Beth loves her job working in a care home, looking after its elderly residents, but she doesn’t love the cramped and dirty house-share she currently lives in. So, when she gets the opportunity to move to Nightingale Square, sharing a house with the lovely Eli, she jumps at the chance.
The community at Nightingale Square welcomes Beth with open arms, and when she needs help to organise a fundraiser for the care home they rally round. Then she discovers The Arches, a local creative arts centre, has closed and the venture to replace it needs their help too – but this opens old wounds and past secrets for Beth.
Music was always an important part of her life, but now she has closed the door on all that. Will her friends at the care home and the people of Nightingale Square help her find a way to learn to love it once more.?
My Review:
Heidi Swain stole my book heart many moons ago with her
fantastic characters, wonderful communities and stories that warm even the
coldest of hearts. With each book we fall more in love with one of her fictional
settings and have another character to adore.
A little biased you may presume, but honestly, Heidi never
delivers a book I don’t love. I know exactly how I feel by the end – like I’ve
spent time with a really good friend.
The Summer Fair is fantastic, another trip to Nightingale Square and back to
catch up with friends of old. We also meet Beth, who has shut her beloved music
out of her life as it is too painful to hear. She is a broken woman who is
desperate to forget her passion for music because it brings back memories. She
wants to move on from the past but her arrival in Nightingale Square might mean
that is going to be more difficult than she ever thought.
Oh how I felt for Beth, I was willing her on at every
opportunity – at work, getting away from awful housemates and once she settled
into Nightingale Square. I could empathise with her aversion to shut out parts
of her past, but she didn’t make it easy for herself at all.
As Beth works in a care home (you may recognise a certain
someone there) and what a brilliant, often funny, inclusion – full of funny, quirky
characters. This is also where we see Beth come into her own and blossom.
Eli is a great character and although he had his own
thing going on, he helps Beth more than he realises ay first. He is an
important part of helping Beth heal and believe in herself again.
Music is such a powerful and emotional tool in terms of
mental health. It can break us down or build us up and this is a theme that is
woven into this story.
Heartwarming, charming and probably one of Heidi’s best,
I cannot recommend The Summer Fair enough. What a treat!
Until next time Nightingale Square….
Treat yourself with a copy of 'The Summer Fair' - Available - HERE!
