Violet is bequeathed an apartment and pier in Swallow Beach. She heads down there with plans to stay for the summer. She meets opposition to her plans for the pier but goes ahead anyway. Reading her Grandmother’s diary she discovers a secret and solves a mystery.
I loved this book. Violet is given a letter from her late Grandfather in which she is bequeathed a beachside apartment and the pier. She knew nothing about them and asks her Mother to enlighten her. Her mother gets the photo albums out and Violet is shocked to see how like her Grandmother she looks.
Having received an unexpected, and unwanted, proposal from her boyfriend Violet decides to go to Swallow Beach to think things through.
Violet goes to the pier first where she meets an elderly gentleman (Barty) who is taken aback at how like Monica (Violet’s Grandmother) she looks. They start talking and he shows her the way to The Lido (the name of the building in which the apartment is located).
Arriving at the apartment Violet is delighted to find it in good condition and decorated to her own eclectic taste. She feels connected to her Grandmother and now understands where her own quirky taste comes from. She finds the last diary Monica wrote and discovers a secret her family didn’t know about.
Her handsome new neighbour, Calvin, introduces himself and they become friends. He helps her to decide what to do with the pier, which is in good condition, thanks to her Grandfather ensuring it was regularly maintained.
There is opposition to her plans from the Lady Mayoress and the possibility of a compulsory purchase order but Violet continues with her plans.
The story unfolds at a great pace and you care what happens to the characters. This was the first Kat French novel I’d read and I’ll now be looking for other books by this author.
Amusing, romantic and emotive escapism - just perfect for reading whilst relaxing by the pool in summer sunshine.
When Violet inherits an apartment and pier in the romantic, yet traditional, location of Swallow Beach via her grandfather, she unlocks a key to a complex mystery surrounding the life of her maternal grandmother. Leaving her parents' home, she determines to make a success of bringing the pier back to life, whilst establishing new relationships and perhaps just a little romance.
A little lightweight compared with my usual genre, I read this novel very quickly and easily and found the entire experience quite pleasurable. Beloved by her many followers, Kat French obviously knows how to spin a good yarn and pepper it with just enough tempting morsels to keep her audience drawn in.
Her characters are well executed and the storyline maintains a busy pace. The plot seems rather unrealistic at times, yet somehow that matches with the humour and must be a deliberate intention on the author's part. I liked the way that events kept me guessing but was delighted when the ending turned out as I had hoped!
I am sure that Kat French fans will thoroughly enjoy her latest novel and it is to be recommended as an ideal summer read.
A lovely light and easy summer read - ideal for reading sitting by a pool or in the garden relaxing.
A lovely light easy summer read - ideal for sitting by the pool or in the garden relaxing. I found “A Summer Scandal” (which I read in two days) quite predictable and knew who the secret party was quite early on, but that didn't distract from me wanting to read on. The opening letter telling the main character Violet that she has inherited a pier and flat from her Grandfather, peaked my interest immediately and I was keen to see what Violet would do with her inheritance. The story was written in an easy relaxed style, albeit just a typical love story through generations. However, sometimes they can be the best.