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The Summer House
England 1918. Young Lady Helen believes her parents when they say she will never find a better husband than Richard – ‘brave, handsome, wealthy, such a charming man and quite a catch’. But when her soldier husband returns to war, Helen begins to wonder just who it is she has married – his letters home are cold and distant – and Helen realises that she has made a terrible mistake. And that’s when Oliver Donovan enters her life. They begin an affair that leaves Helen pregnant and alone, and she is forced to surrender her precious baby.
Over twenty years pass and a second war is ravaging Europe, but that is not the only echo of the past to haunt the present. Laura Drummond is now caught in a tragic love affair of her own and when she is forced to leave London during the bombings, she turns to the mother she never knew.
Over twenty years pass and a second war is ravaging Europe, but that is not the only echo of the past to haunt the present. Laura Drummond is now caught in a tragic love affair of her own and when she is forced to leave London during the bombings, she turns to the mother she never knew.
482 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2009
22 people are currently reading
587 people want to read
About the author
Mary Nichols
174 books44 followersBorn in Singapore to a Dutch-South African father and an English mother, Mary Nichols came to England when she was three and considers herself totally English. Her father, like many people who learn English as a second language, would have no sloppiness, either spoken or written, and Mary puts her love of the language down to him. He was also a great reader and there were always books in the house so that Mary learned to read at a very early age. She read anything that came to hand, whether it was suitable or not! By the time she was nine or ten, her one ambition was to be a writer.
Her first novel, handwritten in several school exercise books, was completed when she was fifteen. Not having any idea of how to go about finding a publisher, she wrapped it up and sent it to the editor of the woman's monthly magazine to which her mother subscribed. It says a great deal for that editor that she took the trouble to read it and sent Mary a long and very encouraging letter, which put her ambition into overdrive.
Finishing her education and finding a job took over in the next few years, followed by an early marriage and a family. When her children were all at school she joined her local writers' circle. Publication of articles and stories in a variety of periodicals and magazines followed, but the ambition to be a novelist never wavered and throughout the time she was writing and selling short pieces she was working on her novels.
Mary joined the Romantic Novelists Association in the 1960s. Her first novel was a contemporary one published by Robert Hale in 1981 and that was followed by nine more. Mary sent her first historical romance to Mills and Boon in 1985 and was delighted when a telephone call three weeks later told her it had been accepted. Since then she has been a regular writer for the historical series. Among these is a miniseries about a group of gentleman in the mid-eighteenth century who form a club to track down criminals, a sort of private detective agency, which naturally leads each of them into romance.
She is also the author of family sagas, published by Allison and Busby. She has also written a biography of her grandmother, entitled The Mother of Necton, who was the midwife and nurse in the village of Necton in Norfolk from 1910 until the advent of the National Health Service in 1948.
Apart from when her children were small, Mary always had a 'day job', being a school secretary, an editor of a house journal and an information manager for a database of open learning courses. Now writing full time, Mary spends part of every day at her computer producing her novels and divides the rest of the time between reading and research and gardening. Occasionally she gives talks about her writing to groups and societies. “Writing for me is an addiction,” Mary says. “I am not happy if I haven't got a book on the go and if my readers enjoy what I have written, then that is an added bonus.”
Her first novel, handwritten in several school exercise books, was completed when she was fifteen. Not having any idea of how to go about finding a publisher, she wrapped it up and sent it to the editor of the woman's monthly magazine to which her mother subscribed. It says a great deal for that editor that she took the trouble to read it and sent Mary a long and very encouraging letter, which put her ambition into overdrive.
Finishing her education and finding a job took over in the next few years, followed by an early marriage and a family. When her children were all at school she joined her local writers' circle. Publication of articles and stories in a variety of periodicals and magazines followed, but the ambition to be a novelist never wavered and throughout the time she was writing and selling short pieces she was working on her novels.
Mary joined the Romantic Novelists Association in the 1960s. Her first novel was a contemporary one published by Robert Hale in 1981 and that was followed by nine more. Mary sent her first historical romance to Mills and Boon in 1985 and was delighted when a telephone call three weeks later told her it had been accepted. Since then she has been a regular writer for the historical series. Among these is a miniseries about a group of gentleman in the mid-eighteenth century who form a club to track down criminals, a sort of private detective agency, which naturally leads each of them into romance.
She is also the author of family sagas, published by Allison and Busby. She has also written a biography of her grandmother, entitled The Mother of Necton, who was the midwife and nurse in the village of Necton in Norfolk from 1910 until the advent of the National Health Service in 1948.
Apart from when her children were small, Mary always had a 'day job', being a school secretary, an editor of a house journal and an information manager for a database of open learning courses. Now writing full time, Mary spends part of every day at her computer producing her novels and divides the rest of the time between reading and research and gardening. Occasionally she gives talks about her writing to groups and societies. “Writing for me is an addiction,” Mary says. “I am not happy if I haven't got a book on the go and if my readers enjoy what I have written, then that is an added bonus.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
October 20, 2012
This book spans the two world wars, and tells a story of love and loss, of the ties of family, of the sheer desperation of ordinary people caught up in war and of the good old British stiff-upper-lip mentality.
This period of history is fascinating to me because of the way people held on tight to everything and everyone they loved, in spite of the awful things that were happening around them. Whilst mainly based in rural Norfolk and London, the book takes you through the London bombings, farmers working with Land Girls while their sons fought the war, RAF pilots fighting the Luftwaffe and bombing Germany, naval officers at sea, and wartime patients and nurses in military hospitals. It ties these all together with a powerful sense of the importance of family and what it meant to be a parent, especially a mother, during these wars – whilst dealing with the astonishing lies and secrets that often bind families together. It includes some heartbreakingly wonderful love stories of the time.
The book centres on the stories of three amazingly strong women – Helen, Anne and Laura. One forced to give up her baby – the result of a wartime love affair – to save the face of her parents; one bringing up her child alone after her husband died; the other who, caught up in a whirlwind of tragedy and mystery (secrets which unite the three women), suddenly finds herself pregnant and alone. But I also enjoyed reading about Steve, a lovable, kind and brave RAF pilot, who was probably my favourite character in the book. Steve is almost completely oblivious to the emotional rollercoaster each of these women was travelling until nearly the end of the book, but I love his description of his flights and admire his bravery on his journey through the war.
This story is written through the eyes of many different characters, each describing their own reality of the wars, their love and their family. It transports you to this time of uncertainty, and to generation of people with somewhat different values and beliefs from modern-day Britain. It is well researched, and is unashamedly emotional, passionate, and proud. A lovely, heart-warming read with a satisfyingly happy ending – but for those sensitive types among us, a box of tissues is a must!
This period of history is fascinating to me because of the way people held on tight to everything and everyone they loved, in spite of the awful things that were happening around them. Whilst mainly based in rural Norfolk and London, the book takes you through the London bombings, farmers working with Land Girls while their sons fought the war, RAF pilots fighting the Luftwaffe and bombing Germany, naval officers at sea, and wartime patients and nurses in military hospitals. It ties these all together with a powerful sense of the importance of family and what it meant to be a parent, especially a mother, during these wars – whilst dealing with the astonishing lies and secrets that often bind families together. It includes some heartbreakingly wonderful love stories of the time.
The book centres on the stories of three amazingly strong women – Helen, Anne and Laura. One forced to give up her baby – the result of a wartime love affair – to save the face of her parents; one bringing up her child alone after her husband died; the other who, caught up in a whirlwind of tragedy and mystery (secrets which unite the three women), suddenly finds herself pregnant and alone. But I also enjoyed reading about Steve, a lovable, kind and brave RAF pilot, who was probably my favourite character in the book. Steve is almost completely oblivious to the emotional rollercoaster each of these women was travelling until nearly the end of the book, but I love his description of his flights and admire his bravery on his journey through the war.
This story is written through the eyes of many different characters, each describing their own reality of the wars, their love and their family. It transports you to this time of uncertainty, and to generation of people with somewhat different values and beliefs from modern-day Britain. It is well researched, and is unashamedly emotional, passionate, and proud. A lovely, heart-warming read with a satisfyingly happy ending – but for those sensitive types among us, a box of tissues is a must!
November 21, 2012
This book was a wonderful find. I think I must have chosen this purely on it's title and the story was a complete surprise. It was set around the 2 World Wars and the entwined lives. I loved how the book revealed it's secrets and enjoyed all the characters.
October 12, 2010
Really good page-turner of a story with plenty of surprises amid the family drama. Very much recommended if you like family stories where secrets impact the next generation.
May 30, 2012
Absolutely brilliant, I really enjoyed this book, and I am now wanting more of this author.
September 10, 2012
OK, this one wasn't a challenge - but read it as an absorbing family saga with good WW2 detail, and you'll love it as I did. I found it quite unputdownable... lovely book.
October 14, 2018
Enjoyed reading this book but the story was nothing new or different for this genre. The blitz, flighter pilots, burns victims, village gossip and illegitimate children have all been done before. Despite the predictability of the story, the characters were good and it was a good detailed historical fiction story around the two world wars.
March 1, 2024
Mooi , , leest als een trein , lastig weg te leggen
June 18, 2016
Set in WWII, Nurse Laura Drummond thinks her world has come to an end when her fiance’ Rob’s plane is brought down on their wedding day but, with a child on the way, she is forced to face the future. Living with her widowed mother, Ann, in London under the Blitz is another hazard to be faced but when her mother has to have a serious operation, a mysterious ‘friend’ from Ann’s past, Helen Barstairs, invites Laura to stay in her large mansion in a Norfolk village. Following her mother’s untimely death, Helen suggests that Laura and her baby son stay on to help run a convalescent home for injured airmen, many of them disfigured by horrific burns. One of the people who has helped Laura to cope with life is Rob’s best friend, Steve, and she is surprised to discover that his family is from the same Norfolk village. As the war progresses and Laura and Steve find a relationship developing, the arrival of a Canadian serviceman in the area proves to be a catalyst for change and forces Helen to face up to the past. Mary Nichols’s characterisation, setting and research is always spot on. Her characters are always likeable and down-to-earth and, once again, this is a warm-hearted, life-affirming book.
February 2, 2011
Lady Helen, whose husband is away in the war in 1918, starts an affair which leaves her pregnant. She's whisked away to stay with an aunt, and has the baby forcibly removed for adoption. The baby's father does not stay in touch, and when her husband does not return from the war she remains single, hurting and longing for love.
Most of the book takes place over twenty years later, during World War II and features Laura, who has been brought up by loving parents, and works as a nurse. She is about to be married... then something happens which changes her life forever.
Gradually the connection becomes clear, the past unfolds, and the remainder of the book is about healing, love, and acceptance. Set with the backdrop of the war, it's nonetheless a gentle, character-driven novel with some very moving sections at the end.
Recommended.
Most of the book takes place over twenty years later, during World War II and features Laura, who has been brought up by loving parents, and works as a nurse. She is about to be married... then something happens which changes her life forever.
Gradually the connection becomes clear, the past unfolds, and the remainder of the book is about healing, love, and acceptance. Set with the backdrop of the war, it's nonetheless a gentle, character-driven novel with some very moving sections at the end.
Recommended.
February 20, 2011
I like a story that mixes the past with the present with a mystery unfolding which is why I bought this book. It does that and started off well with Helen falling pregnant and having to give her baby away in order to save herself from disgrace and her marriage (baby not being husband's). So there we have it, what would happen to her child and would they be reunited. So you follow the story of Helen and also her child growing up. All good so far. Their worlds collide again but the secret remains. At this point the story went a bit astray for me and apart from being drawn out a bit was also too Mills and Boon for my liking. The ending was also a bit weak. Overall though, its a good enough quick read if you don't want anything too taxing but others have managed to weave a more intriguing tale.
May 18, 2014
This is a cosy read telling the story of three women whose lives are connected despite coming from different backgrounds. Helen is married to an officer Richard but fears she has made a mistake meanwhile Anne is pregnant with her husband away fighting in the First World War, this is the start of the story but the main part of the book is set during the Blitz with Laura nursing soldiers with burn injuries.
The historical details were vividly written giving the reader a picture of what life was like during wartime Britain. Be warned there are more than a few tear-jerking moments as the women have to come to terms with the decisions they made. This is a family saga with the 'surprises' easy to spot but the story carries itself well and I found it an enjoyable read.
The historical details were vividly written giving the reader a picture of what life was like during wartime Britain. Be warned there are more than a few tear-jerking moments as the women have to come to terms with the decisions they made. This is a family saga with the 'surprises' easy to spot but the story carries itself well and I found it an enjoyable read.
November 9, 2014
Thoroughly enjoyed this book, found it hard to put down.
March 13, 2015
A very enjoyable family saga set in the 1940s. My only pet hate is that all the "goodies" speak in RP yet all the "baddies" have regional accents. Having an accent doesn't make you a bad person!
February 1, 2016
Loved it. The book spans both World Wars and is a wonderful story of love and loss. The author keeps your attention throughout. A real easy, lovely read.
September 1, 2016
Not a bad book, a teary ww2 drama/love story.
January 21, 2025
1918. Young Lady Helen Barstairs, the dutiful daughter of Lord Hardingham, believes everything her mother and father tell her. So when her parents say she will never find a better husband than Richard - 'brave, handsome, wealthy, such a charming man and quite a catch' - she believes them, and agrees to marry him before his return to the Front. Helen hopes the letters they exchange will allow them to get to know one another but over time, Richard's correspondence becomes increasingly cold and distant, and Helen begins to wonder just who this man she has married really is. And that's when Oliver Donovan enters her life.Helen knew embarking on an affair was not a wise decision but, for the first time in her life, Helen knew what it felt like to be in love. With the war continuing on foreign shores, Oliver had to return to his regiment - and was never seen again. Learning she is with child, Helen confesses all to her shocked parents, who force her to give up her baby. She vows to find her child again one day. Over twenty years pass and it seems history is about to repeat itself; a new war has begun, and another young woman is about to lose her heart to a serviceman - Can lessons of the past save the heartache of a new generation?
My Thoughts:
The story itself was quite good. Girl gets married, has an affair, gets pregnant, baby is given away, then girl in later life meets back up with her child. A few more suprises are thrown in along the way, so yes it’s quite a good tale.
However the book is so sugary, it has more sugar than a kilo bag ! There is no emotion coming from the characters given what is going on in their lives. They all seem to accept things very quickly and nobody gets angry. This I felt let the book down badly, otherwise I would have given it 5 stars.
Would I recommend this book: Well it’s not bad and there was enough to keep me going but I was frustrated too, so give it a go as it is an easy quick read.
My Thoughts:
The story itself was quite good. Girl gets married, has an affair, gets pregnant, baby is given away, then girl in later life meets back up with her child. A few more suprises are thrown in along the way, so yes it’s quite a good tale.
However the book is so sugary, it has more sugar than a kilo bag ! There is no emotion coming from the characters given what is going on in their lives. They all seem to accept things very quickly and nobody gets angry. This I felt let the book down badly, otherwise I would have given it 5 stars.
Would I recommend this book: Well it’s not bad and there was enough to keep me going but I was frustrated too, so give it a go as it is an easy quick read.
May 11, 2025
A saga about love, marriages, love child, adopted child , war, misunderstanding and togetherness.
The story spans two generations with the third just in budding stage. The story of the summer house at Beckbridge, in England , starts with tge life of Helen, whose father is the Earl and has a huge house where he entertains people mostly the army, airforce and navy men.
Helennis married to Richard who gives into the war and is away for a long time. Helen falls in love with Oliver and is pregnant with his child. Oliver, not aware of this goes back to the war abd Helen is forcefully asked to give away her daughter.
Laura grows up with Anne and Tom as her parents. Laura is about to get married to Bob when he dies while fighting in the 2nd world war. Laura is pregnant with Bob's child and Anne is old, suck and after her husband passes away is unable to take care of Laura. Anne writes to Helen asking her help.
What will be Laura's fate as she meets her biological mother? what lies ahead in her life and How things gets complicated forms the rest of the story.
Overall well written, a story to be read slowly with love and patience.
The story spans two generations with the third just in budding stage. The story of the summer house at Beckbridge, in England , starts with tge life of Helen, whose father is the Earl and has a huge house where he entertains people mostly the army, airforce and navy men.
Helennis married to Richard who gives into the war and is away for a long time. Helen falls in love with Oliver and is pregnant with his child. Oliver, not aware of this goes back to the war abd Helen is forcefully asked to give away her daughter.
Laura grows up with Anne and Tom as her parents. Laura is about to get married to Bob when he dies while fighting in the 2nd world war. Laura is pregnant with Bob's child and Anne is old, suck and after her husband passes away is unable to take care of Laura. Anne writes to Helen asking her help.
What will be Laura's fate as she meets her biological mother? what lies ahead in her life and How things gets complicated forms the rest of the story.
Overall well written, a story to be read slowly with love and patience.
October 15, 2020
An interesting table of two women who have difficult issues to deal with during the 2 world wars. Lady Helen has been persuaded to marry a soldier, who becomes unresponsive in letters to her, by her father who is an authoritarian. She falls in love with a Canadian soldier and is forced by her father to give up her daughter. Her daughter is brought up by a poor but loving London family, becomes a nurse and falls in love with an airman. Life becomes difficult for her and she meets her mother and moves to live with her. It is an excellent story.
August 30, 2023
This book was set around the time of two World Wars.
Three women whose lives are connected with each other and from different backgrounds, Helen is married to an officer named Richard. Anne is pregnant and her husband has gone away to fight in the first World war and Laura nursing injured soldiers and engaged to Bob.
This is a story of love, loss, tragedy and community. Despite the heartache and devastation, it is amazing how they look out for each other and hold on to what they have and treasure .
Loved this book and was so interesting to read.
Three women whose lives are connected with each other and from different backgrounds, Helen is married to an officer named Richard. Anne is pregnant and her husband has gone away to fight in the first World war and Laura nursing injured soldiers and engaged to Bob.
This is a story of love, loss, tragedy and community. Despite the heartache and devastation, it is amazing how they look out for each other and hold on to what they have and treasure .
Loved this book and was so interesting to read.
June 17, 2022
Felt like I'd read it before, or maybe I'd seen the movie (if there is one). Nevermind, it's the sort of classic english war story, reliably and competently written that bears a second reading well. Like watching a favourite tv series again, and being comforted by knowing what's coming, and just enjoying the way the cast works so well together. The cast is lovely, they will feel like family, and their story will taste like comfort food.
May 30, 2017
Really enjoyed this book, a good story with lots of twists and turns, lots of different characters all relevant to the story in some way. Linked to both world wars and connects people and places to the main characters.
May 26, 2020
Great read!
This book is a real page turner. Lots of surprises through families involved. Family secrets are revealed along with consequences.
This book is a real page turner. Lots of surprises through families involved. Family secrets are revealed along with consequences.
October 28, 2021
A sweet book but a little slow in places.
Interesting in parts but those glimmers were not enough to elevate this book from a 3*
Interesting in parts but those glimmers were not enough to elevate this book from a 3*
January 12, 2023
Absolutely loved the story
May 20, 2023
4 generations, 2 world wars, throw in a couple of secrets and a small village and you have an engaging story.
July 9, 2023
A complex "saga" but overall enjoyable.
July 26, 2025
Fast paced but with enough time to enjoy all the characters and make a connection with them. Constant drama throughout, always left on your toes. A very good read.
June 5, 2011
In 1918, and whilst her husband is fighting in the horror of WW1, Lady Helen Barstairs begins an illicit affair with a dashing young Canadian captain.
The novel then moves forwards to the 1940's and with WW2 having a devastating effect on everyone's lives, Helen Drummond is preparing for her wedding to Bob Rawton, with little knowledge of how her future is about to be altered.
This is a beautifully written family saga which expertly captures the feelings and fear of living through the war years, when to be young and in love came at a price, and just proves that the consequences of our actions can have far reaching repercussions.
I enjoyed it.
The novel then moves forwards to the 1940's and with WW2 having a devastating effect on everyone's lives, Helen Drummond is preparing for her wedding to Bob Rawton, with little knowledge of how her future is about to be altered.
This is a beautifully written family saga which expertly captures the feelings and fear of living through the war years, when to be young and in love came at a price, and just proves that the consequences of our actions can have far reaching repercussions.
I enjoyed it.
August 2, 2011
The author has obviously done a considerable amount of research to ensure the WW1 and WW2 details are authentic. Unfortunately I felt that the author's need to cram this research into the story interrupted the flow of the narrative and, at times, turned it into a history book. Fortunately these are periods of history that interest me but it did make the reading experience disjointed. Most of the plot was fairly predictable but despite this it did have its moments: there is a death bed scene that is quite moving and I do like a happy ending.
July 21, 2013
I absolutely loved this book. It had the perfect balance of setting the scene of the war and the daily struggle for both the soldiers and civillians, and that of the complex relationships the characters find themselves caught up in. I loved the twists and turns - and in places could't wait to turn the pages to find out what happens next. I was scared that it was going to turn into a "happily ever after" when the truth about Oliver and Helen's "love child" is reveled, but Nichols creates a proportionate harmony in the reality of the outcome.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews