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Ayrton Family #2
Summerhills
'Summerhills' continues the story of the lives and loves of the Ayrton family, in particular that of Major Roger Ayrton M.C., his brother and three young half-sisters. Roger has made the Army his career. The story begins as Roger flies home, on leave, full of plans for his family and home.
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First published January 1, 1956
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About the author
D.E. Stevenson
68 books643 followersThere is more than one author with this name
Dorothy Emily Stevenson was a best-selling Scottish author. She published more than 40 romantic novels over a period of more than 40 years. Her father was a cousin of Robert Louis Stevenson.
D.E. Stevenson had an enormously successful writing career: between 1923 and 1970, four million copies of her books were sold in Britain and three million in the States. Like E.F. Benson, Ann Bridge, O. Douglas or Dorothy L. Sayers (to name but a few) her books are funny, intensely readable, engaging and dependable.
Dorothy Emily Stevenson was a best-selling Scottish author. She published more than 40 romantic novels over a period of more than 40 years. Her father was a cousin of Robert Louis Stevenson.
D.E. Stevenson had an enormously successful writing career: between 1923 and 1970, four million copies of her books were sold in Britain and three million in the States. Like E.F. Benson, Ann Bridge, O. Douglas or Dorothy L. Sayers (to name but a few) her books are funny, intensely readable, engaging and dependable.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
February 8, 2018
A beautiful sequel to Amberwell. All the loose ends are nicely woven together and tied in a bow! The Summerhills school was a great idea, maybe a little unrealistic, but we can only imagine how it impacted all the boys who would attend. What a lovely place Amberwell would be to spend time at!
March 26, 2017
This is a sequel to Amberwell. It continues the story of the family of that estate.
While a very good read, it isn't up to the standard of the first book. Nothing really happens in it until three quarters of the way through. It kind of meanders along and then things start getting tied up. There was an episode with Aunt Beatrice that seemed rather pointless. It was as if the author had suddenly remembered she had been in the first book and had to 'epilogue' her.
Anne, one of the daughters, who keeps house for Mr Orme, had a very open ended story. I would have preferred to have some definition for her.
There's also a governess, Miss Glassford, who I couldn't see the point of at all. She added nothing to the story. She was there and then she wasn't and you were hard pushed to remember what she had added to the story.
It was a funny kind of book really. Parts of it were good, other parts you could do without and while the ending was ok, I would have liked a little more.
However, I'm still enjoying D E Stevenson and have two more of hers lined up.
While a very good read, it isn't up to the standard of the first book. Nothing really happens in it until three quarters of the way through. It kind of meanders along and then things start getting tied up. There was an episode with Aunt Beatrice that seemed rather pointless. It was as if the author had suddenly remembered she had been in the first book and had to 'epilogue' her.
Anne, one of the daughters, who keeps house for Mr Orme, had a very open ended story. I would have preferred to have some definition for her.
There's also a governess, Miss Glassford, who I couldn't see the point of at all. She added nothing to the story. She was there and then she wasn't and you were hard pushed to remember what she had added to the story.
It was a funny kind of book really. Parts of it were good, other parts you could do without and while the ending was ok, I would have liked a little more.
However, I'm still enjoying D E Stevenson and have two more of hers lined up.
June 21, 2022
I love DES’s romances, and I also love how she describes other kinds of relationships: siblings, parents and children, surrogate parents and children, household staff who are like family, friendships of both genders and of all ages. Summerhills has all of the above. I love the relationships between Nell and Roger, between Mary and Poppet, between Nannie and Mrs. Duff (they are a hoot!), between Anne and Mr. Orme. I think this is something at the core of how comforting DES’s books are for me: she shows the wonderful ways that people belong to each other and care for each other through good times and bad. The characters' struggles are real and relatable and in the midst of it all there is immense goodness.
The interesting thing about this book is that we get much more from Roger, Mary, and Dennis' perspectives than we do from Nell's. This is a departure from Amberwell, but I liked it. I enjoyed getting to know these characters more than in Amberwell. The first part of the book focuses on Roger's leave home from the army and how he's grappling with the effects of the war, particularly the loss of his wife, Clare, and how he can be a good steward of the fortune he inherited from her, and his role as the head of the family.
The British have such a funny preoccupation with sending boys to boarding school. (And so often the school experience is miserable!) Roger tells Nell that he plans to send his eight-year-old son Stephen to a prep school. Stephen has been mostly under Nell's care and, true to form, she protests that he's too young and sensitive. Luckily, Roger is by no means a tyrant, so he comes up with a scheme to start a local boarding school for boys called 'Summerhills' using money from Clare's inheritance. Stephen will go to the school, but he'll be close to home. This works very nicely in the plot for a number of reasons: it gives Roger's local friend Arnold a job as headmaster, it gets the Stark Place estate off the Findlaters' hands, and it brings people together for potential romance...
Meanwhile, Roger is trying to convince Anne to move back to Amberwell. In the first book, we learn all about Anne's disastrous marriage and how she finds a refuge as housekeeper to the elderly vicar Mr. Orme. Anne sticks to her guns. She loves caring for Mr. Orme, her daughter Emmie is happy there, and Anne herself is happy there. She's been irrevocably changed by the trauma of her first marriage, and I like that she doesn't give in to Roger and that he listens to her and lets her go her own way. I thought Anne's story would get more page time, but it's a side plot and it's left open-ended. I half like that and half don't like it. I think I lean towards the liking it, though, because it gives Anne's suffering legitimacy instead of the naive idea that it could be easily "fixed".
It's so fun to have Dennis back in the story in the second half, along with his mother, Mrs. Weatherby. And the many side characters make the story feel so wonderfully rounded out. We have some domestic crises in the second half of the novel and a couple whirlwind marriages and it all winds up happily. The last chapter is the first School Sports' Day at Summerhills and it is so funny...imagine 20 small boys trying to carry potatoes on spoons and tumbling all over each other. It's a delightful and heart-warming way to bring the world of Amberwell to a gentle and hopeful close.
The interesting thing about this book is that we get much more from Roger, Mary, and Dennis' perspectives than we do from Nell's. This is a departure from Amberwell, but I liked it. I enjoyed getting to know these characters more than in Amberwell. The first part of the book focuses on Roger's leave home from the army and how he's grappling with the effects of the war, particularly the loss of his wife, Clare, and how he can be a good steward of the fortune he inherited from her, and his role as the head of the family.
The British have such a funny preoccupation with sending boys to boarding school. (And so often the school experience is miserable!) Roger tells Nell that he plans to send his eight-year-old son Stephen to a prep school. Stephen has been mostly under Nell's care and, true to form, she protests that he's too young and sensitive. Luckily, Roger is by no means a tyrant, so he comes up with a scheme to start a local boarding school for boys called 'Summerhills' using money from Clare's inheritance. Stephen will go to the school, but he'll be close to home. This works very nicely in the plot for a number of reasons: it gives Roger's local friend Arnold a job as headmaster, it gets the Stark Place estate off the Findlaters' hands, and it brings people together for potential romance...
Meanwhile, Roger is trying to convince Anne to move back to Amberwell. In the first book, we learn all about Anne's disastrous marriage and how she finds a refuge as housekeeper to the elderly vicar Mr. Orme. Anne sticks to her guns. She loves caring for Mr. Orme, her daughter Emmie is happy there, and Anne herself is happy there. She's been irrevocably changed by the trauma of her first marriage, and I like that she doesn't give in to Roger and that he listens to her and lets her go her own way. I thought Anne's story would get more page time, but it's a side plot and it's left open-ended. I half like that and half don't like it. I think I lean towards the liking it, though, because it gives Anne's suffering legitimacy instead of the naive idea that it could be easily "fixed".
It's so fun to have Dennis back in the story in the second half, along with his mother, Mrs. Weatherby. And the many side characters make the story feel so wonderfully rounded out. We have some domestic crises in the second half of the novel and a couple whirlwind marriages and it all winds up happily. The last chapter is the first School Sports' Day at Summerhills and it is so funny...imagine 20 small boys trying to carry potatoes on spoons and tumbling all over each other. It's a delightful and heart-warming way to bring the world of Amberwell to a gentle and hopeful close.
February 8, 2024
4.5 stars. I read book 1 “Amberwell” before the holidays to be ready to read book 2 as part of a book pool - I’m so glad I did. The characters made an impression on me, and it was such a touching story, I wanted to check back and see what happened to everyone!
The first book dealt with five children growing up at their family estate in Scotland, and takes the reader up to World War Two. This book opens eight years later; I don’t want to give any spoilers to the first book, but it’s a lovely, charming,old-fashioned story.
Stevenson has become a favorite author among the 20th-century fiction writers I’ve read over the last couple years, largely thanks to my groups here on GR. Stevenson’s books were considered “light fiction”, often concerning the activities of a handful of families in rural settings. I don’t know why such a lovely writer is damned with faint praise as “light fiction” when that’s the same subject matter Jane Austen wrote about!
Anyway, this book continues the story of the Ayrton family after WWII, and like another of my favorite writers of the period, Angela Thirkell, there are characters who become like old friends, love, weddings, illnesses, new ventures (in this case, a school for boys, but with a difference- the children of veterans can attend for lower fees), all told in a charming, warm and humorous tone. Very enjoyable, and if you’re interested, I’d recommend reading Amberwell first if you can find it, I enjoyed the Kindles and Audible recordings of both books.
The first book dealt with five children growing up at their family estate in Scotland, and takes the reader up to World War Two. This book opens eight years later; I don’t want to give any spoilers to the first book, but it’s a lovely, charming,old-fashioned story.
Stevenson has become a favorite author among the 20th-century fiction writers I’ve read over the last couple years, largely thanks to my groups here on GR. Stevenson’s books were considered “light fiction”, often concerning the activities of a handful of families in rural settings. I don’t know why such a lovely writer is damned with faint praise as “light fiction” when that’s the same subject matter Jane Austen wrote about!
Anyway, this book continues the story of the Ayrton family after WWII, and like another of my favorite writers of the period, Angela Thirkell, there are characters who become like old friends, love, weddings, illnesses, new ventures (in this case, a school for boys, but with a difference- the children of veterans can attend for lower fees), all told in a charming, warm and humorous tone. Very enjoyable, and if you’re interested, I’d recommend reading Amberwell first if you can find it, I enjoyed the Kindles and Audible recordings of both books.
February 26, 2020
An enjoyable and satisfying sequel to Amberwell.
July 24, 2018
Roger Ayerton is returning home to Amberwell, the estate in Scotland he has inherited from his father who inherited from his father and so on. Since the war ended something has been on Roger's mind. He has a grand plan to start a prep school for boys near Amberwell. It should be one his son can attend but also the sons of the middle class and servicemen. His friend Arnold is to be the Headmaster. Arnold was injured in the war and has difficulty finding work. He jumps at the chance to take on this new role; a role that will allow him to fulfill his dreams of hopefully marrying Roger's sister Anne. Anne fled an abusive marriage back to the Scottish countryside where she grew up. She refuses to return to Amberwell for several personal reasons. Her sister Nell keeps house and looks after their mother who now has dementia. Nell is also defacto mother to Roger's son Stephen. Once Roger can find the right place to start his school everything will run smoothly once he returns to Germany and his military work. His childhood friend Mary suggests her family's estate they can no longer care for. The final piece of the puzzle in place, Roger can now relax. He doesn't count on eccentric Aunt Beatrice, a pushy governess or the confusion of women and servants. Before the winter comes, Amberwell and its inhabitants will be forever changed.
This is a nice gentle sort of story. It's extremely similar to Angela Thirkell without the jingoism and pre-war nostalgia. Give the age of the novel there is some casual sexism and racism. The racism is mild for the time. There's also some prejudice against foreigners - "dirty" Italians, strange Frenchwoman. The sexism bothered me more. Of course there's no question about making the school co-ed or starting a girls' school. Anne's daughter Emmie desperately wants to go to Summerhills but she can't. Why can't she? No good reason. She will have to go away to school when the time comes. That made me so mad. Also Roger is "allergic" to women in trousers . UGH! We really shouldn't be nostalgic for the 1950s. The romance plots were predictable with the usual love triangles but sweet and mildly funny. You don't have to read Amberwell and know the characters. They stand better on their own as adults. I liked this book much better than Amberwell in spite of the sexism.
Roger is a decent fellow. He's rather bland and boring. He still carries a torch for Clare -no spoilers on who she is and what happened but it's in Amberwell and recapped several times here. He does his duty both in the military and at home. He's drawn to the peaceful way of life at Amberwell but yet it's not enough to keep him busy. He's not a super great Dad. He comes home with a suitcase full of presents but he hardly spends any quality time with his kid. They don't discuss anything important. Stephen is a nice little boy thanks to Nell. Nell is so sweet and caring that I couldn't help but like her even if she is the complete opposite of me. I was a little surprised she got in a plot of her own but happy. The domestic drama was funny and probably satirical. Anne is also gentle and nurturing but more headstrong than her sister. I disagree with her decision yet agree she should be independent. She seems like a loving mother. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be reading between the lines about her marriage that's too "delicate" for ladies to hear-perhaps marital rape? It's so hidden that it's not even there but I'm guessing that's what she meant. Cynthia is still annoying and shallow. Her kids are utterly horrendous and while some of her child psychology methods are fine, she's spoiled her children into being so unlovable not even their grandparents enjoy their company.
My memory of the Ayerton seniors from Amberwell is that they were terrible parents. Marion is still awful to her children and completely selfish. She's only slightly more sympathetic now because she has dementia. I much preferred Aunt Beatrice. Aunt Beatrice is so funny. She's eccentric, tyrannical but also fun to read about. The "pincushion" was also funny in an odd sort of way. I wonder what actually happened in Italy? That was so weird. Mary Findlater is another old-fashioned woman, much like Nell. She is the spinster daughter caring for her aging parents. She's an only child since her brother was killed in the war and that has affected her parents' mental health and to a certain extent her own well-being. She's tired. She also has a secret the reader can guess quickly. I liked the way her plot concluded but not that it happened so quickly or so meekly. I was expecting a bit more. Arnold, Roger's friend, is a nice young man who is VERY much like Robin in Thirkell's Barsetshire series. I feel sorry for him and I hope he gets what he wants in the end. I like how he deals with the architect -also satire. Nannie and Mrs. Duff are the two old faithful servants. They fight a lot but they're like an old married couple. They know each other too well to be anything other than friends despite their outward rivalry. Mrs. Corner is hilarious in a horrid sort of way. I'm guessing she's also satirical. I loved her horrendous accent and her stories about her previous places of employment. Dennis Weatherby is a major character in this novel. He's my favorite of the men. He says what he means, means what he says, is a Mama's boy and seems to understand women. I liked his friendliness and willingness to help out even without promise of reward.
New characters I don't remember meeting in Amberwell are "Poppet" and Mr. Lamton. Their son Gerald is married to Connie Ayerton. Poppet is one of those perpetually young woman, a social butterfly and unflappable. She can handle anything. I wasn't enamored with her because I sensed that she was somewhat selfish and cared mostly about herself. I didn't like how she teased Mary. Her husband is a dear or should I say a lamb? They're such a cute couple. There's also Georgina, Stephen's governess. She's meant to be the butt of the joke in this novel. A woman who wears trousers! A woman who runs distance for exercise at ungodly hours of the morning! She's naturally portrayed as unsympathetic and not someone the reader will like because she's the opposite of Nell and Mary. I didn't like her for being grasping but yet I'm sure I can't blame her for trying.
This book is worth a read for those who like gentle, simple stories about English country life.
This is a nice gentle sort of story. It's extremely similar to Angela Thirkell without the jingoism and pre-war nostalgia. Give the age of the novel there is some casual sexism and racism. The racism is mild for the time. There's also some prejudice against foreigners - "dirty" Italians, strange Frenchwoman. The sexism bothered me more. Of course there's no question about making the school co-ed or starting a girls' school. Anne's daughter Emmie desperately wants to go to Summerhills but she can't. Why can't she? No good reason. She will have to go away to school when the time comes. That made me so mad. Also Roger is "allergic" to women in trousers . UGH! We really shouldn't be nostalgic for the 1950s. The romance plots were predictable with the usual love triangles but sweet and mildly funny. You don't have to read Amberwell and know the characters. They stand better on their own as adults. I liked this book much better than Amberwell in spite of the sexism.
Roger is a decent fellow. He's rather bland and boring. He still carries a torch for Clare -no spoilers on who she is and what happened but it's in Amberwell and recapped several times here. He does his duty both in the military and at home. He's drawn to the peaceful way of life at Amberwell but yet it's not enough to keep him busy. He's not a super great Dad. He comes home with a suitcase full of presents but he hardly spends any quality time with his kid. They don't discuss anything important. Stephen is a nice little boy thanks to Nell. Nell is so sweet and caring that I couldn't help but like her even if she is the complete opposite of me. I was a little surprised she got in a plot of her own but happy. The domestic drama was funny and probably satirical. Anne is also gentle and nurturing but more headstrong than her sister. I disagree with her decision yet agree she should be independent. She seems like a loving mother. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be reading between the lines about her marriage that's too "delicate" for ladies to hear-perhaps marital rape? It's so hidden that it's not even there but I'm guessing that's what she meant. Cynthia is still annoying and shallow. Her kids are utterly horrendous and while some of her child psychology methods are fine, she's spoiled her children into being so unlovable not even their grandparents enjoy their company.
My memory of the Ayerton seniors from Amberwell is that they were terrible parents. Marion is still awful to her children and completely selfish. She's only slightly more sympathetic now because she has dementia. I much preferred Aunt Beatrice. Aunt Beatrice is so funny. She's eccentric, tyrannical but also fun to read about. The "pincushion" was also funny in an odd sort of way. I wonder what actually happened in Italy? That was so weird. Mary Findlater is another old-fashioned woman, much like Nell. She is the spinster daughter caring for her aging parents. She's an only child since her brother was killed in the war and that has affected her parents' mental health and to a certain extent her own well-being. She's tired. She also has a secret the reader can guess quickly. I liked the way her plot concluded but not that it happened so quickly or so meekly. I was expecting a bit more. Arnold, Roger's friend, is a nice young man who is VERY much like Robin in Thirkell's Barsetshire series. I feel sorry for him and I hope he gets what he wants in the end. I like how he deals with the architect -also satire. Nannie and Mrs. Duff are the two old faithful servants. They fight a lot but they're like an old married couple. They know each other too well to be anything other than friends despite their outward rivalry. Mrs. Corner is hilarious in a horrid sort of way. I'm guessing she's also satirical. I loved her horrendous accent and her stories about her previous places of employment. Dennis Weatherby is a major character in this novel. He's my favorite of the men. He says what he means, means what he says, is a Mama's boy and seems to understand women. I liked his friendliness and willingness to help out even without promise of reward.
New characters I don't remember meeting in Amberwell are "Poppet" and Mr. Lamton. Their son Gerald is married to Connie Ayerton. Poppet is one of those perpetually young woman, a social butterfly and unflappable. She can handle anything. I wasn't enamored with her because I sensed that she was somewhat selfish and cared mostly about herself. I didn't like how she teased Mary. Her husband is a dear or should I say a lamb? They're such a cute couple. There's also Georgina, Stephen's governess. She's meant to be the butt of the joke in this novel. A woman who wears trousers! A woman who runs distance for exercise at ungodly hours of the morning! She's naturally portrayed as unsympathetic and not someone the reader will like because she's the opposite of Nell and Mary. I didn't like her for being grasping but yet I'm sure I can't blame her for trying.
This book is worth a read for those who like gentle, simple stories about English country life.
August 13, 2017
After thoroughly enjoying the first Ayrton family book, Amberwell, I was keen to read this sequel. Unfortunately Summerhills is not on Kindle and out of print, and secondhand copies are expensive, but the good news is that it's available on audible, beautifully read by Lesley Mackie.
The book carries on soon after Amberwell leaves off, and is full of references to the previous book, so I'd definitely recommend reading Amberwell first. The story returns to the family's country house in Scotland, and follows events after older son Roger comes home from World War Two to take over the estate. He decides to set up a boys' school where his delicate only son can be educated. Roger was a rather peripheral character in the first book, but here he takes centre stage. The book also looks at how the lives of his sisters, Nell and Anne, develop, as all three of them face romantic dilemmas.
I enjoyed meeting all these beloved characters again, but would have to say the story isn't quite as good as the first book, since it is a bit slower and not so much happens. This could be partly because it is set after the war rather than during, of course, when the country house era was fast fading. There is also less about Anne, who is my favourite character. Another problem is that there is a governess called Georgina who isn't a very consistent or believable character.
I was also a bit frustrated that there are a few loose ends - originally I'd thought this was the second book in a trilogy, as listed on Goodreads, but in fact there are only two books in the Ayrton family series. However, I understand that family members do make a brief appearance in the book GR describes as the third in the series, Still Glides the Stream, so I've treated myself to a secondhand copy of this one and will hope it answers my remaining questions!
The book carries on soon after Amberwell leaves off, and is full of references to the previous book, so I'd definitely recommend reading Amberwell first. The story returns to the family's country house in Scotland, and follows events after older son Roger comes home from World War Two to take over the estate. He decides to set up a boys' school where his delicate only son can be educated. Roger was a rather peripheral character in the first book, but here he takes centre stage. The book also looks at how the lives of his sisters, Nell and Anne, develop, as all three of them face romantic dilemmas.
I enjoyed meeting all these beloved characters again, but would have to say the story isn't quite as good as the first book, since it is a bit slower and not so much happens. This could be partly because it is set after the war rather than during, of course, when the country house era was fast fading. There is also less about Anne, who is my favourite character. Another problem is that there is a governess called Georgina who isn't a very consistent or believable character.
I was also a bit frustrated that there are a few loose ends - originally I'd thought this was the second book in a trilogy, as listed on Goodreads, but in fact there are only two books in the Ayrton family series. However, I understand that family members do make a brief appearance in the book GR describes as the third in the series, Still Glides the Stream, so I've treated myself to a secondhand copy of this one and will hope it answers my remaining questions!
September 17, 2020
Very recommended. Best to have read Amberwell first so as to know who all the family members are and why they behave the way they do, but Amberwell is not quite as much a comfort read as this one. Highly domestic and full of really, really loveable people.
Nell Ayrton has been running her brother's household for years while he's been off in World War II. In this book he (Roger) is able to come home regularly on leave, which gives him time to develop his plans for a boys' school. He and his sister share a deep fondness for their family home, but they both are beginning to wonder what else life holds for them. Roger is a grieving widower with a young son, and Nell is a homebody who has truly found her niche in taking care of the family estate. Yet they are both aware of new/old relationships that add lovely new dimensions to life. Many endearing side characters.
D.E. Stevenson at her best.
Nell Ayrton has been running her brother's household for years while he's been off in World War II. In this book he (Roger) is able to come home regularly on leave, which gives him time to develop his plans for a boys' school. He and his sister share a deep fondness for their family home, but they both are beginning to wonder what else life holds for them. Roger is a grieving widower with a young son, and Nell is a homebody who has truly found her niche in taking care of the family estate. Yet they are both aware of new/old relationships that add lovely new dimensions to life. Many endearing side characters.
D.E. Stevenson at her best.
July 8, 2022
This is my second reading of this book Summerhills and I really enjoyed it. So glad that more D.E. Stevenson books have been released on Kindle.
April 14, 2024
It was a charming follow-up to Amberwell. And I liked it a bit more than the previous part.
I watched as Ayrton siblings without a firm footing of love and affection from childhood struggled farther on to find love and a sense of security (protection).
I think that Anne's experience of an abusive marriage was a new topic at that time in such novels. I only regret that the ending for her wasn't more clear (of course we can assume, but still).
Some parts didn't age well, but one just has to keep in mind when it was written.
I watched as Ayrton siblings without a firm footing of love and affection from childhood struggled farther on to find love and a sense of security (protection).
I think that Anne's experience of an abusive marriage was a new topic at that time in such novels. I only regret that the ending for her wasn't more clear (of course we can assume, but still).
Some parts didn't age well, but one just has to keep in mind when it was written.
September 9, 2016
This is a delicious sequel to "Amberwell", in which we find ourselves once again amongst the well-loved members of the Ayrton family and staff. Nothing really extraordinary happens, but it's so very comfortable to accompany them in their various destinies. I could imagine a 3rd book to conclude a trilogy, because Anne, Arnold and the not-very-nice Georgina are left without a tidy life conclusion, but who cares? It's a sweet (but not sickly) easy read. And I'm a D E Stevenson fan for life!
February 13, 2022
**Spoilers for Amberwell**
We meet all of our old friends to a greater and lesser degree and meet some new characters as well. Most are friends, but some are not. The book centers around Roger and Nell mostly. Roger is home from the war but still in the service. He has decided to set up a school for boys primarily so his son Stephen, so beloved by his beloved sister Nell does not have to be far from home, but can be toughened up, make friends, and cease being the center of the universe. His ambition is to include the scions of the privileged who can pay well to send their sons there but also to include the sons of less well-off servicemen. Much of the book concerns how the school takes shape. While Roger comes and goes, we meet Arnold who lost a foot in the war and will become the headmaster of the school, and re-meet Mary who sells Roger her old estate that she and her elderly parents can no longer take care of.
Intertwined with the building of the school are the love stories of Nell and Roger. There are also parties, an emergency trip to Italy, and an accident which puts a key member of the household out of commission. We see that Anne is happily and determinedly unmarried and ensconced with her Mr. Orme, the elderly vicar. Will she remain that way? One man is hopelessly in love with her. Poor guy. Along the way, we are treated to entertaining and thoughtful characterizations of everyone we meet. I was impressed with the author’s treatment of Roger, for example. He is somewhat of a stick in the mud and very traditional and somewhat stuffy. But though he may start off wrongheaded and mistaken in his opinions, when presented with evidence that contradicts his first instincts, he sees his way clear to wisdom and change. Another interesting character is Georgina, Stephen’s governess. She starts out to be a breath of fresh air and is certainly good for Stephen. But she changes into a manipulative and very foolish woman who is inadvertently responsible for bringing about the happiness of two couples. Poor Georgina. She was born a couple of decades too early. Poppet Lambert is back and is a delight. But I couldn’t help but think of a shocking interlude that took place in the first book. It is obliquely kind of explained in this book, but I always thought it was a very strange incident for the author to include in the first place.
So many deft sketches of so many characters I haven’t even mentioned. Not every loose end is tied up neatly and happily, but this is a dear gentle book with no darkness in it. And so it is a fitting and satisfying sequel to Amberwell
**3 1/2 stars**
https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings....
I still love Clare. I haven’t forgotten her. For years I was utterly and absolutely miserable, but now it seems as if it had all happened in another life—or as if it had happened in a dream.” Dennis nodded. “I think I . . . can understand. But life is real, isn’t it? We can’t go on living in dreams. Look here, Roger, supposing you’d been killed in the war would you have wanted Clare to go on being miserable all her life?” “Goodness, no! What a horrible idea!” exclaimed Roger. Then he saw what Dennis had in mind. “Oh, I see,” he said slowly. “I never thought of it that way.”I can’t imagine that this book would have much of an appeal unless one had read Amberwell. I think the Ayrton family would probably only be interesting in the context of the earlier book. Of course, having seen the Ayrton children through their troubles and triumphs in Amberwell, I was very interested indeed. The fact that Roger, Nell, and Anne, the characters we are most concerned with in this book grew up to be so happy and healthy is a major accomplishment considering their disturbing upbringing, and, in the case of Anne, her horrific marriage. It is a testament to the resiliency of children.
We meet all of our old friends to a greater and lesser degree and meet some new characters as well. Most are friends, but some are not. The book centers around Roger and Nell mostly. Roger is home from the war but still in the service. He has decided to set up a school for boys primarily so his son Stephen, so beloved by his beloved sister Nell does not have to be far from home, but can be toughened up, make friends, and cease being the center of the universe. His ambition is to include the scions of the privileged who can pay well to send their sons there but also to include the sons of less well-off servicemen. Much of the book concerns how the school takes shape. While Roger comes and goes, we meet Arnold who lost a foot in the war and will become the headmaster of the school, and re-meet Mary who sells Roger her old estate that she and her elderly parents can no longer take care of.
Intertwined with the building of the school are the love stories of Nell and Roger. There are also parties, an emergency trip to Italy, and an accident which puts a key member of the household out of commission. We see that Anne is happily and determinedly unmarried and ensconced with her Mr. Orme, the elderly vicar. Will she remain that way? One man is hopelessly in love with her. Poor guy. Along the way, we are treated to entertaining and thoughtful characterizations of everyone we meet. I was impressed with the author’s treatment of Roger, for example. He is somewhat of a stick in the mud and very traditional and somewhat stuffy. But though he may start off wrongheaded and mistaken in his opinions, when presented with evidence that contradicts his first instincts, he sees his way clear to wisdom and change. Another interesting character is Georgina, Stephen’s governess. She starts out to be a breath of fresh air and is certainly good for Stephen. But she changes into a manipulative and very foolish woman who is inadvertently responsible for bringing about the happiness of two couples. Poor Georgina. She was born a couple of decades too early. Poppet Lambert is back and is a delight. But I couldn’t help but think of a shocking interlude that took place in the first book. It is obliquely kind of explained in this book, but I always thought it was a very strange incident for the author to include in the first place.
So many deft sketches of so many characters I haven’t even mentioned. Not every loose end is tied up neatly and happily, but this is a dear gentle book with no darkness in it. And so it is a fitting and satisfying sequel to Amberwell
**3 1/2 stars**
https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings....
August 12, 2021
Having read ‘Amberwell’ I moved right on to ‘Summerhills’. By now I was invested in the characters and wanted to see what happened to them. Again, the plot was a bit contrived or forced but subtly so. Not enough to annoy me so that I would stop reading.
Another good ‘read before bedtime’ book.
Another good ‘read before bedtime’ book.
February 22, 2026
I think I could have spent more time with this family. I loved the series and I felt like we got to know several characters better.
I think I would like a third book! I would like to see if Arnold got his wish and maybe get to know Tom a bit better…
I think I would like a third book! I would like to see if Arnold got his wish and maybe get to know Tom a bit better…
July 23, 2017
The continuing story of the Ayrton family and their home, Amberwell. A very enjoyable audiobook!
November 5, 2017
An enjoyable enough read but in many ways it just seemed like a really long post-script for Amberwell. Nothing much happens but we get to see the happily ever afters for several characters.
September 27, 2019
Good again with the family continuation. Liked the creation of the boys school. That was neat.
June 30, 2020
I loved this! It's charming, sometimes humorous, completely enjoyable.
5 stars
5 stars
July 30, 2018
Right up there with “Celia’s House”. I loved it and will read it again in the future.
January 17, 2026
A delightful sequel to Amberwell. A manor house is converted to a boys’ boarding school and weddings abound. A nice, happy, wholesome read.
October 23, 2018
Another enjoyable visit to the Ayreton family.
July 26, 2017
This follows Amberwell, in which the five Ayrtons grow up and some of them make their way in the world. Now Nell is managing the house, her mother, and her nephew while her elder brother juggles his military responsibilities and those back home. Here is a link to my review:
https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/20...
https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/20...
February 15, 2023
An enjoyable second story in this lovely D.E. Stevenson duology. After reading Amberwell, I was intrigued by the family (and, especially, the home) and I knew I had to continue with the series. Although these books are not my favorite D.E. Stevenson books, they were still comforting to listen to and I liked following along with the family line.
The children from the Amberwell book are now grown up and living out their lives. I felt much more in touch with Roger, Tom, Nell and Ann than I did with their parents in the first book. Reading about their hopes, dreams and plans in this follow-up novel was lovely. It's hard not to get attached to these four down-to-earth siblings and their day-to-day activities.
I have to admit that I didn't enjoy the beginning of either book very much. But, once I got 25% into the story, I became really interested in everything about them. I would definitely choose about 10 books before both Amberwell and Summerhills as my DES favorites, but I would still recommend them both. There is a level of quiet calm and satisfaction that you get from each, even though they aren't dazzling or dramatic.
The children from the Amberwell book are now grown up and living out their lives. I felt much more in touch with Roger, Tom, Nell and Ann than I did with their parents in the first book. Reading about their hopes, dreams and plans in this follow-up novel was lovely. It's hard not to get attached to these four down-to-earth siblings and their day-to-day activities.
I have to admit that I didn't enjoy the beginning of either book very much. But, once I got 25% into the story, I became really interested in everything about them. I would definitely choose about 10 books before both Amberwell and Summerhills as my DES favorites, but I would still recommend them both. There is a level of quiet calm and satisfaction that you get from each, even though they aren't dazzling or dramatic.
December 19, 2015
Delightful. D.E. Stevenson at her best.
October 3, 2018
Re-read as audiobook.
July 2, 2020
4.5
Sometimes all you need is a pleasant little book with real enough characters and nothing too dramatic but just enough to keep you happily turning the page.
Sometimes all you need is a pleasant little book with real enough characters and nothing too dramatic but just enough to keep you happily turning the page.
February 11, 2022
Better than the first book, but perhaps a little too bland.
ETA: I found myself wondering if Stevenson was aware of A.S. Neill's Summerhill School, or if the name of her fictional one is just a coincidence. The real Summerhill was founded in 1921, though Neill's book about it wasn't published till 1960, Stevenson's in 1956. Hers is cut from a different (saner) cloth, and she clearly disapproves of the sort of newfangled permissive childrearing (as represented by Connie) one might expect to find practiced at the real Summerhill. (I'm not the only one to suspect that Eustace and Jill's school, Experiment House, was based on Summerhill. The Silver Chair was published in 1953, and while Stevenson mightn't have been aware of Summerhill, surely Lewis was. So in case it's not familiar to you, Experiment House will give you a good enough picture.)
ETA: I found myself wondering if Stevenson was aware of A.S. Neill's Summerhill School, or if the name of her fictional one is just a coincidence. The real Summerhill was founded in 1921, though Neill's book about it wasn't published till 1960, Stevenson's in 1956. Hers is cut from a different (saner) cloth, and she clearly disapproves of the sort of newfangled permissive childrearing (as represented by Connie) one might expect to find practiced at the real Summerhill. (I'm not the only one to suspect that Eustace and Jill's school, Experiment House, was based on Summerhill. The Silver Chair was published in 1953, and while Stevenson mightn't have been aware of Summerhill, surely Lewis was. So in case it's not familiar to you, Experiment House will give you a good enough picture.)
May 7, 2023
This was a library book sale find. It’s the story of a little town in Scotland that is trying to heal from WW2. The main character Roger decides to turn an ancestral home into a lovely boarding school. A lovely, relaxing novel. DE Stevenson is one of a handful of authors (CS Lewis, Jane Austen, etc.) that I read every year.
October 14, 2025
Stevenson itches just the right spot for me. Easy to read, interesting characters, engaging but not overly gripping (so I don’t neglect my real life 😏). Her endings are always happy, but not every end is neatly tied. In fact, they often feel rather abrupt. But I’m still happy with how things go.
In this book, I particularly enjoyed the establishment of the boys’ school and the temporary replacement cook.
In this book, I particularly enjoyed the establishment of the boys’ school and the temporary replacement cook.
October 17, 2020
Lovely and relaxing read.
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