Lizzie Lockhart knew her recent choices had shocked her conservative, over protective parents but it was her life, her career and her future she had to  consider and so far everything had gone to plan. She missed them, of course she did, and their total silence hurt deeply, but they would get over it, they would talk it through and everything would be fine again. Then her Aunt Fiona came to see her unexpectedly and shattered everything she had hoped for.

Earning a living as a tattoo artist when your parents wanted you to work in the finance sector, just as they did, is bound to cause problems but suddenly everything Lizzie thought her future would hold has been swept away. Their sudden deaths have left her totally bereft and so she secretly rents the cottage she had no idea they owned to try and get a grasp on her new future.

Leafton is a place which Lizzie likes immediately, even if it is a totally different world to the one she knew. As she gradually begins to accept what has happened, some new information comes her way which leaves her facing a future more shocking and empty than she could ever have imagined.

This is a beautifully written book with so many good things within its pages. For me Samantha Tonge has nailed the perfect cosy, feel-good, novel that is an absolute pleasure to read.

The main storyline is compelling from page one and I really liked Lizzie and the other main characters she meets in her temporary new home. There are interesting facts about the history of tattooing at the beginning of each chapter which I found fascinating and finally, as Lizzie looks at her family and their history, the value of friendship, however new, is explored.

The story also looks at what a normal upbringing is as Lizzie sees her childhood in flashback while trying to understand why her parents behaved as they did. The dialogue used for the advice offered and received is open and caring, while wrapping the reader in the same reassuring if sometimes shocking comfort blanket as Lizzie in this lovely book.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. This is a lovely read.

Summer Secrets at Streamside Cottage was a stunning story from beginning to end. The characters were all absolutely wonderful, I loved being greeted to a fact about tattoos every chapter and the secrets within Lizzie's life were jaw-dropping! I really enjoyed my time in Leafton and couldn't keep turning the pages - with the way this story ended, I would definitely be up for a second book, but I also love the idea of leaving us all making up our own conclusions on what happened to Lizzie and her family next!

I've long been a fan of Tonge's since A Game of Scones days and her writing goes from strength to strength. Part family saga, part romance Tonge peels back the life of tattoo artist, Lizzie Lockhart, layer by layer, to reveal her past, a past that has influenced every decision she's made since the split with her parents. And then there's Ben and the most delightful thatched cottage....
A massive hit in the making.

The ‘Secrets’ in the title attracted me toward this book. This was my first book of this author.

At the beginning, the reader gets to know that Lizzie had a fallout with her parents and been estranged. It starts with Lizzie finding about the accidental death of her parents, subsequently finding out that she’s been kept in the dark about the existence of a cottage in a village. Owning a cottage in the country was antithesis to her cosmopolitan parents. She goes to the cottage in order to get closure.

I was eager to get to the secrets part and expected that MC stumbles across a secret of the past and would go for unraveling it. It has taken a while for the glimpses of the background around the secrets to appear. Some of the information about how Lizzie had been trying to make amends and parents weren’t ready to reconcile has been repeated a few many times. It was unfathomable to me how parents could be cold for years on the kids no matter how serious their bone of contention is.

Their behavior made sense after the revelation of what caused the change. An event in the past changed them, their family irrevocably, and cast a long shadow on the future. The people in this story were far from perfect and their conduct, struggles, challenges and hardships are all like it happens IRL.

The history of the cottage was compelling and fascinating. This piqued my interest, made me google to find more about the topic mentioned in this.

Each chapter starts with tidbits about tattoos. I found some of them interesting and especially the one on the chapter twelve had given me and my daughter good laughs as we devised a scenario and laughed like crazy hyenas.

The letter from her father was beautiful and the quote in it would stay with me. It made me feel the same emotions that Lizzie has been going through while reading. It was heartbreaking to read about what this family has gone through.

Overall, this was a good read that keeps the reader mull over the story after turning over the last page.

Thanks to Aria Fiction and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

This book certainly moved me.
An excellent story.
With a few almighty twists from the past.
It tells us the story of Lizzie Lockhart working in the London Kismet tattoo's after a call to say there's been an accident her parents are dead, It's been a long six years since that day they stopped speaking and unknown to her find that the own the property Streamside Cottage in the little village of Leafton a year later she takes unpayed leave and goes to seek this place out and why they kept it a secret from her.
Lots of secrets and stories and ghosts from the past are about to surface from reading this book that certainly chilled me, but I enjoyed it immensely.
It's going to grip all readers in, Loved it.

Streamside cottage sounds idyllic with the weeping willow, the stream at the bottom of the garden and the kitten However there are secrets to be uncovered amid the friendly village life.

The tattoo information running through the book was interesting and Lizzie, the main character, was likeable. I read this book in two days and although the weather outside was awful I enjoyed being transported to the village of Leafton where I could lose myself in the story

This was a different story which had some depth to it. Loved reading about the tattoos and the meanings throughout the story. The secrets parents keep are also something to think about too

Thanks Netgalley an the Publisher. I like this author she always writes feel good books with great characters and great locations. Loved this.

I loved this book. It gave yoy an insight to why parents are so over protected . Family secrets are amazing. I would have loved to have lived in Streamside Cottage. I enjoyed learning about tatoos.,Made me think of them in a completely different light and realise they are an art. A great enjoyable read

I received an advance copy of, Summer Secrets at Streamside Cottage, by Samantha Tongue. This was a good book. I did not care for the information on tattoo's on every chapter, as not being a fan of tattoos. It a great summertime read on family and friendship, and secrets.

This was such an adorable read!
I really lo ed the characters here! The feelings and atmosphere was something great!
This books story was so good! I devoured it in all most two days!
Thanks NetGalley publishers and author for this advance readers copy!