One Summer's Night

This is a lovely book and would - with this title - indeed make a nice summer holiday reading! I especially liked the uplifting sentiment of the book with it's main characters all being so perpetually kind and funny.

There are also lots of quotes about looking at the proverbial bright side of life. Either from Shakespeare's books and plays or by the people supporting Kelsey. For instance her mother: 'Start with this one job and you can conquer the rest of the world another day.'

Speaking of her mother Mari.... I am wondering if there will be a sequel about her and her fourteen-year old Callum and how they get on without Kelsey, but with Granddad being a part of their household.


Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.

When the elderly owner of the Edinburgh camera shop where Kelsey works announces he's about to close the business, she is devastated. An appealing job as a summer tour guide in Stratford upon Avon, although scarily distant from family and friends, seems at least to offer the opportunity to earn a few pounds, as well as time to reflect on her uncertain relationship with boyfriend Fran.
Kiley Dunbar has created a lovely central character for this, her debut novel. Kelsey is kind-hearted and a touch naive, a modern girl with some old-fashioned ways. The wider cast of characters - initially family and old friends, later colleagues and new friends - are an intriguing mix.
The setting in fascinating - Stratford upon Avon, dressed up in its summer finery for the tourists. The author clearly knows the medieval town well and writes lovingly about its streets, shops and cafés, its theatre folk and tourist guides, and of course its famous playwright and his plays.
The plot is a satisfying combination of attractions and misunderstandings, whispered misdirections and wrong assumptions - appropriate to its Shakespearian theme. Will the star crossed lovers find one another or will love's labours indeed be lost? You'll have to read it to find out!
An impressive debut from a welcome new voice on the contemporary romantic fiction scene.

Cute story, very easy read. I look forward to reading the follow up to this.

3.5 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review.

This is a great summer read that is wonderfully funny with a gorgeous softness! I thought it was funny and I loved the two love interests Will and Jonathan! If you are looking for a heart warming romance this summer, this is the book I'd recommend! Will certainly be recommending it to our library's bookclub!

I absolutely loved this debut novel from Kiley Dunbar. Ons Summer's Night follows Kelsey a Shakespeare super fan and amateur photographer as she takes a risk and follows her heart to Stratford upon Avon.

The book follows Kelsey through her Stratford summer with a cast of characters who bring the book to life. With more than one eligible bachelor on the horizon, we are rooting for Kelsey all the way.

I haven't enjoyed a book in this genre as much as this for a long time. It is really well written and avoids all the cliches and plot formulas that so many books seem to follow these days, meaning the reader can see the entire plot before chapter 3 finishes, but not this book. It really was a genuinely enjoyable read, packed with twists and turns and tons of Shakespeare.

I defy anyone to not be rooting all the way for Kelsey and booking a mini break to Stratford when they finish this book!

Kelsey thinks that her life is blocked, she doesn’t like her work and her partner doesn’t seem to support her as much as he should, only making more pressure on her. When she sees an offer to work as a tour guide in Stratford Upon Avon, she doesn’t doubt to take the chance. What can she loose? A few months in the Shakespeare birthplace, enjoying the summer and meeting new people, it seems that her moment has arrived!
This story has left me a permanent smile on my face, Kelsey loves Shakespeare and needs a little push-up to follow her dreams, this summer is her last opportunity to try to follow her dreams instead of trying to be what everyone else wants for her… Lucky for her, Shakespeare will be always on her side, in a spiritual way, of course! 😉
I liked the ambient with the friendship and collaboration that Kelsey has with her co-workers, they all try to welcome her and maybe be more than friends, but that’s a part of the story I prefer to keep silence and let you enjoy it! Because Kelsey has broken with her long time boyfriend, but being free doesn’t mean she will fall for anyone or she will try to break any couple…
Jonathan is a handsome artist playing the Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, but his partner Peony seems to want more from him than just work… Does Kelsey have any chance to be more than friends with Jonathan? Or the sparks she has felt were mere imagination?
I am always surprised on how we always trust the person who we should not, someone says something that it hurts us and instead of asking explanations or talk about it, we simply accept it and let it pass. Because this is not something it just happens on this book, a lot of books and real relations are damaged because we trust someone we should not. Maybe one day we will learn the lesson…
This had been a heart-warming story, I felt transported with Kelsey to a world where Shakespeare was everywhere and the Midsummer’s Night’s Dream was more real than ever!
Ready for One Summer’s Night?

I’m just going to say right off the bat that I just adored this book. It was a breath of fresh air that I needed after a heavy weekend of thrillers, emotional reads and a lot of intense working on my own book. This novel gave me some mental respite, at the same time filling me with warmth and joy, not a bad effort for one little book.

The storyline of this book was immensely appealing – Shakespeare-loving girl stuck in a rut takes a gamble on her dream job and escapes to Stratford-upon-Avon for the summer to act as a tour guide in the birthplace of her hero. Kelsey is a really wonderful character that it was very easy to warm to right from the start of the book. She has a kind heart and great relationships with her family and friends, but has had some heartache in her life and has been quite sheltered. She is having some issues in her love life, which partly drive her decision and leave the story wide open to the possibility of a new love.

Once she gets to Stratford, I have to say that Kiley managed to capture the sense of the place perfectly and make it leap off the page. It helps that I have been there many times myself, I suppose, and love it almost as much as Kelsey does, but it really did come alive for me through the pages of the book and I could feel Kelsey’s affection for the place oozing out from the pages. It also exuded the heat and scents of the summer throughout and warmed my cockles through some fairly stormy weather here in Yorkshire over the past few days. This book is just what the doctor ordered for miserable, blustery weather.

If you love Shakespeare, this book will be right up your street, as the beautiful words of the Bard are lauded throughout and the book is littered with quotes. We are able to indulge our passion for him alongside Kelsey as she explores Stratford in the summer and meets all kinds of different characters along the way, via her job and the theatre. Parts of the book are very funny but it also has a lovely emotional appeal, perfectly balanced to provide maximum enjoyment. Kiley’s writing is approachable but also poetic and very easy to read. Hugely enjoyable.

This is a perfect book to chase away the winter blues and make you dream of love in the summertime. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

I received an early preview copy of this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
I was drawn to this book by the beautiful cover. The description appealed to me too, as the protagonist Kelsey loves Shakespeare's work. I studied the same works that are mentioned in the book, so this was a big attraction to me. Even if you are not familiar with Shakespeare's works, you cannot fail to be enchanted by the setting of Stratford -Upon-Avon, and the magic that it has on the characters. The book is well-written,easy to read and the storyline is lovely and romantic. This is the perfect book to relax with, if you are looking for a light hearted read. I was pleased to see that there is going to be a follow-up to this book, although there were no further details about it, I am eagerly awaiting its publication.

A perfect, vibrant and heartwarming story. Just about perfect in every way. Loved the Shakespearean references. Highly recommended.

The romance that evokes the written word of Shakespeare has always been a source of inspiration to me. Therefore I was overjoyed with the realisation that this book encompasses the love and emotion that the Bard brought to life many moons ago yet still rings true to today's readers.

The artistic voice of Kiley Dunbar is a work of wonder, the lyrical and poetic writing flows freely giving meaning and life to the piece. I simply adored the storyline and was living every single moment with Kelsey on her adventures and new life in Stratford upon Avon.....and what a stunning backdrop to set this story upon. 'All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players' has been said once or twice in the past. But the words hold just as much meaning today for we only get one life and it certainly isn't a dress rehearsal, a sentiment that Kelsey has chosen to live her life by.

The character line up for this fantastic story is a joy to behold, I loved each and every part and felt a sense of sadness when the story came to an end and I would have to leave them all behind.....until I read the author's note claiming, a second visit to this gorgeous pocket of the world is in motion, creating one very happy Stacy in the process.

One Summer's Night is a glittering feast of love and happiness that I simply couldn't put down. I can't wait for the next installment to weave its way to me so that I can spend more time with Kelsey and her leading man. I urge you all to add this stunning book to you TBR pile immediately.

For me this book is going to be hard to review, not because I didn’t enjoy it as I really did. It’s hard because every now and then I struggle to put into words exactly what I enjoyed about a book without giving away what happened and spoiling it for others who have yet to read it. So I apologise in advance if I accidentally give anything away.
Kelsey Anderson had been working in a camera shop in Edinburgh until the owner had to close it for good making her redundant. After a bit of time feeling sorry for herself she sees an advert for tour guides in Stratford that tugs at a memory of an enjoyable time she spent there as a teenager. Although it is only a temporary position she decides to up sticks and go.
Kelsey is a fun character, who despite often questioning her abilities and where she is going with her life always manages to remain upbeat and see the best of everyone in her life. Her kindness really shows when you see how, despite her boyfriend treating her a bit like a doormat, she still doesn’t want to hurt him when she realises they have drifted apart and no longer want the same things or if they ever did in the first place. It’s nice to watch her finally find her feet and decide what she wants to do with her life as she mixes with people from different backgrounds and countries. If there was one character that annoyed me it would have to be Will Greville. A tour guide by day but also an aspiring actor he could be charming, however he was not beyond manipulating situations and people into what he wanted.
For me I loved Kiley’s descriptions of both locations in the story as although I know the camera emporium is fictitious, I could still picture a lot of the places in Edinburgh, having spent a lot of time there recently. It has also made me want to go back to Stratford for a proper visit as I have only paid a couple of fleeting visits in the past.
One Summers Night is a great read for the holidays. You can quite happily curl up and enjoy following Kelsey as she discovers what she really wants from life and what makes her truly happy

What a lovely read. I really enjoyed all the references to Shakespeare, the fabulous and sometimes quirky characters. Stratford Upon Avon was the ideal setting, great story idea and plenty of romance and a will they wont they story-line.

This is a heart-warming love story and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
It had excellent characters and I loved the backdrop, they complimented each other perfectly.
I thought that it was very well written and I could really imagine myself there watching it all unfold.
It is 5 stars from me for this one, it is a lovely story – very highly recommended!

It’s the start of the blog tour for this absolutely delightful book, that I would recommend to everyone as a fabulous feel-good read!

Kelsey Anderson finds herself in a bit of a rut. She’s just lost the dead-end job that she loved in a camera emporium that’s been forced to close down, and her long-term relationship with the staid Fran (Francis) seems to be heading down a long winding road to nowhere.

She’s blessed to have a lovely mom, a grandad that she adores, and a quirky, nerdy teenage brother, Calum who she’s extremely protective of, mainly because she knows he has no memory of their father who died in a tragic accident when Calum was still a baby. She, however, still holds fond memories of their dad, having been in her early teens when he died.

Her fondest memory is of their last holiday together in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace, where her dad, being a keen amateur photographer nurtured her own love of photography, which she’s continued through to her adult life, using her dad’s camera which was passed down to her.

So at a bit of a loose end, when she sees an advert for summer tour guides in Stratford-Upon-Avon, she impulsively applies and is shocked when she almost immediately receives an affirmative response asking how soon she can get there! Her family is thrilled, as is her best friend Mirren … Fran, not so much. Sorry, I found him to be a foppish, selfish git!

Armed with her trusty camera and her well-worn book of Shakespeare’s sonnets. Kelsey bravely heads off to Stratford-Upon-Avon and into a summer of tourists, romance, jealousies, rivalry, a fair amount of confusion, sweltering heat, and loads of all things Shakespeare! It’s all just fantastic to be honest – but I have to own up to my own adoration of the area that I visited last year. I’d be at a loss to explain how anyone could fail to fall in love with the place. It’s so quaint and ‘Olde English’ and truly everything one could want for a holiday escape.

Kelsey is an adorable character. She’s been lovingly sheltered by her family, due to their circumstances, but also quite stifled by a selfish boyfriend who she’s believed has had her best interests at heart. When one is a genuinely good-hearted person like Kelsey is, one fails to see when others have less than altruistic motives. All she needs is a good dose of self-belief and she’ll be good to go. Thankfully there are a couple of people waiting in the wings to help her along her way.

Kiley Dunbar has created some lovely characters here – and they’re not overly saccharine sweet. They’re believable and authentic and I wanted to climb into my Kindle and become a part of their world!

Five sparkly stars for this gorgeous, upbeat book! I can’t wait to read the next instalment!

The cover for this book is stunning; perfectly capturing the enchanting romance of A Midsummer Night's Dream (the Shakespeare play that the book centers around) and the backdrop of Stratford-upon-Avon Tudor style streets. It is a gorgeous cover!

A Midsummer Night's Dream is a favourite of mine as I got married on Midsummer's eve and our guest tables were all named after characters from the play, so I was instantly keen on reading this book when I read the blurb.

What I loved about this story is that it feels like a classic romance book, the kind I really got in to when I first stumbled across the genre after a recommendation from a friend. So similar in style to distinctive authors such as Trisha Ashley and Katie Fforde. This quintessential star-crossed lovers story has all the elements of a proper feel good, uplifting romance that you can just get lost in for a few hours; and that's exactly what I did.

Kelsey is a character you are instantly drawn to. She has a good heart and has stoically dealt with tragically losing her beloved Dad at a young age, but she is stuck in a rut in her hometown in Scotland. Her photography career dreams are long forgotten, her relationship seems stagnant and she really has no idea what she wants anymore. Fate throws an opportunity her way that is too good to turn down and reignites a spark of purpose in Kelsey that she so desperately needed. Complications arise however, as you can tell from the blurb, it becomes a test for Kelsey to decide what she truly wants and whether her happiness is meant to be.

I very much enjoyed the writing style of this book, you are steadily guided to experience the heat of the midsummer, the magic that the town holds, and the little hidden secrets that provide great escapism. The characters of both Will and Jonathan were charming as were the supporting cast of Mirren (Kelsey's best friend) and Norma (her boss). The tender moments tug at your heart strings and you are left with the uplifting conviction that it is never too late to chase your dreams.

From the author's notes at the end of the book it sounds like there will be another Kelsey Anderson book that follows which I really look forward to reading; there are so many great plot features that can continue from this book that I really can imagine it being a great sequel. Kiley Dunbar is definitely a new author to pay attention to!

Absolutely loved this book. A super, feel-good, heart-warming 5 star read.

Most entertaining, lovely characters, superb setting, and it felt fresh and interesting.

Highly recommended.

Great read - first book I have read by this author and looking forward to more.

Set mainly in Stratford, the place Kelsey has longed to go back to since a holiday with her family years ago.

I really liked all the Shakespeare references, and it makes me want to visit Stratford for myself!

It was the first time I was reading a book from Kiley Dunbar and I have not been disappointed! This story takes place in the birthplace of Shakespeare. The main protagonist who has just lost her job and who is living a hard time in her relationship with her boyfriend, arrives there to work as a tourist tour guide for the summer. This is the perfect job for her as she has always been in love with Shakespeare work. But her true passion is photography and her dream would be living from her passion but it's hard to find job opportunities in that field. Of course there is also romance in this book which I liked a lot. I really liked this book even though I found myself a bit bored from time to time but fortunately these moments never lasted too long. All in all this book is quite good and I gave it a 4 stars out of 4.

I loved this debut book from Kiley Dunbar and am delighted to learn that this isn't the last we have seen from Kelsey.

I loved seeing Kelsey come out of her shell and into a fabulous character after breaking away from a boyfriend and taking on a job in Stratford upon Avon that suits her down to a tee.

Was a lot of fun discovering what life ad a tour guide is like.

There are even a couple of hunky men in the running, although I was never completely sure who she would end up with.

What is clear is the author loves Shakespeare and the book is filled with quotes from the Bard.

Really enjoyable book and I can't wait to read more from the author.

Thank you to Hera Book and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I absolutely loved this debut from Kiley Dunbar. It was such a wonderful read. I loved Kelsey, I loved seeing her grow away from her boyfriend. This was such a nice, easy read that I 'm looking forward to reading more from Dunbar.

Loved this book! Kelsey is a great character and I loved the Stratford setting and the Shakespeare references. An enjoyable light-hearted read that sweeps you along.

What a gem of a debut by Kiley! I wish I had the chance to read ‘One Summer’s Night’ before now.

Kelsey Anderson loses her job in Edinburgh, which is sad but this gave her the chance to change her life and head to Stratford Upon Avon to become a tour guide. It’s obviously hard for her to leave family behind and her partner Fran, whom I don’t think treat Kelsey very well anyways. She loves all things Shakespeare so this was ideal for her being in his birthplace! I loved that the story centred around poetry and history. Kelsey’s life is still full to the brim with drama but her life is changing in ways she doesn’t imagine. This is one hell of a rollercoaster of a summer for Kelsey and I was cheering her on the whole way through.

I loved the other characters of this story too! Each colleague of Kelsey’s has their own quirky personality and Norma herself is a hoot. Kiley’s narrative has you hooked from the beginning and this was just the sort of read I needed in my life right now ❤️ I already have Kiley’s other books so I can’t wait to get around to reading those! I give ‘One Summer’s Night’ 5*/5* 😊

Thank you to Hera Books for an advanced copy of this book via Netgalley.

ook at the cover, if that isn't dreamy enough to make you want to pick it up then i don't really know what is. Kelsey has just been made redundant, with very career opportunities surrounding her and a boyfriend who is wrapped up in his own career path - she really doesn't know where to turn. Having almost feeling like she has lost her focus and sparkle she needs to change her life for the better and very soon.

When she is starting her now daily job hunt she seems to be having very little luck but by pure chance she stumbles across an advert for tour guides in Stratford-upon-Avon. The place she has dreamt about for years since their family holiday when she was young. On a whim she applies but doesn't even tell her long term boyfriend because well - he would only shoot her down and she probably wouldn't get it anyway.

Except she does - and she is going to grab this chance, so heading off for the summer armed with her battered copy of sonnets, her case and a bit of cash. Kelsey sets off an adventure that is going to change her life and i know as a reader, I couldn't wait to join her.

" Meanwhile, deep down in the very heart of England, white swans glided silently across the moonlit Avon casting in their wake shimmering silver ripples. Kelsey Anderson could feel the impact of every wave"
This read was delightful. Kiley has a wonderful way of writing that had me clearly envisaging everything that was happening in the bustling town of Avon. I was dreaming of taking picnics and reading Shakespeare. Her descriptions are crystal clear and i fully indulged in all they had to offer.

Kelsey was a great main character and whilst i rooted for her to get her chance at finding her way in life, i did find she had a bit of a case of insta-love however - if you can't have insta-love in this romantic town then there really isn't that much hope at all. Still feeling a little lost as she settled i really wanted to sit down for a gin and chat and help her find her way, especially as her so called "boyfriend" hadn't even been in contact. Yet Kelsey has some wonderful friends - old and new who have taken to spending time with her and it was great watching her flourish.

I really enjoyed the narrative - with just enough drama between the love interests to keep it all flowing without too much tension that i felt stressed. Thats another thing i enjoyed - Will & Jonathan. So different but equally as charming and as a reader you get to discover them both as Kelsey battles with her own feelings. I had a lovely reading experience that brightened up my day endlessly. I cannot wait to delve into more from Kelsey.

If you want to pick this read up for yourself then you can do so here & at the time of typing this, its only 99p on Kindle!

I was gifted an e-arc from netgalley - this is my own honest review