Blog Tour Review: Summer of Love by Caro Fraser

Summer of Love by Caro Fraser

Published: 31st May 2018

Publisher: Head of Zeus

Pages: 512

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 5/5

Blurb

The dark days of the war are over, but the family secrets they held are only just dawning.

 In the hot summer of 1949, a group of family and friends gather at Harry Denholm's country house in Kent. Meg and Dan Ranscombe, emerging from a scandal of their own making; Dan's godmother, Sonia; and her two young girls, Laura and Avril, only one of whom is Sonia's biological daughter. Amongst the heat, memories, and infatuations, a secret is revealed to Meg's son, Max, and soon a terrible tragedy unfolds that will have consequences for them all. Afterwards, Avril, Laura and Max must come of age in a society still reeling from the war, haunted by the choices of that fateful summer. Cold, entitled Avril will go to any lengths to take what is hers. Beautiful, naive Laura finds refuge and love in the London jazz clubs, but Max, with wealth and unrequited love, has the capacity to undo it all.

Review

Summer of Love is the follow on from Caro Fraser’s brilliant The Summer House Party from last year. That was a book I adored, and I’ve found Summer of Love to be just as good if not better.

Summer of Love starts in the summer of 1949, a few years after the previous book ended. Meg and Dan Ranscombe have gone to visit their friend Harry Denholm at his new country home in Kent along with son Max and Sonia Hardon’s two daughters Avril and Laura. One fateful day a secret is revealed which leads to a horrible accident which has dreadful consequences for Max, Avril and Laura. As the story unfolds Max, Avril and Laura shake off the bonds of childhood and go their separate ways in life, only to be drawn back together a few times over the years.

This is a beautifully written novel which explores the effects which our parents and our experiences and feelings from our younger days mould us as adults. Max traumatised by his feelings towards his mother leads a sheltered life pouring himself into his work in the hope this will keep his demons at bay. Laura, knowing she was abandoned by her mother as a baby longs to be loved and her naivety leads her into some difficult situations. Avril, always feeling pushed out by Laura takes the ultimate revenge when she has the chance but is still left feeling she’s alone and on the side-lines.

I loved reading how each of these characters changed over the years experiencing love, loss, betrayal, revenge and forgiveness. Caro Fraser has written a novel which is wonderfully character driven and guides us effortlessly from the restrained end of war years to the emergence of the vibrant atmosphere of the sixties. It’s a novel which covers attitudes to many social factors including racism, feminism, homosexuality to drug taking and unwanted pregnancies, all with such eloquent and engaging writing.

This is a novel not to be missed and judging by the way the ending has been left fairly open ended  I’m hoping there is more to come from the lives of Max, Laura and Avril.

Thank you so much to Head of Zeus for sending me a copy to review and inviting me to be part of the blog tour, Summer of Love by Caro Fraser has been a pleasure to read.

About the Author

Caro Fraser is the author of the bestselling Caper Court novels, based on her own experiences as a lawyer. She is the daughter of Flashman author George MacDonald Fraser and lives in London.

Follow Caro

Facebook: @CaroFraserAuthor

Buy links:

Amazon: getbook.at/SummerofLove

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2wIlIC8

Follow Head of Zeus

Website: http://headofzeus.com/

Twitter: @HoZ_Books

Facebook: @HeadofZeus

Instagram: @headofzeus

Blog Tour Review: The Summer House Party by Caro Fraser

The Summer House Party by Caro Fraser

Published: 6th April 2017

Publisher: Head of Zeus

Pages: 512

Available in Hardcover or on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 5/5

Blurb

In the gloriously hot summer of 1936, a group of people meet at a country house party. Within three years, England will be at war, but for now, time stands still.
Dan Ranscombe is clever and good-looking, but he resents the wealth and easy savoir faire of fellow guest, Paul Latimer. Surely a shrewd girl like Meg Slater would see through that, wouldn't she? And what about Diana, Paul's beautiful sister, Charles Asher, the Jewish outsider, Madeleine, restless and dissatisfied with her role as children's nanny? And artist Henry Haddon, their host, no longer young, but secure in his power as a practised seducer.
As these guests gather, none has any inkling the choices they make will have fateful consequences, lasting through the war and beyond. Or that the first unforeseen event will be a shocking death.

Review

Caro Fraser is not an author I’ve come across before but The Summer House Party sounded like a book I would enjoy as its promises secrets and mysteries hidden among the lives of this small group of people.

It’s 1936 and a group of friends have gathered together at Woodbourne House for a week long summer party full of fun and flirting. As the week draws to a close there is a shocking death for one member of the party.  As the friends depart they are yet unaware of how the events of that week will shape their lives over the next few years.

This book is huge, at 512 pages it’s definitely a book which will take some time to read and it’s not the easiest of books to snuggle down in bed with, don’t let this put you off as this is a cracking read and I feel best enjoyed out in the sunshine in a comfy deckchair, which is what I did.

This book for me would be best described as a slow burner. I initially found it hard to get into and connect with the characters but once there were a couple of sparks of interest I was hooked and very intrigued by what happened to this group of characters.

I don’t really want to say anything much about the characters or what happens to them as I feel this is a book where the less you know initially the more enjoyment you will have. I will say it’s beautifully written and has a real sense of place to the writing. It’s a book full of mystery, romance and learning to live with the decisions you make.

It’s one of those books where you just want to keep reading and it too never end. When it did I was a bit lost as I had become so involved in the story I wanted more. Hopefully Caro Fraser will write something similar in the future which I look forward to enjoying.

Thank you so much to Head of Zeus for inviting me on this blog tur and for sending a review copy, which is something I will treasure for a long time.

Caro Fraser is not an author I’ve come across before but The Summer House Party sounded like a book I would enjoy as its promises secrets and mysteries hidden among the lives of this small group of people.

It’s 1936 and a group of friends have gathered together at Woodbourne House for a week long summer party full of fun and flirting. As the week draws to a close there is a shocking death for one member of the party.  As the friends depart they are yet unaware of how the events of that week will shape their lives over the next few years.

This book is huge, at 512 pages it’s definitely a book which will take some time to read and it’s not the easiest of books to snuggle down in bed with, don’t let this put you off as this is a cracking read and I feel best enjoyed out in the sunshine in a comfy deckchair, which is what I did.

This book for me would be best described as a slow burner. I initially found it hard to get into and connect with the characters but once there were a couple of sparks of interest I was hooked and very intrigued by what happened to this group of characters.

I don’t really want to say anything much about the characters or what happens to them as I feel this is a book where the less you know initially the more enjoyment you will have. I will say it’s beautifully written and has a real sense of place to the writing. It’s a book full of mystery, romance and learning to live with the decisions you make.

It’s one of those books where you just want to keep reading and it too never end. When it did I was a bit lost as I had become so involved in the story I wanted more. Hopefully Caro Fraser will write something similar in the future which I look forward to enjoying.

Thank you so much to Head of Zeus for inviting me on this blog tur and for sending a review copy, which is something I will treasure for a long time.