Swallowtail Summer by Erica James

Synopsis

They thought they were friends for life - until one summer, everything changed . . . 

Linston End on the Norfolk Broads has been the holiday home to three families for many years. The memories of their time there are ingrained in their hearts: picnics on the river, gin and tonics in the pavilion at dusk, hours spent seeking out the local swallowtail butterflies. Everyone together.

But widower Alastair has been faced with a few of life's surprises recently. Now, he is about to shock his circle of friends with the decisions he has made - and the changes it will mean for them all. For some, it feels like the end. For others, it might just be the beginning . . .

My Review

I am a big fan of this author so I jumped at the chance of an ARC of this book.

It wasn't what I was fully expected but from page one this book got under my skin. Once I'd started reading I was hooked.  The main character Alistair is in his 60's and I did wonder if maybe this book wouldn't be for me but it most certainly was.

I loved the way that the book portrayed the emotions from all angles. This was full of the twists and turns of family, love and friendship. We had Alistair who had recently lost his wife and left his life behind to go on a new adventure.  Little did his friends know that he would return with a new lady in his life, who of course all his friends hate at first sight. We flip to the younger generation of the circle who in their 30's are all still single but could love be on the cards?

This is a truly unique group of friends, Alistair and late wife Orla, Sorrel and Simon with their grown up children Rachel and Callum and Danny and Frankie with their daughter Jenna.  The group have always, apart from one, spent their summers at Linston End but now with the house going up for sale the whole dynamic of the group is about to change.

The last get together is one that will see secrets being told and hearts being broken.

I am not going to give away any spoilers of this story but Alistair, Danny and Simon have been friends since school and their love lives are more linked then they'd ever imagined when the truth is out this leads to tragic consequences.  With the added mix of Valentina and her two step children this leads to a explosive combination of emotions and the fireworks are set to go off.

Set on the idyllic Norfolk Broads this book hooked me in and left me wanting more.  I love each character and their in depth personality traits that just tied the whole book together.  This was a really heartwarming and enjoyable read.