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Four Seasons #2
A Summer Fling
When dynamic, power-dressing Christie blows in like a warm wind to take over their department, five very different women find themselves thrown together at work. But none of them could have predicted the fierce bond of friendship that her leadership would inspire...
Anna, 39, is reeling from the loss of her fiance, who ran off with a much younger woman. Her pride in tatters, these days Anna finds it difficult to leave the house. So when a handsome, mysterious stranger takes an interest in her, she's not sure whether she can learn to trust again?
Then there's Grace, in her fifties, trapped in a loveless marriage with a man she married because, unable to have children of her own, she fell in love with his motherless brood. Grace worries that Dawn is about to make the same mistake: orphaned as a child, engaged to love-rat Calum, is Dawn more interested in the security that comes with his tight-knit, boisterous family? When a sexy, footloose rock singer catches her eye, will Dawn have the courage to follow her heart?
At 28, Raychel is the youngest member of their little gang. And with a loving husband, Ben, and a cosy little nest for two, she would seem to be the happiest. But what dark secrets are lurking behind this perfect facade, that make sweet, pretty Raychel so guarded and unwilling to open up?
Under Christie's warm hand, the girls soon realise they have some difficult choices to make. Indeed, none of them quite realised how much they needed the sense of fun, laughter, and loyalty that abounds when five women become friends. It's one for all, and all for one!
Anna, 39, is reeling from the loss of her fiance, who ran off with a much younger woman. Her pride in tatters, these days Anna finds it difficult to leave the house. So when a handsome, mysterious stranger takes an interest in her, she's not sure whether she can learn to trust again?
Then there's Grace, in her fifties, trapped in a loveless marriage with a man she married because, unable to have children of her own, she fell in love with his motherless brood. Grace worries that Dawn is about to make the same mistake: orphaned as a child, engaged to love-rat Calum, is Dawn more interested in the security that comes with his tight-knit, boisterous family? When a sexy, footloose rock singer catches her eye, will Dawn have the courage to follow her heart?
At 28, Raychel is the youngest member of their little gang. And with a loving husband, Ben, and a cosy little nest for two, she would seem to be the happiest. But what dark secrets are lurking behind this perfect facade, that make sweet, pretty Raychel so guarded and unwilling to open up?
Under Christie's warm hand, the girls soon realise they have some difficult choices to make. Indeed, none of them quite realised how much they needed the sense of fun, laughter, and loyalty that abounds when five women become friends. It's one for all, and all for one!
484 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
349 people are currently reading
2581 people want to read
About the author
Milly Johnson
52 books2,151 followersMilly Johnson was born in Barnsley, raised in Barnsley and still lives in Barnsley. She writes about strong women, often having a renaissance, all ages and has just released her 22nd novel Same Time Next Week. Do check out her website for up to date news and appearance dates.
As well as a novelist she is a professional joke writer, performance poet, newspaper and magazine columnist and also after dinner/motivational speaker.
She is on insta as @themillyjohnson, facebook as @millyjohnsonauthor, Twitter as @millyjohnson and a ridiculous presence on TikTok @millyjohnsonauthor. Do give her a follow - even if it's just out of sympathy!
As well as a novelist she is a professional joke writer, performance poet, newspaper and magazine columnist and also after dinner/motivational speaker.
She is on insta as @themillyjohnson, facebook as @millyjohnsonauthor, Twitter as @millyjohnson and a ridiculous presence on TikTok @millyjohnsonauthor. Do give her a follow - even if it's just out of sympathy!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 251 reviews
February 18, 2020
Absolutely adored this novel. I’ve only read one other book by Milly Johnson titled, A Spring Affair, the first book in the Four Seasons series which was a blast to read, however the second book, A Summer Fling was something else. Just beautiful.
This book follows a group of extraordinary women who all work in the same office and over time become friends thanks to the gutsy new boss. I loved each of the five women’s stories and their strength and ability to overcome their personal struggles. Their stories were filled with heartache, love, friendship and above all hope.
This amazingly gorgeous tale is full of warmth, compassion and laugh out crazy loud humour.
Highly recommended.
Book No.4 #20Backlistin2020 Challenge
This book follows a group of extraordinary women who all work in the same office and over time become friends thanks to the gutsy new boss. I loved each of the five women’s stories and their strength and ability to overcome their personal struggles. Their stories were filled with heartache, love, friendship and above all hope.
This amazingly gorgeous tale is full of warmth, compassion and laugh out crazy loud humour.
Highly recommended.
Book No.4 #20Backlistin2020 Challenge
May 17, 2012
A Summer Fling by Milly Johnson
Loved loved loved it. I was immersed in the book from the first page and couldn't wait each day to read more. The struggle these women all went through trying to get their lives in order had me snatching every available half hour to read. What I liked the most, I think, is the community that the author has created, and the problems they needed to sort out. I loved these characters and wanted to move to Barnsley to be near them. They would take me into their group, wouldn't they?
Why, oh why, can't I buy ebooks versions of British fiction in the US? I'm looking for "Here Come the Girls" by Milly Johnson, and the only place I can find it is a used paperback from amazon. I just don't understand why ebooks aren't available all over the world. It makes no sense to me.
I will definitely be reading more of Milly Johnson's books. She has become my latest favorite Brit author, and this was the perfect summer read.
'To women, because we're bloody marvelous.' - Milly Johnson
- Indie
Loved loved loved it. I was immersed in the book from the first page and couldn't wait each day to read more. The struggle these women all went through trying to get their lives in order had me snatching every available half hour to read. What I liked the most, I think, is the community that the author has created, and the problems they needed to sort out. I loved these characters and wanted to move to Barnsley to be near them. They would take me into their group, wouldn't they?
Why, oh why, can't I buy ebooks versions of British fiction in the US? I'm looking for "Here Come the Girls" by Milly Johnson, and the only place I can find it is a used paperback from amazon. I just don't understand why ebooks aren't available all over the world. It makes no sense to me.
I will definitely be reading more of Milly Johnson's books. She has become my latest favorite Brit author, and this was the perfect summer read.
'To women, because we're bloody marvelous.' - Milly Johnson
- Indie
April 30, 2010
When Christie comes to take over the reigns at the Bakery Department in which 5 ladies work, they don’t expect to develop the friendships and bonds that they do, especially that they’ve barely spoken a work to each other in the many years they’ve already worked there! There’s young Dawn who is planning her wedding to fiancé Calum, but starting to have niggly doubts about him and his lifestyle. Anna has been dumped by her fiancé Tony for younger woman Lynette but she still doesn’t seem to be over him. She’s sure that everyone sees the dowdy, hideous woman she sees when she looks in the mirror, but mysterious Vladimir Darq is out to prove her wrong.
Grace married her husband because of his children, not through true love, and now it’s coming back to bite her in a big way. Can she get out before it takes a turn for the worse? And finally, there’s Raychel who is hiding a secret past that no one else but her husband knows about. Will the other ladies be able to coax her out of her shell? All together, these women realise how much they need each other and the friendships that come with it too, and help is what they’ll need to get them through some troubling times ahead!
This is Milly Johnson’s fourth book, and it’s not a secret to say that I have looked forward to this one for absolutely ages! I first read her debut novel The Yorkshire Pudding Club a few years back, and then quickly moved onto her next book The Birds and The Bees which was just a good! Her third book A Spring Affair was also brilliant (seeing a pattern here?!) so I had very high hopes for this one, and luckily Milly hasn’t let me down again! I was so excited when I opened the parcel to discover a copy of this book and I actually started it there and then, I just couldn’t wait, and finished it a day later. I was actually up until 1am because I couldn’t bear the thought of going to sleep and not knowing how it was all going to end for everyone! I hope my review conveys just how much I adored this book, because it really does deserve a glowing review.
Immediately, I was drawn into the book because I met all the characters within the first few paragraphs, and that straight away set the scene for the book, showing us all the different characters and how they all are together before Christie is introduced into the mix. I actually expected that to happen a lot sooner but I am glad Milly makes us wait a little bit so we really get to know these characters before we start to see them change before our eyes. The book begins in April and progresses through the book until we end up in June, and I think the three month time-frame is perfect for the book and pace of the story.
I won’t go into too much detail with all of the characters because there are quite a few, and I don’t actually want to spoil anything about the book for you because it’s such a brilliant read. What I love about Milly’s books is how believable her characters are as people, and this is certainly the case in this book. My favourite character was definitely Christie, she is a breath of fresh air not only for her colleagues but for the book as a whole. She breezes through in her bright suits and really cheered me up, you just wish you had a friend like Christie! I also loved the character of Anna – she’s very self-deprecating as a lot of us women are so I could relate to her in that respect, and I enjoyed seeing her character grow throughout the book very much.
Milly has been brave in this book and created a character that is totally unexpected, and not a character you would expect to see in a chick lit book like this at all, and that is Vladimir Draq. He’s a Romanian designer that has a wonderful story with Anna, but also there is a bit of a mystery to him as well… is he a vampire? I was worried that this character would seem totally out of place in the book but I loved the whole mystery around it, and I think Milly has done a great job of integrating this storyline into the lives of these normal 5 women.
What I loved most about this book however was the emotion running right throughout it. It was funny and it made me laugh… it was sad and I felt the sadness along with the characters, and every other emotion that these people felt I felt like I did so too. Milly writes in such an easy to read way that you quickly find yourself plowing through the book and I’d devoured nearly half of it before I realised what was happening, I was so engrossed in it! It’s got a real heart in it, and that’s what will make it appeal to so many people out there who love a good, fun and emotional read. I can’t tell you enough how much I loved it, there is nothing to dislike at all and if you don’t pick up a copy, then you’ll really be missing out on a superb read. Amazing!
Grace married her husband because of his children, not through true love, and now it’s coming back to bite her in a big way. Can she get out before it takes a turn for the worse? And finally, there’s Raychel who is hiding a secret past that no one else but her husband knows about. Will the other ladies be able to coax her out of her shell? All together, these women realise how much they need each other and the friendships that come with it too, and help is what they’ll need to get them through some troubling times ahead!
This is Milly Johnson’s fourth book, and it’s not a secret to say that I have looked forward to this one for absolutely ages! I first read her debut novel The Yorkshire Pudding Club a few years back, and then quickly moved onto her next book The Birds and The Bees which was just a good! Her third book A Spring Affair was also brilliant (seeing a pattern here?!) so I had very high hopes for this one, and luckily Milly hasn’t let me down again! I was so excited when I opened the parcel to discover a copy of this book and I actually started it there and then, I just couldn’t wait, and finished it a day later. I was actually up until 1am because I couldn’t bear the thought of going to sleep and not knowing how it was all going to end for everyone! I hope my review conveys just how much I adored this book, because it really does deserve a glowing review.
Immediately, I was drawn into the book because I met all the characters within the first few paragraphs, and that straight away set the scene for the book, showing us all the different characters and how they all are together before Christie is introduced into the mix. I actually expected that to happen a lot sooner but I am glad Milly makes us wait a little bit so we really get to know these characters before we start to see them change before our eyes. The book begins in April and progresses through the book until we end up in June, and I think the three month time-frame is perfect for the book and pace of the story.
I won’t go into too much detail with all of the characters because there are quite a few, and I don’t actually want to spoil anything about the book for you because it’s such a brilliant read. What I love about Milly’s books is how believable her characters are as people, and this is certainly the case in this book. My favourite character was definitely Christie, she is a breath of fresh air not only for her colleagues but for the book as a whole. She breezes through in her bright suits and really cheered me up, you just wish you had a friend like Christie! I also loved the character of Anna – she’s very self-deprecating as a lot of us women are so I could relate to her in that respect, and I enjoyed seeing her character grow throughout the book very much.
Milly has been brave in this book and created a character that is totally unexpected, and not a character you would expect to see in a chick lit book like this at all, and that is Vladimir Draq. He’s a Romanian designer that has a wonderful story with Anna, but also there is a bit of a mystery to him as well… is he a vampire? I was worried that this character would seem totally out of place in the book but I loved the whole mystery around it, and I think Milly has done a great job of integrating this storyline into the lives of these normal 5 women.
What I loved most about this book however was the emotion running right throughout it. It was funny and it made me laugh… it was sad and I felt the sadness along with the characters, and every other emotion that these people felt I felt like I did so too. Milly writes in such an easy to read way that you quickly find yourself plowing through the book and I’d devoured nearly half of it before I realised what was happening, I was so engrossed in it! It’s got a real heart in it, and that’s what will make it appeal to so many people out there who love a good, fun and emotional read. I can’t tell you enough how much I loved it, there is nothing to dislike at all and if you don’t pick up a copy, then you’ll really be missing out on a superb read. Amazing!
July 11, 2016
After several historical and crime novels, I'm in a chick-lit fun read stream (rut?!) at the moment, not wanting to strain my brain too much! And this IS a fun read, once one gets over the rather slow build-up which covers the first 50%...
Typical women's literature, it has 5 main female characters, all with interesting emotional problems which are tidily swept away one by one. Most readers could identify with at least one of them, and they are all funny and endearing in their individual ways. I had a hard time with Dawn's story though, which I felt dragged on far too long: although she seemed a lovely person with her new friends at work, when reading her bits of personal storyline I couldn't help feeling frustrated. The words "thick" and "two planks" come to mind and I wanted to slap her round the face to wake her up! But isn't that a common reaction to many chick-lit novels?
Woman power triumphs over cliché male creeps. This is a literary version of the Spice Girls!
Typical women's literature, it has 5 main female characters, all with interesting emotional problems which are tidily swept away one by one. Most readers could identify with at least one of them, and they are all funny and endearing in their individual ways. I had a hard time with Dawn's story though, which I felt dragged on far too long: although she seemed a lovely person with her new friends at work, when reading her bits of personal storyline I couldn't help feeling frustrated. The words "thick" and "two planks" come to mind and I wanted to slap her round the face to wake her up! But isn't that a common reaction to many chick-lit novels?
Woman power triumphs over cliché male creeps. This is a literary version of the Spice Girls!
September 23, 2020
Releído del 20 al 23 de septiembre de 2020.
Me ha gustado incluso más que la primera vez que lo leí.
Me ha gustado incluso más que la primera vez que lo leí.
September 25, 2016
An enjoyable, entertaining read. I find reading a book by Milly Johnson is better than having a hot fudge sundae on a hot summer's day. It's perfection without the calories. It seems once I start reading one of her books, I can't stop.
This is a story about five kind hearted women who have been dealt some very tough blows in life and need a bit of help to put the pieces back together again. I laughed, I cried, I smiled. What more could you want?
This is a story about five kind hearted women who have been dealt some very tough blows in life and need a bit of help to put the pieces back together again. I laughed, I cried, I smiled. What more could you want?
July 17, 2010
I was lucky enough to win a signed copy of this one, Milly also enclosed some confetti, a bookmark and a keyring in my prize - what a lovely person I thought, I hope the book is just as lovely. Oh, don't you just love it when you read a book by an author you haven't tried before and love love love it - and then find that she has another three novels out there that I haven't yet read?
'A Summer Fling' is Milly's fourth novel and is written with some warmth and compassion, humour and fun and a good dollop of emotion thrown in. We are introduced to the five main femaile characters almost straight away - a group of women working together in an office - they seem an ordinary sort of bunch but as Milly tells their own stories and expands their characters the reader is really drawn into their lives.
In essence, the story is about romance but also touches on some pretty hard hitting subjects including miscarriage, domestic violence and racism. There are times when I shouted out loud when reading about innocent Dawn and her 'ideal' man. Ideal? We knew that, the other characters knew that but it took an age for Dawn to realise it. There were other times when I chuckled to myself, nodded my head in agreement and actually saw my own behaviour in those women!
An added bonus for me was that fact that I actually know Barnsley and the joy of the market and the agony of searching Meadowhall for that perfect pair of shoes.
I won't go on and on about it - but just advise anyone who wants a warm. funny and romantic read to get out there and give it a go.
'A Summer Fling' is Milly's fourth novel and is written with some warmth and compassion, humour and fun and a good dollop of emotion thrown in. We are introduced to the five main femaile characters almost straight away - a group of women working together in an office - they seem an ordinary sort of bunch but as Milly tells their own stories and expands their characters the reader is really drawn into their lives.
In essence, the story is about romance but also touches on some pretty hard hitting subjects including miscarriage, domestic violence and racism. There are times when I shouted out loud when reading about innocent Dawn and her 'ideal' man. Ideal? We knew that, the other characters knew that but it took an age for Dawn to realise it. There were other times when I chuckled to myself, nodded my head in agreement and actually saw my own behaviour in those women!
An added bonus for me was that fact that I actually know Barnsley and the joy of the market and the agony of searching Meadowhall for that perfect pair of shoes.
I won't go on and on about it - but just advise anyone who wants a warm. funny and romantic read to get out there and give it a go.
August 3, 2023
When Christie joins as the new Bakery manager in the office of a national supermarket group she finds herself with a team of four women. To her surprise, despite having worked together g=for years these women are very closed off and don't seem to interact with each other, Christie will change all of that ...
Anna is approaching forty. Her boyfriend left her while she was ill in hospital, leaving a note on the kitchen table. He said there was no-one else, but Anna has seen him cosying up to his eighteen year old assistant at the barber's shop where he works. She feels old, fat, ugly, and unlovable.
Carol is in her mid-fifties. Unable to have children of her own, she married a widower with three children and loved them like they were her own. But now they have left home her life seems interminably drab and her husband treats her like a housekeeper. The only thing keeping her going is work and she has refused early retirement twice already.
Dawn is in her early twenties. She is busy planning her wedding to her boyfriend Calum. An orphan, she loves Calum's loud family, probably more than she loves him. But it seems that nothing she does is ever right for his family who accuse her of being snobby, or for Calum who accuses her of nagging.
Raychel is in her thirties. Happily married to Ben, she is the quietest of all the women. There is some secret about her and Ben, they've moved from Newcastle but seem to be forever looking over their shoulders.
Dark secrets, a brooding fashion designer, a TV show, a charming Canadian musician, family drama, this book has it all.
A lovely story weaving together four women's stories.
Anna is approaching forty. Her boyfriend left her while she was ill in hospital, leaving a note on the kitchen table. He said there was no-one else, but Anna has seen him cosying up to his eighteen year old assistant at the barber's shop where he works. She feels old, fat, ugly, and unlovable.
Carol is in her mid-fifties. Unable to have children of her own, she married a widower with three children and loved them like they were her own. But now they have left home her life seems interminably drab and her husband treats her like a housekeeper. The only thing keeping her going is work and she has refused early retirement twice already.
Dawn is in her early twenties. She is busy planning her wedding to her boyfriend Calum. An orphan, she loves Calum's loud family, probably more than she loves him. But it seems that nothing she does is ever right for his family who accuse her of being snobby, or for Calum who accuses her of nagging.
Raychel is in her thirties. Happily married to Ben, she is the quietest of all the women. There is some secret about her and Ben, they've moved from Newcastle but seem to be forever looking over their shoulders.
Dark secrets, a brooding fashion designer, a TV show, a charming Canadian musician, family drama, this book has it all.
A lovely story weaving together four women's stories.
March 6, 2022
Really enjoyed this book. Five women, starting out as colleagues, rapidly become good friends. Each of them has their own problems, initially hidden from the others, everything comes to a satisfying conclusion. Lots of comedic value as well as drama.
July 12, 2017
Planen var at gå tidligt i seng. I stedet læste jeg i to timer til sidste side var vendt <3
April 11, 2014
After reading A Spring Affair a couple of years ago, I liked it enough to want to pick up another Milly Johnson book. I found this one for sale in my local library so thought I should give it a go.
A Summer Fling doesn’t simply have one protagonist, it has five who are all brought together by dynamic new boss Christie. All of the women have something going wrong in their lives and for the most part it revolves around men. Dawn is preparing herself to be married into the family from hell. Anna is struggling to get over the fact her fiance traded her in for a much younger model. Grace is trapped in a loveless marriage for the sake of the children (who have all grown up and left home). But then there are Christie and Raychel who have much different issues.
With five different characters there are five different plots all going on at once, which isn’t as confusing as it may sound. Some plots are better developed than others; for me the best developed one was Anna’s, however the one that I was most interested in was Raychel’s (mainly because it was the only one that really surprised me). Although Grace’s took a more dramatic turn than what I was expecting. In my opinion predictable isn’t always a bad thing as in a lot of cases I’m happy, or at least satisfied, with the ending.
There’s a variety of personality with the five characters, however I did struggle to like them. Most of the women, to me, kept making excuses for being miserable with their lives and their men who were making their lives that way. They lied to each other and themselves for a majority of the book. To an extent I can understand why some of the characters do so, but most of the time it just stressed me out. I think I would have been more forgiving if it was in first person rather than third as I wouldn’t have been an outsider as much, but that is a difficult task with the varying plots. However I did like the relationship that the five women forged and it seemed very genuine. The behaviour and mannerisms of the women were quite realistic and the speech of the Crooke family painted a (not so) great image. But after a while the phrase “chuffing hell” began to grate. The use of it wasn’t necessarily excessive, it just really irritated me.
A Summer Fling was a gentle, easy read with intriguing plot lines. It’s an ideal summer/holiday read, it can hold your interest and you can’t help but get invested into the women’s lives. It just didn’t blow me away, but I don’t regret picking it up.
A Summer Fling doesn’t simply have one protagonist, it has five who are all brought together by dynamic new boss Christie. All of the women have something going wrong in their lives and for the most part it revolves around men. Dawn is preparing herself to be married into the family from hell. Anna is struggling to get over the fact her fiance traded her in for a much younger model. Grace is trapped in a loveless marriage for the sake of the children (who have all grown up and left home). But then there are Christie and Raychel who have much different issues.
With five different characters there are five different plots all going on at once, which isn’t as confusing as it may sound. Some plots are better developed than others; for me the best developed one was Anna’s, however the one that I was most interested in was Raychel’s (mainly because it was the only one that really surprised me). Although Grace’s took a more dramatic turn than what I was expecting. In my opinion predictable isn’t always a bad thing as in a lot of cases I’m happy, or at least satisfied, with the ending.
There’s a variety of personality with the five characters, however I did struggle to like them. Most of the women, to me, kept making excuses for being miserable with their lives and their men who were making their lives that way. They lied to each other and themselves for a majority of the book. To an extent I can understand why some of the characters do so, but most of the time it just stressed me out. I think I would have been more forgiving if it was in first person rather than third as I wouldn’t have been an outsider as much, but that is a difficult task with the varying plots. However I did like the relationship that the five women forged and it seemed very genuine. The behaviour and mannerisms of the women were quite realistic and the speech of the Crooke family painted a (not so) great image. But after a while the phrase “chuffing hell” began to grate. The use of it wasn’t necessarily excessive, it just really irritated me.
A Summer Fling was a gentle, easy read with intriguing plot lines. It’s an ideal summer/holiday read, it can hold your interest and you can’t help but get invested into the women’s lives. It just didn’t blow me away, but I don’t regret picking it up.
June 30, 2019
What a wonderful story. It's about four 'broken' women (coworkers) that get rescued by a lovely fairy godmother (new head of department).
They all have their own troubled past/ present in terms of family or partner. I liked that their 'issues' were all kind of similar but still individual - so no trumping of who-has-the-worst/ most-spectacular problem.
The pacing of who-gets-sorted-when was also very well timed. Not everything at once but all of them taking turns in opening up/ having a meltdown/ getting better/ whatever in a good 'flow'.
They all have their own troubled past/ present in terms of family or partner. I liked that their 'issues' were all kind of similar but still individual - so no trumping of who-has-the-worst/ most-spectacular problem.
The pacing of who-gets-sorted-when was also very well timed. Not everything at once but all of them taking turns in opening up/ having a meltdown/ getting better/ whatever in a good 'flow'.
October 1, 2012
This is the best book I have read in ages, definitely one of those can't put it down until you've finished it books. The characters were all great and developed really well over the course of the book. This is the third Milly Johnson book I've read and they've all been fantastic, but this is by far my favourite - so far! I want to jump straight into another one of hers, but don't want to read them all at once and have nothing to look forward to!
April 30, 2017
Fresca, divertida y también emotiva. Una historia en donde la amistad que surge entre estas cinco mujeres tan diversas, les ayudara a afrontar los problemas de su vida y encauzarlas hacia la felicidad. Me ha encantado y me ha tenido enganchada de principio a fin (que me haya acostado a las 3 de la mañana para terminarlo, lo corrobora).
October 25, 2016
Thoroughly enjoyed this book!
August 7, 2018
What a lovely story about women and the unbreakable bonds they create with friends! Absolutely adorable! Can't wait to read another by this author.....
September 2, 2018
3,5 stars. I was frustrated for 80% of the book: annoyed with Grace, with Dawn. I just wanted to yell at them to get a grip.
July 13, 2020
Recensione da quattro stelle e mezza
Romanzo completamente al femminile, incentrato sulla storia di cinque donne che si ritrovano a condividere lo stesso ufficio. Nel momento in cui Christie diventa il nuovo capo dipartimento della Bakery, Dawn, Grace, Anna e Raychel iniziano a vedere le colleghe sotto una prospettiva completamente diversa. Christie cerca di creare armonia fra loro, facendole aprire e cercando di farle parlare delle loro vite. Dawn è prossima al matrimonio con Callum, ma più che voler sposare lui, sembra alla ricerca disperata di una famiglia che la accolga, rimasta ormai orfana da troppo tempo. Raychel ha un mondo tutto suo che ruota solo ed esclusivamente intorno a Ben. È chiusa nella sua quotidianità perché vede tutti come una minaccia alla sua armonia, anche se sono ben altri i fantasmi che la tormentano. Grace è ormai “schiava” di un matrimonio con un uomo che non vede l’ora che lei vada in pensione per passare gli anni successivi a bordo di un camper in un posto triste e desolato. Tuttavia, lei vuole di più per sé stessa e per la sua famiglia, il cui equilibrio sembra spezzarsi a causa dell’ostinazione di suo marito. Anna, dopo l’abbandono del suo fidanzato Tony per la sua assistente diciannovenne e del suo gatto Butterfly per la vicina che lo blandisce col salmone, pensa che nella sua vita non sia rimasto più nulla per cui valga la pena lottare. Alla soglia dei quarant’anni si vede ormai condannata a una vita di solitudine e desolazione. Christie, ormai vedova del grande amore della sua vita, è convinta che per tutte loro la vita abbia in serbo di più perché le ritiene donne straordinarie. Riuscirà Christie a farle uscire dal loro guscio e a convincerle che nella loro vita meritano di meglio? Lo scoprirete solo leggendo!
“Aveva capito che, quando arrivava l’occasione di essere felice, bisognava aggrapparcisi con entrambe le mani.”
Romanzo completamente al femminile come non mi capitava da tanto. Ho trovato l’intrecciarsi delle vite di queste donne davvero interessante ed emozionante. Durante la lettura mi sono spesso immedesimata in ognuna di loro. È scritto molto bene: l’unica pecca è che all’inizio si fa un po’ fatica a prendere il ritmo con le storie delle varie protagoniste in quanto durante la narrazione si passa spesso da un soggetto all’altro. Comunque, è davvero un romanzo molto coinvolgente. Lo consiglio a tutti perché è una dolcissima storia che tratta temi femminili, a volte molto difficili; parla anche di solidarietà e amicizia profonda fra donne di età diversa, con trascorsi completamente differenti, ma segnate nel profondo dell’anima.
Tutti possiamo imparare qualcosa dalla lettura di questo romanzo quindi assegno quattro libricini e mezzo. Assolutamente consigliato!
Romanzo completamente al femminile, incentrato sulla storia di cinque donne che si ritrovano a condividere lo stesso ufficio. Nel momento in cui Christie diventa il nuovo capo dipartimento della Bakery, Dawn, Grace, Anna e Raychel iniziano a vedere le colleghe sotto una prospettiva completamente diversa. Christie cerca di creare armonia fra loro, facendole aprire e cercando di farle parlare delle loro vite. Dawn è prossima al matrimonio con Callum, ma più che voler sposare lui, sembra alla ricerca disperata di una famiglia che la accolga, rimasta ormai orfana da troppo tempo. Raychel ha un mondo tutto suo che ruota solo ed esclusivamente intorno a Ben. È chiusa nella sua quotidianità perché vede tutti come una minaccia alla sua armonia, anche se sono ben altri i fantasmi che la tormentano. Grace è ormai “schiava” di un matrimonio con un uomo che non vede l’ora che lei vada in pensione per passare gli anni successivi a bordo di un camper in un posto triste e desolato. Tuttavia, lei vuole di più per sé stessa e per la sua famiglia, il cui equilibrio sembra spezzarsi a causa dell’ostinazione di suo marito. Anna, dopo l’abbandono del suo fidanzato Tony per la sua assistente diciannovenne e del suo gatto Butterfly per la vicina che lo blandisce col salmone, pensa che nella sua vita non sia rimasto più nulla per cui valga la pena lottare. Alla soglia dei quarant’anni si vede ormai condannata a una vita di solitudine e desolazione. Christie, ormai vedova del grande amore della sua vita, è convinta che per tutte loro la vita abbia in serbo di più perché le ritiene donne straordinarie. Riuscirà Christie a farle uscire dal loro guscio e a convincerle che nella loro vita meritano di meglio? Lo scoprirete solo leggendo!
“Aveva capito che, quando arrivava l’occasione di essere felice, bisognava aggrapparcisi con entrambe le mani.”
Romanzo completamente al femminile come non mi capitava da tanto. Ho trovato l’intrecciarsi delle vite di queste donne davvero interessante ed emozionante. Durante la lettura mi sono spesso immedesimata in ognuna di loro. È scritto molto bene: l’unica pecca è che all’inizio si fa un po’ fatica a prendere il ritmo con le storie delle varie protagoniste in quanto durante la narrazione si passa spesso da un soggetto all’altro. Comunque, è davvero un romanzo molto coinvolgente. Lo consiglio a tutti perché è una dolcissima storia che tratta temi femminili, a volte molto difficili; parla anche di solidarietà e amicizia profonda fra donne di età diversa, con trascorsi completamente differenti, ma segnate nel profondo dell’anima.
Tutti possiamo imparare qualcosa dalla lettura di questo romanzo quindi assegno quattro libricini e mezzo. Assolutamente consigliato!
January 2, 2021
A bunch of strangers (women) working together for some time got a new boss (also a woman). Each of the women had their own baggage of personal problems to solve. Thanks to luck, the new boss, and support from colleagues they got their HEA at the end. The problems, that were in these stories weren't atypical, far from it, they were typical, common (unfortunately) for many women (low self-esteem, betrayal, marriage for the wrong reasons, abusive parents, overpowering need of being part of a family). Reading this book, some of the readers, I am sure, will find the strength to do the first step.
But, like Rebekah, I saw flaws. I was as much frustrated with Dawn as Rebekah. Anna's part was great for showing us how important is self-confidence, that we just need to dig it up. Her romance was lovely but it was like from a different kind of book. Raychel's past was moving, but I am not sure it fitted here (it was nice to see John and Elizabeth again, nonetheless, I don't see much point) - it would have been better if Raychel and Ben were simply a happy couple, without drama problems, it would have been an interesting counterbalance. I have no qualms regarding Grace's story - I loved it (in the meaning I appreciate the idea and how Milly Johnson resolved it). It lacked also something that could have taken my breath away, as it took with A Spring Affair, The Teashop on the Corner, The Queen of Wishful Thinking, and Sunshine Over Wildflower Cottage. Perhaps it was a lack of a hero that would have made me sigh (Al, Vladimir, Nikki, Ben were loveable but they were just needed, fitted parts, not a self/individual human being).
PS Remember, my female-friend:
It is never too late - and
You deserve to be happy.
But, like Rebekah, I saw flaws. I was as much frustrated with Dawn as Rebekah. Anna's part was great for showing us how important is self-confidence, that we just need to dig it up. Her romance was lovely but it was like from a different kind of book. Raychel's past was moving, but I am not sure it fitted here (it was nice to see John and Elizabeth again, nonetheless, I don't see much point) - it would have been better if Raychel and Ben were simply a happy couple, without drama problems, it would have been an interesting counterbalance. I have no qualms regarding Grace's story - I loved it (in the meaning I appreciate the idea and how Milly Johnson resolved it). It lacked also something that could have taken my breath away, as it took with A Spring Affair, The Teashop on the Corner, The Queen of Wishful Thinking, and Sunshine Over Wildflower Cottage. Perhaps it was a lack of a hero that would have made me sigh (Al, Vladimir, Nikki, Ben were loveable but they were just needed, fitted parts, not a self/individual human being).
PS Remember, my female-friend:
It is never too late - and
You deserve to be happy.
August 5, 2023
A star down as it wasnt as Epic a read as other Milly Johnson books i read not to say it still wasnt great.
The cons
What lost a star for me was i felt tye book spread itself among the characters too thinly, i forgot Raychel was one of the group many a time as her storyline felt lacking..
What i loved.
The friendship between the girls and how it grows, the setting and just the whole feel good vibes the book offers!
The cons
What lost a star for me was i felt tye book spread itself among the characters too thinly, i forgot Raychel was one of the group many a time as her storyline felt lacking..
What i loved.
The friendship between the girls and how it grows, the setting and just the whole feel good vibes the book offers!
August 8, 2020
Awwww what a lovely heart warming story. It was a really good read. The story surrounds Anna who is dumped by Tony, Dawn who is going to marry Calum, Raychel who is married to Ben and Grace who is married to Gordon. Further along in the story comes Christie and her brother Nik. Gordon is an absolute horror bag and isn’t very nice to his wife Grace and Calum is abit if a jack the lad. All the ladies work together and Christie comes along as a new boss. There’s many twists and turns in the story. I cried again at one part, laughed my head off at Milly’s lines, awwwed at some of the romantic bits rallied the girls on in my head. I kept picturing Gordon as looking like Hyacinth Buckets husband lol. Some good gritty parts but an all round fabulous read. It was great to catch up with Elizabeth and John Silkstone from the Yorkshire Pudding Club and Janey and Helen got a mention too. Milly Johnson is just amaze balls
November 12, 2020
Love this one, too. Milly Johnson knows how to dish out the justice. Also, so many points for female friendship!
December 15, 2025
I need to stop buying MJ books. I enjoyed the first two I read, but have been liking them less and less the more I read.
November 24, 2021
Couldn’t put this book down aswell! Love this author; and this wee series is so so good!
April 5, 2019
A very enjoyable book, well read by the narrator, would recommend it highly
April 29, 2022
Really loved this. Loved all the characters and their families. Totally pulled in to their stories and eager to learn more.
January 29, 2011
Christie Somers becomes manager of the Bakery department at White Rose Stores, and, over the course of a summer, helps to transform the lives of the four very different women who work for her. Her arrival is the catalyst for change for: Anna, left reeling when her fiance leaves her for another woman; Grace, trapped in an endless, loveless marriage without the courage to leave; Dawn, about to be married to a man that she is having doubts about; and Raychel, who hides dark secrets from her past. Can the five women develop lasting friendships and make the right choices?
This is the first novel I have read by Milly Johnson and I'm going to be upfront: I wasn't greatly enamoured. However, there are some redeeming features about the novel that I want to talk about.
The first of these is that Milly Johnson definitely has a unique voice and take on life - this is the first chick lit novel I have read that was set almost defiantly in Barnsley. Johnson clearly adores this northern town and uses it to infuse the novel with a very different flavour than those chick lit novels set in London involving glamorous women working in publishing or some such job.
Added to this, Johnson ably represents women of all ages in this novel, with is another refreshing change. We see life through the eyes of a younger woman, one who is middle-aged, and one who is nearing retirement age. This will ensure the novel has great appeal to a wide range of women.
Lastly, I really appreciated the storyline of Anna, who has found herself at forty without a man. These days, the idea that a woman is invited to take part in a makeover television show is not at all far-fetched, and I liked the way Anna was brought out of her shell over the course of the novel. Johnson's descriptions of the new lingerie and clothes that Anna modelled had me wishing I could run out and buy some of them!
Now to the problems I experienced... Although I mentioned that I liked Anna's storyline, I found Vladimir Darq an incredibly far-fetched character, with his vampiric qualities including some genuine fangs! Why is this even necessary? Anna would find a designer exotic enough, let alone one who is allegedly descended from the undead. Pfft. It felt as though this man stepped out of another novel - one perhaps aimed at teenagers? From the fact that Johnson had her characters talking about the Twilight movie, it sounds as though she has a little crush on this style of novel. I would advise her to maybe write one in that genre, and steer clear of the undead in chick lit.
I also found Raychel's subplot very redundant - the other four women sparkled off the page in their own way. Raychel was unnecessarily mysterious, and it took so long to uncover the mysteries that I found myself incredibly bored.
Johnson's "earthy" humour was, I found, also misplaced. I can see that she is trying to aim for a real northern quality to the dialogue, but it felt contrived and made me cringe on a number of occasions. A particular scene in a Thai restaurant as they perused the menu was one such occasion:
" 'Pad Prik Sod?' Anna said dryly. 'I'm not having any more pricks, thanks, I've had enough.'
'Have a Poppia Poo then!' Raychel snorted.
'Pla Kraproa!" Dawn contested, barely able to breathe for giggling.
'Wank Cum Cock,' said Anna.
'You're joking! Where's that?' said Dawn, laughing so much that the tears were running down her face.
'I made it up, you dipstick.' "
There were also a number of occasions when I found myself rolling my eyes at events within the story - such as when one of the women decides to knee a male work colleague in his private parts while at work, because she finds him distasteful... I was left in shock at the idea that a) a woman would do this in a work environment and b) she would get away scotfree because her boss also didn't like the chap. It wasn't at all realistic, and made me lower my opinion of Johnson.
I also didn't like the way she wrote some of her male characters. They really got the rough end of the stick from this author - what with adultery, stealing, assault and imprisonment as some of the many misdemeanours they commit. Sure, Johnson has obviously done this to ensure that her characters are in a rough spot at the beginning of the novel, but these women put up with SO DAMN MUCH. They were complete doormats, and I like my women showing more of a spark - even at the start of a book. The fact that they let their men get away with so much only made it harder to sympathise and connect with them.
In this novel there are some rather sweet stories hiding behind some poorly-written plotlines and misjudged humour. Fans of Katie Fforde will definitely find it to their liking, but I did not find a great deal to enjoy about A Summer Fling.
This is the first novel I have read by Milly Johnson and I'm going to be upfront: I wasn't greatly enamoured. However, there are some redeeming features about the novel that I want to talk about.
The first of these is that Milly Johnson definitely has a unique voice and take on life - this is the first chick lit novel I have read that was set almost defiantly in Barnsley. Johnson clearly adores this northern town and uses it to infuse the novel with a very different flavour than those chick lit novels set in London involving glamorous women working in publishing or some such job.
Added to this, Johnson ably represents women of all ages in this novel, with is another refreshing change. We see life through the eyes of a younger woman, one who is middle-aged, and one who is nearing retirement age. This will ensure the novel has great appeal to a wide range of women.
Lastly, I really appreciated the storyline of Anna, who has found herself at forty without a man. These days, the idea that a woman is invited to take part in a makeover television show is not at all far-fetched, and I liked the way Anna was brought out of her shell over the course of the novel. Johnson's descriptions of the new lingerie and clothes that Anna modelled had me wishing I could run out and buy some of them!
Now to the problems I experienced... Although I mentioned that I liked Anna's storyline, I found Vladimir Darq an incredibly far-fetched character, with his vampiric qualities including some genuine fangs! Why is this even necessary? Anna would find a designer exotic enough, let alone one who is allegedly descended from the undead. Pfft. It felt as though this man stepped out of another novel - one perhaps aimed at teenagers? From the fact that Johnson had her characters talking about the Twilight movie, it sounds as though she has a little crush on this style of novel. I would advise her to maybe write one in that genre, and steer clear of the undead in chick lit.
I also found Raychel's subplot very redundant - the other four women sparkled off the page in their own way. Raychel was unnecessarily mysterious, and it took so long to uncover the mysteries that I found myself incredibly bored.
Johnson's "earthy" humour was, I found, also misplaced. I can see that she is trying to aim for a real northern quality to the dialogue, but it felt contrived and made me cringe on a number of occasions. A particular scene in a Thai restaurant as they perused the menu was one such occasion:
" 'Pad Prik Sod?' Anna said dryly. 'I'm not having any more pricks, thanks, I've had enough.'
'Have a Poppia Poo then!' Raychel snorted.
'Pla Kraproa!" Dawn contested, barely able to breathe for giggling.
'Wank Cum Cock,' said Anna.
'You're joking! Where's that?' said Dawn, laughing so much that the tears were running down her face.
'I made it up, you dipstick.' "
There were also a number of occasions when I found myself rolling my eyes at events within the story - such as when one of the women decides to knee a male work colleague in his private parts while at work, because she finds him distasteful... I was left in shock at the idea that a) a woman would do this in a work environment and b) she would get away scotfree because her boss also didn't like the chap. It wasn't at all realistic, and made me lower my opinion of Johnson.
I also didn't like the way she wrote some of her male characters. They really got the rough end of the stick from this author - what with adultery, stealing, assault and imprisonment as some of the many misdemeanours they commit. Sure, Johnson has obviously done this to ensure that her characters are in a rough spot at the beginning of the novel, but these women put up with SO DAMN MUCH. They were complete doormats, and I like my women showing more of a spark - even at the start of a book. The fact that they let their men get away with so much only made it harder to sympathise and connect with them.
In this novel there are some rather sweet stories hiding behind some poorly-written plotlines and misjudged humour. Fans of Katie Fforde will definitely find it to their liking, but I did not find a great deal to enjoy about A Summer Fling.
March 9, 2019
Es de esos libros que te reconcilian con las personas. Personajes muy distintos, cada uno con sus problemas que se enfrentan a ellos para mejorar. Te pone una sonrisa en la cara
April 27, 2023
like it, but a little long
October 14, 2023
Ooh I think this has to be one of my favourite books by Milly Johnson so far! Completely gripping and the characters were so beautifully and convincingly written that they almost felt like genuine friends of mine. Loved it despite the naff front cover!
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