Thursday 6 March 2014

The Summer House by Santa Montefiore

Antoinette’s whole life revolved around her husband, George, until he is tragically killed in an accident and her whole life falls apart.

George was the man she had loved and leaned on almost her entire life and they knew everything about one another. At least, that is what Antoinette thought, until a beautiful young woman attends George’s funeral and turns everything she thought she knew about him upside down.

I find it very interesting what attracts us to different books at different times. I have had quite a heavy reading spell recently. Everything I have read recently has had a serious theme and I decided it was time for something a little more light hearted. Wandering around my library my eye fell on this book solely because of the authors name.

When I was a young girl I went to a school called Robert Montefiore in London’s East End. I have very many happy memories from those days. The girl I met on our first day there quickly became my best friend and remains so to this day. So, I have many good associations with the name Montefiore and that was what made me pick up this book and I am very glad that I did.

It is fair to say that this book has its shortcomings. It is predictable and it was easy to guess the route that the plot was going to take but it read extremely well and I could not wait for opportunities to get back to it.

The characters were all simply lovely and I could not dislike anyone; from the grumpy matriarch of the family right down to the butler, each character brought something of their own to the story and the author endowed each one of them with characteristics that made me want to read more about them.

It is true to say that this book is no great work of literature but it was just what I needed to read right now and I enjoyed every page of it. For me, reading this book was like eating a chocolate bar. I would not want my whole diet to consist of it but it was a very indulgent and satisfying snack between meals.

Anyone who likes a book to have a nice feel good factor, is pleasant to read and enjoys a romance will like this book. I shall be returning to my local library shelves to look for more by Ms. Montefiore as I enjoyed reading this one very much.


ISBN:  978 1849831055

Publisher:  Simon and Schuster

Price (based on todays price for the paperback at Amazon.co.uk)   £3.85

Total saving so far:  £209.23

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