Seven Days in Summer (by Marcia Willett)

(Amazon UK link)

I have loved Marcia Willett’s writing for a long time now, ever since I first picked up one of her novels at a charity shop over twenty years ago. I keep an eye out for her new publications and put them on my wishlist as soon as they’re available in paperback. I was given ‘Seven Days in Summer’ for Christmas 2018 and for some reason it stayed on my to-be-read shelf all this time. Until a few days ago.

This novel - which takes place over the course of just a week - is set primarily in Devon with a few forays into Cornwall. These are areas of the country I don’t know at all, but the author clearly knows them well. The descriptions of countryside and beaches are realistic, helpful in painting a picture of the locations of the novel, but without being overdone or too poetic.

As with most of Marcia Willett’s novels, this is character-based, and it has quite a large cast of people. Baz is the central one - a man in his 60s who suffered a tragic bereavement many years earlier. He owns a large holiday home in Devon, and we meet him en route there for a holiday, travelling with his daughter-in-law Liv and her almost-five-year-old twins Freddie and Flora. Liv’s husband Matt, Baz’s son, has to work in their bistro as the manager has had an accident to his foot, but he hopes to join them for their second week.

Baz has a circle of friends near his holiday home, and they get together each year for barbecues, lunch parties and other social events. Janet and Dave are warm, caring people, and their goddaughter Sofia is staying with them after the break-up of a relationship. Miles and Annabel are a prickly kind of couple - or Annabel is; she is rather keen on Baz, and Miles treats her tolerantly, although they’re growing apart. Miles would love to be more friendly with someone else… but nothing is likely to happen.

Meanwhile a contemporary of Liv’s called Cat has appeared in Matt’s bistro. Liv cannot bear her, and Cat is clearly manipulative and selfish. She has always been envious of Liv’s laid-back and mostly contented family and this has turned into a spiteful jealousy that makes Cat determined to destroy them, if only she can find a way.

So there are several subplots alongside each other. Baz finds himself falling in love, and becomes rather disturbed by some mysterious text message he keeps receiving. Matt has been finding family life a bit stressful and Cat can be beguiling and attractive when she chooses. And there are many more interactions, including some delightful exchanges including the young twins.

There are many viewpoint changes: each chapter, and some sections within chapters move to a different person. Some authors create rather a muddle by doing this, but Marcia Willett manages it perfectly, without any jarring. The week slowly moves forward, outwardly calm with a happy family holiday, but with emotions rising high for many. The people are three-dimensional and easy to distinguish, and I found myself getting under their skins - particularly Liv’s.

It’s a gentle story, no fast action and not too much stress. I was so interested in the people and circumstances that I picked the book up every moment I could. Nothing that would make this unsuitable for teenagers - I don’t recall any bad language, and there are no intimate details. This is part of what lifts Marcia Willett’s novels above that of many authors who write in a similar genre.

Definitely recommended if you like warm, character-based women’s fiction.

Review copyright 2020 Sue's Book Reviews