The Never Ending Summer is a book set in the 70s, and focusses on the adventures of 3 women during the summer of 1971. It’s a book about the rise of feminism and explores both female relationships and relationships between women and men. I was particularly drawn to the character of Florence, a housewife, and her journey through the book, and to her son-in-law Charlie – every bit a modern man. The cultural references were well-researched and the Epilogue was a great addition. A rather slow burn to begin with but it picks up pace and I’m glad I persevered. Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Cornerstone for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book. It sounded like the perfect antidote to an absolutely awful year. Sadly, it just didn't click with me. I didn't like the characters and found some of the attitudes quite patronising. It's very easy to be dismissive of views held then from the vantage point of 50 years on. Living in the same era things didn't really ring true with me. I'm sure different experiences create very different memories but I found very little in common with my own experience of that time. Just not my cup of tea which is a shame

Received an ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

This was just not my cup of tea I’m afraid. I think the reason is that I actually grew up during the period depicted in the book and I didn’t think the depiction was authentic. So easy to be dismissive of the attitudes of people then, from the superior position of 2020, but for women like me who lived the experience I found some of the assumptions and observations not simply inaccurate but offensive.
Apart from that, I found it difficult to actually like any of the characters. Judging from the 4/5 star reviews, I am in a minority. The book is well written, just not for me.

I thoroughly enjoyed this bittersweet look at life in the 70s – it brought back a lot of childhood memories. It was at times joyously silly and heartwarming, but then reminded us it wasn’t all sherbet DipDabs and terrible fashion. Emma Kennedy gently weaves in mysogeny, stifled ambitions, the perils of new-found freedoms and contraceptive issues (although even that was tackled with the odd giggle!) The main characters are likeable misfits and I loved the portrayal of their friendship. The ‘supporting cast’ were also believable and help to shape a whole picture of the era - I’ve added Emma’s novel about the sister to my ‘to-read list’ now.
Loved the epilogue notes at the end too.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Cornerstone for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to Emma Kennedy, Random House and Net Galley for the ARC of THE NEVER ENDING SUMMER. What a delight this book is! I recognised so much within the characters, Florence, (I wish my mum had done what she did) Agnes, (yes I felt a bit like this in the seventies when everyone else seemed gorgeous and I was desperately trying to be.). Loved it. Noting more to say except, read it.

What an interesting book. I went back to my years at College in roughly that period of time!
Bea and Aggie have one desire, to grow up and to experience all the things that they feel go with being adult. They make a bit of a mess of it all, but their characters really shine through. I loved Florence, what fun! So good to see her become the woman she needed to be.
Thank you for the chance to read and review this book.

This book is such a tonic. It lifts you up and gives you all the feels. Truly a wonderful story. Highly recommended.

I raced through this book, transported back to the 70’s in vivid detail. How things have changed! Women’s lib and sexual revolution are on the agenda. This is a coming of age novel but so much more; two girls on a voyage of discovery before life takes over, wanting to escape their dreary lives. There is an unfulfilled housewife bored with routine and an arrogant husband who doesn’t even notice her any more as long as his meals are on the table. She wants to change her life too as her youngest daughter is ready to leave home. The result is funny, sad, moving and beautifully written. I loved it!
Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

It’s approaching summer in the early 1970’s and the end of their time at secretarial college when best friends Agnes Ledbury and Beatrice Morgan make plans to fully embrace their womanhood and all that life has to offer. They are both desperate for adventure, desperate to lose their virginity and for Agnes, desperate to live a life away from under the shadow of her talented artist sister Eleanor. To escape the watchful eyes of her mother Florence and her uncommunicative father William also fuels Agnes’s bid for freedom. As soon as I began reading this latest novel from Emma Kennedy I thought the characters felt vaguely familiar. The penny eventually dropped when I realised the author was revisiting the Ledbury family (from The Things We Left Unsaid) and had given Agnes, her own starring role. I just knew I was going to be in for a real treat.

This is a brilliant, fascinating and pivotal era in which to set the Ledbury family mini saga. Clearly well researched, the summer of 1971 is the starting point for the world changing in terms of greater freedoms and more choices for women in general. The sexual revolution aided by the introduction of the contraceptive pill is in full swing, women everywhere are burning their bras, Germaine Greer is enlightening women with her controversial book The Female Eunuch and the patriarchy had better beware because the feminists are on the march!. Thanks to advances in technology in the domestic sphere woman are suddenly waking up and realising they no longer need to resign themselves to a life of drudgery or tolerate their husbands having sole control of the purse strings. Finally women have the opportunity to control their own destinies and Florence and her friends are relishing this new status quo. It’s down with the Tupperware as the floodgates to freedom are well and truly opened. I was only a babe in arms when these fictional events take place but the Tupperware scene in particular brought back fond memories. We had tons of it in our house!

I think I was just as enthralled by Florence’s reawakening and bold decision to be as daring as her youngest daughter as I was Agnes and Bea’s own adventures into adulthood. Florence and William’s marriage felt to me indicative of many marriages of this era; as this storyline highlights only those brave enough to break the mould initially benefit from the shift towards equality. I’m sure there were many more who chose to remain chained to the kitchen sink. That Florence is such an accomplished housewife like so many of her generation is also her downfall. Catering to William’s every whim renders him completely useless in terms of domesticity but he did somewhat remind me of my own father when it comes to fending for himself! Reading this I couldn’t help wondering how many marriages survived this seismic shift in the balance of power between husband and wife but that’s a question that can be answered by an entirely different type of book altogether.

As for Agnes and Bea I could rhapsodise about this pair at length. They are an absolute hoot, their antics priceless, providing the reader with plenty of grounds for mirth. I didn’t expect to find the storyline as gloriously funny as I did but boy did I enjoy laughing at these best friends. The author has certainly enjoyed imagining the kind of scenarios to throw Agnes and Bea into ranging from defacing public property to joining the dubious sounding Mr Adlers agency for go getting ladies and who knew an avocado could be the source of wonderment and amusement?? Just a few examples to whet your appetite and give you a taste of the sort of sights and strange behaviour these young women willingly expose themselves to living in a house share in Hampstead. From small town life and secretarial college to a summer spent in the Big Smoke it is a giant leap for these gauche, naive, desperate to lose their virginity young ladies although what an era in which to come of age when the world is theirs for the taking. Whether or not Agnes and Bea’s friendship, or indeed themselves as individuals, can withstand such a shock to the system remains to be seen but suffice to say it’s not all fun and games with a serious more sombre and reflective tone creeping into the narrative.

The Never Ending Summer is a wonderful coming of age/period of enlightenment tale affecting not only Agnes and Bea but Florence too. All three characters are fundamentally altered by the events of this one summer so that the whole Ledbury family will never be the same again. It is also a glorious celebration of female friendship with superb characterisation (not just the main players) alongside a depiction of this period which is spot on. I loved this book so much I’m hoping (fingers crossed) that there will be an audio version narrated by the author herself because I thoroughly enjoyed listening to The Things We Left Unsaid. I recommend this author, especially her two books featuring this family but to be honest I rate all Emma Kennedy’s novels highly. The Never Ending Summer in my opinion is BLOOMING MARVELLOUS!! A sheer joy to read. My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read. I’d like to stress that the opinions and thoughts expressed here are entirely my own.