Three Weeks In The Summer

by Paul Marriner

Innocence Lost, Grief Found:


1976. Richard (16) has finished his exams and a long, hot summer beckons, but his crush on the new girl in town is unrequited. He leaves the stifling suburb to spend time in The New Forest with Dudek, his Czech uncle. Dudek is being cared for by Anika, a vivacious young Czech woman. Anika introduces him to village life and when he meets Jennifer, a girl his age, he finds his attentions torn between them. Teenage emotions and needs are laid bare as relationships with the two girls develop.


The summer’s experiences intensify as forest fires threaten the village and Richard learns more of the events that led to his father’s death. As the summer break ends, Richard has been touched by love and death and understands more of his father’s history.


The story concludes the following New Year when Richard returns to The New Forest, needing to pick up where the summer ended.

262 pages, Paperback

First published October 21, 2014

About the author

Paul grew up in a west London suburb and now lives in Berkshire. Married with two children, he is passionate about music, sport and, most of all, writing, on which he now concentrates full-time. Paul has written six novels and a collection of short stories and his primary literary ambition is that you enjoy reading them while he is hard at work on the next one (but still finding time to play drums).

Reviews

[Katharine Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sensitive and thought provoking coming of age story that successfully captures the spirit of the 1970s through cultural references. It moves at a gentle pace and gets inside the head of a watchful, thoughtful, dyslexic teenage boy trying to make sense of his identity, the opposite sex and the world around him as he embarks on new experiences. As the heatwave intensifies he pieces together the truth about his father’s death but a new worry is creeping in.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is about Richard, a 16 year old teenager who is desperate to discover information about his father and his roots.
Richard spends a few weeks with his Uncle Dudek where he meets Anika and discovers himself and learns about love from different perspectives.
This is a lovely, easy to read book that draws you into the life of Richard more and more with every page turned. Would be interesting to read a sequel as the characters have so much depth and more to offer the reader.

[Bernadette Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was 9 years old in 1976, but it was the summer of the heatwave to beat all heatwaves. This story brought lots of memories of that year back to me.

This is a coming of age story about Richard a 16 year old, who is finding his feet where young ladies and romance is concerned. Richard leaves his home in the suburbs to go and spend time with his Uncle in a village in the New Forest.

As Richard gets used to village life, he finds himself torn between two young women Anika and Jennifer. He has varying feelings for both and this story explores the developing relationships between them and the pitfalls that may occur between young people.

I enjoyed this story, I felt that the Author had a way of investing the readers time and emotions in the lives of the characters, both the main ones and the secondary ones. It has an innocence that is matched by the innocence of the inexperienced in love and life Richard.

I gave this a 4 stars or 8/10. My thanks to the Author via TBConFB for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

[Gail Atkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Summer of 1976 was a long and extremely hot. Teenager Richard suffers from severe migranes and after taking his exams he decides to spend a few weeks with his uncle. Richard wants to know more about his late dad.
Life in the New Forest was so different from Hounslow, here in this small village everyone knew everyone, the constant threat of fires kept everyone on their toes.
Richard made new friends; new discoveries about his dad, his early few weeks and about himself.
A great story about the coming of age, friendships, love and the music of the Seventies.
A great set of characters, that walk us through a piece of British history and brings back memories. I really enjoy Paul Marriners writing style and how he brings history back to life.

[Ursula · Rating 5 out of 5]

The three weeks take place under the blazing heat of the British summer drought of '76 and the looming threat of fire from the tinder-dry heathland. That summer was a turning point in the lives of many British people alive today and if you lived through it then the descriptions and atmosphere and the mentions of popular music will bring back all those memories.

This story doesn't have a huge plot but is full of interest and incident. And feelings beautifully expressed. We meet the uncertainty of youth and the stubbornness of old age. Every person in the story needs to find courage and show love. The characters are delicately drawn and, just as in life, the detail and nuances and history gradually emerge.

I'm keen to read more of Paul Marriner's novels now.

[Peter Thomson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first met up with Paul Marriner’s illuminating prose in The Blue Bench and it left me wanting more of the same.
The Three Weeks In Summer was an obvious next choice and I was not disappointed. Different characters, different setting and a different time period, but the same richness of character driven writing and a hidden message for us that is so true – One can give time, but one cannot make time.
Set in the drought racked, overheated summer of 1976. The world had found that fish had fingers; there were toyshops on every High Street stocking hundreds of Airfix models of military and civilian transport from all nations and the British government was advising buddy bathing to conserve water. A different world, but one not so long ago to today’s microchip dominated lifestyles. One thing that has not changed are the pangs of young love in the newly pubescent and the introspection most young people foist on themselves in self-persuasion that they are not good enough to stand a chance in gaining the affections of the gorgeous ones at school. The more so if one suffers from a physical or mental disability – or acute self-consciousness. Such was Richard, anxious to lose his innocence, but not with anybody. And then learned in the summer heat and heath fires of the New Forest that the tender experience of an older person can exert a positive influence on the enjoyment of coming together as one. The things we do for love.
A profound book and one to come back to for a second read: there’s so much in the book, I am sure to have missed much on my first run through. I’m saving my fifth star until the second read. Highly recommended.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s the summer of 1976 and 16 year old Richard has fallen for Radio Girl, a neighbour who always seems to be listening to her transistor radio. But Radio Girl has her eye on Richards best friend so when his mum suggests he visit his uncle Dudek in the New Forest to help with the blinding migraines that he suffers from, Richard jumps at the chance. It is here, with Dudek, his niece Anika, local girl Jennifer and the neighbours Samuel and Meghan that Richard learns the true meaning of love and sacrifices people make for those that mean the most to them.

[Gail Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Paul Marriner's writing. He totally draws you into the characters and you live the experiences with them. This book set over three weeks in the summer at a time when I was of a similar age, it brought back memories of my teenage years, the music, the sitting outside pubs as not yet old enough to go inside, lying on the grass trying to make shapes out of the clouds - the little details - all wonderful memory joggers and he totally captured the right atmosphere of that summer. Thank you once again Mr Marriner.

[Chris Tunnicliffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely coming of age story set in 1976 during a drought when Richard goes to stay with his uncle for three weeks of summer. His uncle is a stubborn old man and Richard has much to learn about life and love. In the background fires are burning on the heath and next door a young woman is dying. Richard learns a lot about life in a small village and about himself before he returns home. look forward to reading more from this author.

[Penny-sue Wolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Us readers of a certain age remember the drought of 76! Water from standpipes and a ban on hosepipes. So this book is set but is a story of coming of age and first love. Gentle and flowing, this is a book you will want to read. Lovely.

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in 1976, in New Forest Richard (16) is out of school for the summer.
He is going to visit his Uncle Dudek (Czech).
Having fun Richard meets Jennifer (16).
Things seem to take a turn for them.

In Kon Tum Vietnam Greguska (dad, British military intelligence) & Diu (mom, Chinese, Hanoi conservatory) fell in love & produced Richard.
However Uncle Dudek & Anika (Czech, caretaker) had raised Richard (aka Dick the Rubber Johnny).
What would Richard find out about Greguska?

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written coming-of-age book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great coming-of-age romance movie, or mini TV series. It was just Ok for me so I will rate it at 4/5 stars.

Thank you for the free Goodreads; Bluescale Publishing; paperback book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

was asked to review this by Librarything.com

This was a a great summer read on my sun bed looking up at the palm trees.

This was an interesting book and in that long summer summer of 76 - I can still remember the droughts, heat and the dreadful fires of that time.

This is about a teenager Richard, his Vietnamese mother, Czech uncle Dudek, Anika also Czech and what happened to his father in Vietnam.

Richard finishes his exams and spends some of his long holidays with his uncle, it is here he comes of age, experiences sex and life with the characters he meets at this time. The author tells a story well.

Beautifully written by an author I was not aware of, but am seeking out.

Personally having had experience of 76, remember the plight of the Boat People too, the subject really intrigued me .

The ending was interesting and sad at the same time.

Recommended - if you are still to go on summer holiday - download this today.

[June Armes · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too many threads not fully explored.

[Gina Schwartz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very enjoyable story. Well paced and well written.

[Clare Scanlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely story, great characters, very well written, enjoyed it very much

[Bertram RJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

To say this was an enjoyable read for me would be an understatement.

It beautifully set its picturesque countryside backdrop against the vehement and exciting, but also poignant, experiences of a young male firing along his road to manhood. There are lessons the author has woven into the writing which I will take with me in my own future.

If you like your world the way it is and don't want it to change, then this book may not be what you're after. However, if like me you want your outlook to be diversified, your morals to be checked, and your emotions to be unleashed, then turn this book's first page.