Book Extract & Review: A Summer to Remember by Sue Moorcroft

I can’t think of a better way to start a Monday than a visit from Sue Moorcroft and the blog tour for her new novel, A Summer to remember.

WANTED! A caretaker for Roundhouse Row holiday cottages.

WHERE? Nelson’s Bar is the perfect little village. Nestled away on the Norfolk coast we can offer you no signal, no Wi-Fi and – most importantly – no problems!

WHO? The ideal candidate will be looking for an escape from their cheating scumbag ex-fiancé, a diversion from their entitled cousin, and a break from their traitorous friends.

WHAT YOU’LL GET! Accommodation in a chocolate-box cottage, plus a summer filled with blue skies and beachside walks. Oh, and a reunion with the man of your dreams.

PLEASE NOTE: We take no responsibility for any of the above scumbags, passengers and/or traitors walking back into your life…

GET IN TOUCH NOW TO MAKE THIS A SUMMER TO REMEMBER!

Mick has reviewed the book but first, Sue and Avon have shared an extract with us all today. 

***** beginning of extract******

Surprised into rising and facing the direction the voice had come from, Clancy had to grab the back of the bench as her head swam anew. A short, rotund woman with a dandelion clock of white hair and a sweet smile shuffled around the house. ‘Are you are our new Evelyn? I’m Dilys, from number two. I thought I’d say hello.’ By now Dilys was standing in front of Clancy, daisy-strewn wellies peeping from beneath a rose-splashed skirt. Her eyebrows bobbed enquiringly.

‘I’m taking the caretaker’s job, yes.’ It was impossible not to return Dilys’s smile; it was so twinkly and warm. ‘I was just wondering where I could find a supermarket. Or furniture shops. Aaron had to rush off before he could tell me.’ She supposed she was lucky that she had money in the bank but she hadn’t really bargained for the hassle of furnishing the Roundhouse when she decided to launch herself towards Nelson’s Bar.

Dilys’s grey eyes twinkled as she turned and let herself down stiffly onto the bench beside Clancy. ‘Furniture? I expect he’ll just bring the other stuff back. They stored it up at De Silva House – Aaron’s parents’ place – because Evelyn had her own.’

Clancy suppressed a wriggle of hurt that Aaron hadn’t mentioned something that, clearly, would make her life easier. Evidently, he didn’t want her here. So what? She’d been unwanted by people much closer and more important to her than Aaron De Silva. Her ex-fiancé and work colleagues, for example. And with her parents it had always only been fifty-fifty.

She shoved those negative thoughts away with a bright, ‘Was it Alice and Lee’s furniture? I’m Alice’s cousin, Clancy.’

Dilys beamed. ‘Her cousin! How is Alice? I never hear from her.’

***** end of extract*****

About Sue: 

Sue Moorcroft is a Sunday Times bestselling author, an international bestselling author and has held the #1 spot in the UK Kindle chart. She writes contemporary fiction with sometimes unexpected themes.

Sue has won a Best Romantic Read Award, received two nominations at the Romantic Novel of the Year Awards and is a Katie Fforde Bursary winner. Her short stories, serials, articles, columns, courses and writing ‘how to’ have sold around the world.

An army child, Sue was born in Germany then lived in Cyprus, Malta and the UK. She’s worked in a bank, as a bookkeeper (probably a mistake), as a copytaker for Motor Cycle News and for a digital prepress. She’s pleased to have now wriggled out of all ‘proper jobs’.

For more information about Sue and her novels, visit www.suemoorcroft.com
Say hi to sue on Twitter: @suemoorcroft and Facebook: facebook.com/SueMoorcroftAuthor
Instagram: suemoorcroftauthor. 

A Summer to Remember was released on 2nd May by Avon Books. Click to view on Amazon UK. 

A Summer to remember review: 

(Reviewed by Mick Arnold.) 

In the opinion of this reviewer, there comes a time in the career of an author where they produce a work that elevates them to the next level; ‘A Summer to Remember’ is that work.

Sue Moorcroft is well admired and known for her work in the Women’s Romantic Fiction genre and though this novel fits neatly into that category. However, do not be fooled into thinking this is a light-hearted read, it is much deeper and thus, much more rewarding to the reader.

Without going into too many details (which I never do), we have the story of Clancy who has had to leave the company she worked hard to set up through no fault of her own and thus moves up to the small village of Nelson’s Bar on the north coast of Norfolk. Here, she comes into conflict with the family of the man her cousin left standing at the altar. It is here that Sue ratchets things up as the would-be groom had subsequently suffered a breakdown and his family are heavily protective of him, making her burgeoning relationship with his brother, awkward at times.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Sue is a master at playing with the readers emotions and with ‘A Summer to Remember,’ Sue takes us through every one that I can imagine, including anger. Yes, I was very angry on Clancy’s behalf at the way her so-called friends had treated her and then felt like cheering at how she bounced back and dealt with the situation. Family conflict has never been better written than here, with all the nuances of as close-knit family that is Aaron’s (the main male protagonist) laid bare.

This is a multi-layered novel that never feels rushed as all the threads come to a very satisfying close. As in the very best novels, you don’t warm to each character, but you shouldn’t. In real life, you don’t, so why should you in a novel, yet they are still there to serve their purpose. I for one, will be re-reading this novel as often as I can, as it would serve very well as a ‘How a novel should be written.’ Please note that I make no distinguishing between genres here, simply a great example of writing.

Take your time over reading as I did, savour this novel like a fine wine, is my final piece of advice.

My thanks to all at AvonBooksUK and Netgalley, but especially to Sue Moorcroft for allowing me to read this prior to its release; most appreciated.

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.