#BlogTour #Review : A Summer to Remember by Victoria Cooke #ASummerToRemember @VictoriaCooke10 @rararesources / Books Teacup and Reviews

Hello Readers! Today I’m sharing review of A Summer To Remember by Victoria Cooke as a part of blog tour, organized by Rachel’s Random Resources. Many thanks to Rachel for tour invite and publisher for providing e-copy via NetGalley, in exchange for honest review. Please check out the book details and giveaway (UK) in this post.

Previous Books I Read By the Same Author:

A Summer To Remember by Victoria Cooke
Publication Date: 19th September 2019
Publisher: HQ Digital
Genre: Romantic Comedy / chicklit / Women’s Fiction
Pages: 384
Stars: ★★★★★

Sam lives by the mantra that it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.
After the tragic loss of her husband, Sam built a new life around friends, her cat Coco and a career she loves. Fending off frequent set-ups and well-meaning advice to ‘move on’, Sam is resolutely happy being single.
But when Sam gets seconded to her firm’s Boston office for the summer, it is more than her career that is in for a shake-up. A spur of the moment decision to visit the idyllic beaches of Cape Cod could end up changing her life forever.

A Summer To Remember was heartwarming romance that revolved around Sam who lost her husband in accident 8 years ago, who got opportunity to finds love and happiness once again in life. It was about second chance at love, getting over grief, and moving on in life.

Characters-

Sam was in her late 30s, passionate and enthusiastic career girl. Her feelings and fear were genuine and realistic. While she was living life, making some amazing friends and doing her dream job she was good at, she didn’t allow anyone to support her, cope with grief and kept pushing her loved ones away. I’m glad she felt change in feelings and emotions on meeting Ethan who made her realize she need her family and love back in life. Her development was gradual.

Ethan was great throughout the book. At first he was jerk and grumpy but as he and Sam met more I could see his soft side. He gone through pretty same as Sam but he was better with his emotions than Sam because of family and friends support. There was more to him and I liked the way he changed Sam’s life and view.

I loved Barney and Harry. This couple brought fun and light in both Sam and Ethan’s deflated life with their cheerful nature and parties. They were supportive, understanding and lovable. I cannot imagine book without these two.

What I Liked-

First thing, just look at the cover. Isn’t it calling to take it out on beach, relax and read? I loved that cover. I can buy it just looking at it.

I’m getting used to author’s writing. This is my 4^th book by Victoria Cooke and I guess I will read anything by her. Writing was smooth with beautiful narration, sweet romance and picturesque setting made it aesthetically pleasing. But it’s not just romance here. I didn’t expect the depth to it. Story was told from Sam’s perspective which made feel more close to her than any other characters.

Books started with Sam finally getting her dream chance to work in US office for 3 months, summer she didn’t expect to change her life. A summer she will remember all her life and might be part of her life. She was happy being single, good at her job, living life and even enjoying it without love and men. When she started spending her weekends on the beautiful beaches of Cape Cod, her self-imposed perseverance started to falter. She got attached to this small town, new friends and dashing Ethan. Was it just attraction or she is falling in love? Can she give closure to her grief? Will it be just a summer fling for Sam or she will give another chance to love and her life?

We see glimpse of Sam’s past, how she met Kev, the day of their marriage, fallout with her parents and the day of accident intermittently. We hear about Ethan’s loss, his struggle and how he managed to live after his loss. Both of their story and feeling were touching. I wanted to reach out to them and give them hug and also a good shake so that they could move on in life.

Emotions were the strength of the book. Both characters felt loss and grief. Both reacted to it differently and both spent long time being faithful to their loved ones, living in their memory and going along with life. I could understand Sam’s feelings and reasons up to some extent but I also felt she was being unfair to her parents and Ethan, even to the memories of Kev. The moments they spent together was so romantic, spellbinding, and heartwarming. I loved every bit of it.

At 50% story was like wrapped-up. Feelings and their life-story shared, both characters knew each other better, both realized they feel connected and have more deep relationship than just friendship, knew each other family and friends… what can be more to it? Sure if Sam agreed to move on there will be end of the story right then and there. So I was clueless what to expect next. All the second half was uncertain and emotional. Turns in the story were placed just right making it interesting and gripping.

My favorite fun and lovely moments in the book were, Sam at wedding in the beginning (those clues for guests to find their table was fun), meeting Harry and Barney for the first time, meeting Lexi, a date (so romantic), and those eight Christmas presents and the way she presented them for each year (it was so heart-melting, I actually shed some happy tears).

Climax was surprising. Things took unexpected turn. But it quickly turned in right direction. Honestly I expected it to be bot more dramatic but I guess one blow was enough and Sam might not wanted to ruin the chance. Anyway it was lovely to see their happily-ever-after end.

Overall, it was beautiful, heartwarming summery romance with wonderful setting and depth. I highly recommend this book.

Purchase Link – getbook.at/ASummerToRemember

Author Bio –

Victoria Cooke grew up in the city of Manchester before crossing the Pennines in pursuit of a career in education. She now lives in Huddersfield with her husband and two young daughters and when she’s not at home writing by the fire with a cup of coffee in hand, she loves working out in the gym and travelling. Victoria was first published at the tender age of eight by her classroom teacher who saw potential in a six-page story about an invisible man. Since then she’s always had a passion for reading and writing, undertaking several writers’ courses before completing her first novel, ‘The Secret to Falling in Love,’ in 2016.

Her third novel, Who Needs Men Anyway? became a digital bestseller in 2018.

Social Media Links –

Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Intagram

Giveaway to Win A Summer to Remember by Victoria Cooke and Chocolates (UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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Let’s discuss!

What do you think about the book and review? Have you read this book or any other books by the same author? Do you like to read books with second chance and happily ever after arc? Who is you favorite author in this genre? Recommend me you favorite Chick Lit/Women’s Fiction.