"The secrets of Summer House are about to come out at last..."


Several of my fellow bloggers have been commenting about just how much they are craving 'comfort' stories right now. My schedule has been so full of WWII stories full of sadness and death, and rather deep and dark thrillers, that I didn't fully appreciate what those readers meant, until I read this lovely story. I finished The Secrets Of Summer House in just a couple of sittings, although I feel sure that if I had been able to secure a dedicated 'bibliotherapy' session (yes! that really is a word), I could have safely powered through it in a day, whilst still enjoying an easy, leisurely read.

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So let's get down to a potted version of the storyline first, although the premise really does already include 'spoilers'...

Cambridge students Alice and Tristan, meet by accident and against all the barriers of their diverse 'no-money', 'new-money' backgrounds, fall in love at first sight. Without the blessing of Tristan's family, the couple get married and Alice immediately falls pregnant. Life is almost perfect, until a cruel twist of fate leaves a totally devastated and inconsolable Alice alone with a new baby. Unable to cope and convinced that running away is the only solution to her emotional torment, Alice reluctantly leaves baby Olivia to be raised by Tristan's parents, Mary and Henry in 'Summer House', unaware of the lies and untruths with which they will fill the child's mind in the years to come.

Fast forward forty years and Olivia is now married with a teenage son of her own, when she receives news that grandmother Mary has passed away, leaving an envelope for her granddaughter containing three photographs, which will turn her whole world and that of her husband Jacob, upside down. It turns out that by a cruel, yet ultimately happy, twist of fate and circumstance, Jacob's father Caleb, holds the key which will begin to unlock this Pandora's box of secrets, beginning with an emotional reunion between Olivia and her mother's closest friend from their days at Cambridge, who opens Olivia's eyes to the duplicity of her grandparents and the secrets they had kept from her, right up until their dying days.

The many pieces of the jigsaw begin to fit together, as long forgotten childhood memories surface for Olivia with the discovery of some hidden letters, which she and Jacob find whilst clearing out Summer House, following Mary's funeral. For Olivia in particular, there are many moments of deep distress and sorrow, as the fragments of a life she never knew are laid out before her. But after all the lies which have already shrouded her past and with the increasingly fractured relationship she has with Jacob, which she desperately wants to put right, Olivia lays out the many strands of her story to Jacob and their son Nicholas, so that they can decide as a family unit, what steps if any, they want to take to bring about closure, before making any firm decisions about the future of Summer House itself.

Will the next few months, which pass in a blur for the three of them and includes a reunion trip to the other side of the world, a complete change in the way and pace of life on their return, and an unexpected happy event to look forward to in the not too distant future, bring about the happy ever after endings and new beginnings they seek?

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This intriguing, atmospheric and immersive, multi-layered storyline, is well structured in short, easy to navigate chapters and narrated alternately and seamlessly, between the dual timelines of the late 1970s and 2018. It deals with so many issues from class disparity and family dynamics, to post natal depression (referred to as simply 'baby blues' back in the 1970s) and the fragility of the human mind; from the trauma of grief and the long term effects it can have on mental health, to abandonment and the realisation that everything you have ever been brought up to believe, is in fact, based on lies and half truths. There are several unexpected intense and emotional twists in this highly textured storyline, which is perceptive, intuitive, often raw and passionate, profoundly touching and lovingly written from the heart. The assured observational and descriptive narrative, together with some excellent conversational dialogue, also offers a genuine sense of time and place, only adding to the interest and intrigue.

A well defined cast of characters, definitely own this storyline, making it their own, albeit that there was scope for one or two of them to have been more fully and deeply developed. They were all quite a complex and emotional bunch, which often made them appear unreliable and rather vulnerable, thus making them difficult to connect with on many levels. However they were genuine, believable and authentic to the roles created for them by the author.

Although I find 'star rating' a book to be a very subjective exercise, I did mark this one down slightly, the reason being, that for me personally, the premise gave too much away, the Antipodean segment felt slightly rushed and I really don't think I could have been quite so understanding with Alice, had I been Olivia.

However, I really enjoyed author Rachel Burton's fluent style of writing and as this is the first of her seven books to date I have read, I shall most definitely be adding some of her previously published stories into my schedule.

Loved it and would give the book 4.5 stars. So many secrets were hidden in Summer House. I loved how the book alternated between Alice and Tristan in the past and Olivia and her family in the present. I felt like I really got to know the characters and was right there with them. I definitely have mixed feelings about Alice. She was so concerned about raising Olivia the way Tristan wanted to, but ends up doing the exact opposite. Would she really just abandon her child? How would she expect Olivia to contact her? She never gave any forwarding addresses. I guess through the miracle of google, everyone can be found. Olivia had a wonderful life with her grandparents. They realized the mistakes they made with their son and changed the way they raised their granddaughter. I can understand why they lied to Olivia about her mother. What do you tell a child when their mom just disappears? Alice abandoned her daughter. There is no way to sugar coat it. Alice always knew how to contact Olivia, but she never put any effort in to it. I understand that she suffered a great loss with the death of her husband BUT she had a daughter who needed her. This was a beautiful story full of love, forgiveness, family, many secrets and so much more.

Definitely recommend the book. Loved the characters, story and writing style. I couldn't put the book down, I wanted to find out the mystery of what happened to Alice. This was the first book I read by the author and I look forward to reading more. Loved the cover of the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Head of Zeus through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I found it difficult to keep all the characters straight at first in this dual timeline story, but overall, this was a great read. Long-kept family secrets are brought to light when Olivia Somers finds a bundle of old letters that threaten to turn her world upside down.

An interesting and emotive read. Well written dual timeline.

When Olivia's grandmother dies she finds that things were not all as she had been told. Uncovering the truth is an emotional journey.

It’s 1976 in Cambridge and undergraduate Alice Kenzie bumps straight into PhD student Tristan Somers. There begins a whirlwind romance, and Alice falls pregnant and gives birth to a baby girl. Then Tristan is killed in a car accident. Unable to cope, Alice takes her baby to Summer House, Tristan's family home in Suffolk, leaves her there and disappears.

Fast forward to 2018, when Olivia Somers grandmother dies, she discovers a bundle of letters in Summer House and she finds out that her mother didn’t die in the same accident as her father, she left Olivia with her grandparents when she was a little girl.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book; it was beautifully written and has made me want to visit Cambridge! The books deals with lots of issues including grief and loss, but they are dealt with very sensitively. My favourite character in the book was Stella she was a constant pillar of strength to Alice and was always there in the background.

(This did take me a little longer to read than most books, but it was purely because whilst reading it we got a new puppy and so I got a little distracted!!!)

A really compelling story and highly recommended.

Loved this one. It was so interesting and at times creepy. I read this very quickly. I hope she writes more books like this. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

The Secrets of Summer House by Rachel is a dual time narrative alternating between the late 70’s and present day. It’s a book about family secrets and the journey to uncover them.

‘They need to talk about the future - their fragile uncertain future - but to get there they both need to unravel the past.’

Olivia was raised by her grandparents as both her parents died in an accident. But after her grandmother’s death, she finds some pictures that don’t relate with the story her grandmother had told her - thus the ensuing mystery unfolds. Sadly, I did not really engage much in the mystery side of this tale. The aspect that appealed most to me was Cambridge of the 1970s. Rachel presents a vivid picture of life there at that time.

This is a big book that I feel needed better editing as it just became too repetitive going over the same emotions and angst of the two leading characters from both timelines. I wish character development had been deeper and more was written of the summer house as a character in itself. I do enjoy Rachel’s books but this one did not quite work for me.

Overall this is a book about forgiveness, family and friendship. Other themes included parental expectations, grief, postnatal depression and second chances. What would you do if you suddenly found out your life had not been grounded in what you had been told?

‘I always thought I was doing the right thing. Maybe I was, maybe I wasn’t. I’ve never known if chasing the past is something we should do or not.’





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.

This is a dual-timeline domestic mystery. Olivia was raised by her grandparents because both of her parents had died in an accident. But after her grandmother’s death, she finds some pictures that don’t quite fit the history her grandmother had told her.

Although I enjoyed the plot of this book, there were some things that just didn’t seem to make sense. People who had barely met had clear memories of each other after almost 40 years had passed. The characters were underdeveloped and read like tropes. The book wraps things up a little too neatly for my tastes.

Thank you Head of Zeus and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a lovely book, written over two time lines, which I do enjoy, the settings are really well described, pick this book up and enjoy

What a truly stunning read this book is and Rachel never fails to disappoint. Heart warming and beautifully written.

Thank you netgalley for letting me read this copy before it was posted and published. This was such an excellent read. It was a slow burn, it was going between Olivia in the future and her mother from the past with her father, her thinking both her parents died in a car accident and finding out the letters and the truth that it was just her father and her mother might just still be alive. I couldn’t stop reading it to see what would happen if she would find her mother. The dynamic towards the end I wish it would be like instead of her mother waiting for her at the airport when they decided to go see her and learn the truth through Stella, more talking between how her mother felt first time seeing her after all these years but it skipped that part and went to like a small convo with them two. I loved it overall, it made me sad how she never got to see her father or know much about him even though he died in a car accident. I felt for the characters. Overall the book was so good and it was slow it was a lot of back and forth but you really get to see her mothers hardships through the past and how she felt she would of never fit in with her husbands parents or got to know them so much that when she had her daughter she was really young and was going through some kind of post partum depression and left her daughter with her grandparents knowing it would make her happy. I am a mother of 2 and I could still never see myself leaving my kids to their grandparents and leaving them, how hard it must of been on Olivia all those years being lied to. I dont think her mother honestly wanted to be a mother to go off and buy like a vineyard with some guy. But still the book was pretty good.

I have read and enjoyed a few of Rachel Burton's previous books. I was delighted to receive an early preview copy of this book from Netgalley and the Publisher in return for an honest review.
This book is a dual timeline book, but it well written and easy to follow. I loved reading about the different times and characters. I was born in 1976, like Olivia so I felt that I could relate to her character.
I found this book very compelling and it held my interest. I wanted to keep on reading to find out how it ended. I enjoyed reading it very much.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

Atmospheric, emotional and full of well-crafted characters, this dual timeline novel grips the reader from the first page and immerses them in the two hot summers of 1976 and 2018. Both stories are intriguing, and they give the reader insight into both women's emotions and lives. There is an underlying mystery that weaves itself around the house, an immersive setting in both timelines.

Character-driven this story explores familial relationships and mental health issues and the differences in acceptance, attitudes and expectations in 1976 and 2018. There are many poignant scenes in both Alice's and Olivia's lives. Olivia's quandary over whether to look for her mother and her feelings towards her are particularly emotional.

The passion and romance shine through in each woman's life, as do the tragic events. I enjoyed the characters' authenticity and the details and sensory imagery that bring this story to life.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

The Secrets of Summer House had me engaged from the beginning. Having read one of Rachel Burton's previous books, I was already aware of her writing style, resulting in great excitement to read this new release. I was not disappointed.

Alice's story is set in 1976 and Alice's in 2018. The past and present timeline gives the plot depth. Many emotional scenes had me reaching for the tissues, and the description of the summer house made me wish I could visit and listen to the stories within its walls. It flowed well and kept me intrigued to find out the truth for Olivia.

This book would be an excellent read for all readers of all ages, and I highly recommend this read for some escapism when needed—an undoubted must-read for all fans of this genre. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

The Secrets of Summer House starts with central character Olivia being told that her Grandmother Mary just passed away. Olivia was raised by her grandparents, believing both her parents were killed in a car accident. Shortly after Mary’s death, Olivia discovers an envelope addressed to her. It contains pictures of her parents, and she soon learns that her mother didn’t die in the car accident after all. This sets Olivia on a journey to solve the mystery of what happened to her mother Alice.
A fabulous dual timeline read with an emotional roller coaster of a story and memorable characters. The writing was wonderful, I enjoyed every page. For me it was one of those rare books I didn’t want to end.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Rachel Burton and Head of Zeus for an ARC of The Secrets of Summer House in exchange for an honest review.
Recommended.

The Secrets of Summer House is the 1st book that I have read by Rachel Burton, The cover is what drew me in and then the story itself.

The book is told in alternate chapters, In the present we have Olivia Somers, a married librarian with one child. After the death of her beloved grandmother some family secrets are revealed that she was unaware of, The other chapters follow Olivia’s mother Alice as she meets and falls in love with Tristan Somers, Olivia’s father, while completing her degree at Cambridge. Alice comes from a poor mining family from Yorkshire, Tristan is the golden boy of wealthy parents. They fall in love and Alice becomes pregnant with Olivia. Then tragedy strikes and Tristan is killed in a car accident. Alice unable to cope leaves Olivia with her grandparents, who tell Olivia that both her parents died in the accident. It is only after her grandmother’s death that Alice realizes this is a lie and her mother may still be alive somewhere. Then there is the strange coincidence of her father-in-law being best friends with her father, a fact that she has been unaware of.

I overall enjoyed this book, It was full of family secrets but love and redemption too. I would recommend this book to readers who like family dramas with a bit of mystery.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher Head of Zeus/Aria, and the author for the chance to read and review this book.

The Secrets of Summer House by Rachel Burton is a dual timeline historical fiction story that alternates between 1976 and 2018. Told from two women's points of view, the narrative includes living up to your parent’s expectations, postnatal depression, friendship, loyalty, death, estrangement and second chances! This is a compelling read about the twists in one’s path and how we deal with them in order to move forward. You’ll be left reminded that judging without knowing the whole story is detrimental to both parties involved.

1976. Rushing out of the University Library, undergraduate Alice Kenzie bumps straight into PhD student Tristan Somers. There begins a whirlwind romance, and Alice falls pregnant and gives birth to a baby girl. Then Tristan is killed in a car accident. Unable to cope, Alice takes her baby to Summer House, Tristan's family home in Suffolk, leaves her there and disappears.

2018. Olivia Somers has always been told that her mother died in the same accident as her father. But when she finds a bundle of old letters in Summer House, everything she ever believed about her mother is called into question. Can she find her – and even more importantly, forgive her?

WOW is all I can say about this book. It kept my attention and I finished it in 2 days. That never happens anymore. From the beginning the character development and writing style were amazing. Every twist and turn were unexpected, and I loved the ending. I also loved that it went back and forth between the granddaughter and grandmother. The dual timelines keep you so engaged in the story.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

This book surprised me. I don’t know what I expected but what I got was a wonderful tale. To begin with I was confused as to how the two different story lines would be able to link up but the more I read the more invested I got. As Olivia slowly learned about the lies and secrets that her grandparents wrapped her in I became more and more interested in learning more about Alice and Tristan as if the more I knew, the more Olivia would know. I found the different tenses of the two stories fascinating. It made the story, for me, more about Tristan and Alice and their love story than Olivia and Jacob.
I liked how Jacob was portrayed, he had a lot of soul searching to do as well within the book and I loved how he realised that Olivia and their son was what he really wanted and he supported them fully and put them first.
How the plot rolled out and came to a wonderful conclusion was brilliant and I was actually a bit disappointed when it ended.
This was a wonderful, consuming read.

The book opens with Olivia being woken by the news her grandmother has died. She was brought up by her grandparents at Summer House as her parents had died in a car accident. Or so she was told! The story unravels a past life of secrets.
Rachel Burton's books are never a disappointment. The characters in this book are relatable & believable. The plot interesting & compelling, enjoy the unveiling of the story.