The First And Last Summer

by Ruth Saberton

One final summer in the place she loves.
One new friendship that will change everything.

For widowed Kat Beauchamp, returning to Mallorca is bittersweet. This will be her last summer on the island she adores. But when she crosses paths with Lily, a young woman struggling to heal a broken heart, an unexpected friendship blossoms and voices from the past begin whispering to the present.

As the golden days unfold, Kat confronts memories of her first love, lost to bitter political divides in the 1970s, while Lily finds herself falling for a man whose secrets threaten to shatter her fragile new beginning. But with secrets rising from the past and the future under threat, both women must will they risk opening their hearts again?

Two women. Two generations. Two lives entwined by love, legacy and hope.
The First and Last Summer is an unforgettable story of friendship, second chances, and the enduring magic of first love.

382 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 12, 2025

About the author

Ruth Saberton is a bestselling British author with over 25 books written under her own and pen names. Her books feature romance and secrets and are set in beautiful Cornwall.
Her latest book THE LETTER is available now!

Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ruth-Saberto...
Amazon.com https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07...

Ruth loves to to talk to her readers. Interact with her on her website www.ruthsaberton.com on Twitter @ruthsaberton

www.facebook.com/ruthsabertonauthor

Reviews

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

After heartbreak, Lily is spending her first summer in Mallorca, Spain. She is unhappy with her job as an au pair to a wealthy couple and their two children. After a slight mishap, Lily crosses paths with Kat Beauchamp and an unexpected friendship blossoms. Kat offers Lily a job at her villa on the hill. When Lily finds herself falling for a man whose secrets threaten to shatter her fragile new beginning, she must decide if she will risk her heart again.

Kat, recently widowed and nearing 80, looks at this summer in Mallorca as her last summer in the place she loves. She confronts the memories of her first summer and her first love lost to her in the 1970s by bitter political divides.

Two women, two generations. Two lives entwined by love, secrets and hope. The First and Last Summer is an unforgettable story of friendship, second chances and the enduring magic of first love.

Most of the stories I have read by Ruth Saberton are set in Cornwall, England. This story is set in sunny Spain and is a delight from beginning to end.

[Julie Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant

I absolutely loved reading this book. It was such a lovely romantic and emotional story. I would recommend that tissues are handy.
This book did not disappoint like all of Ruth Saberton's books you get right into the story from the first page.

[Wendy Duncalfe · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a while to get into this book as there is a lot of descriptive information at the beginning with some of it repeated quite a lot. I persevered and ended up enjoying it. Although I did realise all the connections!

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obviously, I loved this book. Great characters, great story. I've read several books by Ruth Saberton and highly recommend her. Kat and Lily were great heroines, and Pablo and Rafe great heros. Lots of greats here, but that's how I feel about this book.

[Maureen Lowther · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and Last Summer

What a wonderful book it is a love story with a difference Ruth puts her heart and soul into this book and I thoroughly enjoyed it.