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Summerhayes House #2
The Secrets of Summerhayes
1944, England. A chance meeting with a soldier unravels a long-buried family mystery…
England is in the devastating grip of World War Two, and Bethany Merston’s life changes in an instant when bombs screech down over London. Heartbroken, she leaves the shattered ruins of her home behind. In the Sussex countryside, she takes a job as companion to elderly Alice Summer, mistress of the crumbling and over-grown Summerhayes House.
Its once-pristine grounds are now home to a regiment of soldiers preparing for an invasion across the channel. But Bethany’s wartime experiences mean she can find beauty in broken things, and she is captured by the estate’s magic. When she meets handsome, blue-eyed Lieutenant Jos Kerrigan in the gardens one morning, it is clear he has also been captivated by Summerhayes. As their friendship grows, Bethany realises that it’s not just the house she’s falling for…
But something is stirring beneath the surface at Summerhayes… When Bethany discovers that Alice is receiving anonymous letters that have opened up old family wounds, she is determined to find out who is responsible. Convinced that Summerhayes itself holds the key to the mystery, Bethany and Jos explore the grand house together.
The answers lie in a long-forgotten painting in the dusty attic, unravelling the mysteries of the Summer family. And as the truth about Alice’s past comes to light, it has the power to change Bethany’s future.
Will Bethany and Jos’s blossoming love survive the war, or will the secrets of Summerhayes tear them apart?
A totally heartbreaking and gripping wartime family saga, fans of Tracy Rees, Kate Morton and Elizabeth Jane Howard will have their hearts stolen by The Secrets of Summerhayes.
England is in the devastating grip of World War Two, and Bethany Merston’s life changes in an instant when bombs screech down over London. Heartbroken, she leaves the shattered ruins of her home behind. In the Sussex countryside, she takes a job as companion to elderly Alice Summer, mistress of the crumbling and over-grown Summerhayes House.
Its once-pristine grounds are now home to a regiment of soldiers preparing for an invasion across the channel. But Bethany’s wartime experiences mean she can find beauty in broken things, and she is captured by the estate’s magic. When she meets handsome, blue-eyed Lieutenant Jos Kerrigan in the gardens one morning, it is clear he has also been captivated by Summerhayes. As their friendship grows, Bethany realises that it’s not just the house she’s falling for…
But something is stirring beneath the surface at Summerhayes… When Bethany discovers that Alice is receiving anonymous letters that have opened up old family wounds, she is determined to find out who is responsible. Convinced that Summerhayes itself holds the key to the mystery, Bethany and Jos explore the grand house together.
The answers lie in a long-forgotten painting in the dusty attic, unravelling the mysteries of the Summer family. And as the truth about Alice’s past comes to light, it has the power to change Bethany’s future.
Will Bethany and Jos’s blossoming love survive the war, or will the secrets of Summerhayes tear them apart?
A totally heartbreaking and gripping wartime family saga, fans of Tracy Rees, Kate Morton and Elizabeth Jane Howard will have their hearts stolen by The Secrets of Summerhayes.
369 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 27, 2017
192 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Merryn Allingham
43 books310 followersI was born into an army family and spent my childhood moving around the UK and abroad. Unsurprisingly it gave me itchy feet and in my twenties I escaped an unloved secretarial career to work as cabin crew and see the world.
I still love to travel and visit new places, especially those with an interesting history, but the arrival of marriage, children and cats meant a more settled life in the south of England, where I've lived ever since. It also gave me the opportunity to go back to 'school' and eventually teach at university.
I've written seven historical novels, all mysteries with a helping of suspense and a dash of romance - sometimes set in exotic locations and often against a background of stirring world events.
My latest novel, A Tale of Two Sisters, is set in Constantinople at the turn of the 20th century when rebellion within the Ottoman Empire is growing ever louder. Against this background the novel traces the fate of two sisters, Alice and Lydia Verinder, and explores themes of family, love and loss.
I still love to travel and visit new places, especially those with an interesting history, but the arrival of marriage, children and cats meant a more settled life in the south of England, where I've lived ever since. It also gave me the opportunity to go back to 'school' and eventually teach at university.
I've written seven historical novels, all mysteries with a helping of suspense and a dash of romance - sometimes set in exotic locations and often against a background of stirring world events.
My latest novel, A Tale of Two Sisters, is set in Constantinople at the turn of the 20th century when rebellion within the Ottoman Empire is growing ever louder. Against this background the novel traces the fate of two sisters, Alice and Lydia Verinder, and explores themes of family, love and loss.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
July 21, 2017
When I received this book to read my eyes went straight to the cover, its so bright and attractive, deep colours plus I took a look at the lady on the front cover who seems to be looking back over her shoulder at something or maybe someone. There's a large house or mansion in the background that caught my eye too, she appears to be standing in the grounds of it.
In 1944 Bethany was a school teacher, a primary school teacher, but the school got bombed.
So now Bethany is without employment and needs to find work.
She applies to become a companion to an old lady who lives in the Estate of Summerhayes.
Going back to the front cover, you can see in the distance Summerhayes, I lovely building, regal standing there but, inside its fallen to pieces over the years. The old lady Alice lives in just two rooms.
With the war going on the Military have taken over parts of the building. Even the grounds are suffering.
The companionship between Bethany and Alice grown, but then things take a turn. Alice starts to receive letters from her daughter who she hasn't seen in years.
This takes Alice repeatedly back in the past. Bethany sometimes struggles bringing Alice back to the present.
Are these letters actually from her daughter though? Or are there more mitigating circumstances.
This is a well written easy to follow read which lead me on quite a journey with Bethany taking care of her caree Alice. I thought the bond between them became stronger as time went on.
I did feel complete sorrow for Alice where any Mother would react the way she did when a letter comes out of the blue, so many things, so many memories and so many wounds.
My thanks to HarperCollins UK for supplying me with this fabulous book.
Released 27th July 2017
Please see my blog for the tour and book giveaway.
In 1944 Bethany was a school teacher, a primary school teacher, but the school got bombed.
So now Bethany is without employment and needs to find work.
She applies to become a companion to an old lady who lives in the Estate of Summerhayes.
Going back to the front cover, you can see in the distance Summerhayes, I lovely building, regal standing there but, inside its fallen to pieces over the years. The old lady Alice lives in just two rooms.
With the war going on the Military have taken over parts of the building. Even the grounds are suffering.
The companionship between Bethany and Alice grown, but then things take a turn. Alice starts to receive letters from her daughter who she hasn't seen in years.
This takes Alice repeatedly back in the past. Bethany sometimes struggles bringing Alice back to the present.
Are these letters actually from her daughter though? Or are there more mitigating circumstances.
This is a well written easy to follow read which lead me on quite a journey with Bethany taking care of her caree Alice. I thought the bond between them became stronger as time went on.
I did feel complete sorrow for Alice where any Mother would react the way she did when a letter comes out of the blue, so many things, so many memories and so many wounds.
My thanks to HarperCollins UK for supplying me with this fabulous book.
Released 27th July 2017
Please see my blog for the tour and book giveaway.
August 29, 2018
3.5 Stars.
Well written, but not terribly original story about a missing heiress and a crumbling old estate. The setting and likeable characters make it well worth a read though.
Well written, but not terribly original story about a missing heiress and a crumbling old estate. The setting and likeable characters make it well worth a read though.
January 17, 2023
This is the sequel to a previous book - The Girl From Summerhayes.
Like The Girl From Summerhayes, this story takes place during wartime, but this difference is that this one takes place during WWII, as opposed to WWI. In fact, The Secrets of Summerhayes takes place around 30 years after its predecessor.
It wasn't exactly what I expected, but I enjoyed it. I was expecting a further story featuring the characters from the characters from the first book. Instead, there were some new characters, and this story was about them, although there were some characters that I recognised from the first book. I warmed to these new characters, and was interested in them, so I became emotionally involved, just as I had with the first book.
I found that I had unanswered questions while reading, so I was eagerly turning pages to see if my questions would be answered by the end. Parts of the story made me feel a little sad, while other parts of it warmed my heart.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.
Like The Girl From Summerhayes, this story takes place during wartime, but this difference is that this one takes place during WWII, as opposed to WWI. In fact, The Secrets of Summerhayes takes place around 30 years after its predecessor.
It wasn't exactly what I expected, but I enjoyed it. I was expecting a further story featuring the characters from the characters from the first book. Instead, there were some new characters, and this story was about them, although there were some characters that I recognised from the first book. I warmed to these new characters, and was interested in them, so I became emotionally involved, just as I had with the first book.
I found that I had unanswered questions while reading, so I was eagerly turning pages to see if my questions would be answered by the end. Parts of the story made me feel a little sad, while other parts of it warmed my heart.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.
January 14, 2023
Bethany Merston’s life has gone through upheaval so so takes a job working as a companion for Alice Summers. This allows her to leave London and to spend time in the Sussex countryside. If weed is read the first book in this Summerhayes series, The Girl From Summerhayes, then they just might be familiar with Alice as is Elizabeth’s mother, who was the primary protagonist in the first book of the series. And Elizabeth’s story we learned that Alice was not a happy wife, but took her duties towards her family very seriously nonetheless.
This second book takes place a few decades later and it is now 1944 England. Alice has started to experience many trials which is why she needed a companion to assist her. The story goes back and helps readers to understand what Alice’s life was before she got married to her husband Joshua and became the mother to Elizabeth and William. At the end of the first book, Elizabeth ran away from the family and married the man of her dreams. Sadly, the family never heard from Elizabeth again but now all these years later, Alice is sure she will see Elizabeth once again.
This story takes on a different edge than the first one because in this one there’s a bit of suspense, especially with the mystery surrounding Elizabeth and Alice’s hopes of ever seeing her again. There is also a slow reveal of secrets that could change everything. Lastly, there is a nice slow brewing romance between Bethany and Jos Kerrigan, a Canadian officer who ended up having a lot in common with Bethany. In fact, one of those very things in common was their love of reading and this helped the story as it often alluded to Daphne Du Maurier‘s book Rebecca.
Although quite saddened for the losses that Alice experienced in her life and her sadness for not seeing her daughter again, the story was very touching despite the outbreak of yet another war, in this case World War II. Alice’s once beautiful home has been taken over by soldiers, and she is rather confined in a home that now has fairly well fallen apart.
Bethany is a remarkable character despite the sadness that she experienced in her life and what led her to working for Alice. I love how well she took care of Alice and others in the household, especially as the story showed how seriously people were affected by the rations during the war. That is something I still have a hard time understanding, but I love that Merryn Allingham included that in this book.
I do recommend reading these books in tandem, as there is a lot of background with Alice and her family in the first book of the series and this second book does a good job of continuing what happens to the Summers family as well as other characters, like in this case Bethany. As much as I loved the first book, this second book was even more enjoyable especially as later in the story things were slowly revealed as the book progressed. Merryn Allingham has written a beautiful duology, one with a nice mix of subjects while creating a beautiful story for her readers.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/OIlHaFIBkNM
This second book takes place a few decades later and it is now 1944 England. Alice has started to experience many trials which is why she needed a companion to assist her. The story goes back and helps readers to understand what Alice’s life was before she got married to her husband Joshua and became the mother to Elizabeth and William. At the end of the first book, Elizabeth ran away from the family and married the man of her dreams. Sadly, the family never heard from Elizabeth again but now all these years later, Alice is sure she will see Elizabeth once again.
This story takes on a different edge than the first one because in this one there’s a bit of suspense, especially with the mystery surrounding Elizabeth and Alice’s hopes of ever seeing her again. There is also a slow reveal of secrets that could change everything. Lastly, there is a nice slow brewing romance between Bethany and Jos Kerrigan, a Canadian officer who ended up having a lot in common with Bethany. In fact, one of those very things in common was their love of reading and this helped the story as it often alluded to Daphne Du Maurier‘s book Rebecca.
Although quite saddened for the losses that Alice experienced in her life and her sadness for not seeing her daughter again, the story was very touching despite the outbreak of yet another war, in this case World War II. Alice’s once beautiful home has been taken over by soldiers, and she is rather confined in a home that now has fairly well fallen apart.
Bethany is a remarkable character despite the sadness that she experienced in her life and what led her to working for Alice. I love how well she took care of Alice and others in the household, especially as the story showed how seriously people were affected by the rations during the war. That is something I still have a hard time understanding, but I love that Merryn Allingham included that in this book.
I do recommend reading these books in tandem, as there is a lot of background with Alice and her family in the first book of the series and this second book does a good job of continuing what happens to the Summers family as well as other characters, like in this case Bethany. As much as I loved the first book, this second book was even more enjoyable especially as later in the story things were slowly revealed as the book progressed. Merryn Allingham has written a beautiful duology, one with a nice mix of subjects while creating a beautiful story for her readers.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/OIlHaFIBkNM
December 30, 2022
This was the second in the series and was just as good as the first one. Set during the Second World War this follows on from the first one. I enjoyed both of these books and hope there will be more. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
August 1, 2017
Firstly, I just have to mention the stunning cover of THE SECRET OF SUMMERHAYES by Merryn Allingham. While the image above is lovely it does not do justice to this richly coloured and atmospheric cover that made me pick it up straight away and dive into its pages.
Now onto the novel itself.
It is the summer of 1944 and the army has arrived in force at Summerhayes estate, which is nothing new as the crumbling manor has been the home to soldiers for a while now. In a small section of the house lives Alice Summer, the owner of the estate, and her last remaining helpers, Mr. Ripley, and Bethany Merston. Bethany, who acts as a companion to Alice, is trained as a school teacher but when her school was destroyed by the war, she was lucky to find the job in Summerhayes, even if Alice can be a handful at times. When strange letters begin to arrive that haunt Alice, it soon becomes apparent that somebody wants to scare her or worse.
Can Bethany with the help of a certain soldier, uncover the truth? And as they delve into the past history of Summerhayes will the truth destroy Alice?
THE SECRET OF SUMMERHAYES by Merryn Allingham is a richly layered historical story that paints a picture for you as you get lost in the drama. There are so many in-depth and likeable characters in this story and you immediately become connected to what is happening and need to know how it ends. That's not to say that all of the characters have that effect - I won't name the one that made my skin crawl from the very beginning, I'll let you find that out for yourselves.
The harsh reality of the war is depicted expertly throughout, and Summerhayes comes alive as we begin to imagine what it used to look like in its former glory and then in its shambling ruins. There is a dark and mysterious undercurrent that runs throughout this story and as Bethany makes it her mission to protect Alice from the past, she soon realises that to keep Alice safe she has to dig up old memories and many secrets and betrayals will come to light.
THE SECRET OF SUMMERHAYES by Merryn Allingham is everything I hoped it would be and so much more, and I am now going on a shopping spree to treat myself to some of the author's other titles - The Buttonmaker's Daughter, The Girl from Cobb Street, The Nurse's War, and Daisy's Long Road Home.
THE SECRET OF SUMMERHAYES by Merryn Allingham is an excellent book with an excellent plot and excellent characters. A complete all-rounder.
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the Publisher
Now onto the novel itself.
It is the summer of 1944 and the army has arrived in force at Summerhayes estate, which is nothing new as the crumbling manor has been the home to soldiers for a while now. In a small section of the house lives Alice Summer, the owner of the estate, and her last remaining helpers, Mr. Ripley, and Bethany Merston. Bethany, who acts as a companion to Alice, is trained as a school teacher but when her school was destroyed by the war, she was lucky to find the job in Summerhayes, even if Alice can be a handful at times. When strange letters begin to arrive that haunt Alice, it soon becomes apparent that somebody wants to scare her or worse.
Can Bethany with the help of a certain soldier, uncover the truth? And as they delve into the past history of Summerhayes will the truth destroy Alice?
THE SECRET OF SUMMERHAYES by Merryn Allingham is a richly layered historical story that paints a picture for you as you get lost in the drama. There are so many in-depth and likeable characters in this story and you immediately become connected to what is happening and need to know how it ends. That's not to say that all of the characters have that effect - I won't name the one that made my skin crawl from the very beginning, I'll let you find that out for yourselves.
The harsh reality of the war is depicted expertly throughout, and Summerhayes comes alive as we begin to imagine what it used to look like in its former glory and then in its shambling ruins. There is a dark and mysterious undercurrent that runs throughout this story and as Bethany makes it her mission to protect Alice from the past, she soon realises that to keep Alice safe she has to dig up old memories and many secrets and betrayals will come to light.
THE SECRET OF SUMMERHAYES by Merryn Allingham is everything I hoped it would be and so much more, and I am now going on a shopping spree to treat myself to some of the author's other titles - The Buttonmaker's Daughter, The Girl from Cobb Street, The Nurse's War, and Daisy's Long Road Home.
THE SECRET OF SUMMERHAYES by Merryn Allingham is an excellent book with an excellent plot and excellent characters. A complete all-rounder.
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the Publisher
January 8, 2023
★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)
This is the second book following on from "The Girl from Summerhayes" and it is just as good as the first. Following on yet set thirty years later, THE SECRETS OF SUMMERHAYES unravels the secrets that have been long been buried within the now crumbling estate and those that have gone beyond. And although the two follow on from the other, they can suffice as standalones with their own richly woven stories. But together they are like a tapestry of a bigger and more beautiful picture.
In the late spring of 1944, the Canadian army has set up base in the grounds of the Summerhayes estate which is now a crumbling manor surrounded by overgrown gardens. A sorry sight from the grandeur it had formerly enjoyed. Most of the house has been requisitioned by the army but in a small section in an apartment of suites lives the last remaining Summer of Summerhayes. Alice had once been the wife of Joshua Summer, who had built Summerhayes, and the mother of Elizabeth and William. Her former butler, Ripley, lives in one of the attic rooms whilst Bethany Merston was found as a companion for the elderly woman who is now in her eighties, and has her own room in Alice's apartment.
A trained school teacher, Bethany found herself without a job when the school in which she was working in the East End of London was bombed to smithereens in a night raid. The opportunity for a companion to Alice Summer came at just the right time and she was eager to take the position in the Sussex countryside. Her experience does not go astray however as she is soon engaged to teach young Ralph, son of Gilbert Fitzroy of the neighbouring Amberley estate, on every other day so as to not conflict with her care of Alice who is her main priority. But Gilbert finds every opportunity he can to visit Summerhayes whilst trying to entice Bethany to Amberley. But for reason, Beth wonders? He is married though his wife hightailed it to New York as soon as war was declared five year previously and to all intents and purposes shows no sign of returning. Is he looking to replace her? With Beth? Surely not!
Meanwhile, Ralph has taken a liking to one of the Canadians, Eddie Rich, but it is his comrade Lt Jos Kerrigan that has caught Beth's eye. But Jos' heart has been broken and hardened. He did not come to this country to find love but to assist Britain in its fight against Hitler. And Beth is sure he has taken an instant dislike to her though for what reason she doesn't know, so best to keep out of his way. Her job is busy enough with tutoring Ralph and taking care of Alice, who is seemingly more and more distressed with each passing day.
Thirty years ago, Alice's daughter Elizabeth disappeared in the middle of the night to elope with a former employee and has never been seen or heard from again. No one knows where she went and no one has ever heard anything from her since she left. Until now...
Alice has been receiving letters which have remained unsigned but have alluded to a return to Summerhayes. And each letter holds the promise that they will see her soon. Of course Alice is certain that it is her missing daughter Elizabeth. But why has she not written to her mother until now? Why go thirty years with no contact to suddenly announcing her return? With each letter received, Alice gets more and more distressed. She is seeing ghosts of the past at the window and taking falls in her panic and all the while gibbering about a long lost daughter who has long been thought to be dead.
And then one day in the attic a painting is discovered that holds the key to unlocking the secrets of the past...
A richly layered story of long buried secrets and a family feud, THE SECRETS OF SUMMERHAYES is a beautifully woven tale that is both enchanting and atmospheric. There is a dark and mysterious undercurrent that runs throughout as Beth realises she must do all she can to keep Alice safe from whatever sinister whispers are pulling the old woman.
Unlike the first book, this one features the war a little more with the focus on the upcoming invasion and D-Day landings. But it is still only a backdrop to a far bigger and more immersive story. And all that happens on the Summerhayes estate - both past and present - becomes an even bigger backdrop as Beth and Jos delve into the past to uncover the truth of what happened to Alice's daughter all those years ago.
THE SECRETS OF SUMMERHAYES is a completely absorbing and wholly immersive tale that will sweep you up in all its secrets and mysteries. And by the story's end, you will have uncovered what happened in the time between the end of "The Girl from Summerhayes" and its sequel, which is bittersweet and emotive. I had already figured it out long before the halfway mark but that only sweetened the journey. The fun was in watching the others figure it out.
THE SECRETS OF SUMMERHAYES was truly a delight to read, as was "The Girl from Summerhayes" . I thoroughly enjoyed both tales, together and on their own. While I rate them both the same, I think I might have enjoyed this one just a little bit more due to the mystery of Elizabeth's disappearance and what may have happened to her. But overall, a truly wonderful easy read.
I would like to thank #MerrynAllingham, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheSecretsOfSummerhayes in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
This is the second book following on from "The Girl from Summerhayes" and it is just as good as the first. Following on yet set thirty years later, THE SECRETS OF SUMMERHAYES unravels the secrets that have been long been buried within the now crumbling estate and those that have gone beyond. And although the two follow on from the other, they can suffice as standalones with their own richly woven stories. But together they are like a tapestry of a bigger and more beautiful picture.
In the late spring of 1944, the Canadian army has set up base in the grounds of the Summerhayes estate which is now a crumbling manor surrounded by overgrown gardens. A sorry sight from the grandeur it had formerly enjoyed. Most of the house has been requisitioned by the army but in a small section in an apartment of suites lives the last remaining Summer of Summerhayes. Alice had once been the wife of Joshua Summer, who had built Summerhayes, and the mother of Elizabeth and William. Her former butler, Ripley, lives in one of the attic rooms whilst Bethany Merston was found as a companion for the elderly woman who is now in her eighties, and has her own room in Alice's apartment.
A trained school teacher, Bethany found herself without a job when the school in which she was working in the East End of London was bombed to smithereens in a night raid. The opportunity for a companion to Alice Summer came at just the right time and she was eager to take the position in the Sussex countryside. Her experience does not go astray however as she is soon engaged to teach young Ralph, son of Gilbert Fitzroy of the neighbouring Amberley estate, on every other day so as to not conflict with her care of Alice who is her main priority. But Gilbert finds every opportunity he can to visit Summerhayes whilst trying to entice Bethany to Amberley. But for reason, Beth wonders? He is married though his wife hightailed it to New York as soon as war was declared five year previously and to all intents and purposes shows no sign of returning. Is he looking to replace her? With Beth? Surely not!
Meanwhile, Ralph has taken a liking to one of the Canadians, Eddie Rich, but it is his comrade Lt Jos Kerrigan that has caught Beth's eye. But Jos' heart has been broken and hardened. He did not come to this country to find love but to assist Britain in its fight against Hitler. And Beth is sure he has taken an instant dislike to her though for what reason she doesn't know, so best to keep out of his way. Her job is busy enough with tutoring Ralph and taking care of Alice, who is seemingly more and more distressed with each passing day.
Thirty years ago, Alice's daughter Elizabeth disappeared in the middle of the night to elope with a former employee and has never been seen or heard from again. No one knows where she went and no one has ever heard anything from her since she left. Until now...
Alice has been receiving letters which have remained unsigned but have alluded to a return to Summerhayes. And each letter holds the promise that they will see her soon. Of course Alice is certain that it is her missing daughter Elizabeth. But why has she not written to her mother until now? Why go thirty years with no contact to suddenly announcing her return? With each letter received, Alice gets more and more distressed. She is seeing ghosts of the past at the window and taking falls in her panic and all the while gibbering about a long lost daughter who has long been thought to be dead.
And then one day in the attic a painting is discovered that holds the key to unlocking the secrets of the past...
A richly layered story of long buried secrets and a family feud, THE SECRETS OF SUMMERHAYES is a beautifully woven tale that is both enchanting and atmospheric. There is a dark and mysterious undercurrent that runs throughout as Beth realises she must do all she can to keep Alice safe from whatever sinister whispers are pulling the old woman.
Unlike the first book, this one features the war a little more with the focus on the upcoming invasion and D-Day landings. But it is still only a backdrop to a far bigger and more immersive story. And all that happens on the Summerhayes estate - both past and present - becomes an even bigger backdrop as Beth and Jos delve into the past to uncover the truth of what happened to Alice's daughter all those years ago.
THE SECRETS OF SUMMERHAYES is a completely absorbing and wholly immersive tale that will sweep you up in all its secrets and mysteries. And by the story's end, you will have uncovered what happened in the time between the end of "The Girl from Summerhayes" and its sequel, which is bittersweet and emotive. I had already figured it out long before the halfway mark but that only sweetened the journey. The fun was in watching the others figure it out.
THE SECRETS OF SUMMERHAYES was truly a delight to read, as was "The Girl from Summerhayes" . I thoroughly enjoyed both tales, together and on their own. While I rate them both the same, I think I might have enjoyed this one just a little bit more due to the mystery of Elizabeth's disappearance and what may have happened to her. But overall, a truly wonderful easy read.
I would like to thank #MerrynAllingham, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheSecretsOfSummerhayes in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
August 15, 2017
Having read The Girl from Cobb Street on my summer holiday last year, I was really excited to have a copy of The Secret of Summerhayes in my suitcase as I flew off to warmer climes this year, and I have to say I wasn't disappointed. I absolutely loved this book, which wove a mystery, a murder plot and a romance through the story of a dilapidated old house requisitioned by the Canadian army during the second world war. The house and grounds were beautifully described, reminding me of the opening of Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca. And like Rebecca, this story revolves around a disappearance, in this case a disappearance that happened 30 years previously.
But this is also a love story, between Beth, a lady's helper, and Jos, a Canadian officer, which takes place just before the D Day landings in 1944. Their bittersweet connection, and their histories that kept them apart, were wonderful to read.
This was definitely a five star read for me. I can't wait to read more from Merryn Allingham, I think I've found a new favorite author.
But this is also a love story, between Beth, a lady's helper, and Jos, a Canadian officer, which takes place just before the D Day landings in 1944. Their bittersweet connection, and their histories that kept them apart, were wonderful to read.
This was definitely a five star read for me. I can't wait to read more from Merryn Allingham, I think I've found a new favorite author.
September 29, 2019
I gambled that the sequel would be as good as the first book of the series. I lost and wish I had half my ten dollars back. This was a romantic mystery set in England during World War Two involving the next generation from The Buttonmaker's Daughter except for the holdover, Alice. My review of that book immediately precedes this review. The book was predictable from page one. The good things about the book were the author's good mechanics and the easy reading style.
Thank you, Ms. Allingham, for a good read.
Thank you, Ms. Allingham, for a good read.
February 6, 2020
I didn't realise this was the second part of a series until I had started reading it, but I felt the story stood alone enough for this not to have been a big issue. I quite enjoyed this book, with some interesting if not always fully explored characters. It felt like it could easily have had another 100-200 pages to add more depth and ambiance. Still it was entertaining, and Allingham had clearly done her research around Canadian soldiers in Sussex during the war.
March 2, 2020
A well written story with romance and family scandals along with historical moments. Found the last pages containing lots of reviling secrets while in the middle of the book the story was evolving slowly, loosing my interest some times. Good overall.
July 31, 2017
The Secrets of Summerhayes by Merryn Allingham is more a catch up rather than a direct follow on from The Buttonmaker's Daughter which I had read earlier this year. The two books are loosely connected but anyone reading this new book will not miss out if they have not read the first. In fact the books felt like two separate distinct stories although the feelings of waiting for something to occur are strong in both. Honestly I had expected the story to pick up from where The Buttonmaker's Daughter had finished as the conclusion was so open ended and the reader was left with many unanswered questions so to find this new book set nearly 40 years later was quite a surprise. What surprised me even more was that most of the characters I had become familiar with were absent for one reason or another. I was disappointed to say the least and I hoped that the answers I had wanted would be filled in some how. It took me quite some time to settle in to the story and to re-familiarise myself with the setting. I was also trying to fill in the gaps too quickly where as the author drip fed us information and clues at a slow and random pace. I think this quote sums up perfectly what this book really was about 'Layer after layer of individual stories with no one ever knowing the full picture'. There were numerous characters introduced and ever so slowly their stories were told and eventually things came together.
The Summerhayes estate is not the glorious house and gardens it once was. Years of neglect, the absence of key figures and unsettling past events have taken their toll. With the outbreak of World War Two the house had been requisitioned and now in 1944 the Canadians have arrived and set up camp. There is an overwhelming tension and sense of unease, of terrible things to come pervading throughout the story. A lot of things regarding the army are being kept hush hush but the soldiers know something is afoot and the tides of change are nearly upon them. Bethany (Beth) Merston has not long arrived at the estate and is in the employment of the matriarch Alice who is now in her eighties and not in the best of health either mentally or physically. Her living quarters are confined to a number of small rooms whilst the house she once adored and loved living in with her family is deteriorating around her. Beth once a teacher in London has arrived as Alice's helper and carer. Her school had been bombed out and she has no connection with her own family. In fact Beth never wants to talk about her family or love for that matter. Beth for the most part kept her personal side very close to her chest. Like many other characters in books she had a distinct fear of letting go, of committing and expressing one's feelings. The reader gets the impression that this job in the countryside somewhat takes her away from the horrors of war and keeps her mind occupied so she doesn't have to confront some painful realities.
Beth was by far my favourite character throughout the book. She was kind and caring and took an active interest in everything around her. The more she became aware of Alice's little foibles the more she became an ever more endearing character. She does her best with the meagre rations and the upkeep of the house but she can sense there is a painful story waiting to be uncovered that still affects Alice today. I think the fact I knew what had happened to Alice's family up until the outbreak of World War One somewhat took away from my enjoyment of the story because the element of mystery and suspense was gone for me. Yes I had unanswered questions regarding the ending but all that had come before I knew and it took away from the enjoyment of what I was reading.
I felt there were long periods of nothing much happening in the story bar the daily routine of Beth as she cares for Alice and also tutors Ralph – the son of Alice's nephew Gilbert. There was a lot of repetition that didn't bring the story forward. I felt there would be some action or a little incident and then nothing really for several chapters so much so that you would have forgotten the bits that had made you excited for what was to come and then it all fell flat. Then I stepped back and thought to myself didn't I feel the same when I read The Buttonmaker's Daughter and yes that is where comparisons can be made between the two stories. Both books had major lulls before anything happened and I suppose if I was to view it as being realistic of everyday life at the time that would be the case. Book one had an overwhelming sense of doom about to occur with the outbreak of war and this book the sense of nervousness about the next big hopefully final push.
The story is more or less told from two viewpoints that of Jos Kerrigan, from the Canadian army, and that of Beth. Jos is similar to Beth in a way that he does not want to become entangled with anything as that would mean developing feelings which he believes leads ultimately to loss. As he waits for commands from the higher powers he turns his attention to a small section of the gardens at Summerhayes to bring them back to life as he feels it will bring him comfort and keep his mind occupied. Through this he meets Beth and Ralph and in doing so becomes intertwined in their story. I felt the connection between Jos and Beth and would have hoped it could develop into something more but both were so stubborn and it proved frustrating to read about.
As strange things begin happening at Summerhay,s and Alice becomes ever more confused and believes things that couldn't possibly be true, events take a slightly more sinister turn. I had my suspicions as to what exactly was going on and the reasons for it but I was hoping for something else as it all just seemed a bit too obvious where as I felt it needed something really surprising that would throw the readers off track. To me the mystery surrounding things happening with Alice was all too obvious as there were so many clues. On the other hand there was a revelation around the halfway mark that seemed to come out of nowhere and my first impression was that this was very random and out of place and more convincing, firm evidence was needed. It didn't seem to fit with the overall storyline although the author went on to develop it some more and made it tie in with everything. Still now I am finished the book I am not quite sure that I wanted that to happen. It all seemed to much of a coincidence and put in place just to make things resolve themselves that little bit more easily. It never seemed to sit well with me.
Unfortunately for me The Secrets of Summerhayes wasn't as good as The Buttonmaker's Daughter. I had said before that I would love the books to develop on as a series but I don't hold the same opinion any more. I think everything has been tied up with this book. If the author had continued on maybe a year or two later from the end of the first book it would have made a real difference. I think in skipping forward she missed out on what a lot of readers would be looking for when they begin this book. Maybe the author pinned herself into too tight a corner dismissing forty years when she could have written about the intervening period. I did like Beth and Jos but their story wasn't as riveting as that of previous characters. As a reader coming to this book with no previous knowledge of the first it will read fine but for me it didn't fully work and sadly I wasn't as enthralled as I had expected to be.
The Summerhayes estate is not the glorious house and gardens it once was. Years of neglect, the absence of key figures and unsettling past events have taken their toll. With the outbreak of World War Two the house had been requisitioned and now in 1944 the Canadians have arrived and set up camp. There is an overwhelming tension and sense of unease, of terrible things to come pervading throughout the story. A lot of things regarding the army are being kept hush hush but the soldiers know something is afoot and the tides of change are nearly upon them. Bethany (Beth) Merston has not long arrived at the estate and is in the employment of the matriarch Alice who is now in her eighties and not in the best of health either mentally or physically. Her living quarters are confined to a number of small rooms whilst the house she once adored and loved living in with her family is deteriorating around her. Beth once a teacher in London has arrived as Alice's helper and carer. Her school had been bombed out and she has no connection with her own family. In fact Beth never wants to talk about her family or love for that matter. Beth for the most part kept her personal side very close to her chest. Like many other characters in books she had a distinct fear of letting go, of committing and expressing one's feelings. The reader gets the impression that this job in the countryside somewhat takes her away from the horrors of war and keeps her mind occupied so she doesn't have to confront some painful realities.
Beth was by far my favourite character throughout the book. She was kind and caring and took an active interest in everything around her. The more she became aware of Alice's little foibles the more she became an ever more endearing character. She does her best with the meagre rations and the upkeep of the house but she can sense there is a painful story waiting to be uncovered that still affects Alice today. I think the fact I knew what had happened to Alice's family up until the outbreak of World War One somewhat took away from my enjoyment of the story because the element of mystery and suspense was gone for me. Yes I had unanswered questions regarding the ending but all that had come before I knew and it took away from the enjoyment of what I was reading.
I felt there were long periods of nothing much happening in the story bar the daily routine of Beth as she cares for Alice and also tutors Ralph – the son of Alice's nephew Gilbert. There was a lot of repetition that didn't bring the story forward. I felt there would be some action or a little incident and then nothing really for several chapters so much so that you would have forgotten the bits that had made you excited for what was to come and then it all fell flat. Then I stepped back and thought to myself didn't I feel the same when I read The Buttonmaker's Daughter and yes that is where comparisons can be made between the two stories. Both books had major lulls before anything happened and I suppose if I was to view it as being realistic of everyday life at the time that would be the case. Book one had an overwhelming sense of doom about to occur with the outbreak of war and this book the sense of nervousness about the next big hopefully final push.
The story is more or less told from two viewpoints that of Jos Kerrigan, from the Canadian army, and that of Beth. Jos is similar to Beth in a way that he does not want to become entangled with anything as that would mean developing feelings which he believes leads ultimately to loss. As he waits for commands from the higher powers he turns his attention to a small section of the gardens at Summerhayes to bring them back to life as he feels it will bring him comfort and keep his mind occupied. Through this he meets Beth and Ralph and in doing so becomes intertwined in their story. I felt the connection between Jos and Beth and would have hoped it could develop into something more but both were so stubborn and it proved frustrating to read about.
As strange things begin happening at Summerhay,s and Alice becomes ever more confused and believes things that couldn't possibly be true, events take a slightly more sinister turn. I had my suspicions as to what exactly was going on and the reasons for it but I was hoping for something else as it all just seemed a bit too obvious where as I felt it needed something really surprising that would throw the readers off track. To me the mystery surrounding things happening with Alice was all too obvious as there were so many clues. On the other hand there was a revelation around the halfway mark that seemed to come out of nowhere and my first impression was that this was very random and out of place and more convincing, firm evidence was needed. It didn't seem to fit with the overall storyline although the author went on to develop it some more and made it tie in with everything. Still now I am finished the book I am not quite sure that I wanted that to happen. It all seemed to much of a coincidence and put in place just to make things resolve themselves that little bit more easily. It never seemed to sit well with me.
Unfortunately for me The Secrets of Summerhayes wasn't as good as The Buttonmaker's Daughter. I had said before that I would love the books to develop on as a series but I don't hold the same opinion any more. I think everything has been tied up with this book. If the author had continued on maybe a year or two later from the end of the first book it would have made a real difference. I think in skipping forward she missed out on what a lot of readers would be looking for when they begin this book. Maybe the author pinned herself into too tight a corner dismissing forty years when she could have written about the intervening period. I did like Beth and Jos but their story wasn't as riveting as that of previous characters. As a reader coming to this book with no previous knowledge of the first it will read fine but for me it didn't fully work and sadly I wasn't as enthralled as I had expected to be.
January 17, 2023
I enjoyed reading this as a follow up to the Buttonmaker's Daughter and it did tie up a few loose ends. I would like to think there was going to be a third volume as I would like to know what happened to various characters.
January 19, 2023
1944, England.
England is in the devastating grip of WWII, and Bethany Merston’s life changes in an instant when bombs screech down over London. Heartbroken, she leaves the shattered ruins of her home behind. In the Sussex countryside, she takes a job as a companion to elderly Alice Summer, mistress of the crumbling and over-grown Summerhayes House.
Its once-pristine grounds are now home to a regiment of soldiers preparing for an invasion across the channel. But Bethany’s wartime experiences mean she can find beauty in broken things, and she is captured by the estate’s magic. When she meets handsome, blue-eyed Lieutenant Jos Kerrigan in the gardens one morning, it is clear he has also been captivated by Summerhayes. As their friendship grows, Bethany realises that it’s not just the house she’s falling for…
But something is stirring beneath the surface at Summerhayes… When Bethany discovers that Alice is receiving anonymous letters that have reopened old family wounds, she is determined to find the perpetrator. Convinced that Summerhayes itself holds the key to the mystery, Bethany and Jos explore the grand house together.
The answers lie in a long-forgotten painting in the dusty attic, unravelling the mysteries of the Summer family. And as the truth about Alice’s past comes to light, it has the power to change Bethany’s future.
Will Bethany and Jos’s blossoming love survive the war, or will the secrets of Summerhayes tear them apart?
Sussex was garrisoned by multiple British and Canadian Army units.During the lead up to the Dieppe Raid and D-Day landings,the people of Sussex were witness to the build up of military personnel and materials,including the assembly of landing crafts and construction of Mulberry harbours off the country's coast.
The 3rd Canadian Infantry Division landed on Juno Beach in Normandy and sustained heavy casualties in their first hour of attack.The Normandy massacres killed up to 156 Canadian POWs were murdered by German soldiers of the 12th SS Panzer Division(Hitler Youth).Several costly operations were mounted by the Canadians to fight a path to Caen and then south towards Falaise.
England is in the devastating grip of WWII, and Bethany Merston’s life changes in an instant when bombs screech down over London. Heartbroken, she leaves the shattered ruins of her home behind. In the Sussex countryside, she takes a job as a companion to elderly Alice Summer, mistress of the crumbling and over-grown Summerhayes House.
Its once-pristine grounds are now home to a regiment of soldiers preparing for an invasion across the channel. But Bethany’s wartime experiences mean she can find beauty in broken things, and she is captured by the estate’s magic. When she meets handsome, blue-eyed Lieutenant Jos Kerrigan in the gardens one morning, it is clear he has also been captivated by Summerhayes. As their friendship grows, Bethany realises that it’s not just the house she’s falling for…
But something is stirring beneath the surface at Summerhayes… When Bethany discovers that Alice is receiving anonymous letters that have reopened old family wounds, she is determined to find the perpetrator. Convinced that Summerhayes itself holds the key to the mystery, Bethany and Jos explore the grand house together.
The answers lie in a long-forgotten painting in the dusty attic, unravelling the mysteries of the Summer family. And as the truth about Alice’s past comes to light, it has the power to change Bethany’s future.
Will Bethany and Jos’s blossoming love survive the war, or will the secrets of Summerhayes tear them apart?
Sussex was garrisoned by multiple British and Canadian Army units.During the lead up to the Dieppe Raid and D-Day landings,the people of Sussex were witness to the build up of military personnel and materials,including the assembly of landing crafts and construction of Mulberry harbours off the country's coast.
The 3rd Canadian Infantry Division landed on Juno Beach in Normandy and sustained heavy casualties in their first hour of attack.The Normandy massacres killed up to 156 Canadian POWs were murdered by German soldiers of the 12th SS Panzer Division(Hitler Youth).Several costly operations were mounted by the Canadians to fight a path to Caen and then south towards Falaise.
January 15, 2023
The Secrets of Summerhayes is a sequel to Merryn Allingham’s lovely romance, The Girl From Summerhayes. The Year is 1944, thirty years after the original and there is another war. This time it’s World War II and Summerhayes has been taken over as a troop headquarters. There has been a small apartment given over for Mrs. Summer and her companion, Beth. There are soldiers everywhere and no care is taken for the beauty of the house or grounds, until one man arrives. He is a Canadian soldier and is taken with the garden that had been destroyed years before. He begins to work on it, never to restore it as it is too big a job, but just to bring some beauty to it. Beth begins to help some days and gradually falls in love as she helps uncover a secret from his past, and the past of Summerhayes and Mrs. Summer. When he leaves for what is to be the invasion of Normandy, she refuses tell him of her love, afraid of the hurt that will follow.
This was not as good as the first book, relying to heavily on coincidence. The characters are still as good, however, and Allingham digs deep to reveal that which is most hidden in each of them. William and Mr. Summer are now dead as is Henry, Mrs. Summer’s dreadful brother. His son, is not much better, in fact, in come ways, worse. Normandy comes and goes and we all know how that turns out. Summerhayes continues on and relationships develop which surprise all involved. The day of the huge country house is now passed in England and nowhere is that more obvious than Summerhayes. What could have been a tragedy has turned to a benefit in a well-told story.
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Secrets of Summerhayes by Bookoutre, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Bookoutre #MerrynAllingham #TheSecretsOfSummerhayes
This was not as good as the first book, relying to heavily on coincidence. The characters are still as good, however, and Allingham digs deep to reveal that which is most hidden in each of them. William and Mr. Summer are now dead as is Henry, Mrs. Summer’s dreadful brother. His son, is not much better, in fact, in come ways, worse. Normandy comes and goes and we all know how that turns out. Summerhayes continues on and relationships develop which surprise all involved. The day of the huge country house is now passed in England and nowhere is that more obvious than Summerhayes. What could have been a tragedy has turned to a benefit in a well-told story.
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Secrets of Summerhayes by Bookoutre, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Bookoutre #MerrynAllingham #TheSecretsOfSummerhayes
September 7, 2017
Do you know, I sometimes say that I’m not a big fan of a historical story told in a straight-forward way – I always tend to look for a dual time thread, maybe a less conventional timeline. And then I read a lovely book like this one, and remember that I actually really do enjoy a well written great story, and all those little extras aren’t needed at all.
This book is a sequel to The Buttonmaker’s Daughter, which is still unread on my kindle (but maybe not for much longer…!) – I suspect reading it first might add to the richness of the experience, but there’s enough time separation between the two stories that the background is more than adequately covered within this book. The Secret of Summerhayes really has a bit of everything, with a central mystery, loads of intrigue, a murder, and a gorgeous romance, and the vividly drawn setting of the Summerhayes estate in a state of sad neglect. The story is set just before the D-day landings, Bethany is companion and carer to Alice in a few attic rooms, and the rest of the estate has been taken over by Canadian troops awaiting their call to action. All the characters are beautifully drawn, Bethany strong at the story’s centre – the villain of the piece is quite wonderfully villainous, the romantic lead one that makes your heart race, and the incidental characters equally fascinating in their actions and motivations.
The story’s a real page turner, the writing so smooth and easy to read, the historical detail plainly well-researched but included with a lightness of touch. This was a book I totally disappeared into for an evening and long into the night, totally losing any sense of time – and isn’t that a sign of something rather special? If you enjoy romance, suspense, and a vivid sense of time and place with beautifully drawn detail, you’re going to love this one – much as I did.
This book is a sequel to The Buttonmaker’s Daughter, which is still unread on my kindle (but maybe not for much longer…!) – I suspect reading it first might add to the richness of the experience, but there’s enough time separation between the two stories that the background is more than adequately covered within this book. The Secret of Summerhayes really has a bit of everything, with a central mystery, loads of intrigue, a murder, and a gorgeous romance, and the vividly drawn setting of the Summerhayes estate in a state of sad neglect. The story is set just before the D-day landings, Bethany is companion and carer to Alice in a few attic rooms, and the rest of the estate has been taken over by Canadian troops awaiting their call to action. All the characters are beautifully drawn, Bethany strong at the story’s centre – the villain of the piece is quite wonderfully villainous, the romantic lead one that makes your heart race, and the incidental characters equally fascinating in their actions and motivations.
The story’s a real page turner, the writing so smooth and easy to read, the historical detail plainly well-researched but included with a lightness of touch. This was a book I totally disappeared into for an evening and long into the night, totally losing any sense of time – and isn’t that a sign of something rather special? If you enjoy romance, suspense, and a vivid sense of time and place with beautifully drawn detail, you’re going to love this one – much as I did.
August 18, 2017
A book of secrets and love during the nightmare that was the Second World War.
A war-torn summer, a house falling to ruin, a family being broken apart by scandal…
Summer 1944. Bombed out by the blitz, Bethany Merston takes a post as a companion to elderly Alive Summer, last remaining inhabitant of the dilapidated and crumbling Summerhayes Estate.
Struggling with the realities of war, Alice is plagued by anonymous letters and haunting visions of her old household. At first, Beth tries to convince her it is all in her mind but soon starts to unravel the mysteries surrounding the aristocratic family’s past.
An evocative and captivating tale. The secret of Summerhayes tells of the dark secrets, almost forgotten scandals and a household teetering on the edge of ruin. The Secret of Summerhayes is the second book in the series but that does not matter as it is almost a stand-alone story. Right from page one I was hooked. Beautifully written, lovely romantic story, just perfect for a hot summer afternoon in the garden.
It was good to have a story with Canadian soldiers waiting for D Day rather than the usual American/ British soldiers. The story was a little predictable but that did not detract from the story at all.
The book is full of beautiful women, handsome and brave men as well as the creepy bad guy. I LOVED IT!!!!
I look forward to reading more of Merryn’s books in the future. I think we may have another Catherine Cookson in our midst.
Isis
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
A war-torn summer, a house falling to ruin, a family being broken apart by scandal…
Summer 1944. Bombed out by the blitz, Bethany Merston takes a post as a companion to elderly Alive Summer, last remaining inhabitant of the dilapidated and crumbling Summerhayes Estate.
Struggling with the realities of war, Alice is plagued by anonymous letters and haunting visions of her old household. At first, Beth tries to convince her it is all in her mind but soon starts to unravel the mysteries surrounding the aristocratic family’s past.
An evocative and captivating tale. The secret of Summerhayes tells of the dark secrets, almost forgotten scandals and a household teetering on the edge of ruin. The Secret of Summerhayes is the second book in the series but that does not matter as it is almost a stand-alone story. Right from page one I was hooked. Beautifully written, lovely romantic story, just perfect for a hot summer afternoon in the garden.
It was good to have a story with Canadian soldiers waiting for D Day rather than the usual American/ British soldiers. The story was a little predictable but that did not detract from the story at all.
The book is full of beautiful women, handsome and brave men as well as the creepy bad guy. I LOVED IT!!!!
I look forward to reading more of Merryn’s books in the future. I think we may have another Catherine Cookson in our midst.
Isis
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
January 11, 2023
As World War II rages on across England, Bethany Merston’s life is not what she had expected nor is it the life she wanted for herself. She leaves her destroyed home behind and heads for the Sussex countryside. Her new job as a companion for Alice Summer, resident of Summerhayes House, is sure to be a challenge for her. The beauty of the Summerhayes gardens are long gone, but Bethany still finds them to be amazing. She enjoys strolling through them everyday, and when she meets Lieutenant Jos Kerrigan she realizes that her life is about to change once again. Bethany has so many questions about the history of Summerhayes House and when she finds an old painting in the attic, she begins to uncover the answers she needed but not necessarily the answers she wanted.
This fantastic addition to the Summerhayes House series was just as good as the first book. I was once again transported to the beautiful Sussex countryside and found myself happy to have the escape. Once again I really enjoyed the characters and also felt a connection to them. Life during the war was not easy and there was so much loss, so to read a captivating and encouraging story was uplifting. I really enjoyed the flow of the story, and this book had me hooked from page one. Thank you Merryn Allingham for a wonderful, well written book that I highly recommend.
This fantastic addition to the Summerhayes House series was just as good as the first book. I was once again transported to the beautiful Sussex countryside and found myself happy to have the escape. Once again I really enjoyed the characters and also felt a connection to them. Life during the war was not easy and there was so much loss, so to read a captivating and encouraging story was uplifting. I really enjoyed the flow of the story, and this book had me hooked from page one. Thank you Merryn Allingham for a wonderful, well written book that I highly recommend.
March 2, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author for the oportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.
This is the second book in the Summerhayes House book series, it could easily be read as a stand alone book. This book picks up about thirty years after the first book, at the time of the second world war.. We see Alice, now elderly and living alone save for a caretaker, Beth and a few staff members. Her husband died not evena year after their daughter, Elizabeth ran off to marry an architect and her son William died before he reached adulthood. Alice has never heard from Elizabeth after the note she left when she ran off and assumes hse must be dead. The military has taken over part of the estate and Beth meet Jos, whom she somehow cannot stop thinking about. He feels the same way, but of course, neither tells the other. Alice is having a few accidents and she is also receiving mysterious anonymous letters. Her nephew, Gilbert says he is concerned for his aunt and thinks the best thing to do would be to move her to his estate. But is Gilbert really worried about his aunt or is he up to something sinister.
I enjoyed this book but found the pace slow at times; but maybe I was just anxious to get to the end and find out what happened. All in all, an enjoyable book.
This is the second book in the Summerhayes House book series, it could easily be read as a stand alone book. This book picks up about thirty years after the first book, at the time of the second world war.. We see Alice, now elderly and living alone save for a caretaker, Beth and a few staff members. Her husband died not evena year after their daughter, Elizabeth ran off to marry an architect and her son William died before he reached adulthood. Alice has never heard from Elizabeth after the note she left when she ran off and assumes hse must be dead. The military has taken over part of the estate and Beth meet Jos, whom she somehow cannot stop thinking about. He feels the same way, but of course, neither tells the other. Alice is having a few accidents and she is also receiving mysterious anonymous letters. Her nephew, Gilbert says he is concerned for his aunt and thinks the best thing to do would be to move her to his estate. But is Gilbert really worried about his aunt or is he up to something sinister.
I enjoyed this book but found the pace slow at times; but maybe I was just anxious to get to the end and find out what happened. All in all, an enjoyable book.
August 14, 2017
It is 1944 and Bethany is living at Summerhayes as a companion to the elderly owner Alice. Most of the house has been requisitioned by the army and is inhabited by Canadian soliders but it is falling to bits around their ears. Alice's nephew lives next door and is trying to get his aunt to move in with him.....but is he all that he seems!
Bethany was a school teacher but her school in London got bombed out and so she took this job and has found herself becoming very fond of Alice and very protective of her. Someone is trying to cause her problems and writing to her pretending to be her daughter Elizabeth who eloped with an Irish man over 20 years ago and has never been heard of since.
With the help of Jos, one of the Canadian soldiers, Bethany is determined to get to the bottom of this but as things worsen she actually starts to fear for Alice's life....can the secrets be uncovered and what really did happen to Elizabeth?
A great saga with some lovely characters - I loved the two Canadians Jos and Eddie and will have to read the first book now the Buttonmaker's Daughter
Bethany was a school teacher but her school in London got bombed out and so she took this job and has found herself becoming very fond of Alice and very protective of her. Someone is trying to cause her problems and writing to her pretending to be her daughter Elizabeth who eloped with an Irish man over 20 years ago and has never been heard of since.
With the help of Jos, one of the Canadian soldiers, Bethany is determined to get to the bottom of this but as things worsen she actually starts to fear for Alice's life....can the secrets be uncovered and what really did happen to Elizabeth?
A great saga with some lovely characters - I loved the two Canadians Jos and Eddie and will have to read the first book now the Buttonmaker's Daughter
March 17, 2018
The Secret of Summerhayes
By Merry Allingham
"The Secret of Summerhayes" is the sequel to "The Buttonmakers Daughter" I read "The Buttonmakers Daughter' a few weeks ago and loved it so much I so couldn't wait to start the sequel.
It is 1944 and the once grand Summerhayes is lying in a state of dilapidation and is inhabited only by the old and lonely Alice Summer. After being bombed out by the Blitz, Bethany Merston gratefully takes up a position as a paid companion to Alice. When strange things start to happen at Summerhayes, Bethany begins to worry not only about her safety but the safety of Alice.
As Bethany digs deeper into these strange happenings, she begins to discover the disturbing truth about what happened in the house over a generation ago.
Sadly, this book did not live up to the expectation I had of it after enjoying the first book so much. I feel that the author backed herself into a corner plot wise setting the sequel nearly 30 years after the first.
The book was ok but you will be disappointed with it after reading "The Buttonmakers Daughter"
By Merry Allingham
"The Secret of Summerhayes" is the sequel to "The Buttonmakers Daughter" I read "The Buttonmakers Daughter' a few weeks ago and loved it so much I so couldn't wait to start the sequel.
It is 1944 and the once grand Summerhayes is lying in a state of dilapidation and is inhabited only by the old and lonely Alice Summer. After being bombed out by the Blitz, Bethany Merston gratefully takes up a position as a paid companion to Alice. When strange things start to happen at Summerhayes, Bethany begins to worry not only about her safety but the safety of Alice.
As Bethany digs deeper into these strange happenings, she begins to discover the disturbing truth about what happened in the house over a generation ago.
Sadly, this book did not live up to the expectation I had of it after enjoying the first book so much. I feel that the author backed herself into a corner plot wise setting the sequel nearly 30 years after the first.
The book was ok but you will be disappointed with it after reading "The Buttonmakers Daughter"
January 17, 2023
This was the sequel to the book which initially introduced all our characters.
Everyone is much older, many have died, WWII has commenced, Summerhayes is now
being used as a base for soldiers and still life in this small part of England goes apace.
The story winds on at an easy pace. People still have romance, despite odds, the
spectre of war looms over all. The ones who are really old still live in anticipation
of something good turning up, and it does. Family always an important thread in stories,
becomes even more important in this one. Preordained, destiny, karmic forces call it
what you will all come to life here. Then we have the darker elements of greed,
arrogance, envy, the feeling of superiority of birth that some people can never get quite
rid of despite democracy and a steady levelling in society.
The final chapter in the Summerhayes story brought all the characters to life and more.
It had many very human elements woven into the story and this was delightful.
Everyone is much older, many have died, WWII has commenced, Summerhayes is now
being used as a base for soldiers and still life in this small part of England goes apace.
The story winds on at an easy pace. People still have romance, despite odds, the
spectre of war looms over all. The ones who are really old still live in anticipation
of something good turning up, and it does. Family always an important thread in stories,
becomes even more important in this one. Preordained, destiny, karmic forces call it
what you will all come to life here. Then we have the darker elements of greed,
arrogance, envy, the feeling of superiority of birth that some people can never get quite
rid of despite democracy and a steady levelling in society.
The final chapter in the Summerhayes story brought all the characters to life and more.
It had many very human elements woven into the story and this was delightful.
June 27, 2017
It's 1944, Bethany Merston was a primary school teacher until the school is bombed and the children moved away.
So Bethany starts employment to Alice an elderly lady who owns Summerhayes Estate, as a companion to the old lady.
Summerhayes was a beautiful estate many moons ago but now Alice only lives in 2 rooms with many others falling into disrepair.
The military have commandeered the property and grounds for their men, the beautiful gardens are over grown and unused.
Alice starts receiving letters from her long lost daughter are they real or are they fake?? Bethany is trying very hard to look after Alice but each day this becomes more difficult?? Alice is plagued with the past and is the past haunting her??
This is a great story with the entwined stories of Jos and Eddie the Canadian soldiers that are based at Summerhayes.
Well written with a great mix of characters, a very compelling storyline that keeps drawing you in.
So Bethany starts employment to Alice an elderly lady who owns Summerhayes Estate, as a companion to the old lady.
Summerhayes was a beautiful estate many moons ago but now Alice only lives in 2 rooms with many others falling into disrepair.
The military have commandeered the property and grounds for their men, the beautiful gardens are over grown and unused.
Alice starts receiving letters from her long lost daughter are they real or are they fake?? Bethany is trying very hard to look after Alice but each day this becomes more difficult?? Alice is plagued with the past and is the past haunting her??
This is a great story with the entwined stories of Jos and Eddie the Canadian soldiers that are based at Summerhayes.
Well written with a great mix of characters, a very compelling storyline that keeps drawing you in.
January 27, 2023
These books gave me the Downton Abbey vibe that I did not know I was missing. Both are family sagas with long lasting consequences at stake. Book one sets the stage at Summerhayes and lays secrets leading up to WWI, while book two works to solve the mysteries from the first book.
These books are slow paced as they are descriptive. Exactly what you’d expect from a saga. There is a building of the family dynamic and includes the whole family. I liked the fun that William and Oliver had in the first book. Since life is so very different now, I never stop and ponder the struggle of a family to marry off their daughter and the resistance she might have.
Even though they are set 30 years apart, the story continues from the first to the second book. If you love historical fiction and love the journey of the story, these books are for you.
These books are slow paced as they are descriptive. Exactly what you’d expect from a saga. There is a building of the family dynamic and includes the whole family. I liked the fun that William and Oliver had in the first book. Since life is so very different now, I never stop and ponder the struggle of a family to marry off their daughter and the resistance she might have.
Even though they are set 30 years apart, the story continues from the first to the second book. If you love historical fiction and love the journey of the story, these books are for you.
June 4, 2021
I listened to this on audiobook.
Having read the first book that comes before this one, and thoroughly enjoying it, I couldn’t wait to get started on the book. It’s a two book series.
The story within this book was set in 1944 and was focused on the mother Alice, whereas the first book was set in 1914 and was mainly focused on the daughter Elizabeth but mother Alice was featured quite a lot. So although Inhad already met the mother Alice in the previous book, I felt that I got to really know her more in this book, albeit an older Alice.
The story was thoroughly enjoyable, just as much as the first book, it was well written and throughout. I really enjoyed every second of it.
I’m so glad I discovered this author, may have to look at some of her other books.
Having read the first book that comes before this one, and thoroughly enjoying it, I couldn’t wait to get started on the book. It’s a two book series.
The story within this book was set in 1944 and was focused on the mother Alice, whereas the first book was set in 1914 and was mainly focused on the daughter Elizabeth but mother Alice was featured quite a lot. So although Inhad already met the mother Alice in the previous book, I felt that I got to really know her more in this book, albeit an older Alice.
The story was thoroughly enjoyable, just as much as the first book, it was well written and throughout. I really enjoyed every second of it.
I’m so glad I discovered this author, may have to look at some of her other books.
December 24, 2022
The Secrets of Summerhayes is the second book in the series. I enjoyed the first book and had high hopes for this one. I did like the main characters in the story….Bethany, Jos and Alice.
Suspense, secrets, romance and mystery await you when reading this book.
There is a dark secret that occurred many years ago…..will the secret be revealed?
The story is about Canadian soldiers as well as the villagers preparing for D-Day in Sussex, England during World War II. I could tell the historical details the author shares were well researched.
Though this can be read as a standalone, I encourage you to read the first book in the series.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Suspense, secrets, romance and mystery await you when reading this book.
There is a dark secret that occurred many years ago…..will the secret be revealed?
The story is about Canadian soldiers as well as the villagers preparing for D-Day in Sussex, England during World War II. I could tell the historical details the author shares were well researched.
Though this can be read as a standalone, I encourage you to read the first book in the series.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 18, 2017
Review to follow
September 9, 2017
http://www.jerasjamboree.co.uk/2017/0...
The opening scene leaves the reader in no doubt about the changes to this once stunning estate. Summerhayes has been a military base for years having been requisitioned at the outbreak of war and is occupied by the Canadian army in the lead up to D Day. I felt quite sad to see the destruction and dilapidation.
Alice is now elderly and with the help of Beth, gets through the days living in only a couple of rooms in the attic spaces. Such a different life to the one we left in The Buttonmaker’s Daughter! This is the perfect setting for the feuding, intrigue and mystery that continues to unravel.
Merryn Allingham’s writing gives a wonderful sense of time and place. The rationing and its effects, dancing in the village hall and the soldier’s experiences transported me to 1944. The conflict, not only from the family feuding but the romance too is well paced and had me eagerly turning the pages. So many emotions! for Alice, for Beth, for Jos and especially for Eddie.
Although I had guessed the resolution of a couple of things I hadn’t seen how one conflict would play out. I was numb with shock. This is the great thing about reading isn’t it … opening the door into another world and experiencing a whole host of feelings and experiences, whether that is ‘light’ or ‘dark.’ We certainly see the shadow side of characters in this story.
You don’t need to read The Buttonmaker’s Daughter to enjoy The Secret of Summerhayes as both can be read as standalone stories. I think the emotional impact is more though if you do!
If you’re a fan of historical fiction, I have no hesitation in recommending you add The Secret of Summerhayes to your reading list.
The opening scene leaves the reader in no doubt about the changes to this once stunning estate. Summerhayes has been a military base for years having been requisitioned at the outbreak of war and is occupied by the Canadian army in the lead up to D Day. I felt quite sad to see the destruction and dilapidation.
Alice is now elderly and with the help of Beth, gets through the days living in only a couple of rooms in the attic spaces. Such a different life to the one we left in The Buttonmaker’s Daughter! This is the perfect setting for the feuding, intrigue and mystery that continues to unravel.
Merryn Allingham’s writing gives a wonderful sense of time and place. The rationing and its effects, dancing in the village hall and the soldier’s experiences transported me to 1944. The conflict, not only from the family feuding but the romance too is well paced and had me eagerly turning the pages. So many emotions! for Alice, for Beth, for Jos and especially for Eddie.
Although I had guessed the resolution of a couple of things I hadn’t seen how one conflict would play out. I was numb with shock. This is the great thing about reading isn’t it … opening the door into another world and experiencing a whole host of feelings and experiences, whether that is ‘light’ or ‘dark.’ We certainly see the shadow side of characters in this story.
You don’t need to read The Buttonmaker’s Daughter to enjoy The Secret of Summerhayes as both can be read as standalone stories. I think the emotional impact is more though if you do!
If you’re a fan of historical fiction, I have no hesitation in recommending you add The Secret of Summerhayes to your reading list.
November 28, 2017
'The Secret of Summerhayes' by Merry Allingham wasan engaging story of family secrets set during World War II in Sussex, England when troops were preparing for D-Day. An enjoyable read.
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