A captivating story about friendship, making changes, and learning to live life to the fullest from SUNDAY TIMES bestseller Erica James.

They thought they were friends for life – until one summer, everything changed . . . 

Linston End on the Norfolk Broads has been the holiday home to three families for many years. The memories of their time there are ingrained in their hearts: picnics on the river, gin and tonics in the pavilion at dusk, hours spent seeking out the local swallowtail butterflies. Everyone together.

But widower Alastair has been faced with a few of life’s surprises recently. Now, he is about to shock his circle of friends with the decisions he has made – and the changes it will mean for them all. For some, it feels like the end. For others, it might just be the beginning . . .   

Published April 2019 by Orion

~Review~ 

A good few years ago I’d read an enjoyed thoroughly a book by Erica James and always meant to read more, so when the opportunity to read her latest release, Swallowtail Summer, came up I was in!

Alaister spent his childhood summers at Linston End, then when he inherits it, it became the happy holiday home for his own and his friends families. Linston End became an important place to them all. But when his wife dies and he quickly meets someone else and decides to sell, his friends are not happy.

I think I expected a lighter read than this actually was. Swallowtail Summer examines complex relationships, secrets, resentments and lies. Erica James doesn’t shy away from the darker side of human nature and her characters are flawed and not always likable. I really like this, it’s extremely honest and raw.

The book is quite slow to begin with, where a lot of characters are introduced. However the pace picks up and I quickly found myself engrossed. I loved the setting, Linston End being a character itself and loved reading about the idyllic summers past. Erica James’ writing is rich, with complex characters and shades of the light and dark emotions all humans experience. I think Swallowtail Summer would be a perfect holiday book and can recommend it!

I read an early ecopy courtesy of the publisher and Netgalley