leggere altro dell'autrice.
E' il terzo libro della Pilcher che leggo, gli altri erano decisamente migliori, continuerò quindi a leggere altro dell'autrice.
November 22, 2019
No no no. I love Pilcher but this one is NOT a story she should have published. Any hint of first cousin romance is a HARD NO from me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2025
Perhaps it is because I am reading multiple of these short Pilcher novels in a short period of time, but I'm beginning to tire of the immature young women without much personality and the mostly useless men. Poor Jane loses her mother at a young age and gets dragged away from Scotland to the U.S. by her father. He seems to love her, but doesn't provide very well for her. Jane returns to Scotland for a visit and is excited to see her grandmother and her cousin Sinclair. The former is as reliable as ever, but Sinclair has turned out to be a wastrel like his father and tries to get Jane to marry him. Thankfully she shows more backbone than she has shown in the book thus far and refuses him. I do like the "country lawyer," David, who is actually kind and cares about her.
Edited to add that I listened to it on audio six years hence and probably enjoyed it slightly more, but there is a bit of sameness to Pilcher’s female protagonists in her earliest books which were published about fifty years ago now.
Edited to add that I listened to it on audio six years hence and probably enjoyed it slightly more, but there is a bit of sameness to Pilcher’s female protagonists in her earliest books which were published about fifty years ago now.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2016
Αν ήταν εκδόσεις Άρλεκιν θα ήταν πιο τίμιο για μένα για 2 λόγους: θα απολάμβανα την αισθηματική ιστορία, φαντάζομαι θα είχε και λίγο έρωτα ( αντί να περιμένω να φτάσω στην τελευταία σελίδα για να του πει "I Do" και κατευθείαν στον γάμο ) και θα δικαιολογούταν το πόσο επίπεδοι, προβλέψιμοι και άχρωμοι ήταν οι χαρακτήρες. Τόσα κλισέ πονέσαν τα ματάκια μου... Αδύναμη ηρωίδα που δεν προσδοκά τίποτα στον κόσμο παρά να να την θέλει ο ξάδερφος ( και πρώτος ξάδερφος μάλιστα, με χάλασε αυτό ολίγον τι).
Κατηγορία: Παραλία και πουθενά αλλού.
Κι αν με ρωτήσετε γιατί το διάβασα, ήθελα να ξέρω από πρώτο χέρι!
Spoiler Alert
Με το που αναφέρθηκε στον Ξάδερφο, ώπα λέω θα παίζει θεματάκι.
Με το που εμφανίστηκε μελαχροινός στην πόρτα την νύχτα, ώπα αυτόν θα παντρευτεί.
Κατηγορία: Παραλία και πουθενά αλλού.
Κι αν με ρωτήσετε γιατί το διάβασα, ήθελα να ξέρω από πρώτο χέρι!
Spoiler Alert
Με το που αναφέρθηκε στον Ξάδερφο, ώπα λέω θα παίζει θεματάκι.
Με το που εμφανίστηκε μελαχροινός στην πόρτα την νύχτα, ώπα αυτόν θα παντρευτεί.
October 18, 2015
I almost abandoned it after reading two chapters, being Scottish I got annoyed at the descriptions regarding kilt wearing and frumpy warm sweaters ! Which seem to suggest that everyone innScotland dresses like this ! Decided to finish it as its only a short story shouldn't have bothered , as I had already predicted how it would end. After reading The Shell Seekers which was wonderful ,this has left me flat !!
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