I’ve been meaning to read a book by Laurie Ellingham for a while – I’ve had the pleasure of meeting her at a few book events (she’s so thoroughly lovely…) and I’ve always found myself shuffling a little with embarrassment and promising to read one soon. One Endless Summer was published by HQ back in April, but I thought it looked a perfect book to take on my recent holiday – and my word, it certainly was. When I heard that her next book, Ours Is The Winter, would be touring blogs in December I signed up for a review without a moment’s hesitation. My embarrassed days are finally over, and I’m delighted to have found an author whose writing I enjoyed so much.
Here’s the story of One Endless Summer…
Three best friends. Three continents. Three months to live.
How long can you keep a secret?
Three best friends are embarking on an all-expenses paid trip of their dreams. The only catch? Every moment will be documented on film.
Lizzie is finally ready to embrace adventure for the very first time. It’s their last three months together, but it is Lizzie’s time to finally start living!
Jaddi is known for her stunning looks, flirtatious attitude and many conquests. But Jaddi has a secret and on this last trip together she needs to decide whether her best friends will ever know the real her.
Samantha has always been the ‘grown up’ of the group, the one with a five year plan. What Lizzie and Jaddi don’t know is that Sam is trapped, and her perfect life isn’t quite what it seems…
As they trek across the globe Lizzie, Jaddi and Samantha must come to terms with loss, love and trusting one another. But will it all be too late…
Amazon told me this book was “heartwarming and uplifting” – “the perfect holiday read” it said. And do you know, I wouldn’t argue with a word of that? I loved Lizzie from her first appearance – three months to live, and so many experiences to pack into the time remaining. Her friends were wonderful, uncomplicated joy in each others’ company – but with depth and secrets beneath that were so well handled, with some real surprises.
The travelogue aspect of the book was so well done – vivid descriptions of many locations I’ve visited myself, which made it particularly fascinating – and I really liked the “reality TV” element of the story, the larger than life characters, the way the celebrity side of things sometimes made life considerably more difficult. And I particularly liked the fact that the story really didn’t unfold in the way I’d rather expected it to – there are weepy moments, but not the ones I’d rather expected, and the author handles the many different character-driven stories that make it a compelling read with tremendous aplomb.
Uplifting? Most definitely, with well drawn characters and real feelings. And did I mention that the author writes like a dream? The book is a real page turner, wonderful escapism but with a firm grounding in reality, characters you feel for and believe in. Perfect holiday reading it might be, but there was far more depth to this book than I ever expected – and it was an absolute joy to make that discovery.
My reading copy of this lovely book was an e-copy I purchased myself. One Endless Summer is currently available at just 99p for kindle – why not give it a try?
Meet the author
When I am not running around after my two children, my husband, our cockerpoo Rodney, or just plain running, I love nothing more than disappearing into the fictional world of my characters, preferably with a large coffee and a slab of chocolate cake to hand.
I have a First Class degree in Psychology and a background in Public Relations, both of which help me in everything I do.
You can follow me on Twitter, find me on Facebook, visit my website or email me.