Reviewed by Emma Crowley
Summer is in full swing when Daisy drives back into Wynmouth in her almost-clapped-out car, having left both her most recent job and the man her parents thought she was going to marry. Coming home could be just what she needs to move her life on.
At Wynbrook Manor, things are in disarray. Owner Algy isn’t getting any younger, and Daisy’s mum Janet, housekeeper at the manor, spends her days running around after him, while Daisy’s dad Robin, the gardener, has been let down by the person he had lined up to take care of the new cut-flower garden.
As Daisy tries to find her place at Wynbrook and in the village, she’s drawn to summer visitor Josh. But when he turns out to be not the person he appears to be, will the spark between them fizzle out? And with it, the chances of this turning into the best summer ever?
Many thanks to SJV from Simon and Schuster for my copy of Best Summer Ever to review and to Sharon for having my review on the blog.
It’s been a very long time since I have read a book by Heidi Swain and I think it’s because I’m not a fan of reading series where I dip in a few books in instead of starting at the beginning. Or else I read the first one or two books and then for one reason or another I never get back to the rest and before I know it there are quite a few written and I’ve lost track etc. I do know Heidi writes standalone novels as well but this new summer read, Best Summer Ever, is the third book in the Wynmouth series which I had previously known nothing about. Book three I hear you say and you’re going to start there instead of at the beginning. Well two reasons, first I wanted a nice light summery read after reading a slew of historical fiction books and the fact that I had it in paperback was an added bonus as I needed a break from reading on my Kindle.
After all, there is nothing like the feel of a physical book in your hands and for some reason I read physical books far quicker than I do books on the Kindle. Secondly, I’m forever saying in reviews regarding books in a series that this book can easily be read as a standalone and I thought well let’s put that to the test. The above statement proved true as at no point did I feel I had missed out by not reading the previous two books. I could tell who had featured before and could read between the lines as to what their storylines had been but without specifics being given away and therefore I was happy to just get on and focus on Daisy and what she hopes would be her best summer ever.
Daisy arrives back to Wynmouth after many years away, with no money, no job and no prospects. Oh and not to forget to mention no boyfriend either since Laurence had cheated on her. But this had only served to reinforce for her that the pair no longer had anything in common. So what do you do when things really have gone belly up and there is no firm plan for the future? Return home and so she does but with her tail between her legs in some ways. Wnmouth is a small coastal village and her parents, Janet and Robin live and work at nearby Wynbrook Manor Estate which is owned by Algy. Daisy keeps Laurence’s infidelity to herself and just lets her parents think that yet again their daughter has given up on something. For she does have a reputation of flitting from one thing to another, never sticking at anything and not really capable of applying herself to something and giving it her full attention. At aged 28 her parents would have expected her to be sensible and be settling down and stop her life choices being a constant disappointment and to search for a job that is straightforward and one that would make her some money.
This all makes it sound as if Daisy is a free spirit and someone who just lets the world pass her by whilst she is happy just ambling on in life. That’s not her at all well maybe to a very slight degree but surely it’s not her defining characteristic. I just got the sense that she hadn’t found what she really wanted to do and something in the past many years ago had had a significant impact on the decisions she makes in the present. Old memories start to surface when she returns but can she put these to bed and move on once and for all? She hopes this summer will give her a chance to regroup and make some wise choices. She is determined not to let anyone down, to be a nuisance or get in the way, which is sad in a way because she shouldn’t feel like this around family and friends.
I think a lot of the way Daisy was feeling was all to do with her parents. Having to go back and live with them in their cottage on the estate must have been hard for her and to constantly hear nothing positive being said about her just criticism and lack of support must have been very wearing. I really couldn’t fathom why they spoke to her the way they did at certain times and why they weren’t fully supportive of their daughter? Don’t get me wrong they weren’t all bad but god they seemed to preoccupied with their jobs at the manor. Those being head gardener and housekeeper for Alby that they made Daisy feel like a naughty child for her lack of commitment. To say familial relationships were not great would be an understatement and the pair came across like the baddies and I hoped there would be some sort of redemption for them further on in the book because I hated feeling like this about parents of a character that you are rooting for.
Daisy’s problems with her parents weren’t always the dominant presence in the book and to be honest if they had been it wouldn’t have been the summery read that I was expecting and I would have been turned off. Daisy finds herself a job at the local pub, The Smuggler’s Inn, run by Sam and she starts to reconnect with her old friends especially Penny, whom I loved. Her storyline was great. An overworked teacher who takes on even more running the running of the beach café for the summer as if she hasn’t enough to be doing. But she was brilliant, and this also allowed for the development of Daisy’s storyline. I loved how we became very familiar with the setting of Wynmouth itself as Daisy worked and spent days at the beach but yet the manor wasn’t forgotten and Algy too had his own problems which Daisy was determined to get to the bottom of. She does have a kind heart and would help anyone out it’s just not her fault that she can be late for work or she forgets things. She’s just that kind of person and if you are not fully happy with the trajectory of your life than everything doesn’t always fall instantly and comfortable into place. I could sense the manor and the gardens had a crucial role to play in the transformation of Daisy and oh not forgetting of course the very handsome Josh.
Josh was someone who at first seemed to good to be true. A gorgeous American new to the area for the summer whom Daisy has an unfortunate but funny first few encounters with but who soon catches her eye and she subtly lets it develop into something more. I mean who wouldn’t a summer romance with no strings attached with someone who makes you feel good and provides some light relief from more pressing issues that she prefers not to deal with straightaway. He really is Insta perfect as she says and there is electricity between them. I loved how we saw a soft side emerge re Josh as we learnt little titbits about him and I thought good for Daisy she’s doing something she wants without the need for real commitment but what happens if things start to change. Given all she is dealing with personally and a new venture that appears on her horizon will she want to take things further with Josh? There were a few twists and turns towards the ends and I did have my suspicions the further I got into the book but I never could quite put my finger on it and pinpoint things down which was good. The ending I felt was lovely and just absolutely perfect and really brought the story full circle.
Best Summer Ever although cliched as it may sound really was the perfect summer read. It had a beautiful bright, inviting cover, a catchy title, a brilliant setting, characters that were varied with plenty of issues but also with humour thrown in as well and a plot that kept moving along at a lovely pace. I really enjoyed this book. It gave me what I needed at just the right time. A chance to unwind, relax and escape to Wynmouth. It’s the perfect read for poolside abroad somewhere or just chilling I the garden on a beautiful summer’s day.
No comments:
Post a Comment