Summer Without You

by Karen Swan

Rowena Tipton isn't looking for a new life, just a new adventure, something to while away the months as her long-term boyfriend presses pause on their relationship before they become engaged. But when a chance encounter at a New York wedding leads to an audition for a coveted houseshare in The Hamptons - Manhattan's elite beach scene - suddenly a new life is exactly what she's got. Stretching before her is a summer with three eclectic housemates, long days on white sand ocean beaches and parties on gilded tennis courts. But high rewards bring high stakes and Rowena soon finds herself caught in the crossfire of a vicious intimidation campaign. Alone for the first time in her adult life, she has no-one to turn to but a stranger who is everything she doesn't want - but possibly everything she needs...

Genres: Romance, Chick Lit, Fiction, Mystery, Summer, Novels, Summer Reads

562 pages, Paperback

First published May 22, 2014

About the author

Karen Swan began her career in fashion journalism before giving it all up to raise her three children and a puppy, and to pursue her ambition of becoming a writer. She lives in the forest in Sussex, writing her books in a treehouse overlooking the Downs. Her books include Christmas at Tiffany's, Summer at Tiffany's, The Perfect Present, Christmas in the Snow, The Summer Without You, The Paris Secret, and Christmas Under the Stars.

Reviews

[Ashley Daviau · Rating 3 out of 5]

I kind of fell right in the middle with this book. While I did enjoy some parts of the story, I thought it was entirely too long winded and would have been much more enjoyable if it had been half the length it was. I did really enjoy Ro and Hump and all the other characters though and the story was entertaining despite being way too long! Also, Matt is a giant ass and I hate him with a fiery passion. Seriously, what a douche.

[Joanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK, so this was touted as the beach read for the summer, a must-read. How many beach reads are 550 pages long and weight 5 lbs? Really? I can get as many cliches and pointless plot lines in a lot smaller package and be just as satisfied.

I found the main character's constant whining about her absent boyfriend Matt really, really irritating for a long time into the book. Honestly, she wore his clothes instead of her own and curled up into a ball of pain because she missed his Skype call? Rowena drove me nuts. Her overblown rage at Ted far outweighed his initial sin against her, and then suddenly, a 180?

Every character felt like a cliche: the ambitious young Manhattan businesswoman, the righteous lawyer, the surfer dude who won't grow up, etc. etc.

Actually, the longer I write this review, the more I realize this book really isn't very good at all. I was going to give it 3 stars, but I think 2 is more where I'm at.

[Sophie Daphne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Before this one, I read Karen's Greek Escape, which I liked very much. Therefore, I expected a lot from this book as well...but it was a huge dissapointment for me.
Too many characters and somewhat undefined plot.
Rowena ending up with Ted, while in all 562 pages of the book, they maybe had 30 pages of interaction. She had way more scenes, interaction and chemistry with Hump and honestly, from the beginning of the book, I rooted for them to end up together.
The whole crime/mystery part really has no place in a book such as this. I really don't understand what was author's point with it...
Overall, personally I would not recommend this book.

[LeslecturesdeMylene · Rating 4 out of 5]

16/20
En bref, j'ai passé un très bon moment avec Ro et ses nouveaux amis. On s'imagine sans peine les questions qui la torturent, on vit cette aventure avec elle et on espère jusqu'au bout qu'elle prendra la bonne décision pour elle et non pas pour les autres. Les personnages sont bien campés, on a l'impression de s'être fait de nouveaux amis et on ressort de cette lecture avec un grand sourire aux lèvres.

http://www.leslecturesdemylene.com/20...

[Gabija. Keista Skaitytoja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dar kartą įsitikinau, kad man patinka K.Swan kūryba! Ir kaip noriu perskaityti jos visas knygas!
Nors ir "storulė", bet perskaičiau greitai.
O ši dalis pirmiausia, kodėl išvis man labai patiko, tai todėl, kad pagrindinė veikėja yra fotografė, ir dar fotografuojanti vestuves! Visada įdomu skaityti, kai atrandu ir savo darbo užkulisius.😁
O ir pati istorija žavinga, ir romantiška ir su minimaliu "detektyvo" prieskoniu ir su laiminga pabaiga. O dar ir tokia vasariška! Tad kaip tokio tipo knyga, man labai patiko👌

[Egle Vaitkeviciene · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kaip taip atsitinka, kad atostogom visada issirenku kurinius, prie kuriu turiu kankintis.. Su sios autores kuryba susipazinau gan seniai ir jau esu keleta jos knygu perskaiciusi, ir jos man tikrai labai patiko ir buvo tokie skanus saldainiukai, kai noredovasi kazko lengvo, neipareigojancio, bet tikrai prikaustancio demesio! Taciau si knyga mane nuvyle, pirmiausia del to, kad pagrindine veikeja buvo visai neidomi, priklausoma nuo savo vaikino, niekuom neissiskirianti, amzinai verkslenanti, ir dar tas amzinas skundimasis del svorio, nors knygos pradzioje raso, koks jos kunas pritrenkiamas ir kaip jos vaikinas negali nuo jos ranku atitraukti, o paskiau kazkur visa tai dingsta ir prasideda “oi kokia as negrazi”. Ir siaip visa istorija tokia nuspejama, kad neliko visiskai jokios intrigos, kartais buna, kad nuspeji, kaip knyga pasibaiks, bet vistiek ivykiu seka, situacijos, tave vercia nesustoti skaityti ir gyventi ta istorija, bet tikrai ne si karta.

O antriausia, tai knygos vertimas, labai pyktis eme, del kai kuriu pazodziui isverstu sakiniu, pasirinktu keistu zodziu ir pan.

[Knygų Romantikė · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drąsiai galiu teigti, kad tiesiog dievinu Karen Swan istorijas ir jos rašymo stilių. Daugiau nei 500 puslapių tiesiog ištirpsta rankose, nes tiek užsuka istorijas su jos vingiais, kad mintyse dėlioji 101 galimybę kaip ji gali pasisukti, o autorė ima ir pasuka dar netikėčiau. Šį kartą istorija apie tai, kai per pusmetį du žmonės užaugo, pasikeitė, kai niekada nebebus taip kai buvo, ir kiekvienas priimtas sprendimas turi pasekmes. Ir man čia visada skaitant sukosi vienas posakis - "niekas nevyksta be priežasties", atrodo taip ir pateisina visą knygos siužetą. Labai patiko ❤️

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have previously enjoyed other novels by Karen Swan, particularly her Christmas-related ones, so I was really looking forward to reading a summer based novel by Karen. I absolutely LOVE the cover – it made me feel summery and in the mood to escape somewhere hot and sunny, and so I couldn’t wait to start.

Rowena Tipton is looking for a new adventure, something exciting to take up her time as her long-term boyfriend has pressed pause on their relationship. Following a chance encounter at a wedding, Rowena finds herself auditioning for a coveted houseshare in The Hamptons – the ELITE beach scene – and suddenly a new life is what she has! Ahead of her is a summer with her three housemates, days on the beautiful sandy shores and parties on tennis courts. But with high rewards brings high stakes and soon Rowena finds herself caught in the crossfire of an intimidation campaign. And she finds the only person she can turn to is a stranger who is everything she doesn’t want, but maybe everything she needs…

I thoroughly enjoyed this! As with all of Karen’s novels that I have read – I was sucked in from the very first pages, I was immediately intrigued and wanted to jump head first into everything that was going on.

I absolutely LOVED the setting! I’ve read books previously and watched TV shows set in The Hamptons and that setting is a personal favourite of mine – I love everything about it – the lifestyle, the beaches, the views, wow. Karen’s writing is stunning – her descriptions are beautiful and really brought the Hamptons to life. I could imagine walking along the beautiful sands, looking out at the ocean, I could feel the atmosphere and picture each characters clearly in my mind. At times it genuinely felt as though I had been transported abroad and was watching every scene unfold in front of me.

I liked the characters, I found them fascinating and I liked how each character really had their own ‘voice’. I especially liked Rowena, from the beginning her story captivated me and I thoroughly enjoyed following her on her journey. I liked Rowena’s personality, I found I could relate to her and I spent the novel really cheering her on and wanting to find out what would happen to her.

The Summer Without You is a fantastic read for the summer, so make sure you buy yourself a copy, relax and enjoy!

[Erin B SC · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like all the other Karen Swan books I've read, this one takes on a LOT. Part personal growth, part romance, part murder mystery? It got a little discombobulated. The ending was definitely quicker and more abrupt than I would have liked. But it was entertaining and I definitely wanted to know what happened!

[Jurgita Bozytė · Rating 3 out of 5]

❗️Dalini spoileriai❗️

Istorija tikrai įdomi, bet joje tiek daug nereikalingų fillerių, kurie atitraukia nuo to, kas išties įdomu.

Buvo sunku susitapatinti su pagrindine veikėja, ji labai erzino, dažnai vaidino auką, vieną minutę rašoma apie tai kokia ji seksuali, kitą minutę kaip ji kompleksuoja dėl savo kūno. Apskritai labai daug kur knygoje pabrėžiami veikėjų kūnai, atrodo paprastas žmogus tiek daug apie kitų kūnus negalvoja 😅

Pritariu komentarams, kad knyga per daug ištęsta, kad žmogžudystės linija čia buvo visiškai nereikalinga. Knygoje buvo visko per daug ir autorė nesugebėjo to suvaldyti, na bet galiausiai perskaičius jaučiasi, kad kažko dar trūksta.

Man labai trūko daugiau informacijos apie tai, kaip viskas klostėsi su Metu po jo kelionės, atrodo veiksmas rutuliojosi 6 mėnesius bet galiausiai svarbiausi sprendimai sutalpinti į paskutinius 10psl.

Ir šią tendencija pastebiu jau ne pirmą kartą, manau autorei reikia daugiau išbaigtumo visose istorijose, nes aš nenoriu įsivaizduoti, kaip viskas buvo, noriu tai perskaityti 😅

Taip pat man kažkaip keistai skaitėsi apie visą tą prabangą ir turtuolių gyvenimą. Kažkaip šios autorės knygose visi labai turtingi, visi dalyvauja aukštuomenės vakarėliuose, dažnai minimi brandų pavadinimai (suprantu, kad tai reklama), bet šitoje istorijoje man tie pinigai labai nesiderino su kuriama pagrindine veikėja, kuri pateikiama kaip paprasta mergina. Didžioji knygos dalis man susiskaitė taip keistai, butaforiškai ir nenatūraliai, todėl sunku buvo įsijausti į istoriją.

[Indrė · Rating 5 out of 5]

Antroje knygos pusėje istorija taip įsibėgėjo, iškilo tiek daug neaiškumų ir klausimų, kas gerietis, kas blogietis istorijoje... ir tiek daug netikėtumų buvo ! Labai patiko !

[Babs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nachdem ich den vorherigen Roman von Karen Swan "Sommerhaus mit Meerblick" eher mittelmäßig fand, war ich auf "Ein Sommer in den Hamptons" schon sehr gespannt. Daher war ich auch sehr dankbar das Buch als Rezensionsexemplar lesen zu dürfen.
Und was soll ich sagen? Dieser Roman ist mehr als gut. Er überzeugt vor allem durch seine charakterstarken Figuren und einer Menge Dramatik und Emotionen.
Im Mittelpunkt des Geschehens steht die junge Rowena, die eher zufällig für einen Sommer in den Hamptons landet, als ihr Freund sich plötzlich auf einen Selbstfindungstrip nach Asien davonmacht. Anfangs ist sich Rowena nicht ganz sicher, ob sie das richtige macht, da sie eine sehr strukturierte und planungsliebende Person ist. Aber dann lässt sie sich von der Stimmung und den Menschen in den Hamptons mitreißen und erlebt einen spannenden, aber auch emotionalen Sommer, der ihr Leben und ihre Einstellungen auf den Kopf stellt.

Man merkt diesem Roman an, dass Karen Swan ihr Figuren wohldurchdacht hat. Sie wirken bis hin zu jeder noch so kleinen Nebenfigur mehr als lebensnah. Und auch wenn man sich nicht wirklich mit jeder Figur identifizieren kann bzw. auch nicht möchte, tragen gerade diese spezielle Eigenheiten der Figuren zum Gelingen der Geschichte bei.

Dies ist ein Sommerroman, bei dem es um so viel mehr geht, als nur das Gefühl eines tollen Sommers einzufangen. Viel mehr geht es in diesem Roman um die Liebe und das Vertrauen in sich selbst und in andere.
Karen Swan verwurschtelt eine wunderbare Geschichte rund um das Thema Selbstfindung mit einer Prise Krimi und Dramatik, ohne dass es unglaubwürdig wirkt. Das ganze bettet die Autorin dann in eine wundervolle Kulisse ein, die man aufgrund des sehr bildhaften Schreibstils real vor Augen hat.
Ich für meinen Teil haben diesen Roman sehr genossen und mich beim Lesen auch ein wenig in die Hamptons verliebt.

Fazit:
Nach wenigen Seiten entwickelt sich "Ein Sommer in den Hamptons" von Karen Swan aufgrund seiner einzigartigen Charaktere zu einer überaus spannenden Geschichte, die es mehr als wert ist gelesen zu werden!
Von mir bekommt das Buch in jedem Fall eine unbedingte Leseempfehlung:

Note: 1 (💗💗💗💗💗)

[layan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spoilers.
I never write reviews but I really want to get this off my chest as it seems everyone is obsessed with this book and I’m the odd one out.
1) British vernacular language in the American characters’ dialogue. Greg saying “torch” instead of flashlight and Ted saying “you mustn’t”? That honestly took me out of my headspace while I was reading and I feel those are things that should’ve been easily pointed out by editors.
2) The plot was a mess that went around in circles while simultaneously not really going anywhere for most of the book. My father asked me what the book I was reading was about when I was halfway through it and honestly? I could not answer him. I knew it was supposed to be a romance but I was picking up absolutely none of that from the book which leads me to my last and most pivotal remark.
3) I had absolutely no idea who Rowena’s romantic interest was until the last third of the book - was it Hump or Ted? Ted and Ro had no chemistry in my opinion, definitely not when compared to Ro and Hump. They had almost no interactions then suddenly couldn’t keep away from each other within the last 100 pages of the book or so, and even in the sparse previous interactions there was never any clear indication that what was going on between them was a romance of sorts. This really confused me because I had no idea what to expect from Ted and Ro’s dynamic when the author was using such lyrical language around Ro and Hump’s relationship. The whole thing was very misleading and even if that was the author’s intention, it wasn’t done well.
As a final remark, I’d also like to add how unrealistic it was that everyone magically got paired up at the end. Bobbi and Greg, a hinted at future connection between Florence and Brook. Seriously? For someone who spent such a vast majority of his life self destructively pining over a woman who was never going to love him back, Greg seemed to move on to Bobbi a little too quickly. You don’t just quit your job then see things with “clarity” and suddenly heal from years worth of grief and pain. I guess that’s one of my biggest issues with the author’s writing because I saw it with Rowena as well. She didn’t really know how to write a heartbroken character OR she just really wanted to wrap up the whole story in the last 50 pages of the book which is literally where most of the plot’s events take place.
It was just all over the place and too messily wrapped up in the end for me. I’m really surprised that this book has such good ratings.
(Bonus: What the hell was Hump and Melodie? Again, another unnecessary romance that did not add anything to the plot and was legit just so unnecessary. I don’t understand the author’s obsession with pairing up random characters...)

[Rea Cobb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read my first Karen Swan book at Christmas and I loved it so I couldn’t wait for her new release The Summer Without You, what I didn’t expect was the hefty size! This book would be hazardous if you was to fall asleep reading it but luckily enough the storyline is so compelling there is no chance of drifting off!

Rowena or Ro as we come to know her has just bagged herself a Summer in the Hamptons after her partner decides he is having a pause in their relationship to go trekking! Ro is in for an adventure herself, she finds three fun and lively friends in her new housemates who show her a life far from her what she is used to. As she begins to make friends and work comes rolling in will Ro be able to go back to her old life and still have the same feelings for Matt?

I adored this book! I was put off by the size of the book as I usually find with larger books like this that they seem quite drawn out but I can’t say that about this book. It flows at a comfortable pace and there are no low points to the book in fact it is anything but! This author sure does like her unexpected twists and turns, this is what makes this book impossible to put down as you have to keep turning the pages to see what the next revelation will be.

There is a delightful group of characters in this book I loved each and every one of them they create such a light fun read just from their personalities alone. Ro was a fabulous main character, I thought she was going to annoy me and be a bit feeble after allowing her partner to put a pause on her relationship but I think she handled it pretty well and I think her time in The Hamptons made her find out who she really is. Her passion for photography really shines through and the pictures she takes are captured beautifully in the book I felt as though I could actually picture them. I loved Hump he sounded sexy, care free and fun which was just the kind of friend Ro needed.

The storyline was very unexpected it had a fresh, summery, fun feel to it but then it suddenly took a turn and had a more intriguing and eventful part to it. The descriptive writing was beautifully detailed which was something that I remember I loved from her previous book so this is obviously a strength for this author. I loved this book so much and I really don't think my review can do this book the justice it deserves, this author is fast becoming a form favourite of mine.


If you are looking for a holiday read that has a Summery feel but will also have you hooked from the first page with twists and turns then this one is pure perfection and should be top of your list.

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was going to be a light, beach reading...boy was I wrong!

It had unexpected transatlantic adventures, a murder and most of all sun and beaches! Which we sorely need right now in Canada. I did enjoy the views of Hampton, no matter how literal it was :P hey when you have winter going forever, anything helps! This book definitely isn't your typical read about the beaches and Hamptons, it definitely had a twist that I never expected.

Ok, I was soooo annoyed with Ro for a good portion of the book because she kept clinging onto the idea of Matt and their future and was so whiny. Like hello Matt was the one who jetted half way across the world for 6 months, pull yourself together and focus on your awesome opportunity in the Hamptons! While the housemates were a little cliched, they were fairly interesting to get to know. And for the most part all the secondary characters were far more fascinating than Ro, at least for the bulk of the book...until Ro accidentally stumbles into the crossfires of an intimidation campaign. The thing between Ted and Ro... I was like really skeptical for a while, sorry but don't really feel the chemistry or get the long standing feud that Ro refused to let go. Like grow up Ro!

Basically almost every character we meet are hurt or damaged in some way, and this summer was the time for them to heal or move on. From Florence to Greg to Ro, after she decided to move on from letting the 'pause' bother her.

The story really picks up, nearly 2/3 of the way through the book, where an intimidation campaign ends up hurting Ro and Florence and eventually a murder rocks the entire community. The secondary characters are really interesting, especially Florence and Melody. They are very outstanding and almost dominating with their presence. I say we could have used them more in the book instead of Ro narrating the story. And the twist in the ending wow what a shocker! I totally did not see who the culprit was until it was revealed.

Overall, it was an Ok read. Not a quick read (definitely 200 pages too long), but it certainly passes the time and changes things up.

[Tea Leaves and Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think I'd read Karen Swan's writing before now and I was nicely surprised. I thought it would be a fairly easy and predictable 'Summer' read and that was exactly what I needed. But it was a bit more than that and the surprise was a nice one. Instead of being a predictable love story following a typical romance, you actually get to around halfway through the book without really knowing who the major love interest will be - although there are hints. The writing is crafted in such a way that you think you've got it, and then Swan will throw a curve ball in to head you in a very different direction. It also has an edginess to it - it's not just about love and romance, it's about friendships and something a bit more sinister that's going on throughout the book. It's also a little educational which I liked as well. I definitely recommend this!

[Lanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5* it was almost a 1* until I got to three quarters mark. Anyway it was almost a DNF book but I powered through. I loved the plot and the characters but they could have been better thought through. Ro was a pill that was hard to swallow but once I reached that one part in the book she finally came alive to me. Hump's story could have been better, he was a good character. Bobbi was annoying she actually changed from first time we saw her to just about the second time she appeared. Don't know what happened there. Like I said they were not planned out very well. This book should have been a 5*++ but it just fell flat. Unfinished and too long for what it was.

[A · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took me so long to finish it, only at the end that i sped thorough it.
It was unnecessarily long with repeated dialogues, repeating about the dunes over and over again!
The main character Ro was not likable she was whining about Matt all the time and to be honest everything about her was annoying.
Last but not least Ro falling in love with Long story, it wasn't believable AND it was so cheesy and cliché !

[Azriel Najeh · Rating 2 out of 5]

that was a really long story
does not worth all that time !

and yeah what the heck with this ending ?
just like that and thats all ?

562 pages , unnecessary things and all the stories
ending in 4 pages ?
seriously ?

[Zatashah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Far too long and long winded. Really drivelled on and I got to page 280, after that was speed reading until DNF. Shame as I have always lived Karen swan books. This isn't like her usual books I found.

[Nastia Sidorevič · Rating 2 out of 5]

Labai istempta knyga. Siuzetas idomus, bet labai jau ilgai rutuliojamas.

[Grėtė Pil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kaip vasaros tralialiūškos skaitymui, šita ne pati geriausia.

[Sognando Libri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ro è una ragazza inglese che sogna di sposare Matt, l'uomo che frequenta da undici anni. Quando lui le chiede una pausa, partendo per sei mesi per l'Oriente, il suo mondo crolla. Matt vuole ritrovare l'entusiasmo dei primi tempi ed è convinto che quella pausa - al termine della quale la vorrebbe sposare - coinciderà con una riscoperta reciproca. Ro si ritroverà a trascorrere l'estate negli Hamptons e la sua vita cambierà radicalmente: l'incontro con i suoi tre coinquilini (Hump, playboy dal cuore d'oro, la newyorkese rampante Bobbi e Greg, sfuggente avvocato) e con Ted, un uomo affascinante che le commissionerà dei servizi fotografici, cambierà tutto.
Karen Swan è riuscita a catturarmi sino all'ultima pagina, creando un intreccio corale che si è risolto soltanto negli ultimi capitoli, aggiungendo una sottotrama che ricalca i gialli (con tanto di sotterfugi, attentati e un assassinio). Un'autrice che consiglio a tutti, finora non mi ha mai deluso.

[Johanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ich wolle das Buch unbedingt lieben… denn ich liebe die Hamptons! Aber es ist eine absolute Enttäuschung. Leider für meinen Geschmack viel zu wenig Liebesgeschichte, kein wirklicher Plott, die Geschichte ist über viel zu viele Seiten gezogen, aber ohne, dass sich etwas entwickelt. Absoluter Flop… und ich bin so enttäuscht, weil es mein absolutes Highlight hätte werden können…

[Geneviève Lamarche · Rating 5 out of 5]

Je ne pensais pas être capable de le terminer aussi rapidement, mais incapable de le déposer depuis hier soir. 590 pages de bonheur, de belles histoires et d’intrigues qui fusent de partout. J’ai adoré ma lecture et ça me donne encore plus envie de partir voir la mer dans quelques jours. Les personnages sont attachants et il est facile de se laisser emporter par le roman. Je recommande fortement!

[Agi · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a giveaway please got to http://www.onmybookshelf.blog.pl

This is the second book by Karen Swan that I had pleasure to read and be sure that I will be keeping my eye on her every next release. And I hope it's going to happen sooner rather than later because Karen is going to write two novels a year from now! Result!

The story follows Rowena Tipton, who is a professional photographer and who settles very comfortably into her life with her business and a long - term boyfriend Matt. You can imagine her surprise when Matt decides that he needs a "break" from this relationship, that he needs to start missing Ro again, and goes travelling to Asia for six months. And it's actually fait accompli. So Ro, after the initial shock, decides to spend her summer in the US, in Hamptons strictly speaking. She has luck to find, in a very funny way, a houseshare with three other flatmates, Hump, Bobbie and Greg. There is everything she can dream of: glamorous parties, tennis courts, horses, wonderful house to live in, fantastic new friends, brilliant scenery and there are endless chances for her to takes photos, the sky is the limit, so perhaps this once the summer without Matt is not going to be so bad?

The characters couldn't be more different from each other if you asked for it and this was a totally enjoyable fact. I loved Hump (the strangest name I have ever come across in the book) and his laid - back life attitude, Bobbi with her sharper than knife tongue, Florence with her ideas and I liked Ted, although he entered the story in a very stormy way. Greg was the one that I don't feel so much connected as to the others because well, he comes and goes as he pleases, although he was also likeable and in the end he proved to be the fourth musketeer:) But those were the four flatmates and their interactions that made the book so sparkling, so interesting, there was so much chemistry between all of them, so much friendship, they were functioning almost like a family. Rowena was totally open and could make friends with almost everybody in the world. In my opinion Ro behaved totally different around her boyfriend than in other situations and among other people. With Matt she was whingy, needy, tearful, not independent little girl and without him she was like Amazon, funny, strong girl. I absolutely preferred this Ro. Through the whole book, after every Skype conversation with Matt, I've been wondering if he is really the Obvious One for her, if he deserves her, such loyal, funny, bright girl. Her passion for work shines through the pages and feels very realistic, the way she speaks about her job shows that she really loves what she does. She is a new candidate for my best book friend, I could really imagine her to be a part of my life, as she felt so full of life.
Karen can describe the characters in a fantastic, engaging, realistic way and they all felt to me real. They were popping out of the pages and all what they said and did felt the same way. The dialogues were flowing and every situation could really happen. There was nothing uncomfortable in the story and everything fitted just right.


This book is built with many subplots but I have never lost my overview. It also deals with issues that I have never heard about before, such as flooding caused by the hurricanes, especially the last one Catherina. The hurricanes influence the environment and the flooding are a threat for the houses in Hamptons. Ro, after getting to know Florence, starts to be involved in this issue, which leads to a very unexpected (and I mean, VERY) twist in the story. I have never been into Hamptons myself, this idea of rich people spending summer there is only taking parts in sophisticated parties wasn't my idea of fun, but Karen has done a great job with presenting the life of Hamptons and showing that there is something more to this then only money. The descriptions of the beach, sunsets, of every place were brilliantly and interestingly written and they were very, very vivid, and I assume it must have been great for Karen to do research for this book:)

"The Summer without You" is a massive book, one of the longest I have ever read, but do not feel put off by this fact. The pace of the story is just right, it flows comfortably, there aren't any low points to this book, on the contrary, you can only expect twists and turns that take you totally by surprise. It was one of the most unpredictable reads for me and when I was finally peacefully reading, after some exciting action, there totally unexpectedly, came another twist, and then another and another, and this book has me hooked. Literally.


I have enjoyed every single page of this book. This is the second story that I've read in a short time that left me feeling very content and glad, and although I really didn't want this book to end, after finishing it I felt happy and was full of warmth and optimism. This is a glamourous, sexy read that you really can't miss, it is absolutely one of this summer's must - reads! It has it all: adventure, romance, travelling, potential love - triangle, drama, sun, beach and cold drinks - please go and get your copy, you won't regret it!

Copy received from publisher in exchange for a review.

[Tim O · Rating 4 out of 5]

It at all my usual pick, but a fun read. A summer spent in the Hamptons, mixing with the ultra rich, enjoying the sun and surf; then a mixture of political intrigue, greed and murder , together with a “forbidden” blooming love story, with a thunderclap of a finish.

[Shelby Prevost · Rating 1 out of 5]

DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME!

[Debbie Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by Karen Swan. This one is set in The Hampton. A lovely story very well written.

[Izabel Mircheva · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lame