A Scandinavian Summer

Poor put upon Martha in her marriage to Anthony. Anthony is bombastic and walks over Martha. Her daughter needing money for a school trip tips Anthony over the edge and he storms out never to return. For the next couple of years Martha and Her daughter Rosie live in limbo. Her love of Scandi noir tv and books her greatest source of comfort and her job at the library. A competition sparks her desire to travel and she meets dishy baker Lars. Shall she embark on. Journey and take a chance?
Thank you netgalley for this arc to review in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautiful story, I loved this book. I fell in love with Lars and the omelette lady from the beginning. A great story partly set in wales and the rest is set in Denmark about bereavement and empty nest syndrome.

This romantic comedy was great with a few giggles along the way. I loved Martha and her being set in her ways with her thought processes and her personality. The way she found her way after being widowed and her daughter leaving home. An absolute gem of a story, I couldn’t put it down as I needed to know what happened.

This book is quite different to Helga’s first one ‘Twice In A Lifetime’ but her personality shines through her writing. I look forward to Helga’s next one, I just love her books!

Thank you to Helga and Hera books for the opportunity to read this amazing book that kept me hooked from start to end. I would love to know what happens next!

Martha is a 50 year old widow, who decides to be adventurous and take a trip to Denmark. She loves the Scandinavian murder books and tv shows, so wants to see if she can find some of the actors from her favorite show. Her husband had been dead for two years, and her daughter is off to Borneo working with apes. Deciding to take a cabin on an island, she meets Lars and a quick romance begins. Can love be far behind? A fun but somewhat predictable summer romance, but still found it fun to read. Would recommend.

The sign of an amazing new writer is not only when they write a fantastic debut, but their second novel is even better. That is exactly what Helga Jensen has done - and I know she will be a go-to author for me, for her future books. With a writing style reminiscent of Sophie Kinsella, Helga had me rolling about on the floor laughing with her unique witty narration; and as the story developed, I was totally hooked with the mystery. Forty-nine-year-old Martha is such a brilliant character, and with life expectancy and average age of the general population increasing, Helga Jensen’s novel has filled a much-needed gap in the market. You can be fabulous and have fun at fifty, even if life has dealt you unfair blows along the way! The novel is well-written with an abundance of diverse characters. I literally just couldn’t put this book down, and whilst I’m feeling a bit lost now I’ve finished it, I’m left with a lovely warm feeling. I’m so very glad I read this fantastic story and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange for an honest review.

Great novel, highly recommend it. .

What could be better than spending the summer in Scandinavia, beautiful story and a wonderful read, well worth 5 stars and I recommend this great summer read.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Martha, has lost her husband, and now her daughter is about to leave for Africa, to work with orangutans.

Watching television, she sees a contest, to win a prize, going to Denmark, her favourite show is filmed in that country. Martha would like to travel.

She is still plagued by her husbands memory and is finding it difficult to try new things, as well as a new relationship.

She travels to the island of Fano, which totally changes her life, she also starts a blog, in doing so, she’s able to overcome her inner conflicts.

Oh my goodness - how much do I miss Martha already?!

She's one of those adorable main characters you just want to bundle up and keep as your very best friend.

You'll be laughing out loud at some of her early mishaps (honestly - soooo funny!), rooting for her through the journey and cheering when she gets some of the happiness she deserves. (At last!)

Be prepared to feel outraged about how poor Martha has been treated, shocked by a twist or two, and to fall in love with strong, dependable Lars and his family.

This tale is quirky, delightful and will whisk you away to a beautiful island in Denmark. The only problem is you'll never want to leave!

What an enjoyable read.
Martha is approaching 50 and recently widowed. She works in a library and her main pleasure is reading and watching Scandi crime fiction. I could relate to Martha!
Martha enters a competition to win a trip to Copenhagen, then on an impulse decides to book a flight anyway. We then follow nervous Martha on her travels.
Martha's a quirky character, a little irritating at times, which is why I gave 4* and not 5.
In many ways a light and easy read, the author also tackles subjects such as bereavement, empty nest syndrome and turning 50.
I read this in a couple of days which is always a good sign!

What a fantastic read this book is. I loved every page and still think about the characters after finishing the book, Martha is a great main character who is easy to like, she is kind to the lonely old lady who visits the library where she works, she is a devoted mum and she gradually builds up her confidence to grasp happiness.

There are lots of laugh out loud moments to be enjoyed and the descriptive writing about Denmark is so good I have added it to my ‘must visit’ list. A great book brilliantly written and a must read.

This was a delightful read. Sure there were some problematic characters, but there are also problematic people in real life. Martha’s story was heartwarming and nice to experience with her. It’s always welcome to have a main character over the age of 40 (30 even!) as I do get tired of reading about spoiled twentysomethings. It’s tough to relate. My one concern is Martha makes some negative comments about Lars baking when she firsts meets him, and it seems like his baked rolls well…stink. But then she loves his baked goods. So maybe just an error?

Ja, thank you! (As Ludwig would say) Helga Jensen for writing this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read and review this book.

Middle-aged Martha’s life is at a low point. Her husband is dead, due to an accident, and her daughter is heading off to Africa to work with orangutans. When she sees a contest to go to Denmark to see where her favorite Scandi-noir TV show is filmed, she decides she wants to travel.

Seemingly haunted by the memory of her dead husband, Martha has a hard time opening her life to new experiences and even new relationships. Her visit to the island of Fano changes her life and her new blog helps her face her inner struggles.

This book is kind of like a middle-aged Hallmark movie, but a nice summer read.

A lovely story with some sweet romance thrown in. My first book by this author. I believe there are more books in this series. Will have to read more!

This was a fun, feel-good summer read. I love damaged, quirky characters, and thoroughly enjoyed following Martha on her journey of self-discovery, via her life-changing Scandinavian jaunt.

Martha is a Welsh forty-nine-year-old widow and recent empty nester. She suffers from panic attacks and debilitating guilt that she inadvertently caused her husband’s death in a car accident two years earlier. When her eighteen-year-old daughter announces she’s taking off on an internship in the jungles of Borneo, Martha’s already narrow world shrinks further. Her job at the local library and her obsession with Scandinavian noirs are the only routines that keep her going.

Forced to use her vacation days and spurred on by her co-workers, she conquers her fears and travels alone to Copenhagen. She soon decamps to the tiny Danish island of Fano, where she rents a cottage and a bike, and opens herself up – seemingly for the first time – to spontaneity and adventure, even falling in love with Lars, the handsome, local baker. At the same time, she’s working through her crippling sense of guilt over enjoying herself while her husband is dead. But is she really to blame for what happened that night? And has she allowed herself to place her deceased husband on a pedestal following his accident?

This is a lovely story of a cautious woman crawling out from her shell and learning to embrace life once again, one that is even more enjoyable with its small-town Danish backdrop. An enjoyable, heartwarming read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this novel, in exchange for an honest review.

A charming, funny story of a mid-life empty-nester, learning to regain her life and follow her heart, which Jensen creates with flourish and aplomb. Throw in a beautiful island and a Scandi love-interest and you’ve got a properly heart-warming summer read. Ideal sunshine reading.

Thank you to Helga Jensen, Hers Books and NetGalley for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!!!

I actually really enjoyed this story. Witnessing all of the change Martha experiences is both sad and inspiring. She is a character who is very set in her ways and being of middle age she doesn’t really feel she can make changes and do some of the things she always wanted to do. I love her quirky and embarrassing side and feel we have all done things that would be laughed at and questioned (she just got caught haha.)

I LOVE the setting of Denmark and the descriptions of the places Martha travels to drew me right in and gave me an urge to travel there myself!

The author brought real heart to this story and treated the characters emotions and turmoils with respect and gave a very clear picture of what was going on with them.

While it was not the light and fluffy read I thought I was getting into, nor was it dark and super emotional. I think it is a thoughtful story that will make the reader sit back and assess their own life, especially in light of all we have been through over the last couple of years.

If this sounds interesting to you I encourage you to pick it up and see what you think for yourself!!!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
Martha is a great character, she's been through a terrible event and it's lovely to read how she overcomes her panic attacks and enjoys her holiday. Her colleagues and people she meets in the library are interesting and likeable, Her daughter comes across as a typical teenager, changing her mind every five minutes. Poor Martha's trials continue through the book and I really enjoyed this lovely, uplifting read set in a place where the scenery and way of life sounds wonderful. This is a brilliant summer read.