Then my dog died and I didn't want to read it because it reminded me of him. But I'm so glad I did. This book is great! The storyline is fantastic and unpredictable, really some of the stuff that happened, I was truly surprised, although there were also moments in which I assumed what would happen.

Esme's journey to her past was the best part of the book, When I started this book, I couldn't focus on the story at all. Esme's journey to her past was the best part of the book, in my opinion. I really enjoyed reading what had happened to her in Lake Como. And the rest of the story was just superb. I look forward to reading more books by Erica James, she is a brilliant writer! First book of Erica James I have read, and I will now read more.

It all begins with Floriana being knocked down, as she is distracted by the wedding invitation received from her friend Seb. Esme and Adam come to help her, and all their lives change in ways that wouldn't have happened if they hadn't met. The three new friends live in Oxford, and discuss past loves.

Esme now an elderly lady, tells of her first love when she was 18 years old, and on holiday wth her father in Italy. Beautifully written, and the descriptions of Como Lake make you feel you are there with them. Apr 27, Lizzie rated it it was amazing.

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Just finished reading Summer at the Lake after a week. I won this as a free giveaway. I wasn't expecting to be blown away by such a heart warming story. Esme was my favorite character.

Summer on the Lakes - Wikipedia

The scenes where they were in Italy or when we had flashbacks of Esme's past made me feel like I was in Italy already. I've been Italy once and planning on going again with my boyfriend next year. Summary this book got me in the mood for Italy lol. Een lekker boek voor deze zomer. Liefdevolle karakters waar je van gaat houden, De keuzes die je maakt voor je toekomst, maar eerst moet er veel op gelost worden uit het verleden. Het verhaal wisselt af tussen heden en verleden en laat je vooral voelen dat je je hart moet laten spreken. Ik heb er van genoten. I absolutely love Erica James' novels and this one didn't disappoint.

She seems to pick backdrops which resonate with me - this time the eponymous 'Lake' is Lake Como, near to which I lived a good while back. The description of the towns, especially Bellagio felt very familiar. This is a poignant and beautiful story with characters who leap off the page to become friends. It is a story of the different faces of love and loss and the importance of seizing the day. I loved it and savoured every second like a favourite bottle of wine. Oct 22, Joanne rated it really liked it Shelves: Ik moest er inkomen, en dan met name de sprongen van POV en de tijd waarin het plaatsvond.

Maar mijn eerste boek van Erica James was zeker een geslaagde kennismaking. Er zijn er nog een heleboel, lucky me! Jun 13, Ishita Sood rated it really liked it Shelves: Love the writing and the way every character is so developed despite being so whimsical. Quite fast paced and a tad too predictable, all in all it turns to be a perfect summer read. Mar 12, Suzy rated it really liked it Shelves: This is a light read, romantic chick lit but enjoyable as a break from my usual genre.

Utterly predictable, devoid of bad language and a book I will definitely give my mother. The love interest is Seb the flaky former friend who's about to get married and Adam Mr sensible who helps in a crisis. However as the book evolves it becomes more the story of Adam's elderly neighbour - matchmaker with a big romantic history of her This is a light read, romantic chick lit but enjoyable as a break from my usual genre.

However as the book evolves it becomes more the story of Adam's elderly neighbour - matchmaker with a big romantic history of her own. A trip to Lake Como, Italy follows. Whimsy and pure escapism but told surprisingly well. Esme fell in love for the first time at the lake, and it changed her life forever.

Both Esme and Floriana have past hurts to heal, but will visiting the lake be everything they want it to be? I really, really enjoyed Summer at the Lake, Erica James is such a wonderful storyteller, managing to weave such wonderful stories and give us such lovely characters. I was immediately enchanted by Floriana, Adam and Esme. Esme has the most fascinating and wonderful back story, mostly set in Italy, and I enjoyed wandering around Italy with Esme and her father, and I especially enjoyed the bits set at Hotel Margherita, learning about her relationship with Marco, the nephew of Hotel Margherita.

It was so fascinating and at first it was told in bits and pieces here and there, interspersed with the present day, but eventually we got a whole chunk in one go and it was fantastic to dive into s Italy. The present day story was also amazing, and I loved the friendship that blossomed between Floriana, Adam and Esme, not the three people you might expect to become friends, but it sort of worked and I loved how they all came to care for each other. I also thought the Oxford setting was wonderful. I know nothing of Oxford I have to admit, but it sounds like such a beautiful, peaceful sort of place to live and I desperately wanted to move into the house Adam bought next door to Esme!

Jul 11, Thebooktrail rated it really liked it Shelves: Well then this literary trip to Lake Como should be just the ticket. Lucky in her work she may be, however she is not so lucky when it comes to love - Seb is the one that got away. She should have told him how she felt but instead they split. Two years later, Seb writes to her to tell her that he is getting married in Lake Como.

This simple card sets off such a chain of events that Floriana can not believe what is happening. Floriana is rescued by two people who encourage her to get well and then go to Lake Como to attend the wedding. With her narrow escape clear in her mind, will she now seize the chance to get back the love of her life? The setting of the story starts with the Dreaming Spires of Oxford, England… The Oxford setting is ideal for literary tours and Erica sprinkles her prose with additional spice — mentions of Harry Potter for example and of the book shop Blackwells, is lovely as they bring the literary meaning of her work to the fore.

As for Lake Como - well - is this not paradise? Hotel Margherita is fictional yet there are many stunning villas dotted around the lake that could have been chosen for the inspiration behind it. The hotel in the book , a home for the Montford Family back in the day when it first opened. The author has a home there and loves the views and it shows.

Summer at the Lake

Take a stunning lake, a few grand houses, a cool breeze, a cocktail and some Italian charm and you have the perfect ingredients for a summer at the lake. I've enjoyed Erica James' books for many years now and, like most readers, I have my favourites. Hidden Talents was one, a wonderful book following the stories of the characters who come together at a creative writers' group.

Precious Time was another, Clara and Ned's journey to the Peak District in a camper van where their lives become entangled with a range of wonderful characters. But this new one is equally wonderful - I've never been to the Italian Lakes it's on my bucket list but I feel I've enjoyed Erica James' books for many years now and, like most readers, I have my favourites.

But this new one is equally wonderful - I've never been to the Italian Lakes it's on my bucket list but I feel like I have after immersing myself in this lovely book, and, having set it aside with a satisfied sigh, I really missed the characters I'd grown to care about so much. This is a quite perfect book for anyone who loves to escape into the pages of the book they're reading - it transports you wonderfully, first to Oxford, then to the shores of Lake Como, and entangles you wonderfully in the lives of the characters in their past and present.

I was immediately engaged by Floriana, working as a rather quirky tour guide in Oxford, her childhood friend Seb about to be married to another, their friendship badly broken. Enter the two other main characters. Esme is now an old lady, living alone with her cat, remembering her teenage travels to Lake Como with her father and the pain of first love. Adam is a property developer, nursing his own broken heart, who finds unexpected friendship with Floriana and Esme.

The story moves to Lake Como - so that Floriana can attend Seb's wedding, and Esme relive her youth - and the story unfolds quite enchantingly. This is a tale that moves quite seamlessly between past and present - we ache with the pain of Esme's first love as we watch the modern story play itself out. Lake Como becomes a fourth main character, enticingly and beautifully drawn, and it really is the perfect backdrop for the lovely story which sweeps you up as you read until you reluctantly return to the real world at the end.

Don't miss this one - Erica James really does get better and better.


  1. Summer at the Lake by Erica James - Books - Hachette Australia;
  2. Review – Summer At The Lake by Erica James;
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My thanks to netgalley and publishers Orion for my advance reading e-copy. Summer at the Lake was published in hardcover and Kindle editions on 27 February , and the paperback will follow on 5 June. May 26, Ailish Fitzgerald rated it it was amazing. What a superb novel - Erica James never disappoints. This story is partly set in Oxford and in the beautiful Italian Lakes. Floriana, a tour guide, while walking home is knocked down by a car. This traumatic event leads her to finding two new friends.

Summer at the Lake, had a great cast of characters and I loved What a superb novel - Erica James never disappoints. Summer at the Lake, had a great cast of characters and I loved all three of the main characters, they each brought something different to the book— the bubbly Floriana, Adam, serious but kind hearted and the wise Esme who dishes out great advice. I was so engrossed in their stories that I was unable put the book down. Esme's story really tugged at the heartstrings.


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  • It was a part of the story that captured me. She never married and lived with her cat Euridice. This journey would have life changing consequences for Esme and decades later, she returns to Lake Como with Floriana and Adam. See all lake vacation rentals in Lake Lure!

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    Located along Lake Superior near 15 waterfalls, five lighthouses, and nearly one million acres of forest, this Upper Peninsula town offers an endless variety of outdoor activities. Hike miles of scenic trails in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, home to towering sandstone cliffs, or take a tour boat to view these rock formations from the water. See all lake vacation rentals in Munising! You might know Whitefish as a top destination for skiers, but thanks to Whitefish Lake—a seven-mile-long glacial lake with public access points including City Beach—this mountain town is also the perfect spot for summer lake vacations.

    Book a condo in the Railway District near downtown restaurants and the beach, or rent a cabin and retreat into the trees. No matter where you stay, the grandeur of Glacier National Park is minutes away. See all lake vacation rentals in Whitefish! See all lake vacation rentals in Laconia! Sound like a dream?

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    Not in Greenville, where golfing, canoeing, and relaxing on the deck is just another day in the life. Greenville is less than three hours from Bangor southeast and Portland southwest , which makes the wilderness town a remote yet accessible escape. See all lake vacation rentals in Greenville! Popular activities include fishing, swimming, and cruising with Rangeley Region Lake Cruises, plus golf and hiking back onshore.

    Summer at the Lake

    See all lake vacation rentals in Rangeley! Love to jet ski along the shore? Want a quiet nook for birding? Or a safe spot for the kids to swim? The Queen of New Beginnings. It's The Little Things. Time For A Change: Another delightful delivery for [Erica James's] ever-growing number of fans. With the turn of every absorbing page, you'll find yourself caught in the rapture and despair of each character as they find their way through this beguiling drama - CANDIS. Erica James is the number one international bestselling author of twenty novels, including the Sunday Times top ten bestsellers Summer at the Lake , The Dandelion Years and Song of the Skylark.

    She has sold over five million books worldwide and her work has been translated into twelve languages. Her authentic characters are thanks to her insatiable appetite for other people's business and a willingness to strike up a conversation with just about anybody. The World According to Anna. The Unfinished Novel and Other stories. From the Place in the Valley Deep in the Forest.