Walking on Sunshine: The perfect uplifting summer read from million-copy Sunday Times bestselling author Heidi Swain

by Heidi Swain

Spend summer by the river with Heidi Swain in her comforting new novel.

Fernside is a truly magical a beautiful Georgian house, with a stretch of river and a lovely woodland, Willowell Woods, nestled to the back. It has always been owned by the Clarke family but now the woods are up for sale and not everyone is happy about it.

Constance is in her mid-eighties and has lived at Fernside all her life. She’s feeling rather low about the thought of one day leaving the only home she knows. Her grandson, James, used to love the place, but ever since his mum died when he was eighteen, he’s struggled to feel happy there. 

Newcomer Tilly has had a tough time of it recently. The death of her father and her disillusionment over her job in HR mean she’s now ready to make changes in her life. So she’s heading to the river near Fernside to scatter her dad’s ashes and take stock.

Will this idyllic setting provide the comfort Tilly needs, and will her connections with Constance and James heal her heart…?

Kindle Edition

Expected publication April 23, 2026

About the author

Although passionate about writing from an early age, Heidi Swain gained a degree in Literature, flirted briefly with a newspaper career, married and had two children before she finally plucked up the courage to join a creative writing class and take her literary ambitions seriously.

A lover of Galaxy bars, vintage paraphernalia and the odd bottle of fizz, she now writes contemporary fiction and enjoys the company of a whole host of feisty female characters.

Heidi can be found at the keyboard at all hours of the day and night and quite often scribbling longhand in her car during her lunch break. She lives in stunning south Norfolk with her wonderful son and daughter and a mischievous cat called Storm.

Reviews

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thrilled to be offered the opportunity from the publisher Simon & Schulster UK, to read and review "Walking on sunshine" by Heidi Swain, one of my favourite authors.

Previously, books written by Heidi Swain are based in Norfolk, but this book has jumped the county lines into Suffolk. It features a village called "Willowell", where the main character, Tilly used to spend childhood summer holidays with her Dad and brother.

Tilly returns to Willowell to scatter the her Father's ashes, which brings back many memories of her halcyon summers, especially the fields by the river and her dream house "Fernside". On her journey to Willowell she meets James, her "Meet Cute" who rescues her hat.

Tilly is at a crossroads in her life, she has given up the job that she hates, handed in her notice on the flat share and has the seeds of a business idea she would like to grow. She spots a "For Sale" sign for Willowell woods that would be the perfect location for her new venture.

Life takes a turn when Tilly meets the owner of the woods, Constance" who can make Tilly's dreams come true. But things like a love life can get in the way of Tilly'a plans.

I really enjoyed reading "Walking on sunshine". The writing flows beautifully, allowing the reader to visualise everything. In my opinion, this book is a must read!

[Sally Tyrer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to have the opportunity to read Walking on sunshine as I love Heidi’s books and this one is now my new favourite!
Such a warm, comforting hug of a book just perfect and such a beautiful heartfelt read that will stay with you long after reading it!
Based in Suffolk we are introduced to the lovely Fernside area and the important Willowell woods that play the most integral part of the story, an area that Tilly the main character has such fond memories of as a child, returning now as an adult to carry out a final goodbye to her father and take a sabbatical from her previous life we follow her on a really heartwarming journey of discovery as she makes new friends, puts down roots and finds love, such great characters I loved Constance and a really wholesome storyline
Would highly recommend
Thank you NetGalley for this early read

[Heather Howarth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely read - even if a little predictable!

Tilly has decided to bring her dad’s ashes to Willowell - a place where they had been happy following the death of her mother from cancer. She has left her job and is now evaluating what to do next.

She is inspired by the local woods which are for sale and begins to plan out a possible eco educational project. Her plans are thwarted by James - her landlady’s nephew who is very hostile to the sale going ahead. It is complicated by their feelings for each other.

She builds up her connections in the village and particularly with Constance but she does not want to upset the family dynamic or spoil her potential relationship.

[Fleurtje Eliza · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gentle meet-cute for fans of found family, inter-generational friendship, and the need for being outdoors.

Indeed, with the world being on fire, it is lovely to read about people who are fed up with unfulfilling jobs and unreasonably demanding bosses. When you can – and if you are able – follow your heart. Or your nose to the woods :)

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.

[Maja · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Heidi Swain read is always like being enveloped in an enormous hug and Walking on Sunshine is no exception. Tilly and her brother Zack have recently lost their father, and Tilly decides that the most fitting place to say farewell to her precious dad is Willowell; a place the family made some happy memories. What follows is a heartfelt joyous read that provides pure escapism and a moment to reflect and reconnect.

[Emily West · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me yearning for hot summer days in East Anglia. The description of Willowell and the river had me practically smelling the summer area and hearing the sounds of the countryside. Although you could easily see where the relationship aspect of the story was going, this did not detract from the book at all. I loved it, just like every Heidi Swain book, as they are like warm hugs that you didn’t even know you needed.

[Samantha Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
I liked the setting & enjoyed getting to know the characters, so much, that I hope this maybe the first book in a new series.
As usual with this author, I felt I could easily picture the setting, and I enjoyed seeing the friendships develope.
This is a book I would definitely recommend.