The Summer of Secrets by Patricia Wilson

 

On the Greek island of Castellorizo young Sofía must put her big dreams on hold to support her older sister Maria with her large family. But World War II is looming and while the idyllic island may seem far from harm at first, there are unspeakable dangers on the horizon - perils that will change the sisters' lives forever . . .


Devastated by her divorce and the death of her dear mum, Olivia seeks solace on Castellorizo. Her Granny Sofía fled the beautiful Greek island during the war, but Olivia knows little else about her family's history. The only link to the Island she has left is her elderly great-uncle George. As his memory begins to fail, Olivia feels her one chance at uncovering the truth about her grandmother start to slip away.


As a mother's sacrifice echoes throughout the generations, will Olivia discover some things are best left in the past?

I am not a big one for historical romance fiction but each time I read a book by Patricia Wilson I am blown away. I have just finished reading her new release The Summer of Secrets and it is my absolute favourite of her novels by far and that is saying something because all of her novels have been faultless.

This author has such incredible descriptive writing not just in setting the idyllic scenes that transport you off to the Greek Island of Castellorizo but also in showing the emotions of all the engaging characters as they face devastation. I soon felt myself becoming absorbed with the Konstantinidis family as they grew and grew and grew! Following their traditions and observing their day to day lives as they all helped to run the family business as well as raising the large family. There were so many characters in this book but they were all so well developed that they were all easy to differentiate between. Sofia stole my heart she was such an intelligent and independent woman who knew what she wanted and she was determined and yet she still didn’t neglect her family’s needs.

There was only one thing that I wasn’t particularly a fan of which was the situation between Sofia and her Mustafa towards the end of the book, I don’t want to give anything away but it almost seemed so out of place in this book a little farfetched.

I love that whilst I am enjoying the storyline I was also learning too without it feeling too heavy as it still felt like escapism reading this novel.