I always struggle to review Sarah Morgans’ novels. Not because they’re so awful I cant bear to find the words to describe them. Oh, no! Quite the opposite, in fact. I struggle because, every time I finish a Sarah Morgan story, I am completely and utterly blown away by the consistency the author achieves in delivering such a beautiful book, time and time again. Morgan is, and always has been, an author you can wholeheartedly rely on, whether that be for deliciously naughty romance, heart-warming friendship and familial love, or just pure magical, addictive escapism. This fact remains very much intact in Morgan’s latest release Summer Wedding, in which readers are transported to the Greek island of Corfu, for a sizzling summer of romance, hidden family secrets, and a wedding to remember.
If you’re from the UK, you’ll be well aware of how dismal a summer we’ve had so far. It feels like we’ve had nothing but weeks of rain and grey skies, so a getaway to Corfu was very much needed, and appreciated. Morgan brings this Greek island setting vibrantly to life and ensures its’ beauty never fades from sight throughout the progression of this tale. From the glittering turquoise seas I wanted to leap into, to the stunning explosions of bougainvillea that peppered the villa Catherine Swift called home, I wanted so desperately to climb right between the pages of this story and experience it all for myself. It felt like such a dreamy, blissful place, and I could see why Catherine would choose such a location to call home, because I know for a fact that I would make the same choice. It was utter paradise.
As always, it did not take me long at all to become familiar with the characters in Summer Wedding and their separate circumstances. Much like with the setting of her books, Morgan perfectly delivers her characters to the reader, in a way that makes you feel as if they’re friends of your own and you’re already entirely comfortable in their presence. This particular trio of women intrigued me endlessly. I loved how much of a contrast they seemed to be to each other at the beginning, and found the unravelling of their layers so interesting and entertaining.
Mothers and daughters are always a fascinating dynamic, even more so in Catherine, Adeline and Cassies’ case. Separated for reasons unknown to the reader, which become clear later on in the novel, Morgan certainly kept me on my toes with this one, and I was left wondering right the way through. Catherine Swift as a character was incredibly bold and definitely played leading lady in Summer Wedding, which is to be expected considering she is the bride-to-be. A romance writer, adored by many readers around the globe, it was lovely to read about an author in her natural habitat, but it quickly started to become clear that all was not as rosy as it would first appear to be in Catherine’s world. I thoroughly enjoyed how Morgan cracked open the shell of what it’s like to be an author and revealed the ins and outs of writing life from an actual authors’ experience. Mother of Adeline and Cassie, it became obvious that there had been something in their history that had caused a distance between the three women, and I was so eager to discover what this was.
As is true for so many sisters, there were countless differences between Adeline and Cassie, yet it was also blindingly obvious that they felt a pull towards each other on a much deeper level. Morgan brought this emotion between the sisters to the surface beautifully and so tenderly, it moved me to tears on more than one occasion. While Adeline did her best to remain in control of all situations and kept her emotions under-wraps even in crisis, Cassie was the complete opposite and let her emotions run wild. It was amazing to watch the sisters, when together, handle situations in their own unique ways, only highlighting how different their minds were wired and, I suppose, the different upbringings they’d experienced, due to Catherine’s decisions during their childhood. I loved witnessing the differences in their personalities, while also hoping that Cassie’s enduring warmth and enthusiasm would help her older sister to allow her walls to slowly come down, and her hardness to eventually soften, encouraging her to see the world in a different view that would hopefully bring her peace, and lessen the mental weight she’d been carrying since childhood.
Leaving their separate lives, the plot of this story brings both Adeline and Cassie together on the island of Corfu to be with their mother as she prepares to get married, to a man neither Adeline nor Cassie have heard about or been introduced to, prior to receiving their invitations. This definitely added a dash of mystery and intrigue to the story, and even I was mystified by this turn of events. I could not wait for the sisters to arrive and discover who the mystery man was, and more importantly, I could not wait for the sisters to be re-united, because I felt that something special was going to take place there.
If I’m being completely honest, I was invested in this gorgeous story from the get-go. I’m a massive family girl so a story focused on family will always tug at my heartstrings. I loved the setting, the mystery behind Catherine Swifts’ past and her marriage, and let’s not forget that famous splash of Sarah Morgan romance that we all know and have come to adore so much. With such an inviting Greek setting and a wonderful cast of characters to go alongside it, I find it hard to think anyone could dislike this story. It’s exciting and fresh, and shines bright with all of those Sarah Morgan qualities that I can never get enough of, and always look forward to.
It’s safe to say that I am already looking forward to Sarah Morgans’ next release which is coming in October 2023, and you can pre-order The Christmas Book Club here. If excelling in romance has already won you over, then just wait until you see how perfectly she handles Christmas.
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