*Spring, Summer, Autumn, Us* by Fiona Collins is a beautifully written, emotionally resonant novel that captivated me from the first page. Spanning four decades and four seasons, the story follows Rachel as she navigates the complexities of love, ambition, and self-discovery. The chance encounters with Gabe, an American artist, serve as poignant moments that challenge Rachel's carefully constructed life. Collins' evocative prose and deep character development made me reflect on the choices we make and the paths not taken. This novel is a heartfelt exploration of life's unpredictable journey, and I found myself deeply moved by Rachel's story.

I was completely captivated by this story from the very beginning. Rachel’s life in 1986 Oxford feels both aspirational and achingly relatable—she’s landed what many would call the perfect life: engaged to Jonny, preparing to be a stepmother to young Teddy, and chasing her dream of opening an art gallery. Yet, as the story shows, perfection is never simple, and the way Rachel navigates her ambitions, desires, and responsibilities is endlessly compelling.

Enter Gabe, the effortlessly charismatic American artist whose presence disrupts everything Rachel thought she wanted. The tension between the safe, carefully planned life with Jonny and the wild, spontaneous possibilities Gabe represents is palpable. I found myself empathizing with Rachel at every turn—her fear of losing control, her longing for adventure, and her struggle to reconcile the life she’s built with the life she might have.

What I loved most about this book is how it stretches across seasons and decades, showing how choices ripple through time. Each meeting, each decision Rachel makes feels monumental, and the narrative captures that delicate balance between regret, curiosity, and the yearning for something more. The author’s writing is evocative and rich, pulling me into Oxford, into the art world, and into Rachel’s heart with such clarity that I could feel every dilemma, every spark of desire, and every moment of hesitation.

This is not just a story about romance—it’s about self-discovery, about weighing the roads taken against the roads left behind, and about understanding that life is rarely simple or linear. I was completely swept up in the story, and I finished it feeling reflective, moved, and strangely inspired to examine my own choices. Truly, a beautifully written, thought-provoking, and utterly immersive read.

Beautiful and poignant literary romantic saga, exploring fate, second chances, doing the right thing and being true to yourself.

Rachel's turbulent childhood, dominated by arguing parents followed by their untimely death, has profoundly affected her outlook on life. She works two jobs to support Jonny, her fiancé's, writing ambitions and tries to create a stable and nurturing home environment for his daughter.

Over the course of decades, Rachel experiences brief but soul searching encounters with handsome American artist Gabe. Despite their instant intense connection, Rachel has no intention of disrupting the life she is building with Jonny.

But fate repeatedly conspires to bring them into each other's orbits, testing her resolve in unexpected ways, and forcing her to consider what exactly she wants to fight for.

This was an ok read. It took me a while to get in to it but found it would be good for a holiday read, lighthearted. The writing was good and characters ok however it just wasn't what I was expecting.

I am not normally a fan of long, drawn out stories of love, but Fiona Collins has written a saga of two people that is far more than just a love story.
I loved the timing, the characters, the epic tales of life and all its ups and downs.

Great story that will resonate with a lot of readers.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
This book was supposed to start in 1986 and there were laboured attempts to emphasise the era with mentions of the disaster at Chernobyl, and various songs and foods. However, I thought the behaviours felt much more as though it was the 1950's with a main female character who was completely naive to the point of stupidity. The story progressed so slowly I was bored by the pages of her attraction to Gabe and her complete belief in Johnny who is apparently living off her income whilst getting up to goodness knows what with half the village. Not for me, I DNF

I just felt I was missing something. Maybe it was just me. I dont know. But I wanted more., it just kinda fell flat.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I just did not like this book. I was frustrated about the main character and wisher something better. But CHOICES.

This was a story spanning the years and chance encounters of Rachel and Gabe
Primarily a will they won’t me love story I really enjoyed this one

Some books sound really amazing when you read the blurb but in reality it’s a different matter, as with this novel. It’s been a struggle to read, so much so I’ve chosen to do other things instead! 1986? Felt as if it was much earlier with a sort of 50’s vibe. Didn’t like the main characters so it was frustrating. Did like the cover and also the title itself. Sorry but the book was rather dull and could have been at least 100 pages shorter.

This was a beautiful story about following your heart when it comes to love. It made my heart ache for Rachel and Gabe. The author did a brilliant job of telling their story, over four decades and through all the seasons. This book will leave you feeling emotional wrecked, but completely 100% in love.

Oh I really loved this book. The constant will they, won't they. The fact that fate kept bringing them together and then separating them, the chemistry, the character development. All helped make this story something very special. I really loved it.

A moody and emotional read. Not my favorite book ever, but it was well-written. It was just too much brooding and angst for my taste.

very beautifully written with extensive details on rachel's thoughts, drawing the readers into her conflicting emotions.

i cannot find the exact words to describe how i feel about this; i am speechless, filled with thought-provoking emotions which all condensed to <i>life</i> as what gabe would say.

i'm not someone who usually read books that are set in the past, but this has been a delight and i had so much fun reading this.

Oh, I love a story of chance meetings and how a relationship of missed opportunities develops over time. This one would make for a great movie.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

Spring summer autumn us

I wasn't sure how I felt about this when I started it, the more I read the more I needed to know more.
I love the fact that it is set over four decades and chance encounters between Rachel and Gabe sees an undeniable connection between the pair, with lives on different paths, the pair go separate ways bumping into each other over the next few decades the feelings between Rachel and Gabe grow.
Its a classic will they won't they.
Its a beautiful story of destiny, connection, and it made me think about the invisible string theory.
A good read, Rachel frustrated me on occasion, I think she was supposed to.
Well written with some great characters.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

I want this to be a movie. I cried and I loved it. I’ll definitely reread af some point, it was that sweet amazing story but with depth too.

Spring, Summer, Autumn, Us by Fiona Collins is a captivating novel that tells the story of Rachel, who is engaged to Jonny, a handsome author, and is about to become a stepmother to his young daughter. The story is set in four different seasons and spans four decades, and the plot is centered around four chance encounters with Gabe, an American artist, who is carefree and spontaneous.

Rachel meets Gabe at a party, and despite the spark between them, she resists him as she wants to focus on her life with Jonny and her dream of opening an art gallery. However, Gabe is always present in Rachel's life, tempting her with his adventurous lifestyle. As their paths cross over the years, Rachel is faced with choices that could change everything, and she begins to question whether the life she thought she wanted is the one she truly desires.

The author does an excellent job of weaving together the four seasons and the different periods in Rachel's life. The characters are relatable, and their relationships are complex and realistic. The story is thought-provoking and explores the themes of love, relationships, and the choices we make in life.

Overall, Spring, Summer, Autumn, Us is a beautifully written novel that will keep readers engaged from start to finish. The story is well-paced, and the characters are well-developed. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an engaging and thought-provoking read.

I was lucky to receive an advance copy of Spring, Summer, Autumn, Us by Fiona Collins from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinions. What an absolutely incredible book to read. This truly was written with so much emotion in it. I absolutely loved everything about this book and the way it was written. I can't wait to read more by Fiona Collins soon.

This was a cute story line! I finished it a little while ago and cant quite remember all the details but I remember feeling happy AND sad.