Recommendations based on "Summer Island"

“A beautiful debut, funny, tender, and animated by a willingness to confront life’s obstacles and find a way to survive. . . . It celebrates friendship, finds meaning in difficulty and lets the reader explore dark places while always allowing for the possibility of light. Lenni and Margot are fine companions for all our springtime journeys.”—Harper’s Bazaar, UKA charming, fiercely alive and disarmingly funny debut novel in the vein of John Green, Rachel Joyce, and Jojo Moyes—a brave testament to the power of living each day to the fullest, a tribute to the stories that we live, and a reminder of our unlimited capacity for friendship and love.An extraordinary friendship. A lifetime of stories.Seventeen-year-old Lenni Pettersson lives on the Terminal Ward at the Glasgow Princess Royal Hospital. Though the teenager has been told she’s dying, she still has plenty of living to do. Joining the hospital’s arts and crafts class, she meets the magnificent Margot, an 83-year-old, purple-pajama-wearing, fruitcake-eating rebel, who transforms Lenni in ways she never imagined.As their friendship blooms, a world of stories opens for these unlikely companions who, between them, have been alive for one hundred years. Though their days are dwindling, both are determined to leave their mark on the world. With the help of Lenni’s doting palliative care nurse and Father Arthur, the hospital’s patient chaplain, Lenni and Margot devise a plan to create one hundred paintings showcasing the stories of the century they have lived—stories of love and loss, of courage and kindness, of unexpected tenderness and pure joy.Though the end is near, life isn’t quite done with these unforgettable women just yet.Delightfully funny and bittersweet, heartbreaking yet ultimately uplifting, The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot reminds us of the preciousness of life as it considers the legacy we choose to leave, how we influence the lives of others even after we’re gone, and the wonder of a friendship that transcends time.From the beautiful cover to the heart-warming story, The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot is a book that will touch your soul and make you appreciate the beauty of life. This literary fiction novel is one of the best books of all time, and it's perfect for anyone who loves novels about love, grief, and friendship.

Swan, Karen

For fans of Jojo Moyes’s Me Before You comes a beautifully written, heartwarming novel about mothers and daughters, husbands and wives. The Day We Met asks: Can you love someone you don’t remember falling in love with?A gorgeous husband, two beautiful children, a job she loves—Claire’s got it all. And then some. But lately, her mother hovers more than a helicopter, her husband, Greg, seems like a stranger, and her kids are like characters in a movie. Three-year-old Esther’s growing up in the blink of an eye, and twenty-year-old Caitlin, with her jet-black hair and clothes to match, looks like she’s about to join a punk band—and seems to be hiding something. Most concerning, however, is the fact that Claire is losing her memory, including that of the day she met Greg.A chance meeting with a handsome stranger one rainy day sets Claire wondering whether she and Greg still belong together: She knows she should love him, but she can’t always remember why. In search of an answer, Claire fills the pages of a blank book Greg gives her with private memories and keepsakes, jotting down beginnings and endings and everything in between. The book becomes the story of Claire—her passions, her sorrows, her joys, her adventures in a life that refuses to surrender to a fate worse than dying: disappearing.Praise for The Day We Met“[Rowan] Coleman executes another incredibly powerful novel that is beautifully written. The story is so well-crafted, it’s impossible to put the book down. The tale is so poignant and heartbreaking that readers will be completely engrossed with the characters while experiencing a wide array of emotions.”—RT Book Reviews“[The Day We Met] is, at heart, a book about mothers, daughters and the strong bonds that exist between women even during heartbreak. Coleman will make you cry with this emotional, beautifully written novel.”—Kirkus Reviews“As with Me Before You, by Jojo Moyes, I couldn’t put this book down.”—Katie Fforde“Rowan Coleman’s heartbreaking, humorous novel about a family in crisis vividly reminded me about the fierce, resilient core in all kinds of love. Readers of Lisa Genova’s Still Alice and Elin Hilderbrand’s Beautiful Day will especially savor this book.”—Nancy Thayer

'Derry Girls meets David Sedaris' Elske Rahill 'The writing is full of energy and originality' Irish Times Growing up on the Falls Road in 1990s Belfast, Alix O'Neill has seen it all - burnt-out buses blocking the route to school, the police mistaking her father for a leading terrorist and a classmate playing hide and seek with her dad's prosthetic hand (blown off making a device for the IRA). Not that she or her friends are up to speed with the goings-on of the resistance. They're too preoccupied with the obsessions of every teenage girl - booze, boys and Boyzone - to worry about the violence on their doorstep. Besides, the odd coffee jar bomb is nothing compared to the drama about to explode in Alix's personal life. Desperate to leave Northern Ireland and the trials of her mother's unorthodox family - a loving yet eccentric band of misfits - behind, she makes grand plans for the next stage. But it's through these relationships and their gradual unravelling that Alix begins to appreciate not only the troubled history of where she comes from, but the strength of its women. Warm, embarrassing and full of love and insight, The Troubles with Us is a hilarious and moving account of the madness and mundanities of life in Northern Ireland during the thirty-year conflict. It's a story of mothers and daughters, the fallout from things left unsaid and the lengths a girl will go to for fake tan.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A darkly comic and warm-hearted novel about an old man on a cross-country mission to reunite with his high school crush—bringing together his adult daughter, two orphaned kids, and a cat who can predict death—by the beloved author of Rabbit Cake and Unlikely Animals “A miraculous novel—an actual and spiritual road trip you won’t forget.”—John IrvingAt sixty-three years old, million-dollar lottery winner PJ Halliday would be the luckiest man in Pondville, Massachusetts, if it weren’t for the tragedies of his life: the sudden death of his eldest daughter and the way his marriage fell apart after that. Since then, PJ spends both his money and his time at the bar, and he probably doesn’t have much time left—he’s had three heart attacks already.But when PJ reads the obituary of his old romantic rival, he realizes his high school sweetheart, Michelle Cobb, is finally single again. Filled with a new enthusiasm for life, PJ decides he’s going to drive across the country to the Tender Hearts Retirement Community in Arizona to win Michelle back.Before PJ can hit the road, tragedy strikes Pondville, leaving PJ the sudden guardian of his estranged brother’s grandchildren. Anyone else would be deterred from the planned trip, but PJ figures the orphaned kids might benefit from getting out of town. PJ also thinks he can ask Sophie, his adult daughter who’s adrift in her twenties, to come along to babysit. And there’s one more surprise addition to the roster: Pancakes, a former nursing home therapy cat with a knack of predicting death, who recently turned up outside PJ’s home.This could be the second chance PJ has long hoped for—a fresh shot at love and parenting—but does he have the strength to do both those things again? It’s very possible his heart can’t take it.

This summer everything is about to change on Hope Island. The sand is warm, the sea is sparkling and a second chance for romance is in the air . . . For two years Freya Greene has hidden the fact that she's totally and utterly in love with her best friend Rome Lancaster. It's not been easy - they work together in his glasswork business, she lives above his workshop and, he's completely gorgeous. But Rome has never shown any sign of returning those feelings. Until now... Lately they've shared affectionate moments and words heavy with meaning. Yet Freya knows Rome has a damaged heart. After losing his fiancée in a tragic accident, he's not allowed himself to fall in love. Freya has already had her heart broken by a man who couldn't let go of a past love. Can she risk it happening again? Rome and Freya have a friendship that could blossom into something more. Are they both brave enough to take that chance? Fall in love on Hope Island with the perfect romantic story to escape into this summer. For fans of Miranda Dickinson, Sue Moorcroft and Jenny Oliver. Read what everyone is saying about Summer at Buttercup Beach: 'I really wish I could give this book more than 5 stars because I really loved it. It has definitely become one of my favourite books ever! As soon as I began reading Summer at Buttercup Beach I found it so easy to read and I was hooked, I just couldn't put it down.' Goodreads Reviewer 'Everything you could want from a Holly Martin book ... like coming home to a good friend, warm and comforting ... you know you are going to enjoy it, and it doesn't let you down.' Rachel's Random Reads 'Wow! Absolutely fell in love with Rome and Freya! Every time I pick up a Holly Martin book I devour it within hours and Summer at Buttercup Beach was no exception. Holly Martin's writing is more than a 5 star rating...' Goodreads Reviewer 'I have read most of this author's work and loved every one, this was no different. She has produced yet another brilliant story which transports us away to Hope Island once more, and into the lives of those who live and work there. I honestly couldn't put it down.' Fiona's Book Reviews 'I can honestly say that I was swept away by this book. Full of heart, warmth and a smidgen of sexiness this is a perfect holiday read. Sunny, bright and full of hope this is one book you won't want to put down!' Escapades of a Bookworm 'When I chose to read Summer at Buttercup Beach, I knew that I'd be in for a treat, as all of Holly's books that I've read so far have been absolutely wonderful. I loved everything about this story, it was delightful to read and there were a few giggles along the way.' Goodreads Reviewer 'Another great book by Holly that I absolutely loved, I so fell in love with Freya and Rome, they made the perfect couple, I absolutely love Holly's style of writing, the location in her stories just makes you really want to be there!!' Consumer Reviewer

Olivia Lockhart Cedar Cove, WashingtonDear Reader,You don't know me yet, but in a few hours that's going to change. You see, I'm inviting you to my home and my town of Cedar Cove because I want you to meet my family, friends and neighbors. Come and hear their stories—maybe even their secrets!I have to admit that my own secrets are pretty open. My marriage failed some years ago, and I have a rather…difficult relationship with my daughter, Justine. Then there's my mother, Charlotte, who has plenty of opinions and is always willing to share them.Here's an example. I'm a family court judge and she likes to drop in on my courtroom. Recently I was hearing a divorce petition. In my mother's view, young Cecilia and Ian Randall hadn't tried hard enough to make their marriage work—and I actually agreed. So I rendered my judgment: Divorce Denied.Well, you wouldn't believe the reaction! Thanks to an article by Jack Griffin, the editor of our local paper (and a man I wouldn't mind seeing more of), everyone's talking.Cedar Cove—people love it and sometimes they leave it, but they never forget it!See you soon….Olivia

"Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping new novel from Emily Henry. Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they're both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: To write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years--or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the 20th Century. When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she'll choose the person who'll tell her story, there are three things keeping Alice's head in the game. One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Alice--and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over. Two: She's ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication. Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition. But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they can't swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they're in the same room. And it's becoming abundantly clear that their story--just like the tale Margaret's spinning-could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad . . . depending on who's telling it"--

‘Julie Shackman knows how to bring the feel-good factor to fiction’ Woman’s Weekly ‘A true page-turner’ Chat Monthly ‘A wonderfully warm tale’ The Sun The brand new Scottish spring escape from bestselling author, Julie Shackman Lexie Dunbar is a book lover. And her favourite place in the world is her local bookstore, Book Ends. So when she hears that it’s going to be sold, Lexie decides she needs to do something to help. Lexie’s plan to save the ailing shop is fully underway until gorgeous-but-grouchy artist Tobias Black arrives on the scene determined to turn the bookstore into an art gallery. Lexie is horrified, the last thing the quaint town of Bracken Way needs is a pretentious artist, even if he does seem to charm everyone but her. Tensions continue to rise until Tobias discovers a shocking secret that shows they might have more in common than they realise. As sparks fly, can Lexie and Tobias work together, or will opposing ideas get in the way of them finding their very own happy ever after... Readers love The Bookshop by the Loch: 'Lots of twists. Family secrets. A brooding artist. Forgiveness. Love never dies, There are so many delicate subjects it covers. The book shop sounds fab.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I enjoyed this great story very much. Happiness and some sadness in equal measure – lovely ending.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A delightful romance about second chances and new adventures. Author Julie Shackman creates characters who are enjoyable and full of quirks.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A lovely combination of the past and the present coming together resulting a really heartwarming tale.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A super cute easy romance read!!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A second chance romance about new adventures... warm and heartfelt with characters who are funny and delightful’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'The characters came alive on the page and I was able to relate to all of them. This novel dealt with romance, but also with family relationships, redemption, and friendship’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐

'With echoes of David Nicholls's One Day, this romance has just the right mix of heart-melting moments and heart-rending near misses' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING 'Intensely romantic' SUNDAY MIRROR 'Wonderful, heart-tugging' PRIMA 'Timeless and moving' HOLLY MILLER Perfect for fans of ONE DAY and ME BEFORE YOU, this is a heartbreaking love story spanning three decades that starts and ends on a bench, by the Richard & Judy Book Club bestselling author. __________________________________________ It begins at the end. It begins on a bench, on a heath, where a woman waits for a man. Ten years ago, they made a pact: On this bench, on this day, they will end a love affair that's spanned three decades, or start again. They should never have met. They should never have fallen in love. But they did, until a lie separated them for a lifetime. Can they fix the mistake, forgive the lie, erase the years in-between? Can what was lost ever truly be found? __________________________________________ Readers are falling in LOVE with The Bench . . . 'I loved this book from beginning to end' ***** Reader review 'A raw, emotional book about love in all its guises'Sun 'I cried at the end, they were happy tears!' ***** Reader review 'Heartbreaking' Bella 'What an epic love story, I loved this so much' ***** Reader review 'Irresistible' Jemma Wayne 'Beautiful, painful, heart-breaking' ***** Reader review 'Honest, tender' Emma Rous 'Poignant and heart-wrenching' Mary Chamberlain 'I absolutely loved it' ***** Reader review 'Beautiful' Cecilia Ekbäck 'I fell head over heels in love with it' Fiona Mitchell 'Wonderful storytelling' ***** Reader review 'Wonderful' Lisa Ballantyne *THE NEW LOVE STORY FROM SASKIA SARGINSON, SEVEN MONTHS OF SUMMER, IS OUT NOW*