Cover Image: The Summer Seekers

The Summer Seekers

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

This is a lovely, warm, uplifting book, perfect for this moment as we move into summer and out of lockdown. 80 year old Kathy is surprised by an intruder at her home, her daughter Liza panics and suggests that Kathy needs to move into a residential home for her own safety. Completely determined to carry on living her own life, Kathy decides that the last thing she needs is to slow down. Instead she wants to embark on an adventure.

I did feel for Liza who is firmly one of the ‘middles’ - middle aged people squeezed at both ends by having commitments with children and elderly parents at once. She’s exhausted and doesn’t need her mother embarking on a second childhood all over the US. She’s drowning under the mental load of most women who have a family. She would love a holiday of her own. Finally there’s Martha, who is the human equivalent of a plane that simply won’t take off! In her mid-twenties, she should have decided on a career by now but she can’t. Without a job, relationship or clue, she can’t get her life together. Desperately seeking an answer, she sees an advert for an elderly lady who needs a driver for an American road trip. She’s not the best driver, but could this be the answer to her prayers?

This book was the literary equivalent of a duvet day. Like most people who’ve been shielding this past year, I’ve been struggling mentally, but this was a warm blanket, a cup of cocoa, a snuggle with the person you love most, There are not enough books with interesting women characters the age of Liza and her mother, Kathy. Women of this age are interesting and have a lot of wisdom to impart - when I run writing therapy courses I love it when the age group is really wide because of the diverse opinions and how much we can teach each other.

I connected with Liza, probably because I’m 48 with two teenage stepdaughters and a less than tidy other half! I understood the mental load that Liza carries; at any one moment I can be thinking about getting a window repaired, that one teen is at netball tomorrow, that his work uniform needs washing, the dog needs grooming, the other teen wants a particular spread for her toast and me to take her for a nose piercing - that’s before I’m thinking of my life own work, my MA and which book I’m reading next. There are some weeks you honestly feel invisible and they think that some sort of fairy cleans toilets, irons uniforms, puts pocket money in their account and remembers to heat the hot tub when friends are coming. They’re great kids and I love my other half to death but sometimes you just need a rest. There is also the issue of her marriage which is going through a crisis. I loved that even though he isn’t present, Lisa’s husband is also well-rounded, he hasn’t been written as a complete bully, just someone with issues like all of us. This is where I feel Liza is, but she needs to stop seeing her mother as a burden and as someone to give advice and to have fun with.

I loved Kathy, who has always been adventurous and isn’t giving it up. She’s been sensible in employing a driver, but other than that she’s looking for fun. This Is billed as a last hurrah for her, something she has always wanted to do. Martha is a ray of sunshine, warm, chatty and up for adventure. We learn that her apparent failure to start a life path is down to lack of confidence and indecision. She has always been compared to her other, more successful sister and this comparison has stopped her from growing. There’s a certain amount of self-fulfilling prophecy here, if you’re told you’re second best or a failure then you will be, due to the self-consciousness that comes from comparisons.

I got a real sense of each place along the way - a true glimpse of America across the states rather than just the east or west coast vibe. I loved the three separate viewpoints of these women, because it adds to the understanding of their characters but also how they truly feel about each other and how they might grow. They balance out well, share their lives as they drive along and give each other food for thought. It’s not just Kathy dispensing wisdom, the old can learn from the young too. As they encounter people and experience along the way we see their characters grow and change, This is the real journey they’re undertaking. There are parts where it’s gets emotional and heavy, but then there are laughs and adventure again. This was a great way to travel from my armchair and I think it’s a great holiday read this summer.

Was this review helpful?

I love reading books where the points of view cross generations. The Summer Seekers by Sarah Morgan is just that – a book about an 80 year old woman, her adult daughter, and the 24 year old that agrees to drive her along Route 66. I really enjoyed this road trip book, and if you like interesting family dynamics, loveable characters and handsome strangers then this is a book you should definitely pick up when it releases at the end of May.

After a scare while she’s alone in her Cornwall cottage, Kathleen has had enough. With her travel presenting past, she misses adventure. She refuses to be put in an old people’s home like her anxious daughter Liza would prefer, so decides to take on another trip, the first since her husband died. She will road trip Route 66. The only problem is, 80 year old Kathleen can’t drive anymore.

In steps 24 year old Martha, a young woman always in the shadow of her successful sister. Martha, still living with her judgemental parents, is lacking confidence but the opportunity to drive Kathleen across the United States seems to good to be true. Needing an escape to find herself again after the end of her marriage, Martha takes the job.

Liza’s life is chaotic – she works as an art teacher but the main demands on her time are her family – her husband Sean is always busy with his architecture firm, and her twin daughters Caitlin and Alice are so used to having everything done for them that they never thank Liza for everything she does. When her mother Kathleen goes on a crazy road trip, Liza snaps and takes the opportunity to escape to the cottage in Cornwall.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the friendship that develops between Kathleen and Martha as they learn from each other. Martha was such a relatable character and it warmed by heart to see her grow in confidence in not only her driving but in herself. Martha’s road trip romance (set up by Kathleen) was also adorable – Josh was such a sweet guy. I also really liked that even though Kathleen and Liza were in different countries, they repaired a relationship that had always been strained. It was good to see them open up to each other at last. Kathleen also considers whether she should re-unite with an old friend after 60 years apart, and I liked that the book showed it is never too late to re-connect with people.

Overall I found this to be a heart-warming book that made me smile and even happy cry on occasions. I really love books where the points of view are from characters with different ages, and this one is no different. There are lots of emotional messages throughout and I’m really glad I picked this from NetGalley.

Will you be reading The Summer Seekers when it releases in May? It’s the perfect contemporary read for this summer, that’s for sure.

Was this review helpful?

The Summer Seekers by Sarah Morgan. Another NetGalley read. I picked this book as I loved the cover and an a fan of Sarah Morgan’s. The Summer Seekers at its heart is about a mother daughter relationship, about getting older, about life taking over dreams. It’s about three woman, each with their own life story yet there stories become connected. Kathleen is 80 years old, her daughter Liza thinks she knows what best for a adventurous mum. Kathleen maybe 80 but it’s only a number, she’s always had adventure in her life so why stop now and in that adventure secrets from her past will surface. Liza is living under the weight of life, living in a hamster wheel, going though the motions and Martha, lacking in confidence and not sure what to do with life because people are constantly judging her or putting her down. I loved this book, another great, easy read book from Sarah Morgan. The only thing I would say is that this book felt very familiar, in some parts it felt like I’d already read this book, however this didn’t make me like the book any less it was just how it felt in parts. The relationship between the three woman is heart warming and with their own stories and their own pasts they help each other. It’s predictable but I think if you’ve chosen to read this book then you would probably be expecting that. I do think that the character of Finn Cool was a little bit pointless or his character didn’t seem fit properly in this book, he seemed to be there one minute and never mentioned again the next. This is just my opinion, he just didn’t bring anything to the story and at first I thought there was more to his character. The book is set between Cornwall and America, and it felt that the book was serious in parts but at the same time full of sunshine. It would make a great beach/holiday read. Another great read to add to my list this year and can’t wait to read more from this author.

Was this review helpful?

Another engaging read to add to all of Sarah Morgan's other novels.

Sarah Morgan creates a story where the characters come alive and the plot itself of a road trip...makes me want to grab my car keys and do some travelling.

Sarah cleverly crafts real life scenario's, problems, highs and lows which centre around relationships in various forms.


Kathleen is in her 80s and is determined not to let life pass her by without more adventures. Her daughter Liza isn't keen on Kathleen's idea of a road trip along route 66 and tries to persuade her otherwise.
Kathleen hires Martha to drive her along the route. Martha jumps at the chance to get a break from her life and a recent heartbreak....even though she hates driving.

As much as Liza, Martha and Kathleen are all not just different personalities; they are all at different stage of their own lives. All wanting some escapism from their life.

Was this review helpful?

An interesting story with some good insights into family dynamics. I loved the span of ages of the characters, especially the adventurous elderly mother!

Was this review helpful?

Three generations of women wanting differing outcomes from their lives. Kathleen at 80 thought her adventurous life was over; her daughter Lisa is caught between responsibilities=for her husband, mother and children; her daughters Caitlin and Alice strive for independence but lack maturity. And then there is Martha recently divorced, living at home and nowhere to go..
I enjoyed this book very much, it became very emotional and touched on decisions made and life routes taken by all generations and for different reasons. It explored love in its many forms, as friends, parents, lovers and long standing couples.

I would have liked some more information about Route 66, it sounds like a wonderful adventure.










;

Was this review helpful?

I loved the fact we heard from Kathleen, Liza, and Martha in this book. Different age-groups, but each with an equally interesting tale. I loved Kathleen's feisty spirit. And I really liked Liza once she took some time for herself. I empathised with Martha. It was interesting to read about route 66 (although I feel we missed some of the places). This is a great summer read.

Was this review helpful?

A wonderfully lighthearted and enjoyable read, charming with lovely descriptions you can easily lose yourself in.

Was this review helpful?

Read this, you won’t be disappointed.
Three women, three lives in turmoil, one summer. Great characters, addictive reading. Highly recommended!!!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Kathleen is eighty years old. After a run-in with an intruder, her daughter wants her to move into a residential home. She’s not having any of it. What she craves – needs – is adventure.

Liza is drowning under the daily stress of family life. The last thing she needs is her mother jetting off on a wild holiday, making Liza dream of a solo break of her own.

Martha is having a quarter-life crisis. Unemployed, unloved and uninspired, she just can’t get her life together. But she knows something has to change.

When Martha sees Kathleen’s advert for a driver and companion to take an epic road trip across America, she decides this job might be the answer to her prayers. Travelling with a stranger? No problem. She's not the world's best driver, but it couldn’t be worse than living with her parents again. And anyway, how much trouble can one eighty-year-old woman be?

As these women embark on the journey of a lifetime, they all discover it’s never too late for adventure…

Thanks to HQ stories and Netglley for an early copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Sarah Morgan's Christmas book last year 'One more for Christmas'' was one of my reads of last year and The Summer Seekers is one course to be one of my favourites of this year. I absolutely loved it! The characters are adorable, you love them from the first minute. The scenery is written so well you can feel yourself there and the wind in your hair!

I thoroughly enjoyed this and am already recommending it to others for their summer holidays, a definite 5 star review from me!

Was this review helpful?

What a thoroughly beautiful book. A road-trip book with a difference! Kathleen decided to go on a road trip along Route 66 with rookie driver Martha. Kathleen had been a travel reporter in her younger life and wants a last chance to relive her past. There’s also a chance to meet up with an old friend in California but she also learns more about her daughter. Coincidentally Liza, the daughter, is also finding out about herself and her life. Times are changing for all of them. In such a lovely way. I cried with happiness. Loved it

Was this review helpful?

To be honest I do love Sarah Morgan's books but I found it took me a while to get into this one.
Kathleen is eighty and after dealing with an intruder at home decides to embark on a lifelong ambition. She hires Martha who hates driving to take her on Route 66. There we discover Kathleen's past.
Liza her daughter, mother to twins married to Sean has her own worries. Taking herself off to her mother's cottage in Cornwall she rediscovers her passion for art. She also does some soul searching regarding her family.
I loved the parts where we find out about Liza and her struggles with life and her relationship with her mother.
I also liked Martha who also thinks about her life back at home.
I wasn't as invested with Kathleen's story, I thought she was a selfish mother who.only pleased herself.
The other niggle I have is the spelling is American.
Thanks to Netgalley and HQ for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Was this review helpful?

Sarah's books are my absolute go to for a cute lovely read.

This is the second book I've been privileged enough to read and review and I have a few more on my shelf to get through.

I love the dynamics between each of the characters, each one brings something different to the table.

It's a fun summer read that everyone needs to read. With each of Sarah's books I come away really feeling each season/holiday within the book. Her writing style is exquisite.
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Was this review helpful?

Two very different women make a road trip across the USA. Eighty year old Katherine, once a famous TV travel host, decides to make a reflective journey across the US while she still can. Martha answers her advert for a driver. Meanwhile Martha’s daughter, Liza, decides her family are taking her for granted and goes to her mother’s home in Cornwall for a break. All three women learn a lot about each other and themselves. They also meet some gorgeous men, including famous musician Finn Cool. A fun summer read.

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

An fabulous book by Sarah Morgan.

Such a lovely read that made me feel so summery.

The story made me want to go on my own road trip, to the places which Kathleen and Martha visited.

Sarah’s books never fail to please the readers, abs usually are focused around romance, but in this story it took a back seat.

Kathleen, Martha and Lisa all go on an adventure, one that makes them focus on their life journeys to date and what they’d like to do differently that makes them happy and where they think of themselves first. It deals with so much which makes the reader think about themselves, what they want from life.

I’d definitely recommend this book for a bit of escapism to enjoy a holiday sun.

Was this review helpful?

A light summer read that actually raises some interesting issues about aging, family relationships and doing what's right for you.

Kathleen, Liza and Martha all have reasons for how they feel and act and it makes an excellent read - if anything, Josh wasn't needed to add to the story. I thought their characters were really well drawn and i was half way through the book before i knew it.

I would describe this as a finding yourself after you've let others influence or swamp your individuality kind of book, rather than a romance. This isn't usually my kind of read so the rating reflects that rather than the book - I picked it up because I enjoy Sarah Morgan's romances, but I was hooked despite that.

An enjoyable read.

Was this review helpful?

What do an octogenarian with a bossy daughter who wants to ship her off to a home, a twenty-something with no job prospects and judgemental family, and a very successful business owner have in common? The fact they’re all sharing a (very sporty & scary) car to travel Route 66.
I really enjoyed this book. Firstly, the fact that one of the main character was older, still feisty but not a caricature that is so often portrayed of older people: Kathleen has had an exciting life and doesn’t want age to stop her from having more excitement. The relationship between Kathleen and he daughter Liza has never been an easy one, and we get to find out where that is rooted, an incident in Kathleen’s past, yet 60 years later she faces it head on - down Route 66.
The sparks of romance between the two other car occupants, Kathleen’s driver & chaperone, and a hitch-hiker they picked up at a gas station, changes the tone of the book and adds another enjoyable layer while also not detracting from Kathleen’s story and the re-telling of this to the reader.
While three travel across America, Liza is having her own road-trip. Fed up of being taken for granted and treated badly by her husband (who went out for the evening ... on their wedding anniversary) and teenage daughters, she heads to Kathleen’s house by the Cornish sea. Reading Lisa’s story, including potential dalliance with resident rock-star (I did not like his name though, far too cheesy!) and her fears about her marriage and losing herself was touching and made a contrast to the excitement of the travellers.
A really good book & great summer reading.

Was this review helpful?

A lovely story that keeps you involved from start to finish. A nice way to escape and dream. Recommended to those who enjoy reading this type of book.

Was this review helpful?

I am a MASSIVE Sarah Morgan fan and so I was over the moon to have the chance to read this early. Her characters are always so interesting and I enjoyed this plot of a mother/daughter trying to work each other out, not to mention the octagenarian on a classic road trip! A lovely read and one that I devoured very quickly- would highly recommend.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this! The characters were all likeable and I enjoyed their perspectives. Martha’s story was my favourite, there were some really funny anecdotes and I loved all the American road trip chapters! The whole book was so light hearted and entertaining, I really enjoy all of Sarah Morgan’s books!

Was this review helpful?