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The Secrets of Summer House
🎧Run time = 9 hours and 58 minutes
The secrets of Summer House are about to come out at last....
1976. Rushing out of the university library, undergraduate Alice Kenzie bumps straight into PhD student Tristan Somers. There begins a whirlwind romance, and Alice falls pregnant and gives birth to a baby girl. Then Tristan is killed in a car accident. Unable to cope, Alice takes her baby to Summer House, Tristan's family home in Suffolk, leaves her there and disappears.
2018. Olivia Somers has always been told that her mother died in the same accident as her father. But when she finds a bundle of old letters in Summer House, everything she ever believed about her mother is called into question. Can she find her - and even more importantly, forgive her?
“Enticing and atmospheric” ( Lauren North, author of The Perfect Son): Olivia was told her parents died in a tragic accident when she was little — but old letters prompt her to search for the truth. “Brimming with emotion and secrets… I think this might just be my favorite of hers yet” ( Jenny Ashcroft, author of Meet Me in Bombay).
The secrets of Summer House are about to come out at last....
1976. Rushing out of the university library, undergraduate Alice Kenzie bumps straight into PhD student Tristan Somers. There begins a whirlwind romance, and Alice falls pregnant and gives birth to a baby girl. Then Tristan is killed in a car accident. Unable to cope, Alice takes her baby to Summer House, Tristan's family home in Suffolk, leaves her there and disappears.
2018. Olivia Somers has always been told that her mother died in the same accident as her father. But when she finds a bundle of old letters in Summer House, everything she ever believed about her mother is called into question. Can she find her - and even more importantly, forgive her?
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First published April 21, 2022
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About the author
Rachel Burton
21 books307 followersRachel Burton is the bestselling author of historical timeslip novels and has previously written romantic comedies.
Rachel was born in Cambridge and grew up in a house full of books and records. She has read obsessively since she first realised those black squiggles on the pages that lined her parents’ bookshelves were actually words and it has gone down in family history that any time something interesting happened, she missed it because she had her nose in a book.
After reading for a degree in Classics and another in English Literature she accidentally fell into a career in law but her love of books prevailed as she realised that she wanted to slip into imaginary worlds of her own making. She eventually managed to write her first novel on her lunch breaks.
She is obsessed with old houses and the secrets they keep, with abandoned gardens and locked gates, with family histories and surprising revelations, and with the outcomes of those surprises many generations later.
She lives in Yorkshire with her husband, a variety of cats and far too many books. By writing novels she now has an excuse for her head being forever in the clouds.
Find her on Instagram as @RachelBWriter, subscribe to her newsletter rachelburton.substack.com or website rachelburtonwrites.com
Rachel was born in Cambridge and grew up in a house full of books and records. She has read obsessively since she first realised those black squiggles on the pages that lined her parents’ bookshelves were actually words and it has gone down in family history that any time something interesting happened, she missed it because she had her nose in a book.
After reading for a degree in Classics and another in English Literature she accidentally fell into a career in law but her love of books prevailed as she realised that she wanted to slip into imaginary worlds of her own making. She eventually managed to write her first novel on her lunch breaks.
She is obsessed with old houses and the secrets they keep, with abandoned gardens and locked gates, with family histories and surprising revelations, and with the outcomes of those surprises many generations later.
She lives in Yorkshire with her husband, a variety of cats and far too many books. By writing novels she now has an excuse for her head being forever in the clouds.
Find her on Instagram as @RachelBWriter, subscribe to her newsletter rachelburton.substack.com or website rachelburtonwrites.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews
March 16, 2022
1976. Alice Kenzie a coal miner’s daughter, is an undergraduate at Cambridge University and she bumps into PhD student Tristan Somers. Alice has always concentrated on her studies, she hasn’t been interested in dating and meeting Tristan changes her mind. Despite his parents disapproval Alice and Tristan marry and are expecting their first baby. When, Olivia is four months old Tristan is killed in a car accident and Alice is a widow at twenty three. Mary and Henry Somers offer to help Alice, she moves to Summer House in Suffolk and she starts to question if she’s capable of raising her daughter and providing what she needs?
2018. Olive Faulkner-Jones is married to Jacob and they have a teenage son Nicholas. When her grandmother Mary Somers passes away she’s devastated, she had such a wonderful childhood growing up at Summer House and being raised by her loving grandparents. She and Jacob start the horrible job of clearing out the old house, they find some old letters, Olivia was told her parents both died in the car accident and forty years later she discovers this isn't true.
A dual timeline historical fiction story that alternates between 1976 and 2018. Told from two women's points of view, and the narrative includes topics such as, living up to your parent’s expectations, postnatal depression, friendship, loyalty, death, estrangement and second chances!
I received a copy of The Secrets of Summer House by Rachel Burton from NetGalley and Head of Zeus publishing in exchange for an honest review, I felt sorry for Olivia, she was lied to her whole life, should she look for her mother, Alice might not want to see her and Olivia's putting her heart and future in the hands of a woman she doesn’t know and can she handle being rejected again? I love stories set in old houses, with long kept secrets and a touch of mystery and five stars from me.
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2018. Olive Faulkner-Jones is married to Jacob and they have a teenage son Nicholas. When her grandmother Mary Somers passes away she’s devastated, she had such a wonderful childhood growing up at Summer House and being raised by her loving grandparents. She and Jacob start the horrible job of clearing out the old house, they find some old letters, Olivia was told her parents both died in the car accident and forty years later she discovers this isn't true.
A dual timeline historical fiction story that alternates between 1976 and 2018. Told from two women's points of view, and the narrative includes topics such as, living up to your parent’s expectations, postnatal depression, friendship, loyalty, death, estrangement and second chances!
I received a copy of The Secrets of Summer House by Rachel Burton from NetGalley and Head of Zeus publishing in exchange for an honest review, I felt sorry for Olivia, she was lied to her whole life, should she look for her mother, Alice might not want to see her and Olivia's putting her heart and future in the hands of a woman she doesn’t know and can she handle being rejected again? I love stories set in old houses, with long kept secrets and a touch of mystery and five stars from me.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KarrenReadsH...
March 12, 2022
You’ll want to grab a cold drink before you start this one! It’s set in Cambridge during the long hot summer of 1976 and jumps ahead to 2003 and 2018. It’s a family mystery involving a long-kept secret and a bundle of old letters and centers around Summer House in rural Suffolk and Cambridge University Library.
Like the author, I often look at old homes and think about the voice of the past. If you are with me, you’ll often hear me say, “...if only those walls could talk…the secrets they’d share!” This was a special book about an estate home, Tristan Somers’ family home, and the secrets held within its walls. It’s also about a girl making a difficult decision with few options.
In this atmospheric novel, author Rachel Burton explores grief, trust, mental health and abandonment. The characters are well-crafted and the struggles they work through and how they work through them are authentic. In fact, it’s rare to have a bookish relationship such as Olivia and Jacob’s and I applaud the author in taking this rarely trodden path. Well balanced emotionally with seamless dovetailed timelines between a mother and her daughter, this is a compelling read about the twists in one’s path and how we deal with them in order to move forward. You’ll be left reminded that judging without knowing the whole story is detrimental to both parties involved.
I was gifted this advance copy by Rachel Burton, Head of Zeus, Aria, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Like the author, I often look at old homes and think about the voice of the past. If you are with me, you’ll often hear me say, “...if only those walls could talk…the secrets they’d share!” This was a special book about an estate home, Tristan Somers’ family home, and the secrets held within its walls. It’s also about a girl making a difficult decision with few options.
In this atmospheric novel, author Rachel Burton explores grief, trust, mental health and abandonment. The characters are well-crafted and the struggles they work through and how they work through them are authentic. In fact, it’s rare to have a bookish relationship such as Olivia and Jacob’s and I applaud the author in taking this rarely trodden path. Well balanced emotionally with seamless dovetailed timelines between a mother and her daughter, this is a compelling read about the twists in one’s path and how we deal with them in order to move forward. You’ll be left reminded that judging without knowing the whole story is detrimental to both parties involved.
I was gifted this advance copy by Rachel Burton, Head of Zeus, Aria, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
February 17, 2022
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.
Geez, I don't even know what to say. Am really focusing on not spoiling things, though the book synopsis did that, but I edited below so potential readers are not. I think the cover promised a book packed with love and mystery and to me that meant more Gothic in nature. Unfortunately, that is not what I ended up with. The actual mystery was not very mysterious I thought. And I think that the author in the end let one of the characters we follow through this off the hook a bit too much. The flow between the two timelines did not work and the stories in both dragged forever. The way things tied up in the end just felt off to me too.
"The Secrets of Summer House" has us following two distinct timelines/women. In 1976, University Library, undergraduate Alice Kenzie has a straight up "meet-cute" with Tristan Somers. They fall in love, they get married, but something happens that ends up with Alice's daughter, Olivia, being left at Summer House. In 2018, Olivia Somers is dealing with the fact that her beloved grandmother has just died. Olivia is dealing with her husband being away in America. When she finds photos in her grandmother's study showing her parents' wedding, she realizes that her grandmother has hidden something from her, and then starts to investigate what happened to her mother/father decades earlier.
Alice and Tristan I really wanted to love. But there felt like so much stuff that was unsaid in those sections. We get hints and there via other characters in the Olivia sections what that was, but I really wish that it had been spelled out more. I always feel like people named Tristan are not long for this world. I don't think I have read about one in a book that had a happy ending. And now I am thinking about Legends of the Fall.
I digress.
Back to the book. At least Alice's sections the characters were more developed. I got to see Mary, Henry, Stella, and everyone else and you get their points of view a lot more in those sections.
Olivia's chapters felt flat. I don't know why she felt so estranged from her husband. It felt like she kept making mountains out of molehills. I thought we were going to get some things about an affair or something, but nope. She just didn't tell him something. And Olivia's husband seemed to just be there to bring her cups of tea. I was more interested in Olivia's best friend Tash than her unraveling her parents (not so mysterious) past.
The writing was solid (hence the 3) but the flow was awful. I felt myself getting restless while I was reading. I really wanted to ask is this it when I getting to the meat of the story (at around the 65 percent mark). And then when you get the revelations I felt let down and just aggravated.
The setting of Summer House should have been played up more. I mean the house is the title of the book. It sounded very decrepit in the Olivia sections and stifling and hot in the Alice sections. If you play up a house in a book I think either Gothic mystery novel or haunted house a la Shirley Jackson. This was neither.
The ending just wrapped things up too neatly. I needed more.
Geez, I don't even know what to say. Am really focusing on not spoiling things, though the book synopsis did that, but I edited below so potential readers are not. I think the cover promised a book packed with love and mystery and to me that meant more Gothic in nature. Unfortunately, that is not what I ended up with. The actual mystery was not very mysterious I thought. And I think that the author in the end let one of the characters we follow through this off the hook a bit too much. The flow between the two timelines did not work and the stories in both dragged forever. The way things tied up in the end just felt off to me too.
"The Secrets of Summer House" has us following two distinct timelines/women. In 1976, University Library, undergraduate Alice Kenzie has a straight up "meet-cute" with Tristan Somers. They fall in love, they get married, but something happens that ends up with Alice's daughter, Olivia, being left at Summer House. In 2018, Olivia Somers is dealing with the fact that her beloved grandmother has just died. Olivia is dealing with her husband being away in America. When she finds photos in her grandmother's study showing her parents' wedding, she realizes that her grandmother has hidden something from her, and then starts to investigate what happened to her mother/father decades earlier.
Alice and Tristan I really wanted to love. But there felt like so much stuff that was unsaid in those sections. We get hints and there via other characters in the Olivia sections what that was, but I really wish that it had been spelled out more. I always feel like people named Tristan are not long for this world. I don't think I have read about one in a book that had a happy ending. And now I am thinking about Legends of the Fall.
I digress.
Back to the book. At least Alice's sections the characters were more developed. I got to see Mary, Henry, Stella, and everyone else and you get their points of view a lot more in those sections.
Olivia's chapters felt flat. I don't know why she felt so estranged from her husband. It felt like she kept making mountains out of molehills. I thought we were going to get some things about an affair or something, but nope. She just didn't tell him something. And Olivia's husband seemed to just be there to bring her cups of tea. I was more interested in Olivia's best friend Tash than her unraveling her parents (not so mysterious) past.
The writing was solid (hence the 3) but the flow was awful. I felt myself getting restless while I was reading. I really wanted to ask is this it when I getting to the meat of the story (at around the 65 percent mark). And then when you get the revelations I felt let down and just aggravated.
The setting of Summer House should have been played up more. I mean the house is the title of the book. It sounded very decrepit in the Olivia sections and stifling and hot in the Alice sections. If you play up a house in a book I think either Gothic mystery novel or haunted house a la Shirley Jackson. This was neither.
The ending just wrapped things up too neatly. I needed more.
February 17, 2023
I throughly enjoyed this book, it was a dual time-line set in 1976 and present day. This was a new author for me and I would love to read more by this author in the future. An entertaining read with a little mystery thrown in. Perfect.
July 1, 2025
A story told in 2 time frames. One starting in 1976 where undergraduate Alice Kenzie on as scholarship, meets PHD student Tristan Somers. A whirlwind romance that ends up with Alice pregnant and the couple married, despite his family’s disapproval since Alice, being a coal miner’s daughter, is not of their class. Grief overtakes Alice when Olivia is a few moths old and Tristan dies in a car accident. Alice, believing it is for the best takes baby Olivia to, Summer House, Tristan’s family home in Suffolk.
2018 Olivia Somers has always been told by her grandparents that both her parents died in the accident. But when her grandmother dies, Olivia discovers an envelope and some photos. Over time she learns that what she has been told by her grandparents while growing up is not the truth. Her mother did not die in the accident. She may even be still alive. If she is does Olivia want to try and find her? And why did she just disappear and leave no way of being contacted?
This is an enticing read given the historical content from the 1970s and the more current 2018 story as well. Interestingly in this book I found the current day story more to my liking than the historical one, though of course that one is absolutely necessary to the whole plot. I think I was more convinced by the modern day characters rather than Alice and Tristan.
But still a very good read that I am sure many other people will enjoy too.
2018 Olivia Somers has always been told by her grandparents that both her parents died in the accident. But when her grandmother dies, Olivia discovers an envelope and some photos. Over time she learns that what she has been told by her grandparents while growing up is not the truth. Her mother did not die in the accident. She may even be still alive. If she is does Olivia want to try and find her? And why did she just disappear and leave no way of being contacted?
This is an enticing read given the historical content from the 1970s and the more current 2018 story as well. Interestingly in this book I found the current day story more to my liking than the historical one, though of course that one is absolutely necessary to the whole plot. I think I was more convinced by the modern day characters rather than Alice and Tristan.
But still a very good read that I am sure many other people will enjoy too.
May 3, 2022
“The secrets of Summer House are about to come out at last…”
Several of my fellow bloggers have been commenting about just how much they are craving ‘comfort’ stories right now. My schedule has been so full of WWII stories full of sadness and death, and rather deep and dark thrillers, that I didn’t fully appreciate what those readers meant, until I read this lovely story. I finished The Secrets Of Summer House in just a couple of sittings, although I feel sure that if I had been able to secure a dedicated ‘bibliotherapy’ session (yes! that really is a word), I could have safely powered through it in a day, whilst still enjoying an easy, leisurely read.
…
So let’s get down to a potted version of the storyline first, although the premise really does already include ‘spoilers’…
Cambridge students Alice and Tristan, meet by accident and against all the barriers of their diverse ‘no-money’, ‘new-money’ backgrounds, fall in love at first sight. Without the blessing of Tristan’s family, the couple get married and Alice immediately falls pregnant. Life is almost perfect, until a cruel twist of fate leaves a totally devastated and inconsolable Alice alone with a new baby. Unable to cope and convinced that running away is the only solution to her emotional torment, Alice reluctantly leaves baby Olivia to be raised by Tristan’s parents, Mary and Henry in ‘Summer House’, unaware of the lies and untruths with which they will fill the child’s mind in the years to come.
Fast forward forty years and Olivia is now married with a teenage son of her own, when she receives news that grandmother Mary has passed away, leaving an envelope for her granddaughter containing three photographs, which will turn her whole world and that of her husband Jacob, upside down. It turns out that by a cruel, yet ultimately happy, twist of fate and circumstance, Jacob’s father Caleb, holds the key which will begin to unlock this Pandora’s box of secrets, beginning with an emotional reunion between Olivia and her mother’s closest friend from their days at Cambridge, who opens Olivia’s eyes to the duplicity of her grandparents and the secrets they had kept from her, right up until their dying days.
The many pieces of the jigsaw begin to fit together, as long forgotten childhood memories surface for Olivia with the discovery of some hidden letters, which she and Jacob find whilst clearing out Summer House, following Mary’s funeral. For Olivia in particular, there are many moments of deep distress and sorrow, as the fragments of a life she never knew are laid out before her. But after all the lies which have already shrouded her past and with the increasingly fractured relationship she has with Jacob, which she desperately wants to put right, Olivia lays out the many strands of her story to Jacob and their son Nicholas, so that they can decide as a family unit, what steps if any, they want to take to bring about closure, before making any firm decisions about the future of Summer House itself.
Will the next few months, which pass in a blur for the three of them and includes a reunion trip to the other side of the world, a complete change in the way and pace of life on their return, and an unexpected happy event to look forward to in the not too distant future, bring about the happy ever after endings and new beginnings they seek?
…
This intriguing, atmospheric and immersive, multi-layered storyline, is well structured in short, easy to navigate chapters and narrated alternately and seamlessly, between the dual timelines of the late 1970s and 2018. It deals with so many issues from class disparity and family dynamics, to post natal depression (referred to as simply ‘baby blues’ back in the 1970s) and the fragility of the human mind; from the trauma of grief and the long term effects it can have on mental health, to abandonment and the realisation that everything you have ever been brought up to believe, is in fact, based on lies and half truths. There are several unexpected intense and emotional twists in this highly textured storyline, which is perceptive, intuitive, often raw and passionate, profoundly touching and lovingly written from the heart. The assured observational and descriptive narrative, together with some excellent conversational dialogue, also offers a genuine sense of time and place, only adding to the interest and intrigue.
A well defined cast of characters, definitely own this storyline, making it their own, albeit that there was scope for one or two of them to have been more fully and deeply developed. They were all quite a complex and emotional bunch, which often made them appear unreliable and rather vulnerable, thus making them difficult to connect with on many levels. However they were genuine, believable and authentic to the roles created for them by the author.
Although I find ‘star rating’ a book to be a very subjective exercise, I did mark this one down slightly, the reason being, that for me personally, the premise gave too much away, the Antipodean segment felt slightly rushed and I really don’t think I could have been quite so understanding with Alice, had I been Olivia.
However, I really enjoyed author Rachel Burton’s fluent style of writing and as this is the first of her seven books to date I have read, I shall most definitely be adding some of her previously published stories into my schedule.
Several of my fellow bloggers have been commenting about just how much they are craving ‘comfort’ stories right now. My schedule has been so full of WWII stories full of sadness and death, and rather deep and dark thrillers, that I didn’t fully appreciate what those readers meant, until I read this lovely story. I finished The Secrets Of Summer House in just a couple of sittings, although I feel sure that if I had been able to secure a dedicated ‘bibliotherapy’ session (yes! that really is a word), I could have safely powered through it in a day, whilst still enjoying an easy, leisurely read.
…
So let’s get down to a potted version of the storyline first, although the premise really does already include ‘spoilers’…
Cambridge students Alice and Tristan, meet by accident and against all the barriers of their diverse ‘no-money’, ‘new-money’ backgrounds, fall in love at first sight. Without the blessing of Tristan’s family, the couple get married and Alice immediately falls pregnant. Life is almost perfect, until a cruel twist of fate leaves a totally devastated and inconsolable Alice alone with a new baby. Unable to cope and convinced that running away is the only solution to her emotional torment, Alice reluctantly leaves baby Olivia to be raised by Tristan’s parents, Mary and Henry in ‘Summer House’, unaware of the lies and untruths with which they will fill the child’s mind in the years to come.
Fast forward forty years and Olivia is now married with a teenage son of her own, when she receives news that grandmother Mary has passed away, leaving an envelope for her granddaughter containing three photographs, which will turn her whole world and that of her husband Jacob, upside down. It turns out that by a cruel, yet ultimately happy, twist of fate and circumstance, Jacob’s father Caleb, holds the key which will begin to unlock this Pandora’s box of secrets, beginning with an emotional reunion between Olivia and her mother’s closest friend from their days at Cambridge, who opens Olivia’s eyes to the duplicity of her grandparents and the secrets they had kept from her, right up until their dying days.
The many pieces of the jigsaw begin to fit together, as long forgotten childhood memories surface for Olivia with the discovery of some hidden letters, which she and Jacob find whilst clearing out Summer House, following Mary’s funeral. For Olivia in particular, there are many moments of deep distress and sorrow, as the fragments of a life she never knew are laid out before her. But after all the lies which have already shrouded her past and with the increasingly fractured relationship she has with Jacob, which she desperately wants to put right, Olivia lays out the many strands of her story to Jacob and their son Nicholas, so that they can decide as a family unit, what steps if any, they want to take to bring about closure, before making any firm decisions about the future of Summer House itself.
Will the next few months, which pass in a blur for the three of them and includes a reunion trip to the other side of the world, a complete change in the way and pace of life on their return, and an unexpected happy event to look forward to in the not too distant future, bring about the happy ever after endings and new beginnings they seek?
…
This intriguing, atmospheric and immersive, multi-layered storyline, is well structured in short, easy to navigate chapters and narrated alternately and seamlessly, between the dual timelines of the late 1970s and 2018. It deals with so many issues from class disparity and family dynamics, to post natal depression (referred to as simply ‘baby blues’ back in the 1970s) and the fragility of the human mind; from the trauma of grief and the long term effects it can have on mental health, to abandonment and the realisation that everything you have ever been brought up to believe, is in fact, based on lies and half truths. There are several unexpected intense and emotional twists in this highly textured storyline, which is perceptive, intuitive, often raw and passionate, profoundly touching and lovingly written from the heart. The assured observational and descriptive narrative, together with some excellent conversational dialogue, also offers a genuine sense of time and place, only adding to the interest and intrigue.
A well defined cast of characters, definitely own this storyline, making it their own, albeit that there was scope for one or two of them to have been more fully and deeply developed. They were all quite a complex and emotional bunch, which often made them appear unreliable and rather vulnerable, thus making them difficult to connect with on many levels. However they were genuine, believable and authentic to the roles created for them by the author.
Although I find ‘star rating’ a book to be a very subjective exercise, I did mark this one down slightly, the reason being, that for me personally, the premise gave too much away, the Antipodean segment felt slightly rushed and I really don’t think I could have been quite so understanding with Alice, had I been Olivia.
However, I really enjoyed author Rachel Burton’s fluent style of writing and as this is the first of her seven books to date I have read, I shall most definitely be adding some of her previously published stories into my schedule.
April 24, 2022
The Secrets of Summer House by Rachel is a dual time narrative alternating between the late 70’s and present day. It’s a book about family secrets and the journey to uncover them.
‘They need to talk about the future - their fragile uncertain future - but to get there they both need to unravel the past.’
Olivia was raised by her grandparents as both her parents died in an accident. But after her grandmother’s death, she finds some pictures that don’t relate with the story her grandmother had told her - thus the ensuing mystery unfolds. Sadly, I did not really engage much in the mystery side of this tale. The aspect that appealed most to me was Cambridge of the 1970s. Rachel presents a vivid picture of life there at that time.
This is a big book that I feel needed better editing as it just became too repetitive going over the same emotions and angst of the two leading characters from both timelines. I wish character development had been deeper and more was written of the summer house as a character in itself. I do enjoy Rachel’s books but this one did not quite work for me.
Overall this is a book about forgiveness, family and friendship. Other themes included parental expectations, grief, postnatal depression and second chances. What would you do if you suddenly found out your life had not been grounded in what you had been told?
‘I always thought I was doing the right thing. Maybe I was, maybe I wasn’t. I’ve never known if chasing the past is something we should do or not.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
‘They need to talk about the future - their fragile uncertain future - but to get there they both need to unravel the past.’
Olivia was raised by her grandparents as both her parents died in an accident. But after her grandmother’s death, she finds some pictures that don’t relate with the story her grandmother had told her - thus the ensuing mystery unfolds. Sadly, I did not really engage much in the mystery side of this tale. The aspect that appealed most to me was Cambridge of the 1970s. Rachel presents a vivid picture of life there at that time.
This is a big book that I feel needed better editing as it just became too repetitive going over the same emotions and angst of the two leading characters from both timelines. I wish character development had been deeper and more was written of the summer house as a character in itself. I do enjoy Rachel’s books but this one did not quite work for me.
Overall this is a book about forgiveness, family and friendship. Other themes included parental expectations, grief, postnatal depression and second chances. What would you do if you suddenly found out your life had not been grounded in what you had been told?
‘I always thought I was doing the right thing. Maybe I was, maybe I wasn’t. I’ve never known if chasing the past is something we should do or not.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
October 9, 2022
A historical fiction book that switches between and has two timelines. The narrative is recounted from the perspectives of two women, Olivia in 2018 and Alice in 1976, and it touches on topics like parenting, second chances, friendship, mental health, and satisfying your parent's expectations.
The story's characters and the way everything was interwoven were both wonderful. A genuine sense of time and location is also provided by the confident observational and descriptive storytelling, along with some superb conversational banter, which only serves to heighten the fascination and mystery.
They were all really emotional and complex people, which frequently gave the impression that they were unreliable and rather weak, making them challenging to relate to on many levels.
However, I consider that the story did not fully satisfy me. Even now, I find it difficult to understand some of Alice's actions, but I just think that they are the actions of real individuals who we will never be able to fully comprehend.
I do anticipate some juicy surprises, but they were just there. The closing section seemed a little hurried, and the premise gave too much away. hence, you may probably foresee it.
The repetition of the same feelings and anxiety in this large book made me think that it needed better editing. I also wish there had been more character development and writing about the summer house as a separate character.
Overall, this book will keep you interested from the start and make you want to learn the truth just as much, but I recommend it for readers who enjoy family dramas sprinkled with mystery.
The story's characters and the way everything was interwoven were both wonderful. A genuine sense of time and location is also provided by the confident observational and descriptive storytelling, along with some superb conversational banter, which only serves to heighten the fascination and mystery.
They were all really emotional and complex people, which frequently gave the impression that they were unreliable and rather weak, making them challenging to relate to on many levels.
However, I consider that the story did not fully satisfy me. Even now, I find it difficult to understand some of Alice's actions, but I just think that they are the actions of real individuals who we will never be able to fully comprehend.
I do anticipate some juicy surprises, but they were just there. The closing section seemed a little hurried, and the premise gave too much away. hence, you may probably foresee it.
The repetition of the same feelings and anxiety in this large book made me think that it needed better editing. I also wish there had been more character development and writing about the summer house as a separate character.
Overall, this book will keep you interested from the start and make you want to learn the truth just as much, but I recommend it for readers who enjoy family dramas sprinkled with mystery.
April 16, 2022
A Touching Journey to the Truth
Another enjoyable book by this author. She always manages to transport me into her stories.
It is funny how families will tell one tale and somehow the truth is revealed later. In this case, it is done in a dual timeline grandmother to granddaughter through a discovery of letters and their secrets. I appreciate Olivia’s tenacity for the truth and being included in her journey.
Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus, Aria, for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.
Another enjoyable book by this author. She always manages to transport me into her stories.
It is funny how families will tell one tale and somehow the truth is revealed later. In this case, it is done in a dual timeline grandmother to granddaughter through a discovery of letters and their secrets. I appreciate Olivia’s tenacity for the truth and being included in her journey.
Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus, Aria, for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.
June 13, 2022
4.5 Stars: The Secrets of Summer is told in two timelines, but the majority is the 2018 setting. In 1976, we meet Alice Kenzie and Tristan Somers. They bump into each other, physically, on the university campus and it is love at first sight. After a whirlwind courtship, they marry, against the wishes of his family and live happily in their small apartment while they both finish school. Alice gets pregnant and they are happy, especially with their daughter, Olivia. It is only four months later when, Tristan is killed in a car accident. Having nowhere to turn, she goes to Tristan's parents who are thrilled to have Olivia with them. Summer House is a beautiful estate, and she realizes that Olivia will be better off with her grandparents, so leaves her there and disappears. In 2018, Olivia's grandmother has died and she is grief stricken. Although she is married with a grown son, her grandmother was the family she had left that raised her. While going through her grandmother's things, she discovers old letters and photos that reveal she has been lied to all her life. Her mother did not die in the same accident as her father, but survived and abandoned her. Is her mother still alive? Can she find her?
This dual timeline story that alternates between 1976 and 2018, and is told from the point of view of Olivia and Alice. I liked both of these women whose lives were determined by their different upbringing. Alice and Tristan were a great couple who were so in love. I would have liked meeting them with their upbeat attitude. We learn about Alice's grief and decisions as Olivia discovers who she is and what happened 40 years earlier. Olivia has a lot to deal with as she, Jacob and Nicholas discover the secrets that have been kept from Olivia by the people she loved. As a parent I can't imagine how a mother could leave her baby with someone else, but I know it is a decision many have to make. I am glad mental health diagnosis have come so far and people in Alice's situation would be helped and dealt with very differently now, but in 1978, there was not a lot of help available for what was often just called the "baby blues". This was a beautifully written story with themes of living up to your parent’s expectations, postnatal depression, friendship, loyalty, death, estrangement and second chances. Although the word summer in this title is not an indication of a summery, beachy read, I very much enjoyed this story that I read for my 20 Books of Summer Challenge.
This dual timeline story that alternates between 1976 and 2018, and is told from the point of view of Olivia and Alice. I liked both of these women whose lives were determined by their different upbringing. Alice and Tristan were a great couple who were so in love. I would have liked meeting them with their upbeat attitude. We learn about Alice's grief and decisions as Olivia discovers who she is and what happened 40 years earlier. Olivia has a lot to deal with as she, Jacob and Nicholas discover the secrets that have been kept from Olivia by the people she loved. As a parent I can't imagine how a mother could leave her baby with someone else, but I know it is a decision many have to make. I am glad mental health diagnosis have come so far and people in Alice's situation would be helped and dealt with very differently now, but in 1978, there was not a lot of help available for what was often just called the "baby blues". This was a beautifully written story with themes of living up to your parent’s expectations, postnatal depression, friendship, loyalty, death, estrangement and second chances. Although the word summer in this title is not an indication of a summery, beachy read, I very much enjoyed this story that I read for my 20 Books of Summer Challenge.
April 3, 2022
What were her parents like? This is a dual timeline story that has Olivia finding out about her parents after her grandmother Mary dies. The second timeline is set in the 70s, sharing Alice and Tristan's relationship.
I liked Olivia uncovering the secrets that were held by Mary for many years, but the build up in the story seemed a bit slow. I really had hoped that there had been some small hints to what the secrets may be earlier in the book.
I enjoyed the book overall, but was hoping a little bit more for that spark that pushed me to not want to put the book down.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.
I liked Olivia uncovering the secrets that were held by Mary for many years, but the build up in the story seemed a bit slow. I really had hoped that there had been some small hints to what the secrets may be earlier in the book.
I enjoyed the book overall, but was hoping a little bit more for that spark that pushed me to not want to put the book down.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.
February 6, 2022
Absolutely stunning! Once I have my words back prepare for the word vomit aka my full review.
You’ve been warned…
You’ve been warned…
January 27, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review :)
The Secrets of Summer House was definitely an emotional read for me that kept me reading from the beginning. Without giving too much away of the story's plot, Olivia discovers letters and news that changes her life forever. She had always been told both of her parents passed away in a tragic car accident, but now she is left questioning everything she has ever known. Olivia's story follows how she puts all the puzzle pieces together to solve this family mystery for her past. We also follow the story of Alice in 1976 and her romance and journey with Tristan.
I really liked reading the two different timelines and perspectives in the book. Both stories were compelling and the character's stories were complex. The story does dive into many deeper topics - grief, mental health, family, and relationships. Summer House was also a fun setting for this book, as there was so much history to the house. Though I enjoyed this book, I felt it was a fast read and it wrapped up a little bit quickly for me and wish I had some more from the ending.
The Secrets of Summer House was definitely an emotional read for me that kept me reading from the beginning. Without giving too much away of the story's plot, Olivia discovers letters and news that changes her life forever. She had always been told both of her parents passed away in a tragic car accident, but now she is left questioning everything she has ever known. Olivia's story follows how she puts all the puzzle pieces together to solve this family mystery for her past. We also follow the story of Alice in 1976 and her romance and journey with Tristan.
I really liked reading the two different timelines and perspectives in the book. Both stories were compelling and the character's stories were complex. The story does dive into many deeper topics - grief, mental health, family, and relationships. Summer House was also a fun setting for this book, as there was so much history to the house. Though I enjoyed this book, I felt it was a fast read and it wrapped up a little bit quickly for me and wish I had some more from the ending.
July 7, 2022
A beautiful and enjoyable book.
The dual timeline worked so well in bringing this story together. I was happily immersed in 1976 and Cambridge in the stifling heat of that summer, but also wanting desperately to get back to Olivia in present day and check in on how much of her past she'd uncovered.
A lovely story full of mystery, romance and emotion, with the wonderful Summer House right at its heart.
This is my first Rachel Burton read, but it won't be the last!
The dual timeline worked so well in bringing this story together. I was happily immersed in 1976 and Cambridge in the stifling heat of that summer, but also wanting desperately to get back to Olivia in present day and check in on how much of her past she'd uncovered.
A lovely story full of mystery, romance and emotion, with the wonderful Summer House right at its heart.
This is my first Rachel Burton read, but it won't be the last!
November 6, 2021
Oh wow! I'm honoured to have received a super advanced copy of The Secrets of Summer House. It's wonderful. As you'd expect for a Rachel Burton book. I absolutely loved the characters in this story and the way everything intertwines. Tristan, Alice, Jacob and Olivia will stay with you long after you've finished reading this book!
April 20, 2022
The Secrets of Summer House starts with central character Olivia being told that her Grandmother Mary just passed away. Olivia was raised by her grandparents, believing both her parents were killed in a car accident. Shortly after Mary’s death, Olivia discovers an envelope addressed to her. It contains pictures of her parents, and she soon learns that her mother didn’t die in the car accident after all. This sets Olivia on a journey to solve the mystery of what happened to her mother Alice.
A fabulous dual timeline read with an emotional roller coaster of a story and memorable characters. The writing was wonderful, I enjoyed every page. For me it was one of those rare books I didn’t want to end.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Rachel Burton and Head of Zeus for an ARC of The Secrets of Summer House in exchange for an honest review.
Recommended.
A fabulous dual timeline read with an emotional roller coaster of a story and memorable characters. The writing was wonderful, I enjoyed every page. For me it was one of those rare books I didn’t want to end.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Rachel Burton and Head of Zeus for an ARC of The Secrets of Summer House in exchange for an honest review.
Recommended.
February 8, 2022
I wasn’t fully sure what to expect when I picked this up but I’ve always heard good things about Rachel’s books and I can now see why.
This is written in a dual time perspective, split between the current day and 1976. With this I feel like you get drawn into the story more as you are uncovering the truth at the same time as the character. I really liked reading all of Alice’s chapters as they transported you back to another era where things were so different, mostly though I just loved how much she shone through the pages, you could tell just how happy Tristan made her and how happy they were together.
Olivia was raised by her grandparents after both of her parents died in a tragic car accident - or that’s what she’s always been told. When some photos are revealed a few days after Olivia’s gran dies from a stroke it seems that not everything she’s been told is the truth.
This book will have you hooked from the get go and you will want to find out the truth just as much as Olivia. It can get a bit emotional at times but there were also lots of light happy moments that made me smile giving the book a really nice balance. I have to say that I didn’t see the surprise at the end of the book coming though - wow!
This is written in a dual time perspective, split between the current day and 1976. With this I feel like you get drawn into the story more as you are uncovering the truth at the same time as the character. I really liked reading all of Alice’s chapters as they transported you back to another era where things were so different, mostly though I just loved how much she shone through the pages, you could tell just how happy Tristan made her and how happy they were together.
Olivia was raised by her grandparents after both of her parents died in a tragic car accident - or that’s what she’s always been told. When some photos are revealed a few days after Olivia’s gran dies from a stroke it seems that not everything she’s been told is the truth.
This book will have you hooked from the get go and you will want to find out the truth just as much as Olivia. It can get a bit emotional at times but there were also lots of light happy moments that made me smile giving the book a really nice balance. I have to say that I didn’t see the surprise at the end of the book coming though - wow!
April 18, 2022
This book surprised me. I don’t know what I expected but what I got was a wonderful tale. To begin with I was confused as to how the two different story lines would be able to link up but the more I read the more invested I got. As Olivia slowly learned about the lies and secrets that her grandparents wrapped her in I became more and more interested in learning more about Alice and Tristan as if the more I knew, the more Olivia would know. I found the different tenses of the two stories fascinating. It made the story, for me, more about Tristan and Alice and their love story than Olivia and Jacob.
I liked how Jacob was portrayed, he had a lot of soul searching to do as well within the book and I loved how he realised that Olivia and their son was what he really wanted and he supported them fully and put them first.
How the plot rolled out and came to a wonderful conclusion was brilliant and I was actually a bit disappointed when it ended.
This was a wonderful, consuming read.
I liked how Jacob was portrayed, he had a lot of soul searching to do as well within the book and I loved how he realised that Olivia and their son was what he really wanted and he supported them fully and put them first.
How the plot rolled out and came to a wonderful conclusion was brilliant and I was actually a bit disappointed when it ended.
This was a wonderful, consuming read.
April 17, 2022
What a wonderful story, I have loved my trip to Summer House. Set over a 40 year period we meet Olivia who is now an adult and has many unanswered questions following the death of her beloved Grandmother and also Olivia's parents who she tragically lost as a baby.
This story was full of stories of the past and the hopes for the future for Tristan & Alice before everything began to unravel. I loved the location and the references to the boat races and commune. As I read I could feel the descriptions jumping from the page, making it easy to bring the story to life.
A wonderful story full of strong women and amazing friendships, I loved this beginning to end and absolutely love the ending for this story.
This story was full of stories of the past and the hopes for the future for Tristan & Alice before everything began to unravel. I loved the location and the references to the boat races and commune. As I read I could feel the descriptions jumping from the page, making it easy to bring the story to life.
A wonderful story full of strong women and amazing friendships, I loved this beginning to end and absolutely love the ending for this story.
February 28, 2022
2 1/2 elevated to 3.
This is not a romance. It's a split time novel between Alice in 1976 and Olivia in 2018. Olivia is Alice's daughter and she was raised by her grandparents, who told her her parents died in a car accident.
After Olivia's grandmother dies and Olivia goes back to the home where she and her father were raised, she discovers her mother didn't actually die in the same accident that killed her father.
The present day narration in 3rd person POV present tense turned out to be very distant and hard to connect to.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
This is not a romance. It's a split time novel between Alice in 1976 and Olivia in 2018. Olivia is Alice's daughter and she was raised by her grandparents, who told her her parents died in a car accident.
After Olivia's grandmother dies and Olivia goes back to the home where she and her father were raised, she discovers her mother didn't actually die in the same accident that killed her father.
The present day narration in 3rd person POV present tense turned out to be very distant and hard to connect to.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
August 14, 2022
A very good story set in two timelines about Summer House with Tristan and Alice and Olivia and Jacob.
February 6, 2022
*I received a free ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*
Rachel Burton does an amazing job of blending together the two storylines of Olivia and Alice. Both are so interesting on their own they could have been their own book. Alice's is a little tough to read because you know her romance is not going to have the happy ending that we always want for our characters. I loved watching Alice and Tristan's love story unfold. Her struggles after losing Tristan break your heart because you can understand why she felt so overwhelmed and useless as a mother. I really liked Olivia and how level-headed she remained about everything. She has moments of feeling betrayed, lied to, abandoned, and poorly treated but she thinks things through before reacting. I also really liked that the author didn't have a storyline that her husband was unfaithful. It just seems like so many books these days think that all marriages with stresses and troubles result in infidelity - the fact that Olivia and Jacob's marriage wasn't perfect but they (mostly him with all of his traveling) never even looked at someone that way was actually quite refreshing. And the fact that they actually talked about what was wrong was something you don't get to see in a look of stories. I loved how supportive each of the couples in the story were - those are the types of relationships we should all strive for.
Rachel Burton does an amazing job of blending together the two storylines of Olivia and Alice. Both are so interesting on their own they could have been their own book. Alice's is a little tough to read because you know her romance is not going to have the happy ending that we always want for our characters. I loved watching Alice and Tristan's love story unfold. Her struggles after losing Tristan break your heart because you can understand why she felt so overwhelmed and useless as a mother. I really liked Olivia and how level-headed she remained about everything. She has moments of feeling betrayed, lied to, abandoned, and poorly treated but she thinks things through before reacting. I also really liked that the author didn't have a storyline that her husband was unfaithful. It just seems like so many books these days think that all marriages with stresses and troubles result in infidelity - the fact that Olivia and Jacob's marriage wasn't perfect but they (mostly him with all of his traveling) never even looked at someone that way was actually quite refreshing. And the fact that they actually talked about what was wrong was something you don't get to see in a look of stories. I loved how supportive each of the couples in the story were - those are the types of relationships we should all strive for.
April 20, 2022
The Secrets of Summer House is the 1st book that I have read by Rachel Burton, The cover is what drew me in and then the story itself.
The book is told in alternate chapters, In the present we have Olivia Somers, a married librarian with one child. After the death of her beloved grandmother some family secrets are revealed that she was unaware of, The other chapters follow Olivia’s mother Alice as she meets and falls in love with Tristan Somers, Olivia’s father, while completing her degree at Cambridge. Alice comes from a poor mining family from Yorkshire, Tristan is the golden boy of wealthy parents. They fall in love and Alice becomes pregnant with Olivia. Then tragedy strikes and Tristan is killed in a car accident. Alice unable to cope leaves Olivia with her grandparents, who tell Olivia that both her parents died in the accident. It is only after her grandmother’s death that Alice realizes this is a lie and her mother may still be alive somewhere. Then there is the strange coincidence of her father-in-law being best friends with her father, a fact that she has been unaware of.
I overall enjoyed this book, It was full of family secrets but love and redemption too. I would recommend this book to readers who like family dramas with a bit of mystery.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher Head of Zeus/Aria, and the author for the chance to read and review this book.
The book is told in alternate chapters, In the present we have Olivia Somers, a married librarian with one child. After the death of her beloved grandmother some family secrets are revealed that she was unaware of, The other chapters follow Olivia’s mother Alice as she meets and falls in love with Tristan Somers, Olivia’s father, while completing her degree at Cambridge. Alice comes from a poor mining family from Yorkshire, Tristan is the golden boy of wealthy parents. They fall in love and Alice becomes pregnant with Olivia. Then tragedy strikes and Tristan is killed in a car accident. Alice unable to cope leaves Olivia with her grandparents, who tell Olivia that both her parents died in the accident. It is only after her grandmother’s death that Alice realizes this is a lie and her mother may still be alive somewhere. Then there is the strange coincidence of her father-in-law being best friends with her father, a fact that she has been unaware of.
I overall enjoyed this book, It was full of family secrets but love and redemption too. I would recommend this book to readers who like family dramas with a bit of mystery.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher Head of Zeus/Aria, and the author for the chance to read and review this book.
April 18, 2022
In 1976, Alice Kenzie meets Tristan Somers at the Cambridge University Library and soon begins their whirlwind romance, resulting in the birth of their daughter Olivia. Yet Tristan is killed in a car accident and Alice flees, leaving Olivia in the care of Tristan's parents. In a dual storyline, Olivia is grieving the death of her grandmother in 2018. When she discovers a bundle of letters in Summer House, she begins to question the whereabouts of her mother.
This was a compelling story, filled with secrets and so much sadness. Both Alice and Olivia seem faced with so many challenges, with Alice losing Tristan and Olivia, realising that her grandmother hid such devastating secrets.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and Head of Zeus. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This was a compelling story, filled with secrets and so much sadness. Both Alice and Olivia seem faced with so many challenges, with Alice losing Tristan and Olivia, realising that her grandmother hid such devastating secrets.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and Head of Zeus. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 22, 2022
The Secrets of Summer House had me engaged from the beginning. Having read one of Rachel Burton's previous books, I was already aware of her writing style, resulting in great excitement to read this new release. I was not disappointed.
Alice's story is set in 1976 and Olivia's in 2018. The past and present timeline gives the plot depth. Many emotional scenes had me reaching for the tissues, and the description of the summer house made me wish I could visit and listen to the stories within its walls. It flowed well and kept me intrigued to find out the truth for Olivia.
This book would be an excellent read for all readers of all ages, and I highly recommend this read for some escapism when needed—an undoubted must-read for all fans of this genre. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Thank you NetGalley and Head of Zeus for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. All opinions are my own.
Alice's story is set in 1976 and Olivia's in 2018. The past and present timeline gives the plot depth. Many emotional scenes had me reaching for the tissues, and the description of the summer house made me wish I could visit and listen to the stories within its walls. It flowed well and kept me intrigued to find out the truth for Olivia.
This book would be an excellent read for all readers of all ages, and I highly recommend this read for some escapism when needed—an undoubted must-read for all fans of this genre. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Thank you NetGalley and Head of Zeus for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. All opinions are my own.
April 21, 2022
Atmospheric, emotional and full of well-crafted characters, this dual timeline novel grips the reader from the first page and immerses them in the two hot summers of 1976 and 2018. Both stories are intriguing, and they give the reader insight into both women's emotions and lives. There is an underlying mystery that weaves itself around the house, an immersive setting in both timelines.
Character-driven this story explores familial relationships and mental health issues and the differences in acceptance, attitudes and expectations in 1976 and 2018. There are many poignant scenes in both Alice's and Olivia's lives. Olivia's quandary over whether to look for her mother and her feelings towards her are particularly emotional.
The passion and romance shine through in each woman's life, as do the tragic events. I enjoyed the characters' authenticity and the details and sensory imagery that bring this story to life.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
Character-driven this story explores familial relationships and mental health issues and the differences in acceptance, attitudes and expectations in 1976 and 2018. There are many poignant scenes in both Alice's and Olivia's lives. Olivia's quandary over whether to look for her mother and her feelings towards her are particularly emotional.
The passion and romance shine through in each woman's life, as do the tragic events. I enjoyed the characters' authenticity and the details and sensory imagery that bring this story to life.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
February 7, 2022
The Secrets of Summer House begins with Olivia finding out that her Grandmother Mary just passed away. Olivia was raised by her grandparents and was led to believe that both of her parents died in a car accident. Shortly after Mary’s death, Olivia discovers an envelope with her name on it. The envelope contains several pictures of her parents, and she soon learns that her mom didn’t die in the car accident. Olivia then sets out to unravel the mystery of what happened to her mother.
This was such an emotional and touching story. The emotions just poured out of the pages and it was very heartfelt. I really enjoyed reading this one and look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was such an emotional and touching story. The emotions just poured out of the pages and it was very heartfelt. I really enjoyed reading this one and look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 16, 2022
“I have always believed that houses have stories to tell, that if you put your hand against their walls and listen quietly, you will hear the voices of the past, of the people who have lived there, of the homes that have come before.”
If houses have stories to tell, then Summer House is a library of history, love, heartbreak, and redemption. Dual timelines come together in a book that looks at love and grief and longing and family through multiple lenses.
As much as it’s a fictional tale of a lovely (but made up) house, this book also acts as a love letter to the very real city of Cambridge. The house and the city are almost characters in themselves, rather than mere backdrops in this family saga.
I wish we’d gotten a bit more of the side characters, as I wanted to know more about a few of them and to understand the rift between the protagonist and her husband to a deeper extent. Those small things aside, though, I enjoyed the story of this house and the people who have lived in it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for this advanced reader edition!
April 13, 2022
I always enjoy a dual timeline story and this is no exception. You follow two generations, Alice who is a student in 1976 and Olivia in 2018. There are several similarities between the two women, principally their love of libraries and one in particular. Olivia, though, seems much more grounded as a person. When you first meet Alice, you are struck by her lack of confidence. She feels like an outsider amongst the affluent Cambridge students, but you also recognise in her a romantic streak.
Olivia has been feeling detached from the family life which has been her centre. As she faces up to some shocking secrets from the past, you get to see how she is able to work through her own family issues. I found this to be an entertaining read as both stories fed into each other. It raised some interesting issues around motherhood, loss and grief which all seemed to swamp Alice. Whether you can ever forgive and put the past behind you are also questions which Olivia has to face.
In short: secrets from the past emerge.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book
Olivia has been feeling detached from the family life which has been her centre. As she faces up to some shocking secrets from the past, you get to see how she is able to work through her own family issues. I found this to be an entertaining read as both stories fed into each other. It raised some interesting issues around motherhood, loss and grief which all seemed to swamp Alice. Whether you can ever forgive and put the past behind you are also questions which Olivia has to face.
In short: secrets from the past emerge.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book
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