A Lulu Taylor book is always a teat, and I was thrilled to be sent this to review. Another glamour filled mystery with a great storyline and believable characters made for an enchanting story that kept giving. I really loved it and cant wait for her next one.

This dual timeline novel is set in Germany in the 1930s and in Kent in 2002. The Conway family name has been tarnished and Lottie Conway is determined to discover the truth about her family's history. As she interviews her grandmother Dinah she discovers family secrets and lies that lead to a shocking conclusion. This gripping family saga is a compelling read. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! I can't say too much about this book without giving away the plot but this storyline in this book had me so gripped I couldn't put it down!

Although like most Lulu's books it has a dual timeline, it's mainly focused in the 1930's in the lead up to the war. It was moving, unpredictable and one of those books you will think about long after you finish it. A must read.

What a fantastic read. There had always been a scandal surrounding the Conway family so when Lottie is grown up she decides to go to the person who she hopes can uncover what really happened and that is her grandmother Dinah who lives at the beautiful Wyke house. As Dinah begins her story it takes your back to Germany where she spent her honeymoon with her beloved William and they find themselves getting involved in politics and secrets and a betrayal that remains buried for seventy years. It's a really interesting story set over two timelines and it holds your interest right to the last page with gripping details of things that happened and when the truth finally comes to light can Lottie finally clear the family name. Highly recommend novel

An absolutely superb book. Such an interesting and different story. Your sympathies towards the characters change so much throughout the book as it moves towards the final shocking ending.

A compelling read which I loved. Lulu writes with passion in this one and I would recommend this to everyone it is very interesting.

As I read this book, I became more and more intrigued with it. So much was going on - love, loss, rejection and the onset of WWII. We follow mostly, the story from an old lady’s perspective and it becomes even more captivating. I did not want to put it down and then comes a twist to the story that seems unbelievable. I had not seen it coming and read on with bated breath! There are so many twists in this book and things aren’t always as they appear. It does not disappoint.

Goodness. This seemed to be much the same as other books of this type, but then it quite turned things on their head! Well done, author.
The research was obviously good, which I always like. The writing was excellent, and the characters interesting. There were different timelines, but it was easy to keep hold of what was happening.
But... twisty... and great!

A very interesting read, delving back ito the 1930s years to try to silve a mystery. Beautifully written.
Thank you for allowing me to read and review this book.

another stunning read fro Lulu Taylor. she has such a way with writing stories. ones that touch the heart and mind. and they always take you on such an immersive journey ans this one was no different. this book take us between past and present and our two character lives. Dinah in the past is living in the 1930s and those days leading up to the war. she is on her honeymoon with husband William in Germany. and somehow bump into the one and only Winston Churchill. and this is just the beginning of shocks and surprises to come.
in our present day it up to Lottie to get the answers of something that has lingered and rippled through her family for too long. she needs this from her Grandmother. and as Dinah reveals the memories it all starts to become clear of what happened and what it meant for all involved going forward even to this day.
as always Lulu grabbed me from the get go. i wanted to know more with each new piece of information i was given. from the very beginning our characters make me invested in the story and them themselves. i then needed to know what could have happened to cause such a stain on the families name and whether the rumours or "things told" in public were true. could someone really be a traitor? and what were the events leading to such times?
i thought the fact Lottie is now about to have her own child was such a good way of spurring her on to know more. you take stock, but also know what you would or wouldn't want your child born into. and anything you can do to ease that and give them a good life you'd do. so she now needs to know what and why her families name is what it is.
when we go back in time to those pre-war days i really enjoyed getting to know Dinah too. it seems such a shock meeting for them both in Germany but in this time you can quite imagine the scenes that allows for this to happen. and what comes next embroils them in things we also know many had to go through in those times. normal people just thrust into extraordinary moments and roles. but what happened and was it for good or bad? could someone do the worst kind of betrayal here? we know it happened. we know the world of secrets and spying that went on. but just how far would people go. to win, and or to survive?
i once again loved both timelines. my thoughts and emotions were all over the place a fair few times as i learnt more and thought more to these characters and would happened to them.
Lulu has also got the balance of factual people and events just right. and it made me ponder on both this story but real life facts of that time too.
this was another moving and success of a brill read from a brill author. one who gives me so stunning books times after time.

The Forever Summer by Lulu Taylor

Kent, 2002
Lottie Conway has spent her life in the shadow of a scandal that has ripped her family apart. Now expecting her own child, she must untangle the legacy of her family’s tarnished name and uncover what really happened in those pre-war summers. Returning to beautiful Wyke House, Lottie confronts the only person left who knows the truth: her grandmother, Dinah.

Germany, 1932
Dinah Conway and her beloved William are on a blissful honeymoon when they bump into celebrated MP Winston Churchill. Unexpectedly embroiled in the febrile politics of 1930s Munich they find themselves deep in a perilous world of secrets and spying. Then, in the heat of a German summer, a devastating betrayal occurs - one that ends in a secret buried for seventy years .

I love this authors books and her way of drawing you into the story and grabbing you until the last page .
This one is a wonderful tale of Dinah & William who are in Germany between the two world wars and are meeting political figures that are set to play a big part in world history as well as their own .

Fast forward to 2022 and granddaughter Lottie is on the cusp of motherhood when she starts to uncover the truths of what happened during those tragic times.

I really enjoyed this book ,told in two timelines but mainly focused in the 1930's leading up to WW2 .William and Dinah Conway are newly weds and go to Germany for their Honeymoon where they meet Churchill .William has a job in the Foreign Office .In 2001 Lottie Conway decides to visit her Grandmother Dinah and try and find out about her Grandfather William being a traitor and ruining the family name .This story was so clever and different from the usual Grandmother /Granddaughter reminiscences .The characters were excellent and the descriptions of pre-war Germany and finding out the surprising truth was such a brilliant twist .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC .

"The Forever Summer" is one of those books that reinforces the warning to be wary of unreliable narrators. In this case it is Dinah, a seemingly classic grandmother living in a lovely house in Kent. The focus of the story is Munich in the early thirties, when Hitler was flexing his muscles and taking power, eventually becoming German Chancellor. Around this is woven the story of generations of the Conway family, who Dinah marries in to. There are a smattering of real historical figures in the story, but most of them are fictional.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of this book.

Having only recently come across Lulu’s books, I’ve quickly become besotted and this one is no exception. It a family saga with different timelines and lots of political intrigue from the past woven in along the way. It would be very easy to imagine that events in the book could have actually happened during the time leading up to the Second World War in Britain and Germany. Absolutely fascinating and so readable and addictive.
This one will certainly keep you turning the pages to the very end towards an explosive ending, and I look forward to ready more of Lulu’s work.

A story built on suspicion and lies! As the story progressed I’d think I’d sorted it out in my head, to then turn the page and change my mind..
Lottie Conway has been used to the unmentionable in the family history, but now to have family of her own she is desperate to get to the bottom of the secrets. This takes her to her grandmother Dinah who is the only one who knows the truth, will she be willing to reveal it!

I was glued to this book, terrified I’d miss something. There were some strange characters, Ribbentrop. My favourite character was Lottie for her determination, least favourite was Marina who used people to her own ends..
This was my first by this author.

I have read and enjoyed several of Lulu Taylor's books so when I had the opportunity to read an ARC of The Forever Summer I jumped at the choice. And I have to say I wasn't disappointed. This is one of my favourite books of the year so far. It's a dual timeline novel of historical fiction, set in the early 1930s and more present day (2002 and current). Some novels which send us back to a previous time can feel clunky - the current setting not working so well as a vehicle for taking a glimpse into the past. I thought this book travelled between past and present well, engaging me throughout. I particularly liked our glimpse into 1930s society Britain and Hitler era Munich - both of interest to me in any event. It's hard to say much about the story itself without revealing spoilers. I'd simply suggest that if you're a fan of Lulu Taylor already, or of historical fiction set around WW2 it's worth a read.

I was delighted with this book! So glad to have discovered this author. It was a really great read. Absorbing, intriguing, shocking. The narrative moves along at a good pace and the characters draw us in and keep us invested. Dinah in particular is a wonderful character and how her story turns out is brilliantly done.

A gorgeous historical novel touching on the topics of espionage during one of the most tense and trying times of the 20th century.

2002
Kate has lived with the consequences of a scandal which has torn the family apart for many years.
She is now expecting her own child and needs to find out the truth from her grandmother, the only person still alive who knows the truth.

Munich 1932
Dinah and William are on their honeymoon when they bump into Winston Churchill and soon become involved in the politics of the time.
Then a tragedy and a betrayal happens and the secret of what happened that day lies hidden.
Can Kate reveal the truth ?

The Forever Summer by Lulu Taylor was an intriguing story fabulously written. Based in the mid 1930's during the rise of Hitler it is the story of the effect one woman's jealousy has on world affairs and in particular on one family - the Conway family. The story mixes fact with fiction in a totally believable way and is obviously very well researched. As I was reading I was torn between who I believed was telling the truth and who wasn't, but the ending left me speechless. A great read recommended for anyone who likes an intelligent story that keeps them guessing right until the very end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

This was brilliant- utterly fascinating to have a lovely focussed on the period of the 30s and how one calculating woman could have such a huge impact. I don’t want to leave any spoilers but safe to say it had me puzzled throughout and also wide eyed at the audacity of Dinah! Brilliantly written, I felt like I could have been there myself and clearly very heavily researched too. Fascinating characters and very easy to end up looking at your clock at 2am and wondering where the night has disappeared to!