Review: The Great Summer Street Party

Title: The Great Summer Street Party Part 1: Sunshine and Cider Cake

Author: Georgia Hill

Publisher: 3rd February 2022 by HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter

Pages: 250 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: women’s fiction, contemporary, romance

My Rating: 3 cups

Synopsis:

Welcome to Berecombe-by-the-Sea for a year of very special celebrations…

This year sees the seventy-fifth anniversary of D-Day. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to those brave boys who went to fight on French beaches for our freedom.

And now Berecombe is playing host to our American allies once more. All surviving soldiers who were billeted in the town have been invited for street parties, a D-Day parade, a black-tie ball at The Henville, and much, much more.

So, come along, get dressed up and join in the fun!

Ashley Lyddon arrives in the quaint coastal community of Berecombe feeling more than a little lost. The former art teacher desperately needs a fresh start after a car accident that cost her everything. How is it that the town’s older residents seem to have more zest for life than she does?

A certain American history lecturer, Eddie McQueen, has also blown into town, just like the GIs did seventy-five years previously. Then, as now, they shook things up, and left secrets trailing in their wake.

Ashley knows all too well, like the D-Day soldiers, that laying the past to rest is easier said than done although her new community seems to believe that tea and cake – lots and lots of cake – solves most of life’s problems. And as Ashley is forced to admit, they are nearly always right…

My Thoughts

This proved to be such a lovely inbetween read - a light and refreshing sweet tale that provided a perfect balance of history and romance in a wonderful English coastal community. It must be stated from the outset that this is the first book in a new series for Georgia and it is definitely ‘Part 1’. 

‘The escape Berecombe afforded was gradually eroding the brittle façade she’d constructed in order to face the world. She was beginning to relax.’

The Great Summer Street Party is an interesting mix of past and present. The tale of Ashley’s accident is very much front and centre with her moving to the coastal community for rehabilitation and a redirection in life. She quickly becomes involved in projects and with the locals, including a visiting American history lecturer. Tales of the past are told through reminiscing or letters and I found this aspect of the story very engaging - but very open ended. Herein lies my problem.

‘I think I want–wanted–the fairy-tale.’ ‘Fairy-tales are hard to come by, love.’ ‘I know. Doesn’t stop you wanting them, though.’

This is very much ‘Part 1’ as stated in the book title. To get a complete story you will, I assume, have to read all three expected parts. Both the contemporary and historical tales are left very open by the conclusion. This book appeared more of an introduction to the characters and their backstories. I found the historical romance tales more engaging with the contemporary romance a bit too ‘insta-love’ for me and very quickly addressed. 

Overall this is a quick and enjoyable read with final resolutions to come with the next instalments. Readers who enjoy an easygoing romance in a lively local community are sure to sign up for this new series. 

‘In my considerable experience, as soon as you decide what you want to do in life, it always throws you a curve ball, making you re-think it all over again. Live for today is my advice, maybe next week at a stretch.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Title: The Little Book Cafe: Emma’s Story.

Author: Georgia Hill

Publisher: Harper Impulse and Killer Reads, 21 September.

Pages: 106 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: General Fiction (adult), romance

My Rating: 3.5 cups

Synopsis:

Escape to the seaside for a new three-part series for fans of The Canal Boat Cafe and Willow Cottage

When Emma discovers that Berecombe’s fabulous book café is running a literary course for beginners, she is excited to give it a try. She’s always wanted to study more, and it doesn’t hurt that Joel, the suave and charming new teacher is pretty easy on the eye…

The more she learns, the more she starts to question whether she really wants the life she has built up. Her boyfriend of forever, Ollie, is constantly training with the RNLI, so they hardly get to see each other, and she is pretty sure Joel has a soft spot for her…

Will Joel sweep her off her feet? Or can Ollie make the most important rescue of his life?

My Thoughts

Emma’s Story is the second book in the three part series. I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the others, but still liked meeting all the characters again. Emma works with Tash in the town’s real estate agents and is quite frustrated and bored with her life.

“There was always too much noise and too many arguments going on in this house. And, at the same time, nothing ever changed.”

Emma is a member of the small book club in Berecombe, along with Tash and Amy (from the other 2 books) and some other friends. One of the members decides to run a 4 week beginner’s literature course, which Emma joins to try to counteract the boredom in her life.

“...’Look’, she began, ‘I love my job and I love living in Berecombe, but sometimes it gets a bit boring round here. Especially out of season. I just want the old grey cells rattled a bit’...”

Even though this book was an enjoyable read and all the characters were very likeable, it was very predictable so at times it was quite boring. I’m glad I read the whole three part series and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all the characters again in each book.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Title: The Little Book Cafe: Tash’s Story

Author: Georgia Hill

Publisher: Harper Impulse and Killer Reads, August 17th

Pages: 141 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction

My Rating: 4.5 cups

Synopsis:

Escape to the seaside for a new three-part series for fans of The Canal Boat Cafe and Willow Cottage

Local estate agent Tash isn’t convinced about joining the new book club at Berecombe’s beautiful new bookshop and café. Dragged there by her friend Emma, she knows she needs a night out. Her boyfriend Adrian is wonderful, and adores her, but has become a bit clingy of late. So when she is introduced to new local farmer Kit, with his scruffy beard and low-key look, it’s a breath of fresh air to chat to someone so un-Adrian. Maybe this book club idea could be fun after all!

But when Tash starts forgetting things and behaving oddly, over-protective Adrian is determined to keep her from her new interest. But if book club has taught Tash anything, she should know not to judge a book by its cover…

My Thoughts

After reading my first Georgia Hill novel, I went on the hunt for more from this series and I found this gem! It is the first in the three part series.  I thoroughly enjoyed this part of the series and it was a very interesting read. It dealt with a serious issue, which Georgia Hill portrayed extremely well.

“Everyone told her she had the perfect life. How could she admit it was anything but?”

I loved meeting all the characters again and it answered some of my questions about them. The protagonist, Tash, had a difficult childhood which gave her a low self-esteem, which led her to Adrian.

“Adrian Williams was older than her, an established property developer, obviously monied and the most sophisticated man who had ever taken an interest.”

Tash didn’t have many close friends and she was a workaholic so her only socialising was with Adrian, who even pulled her away from her family with his domineering ways. When she joined the book club she realised how unhappy she really was. With the encouragement and support of her new friends, she was able to break away and start to  focus on herself.

“She missed the simpler pleasures she’d enjoyed before him...she used to love walking her parents’ dog. She hadn’t seen them for ages...so she decided - once Adrian left for work, she’d go and have a coffee with her mother and borrow the dog for a few hours.”

This book was a very enjoyable one and I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a short, light hearted read, but still has substance with a happy ending.

“She was so tired and dreamy from the champagne that she felt she was floating. Or maybe it was the beginnings of happiness?”

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Little Book Cafe: Amy's Story

Title: The Little Book Cafe: Amy’s Story

Author: Georgia Hill

Publisher: Harper Impulse and Killer Reads, October 19th

Pages: 136 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction

My Rating: 4.5 cups

Synopsis:

Escape to the seaside for a new three-part series for fans of The Canal Boat Cafe and Willow Cottage

Amy, the manager of The Little Book Café, is a hopeless romantic who had her heart broken, but quietly refuses to give up on love.

With her friends Tash and Emma, not to mention their shared love of books and delicious cake from the café next door, Amy might just find the courage to fall for a real life romance this time…

Amy's Story is the final instalment of The Little Book Cafe series so wrap up warm this Autumn and treasure this wonderful book.

My Thoughts

This is the first book I have read by Georgia Hill, but I will definitely get my hands on her others, especially the rest of this series! I thoroughly enjoyed this light hearted read. All the characters were very likeable, even Biddy Roulestone.

"...or maybe it was the absence of its most troublesome member, the pensioner with a past, Biddy Roulestone.”

The book revolves around a group of characters who live in a small town called, Berecombe. They are members of a book club run by Amy, the manager of the only bookshop in town. I really enjoyed reading about her relationships with all the characters individually, especially her one sided budding romance!

“Is there anything so painful as unrequited love, she wondered, feeling the familiar longing for him shoot through her.”

The chapters were very short so it was a quick and easy read, but I still had trouble putting it down. It was a short book and I must admit I was quite disappointed when I got to the end, I wanted more!

Throughout the book, Amy, the protagonist, became more confident through the support of her friends and developed her relationships further, especially with her Mum.

“I agree. I’m so glad you’ve come, Mum.”

As is common in books about relationships, there was a few misunderstandings along the way, but Georgia wrapped all that up at the end and it had a very satisfying conclusion!

Overall, this was a light, easy, fun and thoroughly enjoyable read and if you like books by Monica McInerney or Marian Keyes, then this book is for you!

"Ah, hush your mouth, man...Wouldn't I be the terrible eejit if I let you go?"

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release