Book Review: One Last Summer by Victoria Connelly

Today it’s lovely to welcome Victoria Connelly and the blog tour for her latest novel, One Last Summer. 

They have the whole summer ahead of them. Is it enough to rekindle the friendship they once shared?

Harriet Greenleaf dreams of spending the summer in a beautiful ancient priory on the Somerset coast with her two best friends—but her dream is bittersweet. On the one hand, it’s a chance to reconnect three lives that have drifted apart; on the other, she has a devastating secret to share that will change everything between them forever.

First to arrive is Audrey—the workaholic who’s heading for a heart attack unless she slows down and makes time for herself. Then Lisa, the happy-go-lucky flirt who’s always struggled to commit to anyone—or anything. Ever the optimist, can Harriet remind them of the joy in their lives and the importance of celebrating good friendship before it’s gone?

Through the highs and lows of a long, glorious summer, these three women will rediscover what it means to be there for each other—before they face the hardest of goodbyes.

Harriet, Harrie to her friends, books the Priory, a getaway in Somerset for six weeks.

She hopes that she can reconnect with her two oldest friends, Audrey and Lisa. Harrie holds a secret though, one she is not sure she’s ready to share.

Audrey is busy running her own school and is not taking the time for herself. Even when she arrives for the six-week holiday she has promised Harrie, she still can’t stop working.

Lisa has Yoga but isn’t really fulfilled by her day job.

One Last Summer is one of those novels that I knew from the first page was going to make me cry. And it did.

I immediately got very emotionally involved with all the characters. All three of these women have things they are needing to work through – work/life balance, getting older, mortality and relationships.

Most of all though, this book is about the friendship between these three women. There is a love story but it surrounds Harrie, Audrey and Lisa. It was one of the things I loved most about this book.

The setting for this novel sounds amazing. I could really picture this place from the descriptions given. Can I go live there?

I am not going to say much more as I don’t want to give away any more of the plot.

There are times in this novel where I smiled, laughed, got sad, cried – lots of emotions.

Much like its setting, this book is perfect for the warm summer evenings, with a glass of wine and your feet up.

There is sadness but a lot of warmth and a powerful message at its centre. I know what I took from it. I hope you get as much from it as I did.

Thank you Victoria for a wonderful novel.

About Victoria: 

Victoria Connelly studied English literature at Worcester University, got married in a medieval castle in the Yorkshire Dales and now lives in rural Suffolk with her artist husband, a young springer spaniel and a flock of ex-battery hens.

She is the author of two bestselling series, Austen Addicts and The Book Lovers, as well as many other novels and novellas. Her first published novel, Flights of Angels, was made into a film in 2008 by Ziegler Films in Germany. The Runaway Actress was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Romantic Comedy Novel award.

Ms Connelly loves books, films, walking, historic buildings and animals. If she isn’t at her keyboard writing, she can usually be found in her garden, with either a trowel in her hand or a hen on her lap.

Her website is www.victoriaconnelly.com, and readers can follow her on Twitter @VictoriaDarcy, Facebook and on Instagram @VictoriaConnellyAuthor.

One Last Summer was published by Lake Union Publishing on 5th February 2019. 

Click to view on Amazon UK and Amazon US. 

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.