THE SUMMER SWAP is bestselling author Sarah Morgan's latest book. Sarah is one of my favourite authors and I always try to get my hands on her books as they are cozy and inspiring and always deliver a fun, satisfying reading time, especially a summer or holiday read. THE SUMMER SWAP is based in Cape Cod and has a dual POV mostly interspersed with the other characters related to the primary leads.
We follow Cecilia, an artist in her own right, whose 75th birthday starts off the story for her, and Lily, also an artist, a budding one, in her early 20s whose escape from a life filled with parental pressure starts her on a new path we follow.
Both Lily and Cecilia escape to Dune cottage in Cape Cod from a family who are putting on some well-meaning but pressure nonetheless on them.
Cecelia's family thinks she needs to grieve in a manner they see fit and Lily's parents unknowingly make her feel the pressure of their sacrifices which make her feel guilty no matter what she does with her life. Lily takes up work with a property management firm in the Cape to make ends meet and ends up finding sanctuary at Dune Cottage which no one visits as far as anyone knows.
Cecelia escapes her birthday party and heads to Dune Cottage with nothing but thoughts of selling it and the past nudging her with unpleasant memories. Unknowingly Cecelia and Lily come face to face and the former offers to house Lily in exchange for some company and housekeeping. Slowly Cecelia and Lily share their grief, pain and expectations people have of them. The friendship they build proves to be a balm for each and soon they start to straighten their lives as they want.
I loved the friendships that are an integral part of this story. Cecelia and Lily have only art and Cecelia's grandchildren in common which proves to be enough for both the women. They bond despite their differences and build something beautiful.
I also enjoyed the cozy conversations the women have and the banter they have especially with Todd, Cecelia's grandson as he comes to Dune Cottage to check up on his Nanna.
This summer if you are looking for some light reading filled with the warmth of friendship and its healing power to overcome pressure of any kind in life, THE SUMMER SWAP is the one for you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Cecilia Lapthorne always vowed she’d never go back to Dune Cottage. So no one is more surprised than Cecilia to find herself escaping her own seventieth birthday party to return to the remote but beautiful cottage on Cape Cod—a place filled with memories. Some are good—especially memories of the early days with her husband, volatile artist Cameron, before his fame eclipsed their marriage. But then there are the memories she has revealed to no one. Especially not her daughter, Kristen, who hero-worshipped her father.
For aspiring artist Lily, Dune Cottage has been a refuge, albeit an illicit one. After dropping out of medical school, she’s cleaning houses on the Cape to get by, guilt-ridden for disappointing her parents. Unoccupied for years, the cottage seemed the perfect place to hide away and lick her wounds—until Cecilia unexpectedly arrives. Despite an awkward beginning, Lily accepts Cecilia’s invitation to stay on as her guest, and a flicker of kinship ignites.
Then Cecilia’s grandson, Todd—and Lily’s unrequited crush—shows up, sending a shock wave through their unlikely friendship. Will it inspire Lily to find the courage to live the life she wants? Can Cecilia finally let go of the past to find a new future? Because as surely as the tide erases past footprints, this summer is offering both Cecilia and Lily the chance to swap old dreams for new…
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