Book Description
1914, England. Will her decision unite her family or tear them apart?Surrounded by beautiful gardens in the glorious Sussex countryside, Summerhayes House seems like a true hidden paradise, but behind its polished floors and perfect green lawns is a family divided. The Summer family’s beloved home is under threat, and nineteen-year-old Elizabeth Summer finds herself caught in the heart of the crisis.Elizabeth’s father believes his daughter marrying well will save Summerhayes. But Elizabeth is distraught at the stifling future ahead of her. A chance meeting with green-eyed Aiden Kellaway, the handsome architect’s apprentice working on the estate’s prized gardens, changes everything. For the first time, Elizabeth pictures an entirely different life, and – despite her father’s wishes – she is determined to take hold of it.But war is brewing in Europe, and when its long shadow touches Summerhayes, Elizabeth realises her rebellion will come at a price. Desperately torn between family loyalty, society’s expectations and the bright chance at happiness she glimpsed in Aiden’s arms, she is forced to make an impossible choice.As Elizabeth’s future – and her family’s – hangs in the balance, she must ask herself, is the price worth paying? And can she live with the consequences?An unforgettable, totally gripping and heart-wrenching historical family saga. Fans of Tracy Rees, Kate Morton and Elizabeth Jane Howard will be utterly swept away by The Girl from Summerhayes.Previously published as The Buttonmaker’s Daughter.
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'The Girl From Summerhayes' by Merryn Allingham.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Merryn Allingham, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 11th January 2023.
This is the fifth book I have read by this author. It is also the first book in the 'Summerhayes House' series. I have previously read 'The Bookshop Murder', 'Murder At The Pier', 'Murder At Primrose Cottage' and 'Murder At The Priory Hotel' which are all books in Merryn's 'Flora Steele Mystery' series and all of them I highly recommend.
I was originally drawn to this book by its gorgeous eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis for this series stated that this series is 'An unforgettable, totally gripping and heart-wrenching historical family saga. Fans of Tracy Rees, Kate Morton and Elizabeth Jane Howard will be utterly swept away by The Girl from Summerhayes.!' I am a huge fan of Kate Morton so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Merryn and if this is half as good as 'The Bookshop Murder', 'Murder On The Pier', 'Murder At Primrose Cottage' and 'Murder At The Priory Hotel' (all books from Merryn's Flora Steele Mystery Series) it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of 42 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in Sussex, England 🏴, UK 🇬🇧. I always enjoy when books are set in the UK as I'm from Wales and have sometimes visited areas mentioned in the book. This makes it easier to picture where the scenes are set at times. I have in fact visited and holidayed in Sussex on many occasions including this year and next year again so am looking forward to possibly recognising name places.
This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonists is Elizabeth Summer. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.
This book was extremely well written and I do believe alot of research went into it as everything linked correctly in with the era it was set in. It is a real bug bear for me when I read a historical novel and the author hasn't done their research and gets basic information mixed up so well done Merryn!! It was very well written and I found the synopsis and the cover fitted the storyline perfectly, The descriptions were great and it really felt as if I was in the storyline along with Elizabeth and her family.
I have previously read Merryn's crime series the 'Flora Steele Mystery' which I absolutely loved so was looking forward to delving into a completely different genre by her. Of you haven't read any of the 'Flora Steele' books I would highly recommend them as they are completely addictive!!! This book is a slow burner but it becomes more and more enjoyable as the storyline continues and ends leaving you wanting more so I'm looking forward to jumping straight into the next book 'The Secrets Of Summerhayes' which is what I will be doing as soon as I have finished this review. The atmosphere and surroundings were captured perfectly and the stunning descriptions left me wandering the grounds of Summerhayes with Elizabeth. The historical aspects were intriguing especially in comparison to how we love our lives today. The book had so much going on thay once I got sucked into it there were several moments I got completely lost in the storyline forgetting I was at home in dreary Wales and not in the beautiful grounds of Summerhayes. It is filled with family, rivalry, history, friendship, war and so much more that it will leave you wanting more.
It is always worrying when starting a new series as you have no idea who the characters are. It is very important for me to bond with not only the lead protagonists but also any characters that may make repeat appearances during the series too.
I became thoroughly invested in the characters who were all strong and realistic and suited the time line. I can't say I actually liked many of them as several were just horrible but there were several that I did like and am looking forward to meeting again and others I was just glad to see the back of. I enjoyed watching the relationships change and develop between the different characters and am looking forward to seeing where they lead to in 'The Secrets of Summerhayes'. The relationships and characters were well developed and complex which made the storyline all the more intriguing. Regardless of whether you love them or hate them each of the characters played their parts perfectly to make the storyline as good as it is.
Make sure you read to the very end of the book to read the first two chapter of the next book in Merryn's 'Summerhayes House' series' which is promising to be just as good as this book and is what I am off to read next!
Overall an intriguing and delightful historical tale that leaves you wanting more.
Genres covered in this novel include Historical Fiction, Classic Coming-Of-Age Fiction, Literary Fiction, Literary Sagas, Historical European Fiction amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Tracy Rees, Kate Morton and Elizabeth Jane Howard
366 pages.
This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle, free on kindle unlimited and £8.99 in paperback (at time of review) on Amazon UK which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 4 /5 (I enjoyed it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
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The Secrets Of Summerhayes
Book Description
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.
Previously published as The Secret of Summerhayes.
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'The Secrets Of Summerhayes' by Merryn Allingham.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Merryn Allingham, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 11th January 2023.
This is the sixth book I have read by this author. It is also the first book in the 'Summerhayes House' series. I have previously read 'The Bookshop Murder', 'Murder At The Pier', 'Murder At Primrose Cottage' and 'Murder At The Priory Hotel' which are all books in Merryn's 'Flora Steele Mystery' series. I have also read the first book in this series 'A Girl From Summerhayes' and all of them I highly recommend.
I was originally drawn to this book by its gorgeous eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is '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'. I am a huge fan of Kate Morton so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Merryn and if this is half as good as 'The Bookshop Murder', 'Murder On The Pier', 'Murder At Primrose Cottage' and 'Murder At The Priory Hotel' (all books from Merryn's Flora Steele Mystery Series) and 'The Girl From Summerhayes' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of 35 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in Sussex, England 🏴, UK 🇬🇧. I always enjoy when books are set in the UK as I'm from Wales and have sometimes visited areas mentioned in the book. This makes it easier to picture where the scenes are set at times. I have in fact visited and holidayed in Sussex on many occasions including this year and next year again so am looking forward to possibly recognising name places.
This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonists are Bethany Merston and Lieutenant Jos Kerrigan. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.
This book was extremely well written and I do believe alot of research went into it as everything linked correctly in with the era it was set in. It is a real bug bear for me when I read a historical novel and the author hasn't done their research and gets basic information mixed up so well done Merryn!! It was very well written and I found the synopsis and the cover fitted the storyline perfectly, The descriptions were great and it really felt as if I was in the storyline along with Elizabeth and her family.
I have previously read Merryn's crime series the 'Flora Steele Mystery' which I absolutely loved along with the first book in this series 'The Girl From Summerhayes' so was looking forward to continuing with this intriguing series. If you haven't read any of the 'Flora Steele' books I would highly recommend them as they are completely addictive!!! This book is faster paced than 'The Girl From Summerhayes' which I was pleased with. I also found there was alot more of Merryn's talent of writing mystery shining through in this book. This second book in this series is set thirty years after 'The Girl From Summerhayes' and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing where everyone ended up after the last page of the first book. The atmosphere and surroundings were captured perfectly and the descriptions left me wandering the grounds of Summerhayes. However, sadly they are not the beautiful grounds of 'Summerhayes Hoise' that we discovered in 'The Girl From Summerhayes' after the Canadian army has set up there and it has now become a crumbling Manor. It was heartbreaking to read how the house has declined since the first book but at the same time it was interesting to see how everything had changed. The historical aspects were intriguing especially in comparison to how we live our lives today. I was fascinated with reading about the preparations by the villagers for D-day and at times I became completely lost in the past. The book had so much going on thay once I got sucked into it there were several moments I got completely lost in the storyline forgetting I was at home in dreary Wales and not in the grounds of Summerhayes and Sussex. It is filled with family, romance, mystery, suspense, secrets, history, friendship, war and so much more. I must say that I enjoyed the second book more than the first book and I tbelieve that is because there is more mystery, tension and suspense in this one. Another beautifully woven story from the very talented Meredith that took me by surprise at the end.
Although this is the second book in the series I had would have had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader. I would however recommend reading 'The Girl From Summerhayes' prior to this one.
I enjoyed meeting some of the characters from 'The Girl From Summerhayes' again along with several new characters. I had become thoroughly invested in the characters from 'The Girl From Summerhayes' so really enjoyed continuing their storyline in this book and seeing what happened next. The characters in this book were all strong and realistic and suited the time line. As with the first book there were some characters that I can't say I actually but there were some that I did like from the first book on this series as well as many new characters that I met along this journey. I enjoyed watching the relationships change and develop between the different characters. The relationships and characters were well developed and complex which made the storyline all the more intriguing. Regardless of whether you love them or hate them each of the characters played their parts perfectly to make the storyline as enjoyable as it is.
Make sure you read to the very end of the book to read the first two chapter of the first book in this series Merryn's 'The Girl From Summerhayes House' which I read before this one and really enjoyed so would definitely recommend reading if not before then after this one.
Overall an intriguing and delightful historical tale filled with mystery, suspense and romance that leaves you wanting more.
Genres covered in this novel include Historical Fiction, Classic Coming-Of-Age Fiction, Literary Fiction, Literary Sagas, Historical European Fiction amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Tracy Rees, Kate Morton and Elizabeth Jane Howard
369 pages.
This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle, free on kindle unlimited and £3.84 in paperback (at time of review) on Amazon UK which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 4 /5 (I enjoyed it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#TheSecretsOfSummerHayes #SummerhayesHouse #Bookouture #MerrynAllingham #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour #Goodreads #Amazon #AmazonKindle #Bookstagram #Bookblogger #KindleUnlimited
@TheSecretsOfSummerhayes @SummerhayesHouse @MerrynAllingham @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86 @Goodreads @Netgalley @Amazon @AmazonKindle @Bookstagram @BookBlogger @KindleUnlimited
Author Bio
Merryn taught university literature for many years, and it took a while to pluck up the courage to begin writing herself. Bringing the past to life is a passion and her historical fiction includes Regency romances, wartime sagas and timeslip novels, all of which have a mystery at their heart. As the books have grown darker, it was only a matter of time before she plunged into crime with a cosy crime series set in rural Sussex against the fascinating backdrop of the 1950s.
Merryn lives in a beautiful old town in Sussex with her husband. When she’s not writing, she tries to keep fit with adult ballet classes and plenty of walking.
Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Merryn Allingham here: https://www.bookouture.com/merryn-allingham
Purchase Links
The Girl from Summerhayes:
Amazon : https://geni.us/B0BMW2YNL8social
The Secrets of Summerhayes:
Amazon : https://geni.us/B0BMW3WC6Fsocial
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