Barbados in the early 1800’s and in the mid-1800s went from slavery to emancipation. This was a time when women took a supportive role, yet Willig has made strong females the main characters of a family saga. When Emily is left a run-down sugar cane plantation, she and her cousin and wife leave England to visit Barbados. Moving back and forth between the story of a female slave and Emily, the reader learns only about Emily’s history. It’s a satisfying historical novel and will make me see Barbados differently when I visit the country again.

I loved this book!! This is the second book I read from this author and loved! Historical Fiction is my favorite genre and this book is one reason why!!

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele

In The Summer Country, author Lauren Willig treats readers to an epic family saga of family secrets, betrayal, forbidden love, and the British Colonial class system. Is one’s life a matter of fate or free will?

Told in a dual timeline narrative, readers meet vicar’s daughter Emily, her cousin Adam, and his wife Laura as they travel to Barbados in 1854 where Emily inherits the burned out sugar plantation Peverills, a property no one knew her grandfather even owned. Why would shipping magnate Johnathan Fenty leave this neglected, useless property to Emily? Emily soon finds the owners of the neighboring plantation keenly interested in obtaining the land for themselves and a noble black doctor named Nathaniel whom she cannot help but be drawn to. The opposing narrative takes place in 1812 when young Charles Davenport returns to Peverills from England upon his father’s death. There he finds a different world from what he is accustomed rife with sibling rivalry, a neighbor in need, and an unexpected love affair with a slave named Jenny.

Willig is a masterful storyteller, seamlessly weaving the narratives, sometimes in unanticipated ways, to make a cohesive, compelling read. Often in the case of dual narratives, one timeline suffers, but here both are equally strong with well developed characters and plotting. The prose is lovely and feels right for the periods represented, providing a lyric background for the action. The tale is obviously well researched and renders a thorough look at historical events without coming across as a dry chronicle of events. The pace is steady yet unhurried.

The Summer Country is quality historical fiction with a heavy dose of romance. I greatly enjoyed this escape to exotic Barbados. Recommended.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

**I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
Set under the bright sun in Barbados, Willig’s latest novel is a true winner. In 1854, Emily Dawson inherits a plantation from her beloved grandfather in Barbados. Upon arrival, Emily quickly learns that her newfound land has lots of secrets. As she delves more into these, she has to come to terms with her family’s past and the secrets that those still living wish to leave buried forever. Forty years prior to this, Charles Davenant returns to Barbados from his time in England. Finding himself with his father’s plantation and a jealous younger brother, Charles wrestles with the slavery found on his familial land, as well as his thoughts with his neighbor’s slave, Jenny.

Willig has a wonderful way to tell a story set in a different time era. I’ve read most of her works, and this I think is her best yet. She clearly does her research, providing a ten page historical note at the end, describing just a few of the resources she used to tell such a rich tale filled with sadness. Willig has a way that brings her characters to life and makes readers want to keep turning the page to find out more. She also has readers guessing until the very end, with twists in the story line and a building climax that results in a satisfying conclusion.

Five stars for this one!

I have yet to read a Lauren Willig book I didn't like. While I think I know where the plots are heading, the author finds ways to surprise. And while in some author's hands these surprises might seem far fetched, I find them to feel natural to the plot and setting. Willig has a great way of keeping things moving and creating natural dialogue. Her style is what I would like to most emulate in my own writing.

To say that Lauren Willig is a favorite author of mine is the understatement of the year. Everything she touches is like magic for me. She is hands down one of my favorite authors and an author I have on auto-buy. Lauren Willig is historical fiction at its best—plain and simple.

When I saw this book was coming out and that it was set in the exotic location of Barbados, I knew it was going to be glorious and I had it on pre-order almost immediately. I was also gifted and early ARC of this book as well, but I knew between the cover and the author, I needed the finished product to put on my shelf!

When it came, I was knee deep in all my other summer reading and I was impatient to start this one, but it was also lengthy. So I decided to get it on Audible as well, that way I could listen to it when I was running my errands and alternate between reading and listening so that I could get it in faster!

Summary

1854. From Bristol to Barbados…

Emily Dawson has always been the poor cousin in a prosperous merchant clan—merely a vicar’s daughter, and a reform-minded vicar’s daughter, at that. Everyone knows that the family’s lucrative shipping business will go to her cousin, Adam, one day. But when her grandfather dies, Emily receives an unexpected inheiritance: Peverills, a sugar plantation in Barbados—a plantation her grandfather never told anyone he owned.

When Emily accompanies her cousin and his new wife to Barbados, she finds Peverills a burnt-out shell, reduced to ruins in 1816, when a rising of enslaved people sent the island up in flames. Rumors swirl around the derelict plantation; people whisper of ghosts.

Why would her practical-minded grandfather leave her a property in ruins? Why are the neighboring plantation owners, the Davenants, so eager to acquire Peverills—so eager that they invite Emily and her cousins to stay with them indefinitely? Emily finds herself bewitched by the beauty of the island even as she’s drawn into the personalities and politics of forty years before: a tangled history of clandestine love, heartbreaking betrayal, and a bold bid for freedom.

When family secrets begin to unravel and the harsh truth of history becomes more and more plain, Emily must challenge everything she thought she knew about her family, their legacy… and herself (summary from Goodreads).

Review

There aren’t that many books set in the West Indies, especially during the early to mid 1800s (at least that I have heard of) which made this book stand out. It promised something new, exotic, and epic. As you can all guess, I was primed to love this book before I even opened a page. But I have to admit I struggled to articulate my thoughts on this one.

On one hand, I read it like a mad woman and was completely invested in both stories. It had the epic feel that was promised and it exceeded my expectations in historical content as well as a refreshing and new setting. But I don’t know that I loved any of the characters. It took me a few chapters to sort out what all was going on and the family dynamics were a challenge. I wasn’t sure if it was the narrator or not, but I instantly didn’t like Adam and found him pompous and his wife Laura who was supposed to be Emily’s best friend was bland and in my opinion didn’t need to be in the story at all.

Then the more characters that we met, I just never felt like I could trust any of them and was constantly uneasy with many of them. I felt like a lot of it had to do with the narrator so I eventually abandoned my audiobook in favor of reading the book instead and found that helped. But I still never regained my confidence in some of the characters.

I also felt like this book was a little slow to begin with. There was a huge focus on the slavery aspect and slavery politics in Barbados at that time which I felt was tedious but oddly interesting as it was a perspective on slavery that I wasn’t familiar with. I’ve studied so much on slavery in the South during the Civil War, that it was interesting to read about slavery in a different country in roughly the same period as the political view of slavery started changing.

Emily was an absolute pistol and I loved her! She was the break out star in this book for me. I was most invested in her story and glad to see how things ended. I initially loved Charles and Jenny, but the more their story went on the more tired I got of Charles’ naive optimism and Jenny’s impatience. I absolutely hated Robert and didn’t find that he had any redeeming qualities even if Charles had fond memories of him as a child, we the reader aren’t privy to those memories and in the end I felt that Charles’ affection and tolerance for him was grossly misplaced.

So where does that leave me when it comes to rating? It was so much more than a 3 star book that much is clear. The research and historical aspect and setting demands a higher rating than 3 stars, but the story landed in the 3 star range for me. I ended up going with a 4 star rating, though I debated about 3.5 stars, Emily and fresh new setting and the fact that I was constantly uneasy in the book (which I believe was intentional) made me bump it up to 4 solid stars.

Book Info and Rating

Audible Audio, Unabridged
Published June 4th 2019 by HarperAudio
ASIN B07P166L4M
Free review copy provided by publisher, William Morrow, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 4 stars
Genre: historical fiction

***Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
I loved Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation series and was a little hesitant to read this book. I shouldn't have been worried. Willig has such a wonderful writing style and keeps the story interesting and beautiful.

I have every Lauren Willig novel on my bookshelf that I have been able to get my hands on. Each one has been read more than once and will be read again. I didn't even need to see what THE SUMMER COUNTRY was about before knowing right way that I needed to read it. And as expected, it was absolutely brilliant. The author has such a wonderful way of of stringing words into sentences, and putting sentences together to create unforgettable stories. Her characters are always complex and beautifully human, and this novel stays true to the authenticity I have come to expect from this author. A definite recommend!

The Summer Country by Lauren Willig takes place in colonial Barbados focusing on Emily, her cousin Adam and his wife Laura traveling from England to their grandfather's native Barbados on business. Emily has recently inherited a plantation from their grandfather and Adam is involved in their family shipping business. While in Barbados, Emily begins to explore the story of her family. The story unfolds in alternating chapters involving Emily and others in 1850s Barbados and the story of Mary Ann and Jenny from the previous generation in Barbados. The alternate voices telling the story provides an intriguing story with multiple twists and turns that does not unfold completely until the final chapters.

At the center of The Summer Country is the sad tale of white masters forcing themselves upon slaves as well as the codified social strictures of the time period regarding interracial relationships. In addition, laced throughout the story is the desire for power and control and the lies and manipulation individuals will commit to maintain or obtain power. The Summer Country is a stunning book, impeccably researched, that will stick with the reader for quite a while--particularly that where you are born or brought up makes all the difference in the world. My only wish is that the end had tied up a little bit more. However, the end does leave the potential for a sequel if desired.

My Rating: 5 stars
It’s not often that I come across a book where I fall in love almost instantly not just with the characters, but also with the setting, the story, the writing – basically everything about the book from the first page to the very last. It’s also increasingly rare nowadays for me to get so swept up in a book that I lose track of time and next thing I know, I’ve finished the book in practically one sitting (and at 480 pages, this was certainly no small feat!). In her newest release The Summer Country, author Lauren Willig delivers a beautifully written, sweeping historical saga that felt epic in scope and magnitude, yet did not feel at all like a chore to read.

Set in 19th century Barbados, this family saga spans 4 decades and revolves around two neighboring sugar plantations on the island – Peverills and the adjacent Beckles. Told in a dual timeline format that alternates between 1854 – where we are introduced to Emily Dawson, a vicar’s daughter who unexpectedly inherits Peverills when her grandfather dies – and 1812, with the story of the original owner of Peverills, Charles Davenant, and his relationship with Jenny, a slave in the household of the neighboring plantation Beckles. These two separate narratives involving two different sets of characters who live under completely different circumstances don’t appear to correlate at first glance, but as the story progresses, the two narratives converge into a seamless, brilliantly woven story that absolutely blew me away. It is usually the case with these dual timeline stories that one narrative is stronger than the other, but with this book, both narratives were equally strong and were so well done that I honestly can’t say that I preferred one over the other. Another aspect of this book that made it so endearing to me was the strong character development, especially when it came to the female characters in the story. With historical fiction covering a time and place where society’s conventions weren’t necessarily favorable to women, I love how Willig was able to make every single female character in this story strong yet realistic, balancing each character’s distinct personality with the historical limitations of that time period.

For me, one of the things that set this book apart from other works of historical fiction was its amazing use of language to convey a time and place that felt so authentic, I found myself completely immersed in the time period and setting. The prose (more specifically, the quality of the writing) elevated this book beyond just being great historical fiction — this was written so well in the language of the time that it actually read like a classic novel, which is something rarely seen with books published in modern day. The fact that Willig was able to render a time and place (Barbados in the 19th century) so far removed from the current time period (21st century Europe or the United States) in a manner that made it come to life so realistically, speaks to her tremendous skill as a writer. The amount of research that went into this book was astounding – prior to reading this book, I had no idea about the historical significance of Barbados and the slave trade that was so prevalent there during the early nineteenth century, nor did I know much about the cholera epidemic that occurred in that part of the world back in the 1850s. One of the things I love most about reading historical fiction is learning about time periods / people / events that I knew nothing about previously – this book not only taught me a lot, it did so with masterful storytelling that was captivating and had me 100% emotionally invested in the story as well as in its characters, to the point that I didn’t want this unforgettable story to end. I’m a picky reader and I don’t give 5 stars very often, but this one absolutely deserved it! All in all, this is a perfect summer read -- one that is immersive, captivating, and will definitely make you feel as though you’ve been transported to another world. Highly recommended!

Received ARC from William Morrow (HarperCollins) via NetGalley.

Great novel! It felt epic in scope and I was riveted! It does seem like a bit of departure for the author but the quality of the writing shown through. She dealt with complicated issues of race, slavery and bi racial relationships in a sensitive way that showed her research and her care of the subject matter and characters. It was really interesting to read about the British history of slavery in the Caribbean. Clearly its not as cut and dried and British historoans would have us believe. It's complicated and messy and the British, while not as bad as the Americans, were clearly still complicit. As a reader who likes closure, I loved the last little bit in Paris. I would love a sequel or novella that continues the story! I thoroughly enjoyed the novel and I plan to promote the book any way I can at my branch and through the NYPL website!

First line: “Emily!” Adam shouted.

Summary: Emily Dawson has inherited a plantation on the island of Barbados from her grandfather. When she arrives at Peverills it is far from what she dreamed. After the slave uprising forty years before it has sat in ruins. On the invitation of the Davenant family of Beckles, she and her cousin stay at the neighboring plantation while Emily decides what to do with her inheritance.

Forty years earlier Charles Davenant returns home to run his family plantation, Peverills. The home he knew as a child has changed and so have Charles’ views on life in Barbados. As tensions rise on the island he must decide where he stands.

My Thoughts: This is a what great family sagas are made of. Big family secrets with dark turns around every corner. I loved the intertwining narratives and how closely they connected. The characters are so well done. I went in expecting to like some and hate others but Willig does a great job of proving you wrong on your first impressions. I am not much for a romance novel but this was a beautiful love story in the midst of so many challenges.

And the history is fascinating. I had never read or heard anything based on the island of Barbados so the storyline was completely fresh for me. Lauren brings it to life. The heat, the smells, and the lifestyles come through in her writing.

FYI: I highly recommend Willig’s Pink Carnation series!

I received an advanced reading copy of this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book contains all the elements necessary for an epic tale. It has romance and love, a compelling historical narrative, and enough deception and mystery to satisfy even the most reluctant reader. It admittingly starts off a little slow but that pace does not last for long. The dual-timeline works well with this tale as it guides the reader through the changes of perspective of what was and wasn't acceptable. Almost all of the main characters are portrayals of actual people although the names were changed. The complex relationship between Charles and Jenny, while not based on fact, added the thread that knit the story together. The rags to riches lives of Johnathan and Nathanial were excellent representations of what abilities people have when given the chance. Barbados is not commonplace in mainstream fiction and it was refreshing to see some of its history highlighted here. Willig deserves every accolade for this work!

Lauren WIllig does it again! This is a fantastic historical fiction novel set in Barbados. I don't know too much about history in the Caribbean, but this story was really engrossing. Willig really knows how to create dynamic characters that I truly care about as the story progresses. I took my time with this book because I desperately wanted to stay in the lush landscape Willig created. The Summer Country is an instant classic.

Barbados is my favorite Caribbean island. When I saw this book was available on from the publisher before publication date (in exchange for an honest review) I jumped on it. The Summer Country certainly didn’t disappoint. It’s a wonderful story of two different generations on the island of Barbados. Their lives intersect in ways the characters don’t even know about until the end when the entire story is told. This is a great beach read.

Reminiscent of Catherine Gaskin and M.M. Kaye set in the British West Indies. The setting is lush and the author's historical research into slavery and plantation life is well-researched.

SYNOPSIS: Emily Dawson knows who she is and what she is destined to become, as the daughter of a poor vicar in England. That is, she does until her beloved and recently deceased grandfather bequeaths her a sugar plantation in Barbados, forcing her to travel outside England and confront the pre-emancipation world in which her grandfather used to live. Along the way, Emily discovers just how muddled the past can be and how much strength it takes to move forward.

The Summer Country by Lauren Willig (out on June 4th) is an incredibly detailed historical fiction novel that also encompasses a good deal of mystery and romance, making it my ideal read. Honestly, any time a historical fiction is not based in the 1940s, I declare it a victory and a must-read -- but I'm not exaggerating when I say this book exceeded all expectations.

I was at first nervous about foraying into a story in which a slave, Jenny, and a slave-owner, Charles, fall in love, seeing as those types of stories (whether fiction or fact) are fraught with questions of consent and inequality. While I still struggle to buy into any love story between slaves and masters, I do appreciate Willig's delicate handling of the situation and her ability to provide a rich amount of insight into Jenny's thoughts and emotions at any given point. Overall though, I was definitely more in interested in Emily's potential for romance and was thoroughly rewarded for my patience!

Make sure to read the author's note -- I love historical fiction that is deeply influenced by actual history books and it's clear that Willig has done plenty of research for this novel. She has tons of additional reading if this novel really sparks your curiosity! I'll definitely be picking up of her novels!

Thank you to @netgalley & @harpercollinsus for the ARC! Pick up your copy in just a few days, on June 4th!!

Once again, I am blown away by another amazing tale of historical fiction from Lauren Willig; she never disappoints.

The Summer Country is a dual timeline novel set in colonial Barbados in 1854/1812. This novel was well researched and I learned so much about Victorian-era colonial Barbados. This was a time and location I knew little about and the story kept me quickly turning page after page, not wanting to put it down. I felt totally immersed in the time period and was so invested in the lives of these characters!

This book is meant to be savored, bit by bit, chapter by chapter. A little slow at the start, but it sucks you in and keeps you turning the pages in no time! Switching back and forth from 1812 to 1854 Barbados while keeping the characters straight was a tad tricky. But owing in large part to Lauren Willig's writing skills, I quickly became totally engrossed in this wonderful story. I would definitely recommend this book to historical fiction readers and any reader who appreciates a well-crafted story. 4/5

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins-William Morrow, and the author for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Summer Country. Release date: June 4, 2019

Review was posted on goodreads and Instagram @lowkey.bookish on 5/30/2019.

I received this book through NetGalley. The opinions listed here are my own. This is an author I have not read before. The intrigue and heartbreak in this book kept me turning the pages. I am glad I read this book and will recommend it to others.

I enjoyed this book for the most part, especially certain parts of the ending, but the first half dragged a bit and the emotional connections between characters were not developed enough for me to really feel invested in them.