This book is the beginning of a new series and a good start for the direction it will take.

Based in a pretty sounding seaside town with a close knit community.

An easy read with some likeable characters which will be fun to get to know more about.

A party to honor D-Day vets? Yes, please!

There's something so comforting about the titles in the One More Chapter line, and The Great Summer Street Party: Sunshine and Cider Cake is no exception. It's the perfect lazy Sunday afternoon read, full of charming characters and a breezy storyline. And give me anything with a history teacher in it (I was one!). I'll definitely be on the lookout for the other volumes in this series.

A special thank you to the publisher for inviting me to read this through Netgalley in exchange for a review.

This proved to be such a lovely inbetween read - a light and refreshing sweet tale that provided a perfect balance of history and romance in a wonderful English coastal community. It must be stated from the outset that this is the first book in a new series for Georgia and it is definitely ‘Part 1’.

‘The escape Berecombe afforded was gradually eroding the brittle façade she’d constructed in order to face the world. She was beginning to relax.’

The Great Summer Street Party is an interesting mix of past and present. The tale of Ashley’s accident is very much front and centre with her moving to the coastal community for rehabilitation and a redirection in life. She quickly becomes involved in projects and with the locals, including a visiting American history lecturer. Tales of the past are told through reminiscing or letters and I found this aspect of the story very engaging - but very open ended. Herein lies my problem.

‘I think I want–wanted–the fairy-tale.’ ‘Fairy-tales are hard to come by, love.’ ‘I know. Doesn’t stop you wanting them, though.’

This is very much ‘Part 1’ as stated in the book title. To get a complete story you will, I assume, have to read all three expected parts. Both the contemporary and historical tales are left very open by the conclusion. This book appeared more of an introduction to the characters and their backstories. I found the historical romance tales more engaging with the contemporary romance a bit too ‘insta-love’ for me and very quickly addressed.

Overall this is a quick and enjoyable read with final resolutions to come with the next instalments. Readers who enjoy an easygoing romance in a lively local community are sure to sign up for this new series.

‘In my considerable experience, as soon as you decide what you want to do in life, it always throws you a curve ball, making you re-think it all over again. Live for today is my advice, maybe next week at a stretch.’









This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

I would firstly just like to say a big thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for very kindly forwarding me an arc copy of this book, for my Kindle, in return for my honest review.

This book was a great start to the series and I thoroughly enjoyed it all. There was a great mix of fun, friendship, romance, sun and sea and it was a wonderful and sweet read.
Ashley comes to the seaside to try and recover from a nasty car accident but along the way she finds herself entangled in a love triangle!!
The characters were all wonderful and I found myself warming to them all.
The sense of community was lovely and this all contributed to a very binge worthy read.

I loved this book, it was such a lovely read and I found a new favourite author!
I became immersed in Ashley’s new life in Berecombe and enjoyed meeting all the different residents, especially Eddie the visiting American lecturer. I totally understood why Ashley was attracted to him, but also why she was hesitant to start a relationship before getting to know him properly.
Whilst deciding what she wants to do with her time in Berecombe, Ashley organised a funeral for one of the former nursing home residents, showing what a wonderful community spirit the seaside town had.
Of course in any romance it’s not all plain sailing. There was awkward almost kisses, secrets almost revealed, complete misunderstandings, plus a huge bombshell, leaving this part of the story on a massive cliffhanger. So of course I had to pre-order parts two and three to find out what’s going to happen next!
Highly recommended if you’re looking for a fab romance!

Well, I loved my time spent in Berecombe on the coast of Lyme Bay with former art teacher, Ashley Lyddon! Having read Millie Vanilla’s Cupcake Café by Georgia Hill I fully expected to enjoy The Great Summer Street Party Part 1: Sunshine and Cider Cake, too. The story had a natural flow, the characters were likeable and the story was engrossing. Ashley had been in a bad car accident, sustaining terrible injuries resulting in leaving her job. She is in Berecombe following her recuperation and as a break for her parents who have been helping her, hoping to settle into a new life chapter. Preparations are being made to celebrate 75 years of D-Day and the town shall do it in style. A delightful concoction of romance and historical fiction, I'm already looking forward to GIs and Ginger Beer (The Great Summer Street Party - book 2).

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from One More Chapter via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

An absolutely wonderful feel good read. I loved reading about all the characters. It was a beautifully written story which kept me captivated from beginning to end. Berecome sounded like a lovey place to live with so many different characters of all ages who were both friendly and helpful.. I am looking forward to reading the next in the series.

After chapter 1 I already knew this was going to be the kind of book I enjoy reading. I like the writing and athmosphere. Ahsley lives in a small village where everyone knows each other. Ashley is new and I like how she becomes part of the community. The stories about the past are enjoyable to read. The romance is an instant love kind which I am not too fond off. They hardly know each other. Hopefully in the next book they will take some time for that. I'm looking forward to the next book

This is the first book I've read by Georgia Hill and I thoroughly enjoyed her easy-to-read writing style. The Great Summer Street Party is the perfect mix of history, romance, sunshine and escapism.

The characters are well developed and very likeable and the setting is idyllic.

A very warming, light-hearted and cosy read - definitely recommended and I am looking forward to the next in the series.

Entertaining and well written, I had fun and can't wait to read the second part.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Such a mixed book for me, I loved the stories regarding the war but I found the romance side lacking

I loved this read, it was so sweet and such a lovely light pick me up. This is a the first in a new series, with wonderful and relatable characters, a great setting, community, friendships seaside and most importantly cake ! I read this in one sitting it’s such a good read and I highly recommend this for a big smile

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Ashley has arrived in the seaside village of Berecombe because she can stay in the independent flat of the house her cousin Noah is renting and have some independence while she continues to recover from a serious road accident. First meeting American Eddie when she has a panic attack hearing a car crash behind her as she paints on the front, she realises that everyone meets everyone in a small town, as she encounters him time and time again. Most importantly, he's a kind man. Hooray!

Noah is running a memory project and much more for the local museum, gathering surviving people who experienced D-Day and even getting some American veterans over. He's nearly subsumed under a wave of rather terrifying older women, but they have their kindnesses to offer, too. Ashley gets involved in publicising the plight of a local veteran who might not have anyone to attend his funeral, and meets some great connections of his as well as realising that he led a good and loved life even though he had a facial difference after Dunkirk and this and her community involvement help her to heal and grow. She becomes closer to Eddie but he seems reticent about something going on back at home ...

My full review on my blog https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2022/02/07/book-reviews-richard-osman-the-man-who-died-twice-and-georgia-hill-the-great-summer-street-party-pt-1/

After being seriously injured in a car accident, Ashley accepts an invitation to join her cousin in Devon to help organise the Berecombe D-Day anniversary party. As she tries to start her painting again, she meets mysterious American Eddie McQueen. As the attraction grows between the two, Ashley starts to wonder about Eddie’s secrets.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Great Summer Party, although it is definitely a ‘Part 1’ as the story didn’t really end, with many strands left open. I’m not a great fan of waiting for the next instalment to find out how things develop (and I’m certainly hoping that things are resolved before the end of Part 3!) but overall it’s a fun story with plenty to keep the interest going. I also hope that Ruby comes back into the story at some point, as she was a great character, and the formidable Biddy, with Elvis the poodle in tow, is another wonderful character, whose back story could probably fill a book on its own!

An enjoyable read, as part of a series rather than a standalone story.

It was just ok. I can’t say that it was my “type” of book. The characters are fairly likeable but the love story moves so quick, it doesn’t feel real or believable. It’s an overall easy book to follow but just not my cup of tea.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Ashley is in need of a change. She decides to move to a small town to recover. While their she grows to like the people who live there. This book was a quick read.

It's great to be back in Berecombe although having read "The Little Book Cafe" a while ago I couldn't quite remember all the residents which was a shame. But I did instantly remember the picturesque seaside town, the adorable bookshop and cafe, and the warm-hearted community spirit. Once again I loved the author's writing style too - contemporary yet sweet and wholesome too. My only criticism is that as part one of a bigger story it was over all too soon.

This promises to be a delightful series. Berecome-by-Sea is getting ready to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the D Day landings, and this story introduces so lovely new characters and some well-loved favourites.

Ashley is in Berecome, trying to heal and make a new start after a horrific car accident changed her life. Noah, her cousin, is organising the anniversary celebrations. They have a believable connection. Eddie is visiting the town to discover more about his Grandfather and is teaching at the local college. Ashley and Eddie's first meeting shows how the accident affected her and his innate kindness. The chemistry between them is tangible, and there is the possibility of romance. Biddy and Beryl add humour to the mix, and there is a host of other characters to make this an uplifting read.

I love the gentle romance and supportive friendships in this first book of the series.

I received a copy of this book from One More Chapter via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This one gets 3.5 stars. It's very middle of the road when it comes to the story itself and I'm kind of mad that it doesn't have a totally definitive ending, which I shouldn't complain about because the title tells you right off that it's Part 1.
Ashley is an interesting character and I love every single one of her interactions with her cousin and the people of Berecombe-by-the-Sea. Her story of moving to a new place to figure out her life after a terrible accident is downright inspiring and extremely believable in that she works hard to figure out what she wants.
My main complaint comes from her relationship with Eddie. They spend mere moments together but they're sure they're meant to be together? I just didn't see enough interactions and justification for their relationship to be mere infatuation.
Overall, it's a sweet read that flies by and entertains.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for the read!

It was with fond memories of our street party held to commemorate the Queen’s silver jubilee in 1977, that I delved into this book. I remember that as a child, it was such a momentous event and so I looked forward to the author capturing some of that 1970s magic and bringing back memories for me.
I liked the characters in the book immensely, and will admit to chuckling out loud at the thought of gentle Noah being ‘terrified’ by the fearsome Biddy. I empathised with Ashley, and having grown up by the seaside, I related to her never tiring of the sea. I also loved the sense of community in the book, epitomised by Biddy, who seemed to have taken control of arranging the street party to commemorate D-Day with a slightly ironic military precision.

I grew up in Dorset and so I loved the familiarity of the fictitious town of Berecombe, with its echoes of Lime Regis.

Despite not having read any of the author’s previous books set in Berecombe, I felt that this book stood its ground as a standalone read and if anything, it encouraged me to look out for the other books based in the town .

I felt for Ashley, as she continued on her path to recovery, but couldn’t think of a nicer spot in which to stay, in order to facilitate that recovery. We didn’t get a huge amount of information about Ashley’s accident initially, but judging by her reaction to hearing two cars prang, it must have been traumatic – although that seems like a bit of an understatement, when you are recovering from having been in a serious car crash.

I enjoyed Ashley’s encounters with Eddie, the social history expert, and found myself hoping that some kind of relationship might start to germinate between the pair.

As the book progressed, it felt to me as though Berecombe and its inhabitants were playing a huge role in Ashley’s healing process, and that felt good. I felt positively overwhelmed by the tight-knit sense of community that was so apparent within the small town.

I don’t know about sunshine and cider cake, but I can say unequivocally that this book made me feel good – warm and gooey inside, a bit like when you drink hot chocolate, accompanied by a tasty, excessively creamy and sugary slice of cake on a cold morning.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and my interest in the outcomes of these wondrous, realistic characters grew exponentially, the more that I read, and I found myself frantically reaching out for the next instalments in this great series.