A Summer to Remember: A heart-warming, feel-good romantic read to escape with this summer

by Victoria Connelly

‘I absolutely adored this… You could almost feel the warmth of the sun, smell the roses and hear the birdsong… I was sorry when I came to the end!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nina Elliot is tired of her life. She’s not sure how it happened but, somewhere along the way, she lost track of where it was all going.

So one fateful day, she makes a brave she’s going to leave it all behind. Taking a job deep in the English countryside, Nina does just that. Ensconced at the Old Mill, she settles into daily life with the Milton family, where she works as a researcher for author Dudley.

With endless summer days stretching out ahead of her, Nina couldn’t be happier. But her quiet life is soon interrupted when the handsome Milton boys return home – for they plan to make sure this really is a summer to remember…

Relax and enjoy a breath of warm summer air with every turn of the page in the delightful new novel from Victoria Connelly – bestselling author of Wish You Were Here. Fans of Alexandra Potter and Katie Fforde won’t be able to resist.

What readers are saying about One Summer to ‘Had me gripped from the start… easy reading for summer abroad or sat in a garden in Devon!!! :-)’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Such a sweet book about the romance of summer months spent in the beautiful Norfolk coastline, makes me wish to be there now… The story unfolds thick and fast and made me want more… wonderful.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Brilliant, from the first page to the last. Well written and have devoured it in two days as couldn't wait to see what happens next. Highly recommend as a great romantic read to get lost in.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I just loved reading this book. It was so light hearted and in fact I didn't want to put it down until I'd finished it!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Genres: Romance, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Novels, Summer Reads, Womens Fiction

354 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Victoria Connelly grew up in Norfolk before attending Worcester College where she studied English Literature. After graduating, she worked her way through a number of jobs before becoming a teacher in North Yorkshire.

In 2000, she got married in a medieval castle in the Yorkshire Dales and moved to London. Five weeks after their wedding, her husband, a television news cameraman, was sent to Israel. Convinced something terrible would happen to him, she came up with the idea for a novel about a young widow who starts seeing angels on her desk at work, but was scared to write it in case she tempted fate. It was only years later that her husband admitted to having a bullet graze his shirt sleeve whilst filming in Israel!

Although having had articles and short stories published, it was only when Flights of Angels was published that Victoria was able to realise the dream of becoming a professional writer. Published as Unter deinem Stern in Germany, the novel was made into a film for television by award-winning Ziegler Film. Her second novel, The Unmasking of Elena Montella (Wenn es dich gibt), was published in 2007 and her third, Three Graces (Wohin mit der Liebe), was published in 2009. All three magical romantic comedies are now available as ebooks.

Her first novel to be published in the UK – Molly’s Millions – came out in 2009. This was followed by a trilogy about Jane Austen addicts: A Weekend with Mr Darcy, The Perfect Hero (US title: Dreaming of Mr Darcy) and Mr Darcy Forever.

The Runaway Actress was published in April 2012 and she is currently working on another romantic comedy, Wish You Were Here.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Victoria Connelly's ninth novel. She has also written five books in the Austen Addicts series, and somehow, her books have passed me by before now.

A Summer to Remember is a perfect Summer read. Full of glorious sunshine, beautiful countryside, a rogue or two, and a couple of heroes - it was made for reading by the pool, or in the garden in the sunshine.

Nina has taken the plunge at last. Sick to death of being reduced to a hiccuping wreck by her boss and feeling totally unloved by her long term partner, she's given both of them the boot. She's not sure what she will do next, but whatever it is, it will be on her terms. She's going to leave the damp, dark flat she's currently renting too.

When Nina bumps into Olivia Milton at the local supermarket, it seems that her luck may be changing. Ten years ago Nina babysat Olivia's two youngest sons. Dudley; Olivia's husband is writing a novel and is in dire need of a secretary. Nina always loved the Miltons, and their warm and welcoming home at the Old Mill. This really could be the answer to her prayers.

The long hot summer is ahead of Nina, she buckles down and starts trying to organise the chaos that is Dudley's study. She's also given the task of walking Ziggy; the Milton's untrained, totally bonkers Labradoodle - dealing with Dudley's fierce temper is easy compared to trying to keep Ziggy under control.

And then there are the two Milton boys. Now grown into handsome men; Dominic and Alex compete for Nina's attention, confusing her and making her wonder whether she ought to leave.

There are some great characters in A Summer to Remember. I love Dudley and his tentative experiments with the world wide web. There's Freya, the gardener, who yearns for a glance or a kind word from Dominic. Arrogant Alex, and dreamy Dominic, and Nina herself - wonderfully formed, realistic, but a little bit daft now and again.

Oh, and Justin ........... who is Justin? Read it and see, I'm saying no more!

A really easy to read, happy, summery novel. Full of fun and joyful characters. There's no great passion, just a gentle, but well put together romance in a setting that will make you yearn for long summer days and sultry evenings.

[Holly in Bookland · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 stars

This was a cute, light-hearted book. Nothing too dramatic or demanding. Enjoyable characters and a beautiful setting.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining and humorous "summer read".
It is the type of book to read whilst on holiday by the sea, easy reading.
I enjoyed it very much.

[MetLineReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly it was a little bit slow, repetitive and didn't give enough depth to the characterisation.
Beautiful setting and good ending which brought a tear to my eye- but didn't bring up the overall score. Not as good as her previous novels.

[Amanda Woolley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book found it difficult to put down, although it was obviously a romance from the beginning there were a few twists and turns that kept me guessing what was coming next. Would definitely recommend and I will seek to read others from this author

[Jo · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars

[Lakinloveslit · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read - I just wish it had a bit more romance!

[Jackie Blackman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Summer to Remember

Loved this story felt like part of the fami!y and now want to visit Norfolk !! Thank you Victoria Connelly

[iheartcats22 · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was the first book I was reading while I was at my lowest I don’t really remember the content but I had really enjoyed these last parts

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Victoria Connelly is a very popular Chick Lit author with many novels under her belt, I remember reading Molly’s Millions a few years ago and I absolutely loved it! I’ve also read some of her “Darcy”-inspired novels, and so I was very pleased to be offered the chance to take part in her blog tour for her beautiful looking new novel A Summer To Remember! The cover is super pretty – a girl, standing under a bright blue sky, in a field of yellow flowers; it’s very evocative, and makes you think of the best of England on a sunny, pretty day. I couldn’t wait to dive in to the novel, and see if it was as good as Victoria’s other reads.

I really like books where the heroine of the novel changes her life completely- in this case, Nina quits her dead-end job, dumps her horrible boyfriend, and decides to have a fresh start. Although I do question the wisdom of a “fresh” start that sees you going back to the family you used to baby sit for… But nevertheless, it was a way for Nina to get herself out of the rut she found herself in, and do something she might actually enjoy doing, and the Milton’s are very welcoming, and very encouraged to have Nina come and stay. Olivia Milton thinks Nina will be the perfect foil for her husband Dudley and a fabulous secretary to boot, but things when complicated when the two boys she used to babysit, Adam and Dominic start warring over Nina’s affections and suddenly she finds herself stuck in a rather unwanted love triangle.

For the most part I enjoyed A Summer To Remember, it’s a quick, light-hearted book that lights on deeper topics, but never actually takes them to their full extent. (For example, Nina’s ex was emotionally abusive, but we never meet him…) I liked the friendly atmosphere, and the way the Milton’s embraced Nina into their clan without a second thought, I enjoyed the Norwich setting (I don’t think I’ve ever read a book set there, that I can remember) and I loved that Nina walking the Milton’s dog, Ziggy, let her meet the wonderful Justin. I quite enjoyed their chats and exchanges, and was always left wanting a teensy bit more. I didn’t particularly like the warring between Adam and Dominic. It was childish and quite out of order – Nina is older than them, she used to baby sit them, and it just seemed wrong, like two brothers trying to get their sister to go out with them. UGH. I thought Nina was way too naive when it came to the boys because it was glaringly obvious they were both crushing on her, and I just didn’t like that part of the story at all. I would have preferred them to welcome Nina back with open, friendly arms, instead of the awkward dance to see which of the two boys can date her.

I really like Victoria Connelly, she’s a great author, and I like her writing, although A Summer To Remember was perhaps a bit old-fashioned – everyone talked as if they were quite a bit older, instead of in their twenties as most of the characters were. But overall I enjoyed the novel. I loved hearing about Dudley’s writing, and how Nina managed to tame his temper and help him out with his novel writing, it was super interesting. A Summer To Remember is a quick, enjoyable novel, with a fantastic Norwich setting. I just had a few issues with the novel that, if they had been a bit different, it would have been a fantastic novel, but nevertheless this was a lovely little read!

[Jody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review first posted on my blog: http://spoonfulofhappyendings.blogspo...

It has taken her some time, but Nina has finally found the courage to change her boring and unhappy life. She has ended her relationship, quit her job, and is looking for a new place to live. Nina isn’t sure what she wants to do with her life, but she’s already looking forward to that next step towards something new. While she’s at the supermarket, she unexpectedly bumps into her old boss, Olivia Milton. When she was a teenager, Nina used to babysit Olivia’s two sons Dominic and Alex, and now, after all these years, it appears Olivia would like to make use of Nina’s services again. Her husband Dudley is writing his first novel and could use a secretary to help him. Nina can’t say ‘yes’ fast enough and soon she is welcomed back the Old Mill, the amazing Milton family home. To Nina, this is the start of an exciting summer which includes her new job, the untrained family dog, and the handsome Milton boys...

Victoria Connelly has done it again; what a thoroughly enjoyable summer read! ‘A Summer to Remember’ has everything a romantic comedy should have: a fascinating cast, a beautiful scene setting, handsome men, and an entertaining storyline. I absolutely adored the setting of this novel. The Norfolk countryside is described in beautiful detail, just like The Old Mill, the Milton family home, and I just wanted to jump into the novel and join Nina on her afternoons spent in the fabulous garden. The book includes a great cast of main and secondary characters. I liked Nina and how she decides to turn everything in her life around and start doing what she wants instead of what she feels she is expected to do. Next to that, the Milton family is a collection of eccentric but easily loveable and individual characters, which definitely made the book even more enjoyable.

The plotline of the novel is perhaps not that unique, but I loved what Victoria Connelly has done with it to give it her own twist. The novel really transported me to another place and made me feel all warm and happy inside; I didn’t want to put it down and I didn’t want the story to end. Overall, ‘A Summer to Remember’ is another brilliant Victoria Connelly read; a sparklingly sunny and gorgeous read that will definitely bring a smile to your face. Perfect holiday reading material!

[Perks Of Being A Fangirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an enjoyable read however it wasn't a memorable.

Sadly this book didn't leave a lasting impression on me nevertheless it was a quick summer read which left a big fat grin plastered to my face.


One of my favourite scenes in the novel is when Nina went on dog walks with Ziggy in the great British fields. It was an endearing part of the book and you could literally hear me go 'awwhh' multiple times because fun fact, i'm a sucker for dogs and all thing cute and fluffy.


If you're looking for a fun easy read which will leave you with a big Joker-like-grin on your face, then this is the book for you.

[Julie Boon]

I was lucky enough to receive a draft copy of this book as I loved reading Wish you were Here last summer whilst I was on holiday, so I knew A Summer to Remember would be a good, easy read. How right I was! It was a lovely, easy read and I could just imagine the characters from Victoria's description right from the beginning. I loved reading about the beautiful Norfolk countryside and I can imagine reading it on holiday or when the sun is shining in the garden whilst drinking a glass of wine!! Think I might have to get myself a "proper" copy of this book as I could quite easily read it again. Loved it.

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slightly problematic given that a lot of the book's premise is based on the idea of men pursuing women by:

a) lying to them about their identity, even though to the reader this is SUPER OBVIOUS;
b) over-persistence and not taking NO for an answer;

Obviously neither of these things are intended as creepy, given that this is a work of romantic fiction, but I always have slight problems with these tropes and therefore it tends to impact my enjoyment of a novel.

That said, Connelly is a charming writer, and it was easy to read.

[Niki · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately this book was a frustrating read. Very slow pace, lots of repetitive dialogue (Almost on every page the main character made some remark about how sad she would be when she had to leave at the end of the summer...), you didn't really get to know the characters that well it seemed the book skipped over an in depth portrayal of the characters so that meant I really wasn't drawn to the characters at all and the story was way too predictable.

[Yvonne Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another lovely read from this author .....but did not really expect anything less.. I loved the storylines had me gripped from the first few chapters.

The more I think bout this book and it characters the more it reminds me of a modern day Mary Poppins meets Cinderella.....

This author never fails to deliver a really fab read that makes you want more lots more please.

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a light read if you don't want to be challenged. There was a twist which I did guess before the end of the book but well woven into the plot and story. This is not as good as her Greek island story Wish you were here, which I recommend.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

What I enjoyed the most about this story was the setting which is in the Norfolk England countryside. Ms. Connelly described it in beautiful detail and I wish I could go and visit the Old Mill! The story was okay but very predictable.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written, A Summer to Remember is a heart warming, feel good book. I promise you, that by the time you turn the last page, you'll be grinning from ear to ear.

Would definitely recommend this; I'll certainly be checking out more or Victoria Connelly's work!

[Kirsty Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It gave me that feeling of summer and of a summer romance. I loved the characters and how they are relatable to people who want to pack up their lives and have a change. Easy to read with a touch of humour in too.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great easy book to read over the holidays, I wonder if there's going to be a second book?

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

A warm cosy read, but very predictable!

[writer...]

And why do I consistently luv this author's writing?

Victoria can [and does] write laugh out loud funny reading! One more example...:)

[Samantha Panther · Rating 4 out of 5]

I particularly liked this book due to it's setting in Norfolk. It's nice to read a story with familiar place names. A light hearted summer read with an unexpected twist.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lightweight tale but good to loose yourself in. Troubled teen returns to hometown 12 years later to touch base but gets so much more than she expected.

[Keisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice relaxing book. Definitely grabs your attention with the sweet romantic feel. I didn't expect the twist at the end but it made the end so much sweeter.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great summer chick flick book.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice read