The Summer House
Lady Helen Barstairs marries her soldier husband at her family’s request and regrets it almost instantly when she meets Oliver Donovan. Their brief but intense affair leaves her with a baby daughter, Laura, much wanted but forcibly adopted. Laura’s life is poor but happy until another war robs her of her fiancé and also leaves her a single mother.
Then Laura and Helen’s lives come together again and the family begins to learn to love each other. Cue the arrival of Oliver’s son Wayne to stir the mix. Secrets long hidden are likely to come into the open and could ruin the lives of all concerned. But always in the background is Steve, Laura’s “rock”, who although badly injured is the one person to teach Laura to live and love again.
Mary Nichols is a prolific and popular novelist and from this latest offering it is easy to see why. She writes in a lively and engaging style and knows exactly how to spin a darn good tale. The Summer House is a lovely slice of life saga which uses its dual First and Second World War backdrops to the full. Her characters are rather appealing, and even the various “bit parts” are well fleshed out. All in all a very good read.
