This book had a lot going on, and I didn’t love it. There is a plane crash at a campsite, and an unknown pilot? I never really understood that part. It’s a thriller, but I felt like it was too predictable.

I love Isabel Ashdown's writing and this book was everything I hoped for in a novel from her. It follows a family who run a caravan site when one say a small plane crashes on their land. We then follow teenager Nell as she deals with her guilt and anger over what happened but we also follow her mum and see how angry she seems to be at life in general. There is a mystery running through the novel about who the pilot with amnesia really is, and also about what happened to Nell after a video of her in an alleyway with a man gets spread around the internet. I loved Nell's relationship with her cousin, and how he was determined to help her. There is a police investigation running through the book featuring a detective from previous novels but this could definitely be read as a standalone. This is a brilliant family drama novel and I very much enjoyed it so I highly recommend it!

Due to health issues cannot write a proper review now even if I enjoyed this book. as it's well plotted, twisty and entertaining. I liked the good storytelling. It kept me guessing and turning pages
A more extensive review will follow
Recommended.Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I think that this book was alright, the mystery elements were pretty interesting. I would say a 3/5 stars, this wasn't really it for me.

This story is full of dark secrets from what seems like everyone and on top of that is the tragedy of the plane crashing that killed and severely harmed some. In this we are looking into the plane crash as well as SA happening to multiple women in the area and maybe other areas. I would for sure say trigger warnings are needed for any readers given the SA. Though I felt like this was a good read and especially loved how complex the family was just like most of ours in life.

I really enjoyed this book but it is a tough read as the author doesn't shy away from sensitive subjects.
There are a lot of characters to get used to but they are all very much part of the story. A good read especially as it is a little bit different.

Loved it!!!! This is the first book I read by the author and I can't wait to read more. Everything about this book was a complete surprise. I had no idea what I was about to read and it ended up being wonderfully unexpected. I thought it was going to revolve around Nell and what must have happened to her, especially since she was distraught and hiding a watch on top of a hill. Then there's a plane crash and the book turns into so much more. The Gale Family is the heart of the book. I loved some of them immediately and others are very easy to hate. Suzie and Cathy clash about everything. Both of these women were really hard to like. Cathy was so hard and mean to Nell. She should have been giving her hugs and easing her guilt about Albie. Why couldn't Cathy show her daughter love? She pushes people away. Kip is such a wonderful man and she constantly resists settling down with him. Albie was the best with accepting his arm situation. Loved how Granddad John was constantly handing money out for food at the hospital and music stuff for Albie. At first I thought Dylan was going to be the weird one, who never socialized and was always on his computer. He actually is all of that and so much more. He really looked out for Nell, after what happened to her and wanted the best for her. After everything is revealed, I understand all of Suzie and Elliot's problems with each other and Suzie's with Cathy. Then there was the mystery of the pilot, "Griffin." There were two mysteries to be solved. Besides the identity of the pilot, there were Alley Dog videos that needed to be investigated. Women were being assaulted and the videos were being uploaded to the internet for everyone to see. Loved everything about the book. I couldn't wait to find out who "Griffin's" story and who was behind the awful videos.

Definitely recommend the book. It was a good mystery/thriller and kept me guessing until the end. It's so much more than a mystery. The family dynamic and the relationships between the Gale family is everything. They had problems but there was so much love between them all. Of course they didn't always show it, but they were always there for each other. Loved the story, writing style and characters. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Orion Publishing Group through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book had an instant hook. It really caught my attention from the beginning. I was wondering what in the WORLD was going on from the very beginning and wanted to know! I think the plot twists of the book really took me by surprise. They weren't even on my radar!
By way of criticism, I feel the plot lagged in some areas. In some parts I feel there were too many moving parts. I struggled to relate to Cathy and why she had such a strained relationship with Nell. I would have liked to get a deeper glimpse into Cathy's emotions. I loved Nell and I found myself easily relating to her. Albie was easy to fall in love with, as were Kip and Mr. Gale.
I found the ending to be satisfying and tied up each story well. I admit that I was confused with the Pilot's story for a bit, but eventually was able to understand it.

When a plane crashes into a playground at a campground everything changes. This is an emotional book as family ties are tested. I enjoyed the characters even when I was yelling at some for what they were doing. I like the authors writing style and will definitely read more of her books!

TRIGGER WARNING: rape, child death, alcoholism, adoption
A plane crashes onto a holiday site in Dorset. Nell is distraught with guilt at her brother's life changing injuries but is also hiding a terrible secret...
One Girl, One Summer is a mix of family drama and police procedural set in the UK. There are some big issues dealt with in this book but they are handled sensitively. The writing style is engaging and I was immediately drawn into the lives of the Gale family.
Nell was supposed to take her brother to his tennis lesson but she was late due to her emotional turmoil following a sexual encounter. She is horrified that a video of the incident is circulating and devastated for her brother who suffers catastrophic injuries in the plane crash. Her family need to adjust to the change in circumstances but will Nell find the courage to speak out about the attack?
Meanwhile, the police are investigating the plane crash. The pilot escaped with severe burns and amnesia, and he doesn't remember that he had a child in the plane with him who died. Who is the pilot and was he related to the child? The police gradually become aware of another series of crimes as young women are being attacked and filmed and DS Ali Samson is determined to resolve both cases urgently. I really liked Ali's character which I felt balanced the emotion of the Gales.
The drama of the opening chapters sets the tension and mystery for the whole book. Poor Nell is going through something truly dreadful and is afraid of revealing the truth. However the unfortunate events do bring her closer to her adopted cousin Dylan and I liked the way that the family relationships are explored as the plot progresses. I thought that the portrayal of Nell's alcoholic uncle was sympathetic whilst also showing the wider impact on the whole family.
Nell's mum Cathy goes on the biggest emotional journey as she deals with her own past trauma which she has hidden for decades. This has dictated her relationships with others but now she is forced to confront it as she deals with her son's physical injuries and her daughter's emotional distress. She is fiercely protective of her children but her softer side is shown when she shows compassion to the injured pilot.
One Girl, One Summer is an emotional family drama with the added elements of the plane crash and police investigation which add tension and mystery.

What a start!!, I felt I was right there with Nell, visualising the devastation below. This is a thriller that gives so much more, family dynamics, secrets, life changing injuries and a host of annoying characters! Suzie being the main culprit.

There are some shocking secrets, that kept me on my toes, I was hooked on finding what happened next. The different POVs added to the intensity of this read.

I loved following the police investigation alongside Nell’s own detective sleuthing escapades. A fantastic book to add to your TBR

Isabel Ashdown’s "One Girl, One Summer" is a beautifully written, immersive mystery drama that captivated me from the beginning to the end.
Set in the picturesque coastal town of Highcap, Dorset, the story begins with a plane crash at the Gale family's campsite, shattering their lives. The novel delves into the emotional turmoil of single parent Cathy and her children, Albie and Nell. As Albie fights for his life, Nell grapples with guilt and secrets.
The narrative unfolds through multiple perspectives, adding depth to the characters and plot. DS Ali Samson’s investigation into the crash and local crimes intertwines with the Gale family's personal struggles.
Ashdown skillfully explores themes of family, friendship, and trauma, making the story both compelling and relatable. Although some plot twists feel disjointed, the strong characterisation and vivid setting create a satisfying and engaging read.

I had forgotten the blurb by the time I started reading this book. But, that proved to be a boon since g4oing in blind is the best way to read One Girl, One Summer. That is because you will expect things to heat up right away if you read the premise.

But that is not the case with One Girl, One Summer. Sure, the plane crash takes place in the first few pages, which sets the course for the entire book. However, the first part of the book deals mainly with the aftermath of the crash on the Gale family since Albie, single parent Cathy Gale's son, is badly injured in this crash. Moreover, Nell, Cathy's eighteen-year-old daughter, is present on the hill overlooking the campsite when the plane crashes and is therefore a first-hand witness to her brother getting injured in the crash.

This, coupled with a life-altering horrific incident that happened just the previous night, plunges Nell in a vortex of guilt, self-pity, and helplessness.

Further, the relationship between Cathy and her parents and her sister-in-law especially is fraught with tension. Moreover, life has not been kind to Cathy. Consequently, she is hard on herself and Nell.

"It wasn’t lost on Cathy that she treated her daughter in much the same way as she treated herself: with impatience and disappointment and unrealistic expectation."

Amidst all this, the pilot who crashed the plane comes to live with the Gale family, which proves to be the straw breaking the camel's back.

All of these create a perfect domestic suspense novel. Ashdown adds the cherry on the cake by weaving in the million-dollar mystery of whether the crash was an accident or done deliberately.

Mind you, it takes time for the suspense to build up. For the initial part, I was having a good time reading about complicated family relationships. About 50% into the book, DS Ali Samson becomes a permanent fixture in the plot. The pace that picks up from here doesn’t let up until the explosive climax where long-buried secrets are revealed and justice is served.

Ashdown satisfactorily ties together the seemingly unrelated threads and creates an excellent domestic suspense. I highly recommend One Girl, One Summer to police procedural thriller and family drama fans.

Many thanks to the publisher for a complimentary digital copy. It doesn't affect my opinion on the book.

When a private plane crashes into the hilltop campsite owned by the Gale family it sets in motion a chain of events which unearths some secrets that many would prefer stay hidden.

I loved how this book dove straight into the action with the tragic plane crash and then became more complex with the mystery surrounding the ‘unknown pilot’, not to mention the dark secret that Nell Gale is so desperate to conceal.

I also really enjoyed the introduction of DS Samson a bit later in the book, whose team is tasked with investigating the crash, as well as a series of sexual assaults that have taken place in the small Dorset town.

This was a great page turner full of interesting characters and family dynamics and am very much looking forward to reading more by her.

I LOVE books by Isabel Ashdown and was excited to start reading this new book.

I had no idea what it would be like and soon discovered multiple plot lines and well-formed, mostly likeable characters including two strong female leads with Nell & DS Ali Samson.

There is a real sense of place and purpose in this book, set on the beautiful south coast in a small community, where everyone seems to know everyone.

The chapters are told from multiple viewpoints: Cathy, Nell and Ali, which enables the reader to appreciate the feelings and heart-wrenching plot from all around.

There are several mysteries to be solved, and although I could reason what some of them might be, others were unexpected, revealing real depth to the characterisation. They evolve skilfully throughout the book, which faces important areas of concern within our society.

The book starts powerfully with action, whilst hinting at troubles already bubbling below the surface.

Throughout this compelling read, I got a huge sense of the importance of family, kindness and understanding in dealing with trauma. The true value of friendship, be it with members of family or relative strangers is impressed upon the reader.

Finally the urgent pace and tension towards the end had me totally engrossed, forgetting I was reading, there were tears too! A book that I would wholeheartedly recommend.

We start with a rather explosive scene. A young girl, Nell Gale, returning home in the early hours of the morning after a night out is shocked when she witnesses a plane crash on her family campsite just after her mother and brother have arrived. Her mother, Cathy, is unscathed, physically, but her brother, Albie, is rushed to hospital. This upsets Nell even more as she was supposed to have been looking after him whilst her mother worked, but due to being home late, he had to go to the campsite so it is her fault he was hurt, and could possibly die...
With investigations into the crash ongoing, and with Nell withholding what happened to make her late home it falls to DS Ali Samson to try and piece it all together.
This is billed as a thriller but I think that this description will not do the book a favour. Yes it has a thrilling opening, and the "what happened to Nell" part of things is thrilling, but the rest of what happens in this book is more a family saga. Underpinned by dysfunction and an inability for anyone to ably communicate with anyone else in more than a superficial way. Although they do do shouting and slanging matches very well indeed. Jeez if only Nell and Cathy could communicate for real with what the author describes as going on in their heads!
Characterisation was good - something this author excels at - and I especially liked Kip and Albie. However, I did want to lock Nell, Cathy and Suzie in a room and tell them they're not getting out until they sort it out!
I was probably five starring this book all the way up until something was revealed at a family meeting. Which to me came right out of left field, didn't explain anything, didn't really fit with what I had previously read, and also didn't really make the book make any more sense than if it hadn't happened. Really fail to understand the point of it. Probably just a me thing but it didn't sit right and kinda ruined the ending for me a little.
All in all, despite being a bit disjointed, especially with the sub story about Nell's evening thrown in with everything else, it was a decent enough read and which mostly satisfied at the end, despite a bit of eye-rolling. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I really enjoyed the author’s previous novel set in the coastal town of Highcap in Dorset and One Girl, One Summer, is another beautifully written and immersive mystery drama.
When a plane crashes into Nell Gale’s family campsite the Gale family’s lives will be changed forever.
It’s difficult to define the genre of this novel, part mystery, part crime and part family drama. It centres on the character of Nell and her summer in Highcap when what she really wants is to be travelling with her best friend.
The mystery element involves the circumstances around the place crash and identity of the pilot and there is a crime element where DS Ali Sampson is investigating sexual assaults on young women in the town.
The relationships between the members of the Gale family are complex and the relationship between Nell and her mother Cathy is insightful and realistic.
I loved the setting and the author really brings a small town community to life.
Overall this is an original , intriguing and satisfying novel that I was completely immersed in.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

I was not sure what to expect when I started reading this and I was pleasantly surprised to end up reading a book about family dramas, disasters and an intense foreboding. This starts with a plane crash but that is really a catalyst for a lot more events to unfurl and family secrets to be revealed.
The Gale family are realistic, likeable characters and I enjoyed getting to know them and reading their story. As the plot goes on, darker elements come into play and it made for intense and at times, disturbing reading. This was also a gripping read and I red this quickly as I as so engrossed.
There was nothing not to like about this.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for an advance copy.

It was great to be back in Highcap, the setting of Homecoming again, and once more, Isabel Ashdown describes the surroundings and landmarks in wonderful detail so that we can picture the scenes perfectly and be completely drawn into this brilliant story. I was also impressed to see Ginny LeFevre make a short cameo appearance!

One Girl One Summer is based around the Gale family, with most of the novel written from the perspectives of Cathy and her daughter Nell. I warmed to Nell very easily, but Cathy seemed a bit more distant. Isabel Ashdown writes their relationship really well and although there is a lot of tension there, you can also tell they have a lot of love for each other. It is clear from the outset that there is tension within the family, which is, of course, exacerbated by the accident in the first chapter and the events that follow it, and almost everyone is hiding a secret. I really wanted to find out what each character was hiding and I was continuously compelled to keep reading and get to the bottom of it.

Isabel Ashdown is a skilled plotter, and I loved the gradual reveals and twists as the novel gathered pace. The ending, in particular, is very tense and I felt the sense of danger very keenly. There is also a lot of emotion within the story and these scenes are written in a very poignant way with which I was instantly able to connect.

I hope there is more to come from Highcap and its residents in future. In addition to the stand alone stories, I have enjoyed the story arc of Detective Sergeant Ali Sampson, who may not be a central character in the strictest sense, but is definitely someone with whom I felt a connection.

Whoa, that was an interesting and intriguing read. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen or how things were going to be revealed and unraveled in One Girl, One Summer by Isabel Ashdown. As the synopsis mentioned, the story was an emotional page-turner with characters who had dark secrets.

On a hilltop campsite in the summer heat, a private plane crash-lands. Several are killed, and many more lives are shattered, including those of the Gale family, who own the site. For single parent Cathy Gale, her everyday struggles are eclipsed by the tragedy, as her boy Albie is one of the victims. He hangs onto life, while 18-year-old sister Nell, who was meant to be looking after him, is overcome with guilt.

As DS Ali Samson leads the investigation, locals are scandalized to learn that the amnesiac pilot has plans to stay on in the community. As dark secrets come to light, teenager Nell goes into freefall. What is it she’s so desperate to conceal? And exactly who is the unknown pilot?

I really liked Nell and DS Ali Samson; they were strong characters. The story held my interest and had me trying to guess what would happen next or how the characters were connected.

Overall, it is a good read with a good ending.

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