Member Reviews
This is a wonderful contemporary story about love, life, choices and dreams . . . . all of which were changed in just one day for so many people! They are linked by attending a fundraising event where the revelations made, people they meet and interactions all impact on their future – one day really can change your life!
Filled with secrets, the story follows four people and their peers. There’s eighty year old Harriet Bassett, a widow who is about to be discharged from hospital to her lonely home . . . . Maisie McTeer who is coerced into returning to the place where she should have been married, if only the groom had turned up . . . . . Then there’s Scott and Kelly Bassett, neither of whom are happy in their marriage but never acknowledging it. Both are determined to be there for their daughter who will be leaving home tomorrow.
With three – or potentially four – generations involved, this deals with some difficult issues with love, humour and hope. There are fantastic friends, lovely relatives and great characters to like and others to dislike! It is a moving story that leaves you with a grin on your face and includes several romances across those generations. Romance certainly isn’t only for the young in this delightful read!
Thank you to Boldwood and NetGalley for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.
What a delightful read from an author who is very quickly becoming one of my favourites. One Summer Sunrise tells the story of four people – Maisie McTeer, Scott and Kelly Bassett and Harriet Bassett. Maisie was recently jilted at the altar and is trying to rebuild her life. Scott and Kelly’s only daughter is now preparing to leave home and Harriet is about to be released from hospital to go back to her empty home. They are all very different people, with very different issues, but all so relatable. The chapters move between the different characters, telling their own individual stories as they happen. I did wonder if the switch between the four characters would be confusing, but it really wasn’t and swapping between them was done effortlessly. As I’ve read many books by this author, I was totally expecting lots of twists and turns, emotion and even a little bit of fun and I got all of these plus more! All of the characters were so likeable, but my favourite had to be Harriet who you immediately sympathised with because of her back story. However, I did find Maisie’s friend Sissy running a close second as her scenes through labour were absolutely hilarious!!
The main part of the story takes part over the space of only one day. It was very cleverly done, splitting the day into 2-hour slots and held my attention from the very first page. You know, especially if you’ve read this author’s other books, that all the characters will somehow all link together by the end, but I genuinely had no idea how. The story twists it’s way through to the end, not in a complicated, unexpected type of way, but in a gentle up and down through the emotions that these characters were displaying. I enjoyed being part of their journeys and found myself routing for each one of them to do the right thing. Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down until I’d finished. I loved the ending and thought it finished the story of so nicely! Showing that life can change in such a short space of time, this is the perfect book if you want to lose yourself in these characters stories! Would definitely recommend!
I have been a fan of Shari’s work for a while now. I haven’t quite caught up with everything that she has written to date but I am getting there. I read the synopsis for ‘One Summer Sunrise’ and it certainly sounded liked the fun and uplifting read that I have come to expect from Shari. So without further ado, I grabbed my Kindle, grabbed a cup of tea and settled down for a fun afternoon of reading. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘One Summer Sunrise’ but more about that in a bit.
Within the first five minutes of reading this book, I realised two things. Firstly I knew that I was in for a treat and secondly I realised that I would find it extremely hard to put this book to one side for any length of time. I loved the cast of characters in this book and I had to keep reading to see how their respective dilemmas played out. The pages kept turning at a fair pace. I would pick the book up only intend to read for half an hour but I would become so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and just how quickly I was getting through the story. I found ‘One Summer Sunrise’ to be a delightful and ultimately uplifting read.
‘One Summer Sunrise’ is extremely well written but then I think that to be true of Shari’s books in general. Shari has one of those easy going writing styles that reads more like a chat between friends than reading an actual story. I hope that makes sense. The story is written using chapters which focus on a certain character and describes events as they happen from the individual character’s perspective. I thought that I might get a bit confused (it doesn’t take much these days) as to who was who and where they fitted into the story but I needn’t have worried because the chapters interlinked well and the story flowed seamlessly. This book has a bit of everything- drama, emotion and humour. I felt as though I was part of the story and that’s thanks to Shari’s very vivid and realistic storytelling.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘One Summer Sunrise’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Shari’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
One Summer Sunrise by Shari Low is a book that shows how everything can change in just 24 hours! In a blink of an eye. The story is written from four different POV's and at first you're not sure what it's all leading up to. The main characters range in age from their 20's to 80. I was really looking forward to each individual story because they were all really interesting to me. I really loved how the author brought all of these characters together at one event. A very heartwarming story that makes for a great summer read!
One Summer Sunrise is a story featuring multiple main characters. The entire story takes place in a single day where their lives all change. It is similar to Love Actually or any similar movie, where there are multiple seemingly separate stories that all intertwine together. At first, it is not apparent how they all go together, but it all slowly comes together leading to multiple story crossovers and interactions.
Maisie McTeer is a 25-year-old actress/singer in Glasgow still on the search for her big break. She lives with her sister Hope, a doctor, and the two of them recently had results from their DNA tests. Hope’s came back with results, while Maisie’s did not. She was also left at the alter two months prior to the beginning of the story by her fiancé Nathan. Her two friends are about to have a baby, so Maisie fills in as a caterer for an event that happens to be hosted by Maisy’s friend, Carny.
Scott Bassett, a 38-year-old, has decided he does not like the direction his life has gone and is in the process of figuring out the strategy to leave his wife and quit his job. Although he loves his 22-year-old daughter, Carny, he is not thrilled with his past. He and his best friend Carson are both attending the event Carny is hosting. Also in attendance are Scott’s mother, Sonya, and his grandfather, John.
The third perspective is Kelly Bassett, the 38-year-old mother of Carney and wife of Scott. She and Scott have been together since they were 16 when she was pregnant with Carny. Kelly finds out that she is pregnant, but she is not sure how to react. Her sister, Sabrina and her husband Rick, who are having fertility struggles, are present through the entire story, as all three of them are also attending Carny’s event. Carny is leaving the next day to go to London, which will leave Kelly and Scott as empty nesters.
The final perspective is Harriet Bassett, a lonely 80-year-old woman who is recovering from a hip injury. She bonds with her nurse and the nurse’s sister and the three of them attend the party. After losing both her husband and her son in the past and no known family connections, she is struggling a lot with daily life. Harriet’s portions were the most heart wrenching in this novel as it shows the need for connection and how loneliness can affect someone. Her story was the one I rooted for the most, as I just wanted her to be happy.
While all the characters were written very well and I am positive that most people will love almost all of them, I absolutely could not stand four of them. While I am sure it is not a popular opinion, I found myself hoping that things would not turn out for them. (I will not say which ones I did not like or confirm their endings, as it could spoil the story.) Although I would actively distance myself from these four in reality, I could not deny the fact that they were well done. Generally, all the situations were handled with a nice dash of humor and they all were written to be both relatable and believable.
Harriet, Carney and Maisie’s parts of the stories were my favorites as they each were heart wrenching and heart-warming in their own ways. The overall story included a lot more drama than I expected and I loved how it all wove together to create a complete tale. I love the author’s writing style, as it is very captivating while also being easy to understand. The wording choices and sentence structure make it a very entertaining read. It was difficult to tell where the story was going when I started, but I love how it all comes together in the end. Without question, I will definitely continue to read more by Shari Low!
I loved this book very much. It was so readable and I loved all the characters. It was one of those books that book you in right from the first page until the last. I was sorry when I finished it. I really enjoy this author and hope to read more of hers in the future. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley, author Shari Low, and Boldwood Books for giving me a free arc of this book in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinion are my own.
5 stars
If you are a fan of the movie "Love Actually", this book is for you! What can happen within 24 hours, will change the lives of four people forever.
This book follows the lives of, what seems like four people with no connections, but as their povs tell the story of the events that happen within a 24 hour day, the connections begin to form in to a beautiful light-hearted story.
Each character was well written and developed. The author took great care to give each character equal time to spread out the events of their day! I loved the growth and connections that these characters shared.
Maisie, who was very recently left at the alter on her wedding day.
Harriet, who because her husband has died is the last surviving member of her family or friend circle and truly doesn't want to go on anymore.
Scott, who put all his dreams aside to raise his daughter when him and Kelly were 16 and got pregnant.
Kelly, who in the same day she finds out her husband wants to leave, she finds out some truly life altering news herself.
The writing and pacing of this story were well done. I found myself completely engrossed in the story and was able to fly right through this book in one day. (HEHEHE) What also made this book something special was the age range of characters, 25 to 80 years old, that author cast within this story. This book deals with everyday life and the hardships that come with marriage, adult children, widowhood and old age, and looking past at the roads not taken. The ending was well satisfactory! This was my first Shari Low book and it will not be my last! I can't wait to read her back log of books as well as her next new release!
Today I am thrilled to be reviewing another book by one of my favourite authors – Shari Low and from what has become one of my favourite publishers @boldwoodbooks.
If you want to laugh, or if you want to cry, this book covers both eventualities, from the tragedy of Harriet’s Son, to Maisie bringing out the wrong cake. And when I say wrong, I mean a penis shaped patisserie cock up. (Please excuse the pun!) This book has it all – fun and laughter, secrets, intrigue – and all this intrigue seems to be connected in some way. In fact, it is a real testament to the author that she managed to keep track of who was who and what they were up to, in such a fantastic way, to produce this amazing, enjoyable read. The author introduces the characters to us in such a way that as a reader you really care about them and are invested in their happiness; even those characters that have done wrong, come across as likeable and you can’t help but to want the best outcome for them. In my opinion, it takes great skill, as an author, to provoke such empathy in all your characters.
If this book were a film (it would make a great film) I wouldn’t know where to look, in that there are so many related threads in this story. Kelly and Scott – I almost don’t know where to start with their relationship, such is its complexity. The pair of them certainly need to talk! I can’t even work out who I think is most at fault for the issues with their relationship. Is Scott really tired of ‘doing the right thing’? The more complicated their relationship is, the more compelling the story is for the reader. Add Scott’s best friend Carson into the mix – and you have a mess.
I found both parties likeable characters and so felt slightly sad as I couldn’t foresee how they could overcome their problems. It seemed awkward for them, when they had so much to discuss with each other, but had to attend their Daughter’s charity event and put on a united front, especially as their Daughter was leaving home to go and work in London the following day.
Maisie proves to be a fantastic friend to Sissy, standing in for her with the catering at Kelly and Scott’s Daughter’s charity event, when the venue has such bad memories for her. I was surprised when she agreed to meet her ex after the charity event, and just hoped that something good might come her way!
Harriet clearly has some kind of long lost family issue in her life; I felt sad that she clearly doesn’t feel that life is worth living after the death of her partner. The sadness seems amplified, if she really does have estranged family members living nearby. To be honest I found Harriet’s story simply heartbreaking, but I admired the way that author treated her narrative with kindness, empathy and understanding. It was touching as I couldn’t help but compare Harriet’s situation and experience of loneliness with the real-life circumstances and experiences of many older people. I loved the point in he book where Harriet had decided to not take her medication any more and to ‘let nature take its course’, only for her phone to ring; it brought tears to my eyes, when it was John, whom she had met at the charity event, asking her out for dinner. It was such a simple, but poignant moment, beautifully expressed. What happened next – utterly heartbreaking, yet beautifully written. As for the moment when the link between Maisie and Harriet’s was revealed – how it made my heart soar – what a beautiful twist in the story – it really did fill my heart with joy.
Kelly is such a likeable character and you can tell she is distraught at having inadvertently upset her Sister and Brother-In-Law although quite frankly they are the least of her problems in this story! As for Rick, Kelly’s Brother-in-law – has he genuinely had a secret love thing going on with Kelly, since their teenage years?
As for the ending of the book, I shall try not to give anything away, but will just say that it was the most wonderfully written yet unexpected ending that truly made my day, almost as if it had included members of my very own family.
To find out who ends up with who and who finds happiness at the end of the book, you will need to read it for yourself.
“One Summer Sunrise” is a perfect book for summer. So many characters and stories all rolled into one lovely tale of love, friendship, family and so much more. This was my first book by Shari Low, but I will be looking for more.
Thankyou #netgalley and #boldeoof for an arc of #onesummersunrise by Shari Low, in return for an honest review.
The story is set over the space of one hot summers day, when lives are changed forever.
Maiisie, has just been jilted at the altar.
Kelly and Scott, have been together since they were sixteen. As they prepare to send their only daughter off on her travels, they both have secrets that will change their lives.
Harriet, is an octogenarian, who is being released from hospital, back to her lonely life at home.
This is a warm hearted, emotional, but still funny tale of multigenerational love. It made me laugh and cry.
Shari Low writes likeable and relatable characters, who you can’t help but care for and want them to find their happy ever after.
A wonderful summer read.
This Shari Low book is extraordinary!!!!!!!!!! I love the dynamics of these people who are family and friends at the same time. Shari Low is already one of my fav authors and every new book is testament of her amazing style of comfort writing. It takes your mind off of your own life and into the pages of her book. I highly recommend this book.
Oh I do enjoy these books by Shari Low which take place over the course of 24 hours. I loved all three books in her winter trilogy and the summer book which was published last year. So it’ll come as no surprise to know that I loved this one too! There are some connections to previous books so you may recognise some of the characters you’ve met before, such as Hope and Maisie in this one. In fact, I hope we’re going to meet some of the characters again in a future book. Don’t worry if you haven’t read other books though, as the story is a completely standalone read.
As with the other books, the story focusses on four main characters and we hear what is happening to them in chapters covering two hour periods over the course of one day. And what a momentous day it is to be for all the characters. I really enjoy this way of telling the story as it makes it seem really fast- paced and each character’s chapter ends with you wanting to know more and desperate to read on!
Maisie is an actress and singer, helping out at a graduation fundraiser. Scott is planning to tell his wife that he’s leaving her after their daughter Carny leaves home. Kelly, his wife, has news and secrets of her own. And Harriet, a widow in her 80s, is getting home after a stay in hospital and dreading it. Her husband had always insisted that they keep themselves to themselves and now that he’s gone, the loneliness is overwhelming.
I loved following all the stories and trying to guess not just how they’d resolve but also how they’d connect. I felt so engaged with each of the characters’ lives and so concerned for how everything was going to play out. That’s one of Shari Low’s talents, making her readers really believe in her characters and really care about what happens to them. I found this to be a really compelling read and flew through the pages.
I really liked the multi-generational aspect of the book, with love and friendship explored from youth to old age. There were plenty laugh out loud moments but also some really beautifully written emotional scenes. There was one point near the end when I was just about cheering out loud for Maisie for a variety of reasons! Shari Low is just brilliant at capturing the highs and lows of life and bringing them together in wonderfully uplifting, emotionally engaging books. I highly recommend this for your summer reading list.
Shari Low has done it again! What an absolute joy to read! So much drama and laughter and so many brilliant characters all in more or less one day. I smiled, I laughed and I even shed a tear. Despite all the drama happening, there were several times where I laughed out loud, leading to strange looks from family members.
The day this story takes place an old Harriet gets released from the hospital, Kelly and Scott are going through marital issues as their daughter Carny is getting ready to leave home and Maisie is put in a trying situation to help out her best friend, while still broken-hearted and searching for answers about herself.
As mentioned the story takes place in more or less a day and while reading I really wanted to get to the end of the day, to find out how it would all end and at the same time I did not want it to finish as I loved all the characters so much.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that likes a good story and could do with a bit of love and laughter.
I would like to thank Shari Low, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review. It has been a great pleasure.
One Summer Sunrise was such a fun and quick read - so PERFECT for summer!
Synopsis: The book takes place over the course of one day and begins with 3 separate storylines that eventually all weave together! The 3 storylines are as follows: 1. Maisie, who was recently jilted at the altar by her musician ex. On this summer day, Maisie is filling in for her BFF at a catering event because she is in labor. The only problem is that the event is taking place at the exact location where she was jilted! 2. Harriett, an elderly lady who is recovering at the hospital from a bad fall. Harriett is a lonely lady that has no family and is actually dreading going home from the hospital where she will be alone. 3. Scott and Kelly, a couple that got pregnant at 16 and stayed together to raise their daughter Carny. Carny is about to leave home for London.
What I Loved: I loved that I felt invested in all 3 of the storylines even though it took some time to find out how they all were related. The drama was intense! I also loved the author's sense of humor that came out in various situations through the book! I love a book that has me smiling at the end!
What I Didn't Love: The title - I feel like it's forgettable and it doesn't relate to the story as well as it could. The various drama situations didn't feel super original to me, but I have to admit that I loved it nonetheless!
#BookTour
From the very first chapter, I knew I would love this. Whenever you pick up a Shari Low book, you know you are in safe hands. Her writing is effortlessly funny, relatable and almost addictive!
The characters feel like your friends. There are mentions of Nurse Yvie Danton who was in another book that I read which I loved. The characters are all complex and flawed which just makes them all the more reliable and loveable. As the story unfolds, you are pulled deeper into each character's lives and pasts. The book is so full of revelations and plot twists, it keeps you hooked and eager to read on.
I tell you what, I love how this book is set over just a day. It's such a great idea. You flick between characters to get a more rounded view of the story. I loved having a window into each character's world.
I love immersing myself into Shari’s writing. You just feel so at home and safe in the knowledge that whatever journey you're going on with these characters, you'll laugh your way through every moment of it. And you will love it
What a lovely, lovely read!
The story follows several character over the course of one day, from early morning to, late night and manages to change their life profoundly.
The writing is extremely funny, with laugh out loud moments, but yet emotional and moving.
I loved how the author manages to intertwine the various character to the point that by the end they're all linked in some way.
And I especially loved the fact the all the characters were so relatable, real human beings, with everyday flaws and struggles and no one seemed far fetched or not believable.
Shari Low is officially one of my favourite authors now, and I've just bought other two books of hers.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Told over the course of one day, Maisie, Harriet, Scott, and Kelly all experience absolute life changing events. Maisie, who was very recently left at the alter on her wedding day. Harriet, who because her husband has died is the last surviving member of her family or friend circle and truly doesn't want to go on anymore. Scott, who put all his dreams aside to raise his daughter when him and Kelly were 16 and got pregnant. Now that she's 22, he's ready to step out into the unknown and try his hand at his dreams before its too late. And Kelly, who in the same day she finds out her husband wants to leave, she finds out some truly life altering news herself.
Told in each of the four characters voices, we learn that life can truly completely change in the matter of one day. The characters are so easy to keep up with and even the secondary characters add so much to the story it would be missing something without them. The truly remarkable part of the whole book to me is the characters range in ages 25 to 80 and you truly empathize and feel for each and everyone in their own way. Nothing in life is truly black and white and sometimes the hard road just might lead you right where you're supposed to be. I had never read a Sheri Low book before and I immediately added her catalog to my TBR file after this one.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to NetGalley, Sheri Low, and Boldwood Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
A story of love for all ages. This was a fun but emotional read. It tells the story of four main characters and I loved how it covered all the drama and emotions between the relationships over the course of one day in Summer. Cleverly written, the stories began to intertwine and link as we learnt more about each person. Maisie and Carny were definitely the ones who really shone for me.
What a beautiful story, some laughs, some tears and a happily ever after I didn't totally see coming.
This story is told from several characters' point of view. The author did an amazing job of weaving all their stories together and creating a story that flows and ebbs along easily. Throughout the story the characters all have to deal with heartache, lies, confusion, loss, forgiveness and second chances. But, what they find after all the dust settles is a future none of them expected!
Loved this story!
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I just love Shari Low! Her books are so enjoyable, the characterisation is amazing and you know you are set to go through all the emotions when you start reading.
The action takes place over 24 hours and what starts off as a fundraising day for a theatre/drama group changes the lives of everyone involved. Some quite profound situations which are very upsetting, but with the author's touch of humour and empathy, you are not left in the depths of despair for too long!
I think Shari Low really resonates with me because we are of a similar age and the Glasgow setting and humour just brings her stories to life. She has such skill drawing believable characters and I am so glad that the event set one year in the future was everything I hoped it would be.
Shari writes brilliant books, read all of them!