With the summer season upon us 041BOOKS columnist Lauren Hewitt rounds up some summer reads reminiscent of beach side cocktails.
HERE’S nothing nicer than being transported to an exotic location via a book. Add tales about warm weather, cocktails, fun, friends, romance! ( or a murder to solve) and you’ve got my attention for the foreseeable future. Here’s part one of a list of books fitting the bill.
Helena Dixon
This first one is a little different, this one features a Scottish New Year’s celebration! A perfect read for this time of the year as New Year’s approaches.
Summer in the English countryside is one of my favourite things. Icecreams, long cold drinks, sitting in the shade of a leafy tree, paddling in an icy stream and the gorgeous wildflowers everywhere. I wanted to capture the essence of summer in a book and Murder at the village fair has all of those things.
Murder at the Highland Castle was inspired by years of reading golden age fiction and the snowy winters I remember as a child. Pipes freezing, icicles hanging from buildings and coming in to stamp snow from your boots before warming up in front of a blazing fire. Our Scottish neighbour told me tales of first footing and Hogmanay so all I needed then was a remote castle.
https://geni.us/B0CDHGNWHYauthor
Murder at the Village Fair
Kitty Underhay is riding a carousel… with death.
Summer 1935. Enjoying a belated honeymoon visiting her new husband Matt’s family in the rolling Yorkshire hills, Kitty strolls through a village fair. But when Kitty persuades Matt to visit the fortune teller’s tent, the lovebirds are shocked to find the body of Madame Zaza slumped over her crystal ball, pearl necklace askew and a half-drunk cup of tea at her elbow.
https://geni.us/B0C3M9B31Rauthor
Sue McDonagh
The Sea Sisters Swimming Club
Strange as it sounds, this Romantic Comedy was inspired by my own unexpected heart attacks, two years ago in November.
I had the nub of an idea for a plot for my Book five. Fran is forced into early retirement and faces a crisis of identity and self doubt, but she also finds friendship with the Sea Sisters, and gentle giant Wyn. Her life changes in ways she wouldn’t have imagined.
I particularly wanted to write about the support and love that I’d received from my local sea swimming group, aptly named The Blue Boobies. I joined three years ago when I was at a really low ebb mentally, following a horrible incident. I swam almost daily with them, and their positive and cheerful friendship, together with the mighty power of the sea to diminish all woes, gradually healed my spirit.
I will be forever grateful to them for that.
Although the book focuses on Fran and her recovery from her heart attack, I wanted to give the story an uplifting, life affirming feel. As my own recovery both informed and inspired Frans, in return it inspired me. She’s a bit younger than me though, and I bet she has better knees. I think we could have a good laugh over a hot chocolate on the beach, after a swim.
I painted myself. In my other life, I’m a self employed artist, and I’ve been very lucky to be able to use my own paintings on my covers.
Lynne Shelby
My novel, The Summer of Taking Chances, is set in an English seaside village. Ten years ago, Jake Murray left the village to follow his dreams of becoming an actor – taking Emma Stevens’ dreams with him. Now, he is back for the summer. Will Emma, still living quietly by the sea, give her first love a second chance?
Emma and Jake’s story takes place over the summer months, and I wanted the location to reflect the book’s summery feel. Their fictional village of South Quay is inspired by a seaside village on England’s south east coast, where my family used to have a holiday home, where I spent summer holidays as a child, and where me and my husband took our now adult children when they were young. I have vivid memories of long hot days by the sea, eating fish and chips on the beach, collecting shells and sea glass, building sandcastles and jumping over the waves – all things my characters do in the book. I very much enjoyed ‘re-living’ many happy summer holidays as I wrote. The real life village hasn’t changed much over the years, and families still go there for a traditional beach holiday.
Kim Nash
Hopeful Hearts at the Cornish Cove
This book was actually inspired by a Christmas card which I received which had a gorgeous lighthouse on the front. I sat it on my writing bureau as it was the first one of the year and couldn’t stop looking at it wondering who lived there, and who lived in the houses in the background and on the boats which were in the harbour. A story formed and I wrote about Meredith, who fifty and fed-up with life, got a little brave after a glass of wine too many one night and bid for a Cornish Lighthouse on the internet. When she arrives, all is not as it seems…
Sunshine and Seconds Chances
I had always wanted to write a book about what happens when you put strong women together and how they can motivate, inspire, support, lift, and help each other to live their best lives. Four friends made a promise when they were 21 to celebrate their 50th birthdays together. Their celebration holiday in The Algarve, explores how unexpected second chances can be offered and even created and how you can make your own kind of happy with fabulous friendship support along the way.
Victoria Springfield
Victoria Springfield writes contemporary women’s fiction immersed in the sights, sounds and flavours of Italy. She’s been holidaying there since she was a teenager thanks to her father who was a real Italophile and has made many trips to the vibrant walled city of Lucca in Tuscany where her most recent book The Italian Fiancé is set.
70-year-old Aunt Jane, who is causing a stir by preparing to marry Luciano, a flamboyant Italian artist she met on holiday, was inspired by some of the go-getting older ladies Victoria knows who wouldn’t let a few hundred miles and other people’s disapproval stop them looking for love. When Jane’s two nieces, Cassie and Lisa put their differences aside to travel to Lucca to check out Luciano’s credentials they’re shocked to find their own lives turned upside down and their relationship with each other changed for good. An uplifting tale of love, friendship and starting over.
Kate Frost
My own experience of having pet sitters to look after our dog, combined with a desire to feature a location that was sun-drenched nearly all year round inspired An Island in the Sun, which follows songwriter Tabitha escaping heartbreak in the UK to travel around the world petsitting before ending up looking after two Cavaliers and a cat at a luxury villa on Madeira, an island known for its sunny climate as much as its wild, mountainous and beautiful interior. Summertime in Madeira seemed the perfect backdrop for an escapist romance.
Belle Henderson
Not The Plus One was inspired by my sister in law who was left in the lurch by her ex boyfriend but learnt to navigate life and love as a single mum fabulously. My favourite things about summer are long warm evenings, picnics in the park and day trips to the beach.
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