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Polwenna Bay #1
Runaway Summer
Come and visit Polwenna Bay, a beautiful Cornish fishing village full of drama and surprises, and leave as a friend.
Running Away…
Since leaving Polwenna Bay for the bright lights of London, actress Summer Trelawne has tried her hardest to never look back; Jake, her childhood sweetheart, let her down terribly and the beautiful Cornish village holds nothing but painful memories. It’s only when a volatile relationship threatens to destroy all she holds dear that Summer finds herself returning to the place she knows so well.
Jake Tremaine has travelled the world but reluctantly finds himself drawn back to Polwenna Bay to run the family marina and take care of his unruly siblings. While Jake knows his attention should be on the rescuing the business, determined Ella, daughter of a wealthy hotelier, is set on working her way into his affections and beneath his sheets. The last thing Ella will tolerate is the reappearance of a rival…
As the holiday season approaches and seaside life gathers pace, Jake suspects that Summer is keeping a huge secret from him. But Summer is not the only person in the village with something to hide. Is she just an echo of Jake’s past or are there far more important matters at stake?
Running Away…
Since leaving Polwenna Bay for the bright lights of London, actress Summer Trelawne has tried her hardest to never look back; Jake, her childhood sweetheart, let her down terribly and the beautiful Cornish village holds nothing but painful memories. It’s only when a volatile relationship threatens to destroy all she holds dear that Summer finds herself returning to the place she knows so well.
Jake Tremaine has travelled the world but reluctantly finds himself drawn back to Polwenna Bay to run the family marina and take care of his unruly siblings. While Jake knows his attention should be on the rescuing the business, determined Ella, daughter of a wealthy hotelier, is set on working her way into his affections and beneath his sheets. The last thing Ella will tolerate is the reappearance of a rival…
As the holiday season approaches and seaside life gathers pace, Jake suspects that Summer is keeping a huge secret from him. But Summer is not the only person in the village with something to hide. Is she just an echo of Jake’s past or are there far more important matters at stake?
366 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2015
821 people are currently reading
665 people want to read
About the author
Ruth Saberton
47 books351 followersRuth 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
October 9, 2017
It was an interesting and complex read for me. The first book I've read by a british author? Anyway, it felt and read really british and compelling. The description of every gust of wind and blow of a leaf became tideous and frustrating when I realised the people and feelings and situations and actions were only background and never fully clear. We are told over and over by a bunch of characters what happened and how much they are still affected / living in the past but in the last chapters of the book, everything is magically OK and everything is forgiven, except for Justin, who smacked her a few times and, is alluded, raped her? The mother that cost her relationship with Jake at 16 and left her alone far away pregnant and pennyles to become an actress or jumped at the chance to blame her only girl with something so ridiculous it made me sick to my stomack and caused her to have another miscarriage and never rushed to her and never demanded the truth and never had any ounce of protective motherhood feeling towards her. The father that judged her a worthless whore and treated her like his own prostitute, ever demanding her money and never acting like a father. The cartoon brothers, big and burly that never cared to protect their sister and never visited or saw the bruises. The aunt that could never keep a secret but she never raised alarm bells when she knew the situation she run away from in London. The agent that never cared to alert her parents of her situation at 16. The grandmother that kept a grudge and never acted the adult in their love story. The various brothers / sisters of Jake that couldn't be bothered to ask a few simple questions. The best friend / almost twin who gave up on her at the first fight and never demanded answers, caused her to lose her love baby and abused her verbally from day one of her return, never cared about the bruises, caused her to be beated and almost raped by Justin. The "hero" who gave up after a few weeks of making love to his One, never cared to ask if that caused any consequence, never grew up enough to pop up one day in London and see if there were still any lingering feelings, anything more to add, and the 'Hero' that forgave too easy and made light of so many tragedies that even one of those would have changed and traumatised any healthy human being... All of them got forgiven and forgotten off the page, the restart of the love story happened off page, the resolution with Justin was off page, everything important was... except for the most boring and meaningless descriptions...
Rant over
Rant over
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2016
When I mention something is a 'slow burner' that is not necessarily a derogatory term as far as I am concerned, and this book proved to be a slow burner of the decent type classification.
No surprises, to going the phrase of a well known advert, 'it does what it says on the tin', and I would class as a no-strings attached holiday or wet Sunday afternoon read that is pleasant and unassuming. I enjoyed, and will read the other books in the series, because I am a nosy cow, not because it was some huge piece of writing with major plot twists woven through it.
The production values seemed very high indeed, and I found no mistakes - trust me when I say I look quite hard for them!
No surprises, to going the phrase of a well known advert, 'it does what it says on the tin', and I would class as a no-strings attached holiday or wet Sunday afternoon read that is pleasant and unassuming. I enjoyed, and will read the other books in the series, because I am a nosy cow, not because it was some huge piece of writing with major plot twists woven through it.
The production values seemed very high indeed, and I found no mistakes - trust me when I say I look quite hard for them!
April 30, 2015
Guys, Ruth did it again. Went and wrote another cracker of a book!
And it could be my whole review in fact, because she - again - has written a superb, brilliant, colourful, lovely novel, set in Cornwall, full of vivid characters, sea and horses. Everything that a girl like me could dream of. Each time when I start reading Ruth's new book I am dead certain that I am for a real treat, and she has never disappointed me.
Ruth's book is, as always, full of incredibly vivid, living their own life characters. She has this unbelievable talent to create them in such a way that we are sure they are to pop out of the pages in a moment, and they often feel more realistic than our own neighbours next door. She can picture all kind of characters: lovely best friends, aggressive boyfriends, arrogant girls, larger than life young men, boys with Tourette Syndrome, Afghanistan veteran, a vicar, and they all sound more than realistic, and just true. There is never anything too pushed or too forced in her characters, they are never perfect, they have their flaws, and this is why I always just fell for all of them, root for them or want to slap them or bang their heads on the wall.
At the beginning of the book though I must admit I was a little confused. It seemed that the book is going to have thousand or more characters, what with the many siblings in the Tremaine's family, then Penhalligons family, and Ruth added some friends of them all and a vicar on the top. It took me some time to organize all of them, but then I could draw the family trees of all the characters with closed eyes. So there. No confusion any more.
Together with so many characters, there come many sub - plots, as every one of the heroes and heroines want to tell us their story. Ruth has managed it beautifully, all the threads of this incredibly original, interesting, fresh plot are brilliantly and neatly wrapped up, although there is no end to the book! As it is the first in the series, Ruth lets us with a big cliffhanger, and I so hope that the next story is going to give us more of Mo, The Bandmaster and... Cashley? Pretty please???
I don't want to get much into the details because it would mean spoiling the book for you, and I would hate to do this - if you haven't read the book yet, you are for a real treat. Let me just tell you that Ruth masters characters and plot again - and she creates a brilliant, summery read. We have Summer Penhalligan, an actress, who's running away from London and her fiancé, the public sweetheart number one, footballer Justin. They are the new Beckhams, so why is Summer running back to Polwenna Bay, to her family, when the relationship between her and especially her father is so strenuous? Oh my word, I so liked Summer, and I so felt for her. The situation she found herself in was so stereotypical, and we all know what we should do, but if you were in Summer's shoes, what would you do?
Jake, oh my, Jake. He was also absent from Polwenna Bay for a long time, leaving it to travel around the world after Summer has so cruelly dumped him. But was it really like this? Nevertheless, he is back now, and he takes over the responsibility for the whole big family - trying to rescue the business first of all. The return of Summer is a big surprise for him - he was sure there are no feelings for Summer left in his sexy like hell body, but is it really so? Yes, Ella - Salmonella is a nice distraction, but he's not for a longer game with her, what of course doesn't suit Ella at all. And Ella always gets what she wants. This time as well?
Jake, oh Jake, swoon, squeee, swoon. I guess I would - shhh - swap Jake for my husband. I loved him, simple as that, and it's no wonder that all other girls loved him, too. He could do anything, no matter what you needed, he was understanding and he didn't held the grudge for a long time, so what's not to love?!?!? He was responsible but he also knew what fun is, so really, for me he was the perfect mix of everything that I love in a great guy.
But I think that Mo was the most authentic, human character in the book. I could just picture her mood changes, could hear her hissing, and imagine her tossing her mane and pawing the ground with her leg, like a horse. She was so real in agreeing to the deal with Ella, and then also so real in regretting it, she was so real in her anger, fierceness and her love to horses. I guess this is why she was my favourite person in the book (next to Morgan. Fact), as I am also a horsy person and I so totally get her and her desire to forget about all the wrong things on a horseback.
Let's not forget the vicar Jules, and Danny. I don't know what to think now about their plot, as one small complication appeared at the end of the book, but I so hope it's going to be just like I wish, and that we are to get more of them in the next novel! Jules was one most exceptional vicar, with a heart made of gold, who was always taking things as they were. I loved her attitude and the distance that she had to herself and all other things. She didn't take herself so seriously, and I personally would love to have Jules by my side if I were Danny! And not only to help her to gain a better condition, Danny, can you hear me? Ruth has also so wonderfully described the situation with him, and made the change in him so natural, and I absolutely adored the new (or maybe old?) Danny.
Ruth so masterfully twists the plot and makes it so full of secrets and so many unexpected, new situations, and when you think there couldn't happen anything more, bang, here she throws new facts in your face, facts that change so much! She has taken me by surprise so many times that I stopped counting, and it's incredible how much she has squeezed between the pages of this lovely book. Although I must admit it started slowly, very slowly, and as much as I love Ruth's writing, I wanted to cry and bang my head on the table at those long, long, very detailed descriptions of everything and the background information. But, of course, Ruth being Ruth, she can not only describe the most insignificant things as if they were the most significant ones, but she can also make them relevant to the story and the lives of the characters. So just sit back and enjoy, really, go with the flow.
And Ruth really know how to describe, people, places and situations. There were moments that I felt a shiver on my back, there were moments that I was cheering the characters out loud, wanted to slap them or kick them hard on their backs, I almost felt the smells - it is really amazing and rare how she can describe things that we usually don't pay attention to, or that we take for granted.
It also always amazes me about how many things Ruth writes, and still makes her books so clear and easy to read. In "Runaway Summer" she touches unfulfilled ambitions, domestic violence, broken hearts and broken friendships, comebacks, many different family situations, problems, and how we shouldn't judge on appearances only, and yet the book is clear, everything has its place, everything fits. In fact, this story has everything that you could wish for, and even more, and I have enjoyed it immensely. Ruth Saberton is my absolute must - read author and I am already waiting for her next book!
Copy received from the author in exchange for a review.
And it could be my whole review in fact, because she - again - has written a superb, brilliant, colourful, lovely novel, set in Cornwall, full of vivid characters, sea and horses. Everything that a girl like me could dream of. Each time when I start reading Ruth's new book I am dead certain that I am for a real treat, and she has never disappointed me.
Ruth's book is, as always, full of incredibly vivid, living their own life characters. She has this unbelievable talent to create them in such a way that we are sure they are to pop out of the pages in a moment, and they often feel more realistic than our own neighbours next door. She can picture all kind of characters: lovely best friends, aggressive boyfriends, arrogant girls, larger than life young men, boys with Tourette Syndrome, Afghanistan veteran, a vicar, and they all sound more than realistic, and just true. There is never anything too pushed or too forced in her characters, they are never perfect, they have their flaws, and this is why I always just fell for all of them, root for them or want to slap them or bang their heads on the wall.
At the beginning of the book though I must admit I was a little confused. It seemed that the book is going to have thousand or more characters, what with the many siblings in the Tremaine's family, then Penhalligons family, and Ruth added some friends of them all and a vicar on the top. It took me some time to organize all of them, but then I could draw the family trees of all the characters with closed eyes. So there. No confusion any more.
Together with so many characters, there come many sub - plots, as every one of the heroes and heroines want to tell us their story. Ruth has managed it beautifully, all the threads of this incredibly original, interesting, fresh plot are brilliantly and neatly wrapped up, although there is no end to the book! As it is the first in the series, Ruth lets us with a big cliffhanger, and I so hope that the next story is going to give us more of Mo, The Bandmaster and... Cashley? Pretty please???
I don't want to get much into the details because it would mean spoiling the book for you, and I would hate to do this - if you haven't read the book yet, you are for a real treat. Let me just tell you that Ruth masters characters and plot again - and she creates a brilliant, summery read. We have Summer Penhalligan, an actress, who's running away from London and her fiancé, the public sweetheart number one, footballer Justin. They are the new Beckhams, so why is Summer running back to Polwenna Bay, to her family, when the relationship between her and especially her father is so strenuous? Oh my word, I so liked Summer, and I so felt for her. The situation she found herself in was so stereotypical, and we all know what we should do, but if you were in Summer's shoes, what would you do?
Jake, oh my, Jake. He was also absent from Polwenna Bay for a long time, leaving it to travel around the world after Summer has so cruelly dumped him. But was it really like this? Nevertheless, he is back now, and he takes over the responsibility for the whole big family - trying to rescue the business first of all. The return of Summer is a big surprise for him - he was sure there are no feelings for Summer left in his sexy like hell body, but is it really so? Yes, Ella - Salmonella is a nice distraction, but he's not for a longer game with her, what of course doesn't suit Ella at all. And Ella always gets what she wants. This time as well?
Jake, oh Jake, swoon, squeee, swoon. I guess I would - shhh - swap Jake for my husband. I loved him, simple as that, and it's no wonder that all other girls loved him, too. He could do anything, no matter what you needed, he was understanding and he didn't held the grudge for a long time, so what's not to love?!?!? He was responsible but he also knew what fun is, so really, for me he was the perfect mix of everything that I love in a great guy.
But I think that Mo was the most authentic, human character in the book. I could just picture her mood changes, could hear her hissing, and imagine her tossing her mane and pawing the ground with her leg, like a horse. She was so real in agreeing to the deal with Ella, and then also so real in regretting it, she was so real in her anger, fierceness and her love to horses. I guess this is why she was my favourite person in the book (next to Morgan. Fact), as I am also a horsy person and I so totally get her and her desire to forget about all the wrong things on a horseback.
Let's not forget the vicar Jules, and Danny. I don't know what to think now about their plot, as one small complication appeared at the end of the book, but I so hope it's going to be just like I wish, and that we are to get more of them in the next novel! Jules was one most exceptional vicar, with a heart made of gold, who was always taking things as they were. I loved her attitude and the distance that she had to herself and all other things. She didn't take herself so seriously, and I personally would love to have Jules by my side if I were Danny! And not only to help her to gain a better condition, Danny, can you hear me? Ruth has also so wonderfully described the situation with him, and made the change in him so natural, and I absolutely adored the new (or maybe old?) Danny.
Ruth so masterfully twists the plot and makes it so full of secrets and so many unexpected, new situations, and when you think there couldn't happen anything more, bang, here she throws new facts in your face, facts that change so much! She has taken me by surprise so many times that I stopped counting, and it's incredible how much she has squeezed between the pages of this lovely book. Although I must admit it started slowly, very slowly, and as much as I love Ruth's writing, I wanted to cry and bang my head on the table at those long, long, very detailed descriptions of everything and the background information. But, of course, Ruth being Ruth, she can not only describe the most insignificant things as if they were the most significant ones, but she can also make them relevant to the story and the lives of the characters. So just sit back and enjoy, really, go with the flow.
And Ruth really know how to describe, people, places and situations. There were moments that I felt a shiver on my back, there were moments that I was cheering the characters out loud, wanted to slap them or kick them hard on their backs, I almost felt the smells - it is really amazing and rare how she can describe things that we usually don't pay attention to, or that we take for granted.
It also always amazes me about how many things Ruth writes, and still makes her books so clear and easy to read. In "Runaway Summer" she touches unfulfilled ambitions, domestic violence, broken hearts and broken friendships, comebacks, many different family situations, problems, and how we shouldn't judge on appearances only, and yet the book is clear, everything has its place, everything fits. In fact, this story has everything that you could wish for, and even more, and I have enjoyed it immensely. Ruth Saberton is my absolute must - read author and I am already waiting for her next book!
Copy received from the author in exchange for a review.
July 14, 2021
I wish I could give this five stars. She’s an exceptional writer. The problem is the book is filled with minutia. It’s also a wonderful travel guide for anyone wanting to visit Cornwall. There is a strong story in here. In fact there were several strong stories but they were almost covered up by all of the verbiage around what every twig looked like. What every house looked like. What the ocean looked like. What every little store looked like. What the pubs looked like. What every person felt every single minute of every single day. I’m not saying not to read this because I think you might get something out of it. I just found myself flipping through pages when the story veered off into whatever travelogue was going on.
Summer was running home to Cornwall. She left London so quickly that she had no money. She was hiding out in her little hometown. Jack, her first love, was there. There were devious women, drunk men, a woman vicar, a bully of a boyfriend, misunderstandings galore, heartache, heartbreak and Cornwall. There is a sequel. I might buy it. Loose ends need tying up.
Summer was running home to Cornwall. She left London so quickly that she had no money. She was hiding out in her little hometown. Jack, her first love, was there. There were devious women, drunk men, a woman vicar, a bully of a boyfriend, misunderstandings galore, heartache, heartbreak and Cornwall. There is a sequel. I might buy it. Loose ends need tying up.
June 22, 2018
The writing is tedious and overly descriptive without any purpose other than to bulk up the word total and when a whole slew of new characters were introduced without any real definition, I became totally confused and bored
Dnf at 5%
Dnf at 5%
May 2, 2015
I would like to thank author Ruth Saberton for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
When I first dived into the world of Polwenna Bay it is following Summer as she flees from London back to her home town, a town she left as a sixteen year old to find fame and fortune.
The book is written in the third person and is from the POV of four of the main characters Summer, Jake, Mo and Jules. There are lots of other characters in this story as there are seven in Jake and Mo's family and Summer also has two brothers. To start with this can be a little confusing but Ruth takes her time to describe each character and I felt by the end of the book that I was beginning to know them all.
In the past there had been secrets that were keeping Summer and Jake from being happy, also Summer was hiding things now and despite everything they couldn't stay away from each other. Mo has made decisions in the past and now that has affected them all and although deep down she knows she is wrong is driven by anger towards Summer for hurting Jake. Jules is the local vicar and new to the area but she soon finds friends among the villagers of Polwenna Bay especially Jake's brother Danny and his son Morgan.
I love the descriptions of Polwenna Bay and would love to be able to visit. I fell Polwenna Bay is going to turn into a great series of books and am really looking forward to book 2 which I believe is Mo's story.
When I first dived into the world of Polwenna Bay it is following Summer as she flees from London back to her home town, a town she left as a sixteen year old to find fame and fortune.
The book is written in the third person and is from the POV of four of the main characters Summer, Jake, Mo and Jules. There are lots of other characters in this story as there are seven in Jake and Mo's family and Summer also has two brothers. To start with this can be a little confusing but Ruth takes her time to describe each character and I felt by the end of the book that I was beginning to know them all.
In the past there had been secrets that were keeping Summer and Jake from being happy, also Summer was hiding things now and despite everything they couldn't stay away from each other. Mo has made decisions in the past and now that has affected them all and although deep down she knows she is wrong is driven by anger towards Summer for hurting Jake. Jules is the local vicar and new to the area but she soon finds friends among the villagers of Polwenna Bay especially Jake's brother Danny and his son Morgan.
I love the descriptions of Polwenna Bay and would love to be able to visit. I fell Polwenna Bay is going to turn into a great series of books and am really looking forward to book 2 which I believe is Mo's story.
May 28, 2015
What can i say... yet again Ruth has hit the mark. I loved this book and all its twists and turns. The story is of two people who were childhood sweet hearts but growing up and careers moved them in different places.
The story not only heavily involves the main characters but also lots of family and friends, which is a tad hard to get used to, but its so life like when you meet a big family. Descriptions of the little town on the cornwall coast are second to none and you can feel almost there.
I really loved the whole book and found it a real page turner... but then to top it off i found out its part of a series and literally jumped up and down, now just need to nag Ruth for the next instalment!
The story not only heavily involves the main characters but also lots of family and friends, which is a tad hard to get used to, but its so life like when you meet a big family. Descriptions of the little town on the cornwall coast are second to none and you can feel almost there.
I really loved the whole book and found it a real page turner... but then to top it off i found out its part of a series and literally jumped up and down, now just need to nag Ruth for the next instalment!
March 13, 2016
Runaway Summer was my first book by Ruth Saberton. I enjoyed this book so much I immediately headed to Amazon to buy the second one in the series, and pre-order the third! I was rooting for Summer from the start, she was such a likeable character. When her secret is revealed to the readers but no one else I was urging her to confide in Jake or Morwenna. Jake and Summer have history and you know as soon as they meet their feelings for each other have not been resolved. The other characters who surround Jake and Summer all have interesting lives and you think, I hope we get to hear more about them. Five stars for this book and I look forward to reading more of Ruth's books.
October 13, 2016
More like 2.5 stars. I liked it OK... got this as a freebie on my Kindle so thought I'd give it a shot. I'd just finished powering through Harry Potter series for the first time, and needed something lighter.
Definitely in the romance genre, which I rarely delve, this book had a little more plot and better characters than some romances I've read. First love lost, then they meet again years later... will they reignite the old flame??? The characters were fun, but I felt like it was a little unrealistic at times. But it was a decent story, not too many cheesy romance scenes, and it had a satisfying ending.
Definitely in the romance genre, which I rarely delve, this book had a little more plot and better characters than some romances I've read. First love lost, then they meet again years later... will they reignite the old flame??? The characters were fun, but I felt like it was a little unrealistic at times. But it was a decent story, not too many cheesy romance scenes, and it had a satisfying ending.
August 6, 2016
I found this for free via BookBub, and I really enjoyed it. It caught my eye simply because we had been to Cornwall where it is set. The characters were fun and well developed, and I really wanted to know what happened. I feel like I've been burned on BookBub a few times with pretty awful books (you get what you pay for?) but this one was great.
June 19, 2020
I've been a fan of Ruth Saberton since Katy Carter Wants A Hero was gifted to me from a friend who had been in Polperro. I grew up in Cornwall and so I love the entire Polwenna Bay series mainly because I recognise a lot of the places and remember what it was like to grow up in a small Cornish village.
Summer Penhalligan has it all, a successful modelling career, fame, a footballer boyfriend Justin Anderson and a beautiful mews house in Kensington. It's a million miles away from the life she once had living in a small fishermans cottage perched on the harbour wall at Polwenna Bay with her family. However behind her giant Chanel shades, Summer is hiding a big secret. When things came to blows in London, the first place she thought to run to was back home to Polwenna Bay.
Jake Tremaine, recently back from a decade overseas is adjusting back to live in Polwenna Bay. The oldest of the seven Tremaine children, it's fallen to Jake to be the responsible one in the family and take care of the family business. Even after all this time, he's still not over the love of his life who left him all those years ago and broke his heart. It's been difficult to ignore her recently with her constantly all over magazines and billboards.
Hiding out in Cornwall seemed like a great idea when she hurtled down the motorway to get here, but Summer had forgotten just how difficult it was to hide in Polwenna Bay. After a huge bust up with Morwenna, her once best friend on the Quayside, Summer comes face to face with Jake for the first time in ten years. Feeling fragile and rattled by past events Summer longs for things to go back to the way they once were all those years ago.
Summer is desperate to hide, away from the long lenses and the reason she left London in the first place. Terrified to share with anyone what has gone on, Summer finds it difficult to hide things from those who knew her for years. Ella St Milton, a local hotelier with her eyes on Jake Tremaine is unhappy about Summer arriving back on the scene. Things with Jake had been going according to plan until she finds out that Summer is back in town. Desperate to hold on to Jake, Ella will do all she can to make sure that happens.
Summer Penhalligan has it all, a successful modelling career, fame, a footballer boyfriend Justin Anderson and a beautiful mews house in Kensington. It's a million miles away from the life she once had living in a small fishermans cottage perched on the harbour wall at Polwenna Bay with her family. However behind her giant Chanel shades, Summer is hiding a big secret. When things came to blows in London, the first place she thought to run to was back home to Polwenna Bay.
Jake Tremaine, recently back from a decade overseas is adjusting back to live in Polwenna Bay. The oldest of the seven Tremaine children, it's fallen to Jake to be the responsible one in the family and take care of the family business. Even after all this time, he's still not over the love of his life who left him all those years ago and broke his heart. It's been difficult to ignore her recently with her constantly all over magazines and billboards.
Hiding out in Cornwall seemed like a great idea when she hurtled down the motorway to get here, but Summer had forgotten just how difficult it was to hide in Polwenna Bay. After a huge bust up with Morwenna, her once best friend on the Quayside, Summer comes face to face with Jake for the first time in ten years. Feeling fragile and rattled by past events Summer longs for things to go back to the way they once were all those years ago.
Summer is desperate to hide, away from the long lenses and the reason she left London in the first place. Terrified to share with anyone what has gone on, Summer finds it difficult to hide things from those who knew her for years. Ella St Milton, a local hotelier with her eyes on Jake Tremaine is unhappy about Summer arriving back on the scene. Things with Jake had been going according to plan until she finds out that Summer is back in town. Desperate to hold on to Jake, Ella will do all she can to make sure that happens.
October 28, 2024
She was once in love with a local boy, but her mom was a stage mother and she wanted to see if she could hit it big in London, in the new drama school. But something went wrong, and she needed her guy, but he never answered. And so she moved on, but not in her heart, not really. But eventually it all became too much and she arranged to go home to Polwenna Bay, incognito if possible.
He never heard from his soulmate after she left for the bright lights of the city to try and earn her fame and fortune, as so many have done and still do. He spent a decade traveling the world before he realized he couldn't forget her no matter where he was or where he went, and besides, his family needed him.
She was her brother's girl's best friend, until she saw what a wreck he became without her. Her anger caused he to reason that no contact was the best contact, and she acted on it. Have the chickens come home to roost?
Juatin, football (soccer) hero and cancer survivor and funder of a dozen philanthropies, glory of the press, had a dark secret that she would only find out in retrospect. A positive pregnancy test makes her realize this isn't about her and the footballer anymore, and she flees.
No one in Polwenna Bay gives any credence to her explanation of the bruises and faint scars, but she insists she is fine. Will she face up to the truth and quit being scared of his lawyers and what they can supposedly do to her in a he says/she says situation? Or does she have an ace up her sleeve that no one knows about?
Life in a sleepy village reliant on fishing and the tourist trade isn't always calm; like the sea, there are always undercurrents and sudden storms. Come to Polwenna Bay and see for yourself.
He never heard from his soulmate after she left for the bright lights of the city to try and earn her fame and fortune, as so many have done and still do. He spent a decade traveling the world before he realized he couldn't forget her no matter where he was or where he went, and besides, his family needed him.
She was her brother's girl's best friend, until she saw what a wreck he became without her. Her anger caused he to reason that no contact was the best contact, and she acted on it. Have the chickens come home to roost?
Juatin, football (soccer) hero and cancer survivor and funder of a dozen philanthropies, glory of the press, had a dark secret that she would only find out in retrospect. A positive pregnancy test makes her realize this isn't about her and the footballer anymore, and she flees.
No one in Polwenna Bay gives any credence to her explanation of the bruises and faint scars, but she insists she is fine. Will she face up to the truth and quit being scared of his lawyers and what they can supposedly do to her in a he says/she says situation? Or does she have an ace up her sleeve that no one knows about?
Life in a sleepy village reliant on fishing and the tourist trade isn't always calm; like the sea, there are always undercurrents and sudden storms. Come to Polwenna Bay and see for yourself.
June 12, 2018
Polwenna Bay Box Set: Runaway Summer and A Time for Living. This boxed set includes Magic in the Mist. All are well written, intriguing, suspenseful and filled with troubled romances and sexual tension. These books are clean, no sex or vulgar language. All three books are hard to put down and know there's more to the Polwenna Bay Series.
Runaway Summer #1 - What a lovely story. I had so much fun with the Vicar and one of the brothers. An interesting, well written story with a well thought out storyline. The characters range the gamut from totally sweet to totally mean, and the emotions have a vast range, too. The characters, main and supporting, are likable or despicable and in between, and their dialog is realistic. No stupid formulas in this book, but there's drama along with laugh out loud humor. Unfortunately, it's a cliffhanger. 5*
A Time for Living #2 - This book does not pick up where Runaway Summer ended. It starts nine weeks later and in the village, not the hospital. This is better than the first book. Full of suspense, sexual tension and sadness. The emotions run the gamut from joy to envy to hate to love. Fast paced, the storyline is full of twists soaring to the heavens and plunging deep into the earth. There's still humor, but the many stories keep the reader glued to the pages. All the stories, but one find conclusion, but one and that is how this book ends with a glimpse of the next book's, Winter Wishes, main characters. 5*
Magic In The Mist - My first read of the Polwenna series and I love it! Well written and intriguing, this story is filled with the magic of love and the heartbreak of loss. Heartwarming and heart wrenching. A perfect escape; just add tea and chocolate. 5*
Runaway Summer #1 - What a lovely story. I had so much fun with the Vicar and one of the brothers. An interesting, well written story with a well thought out storyline. The characters range the gamut from totally sweet to totally mean, and the emotions have a vast range, too. The characters, main and supporting, are likable or despicable and in between, and their dialog is realistic. No stupid formulas in this book, but there's drama along with laugh out loud humor. Unfortunately, it's a cliffhanger. 5*
A Time for Living #2 - This book does not pick up where Runaway Summer ended. It starts nine weeks later and in the village, not the hospital. This is better than the first book. Full of suspense, sexual tension and sadness. The emotions run the gamut from joy to envy to hate to love. Fast paced, the storyline is full of twists soaring to the heavens and plunging deep into the earth. There's still humor, but the many stories keep the reader glued to the pages. All the stories, but one find conclusion, but one and that is how this book ends with a glimpse of the next book's, Winter Wishes, main characters. 5*
Magic In The Mist - My first read of the Polwenna series and I love it! Well written and intriguing, this story is filled with the magic of love and the heartbreak of loss. Heartwarming and heart wrenching. A perfect escape; just add tea and chocolate. 5*
October 13, 2018
When I first began this book, I was slightly disappointed to read some of the same references that I had seen in previous novels by this author, and I vowed that this would limit my rating. However, the rest of the book was so darn good, that I really have to put that aside. Ms Saberton can certainly spin a good tale, and after the first 20 pages, I was engrossed once again. My congrats to her... She doesn't seem to bow to the pressure to turn out novels so fast she doesn't have time to develop her storyline and characters. Her characters are well-drawn, dimensional and likeable. Her plots have enough side stories to keep one interested, and her backdrop of the Cornish coast adds a spectacular color to her books. Bravo... On to Polwenna Bay #2!
July 22, 2021
This is the type of story I normally admire, and I cannot place my finger on what it is that I disliked about this story. While typical of its genre in that the reader knows exactly what the ending will be, this is something one knows going in. I was a little put off about the level of what might elsewhere be called "mansplaining", and perhaps the fact I cannot comprehend any woman who puts up with physical abuse, but it took me a week to read the type of story I normally finish in one or two days.
I knew this is a "beginning" book - there will be volumes with Jules and Danny, and with Mo and Askley - but the scene-setting just didn't do it for me.
I knew this is a "beginning" book - there will be volumes with Jules and Danny, and with Mo and Askley - but the scene-setting just didn't do it for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2018
Runaway Summer is a story full of misunderstandings, family drama, and alcohol. Summer Penhalligan wanted to be an actress, as did her mother. When she turned 16 she left the tiny town of Cornwall for the lights of London. And never looked back...or did she? Jake was Summer’s first love. When she left, he was heartbroken. He couldn’t stay in Cornwall so he left and didn’t return for 10 years. As luck would have it, his return was quickly followed by Summer’s return; too skinny, too bruised, and seemingly broken.
August 3, 2021
Interesting story about Summer, who left Polwenna Bay to go to London to pursue an acting career at the ripe old age of 16, but she was pregnant by Jake and tried to reach out to him. His sister, Mo, got the letter and destroyed it without reading it. So twelve years later, Summer comes back home because she is pregnant by an abusive football player who she is supposed to marry. She loses this baby, the same as she lost her first baby through a miscarriage. She ends up getting back together with Jake. But the story continues on. There are 9 more books.
January 3, 2020
Very well written for the most part
Enjoyed this book especially the way the author described the scenery. The story line was good and not too predictable. I liked learning the characters personalities.
The one thing that bothered me is that throughout the book Ashley had two different last names. Someone did proof read very well. This won't however stop me from reading the next in the series.
Enjoyed this book especially the way the author described the scenery. The story line was good and not too predictable. I liked learning the characters personalities.
The one thing that bothered me is that throughout the book Ashley had two different last names. Someone did proof read very well. This won't however stop me from reading the next in the series.
July 11, 2020
A nice summer read
First book I've read by this author and it was very enjoyable. Set in Cornwall it's a beautiful location and the the story has some very interesting characters. When Summer returns home from London after fleeing from an abusive relationship she meets up with her first love ,but she has to come to terms with her past before she can finally find the happiness she deserves A good novel and will definitely read some more of Ruth's work
First book I've read by this author and it was very enjoyable. Set in Cornwall it's a beautiful location and the the story has some very interesting characters. When Summer returns home from London after fleeing from an abusive relationship she meets up with her first love ,but she has to come to terms with her past before she can finally find the happiness she deserves A good novel and will definitely read some more of Ruth's work
July 31, 2021
This is a fast-paced romance/mystery/adventure book. The key characters are Summer and Jake. Their families are also described in this book, along with others in Polwenna Bay. Ruth Saberton writes about many events, past and present, and the relations of these families, with others in this community. This does have a happy ending after many twist and turns leading up to it. It's fast, easy reading, perfect for beach reading. Enjoy!
January 27, 2025
Welcome to Polwenna Bay
After a rather slow start and more jumping about than I usually like, the story took off like a rocket. The folks of Polwenna Bay came alive as did the village - the salty air, the narrow lanes, the cliffs and the crested waves. Character driven with several sub-plots, the story melded together in a most satisfactory way. Looking forward to the next one.
After a rather slow start and more jumping about than I usually like, the story took off like a rocket. The folks of Polwenna Bay came alive as did the village - the salty air, the narrow lanes, the cliffs and the crested waves. Character driven with several sub-plots, the story melded together in a most satisfactory way. Looking forward to the next one.
January 31, 2022
After a hectic week, I could not have asked for better relaxing reading than "Runaway Summer". I appreciate the high levels of ethical conduct the writer builds into a story without doing away with fun, real issues such as domestic violence, the road to recovery for an ex-soldier, the importance of good family relationships, etc. I enjoyed the book so much.
March 24, 2023
Blimmin brilliant. I'll happily read anything Ruth Saberton puts in a book. I've read all the books in this series and they are all really good reads. The characters are so real you feel like you know them, the plots are fun and more than possible and I always feel good after reading one. Go on, do yourself a favor.
June 20, 2023
What a great first book of a series of 4, the characters are all interesting in their own right and although the outcome is a predictable love story which inevitably has an obviously happy ending it was a great read all the way through and sets up the basis of the second book which I can’t wait to read, am hoping all the characters dip in and out of each book
November 13, 2018
Wonderful story set in Cornwall I enjoyed summers character how true to life was the story line
A easy read and I could not stop reading it just the sort of story I need at moment with being treated for cancer
A easy read and I could not stop reading it just the sort of story I need at moment with being treated for cancer
September 9, 2019
Runaway Summer: Polwenna Bay Book 1 is by Stapleton. I have to say that this is the only one of her books that I haven’t liked. I kept reading it because I was sure it would get more interesting; but it really didn’t. I won’t be rereading this one any time soon.
July 3, 2020
Read this a couple of years ago and really enjoyed the story which included a lot of characters with various different plot lines which interwove together very nicely. Also nice being set in Cornwall! I’m now currently reading book 2 in the series!
November 28, 2020
The first of the Polwenna Bay series. Lovely rich characters and a gripping story. The way the epilogue leads into the next in the series is very clever. I just had to start the next book to find out what happens.
July 13, 2021
Plot was well recognized and it seemed to go on forever. Not My favorite as a prefer a plot
The moves more quickly with more facile dialogue and less predictability. I am not really suited to this book.
The moves more quickly with more facile dialogue and less predictability. I am not really suited to this book.
July 14, 2021
I so loved The Letter and The Locket and expected another great read. I read 1/3 of the book and was so totally bored. What happened? I quit reading it. Hope she goes back to the high standards of the first two books I read by her.
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