The Summer of Secrets: A feel good romance novel perfect for holiday reading

Harper has been busily regaining her footing and searching for happiness, buoyed by her best friend Pip, and running her dream come true teashop and petting zoo in the orangery on Silver Hill Farm in Dorset. She’s slowly overcoming a horrible relationship where her ex (he who shall not be named) used her as a doormat, and only Pip was there to shore her up, after her girlfriend went to New Zealand for work. But, with success in business, and finally getting the village to accept her plans for holiday cottages at the farm, Harper’s fiancé Shay has started the construction and started breaking ground. All of that comes to a halt, however, when a box is unearthed, a box that contains some very old, and potentially valuable items. Determined to do things the right way, despite Shay’s intentions and increased pressure for a ‘piece’ of Harper’s business, she contacts an expert for guidance and valuation. The news of the ‘treasure’ has already hit the village thanks to Shay’s drunken revelations, and with Harper feeling as if the treasure really isn’t hers to profit from, and perfectly willing to see it returned to Silver Hill House and the lord thereof, as she is convinced that the money will only lead to changes that will not be positive. This story is full of heart and side-stories: Shay’s self-absorbed and more than slightly immature attitude as his behavior and Harper’s scrambles to ‘accommodate and mitigate’ his bad behavior, placing herself in a place where her own happiness is in jeopardy. Pip’s constant questioning of Shay – she doesn’t much like him, and doesn’t trust him, yet hasn’t quite wanted to hurt her by stating the obvious. The Lord of Silver Hill House, isolated, prickly as a hedgehog and very much running hot and cold, determined to find a way to get the proceeds from the treasure. Cesca, the expert brought in to authenticate the treasure and in the midst of her own personal crisis, and Kristofer, a Norwegian author with a talent and nose for historical mysteries, undoubted sex appeal and a heart that sees Harper just as she should be. When you add in Allie, a now separated from her husband, 2 night stand with Shay: coming to live with Harper and Pip (on Harper’s invitation) the story moves from one interconnected moment to the next, always circling back to Harper and her determination to see the best in others despite their actions that affect her directly. I love a book from Tilly Tennant, and this one managed to grab my attention and make me read on – always hoping that Harper would take some of Pip’s attitude and stand up for herself in the little moments that seem (to her) to not be important enough to worry about. What made her seem clueless at first showed her as having a core of steel: never seeming to notice the small upsets until she’s had time to decide for herself just what she needs to do. You’ll have moments of frustration with Harper, but as Pip does, know that she’s far stronger than she ever believed, and will make the decision that is best for her. Grab this story and escape to the Dorset countryside… you won’t regret it. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Absolutely Brilliant