Synopsis
Every summer tells a story
1957: The summer of innocence
Amongst the lemon trees, Rafaella Parisi impatiently waits for the summer visitors to arrive in her small fishing village on the coast of Puglia. She may be dating Fon Gianelli, but there is one person she longs to see: Cosimo - son of the wealthy Franchetti family.
1958: The summer everything changed
After a devastating accident at the lavish Franchetti villa, Rafa makes a vow that changes the course of all their futures…
1961: The summer they met again
And when Rafa and Cosi’s lives collide, Rafa must decide if she’s willing to risk the life she has built for the future she might have had…
Publisher information
- Publisher: Transworld Publishers Ltd
- ISBN: 9780857507525
- Number of pages: 464
- Dimensions: 243 x 164 x 42 mm
- Weight: 706g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
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Enjoyable and immersive read, with great characterisation
This was such an enjoyable and immersive read, and in a genre all of its own. It’s really a book of two halves, the earlier chapters set in 1950s Italy, wh... READ MORE
A good beach read
I was sent a copy of Three Summers by Karen Swan to read and review by NetGalley. I enjoyed this novel which is very much character led. There are great ... READ MORE
Compelling, gripping story set in Italy
The story begins in the 1950s, and set in Puglia, a rural fishing village in Italy, with children growing into adulthood, and richer families who visit the... READ MORE
Romantic, Disturbing and Dark!
Having last read a novel by Karen Swann back in 2020 during lockdown that was a beguiling love story I was expecting more of the same from ‘Three Summers’.... READ MORE
a perfect summer read
This was a beautiful story with a wonderful setting. Its characters are vivid and engaging and although parts of the story take a sinister turn it’s the bo... READ MORE
Couldn't put down!
Thank you Random House and Netgalley for the advanced copy for review!
I'm loving the historical romances Karen Swan’s been writing - her Wild Isle his... READ MORE
Nice
I enjoyed the book but it didn’t quite enthral me.
I found the story a wee but slow paced and I didn’t feel I wanted to read on as though I was enjoying... READ MORE
Atsmospheric summer read
Karen Swan’s Three Summers is an easy, atmospheric read that explores family dynamics, romance, and the idea that the past never truly stays buried.
The... READ MORE
An Enjoyable Read
I have read some books by Karen Swan but this is my favourite. Set in a small fishing village in Italy the story follows different characters who live ther... READ MORE
perfect holiday read
Many of us know this author from the captivating Christmas books she writes. Then we had the Wild Isle series of three books, set on the remote Scottish is... READ MORE
A lovely summer adventure in an idyllic setting!
A lovely escape to Italy during summers spanning 1957 to 1961, following 2 families and how they are entwined.
It id take me a little while to get into ... READ MORE
An interesting read
A good historical read. It took me a while to get into this story and wasn't sure what to expect but I'm glad I persevered and the second half of the novel... READ MORE
Enjoyable read
I really enjoyed the earlier chapters of this book with the descriptions of the scenery ad peoples’ lifestyles. It made me feel as though I had actually vi... READ MORE
Nostalgic and totally gripping!!
Wow this is a lot!! A gorgeous vintage romance set on the coast of Italy’s Puglia district in the late 1950’s and early 1060’s. Passion, poverty and class ... READ MORE
The complete story mesmerised me
Karen Swan's books have appealed to me from the first one I read, so getting this ARC was a blessing.
Three Summers is a story of love, loss and longing.
... READ MORE
3 summers
A dreamy romantic story that's unmissable, set in italy with lots of characters and a lot of what ifs, the everyday becomes a joy without mundaniety. The... READ MORE
Great story, great author!
Set in a small Italian fishing village in the 1950’s Rafa and her best friend eagerly look forward to seeing their friends from the city, who arrive at the... READ MORE
You can't go wrong with Karen Swan!
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5 stars rounded up)
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Three Summers... READ MORE
Italian set romantic thriller
Set in a small fishing village in Italy and beginning in 1957, “Three Summers” has three main characters: Rafaella, a young woman who has lived there all h... READ MORE
Brilliant!
Three Summers by Karen Swan
Set over three summers in the 1950s/early 1960s in a small village on the coast of Puglia in Italy, this is the story of a g... READ MORE
A love story with a difference
If you want to read a wonderful love story, you’ll love this. If, however you want a love story with an intriguing darkness, a touch of evil doings and a s... READ MORE
Enchanting, transportive and evocative
Welcome to Puglia in the heady heat of summer with the sparkles of sunlight glinting off the cerulean ocean and a group of friends who’ve grown up together... READ MORE
Gentle
This story starts at a gentle pace portraying the lives of a group of young g friends from very different backgrounds. The pace gradually quickens as ambit... READ MORE
Well written romance
This story, although not quite the summer romance I was expecting, was well written and the story held my interest until the very end. Every summer a group... READ MORE
A love story
I found it hard to get into this book initially with so many characters and locations introduced all at once, but I am glad I persevered as this is a story... READ MORE
A must read
Well it’s Karen Swan so of course it’s 5 stars! Three Summers is multilayered and intriguing. The characters are flawed and Fon particularly invokes sympat... READ MORE
Character that stay with you.
It did take me a little while to get into this story but once I did I couldn’t wait to find out what happened to everyone. Rafaella and her friends lived i... READ MORE
A great saga
Another fantastic read from Karen Swan. This one is set in Puglia with tremendous detail of the area along with a set of characters which kept me enthralle... READ MORE
Beautiful Story
Karen Swan's books have appealed to me from the first one I read, so getting this ARC was a blessing.
Three Summers is a story of love, loss and longing.
... READ MORE
Couldn't put down!
Thank you Random House and Netgalley for the advanced copy for review!
I’m really loving the historical romances Karen Swan’s been writing - her Wild I... READ MORE
Unputdownable!
I'm not a person who regularly gives five stars to a book, but this book thoroughly deserves them. From the very beginning I was hooked and wanted to keep ... READ MORE
Male a list of characters
Make a list of characters!
At first I was frustrated by this book, lots of characters with similar names and nicknames. I made my character list.
Well so... READ MORE
Another fantastic story from Karen Swan.
Another fantastic story from Karen Swan. This time set in a beautiful coastal town in Italy, Swan takes us on an epic journey of love, loss and betrayal o... READ MORE
Lovely setting
I found this a book of two halves, the first I was transported to the sunny climes of Puglia, a village where time stood still, the Italian families clingi... READ MORE
Three summers in Italy
Every summer a group of friends come over to Puglia but one year ends in tragedy, though there’s a hopeful note at the end. A book you want to keep reading... READ MORE
Italy, the lemon groves, a strong story beautifully written
This book is a great Karen Swan! And the cover is beautiful.
The story is original and strong. It starts as a lovely story of friends spending the summers... READ MORE
Emotional, tragic and enthralling
Two Italian families - the rich and powerful Franchetti's and the Gianelli brothers, sons of a fisherman, determined to better themselves. Their story deve... READ MORE
A gorgeous summer read
My first read by this author and it was certainly more than meets the eye. I thought it would be a romance but it turned out to be an epic family saga with... READ MORE
A real page turner
This is quite a sweeping saga, starting with a group of friends who reconnect each Summer in a small Italian fishing village. I found the first half of th... READ MORE
A tale of friendship and growing up
I have read many of Karen's books, and they transport you to some gorgeous places. This one was no exception.
We spend over half the book in the summer o... READ MORE
Dramatic and exciting.
Another massively enjoyable read from Karen Swan. This would be perfectly suited to a dreamy holiday in Puglia, but I read it on a flight to chilly Stockho... READ MORE
Fabulous page turner
It’s 1957, you’re in a sun-drenched village in Puglia, and your heart is torn between two worlds.
Brilliant reading
Another brilliant book by Karen Swan. You follow different Italian families rich and poor and the twists and turns of their fortune. A couple of gruesome b... READ MORE
Beautifully written
A long and intertwined story of romance, family, deception and murder. There is a long list of characters but Cosi and Rafa hold it all together. It can be... READ MORE
Fascinating time
I really loved the setting of this in a small Italian community in the 1950s where from the point of view of some of the younger residents especially it co... READ MORE
excellent
Three Summers is a gorgeously written, emotionally rich story that sweeps you away to the lemon-scented coast of Puglia, Italy. Karen Swan masterfully capt... READ MORE
Wonderful Read
This book is another departure from Karen Swan's usual type of story, as was her Wild Isles series. Set in Puglia, Italy, over three summers in 1957, 1958 ... READ MORE
Five stars!
Three Summers by Karen Swan is a beautiful and emotional book set on the sunlit coast of Puglia. Spanning several years, it follows Rafaella Parisi as she ... READ MORE
I really enjoyed this book until about halfway through, when it took on more of a darker feeling
I really enjoyed this book until about halfway through, when it took on more of a darker feeling.
The setting sounded lovely, a little Italian village i... READ MORE
An atmospheric tale of two families
I enjoyed this novel set in Puglia, Italy in the summer of 1958. Rafaela is awaiting the port’s summer visitors when she will be reunited with the Franchet... READ MORE
Wonderful read!
An absolutely wonderful read, so much so I lost my weekend to this book.
Three summers, one group of friends, one village in Puglia!
Every summer, in... READ MORE
Will class and money destroy a friendship?
Set in 1950's Italy, the story is told of childhood friends Rafa, Gina, Cosima and Romoly, who are navigating their way to adulthood. Told by three of the ... READ MORE
Great summer read
Loved this book.. Childhood friendships,growing into adulthood. Romance, passion, mafia and missing. Great summer read.
Beautiful story
I have read and enjoyed other books by the author and Three Summers was no different. As soon as I started reading, I felt swept away with the characters a... READ MORE
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