I have been a huge Sue Watson fan for a long time now and once I had finished reading this book I actually pondered over exactly what it is about her books that make them so special. It comes down to the fundamentals, which for me is the characters. Yes she has amazing ability as a storyteller and creates wonderful tales that will keep you entertained, but what does she do differently that others maybe don't? Characters....that's what! All of Sue's books have a wonderful laugh out loud quality to them but most of this is instilled in each character and none more so than this latest book Ella's Ice Cream.

Ella is feeling like her life has stalled. She has two children ready to fly the nest on gap years and a seventy something Mother who seems more at ease with technology than she could ever be. Then there is the smarmy ex-husband Dick who is currently shacked up in Spain with his boss. When Ella discovers that her aunt has left her a share of her Ice Cream business down in Appledore she is taken aback. Appledore is a place that holds fond memories for her as a child, however a family rift stops her from delving too far into the past. Ella takes the bull by the horns and makes her way to Appledore against her Mothers wishes.

As much as I adored Ella, the star of the show for me was her mother Roberta! I literally fell in love with the Mother who is obsessed with Mob Wives and sexting! With Italian roots, some of the scenes that I read involving Roberta had me laughing out loud. I could literally picture some of the scenes unravelling in front of my very eyes and I felt like I was sitting on the beach at Appledore observing this crazily lovable family. The fact that there is another book coming made me jump for joy and I cannot wait to get started on it.

This book is an absolute corker and a joy to read from start to finish. Sue Watson has produced a wonderful book that I think everybody would enjoy. I cannot recommend this author highly enough and think that more people need to discover the pure joy of her books. An outstanding book that is an absolute must for your Summer Holidays!

This is the first book by this author that I have read. I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review. With that being said, I would say I enjoyed this book. The author wrote this book in UK lingo. So some of the words I was a little unclear of the meaning. I love reading books like that though. This book was warm and heart felt. The lead character of the story Ella has a lot on her plate. Her children are grown and going off to new adventures, her mother lives with her, her ex-husband is a pain and she inherits an ice cream truck. Ella decides she wants a new take on life and packs up and moves to run the ice cream truck and have a stress free summer. There is a big mystery to unravel. This book tells of love, heart break, family feuds and joy. The book is well written and flows well, even though I found it a tiny bit slow. The characters have very deep meaning and souls. The sex scenes are not raunchy but rather a PG_13 style. They leave some imagination to it. I definitely would read more from this author. I would recommend this book to the cozy reader. I give it 4 stars.

A frothy, sweet, enjoyable gulp of a story that will leave you craving for ice cream eaten on a sunny beach. Ella is a really empathetic character and I loved the fact that the whole story doesn't hang on her 'getting her man'! Several actual giggling out loud moments made this book a really 'cheer me up read', I loved it.

I really enjoyed Ella's Ice Cream Summer.

It follows the story of Ella, a single mother whose children are about to fly the best leaving just her and her mother in Manchester.

Sadly her beloved aunt has died and after attending the funeral alone in Devon, she finds out her aunt has left her a part of her business. Ella has many fond memories of visiting the ice cream cafe hoping to relive childhood adventures and make a success of the business. But it seems that it's not all plain sailing and there are family secrets still to be unearthed.

This book is well written and I found all the characters to be likeable. It's an easy read that you can find yourself getting lost in. It's the first book I've read by this author and I look forward to reading more of her work.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Sue Watson for the chance to review.

A hilarious romance that had me laughing out loud. The book is well written with a plot and characters that I loved.

Such a lovely story I must say that i was totally sold once I had seen the cover. This is the perfect summery read and I managed to read it on a beach (and trying not to eat lots of ice cream!)

I loved that this story was all about how it's never too late to follow your dreams and make changes.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for an arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hold your breath and dive right in.... to a fantastic laugh out loud story. Ella's life is falling apart but she find her heart and her home in a new place, with her Italian mob mother by her side. Fantastically story that just draws you in, well rounded characters that truely do make you laugh and cry with them. I couldn't put the book down when I started reading as I needed to know the family secrets! Pour your self a glass of wine or get a large bowl of ice cream and dive right in you won't regret it.

Did not find this interesting and it didn't turn out to be what I thought I was going to read.

Review: I loved this book. It is full of family, friendship, love, hope, summer and of course ice-cream. This is the first of Sue Watson's books I have read and now I can't wait to read more.

The story is beautifully written. It is about an Italian family who have a secret hidden in the past. This has affected how Ella and her family live their lives. When things go from bad to worse it is time to start again and live life to the full. As you can imagine there are obstacles to overcome (No giveaways here sorry) but with help from a handsome man and surprising her family Ella gives her new life a real good go.

I loved Ella's mum she is crazy and some of the things she gets up to with help from her grandchildren is laugh out loud funny. The comedy parts of this book are written just perfectly such as skill for any writer to get right and Sue has done it. It really adds spark to her story. As the relationship between Ella and Ben develops you find yourself hoping and wondering and really rooting for them. How the book ends is great and I cannot wait for Sue's next book out to hear more.

I love everything there is about this book. The plot, the characters, the setting. From start to finish, I am hooked. The story is very predictable. Like, when everything was revealed, it didn’t come out as a surprise anymore because I pretty much guess about it early on. It is just a matter of when the secrets will be revealed to Ella and how will she react to it. But even so, it didn’t take away the fondness I feel towards this book.

Ella’s Ice-Cream Summer is a delicious, well-written story of a middle age woman whose life is starting to fall apart but managed to live her dreams with her positive attitude and sheer determination. A simple yet charming story about family secrets with crazy fun members, mixed in with a bit of romance and a hint of mystery. It’s a tale about how it is never too late to follow one’s dream. A feel-good read and a laugh out loud book that will surely make you crave for ice-cream and will leave a smile on your face after. Obviously, I love this book and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

When Ella gets the opportunity to return to Appledore in Devon she jumps at the chance, her Aunt Sophia has just passed away and left her a part of her ice cream business. Ella used to spend the summer in Appledore with her cousin Gina until one day the visits abruptly stopped. Ella’s mum Roberta and Sophia have not spoken for years and Ella wants to find out why.

With Ella’s two children going overseas she feels now is the time to make the move for the summer to Devon and get her inheritance, an old ice cream van up and running. She meets solicitor Ben who helps her get the business off the ground and a nice romance between the two forms.

This book is about the secrets of the past and the way they impact the present and the future, it had some wonderful characters, romance, humour, a delightful fashion forward dog and Ella’s mum Roberta who was funny and loving. An excellent story with the promise of another soon.

An ideal beach read. I loved the characters, they all worked brilliantly together.

A tale of love, friendships and feuds set by the seaside and with copious amounts of ice cream.

Glorious.

Ella's Ice-Cream Summer is a fab book.
After the death of her aunt Sophia, Ella is left something in her aunts will is it a portion of the ice cream cafe in Devon alongside her cousin Gina? No it's the Caprioni ice cream van. Ella decides to make the ice creams just like her aunt used to and sell them in the van. After a few weeks her mum decides to visit but after staying away from Devon all those years, falling out with her sister what has made her decide to go now? Is she hiding any secrets? I guessed early on what would happen but that didn't put me off I just had to keep on reading I loved this book. Great feel good book for reading while on holiday or sitting in the garden in the sunshine.

This was a very enjoyable read about second chances at life. Ella is the main breadwinner in her family, which includes her Mum and her two children. The two children are just about to go off into the world and do their own thing - traveling/university - and Ella is feeling at a bit of a loose end now. Then she loses her job and her aunt dies and leaves her an old ice-cream van in her will and Ella's whole life changes.

There is a mystery going on in the background throughout the whole story too as her Mum had completely disowned her sister and so wouldn't go to her funeral. She kept asking Ella not to go to Appledore in Devon, where the funeral/van etc. were, telling her it was best to not get involved and kept telling her not to listen to anybody. She especially didn't like Ella's cousin and had nothing good to say about her, which Ella got a bit fed up with - I did too to be honest! - especially as she wouldn't explain why they had fallen out. Ella had no idea what she was talking about, although of course it all became clear in the end.

There is a slow-burning romance going on too with Ben, her solicitor, who sounds a lovely laid back guy. Very funny in places and definitely leaves you waiting for the next book as there are a few loose ends which I hope are followed up on.

I love books like this - easy to read, a good sturdy storyline and likeable characters, a bit of romance but with a wee twist thrown in for good measure. Having read quite a few of the author's previous books I knew what to expect from her. The stories she produces are great for reading during a relaxing holiday, or at the weekend when you have a few spare hours.

Ella is a lovely character who deserves happiness. She is left a rather unusual when her aunt passes away, but is absolutely thrilled with it regardless. Memories of long lost weekends at the beach come flooding back and Ella finds herself desperate to try and recapture some of her youth. Chasing her dreams she finds herself living a life she didn't think she could, with new friends and old. Along the way she discovers a lot about herself, and her past, and unearths a long hidden secret.

I loved the character of Roberta with her constant misuse of common phrases. She is what everyone wishes their grandmother could be like I reckon. There were a few moments I wish had been resolved better, but for the story to be what it is I totally understand why the author wrote it the way she did.

A great summer read for lovers of simple stories with a twist. Huge thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for providing a copy.

4.5 Stars

Beware! While reading this book you will get major cravings for ice-cream of all sorts of flavours and depending on which page you are reading, you may end up snorting that ice-cream through your nose, as you are laughing at the fabulousness of the story!

This book is vintage Sue Watson, its fab, fun, food related, has characters that are relatable too, pretty setting of Appledore, Devon and has a great summer feel to the story.

Within the first few pages I was laughing, just at Ella's mums' various internet antics, including mistaking Dame Jude Dench for Donald Trump on twitter, and believing that sexting and texting are the same thing, and that is just the tip of the iceberg!

There is a bit of a mystery element to the story, as Ella's family has a rift and even with her Aunt Sofia's death, her mum is still unable to let go of the past, and is adamant that Ella shouldn't go to Appledore for the funeral, or to even contemplate taking on any part of Sofia;s ice-cream empire. Unfortunately I had an inkling very early on, refined it slightly as the story progressed and was correct, although I didn't predict all the specifics. I did though thoroughly enjoy the story surrounding the family rift, and seeing Roberta, Ella's mum, and Gina, Ella's cousin exchange insults was hilarious.

Ella has two grown up children who are off on their own summer adventures, and Ella decides she will spend her summer with Reginaldo, the ice-cream truck she inherits, along the beaches of Appledore. She also meets Ben who is the best lawyer I've read about for years, I loved this guy!

I loved the setting of Appledore, and all of the various ideas Ella has for the ice-cream truck. I found myself becoming very hungry while reading, and despite having an ice-cream to hand, by the time I remembered to eat it as I was so engrossed in the writing it had melted!

The interactions of the characters were really enjoyable to read, and I just wished I could swap places with Ella and have a summer in Appledore for myself.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Loved this, my kindle went flat half way thru reading and I was biting at the teeth to get back to it. Cannot wait for the next instalment x

This is not normally the kind of read I go for. The cover is what drew my attention first, with its beautiful colours and that summery beach feel. And really, who can deny the lure of ice-cream? It promised to be a feel-good story with chuckles a plenty and after a particularly crappy week, I desperately needed something maybe a little light-hearted. Since I'd never read anything by this author before, I was pleasantly surprised and not at all disappointed.

Ella's in a bit of a slump. Her life didn't exactly pan out the way she thought it would have. She's a divorced mother of two sullen teenagers and if that wasn't bad enough, her mother moved in for what was to be a temporary solution, but is making no moves to leave. Then Ella's aunt passes away and leaves Ella a portion of her ice-cream business in Appledore, a place Ella has very fond memories of. You'll have to discover yourself what happens next.

Yes, there are some chuckle moments. There are even some laugh-out-loud moments. Ella's mother, Roberta, for instance, is an absolute hoot! But at the base of the story is a family secret that's quite heartbreaking which will reveal itself as Ella tries to get her life back on track.

Of course there's also a dash of romance which is also not something I normally go for. Not a romantic bone in my body, me. I'll take a grisly murder scene over a smooching session any time. However, I found myself being completely swept away by the blossoming relationship in Ella's life.

This book came at the perfect time for me. It made me a little emotional, it made me smile, it made me laugh and if offered me the escape I needed. I'm looking forward to the second book in this series!

I really enjoyed reading this book! Once I got into the story I couldn't put the book down. From the front cover of ice cream and summer beaches I was transported to Devon and all the wonderful characters in the book who became my friends.
I thought Ella was a beautiful mother and I could relate to her story of always being there for her family always putting them before herself!! I could actually see my own mum in Roberta(Ella's mum) with her texting and Facebook adventures had me giggling.

This beautifully told story really explored families and their relationships in a feel good way. The added twist in the plot added to the story and it was thought provoking,A delicious book a must read. Can't wait for your next book Ella Watson

This is a lovely, summery book. I got into it straight away, loved all the characters, and really enjoyed the story. Ella's summer where everything changes for her is a feel good, interesting read, and the bit of intrigue about what has happened in her family history adds another dimension. The descriptions of ice creams are mouth watering, and there's even some recipes at the end of the book. Really a great book to get you in the mood for summer.