I enjoyed this very much. Rachel is a sensitive soul, the product of a very unhappy marriage which ended in an awful motor accident. After that she lived with her grandparents, and learned what it is like to have a happy life. When she is twenty she moves in with Jonny, a struggling author of Russian spy thrillers. He is divorced, and has a young daughter - Teddy. They live in a village near Oxford, and Rachel works in the local art gallery. They are saving up to have a lavish wedding.

Rachel first meets Gabe at a neighbour’s party, Jonny should be there but hasn’t yet arrived. Gabe is American, related to Julia, who lives in the village. They chat for a while, and there is an instant spark of interest between them; but of course, she has Jonny. Gabe is a struggling artist, who specialises in painting trees. Then Jonny arrives, and her thought about Gabe fade. She is vaguely aware that he is leaving the party. They soon meet again in the village, in the rain, and chat for a while, but she doesn’t tell Jonny about their meeting. A couple of days later she is alone in the gallery, she puts on some music, and sings and dances to it, unaware that Gabe has come in and is watching her. They spend the afternoon together, chatting, learning more about each other. Both are going to a party in a couple of days, then Gabe will be going back to America. They meet, dance and chat at the party, and just as it is time to leave Gabe tells Rachel she is the most beautiful woman he has ever met, and if she is ever free - come and find him. Neither think they will ever meet again.

And so begins the pattern of their lives, every ten years or more they meet unexpectedly, and their feelings for each other grow. Rachel finds out things about Jonny that make him less than the ideal husband people think he is, but Rachel flees away from doing anything about it. Each time they meet she intends to go back to Gabe but events stop that happening.

Then Gabe’s Aunt Julia dies, and he comes back for her funeral. At the same time Rachel finds out a couple of things about Jonny that she absolutely cannot forgive. She has a long talk with now grown up Teddy, who tells her to follow her heart, they will be alright. She doesn’t get to speak to Gabe, he has gone home before she gets free of other guests at the wake. But the timid little mouse, who gives in to everyone is gone, she goes to find her man!

This is a very gentle story, but you can feel the attraction between Gabe and Rachel, you can also see that Jonny is not quite what he seems, a bit too sugar-coated to be true! Well worth reading.

I lost count of the amount of tears I shed reading this. Beautifully written, a story I didn’t want to end. Fiona is a new author for me and now she’s top of my list!
Best book I’ve read in 2023!

I absolutely loved Rachel and Gabe and the story of them meeting over a period of years always in a different season. I believed in them totally, they were so relateable, as was the development of their love for one another, and I'm going to miss them now that I have finished the book.
My thanks to Netgalley for my copy of Spring, Summer, Autumn, Us.

Rachel is a 20 something from the UK who is married to Jonny, an aspiring author. She works in an art gallery and at a cafe to make ends meet while her husband writes. She meets Gabe, an American, at a party and feels sparks. The book is a story of Rachel’s life, and what she does to find happiness.

I really, really wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, I do not really enjoy Instalove stories. Gave and Rachel fall for each other immediately, though Rachel feels guilty because she’s married. Gabe holds a torch for her for decades. Her husband is a prat. I don’t love cheating or affairs and this book has a lot of that.

Ultimately, I could see exactly where this story was going. And I felt sorry for the characters. They made not great choices and held on to “true love” or the idea of it with the wrong person for so long. And Gabe marrying someone and feeling guilty because he loved Rachel… it just felt weird.

The writing was done well, but the story was not my favorite.

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

This story was heartbreakingly beautiful. The writing was incredible - Fiona does an incredible job of setting the scene in such a detailed way that you feel you are there as well. At times, hard to read, this story is a great depiction of how hard it can be to choose what is best for us vs what is right in front of us. Honestly one of the best and most authentic love stories I’ve read, told over four seasons of life. There are a few twists and turns that just break your heart but in the best way.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a touching story of love, regret, and what might have beens. Spanning many years it challenges us on true love, responsibility and grasping the chance for love.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

The perfect family, or so Rachel thought. She meets Gabe during three seasons, in different years, but still their love endures.
I liked both character's, but the husband Jonny, I found a little hard to like. He seemed very selfish, and quite demanding, but nevertheless, Rachel stood by him. His daughter Teddy, was a delight, and I thought she was fun, from the start.
This book was such a comforting, beautiful way to spend a weekend, and I really enjoyed it.
Thank you to the author, and to the publisher, for allowing me to read this advanced copy.

This was a brilliant read. A great story-line, well developed characters and a really enjoyable style of writing to read.
The story spans several decades and how the characters continue to meet and reconnect in unexpected ways. I was so invested in Rachel's story and kept changing my mind as to where she would (and should!) go with Gabe or stay with Jonny. I felt this the whole way through and gripped me to keep on reading whenever I could!

A particular highlight for me was the part of the story in Marrakech. I was reading this on holiday in Marrakech and loved being able to pick out places mentioned in the story. The author described perfectly the hustle and sights and I could imagine the characters there even more!

A great first read on NetGalley - can't wait to read more!

A love story set over 4 decades, with themes of loyalty, self-denial and loss.

The setting is nicely constructed, making you want to visit the village, or even live there. This is contrasted with the home of the hero, Gabe, who I think we'd all like to meet. The main character, Rachel, is sympathetic and you find yourself really rooting for her and hoping she'll see the light.

A good holiday or weekend read.

Wow the romance and storytelling of Shane and Rachel’s journey to each other was epic. Through years and seasons their story took many a twist and turn. I loved this book

A gentle read that meanders through the main characters lives over several decades. This was a tale of love, loss, loyalty and family. It was quite sad in places with Rachel as the female lead continually putting others before her own needs as she laid to rest her childhood issues.

4.5⭐️ rounded up.

Rachel and Gabe meet in Spring and the connection is almost immediate. However, Rachel is engaged to be married to someone else. It takes many years and passing seasons, during which they met several times, falling in love as life and their choices keep them apart- until at last, the stars align.

This tale of longing is an epic, moving journey through the beautiful and excruciating and complicated nature of love.

*I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Very accomplished prose and a great characterisations. This was a beautiful story of longing and duty and I loved how the concept of fate was explored. Rachel was so relatable and I adored Gabe therefore it was easy to be immersed in their love story.

This was a lovely story but also very sad. Some great characters and an interactive community..Distant love and final fullfillment. I was gripped from begining to end, it was such a such a heart warming, heart breaking story..

A domestic family saga. A boy and girl who meet in Spring. Each decade and season they meet again. I loved reading their story, their growth, their careers. A lovely read.

This book takes place over the course of 33 years, and all four seasons. It's the story of a woman who meets a man at the wrong time, and spends much of next few decades wondering "What if? Is the grass really greener?".

From the very first encounter in the book, I fell in love with the story. I was happy and heartbroken numerous times throughout the lives of the characters, and the author was able to portray exactly how they were feeling with such ease. It's a story about love, about loss, and about choosing whether to follow your heart or play it safe. I will not give much away about the storyline, but would recommend this book over and over again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A very complicated love story where things kept getting in the way. Rachel was always put off taking a risk and she chose safe over her heart and connection. Fate intervened over many decades, prompting her to question her decisions. Over the course of the book you will be heartbroken at events. a poignant tale of love trying to conquer all. Such a great read.

This book spanned several decades and is exploring that love can thrive despite whatever life has planned for you.

A good read. The premise is good. One choice could change the course of your whole life but…..is it worth taking that chance?

This is a delightful book and beautifully written, a classic case of will they won't they with some twists. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and would recommend.

This book is a sweeping novel that covers a decades-long love between Rachel and Gabe. They first meet in 1986, and we follow them through each of their next three meetings, eleven years apart. Rachel's sense of duty and safety prevent her from following her heart. But, each time she sees Gabe again, her love is steadfast. This book was a satisfying read, although towards the end I felt like it was a bit long. I found myself knowing where the story was going and rushing to just get to the end. Overall, a nice read.