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Polly Johnson is een succesvolle zakenvrouw. Ze geeft geld uit als water, drinkt elke dag champagne in een exclusieve club en woont in een groot appartement in Londen. Dan slaat het noodlot Polly verliest haar baan. Voor ze het goed en wel beseft staat haar woning in de verkoop en is er niets meer over van haar luxeleventje.
Noodgedwongen trekt ze bij haar ouders in, die in een klein huisje op het Engelse platteland wonen. Als ze haar zus Clare weer ziet, wordt Polly voor het eerst geconfronteerd met haar afstandelijke en egocentrische houding. Ze begint zich te realiseren hoe eenzaam en kaal haar leven in Londen was. Maar net als ze zich eindelijk weer wat gaat openstellen voor anderen, komt ze haar jeugdliefde Jay tegen, van wie Polly niet voor niets voorgoed afscheid had genomen...
Noodgedwongen trekt ze bij haar ouders in, die in een klein huisje op het Engelse platteland wonen. Als ze haar zus Clare weer ziet, wordt Polly voor het eerst geconfronteerd met haar afstandelijke en egocentrische houding. Ze begint zich te realiseren hoe eenzaam en kaal haar leven in Londen was. Maar net als ze zich eindelijk weer wat gaat openstellen voor anderen, komt ze haar jeugdliefde Jay tegen, van wie Polly niet voor niets voorgoed afscheid had genomen...
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
96 people are currently reading
2404 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Diamond
82 books1,425 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
First of all, a confession. My name isn’t really Lucy Diamond at all, it’s Sue Mongredien. I’ve used a pen name because ‘Diamond’ is a lot easier to spell and pronounce than ‘Mongredien’ and also because I’ve written lots of children’s books too and wanted to keep the genres separate. (There is actually another Lucy Diamond on Amazon who writes religious children’s books. That isn’t me, though.)
I was born in 1970 and grew up in Nottingham. I read English at Leeds University then moved to London and worked for various publishers before I packed it all in to go travelling around the world for a year and a half. When I came back to the UK, I worked in publishing again, then moved to the BBC. I now live in Bath with my husband and three young children and divide my time between writing and looking after them. You can have a look at my children’s books here.
Favourite things: beaches, holidays, chocolate, wine, reading, Green Wing, bubble baths, sunshine, hearing my children laugh, babysitters
Favourite books: The Magus (John Fowles), The Edible Woman (Margaret Atwood), The Secret History (Donna Tartt), The Colour of Memory (Geoff Dyer)
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
First of all, a confession. My name isn’t really Lucy Diamond at all, it’s Sue Mongredien. I’ve used a pen name because ‘Diamond’ is a lot easier to spell and pronounce than ‘Mongredien’ and also because I’ve written lots of children’s books too and wanted to keep the genres separate. (There is actually another Lucy Diamond on Amazon who writes religious children’s books. That isn’t me, though.)
I was born in 1970 and grew up in Nottingham. I read English at Leeds University then moved to London and worked for various publishers before I packed it all in to go travelling around the world for a year and a half. When I came back to the UK, I worked in publishing again, then moved to the BBC. I now live in Bath with my husband and three young children and divide my time between writing and looking after them. You can have a look at my children’s books here.
Favourite things: beaches, holidays, chocolate, wine, reading, Green Wing, bubble baths, sunshine, hearing my children laugh, babysitters
Favourite books: The Magus (John Fowles), The Edible Woman (Margaret Atwood), The Secret History (Donna Tartt), The Colour of Memory (Geoff Dyer)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 249 reviews
July 24, 2016
Not sure if I had read this before, or maybe because I have read too many similar summery reads in a row but after a good start I abandoned most of it and just read the end..not like me at all but I kept getting confused for some reason. Not my favourite Lucy Diamond story.
June 30, 2024
Les hauts et les bas de Polly, que j’ai adoré suivre!
Ce roman donne un petit baume sur le cœur et fait du bien à l’âme!
Ce roman donne un petit baume sur le cœur et fait du bien à l’âme!
August 14, 2015
You can't go wrong with a book that has been written by Lucy Diamond, her books are just utterly fantastic. The cover looks so inviting and gorgeous it just made me want to dive straight in. I really liked the plot for this story as always you feel like you can warm to the characters as they all have real life problems. I loved Polly and Clare's mum and dad they reminded me of mine which was nice. I loved the idea of Clare setting up her own business I felt really nervous for her but she came up trumps in the end. Such a lovely story with a lovely outcome.
July 9, 2020
This was my first book by Lucy Diamond and it definitely won't be my last as I loved it.
I really liked both Clare and Polly's (eventually) characters and it was great getting to know them.
A lovely read that I didn't want to end. 😊
I really liked both Clare and Polly's (eventually) characters and it was great getting to know them.
A lovely read that I didn't want to end. 😊
May 3, 2020
Toujours en plein défrichage de mes rayonnages de livres, je mets la main sur ce roman de Lucy Diamond : frais, léger, délicieusement bucolique ! Et puis cette histoire de deux sœurs qui ne se comprenaient plus et qui se retrouvent le temps d'un été en parvenant à effacer les vieilles rancunes ne pouvait que me plaire ! #familyismycupoftea
Polly menait une brillante carrière à Londres et ne prenait plus le temps de voir sa famille, bien consciente du fossé qui se creusait entre elle et eux. Jusqu'au jour où Polly débarque avec ses valises chez ses parents pour “un congé sabbatique”. En vérité, elle a tout perdu : son job et son appartement. Elle a besoin de se mettre au vert pour rebondir. Seulement, elle est trop fière pour tout avouer. Sa sœur Clare est méfiante mais lui propose quand même de s'installer dans sa petite maison avec ses enfants. Elle est divorcée et ne s'entend plus avec son ex. Elle galère pour joindre les deux bouts. Par contre elle est extrêmement douée à concocter des produits de beauté bio qui vont séduire une grande chaîne d'hôtellerie. Entre les sœurs, la relation aussi va gagner en douceur et sérénité car un fantôme plane sur leur famille et nul n'a jamais eu le cœur d'avouer ce traumatisme.
Ce retour aux sources est non seulement bénéfique pour notre citadine un brin bêcheuse (qui va évoluer et s'adapter... merci Harry Potter !). Mais c'est aussi vivifiant à lire, en tant que confinée résignée sur son sort depuis deux mois : imaginez la campagne anglaise, les jardins verdoyants, le soleil qui cogne, le calme environnant, le bonheur de vivre en toute simplicité... Quel bien fou !
Voilà, merci le hasard d'avoir permis cette rencontre.
Polly menait une brillante carrière à Londres et ne prenait plus le temps de voir sa famille, bien consciente du fossé qui se creusait entre elle et eux. Jusqu'au jour où Polly débarque avec ses valises chez ses parents pour “un congé sabbatique”. En vérité, elle a tout perdu : son job et son appartement. Elle a besoin de se mettre au vert pour rebondir. Seulement, elle est trop fière pour tout avouer. Sa sœur Clare est méfiante mais lui propose quand même de s'installer dans sa petite maison avec ses enfants. Elle est divorcée et ne s'entend plus avec son ex. Elle galère pour joindre les deux bouts. Par contre elle est extrêmement douée à concocter des produits de beauté bio qui vont séduire une grande chaîne d'hôtellerie. Entre les sœurs, la relation aussi va gagner en douceur et sérénité car un fantôme plane sur leur famille et nul n'a jamais eu le cœur d'avouer ce traumatisme.
Ce retour aux sources est non seulement bénéfique pour notre citadine un brin bêcheuse (qui va évoluer et s'adapter... merci Harry Potter !). Mais c'est aussi vivifiant à lire, en tant que confinée résignée sur son sort depuis deux mois : imaginez la campagne anglaise, les jardins verdoyants, le soleil qui cogne, le calme environnant, le bonheur de vivre en toute simplicité... Quel bien fou !
Voilà, merci le hasard d'avoir permis cette rencontre.
September 14, 2022
Another great read by Lucy Diamond, an author that I have come to highly admire recently!
This one dealt directly with two sisters, Polly and Clare, both of whom are estranged when the book begins. Through various circumstances, such as Polly's relocation and career change, along with Clare's stroke of luck and dealings with her ex-husband, the two become close once again, giving us all hope for our own family relationships.
Polly and Clare are very different characters at the start of this novel however I wasn’t particularly loving their personalities until the end when they develop into a nice middle. Polly was always over the top stressful as her life revolved around work and then she loses her job and realises she gave her life to a company that just see her as a number. As for Clare, she’s a bit stuck up with the whole ‘poor me’ attitude instead of seeing what she already has and should be more grateful, which her inner voice did realise at least.
I loved how Diamond wrote about the two sisters and their struggling relationship, making us believe in the difficulty that they faced as a result of their lives, which were vastly different in more ways than one.
I felt as though the plot was believable, especially in regards to the raw emotions expressed by both Polly and Clare. Such a great read that made me want to know more about what happens a few years down the road!
Review: https://clife.blog/2022/09/26/book-re...
This one dealt directly with two sisters, Polly and Clare, both of whom are estranged when the book begins. Through various circumstances, such as Polly's relocation and career change, along with Clare's stroke of luck and dealings with her ex-husband, the two become close once again, giving us all hope for our own family relationships.
Polly and Clare are very different characters at the start of this novel however I wasn’t particularly loving their personalities until the end when they develop into a nice middle. Polly was always over the top stressful as her life revolved around work and then she loses her job and realises she gave her life to a company that just see her as a number. As for Clare, she’s a bit stuck up with the whole ‘poor me’ attitude instead of seeing what she already has and should be more grateful, which her inner voice did realise at least.
I loved how Diamond wrote about the two sisters and their struggling relationship, making us believe in the difficulty that they faced as a result of their lives, which were vastly different in more ways than one.
I felt as though the plot was believable, especially in regards to the raw emotions expressed by both Polly and Clare. Such a great read that made me want to know more about what happens a few years down the road!
Review: https://clife.blog/2022/09/26/book-re...
August 16, 2021
coup de cœur pour cette auteure que je suis heureuse d’avoir découverte cet été. encore une fois, j’ai été charmée par les personnages, par l’écriture et j’ai eu l’impression de voyager avec Polly et de vivre — avec elle — ses hauts et ses bas.
July 1, 2012
I loved The Beach Cafe by Lucy Diamond last year and so it didn't take much persuading for me to buy her recent release Summer with my Sister.
It is quite clear from early on in this book that the two main characters Polly and Clare are two polls apart and they clearly do not get on and yet they are sisters! Polly has been living away from the family village and her parents are very prod at what she has achieved in her high powered job. Soon Polly's world is turned upside down when she is unexpectedly made redundant and with no other option she has to head back to live with her parents but she can't bring herself to tell her parents the truth.
Sister Clare is bringing up her tow children alone and is trying to hold a part time job down at the local surgery but it is getting harder to try and make ends meet. When she finds out her sister is coming back to stay with their parents she is less than excited about seeing her and instantly is curious as to the real reason of her sisters stay.
Will the sisters be able to put their differences aside and help each other out of their current situations?
When I first met our little workaholic Polly I have to say I didn't like her character and this was a little worrying as one of the most important parts of a good book is having a likeable character, but luckily as the book progresses and Polly returns home her character begins to change and I started to warm to her character. I instantly warmed to Clare who was a very realistic character struggling to juggle work and family life whilst trying to make ends meet something the majority of us can relate to.
The storyline wasn't too challenging and made for a great light hearted read, there were only a handful of characters which I love as there was no problem trying to remember who was who. I loved the build up the author created around the situation involving the girls brothers death this is what kept me turning the pages eager to find out what had happened.
This story is full of heartache, romance and family secrets which all rolled into one created a great sentimental read. I really enjoyed this book and it is well worth a read, but I still say The Beach Cafe is my favourite by this author!
It is quite clear from early on in this book that the two main characters Polly and Clare are two polls apart and they clearly do not get on and yet they are sisters! Polly has been living away from the family village and her parents are very prod at what she has achieved in her high powered job. Soon Polly's world is turned upside down when she is unexpectedly made redundant and with no other option she has to head back to live with her parents but she can't bring herself to tell her parents the truth.
Sister Clare is bringing up her tow children alone and is trying to hold a part time job down at the local surgery but it is getting harder to try and make ends meet. When she finds out her sister is coming back to stay with their parents she is less than excited about seeing her and instantly is curious as to the real reason of her sisters stay.
Will the sisters be able to put their differences aside and help each other out of their current situations?
When I first met our little workaholic Polly I have to say I didn't like her character and this was a little worrying as one of the most important parts of a good book is having a likeable character, but luckily as the book progresses and Polly returns home her character begins to change and I started to warm to her character. I instantly warmed to Clare who was a very realistic character struggling to juggle work and family life whilst trying to make ends meet something the majority of us can relate to.
The storyline wasn't too challenging and made for a great light hearted read, there were only a handful of characters which I love as there was no problem trying to remember who was who. I loved the build up the author created around the situation involving the girls brothers death this is what kept me turning the pages eager to find out what had happened.
This story is full of heartache, romance and family secrets which all rolled into one created a great sentimental read. I really enjoyed this book and it is well worth a read, but I still say The Beach Cafe is my favourite by this author!
August 8, 2017
Polly loses her job despite success and is forced to return home from her lavish London life and moves back in with their mum and dad but memories haunt her of her brother suffering in her care...
Clara is Polly's sister with her son and daughter, Alex who's eight and Leila as well as their dog, Fred. She works one day in the reception of the medical center and can't afford much but cares so much for her little family even when bad things happen or the kids dad arrives out of the blue and things get a bit stressy.
Clara is about to see her sister isn't as perfect as she thought and maybe they are more alike when hard times come, family is always there.
Debbie's Claire's best friend who is very rich and also despite her husband being Leila's dad her life isn't all roses...
This was a fun book with so much drama in each woman's life it kept me hooked and reading on. The writing was fun and witty and drew me in to read it all in a day, many of the women are in relatable situations too.
Clara is Polly's sister with her son and daughter, Alex who's eight and Leila as well as their dog, Fred. She works one day in the reception of the medical center and can't afford much but cares so much for her little family even when bad things happen or the kids dad arrives out of the blue and things get a bit stressy.
Clara is about to see her sister isn't as perfect as she thought and maybe they are more alike when hard times come, family is always there.
Debbie's Claire's best friend who is very rich and also despite her husband being Leila's dad her life isn't all roses...
This was a fun book with so much drama in each woman's life it kept me hooked and reading on. The writing was fun and witty and drew me in to read it all in a day, many of the women are in relatable situations too.
August 24, 2016
A really enjoyable summer read I found I just wanted to keep reading more to find out what was going to happen next. Excellent characters and well written Lucy Diamond never lets you down. Polly is a career girl and has reached the top and works really hard her sister is a single mum and is trying to juggle working at a Drs as a receptionist. Polly looses her job and decides to come home to live with her parents but she tells them and her sister that she is working on some work at home and needs peace and not living in London in fact she has to sell her London flat as she can't afford it. She moves home and tries to avoid everyone as she doesn't want the past catching up with her and she can't understand why the family have stayed in the little village. She lost her brother at a young age and she blames herself and the sister Clare also blames herself can they come to terms and build he bridges between the family and it all work out well for them. A excellent read.
June 8, 2012
Polly Johnson lives in London she has a good job she is a workaholic with an excellent salary, however all that changes and Polly has to move back home to Elderchurch in her mother and Fathers spare room. She hasn’t told her parents and sister the real reason for her return but why?
Polly’s sister Clare is the opposite of her sister she is a single mum she works part time at the local surgery she struggles with money and has no maintenance from her ex Steve.
The two sisters are not close and don’t talk Clare is not pleased with the news of her sisters return, however Polly and Clare end up staying under the same roof for the summer.
But does Polly stay in Elderchurch or return to London?
I loved this book I couldn’t put it down, I would definitely recommend, I read this book in one day in work on a rainy quiet Friday.
Polly’s sister Clare is the opposite of her sister she is a single mum she works part time at the local surgery she struggles with money and has no maintenance from her ex Steve.
The two sisters are not close and don’t talk Clare is not pleased with the news of her sisters return, however Polly and Clare end up staying under the same roof for the summer.
But does Polly stay in Elderchurch or return to London?
I loved this book I couldn’t put it down, I would definitely recommend, I read this book in one day in work on a rainy quiet Friday.
October 12, 2015
This was a light breezy ready perfect for when on holidays. Polly and Clare are sisters with very different lives who haven't spoken for years. Polly has a fast paced life working in finance in the city while Clare is a single mum living in the country struggling to make ends meet. After being made redundant unexpectedly, Polly has to move back to the village where she grew up while she takes stock of her life and what she wants to do next. Both sisters have to face a buried family secret and in the process become closer to each other.
October 13, 2012
I'm so glad that I picked this book up- I really felt like a nice comforting read. I loved this one from the start. Polly wasn't a likeable character to start with- but she was really interesting! She's a high flyer who gets made redundant and loses her high risk investments and her London Pad. She's forced to move back in with her family over the summer. She resists family life for a while- but is gradually drawn into their lives.
October 10, 2017
Absolutely wonderful book, truly enjoyed reading this from start to finish. A nice easy read which I finished in two days. Love Lucy Diamond books, can't wait to read them all.
April 27, 2018
Another great read by Lucy Diamond, an author that I have come to highly admire recently! This one dealt directly with two sisters, Polly and Clare, both of whom are estranged when the book begins. Through various circumstances, such as Polly's relocation and career change, along with Clare's stroke of luck and dealings with her ex-husband, the two become close once again, giving us all hope for our own family relationships. I loved how Diamond wrote about the two sisters and their struggling relationship, making us believe in the difficulty that they faced as a result of their lives, which were vastly different in more ways than one. I felt as though the plot was believable, especially in regards to the raw emotions expressed by both Polly and Clare. Such a great read that made me want to know more about what happens a few years down the road!
March 4, 2021
I had tried to read this book previously but didn’t even make it past the first page. I abandoned it but I’m so glad I came back to it. It definitely surprised me and I really enjoyed it. Polly is very work oriented, working in London in finance. When out of no where she’s been laid off or made redundant. She tries so hard to find a job but no one is hiring and then out of no where the fancy apartment that she owns, she can no longer afford.
Claire is Pollys older sister who stayed near her parents and raised her two children with her ex Steve (who quite frankly was really sexist and just your plain average ex husband, not nice at all). Anyways Polly ends up having to move home and the two sisters who are estranged start to bond when Polly moves in with her. They start to open up and realize that they were meant to be friends and not enemies and help each other out. I had mixed emotions on Polly as I felt like she was just floating along taking advantage of people but then she started to change as the book progressed and it changed my opinion on her. Overall it was a lovely book and I can’t wait for summer!
Claire is Pollys older sister who stayed near her parents and raised her two children with her ex Steve (who quite frankly was really sexist and just your plain average ex husband, not nice at all). Anyways Polly ends up having to move home and the two sisters who are estranged start to bond when Polly moves in with her. They start to open up and realize that they were meant to be friends and not enemies and help each other out. I had mixed emotions on Polly as I felt like she was just floating along taking advantage of people but then she started to change as the book progressed and it changed my opinion on her. Overall it was a lovely book and I can’t wait for summer!
July 28, 2018
A relatable and heartwarming journey of two sisters. A great read, especially during summer!
December 1, 2019
Really enjoyed the story and the relationship that builds between the characters. I definitely wasn't disappointed. 4.5 stars
July 6, 2022
A great feel good summer read.
April 1, 2023
Une très belle lecture, qui donne du baume au cœur.
July 11, 2024
Nice easy reading.
August 2, 2024
Very easy read which I really enjoyed! The sister relationship felt super authentic and very well written!
August 23, 2024
Lovely wee book enjoyed it but nothing crazy and probably won’t think about it too much, but nice wee read all the same
May 6, 2025
A lovely story the cover I’ve read is different
May 21, 2024
I absolutely love Lucy Diamond's books and this one was no exception! The perfect book to curl up on the sofa and read with a hot chocolate - fantastic characters and a gorgeous plot.
July 19, 2021
Lovely story, Lucy Diamond at her best xxx
February 18, 2017
Two very different sisters find themselves in close quarters for a few months in the summer. Clare, a single mother, is a generous and warm-hearted person, but the high-flying Polly pushes the boundaries too far. She is selfish, unobservant, and arrogant, and I really didn’t like her at all.
It’s a character-based story, and I enjoyed it. The people got under my skin, and I liked the way that it's not just Polly who has to make some changes; Clare, too, learns a lot about herself and has to make some important decisions.
The novel is about communication, family ties, priorities and healing. I wish there hadn’t been so much bad language; even Clare uses ‘strong’ words at times, which didn’t fit with her otherwise gentle and caring nature. But, other than that, I liked it very much.
It’s the kind of novel that would make great summer reading, for anyone who wants some light women’s fiction. Recommended.
It’s a character-based story, and I enjoyed it. The people got under my skin, and I liked the way that it's not just Polly who has to make some changes; Clare, too, learns a lot about herself and has to make some important decisions.
The novel is about communication, family ties, priorities and healing. I wish there hadn’t been so much bad language; even Clare uses ‘strong’ words at times, which didn’t fit with her otherwise gentle and caring nature. But, other than that, I liked it very much.
It’s the kind of novel that would make great summer reading, for anyone who wants some light women’s fiction. Recommended.
September 18, 2015
I am ashamed to say that I only picked up my first Lucy Diamond book last month. I was so glad that I did because I loved that book and made sure that I had her new one ready to read. Sue Mongredien (the author's real name) has produced another fantastic book with this latest release. Polly has always been the sister that `made it'. With her high flying career she is lucky if she can even make time for her family, let alone friends and a social life. So when she loses her job and her home she is awoken from her idealistic bubble with a very sharp shock! On the other end of the scale you have Polly's sister Clare, a single mum who struggles to make ends meet. Clare still lives in the village she grew up in and although nearly always broke she has her friends and family close by.
Polly has to face up to things and eventually returns to her home village and she ends up living with Clare and the two kids. The story drew me in almost instantly and I found myself disliking Polly and falling in love with Clare. The two sisters are poles apart and as a reader you can see Polly's demise coming. When it does happen and the two sister's end up living together the story takes an interesting turn. As the story goes on you begin to see the reasons that the two sisters have different outlooks and their past family history becomes clearer.
Although I originally disliked Polly you can see the changes in her as time goes on and before too long I was rooting for both sisters to work things out. The writing flows so easily that before I knew it I was into the last quarter of the book and once again chastising myself for reading too quickly. I really liked the odd character that was thrown in as well such as Clare's slightly barmy next door neighbour as well as her work colleague Roxie. Towards the end, the only thing that I can honestly say was a negative was the final three or four chapters. I felt like things had wrapped up too quickly and I could have easily read another 60-70 pages with the conclusions drawn out a little bit more.
Overall, this particular book is one that is perfect for the current climate that we live in. It makes you realise that there are many `Polly's' in this world and maybe you should just appreciate what you have (there's nothing quite like a good `moral to the story'). I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it was a pleasure to read. The only reason I knocked a star off was because the ending was far too quick and I could have easily read more; other than that just brilliant!!!
Polly has to face up to things and eventually returns to her home village and she ends up living with Clare and the two kids. The story drew me in almost instantly and I found myself disliking Polly and falling in love with Clare. The two sisters are poles apart and as a reader you can see Polly's demise coming. When it does happen and the two sister's end up living together the story takes an interesting turn. As the story goes on you begin to see the reasons that the two sisters have different outlooks and their past family history becomes clearer.
Although I originally disliked Polly you can see the changes in her as time goes on and before too long I was rooting for both sisters to work things out. The writing flows so easily that before I knew it I was into the last quarter of the book and once again chastising myself for reading too quickly. I really liked the odd character that was thrown in as well such as Clare's slightly barmy next door neighbour as well as her work colleague Roxie. Towards the end, the only thing that I can honestly say was a negative was the final three or four chapters. I felt like things had wrapped up too quickly and I could have easily read another 60-70 pages with the conclusions drawn out a little bit more.
Overall, this particular book is one that is perfect for the current climate that we live in. It makes you realise that there are many `Polly's' in this world and maybe you should just appreciate what you have (there's nothing quite like a good `moral to the story'). I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it was a pleasure to read. The only reason I knocked a star off was because the ending was far too quick and I could have easily read more; other than that just brilliant!!!
August 6, 2017
Another great Diamond book but about sisterhood which was wonderful!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 249 reviews