Reviews of The Summer of Secrets
to everyone who has been kind enough to read The Summer of Secrets and say such lovely things. I keep getting all overwhelmed!
I’m just going to put them here for when I’m stuck in the middle of writing #2…
‘Sarah Jasmon’s debut The Summer of Secrets is an evocative and atmospheric coming-of-age story. Set in idyllic countryside, this novel is a meticulous rendering of young friendship.’
CARYS BRAY, author of Costa-shortlisted A SONG FOR ISSY BRADLEY
Read full review here
‘A lovely coming-of-age story about one long hot summer in 1983, when Helen, bored and lonely, meets the bohemian and eccentric Dover family and is immediately cast under their spell especially the capricious Victoria. A wonderfully atmospheric first novel.’
CLAIRE FULLER, author of Desmond Elliott-winner OUR ENDLESS NUMBERED DAYS
‘With beautiful, evocative prose and great sense of place, Sarah Jasmon captures perfectly all the heat and angst in one teenager’s life-changing summer.’
VANESSA LAFAYE, author of Richard and Judy Summer Book Club choice SUMMERTIME
‘This book beautifully captures the emotions and senses of the half-forgotten summers of our youth. Those dreamy, lazy days, the stifling boredom which is relieved when someone intriguing moves in nearby, the depth of the pain when that person toys with your feelings… ah, it took me right back! Terrifically well-written and perfectly imagined, the feelings of the book stayed with me long after I had finished reading.’
BETH MILLER, author of WHEN WE WERE SISTERS
‘Sarah Jasmon is an extremely gifted writer. There’s a lyrical, sensuous quality to her prose which is at times both languid and chilling, drifting towards a seemingly inevitable disaster. This wonderful portrait of people, time and place stayed with me long after I had finished the final pages.’
ELIZABETH FORBES, author of NEAREST THING TO CRAZY
‘The vividness of teenage memories shimmers dangerously and brightly throughout. It’s gripping, beautifully written, entirely evocative of time and place. Growing up in Cambridge in the 70s and early 80s, I encountered plenty of bohemian Dover families, and, as one who knows it intimately, the pull they exert on Helen is wonderfully drawn. The threat of tragedy looms over the entire narrative, and we are not disappointed when, at last, it rears its terrible head. Sarah has totally pulled off striking the balance between tension and setting, depth and pace. I’m sure it will do as well as it richly deserves!’
JULIA CROUCH, author of THE LONG FALL
‘If you prefer your summer reading to be smart and a little on the dark side without venturing into psychological thrillers, this could be the one for you.’
‘The quality of writing, the sense of atmosphere and the underlying emotion make Sarah Jasmon’s The Summer of Secrets a novel that will stay with me for a very long time. I cannot recommend it highly enough.’
‘A great book to read on holiday, with the sun warming your face and the sound of children in your ears. But make sure you wear sunglasses, so that no one sees your tears.’
‘Deep, dark and haunting, this tale is also sad and stunningly written. I read it one sitting and was left feeling bereft.’
‘It’s not a fluffy beach read (although if you do read it on the beach beware of sunburn… you may get engrossed and lose track of time).’
‘A commendable debut novel by a talented new author.’
‘Packs a powerful punch. Definitely recommended for all thriller fans.’
‘I have to admit, I was not expecting that ending. I was reading the book and I was kind of guessing what was going to happen but the ending just blew my mind.’
‘With its beautiful cover and the haunting, evocative writing, this book is a very impressive debut.’
‘Simmering, evocative and charged with an undercurrent of apprehension.’
‘A gripping story about friendship, loss, regret, and what could have been. With a debut this good, I can’t wait to see what Sarah Jasmon comes up with next.’
‘The whole bohemian atmosphere instantly brought to mind two of my favourite novels of recent years – Emylia Hall’s The Book of Summers and Diamond Star Halo by Tiffany Murray. All three share that nostalgia for an idealised time in the past – a time which has its unacknowledged dark undercurrents just waiting to surface – and slightly off-beat larger-than-life families. If you’ve read one of these and loved it, I definitely recommend the others.’
Coming March 2020, click to pre-order on Amazon
I’m Reading
To The River, by Olivia Laing
