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Saturday, June 11, 2016

The Last Days of Summer by Sophie Pembroke

Saskia loves Rosewood, but she hasn't been there in quite some time and she misses it terribly. Nathaniel, her grandfather, has invited her to his Golden Wedding party, but nobody else wants her to be present. She reluctantly agrees to come, because she wants to go back, but she isn't looking forward to the inevitable confrontations her visit will bring. Saskia's grandmother and sister are giving her an ice cold welcome. Saskia wants to make things right, but she isn't sure how to do it. Was it a smart plan to return?

Nathaniel is a famous author and he's working on a grand new project together with his assistant Edward, who also lives at Rosewood. He's a new addition to the family. There are a few things Saskia missed during her absence, but fortunately Rosewood has mostly stayed the same. The atmosphere isn't what it used to be and Saskia is clearly not welcome. Edward is making an effort to include her though and she's grateful for his kindness. Maybe having a stranger around will give her the chance to make a new start...

The Last Days of Summer is an intriguing story filled with family secrets. Saskia and her sister Ellie aren't close any longer. She regrets that very much and tries to make things right again. The question is if that is possible, because so much has happened between them. Not only Saskia and Ellie have a past they want to keep quiet about. Saskia is about to find out much more about her family and she finally has the chance to get to know everyone close to her a lot better, herself included.

The main characters of The Last Days of Summer are all fascinating. I immediately liked Saskia. She definitely has her flaws and they make her more approachable. Even though she's vulnerable she's trying to be brave. She wants to face her demons and chase them away. She's kind and caring now and wants to right her wrongs. I loved that Sophie Pembroke has chosen to write about someone who isn't perfect. Saskia has her faults and that makes her an interesting main character. I enjoyed reading about her past, her present and her plans for the future.

I love books about sisters. Saskia has an older and a younger sister and all three of them are very different. However, there are quite a few amazing family resemblances too. Families are often complicated and Sophie Pembroke has chosen a fabulous group of people to write about. I couldn't wait to read more about each member. The gripping secrets are all well worth finding out and I liked the unexpected ending. I highly recommend this wonderful summer story.