The Summer Without You by Karen Swan

Rowena Tipton isn’t looking for a new life, just a new adventure, something to while away the months as her long-term boyfriend presses pause on their relationship before they become engaged. But when a chance encounter at a New York wedding leads to an audition for a coveted houseshare in The Hamptons – Manhattan’s elite beach scene – suddenly a new life is exactly what she’s got. 

Stretching before her is a summer with three eclectic housemates, long days on white sand ocean beaches and parties on gilded tennis courts. But high rewards bring high stakes and Rowena soon finds herself caught in the crossfire of a vicious intimidation campaign. 

Alone for the first time in her adult life, she has no-one to turn to but a stranger who is everything she doesn’t want - but possibly everything she needs.

I read my first Karen Swan book at Christmas and I loved it so I couldn’t wait for her new release The Summer Without You, what I didn’t expect was the hefty size! This book would be hazardous if you was to fall asleep reading it but luckily enough the storyline is so compelling there is no chance of drifting off!

Rowena or Ro as we come to know her has just bagged herself a Summer in the Hamptons after her partner decides he is having a pause in their relationship to go trekking! Ro is in for an adventure herself, she finds three fun and lively friends in her new housemates who show her a life far from her what she is used to. As she begins to make friends and work comes rolling in will Ro be able to go back to her old life and still have the same feelings for Matt?

I adored this book! I was put off by the size of the book as I usually find with larger books like this that they seem quite drawn out but I can’t say that about this book. It flows at a comfortable pace and there are no low points to the book in fact it is anything but! This author sure does like her unexpected twists and turns, this is what makes this book impossible to put down as you have to keep turning the pages to see what the next revelation will be.

There is a delightful group of characters in this book I loved each and every one of them they create such a light fun read just from their personalities alone. Ro was a fabulous main character, I thought she was going to annoy me and be a bit feeble after allowing her partner to put a pause on her relationship but I think she handled it pretty well and I think her time in The Hamptons made her find out who she really is. Her passion for photography really shines through and the pictures she takes are captured beautifully in the book I felt as though I could actually picture them. I loved Hump he sounded sexy, care free and fun which was just the kind of friend Ro needed.

The storyline was very unexpected it had a fresh, summery, fun feel to it but then it suddenly took a turn and had a more intriguing and eventful part to it. The descriptive writing was beautifully detailed which was something that I remember I loved from her previous book so this is obviously a strength for this author. I loved this book so much and I really don't think my review can do this book the justice it deserves, this author is fast becoming a form favourite of mine.

If you are looking for a holiday read that has a Summery feel but will also have you hooked from the first page with twists and turns then this one is pure perfection and should be top of your list.

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Christmas at Claridge's by Karen Swan

‘This was where her dreams drifted to if she didn’t blot her nights out with drink; this was where her thoughts settled if she didn’t fill her days with chat. She remembered this tiny, remote foreign village on a molecular level and the sight of it soaked into her like water into sand, because this was where her old life had ended and her new one had begun.’Portobello – home to the world-famous street market, Notting Hill Carnival and Clem Alderton. She’s the queen of the scene, the girl everyone wants to be or be with. But beneath the morning-after makeup, Clem is keeping a secret, and when she goes too far one reckless night she endangers everything – her home, her job and even her adored brother’s love.Portofino – a place of wild beauty and old-school glamour, and where a neglected villa has been bought by a handsome stranger. He wants Clem to restore it for him and it seems like the answer to all her problems – except that Clem has been there once before and vowed, for her own protection, never to return . . .

Christmas at Claridge’s is the first book I have read by Karen Swan so I really didn’t know what to expect. The cover is beautiful, a soft, festive look and definitely one that would call out to me from the shelves. The storyline took me by complete surprise I really didn’t expect to find what I found inside this beautiful cover!

Clem Alderton is a typical IT girl, out partying until early hours, looks to die for and friends and family to look after her in every way, she has been well and truly spoilt. From the outside looking in Clem looks like the cat that’s got the cream but a secret she keeps close to her chest, but when her wild ways end up causing so much damage that it looks as if she is about to lose  her brothers love there is only one thing she can do to put things right but at the risk of her secret becoming exposed.

I have sat here trying to put my thoughts about this book down to share with you but I just seem to be sitting here saying wow, wow and sighing heavily but I think you need more than that.

When I first started this book I have to admit I didn’t think I was going to finish this one. Not only did I not relate to Clem who is our main character but I really didn’t like her, she was lazy, spoilt and shallow. I also couldn’t get into the storyline at first with a lot of focus on the bike, it just didn’t seem to flow and I just kept thinking I will give it until the end of this chapter and then stop. I am SO glad I didn’t give in because I really would have missed out on this little gem.  The storyline started to develop more and there was also a touch of humour  and then soon after this the story come full circle and I was gripped, I could not put it down. It was like reading about a completely different woman, things become clear a lot later on in the book as to why she acts the way she does and why she leads the life she leads. 

What really shone for me in this book is that the secret that Clem has kept for so long is so unexpected, there is a shadow that hangs all the way through book as we are waiting for a clue as to what the secret maybe but there was no hint at all. I just had to keep reading to find out what on earth she was hiding. To say I was shocked when I found out is an understatement, I was speechless, I don’t think I have ever read a book that has managed to keep me in the dark until the last few chapters!

There are a vast amount of characters in this book and they all played a fabulous part. Stella provided the entertainment value to lighten the mood at times and Stella and Clem had a very strong, believable friendship. Tom was one of my favourites he was such a loveable character and his love for his sister just oozed through the pages. I loved the mystery that Rafa held and well what can I say about Gabriel that is one guy who will get us all hot under the collar, the passion was in full flow! The character who surprised me the most though was Clem as I said before I didn’t take to her at the start but by the end I loved her and my heart broke for her.

This book is a real gem and one not to be missed. The storyline for me was breathtaking and so beautifully written. The author has a very clever writing style in concealing things from the reader in a way that doesn’t leave any room for guessing but that you never get bored of you are just eager to find out the truth. This will definitely pull at the heart strings, it certainly brought a tear to my eye. After reading this book I will certainly be picking up this author’s previous books. 

This needs to be under everyone’s tree this Christmas.

Festive Cover

        Festive Storyline

Review overall

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