Beyond Summerland Published by Graydon House by Jenny Lecoat
on July 2, 2024
Genres: Historical, WW II
Pages: 304
Source: Netgalley
Format: ARC, eBook
Find the Author: Website, Twitter, Facebook
Also by this author: The Girl from the Channel Islands
Find the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
ISBN: 1525831542
Rating:
New York Times bestselling author Jenny Lecoat has crafted a spellbinding story about secrets and lies in a small community recovering from war, and the two young women at the center of a volatile mystery.
The German occupation is over. The Channel Islands, the only captured territory within the British Isles, are finally liberated. But the people of Jersey are left as scarred as the landscape. No longer a “summerland” holiday paradise, the island now boils with tension as locals seek revenge on anyone suspected of collaborating with the enemy during the war.
Nineteen-year-old Jean Parris, still adjusting to this fractious peace, is shocked to learn that Hazel, a teacher who lives over her dad’s shop, may be responsible for her father’s wartime arrest and subsequent death in custody. Hazel denies all accusations but has reasons to conceal what really happened.
As rumors of Hazel’s guilt swell to a fury, Jean discovers new clues that suggest there were other, more sinister factors at play. When Hazel learns of Jean’s own ruinous secret, the women form an unexpected bond that sets them apart from the rest of Jean’s family and the frenzied demands for retribution. But in the end, Jean’s need to know the truth about her father may consume everything she once believed about her home, her family and herself.
Another great story from Jenny Lecoat. One that pulls that heartstrings and sets you on a journey with the main character, Jean, as she tries to uncover how her father really ended up arrested by the Germans during the occupation.
Those inhabiting the Channel Islands are still recovering from the fall out of a war that tore their families and homes apart. And the fall out is still ever present as many of them lost family, homes, and businesses. So, naturally, there are suspicions regarding who may have been German sympathizers and who may have sold out their own to the Germans.
This story was a definite difficult read at times, as all stories revolving around WWII and the Holocaust are. There was so much pain and damage done both during and after the war.
This story just shines a light on what that looked like for this specific group of people who managed to survive the war, but suffer from its effects.
My second read from Lecoat, I’m extremely impressed with her talent for drawing the reader into a time that we can only imagine as it was so long ago. The ending was fulfilling, yet bittersweet. I am so glad to have read this one.
About Jenny Lecoat
Jenny Lecoat was born in Jersey, Channel Islands, where her parents were raised under German Occupation and were involved in resistance activity. Lecoat moved to England at 18, where, after earning a drama degree, she spent a decade on the alternative comedy circuit as a feminist stand-up. She also wrote for newspapers and women's magazines (Cosmopolitan, Observer), worked as a TV and radio presenter, before focusing on screenwriting from sitcom to sketch shows. A love of history and factual stories and a return to her island roots brought about her feature film Another Mother's Son (2017). She is married to television writer Gary Lawson and now lives in East Sussex. The Girl from the Channel Islands is her first novel.
I love to read historical books about little aspects of history we may not have really thought about or read about. I’ve seen some good reviews for this. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
https://lisalovesliterature.bookblog.io/2024/07/08/arc-review-the-five-stages-of-courting-dalisay-ramos/