Welcome to my review of The Summer That Changed Us by Cathy Bramley. As usual, I liked the cover of this book (I chose so many books this way!), and the blurb sounded just what I needed, a light-hearted book about new friends. I loved The Summer That Changed Us!
The sparkling seaside village of Merle Bay, with its beautiful beach scattered with sea glass, is a place where anyone can have a fresh start.
For Katie, it is the perfect hideout after a childhood trauma left her feeling exposed. For Robyn, the fresh sea air is helping to heal her scars, but maybe not her marriage. For Grace, a new start could help her move on from a heartbreaking loss. When they meet on Sea Glass Beach one day, they form an instant bond and soon they’re sharing prosecco, laughter – and even their biggest secrets…
Together, the women feel stronger than ever before. So can their friendship help them face old fears and find happy endings – as well as new beginnings?
Cathy Bramley is the Sunday Times Top Ten best-selling author of THE LEMON TREE CAFE. Her other romantic comedies include Ivy Lane, Appleby Farm, Wickham Hall, Conditional Love, The Plumberry School of Comfort Food and White Lies and Wishes. She lives in a Nottinghamshire village with her family and a dog.
Cathy turned to writing after spending eighteen years running her own marketing agency. She has been always an avid reader, never without a book on the go and now thinks she may have found her dream job!
Cathy loves to hear from her readers. You can get in touch via her website www.CathyBramley.co.uk Facebook page Facebook.com/CathyBramleyAuthor or on Twitter CathyBramley
The book is set in the stunning Merle Bay, where the beach is scattered with beautiful sea glass if you know where to look. It’s beautifully written and flowed wonderfully, so I was quickly entrapped by the lives of Grace, Robyn and Katie. From being complete strangers to having a no holds barred sharing system between themselves, they manage to navigate new friendships and their troubles through ups and downs over the summer, becoming best friends.
Each of the three women has her own issues and personal problems they don’t want to share with anyone else. They are wide-ranging from the traumatised teenager to the widow to the one who doesn’t want to have children and has recently had operations to prevent cancer. There is a good mix, but each is equally sad in its own right. However, the love between them by the end is beautiful; they have become family more than friends and root for and support each other. This also has a ripple effect on those around them.
Each character is well developed, they are realistic, and you feel that you know each of them well. I found changing each protagonist was easy as they were so different. So many serious issues are covered but sensitively.
This joyful and uplifting read fills you with hope, knowing that there is always a positive even in the darkest of times, and things will work out in the end. So often, sharing their problems has helped each woman and shows the reader that this can be the case in their own lives.
I loved the beginning with their hilarious meeting, three complete strangers and one very embarrassing incident! The humour and funny moments continue throughout, but I especially loved the daughter of one of the other characters, possibly the most loving and caring teenager you could hope to meet!
I have already recommended this book to many people; you should definitely buy yourself a copy as soon as possible!
| Title | The Summer That Changed Us |
| Author | Cathy Bramley |
| Series | N/A |
| Format | eARC |
| Page Count | 416 Pages |
| Genre | Contemporary Romance |
| Publisher | Orion |
| Release Date | 3 March 2022 |
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