I've read Tracy Corbett before and enjoyed her books but unfortunately I'm 40% through this one and can't seem to get on with it. I don't like Charlotte's character and I can't connect to it so I'm afraid I'm not carrying on and will not finish it. I will look out for her next one. Thank you for accepting my request.

This is a gorgeous summery read and I loved everything about it from the stunning cover to the brilliant ending. I loved the plot and I found the whole book really addictive.

It has some fantastic characters that I would love to meet in real life, was really warming to them by the first few chapters! the setting for the book is lovely and it brought the whole story to life. It flowed very well and the writing style was perfect.

Five stars from me - a lovely summery read, perfect for the holiday season!!

A beautiful with fun characters and a warm story line. A good read for escaping from the realities of life. Romance and relationships on the backdrop of theatre made the entire story warm and fun. Struggling through some issues in life, Charlotte leaves everything to spend time with her sister Lauren who manages the local theatre, where she meets the lovable Barney and the attraction sparks between them. The bond between the sisters is loving explored and developed. My first book by Tracy Corbett, and I am sure it wouldn't be my last. Lovable characters and warm story line make this a perfect book for a cozy afternoon.

I have enjoyed this summer book. It is refreshing, felt like a breath of fresh air. Will be checking books by this author in the future

The cover of Tracy Corbett's new book The Summer Theatre by the Sea led me to believe that this would be a nice light, easy read. Typical of a lot of books in the women's fiction genre in that it would be the usual boy meets girl romance story, I found that wasn't the case and that the plot had a lot of hidden depth to it. I certainly got a more meatier read than I had bargained for as we follow sisters Charlotte and Lauren. The book centres around the coastal village of Penmullion and the local drama group the Isolde Players as they prepare their summer performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream, to be held in the cliff top amphitheatre that overlooks the sea.

Although the ups, downs and dramatics of getting a performance to opening night do play a major role in the overall story, it was more the focus on the lives of the sisters and the various characters as in friends and family that surround them that took centre stage. Penmuillon is a gorgeous town where most of the residents feel a relaxed sense of well being and the community is tight knit but times are not easy for all and it was enjoyable to read of the trials and travails that face the characters.

We are first introduced to Charlotte who lives and works in London. On a daily basis she slogs away in an interior design company and doesn't see much of her family, I sensed she had more or less isolated herself from them. Yes she does make contact every now and again through phone calls but she doesn't necessarily rush to visit either Lauren or her father Tony. The death of her mother still has such repercussions for the family and maybe now that the glue that held them together has gone there is nothing to bind them together. No doubt about it Charlotte is a hard worker, the consummate professional who always strives to achieve perfection in every aspect of her job, but yet she is is controlling and likes her life just so. She has a life plan and wants it all to be on track and planned down to the very last detail.

So when things go off kilter and her world is abruptly turned upside down what is she to do? Initially, I felt immense sympathy for Charlotte, to my eyes she was unfairly let go from her job as nepotism plays a pivotal role. To make matters worse to arrive home to her neat and orderly flat to find her boyfriend of three years Ethan packing up to leave for a job in Paris must really have been the final nail in the coffin. Charlotte is self made and self sufficient but for Ethan that is too much, her controlling, domineering personality has just made him want to escape. Now with no job, no boyfriend and no home, Charlotte has to turn to someone she wouldn't want to impose on. Someone she wouldn't wish to know just how out of control her life has spun so rapidly, her sister Lauren.

It's clear Charlotte needs a new start and to have new experiences but when she arrives in Penmuillon she was bringing the baggage of London with her. She tried to bring the city to a coastal town and into her sister's life when really she didn't need it nor was it necessary. When she arrives I changed my opinion of her and I just thought she was too uptight and was not one of those people willing to live by the seat of her pants so to speak. To go with the flow, to do things spontaneously. I thought Charlotte was trying to inflict her ways and mannerisms on Lauren, and her twins Freddie and Florence, when really she needed to lighten up, reassess her life and think.

Right the worst has happened to me. The only way from here is up and I need to make the best of a bad situation. Do I continue to go the way I am? Did all these things happen to me for a reason? Is it me that needs to change or is the people I am surrounded by? The summer spent in Penmuillon as she awaits a tribunal for her unfair dismissal will either make or break Lauren for better or worse. Will becoming involved in the production as set designer help her change her viewpoints? Or will even the advances of a member of the opposite sex begin to break down the strong walls she has enforced around herself with regard to all aspects of her life.

As my opinion of Charlotte changed and I didn't feel as sympathetic towards her, my interest instead turned towards single mum Lauren. I warmed to her immediately so much so that Charlotte really begin to frustrate me and I wished she would really just chill out that bit more and and not always have to be so perfect. Her personality and actions were irritating to say the least. Lauren is doing the best she can raising her two children, who really were brilliant characters and written with such innocence and they provided plenty of laugh out loud moments. Life for Lauren couldn't be more different to that of the life Charlotte led in London. She works part time in a café between juggling commitments for her children and to say money is tight would be an understatement. Lauren is in a constant melting pot of pressure that is slowly reaching boiling point and now she she finds herself in a desperate situation of which she sees no light at the end of the tunnel.

I just couldn't understand how her family and friends let Lauren slide so much into what she was forced to do. Manipulation, cruelty and twisting the knife are all terms that spring to mind and surely Charlotte or Tony could see their sister and daughter changing before their eyes given the immense strain she was under. On the other hand, I really wished Lauren could have just opened up about what was wrong and to seek advice as to get rid of the problem. She had such a burden on her shoulders that even though everyone in the community cared it was sad to think that she couldn't release the stresses and strains she was under.

Of course there had to be some male characters present to balance with the ongoings of the female side. These came in the form of Barney, Nate and Paul. Barney is taking a year long sabbatical from training to be a doctor in London. He feels under immense pressure from his parents, both of whom are doctors themselves, to come back and continue on. But Barney has so many questions running through his head, he doubts whether becoming a doctor is for him at all. He is hoping the time away will give him clarity and the ability to make the right decision. Joining the Isolde Players is an enjoyable outlet for him and the calamities and catastrophes that occur during rehearsals involving Barney and co added lots of light humour and relief through the story.

But one serious incident makes Barney question everything again. I did like Barney as a charter and could see he was certainly torn in two regarding his future. But it was a case of he would have to step up to the plate and make a decision that no one could make it for him. I did enjoy the romance element of Barney's story but at times it felt there was too much distance between the person he has his eye on, that it happened very quickly and I would have liked even more conversation and interaction between the pair. It was like several steps had been taken without much discussion or development. As for Nate and Paul, I felt they played more minor roles. Nate was someone who really should have stepped up to the plate and confessed what he knew in order to help another. Paul's storyline although very relevant for today's society, felt at times as if it was an extra to the story that mightn't have been needed. I still can't fathom how Charlotte didn't get what was going on with Paul. Truthfully this just seemed silly that she didn't.

Aside from these issues The Summer Theatre by the Sea was an enjoyable read, if just that little bit too long. I felt there was a natural conclusion where the book could have ended instead it continued on whereas as things could have been wrapped up just that little bit quicker. Is the play a success? Do Charlotte and Lauren find happiness or do things go even further down the bad roads they are on? Can the community over come the adversity and bitterness in their midst? Will Barney reach a decision that he can be happy with? To discover all these answers and a cast of characters which will inspire lots of different feelings within you, then you'll have to pick up a copy of this book that has such a beautiful summery cover. This was the first book I have read by Tracy Corbett but I would be interested to read more of what she writes in the future.

5☆ The perfect read if you are looking to escape.

The Summer Theatre by the Sea is a captivating and heartwarming read.
The perfect read if you are looking to escape.
With romance, Humour, a loveable theatre, drama, Family, Friendships, Relationships, some touching emotional moments and of course  gorgeous Cornwall.

 We meet Charlotte, she had the perfect life, or so she thought. When things disastrously come crashing down around her, she loses everything.
Charlotte is struggling. So what better time to visit magical Cornwall and her sister Lauren. She packs up and heads to stay with her sister and her family.
She's hoping that by visiting her Sister she will be able to get some perspective on life.

Lauren works at the local theatre and they are about to put on A Midsummer night's dream play. However they need some help and Charlotte needs a distraction.
So she decides to help out.

A Midsummer night's dream is one of my favourite plays I remember doing at school. So when Charlotte gets involved in helping the local theatre make the set design it bought back lots of memories.

We also meet junior Dr Barney, he too has run away to Cornwall.
He also is trying to gain some perspective on his life. You see Barney is training to become a Dr. But it's not what he wants to do his heart isn't in It.
It's what his parents expect him to do.
He cant take the pressure anymore so he jacks it in and runs off to Cornwall to teach surfing and act in the local theatre.

Charlotte meets Barney at the theatre and straight away you can see there is an attraction there. But will the magic of Cornwall and the Theatre bring them together or do they have too much baggage!!

The subjects in the story are also very real which I enjoyed as it made the story even more believable.
You could really relate to the everyday issues the characters were facing.
Tracy covers a range of important subjects such as getting into large debts with a loan shark (money lender), making life choices, being a single parent, responsibilities, trust, relationships.

There wasn't one character I didn't like.
I fell in love with the many quirky characters in the story they were all so relatable and loveable.
I loved the bond between Charlotte and her sister Lauren. Without knowing it they actually needed each other in different ways. It wasn't just Charlotte that needed her sister!

I adored reading The Summer Theatre by the Sea. It warmed my heart.
Tracy has done a fantastic job at bringing Cornwall and the Theatre alive.
For me there is nothing quiet as magical as a theatre. I always get goose bumps as you never know what is going to happen inside and I got those emotions when reading this captivating book.

If your looking for a feel good read to escape into then this is the perfect read. 
So grab your blanket and a hot drink and get lost in the amateur dramatics of The Summer Theatre by the Sea!

Review: Guess what the first thing was to draw me to this book? Yep, that's right the cover and title. So bright, it brings about memories of holidays in Cornwall. I have read many books with similar titles and plot ideas but not one based around a theatre. 

This story follows two sisters as they prepare for a summer performance of A Midsummer Nights Dream. Charlotte has come to Cornwall after being fired from her job to see her father and sister who moved to Cornwall a few years before after their mother died. As a designer she gets involved in the designing for the theatre. Through the struggles and ups and downs romance may just be what the girls need to see the summer through.

I loved reading about Charlotte, she made such a wonderful main character. You may be thinking as you read the blurb that this is another typical girl in trouble meets boy who makes everything better type story line but I found this had a real depth to it and the characters were very strong and really carried the story. 

A fab read.

Charlotte is an interior designer living in London. When she loses her job and a boyfriend, she decides to go to Cornwall to live with her sister Lauren for a while. While living in London she didn't have much time to visit her sister and father. The local theatre group is preparing for the play called A Midsummer Nights Dream and Charlotte is helping with the design of the set. While Charlotte is in Cornwall, she also meets Barney, who is a doctor, but he wants to do something different than other people especially his parents expect from him. Lauren and Charlotte both have their own worries and problems they have to deal with, but with someone special in their lives, the problems are not as bad anymore.

I really enjoyed this book, it had a beautiful setting, great characters and engrossing plot. It's a wonderful book to read during the summer and I'd definitely recommend it to all romance readers.

‘The Summer Theatre By The Sea’ is said to be a feel-good, romance, holiday read. Let’s face it the weather hasn’t exactly been warm lately so I thought that I would pick this book up to distract me from the manky (bad) weather outside. Oh boy, it was certainly a distraction and a half. I absolutely loved reading this book but more about that in a bit.
I really took to the character of Charlotte Saunders from the start and I really felt for her. Bless her, she thinks that her life is tootling along quite happily, she has a job she loves and she is happy living with her boyfriend. True, she has her life planned out to the last second and she & her boyfriend live to a timetable. However, one day things start tumbling down and in spectacular fashion. To say that she has the rug pulled from under her feet is an understatement. I think that in that sense I empathised with her to a large degree as I experienced something similar in my own life, when I lost my job, my salary and my friends in quick succession through no fault of my own. Sorry I digress so back to Charlotte I do go. I guess you have to really hit rock bottom to start to appreciate what it is that is important and to be grateful for those things that you do still have. Charlotte moves in with her sister in Cornwall until she fathoms out what she wants to do with her life and little by little she begins piecing her life back together. Charlotte finds herself something to occupy her time with and she starts to make new friends. Not only that but she has a new love interest in the shape of a very handsome sounding doctor. All I can say is that if she doesn’t want him, then I will. Will Charlotte settle permanently in Cornwall or will she go back to her old life? Will Charlotte find love with the hunky sounding doctor or will she go back to her last boyfriend? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourself to find out as I am not going to tell you.
To say that this was an addictive read has to be the understatement of the year!! I was hooked on the book from the moment I picked up my Kindle and opened the front cover so to speak. Once I started reading the book, I couldn’t put it down. By that, I don’t mean that the book was glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it came everywhere with me. I guess that following Charlotte and learning if she found happiness, in a way gave me hope and inspiration for my own life. I know that sounds sad but hey. I became so wrapped up in the book and the characters in the book, that I didn’t notice how quickly either the time or the page numbers were flying past and before I knew what was happening I had finished the book, which I was so disappointed about. As I said before, I needed a distraction from the rotten weather outside and this author’s writing style is so convincing that I really could imagine that it was summer. By the time I finished reading ‘The Summer Theatre By The Sea’, I really did feel as if I had been on a very gentle emotional rollercoaster ride. By that I mean that there were highs, there were lows, there were funny moments that made me laugh, there were the occasional moments where I felt a lump form in my throat and occasionally there were moments where I could have quite cheerfully slapped certain people across the face with a wet fish for their behaviour or attitude.
I can honestly say that there wasn’t one thing that I disliked about this book. I absolutely adored the location of the bulk of the story, I loved almost all of the characters, I loved the story and I loved the author’s writing style. I would definitely recommend this book to anybody and everybody. I can’t recommend it highly enough. I can’t wait to read what comes next from Tracy Corbett and here’s hoping that there isn’t going to be too long a wait. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 5* out of 5*.

I wasn't too surprised to see that this book was set in Cornwall, although my eyes did roll a little bit! Just to clarify, I don't have anything against Cornwall - I have never physically been there! Thanks to the wonders of fiction however, I have maybe visited Cornwall once to twice....it certainly is a popular setting for books these days, that's for sure!

Thankfully, whilst the setting was a big deal for the overall storyline, it didn't overshadow the characters at all which I loved as they stood out a lot more. They were allowed to shine in various different ways and I must say, I was thoroughly entertained! 'The Summer Theatre by the Sea' does contain a lot of characters so if you can keep up with a bit of character switching, you really would adore this book! Sisters, Charlotte and Lauren, could not be more different. Both live such different lifestyles, and both have incredibly different views on how to live their live. Having lost the closeness of their relationship over the years, the sisters now have a chance to re-build those bridges and make up for lost time. It's just a shame that people had to get 'hurt' in order for them to realise what they needed to do...

I genuinely thought this book was going to be light, fluffy and picturesque. Whilst the author nailed the latter no bother, I couldn't help but be surprised when the storyline engulfed me in such turbulence and emotion. I didn't see it coming at all but I loved how the dynamic of the storyline changed over the course of the novel.

Being a single mum myself, I had my pom poms out for Lauren from the get go! My heart couldn't have felt more sorry for her if it had tried - it was such a shame to see her in such a predicament, especially when pride had gotten in the way to stop her from becoming embarrassed. Asking for help isn't a bad thing, but for Lauren, asking for help would have been the most disastrous thing she had ever done. I LOVED Flo and Freddie, they had me in hysterics more than once and, despite being a work of fiction, I thought that Lauren had done a fantastic job bringing up two grounded, charismatic and loveable children, all whilst dealing with a situation which ended up removing parts of her own personality. Tracy Corbett is a star in my eyes for the way she has portrayed a single mum and I really do thank her for that.

As for the rest of the book - there was so much happening! I won't divulge details, but 'The Summer Theatre by the Sea' really does have something for everyone. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about many colourful characters such as Barney Hubble and Dusty! They may seem like two people who don't fit in, but I can assure you that the story wouldn't have been the same without either of them.

Tracy Corbett had me giggling, sighing and feeling emotional, all thanks to her joyful and impassioned storyline which, despite having many laugh out loud moments, ended up highlighting such an important message. You only get one chance at life, why spend it doing something you hate? Why spend it living your life for other people? Why spend it feeling guilty for making decisions based on your own circumstances, rather than going along with someone else's choices because they prefer it? Many of the characters in this book stepped out of their comfort zones by attempting new things, changing their ways, or by finally listening to their own intuition.

It may have been a 'Summer Theatre by the Sea', but it was a story which resonated with me and made me think. Such an enjoyable, heartfelt and cosy read - I highly recommend curling up with a cuppa, a bar of chocolate, and a dose of the 'The Summer Theatre by the Sea'.

Charlotte has her ‘perfect’ life all planned out with her perfect job, her perfect boyfriend, and their perfect house. But in one day she loses it all, so she decides to pack all her things and spend the summer in Cornwall with her sister Lauren until she figures out what to do. Lauren is a single mother with two children, juggling a part-time job, the community theatre, and a debt that seems to increase every day.
Barney has left his medical studies and his supportive but oppressive parents behind in London and moved to Cornwall to teach surf, sing in the local pub, and act in the community theatre. As Lauren tries to make meet ends and not give in to her attraction to Nate, the mailman/ barman/ fellow actor who has been in love with her for years, Charlotte and Barney have to figure out what to do with their lives and with each other.
I loved everything about this novel, the engaging and colourful characters, the beautiful setting of Cornwall, the enjoyable and romantic plot. The author’s writing is captivating and she created realistic characters who have to deal with everyday problems with jobs, love, and life in general. I read it in two days and I wish there had been more. A simply fantastic read!

This is my first by this author and the title enticed me in as i love going to the theatre and summer, whats not to love, right?
Within a matter of hours, the main character Charlotte was effectively homeless by no means her own fault. Firstly she was fired as the interior designer and then her lovely Boyfriend dumps her and decides to sell their apartment leaving her homeless.
Charlotte has a sister who re located to Cornwall from London several years ago and their parents moved west too. However the mother died so its just Lauren =, dad and her two children. Considering she has no other options than join her family her cornwall she heads of to see them after many years of being apart.
Lauren and her father are helper outers at the local amateur theatre group and Charlotte joins in with them putting her skills to use. Charlotte is a little annoying and snappy but as she progresses into cornish life, she starts to meet new people but also knowing she won't be staying for long. It takes some time to get going but once it is there, your on a roll.
Thank you to net galley and the publishers for this.

No review was posted publicly on Amazon, Twitter or Goodreads for this title, unfortunately I never got round to finishing it, and feel it would be best to just remove it from my Negalley shelf without a review.

I need to have forged a connection with at least one of the characters by the 25% mark, and to be honest there were too many introduced, and none of them came across as that likeable by that point There were parts where I giggled in the early stages and I had high hopes but it fizzled out with all the drama being loaded on each of them systematically.

Charlotte, an interior designer living in London loses her job the same day she also loses her boyfriend, Ethan and the flat they shared.



Her sister Lauren and her two young children moved from London to Cornwall seven years previous and never has Charlotte visited until now when she poses coming to stay for a while as her father and sister relocated there years ago after their mother's unfortunate death due to cancer.



Lauren is a member of the same theatre group performing A Midsummer Nights Dream at an outdoor theatre, it's here that friendships and relationships are made and we also meet young doctor Barney, on a break from junior doctor training in London.



As Charlotte joins the play as a set designer, Lauren's still struggling with her debts piling up as Glenda the loan shark applies pressure and Barney's parents are pressuring him to go home and choose a specialty to train up in at the hospital and build a 'real career' for himself. Nate picks up on Lauren's debt issues and tries to help despite his feelings for her risking her never speaking to him again. Charlotte finds herself relaxing more and even ends up with Barney on a few occasion's...



I loved the character of Dusty as a drag queen alter ego who finally helps the girls realise what they need to do to be truly happy for once. Her out there attitude and talk of risk taking makes them both realise what they want instead of staying miserable especially in Lauren's case. This book was a good one and although it started out with Charlotte being the main character, we transitioned fluidly throughout the book between both sisters and Barney to see how their lives collided with each other's. The plot was gripping with Glenda the money lender being the drawing point for me more so than seeing if the play went off without a hitch! Perhaps as it's so rare to come across in a women's fiction that single parents do often need to borrow from characters like her it drew me in more to that part of the story.



Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

The cover is what drew me to this book firstly. It was gorgeous and summery and I was drawn to it automatically. I really enjoy reading novels that are set in the country, especially Cornwall so I was really excited to read this.

The story follows main character Charlotte, after a bad breakup and losing her job as well as her home all in one go, she escapes the city to go and hide away for a while with her sister in the delightful Cornwall. After feeling sorry for her self (understandably) she decides to go and attend the theatre group that her sister and dad attend and helps out there.

I found the first half of this novel to be a bit slow but I was soon engrossed by the second half, which I feel was better written, and found myself feeling really summery and enjoying the story. It's lighthearted, funny and will leave you wishing that summer will just hurry up and be here already!

After losing her job, her boyfriend and home in the same day, Charlotte heads off to Cornwall to stay with her sister.
She gets involved in the local am-dram group, initially to help out behind the scenes, and ends up getting close to Barney. At first she thinks he is a lazy surfer but has to change her opinion of him once she finds out he is actually a doctor. They have a summer fling, but what will happen at the end of the summer?
This is interwoven with the story of her sister, stuggling to pay back money she owes, and her attraction to Nate.

An enjoyable read

I love the theatre and that’s what first attracted me to this book.

Charlotte didn’t have the best of days - first she was fired from her job, then her boyfriend of four years announced he was leaving AND had sold their flat so she was technically homeless. What’s a girl to do? Her father and her sister live by the sea so she decides to pay them a visit whilst deciding what to do next.

Charlotte is so used to controlling everything in her life she finds it extremely difficult to unwind and comes across as a bit nippy. However, she puts her skills to good use and helps out with the local amateur theatre her sister and father are members of. Soon she starts to unwind and meets a whole host of lovely characters but reminds herself that this is only temporary until she regains control of her life in London.

Although a bit of a slow burner you soon get engrossed in the story, the characters and their dramas. A lovely light and summery read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

This was a lovely book, set in Cornwall, you could almost feel the sun and sand it was so well written. Enjoyed the book very much and the variety of characters was amazing. Nice lighthearted book.

This is lighthearted, humourous and feels like summertime. You can feel the sunshine on your shoulder, hear the sea, smell the salt in the air and imagine the fun an amateur dramatics club had one lovely endless summer in Cornwall. It won’t challenge you but it will make you smile! And long for some chips from the Coddy Shack to eat on the seafront!

Sunshine in a book! There's a lot of summery magic in this book - a chip shop with a cool name like Coddy Shack, and a cafe called Candy Craves. But it was Dusty's Boutique that really tickled my fancy with its cool allure and nostalgic displays.

The characters were fun too - Barney Hubble! ha there's a story behind that as there is with the others in this novel - fun stories which feel fresh and flighty in the Cornish sun.
The theatre was the main attraction and how it brought the characters together and I've never been part of amateur dramatics but I can imagine what fun it could be but also what could lie behind that curtain!

A lot of fun and a cool read for summer!