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Novel set in Greece (“wisteria froths and frills over the terrace” in Zakynthos)

8th October 2013

Swimming Pool Summer by Rebecca Farnsworth, novel set in Greece (Zakynthos)

Two weeks in the sun, in an idyllic house on the island of Zakynthos (Zante). Three friends Leila, Frankie and Tor all descend with a coterie of lovers, husbands and friends; problems, love, upset and island living abound in this novel. The island is “a feast for the senses in full glorious Technicolour”.

0099564475.01.ZTZZZZZZEach girl has man trouble or hang-ups and the author explores the convoluted thinking and angst that goes on behind the scenes in a way that kept me interested, and for the holidaymakers and the reader, the two weeks fly by. ThEach girl has man trouble or hang-ups and the author explores the convoluted thinking and angst that goes on behind the scenes in a way that kept me interested, and for the holidaymakers and the reader, the two weeks fly by. The book offers a real sense of the heat and it does, in parts feel like a Greek setting – a restaurant in Zakynthos Town, Feta Cheese and heat, not to mention the sea, sand and sex. And beautiful vignettes of descriptive prose pepper the book, though locale is only second-fiddle to the storyline.

There is Frankie, who is on the door of becoming anorexic, does she get saved? (You bet, this is chicklit heaven after all!). Tor is with much younger Ed, and she worries about whether she is a real life cougar; and Leila is married to Tom but their marriage has hit a very bumpy patch. Patrick arrives with Candy, and what you see is not what you get with her. And with them comes Matt to whom Frankie has an aversion. But it all comes together and all is revealed for the happy ending.

The writing style is really fluid and the writing is good. If there were any gripes with what is an enjoyable read to rekindle the heat of Summer – it would be some of typos, which did irritate, for example: propositions like at, in etc are occasionally missing, and scuples should be scruples. The majority of the setting is on the island, but suddenly, at Chapter 37 the front door is not that of the villa, it is the door of Leila and Tom’s house in Brighton (it takes a while to work out that they have flown home). But these small issues don’t detract too much from the overall enjoyment.

There is Frankie, who is on the door of becoming anorexic, does she get saved? (You bet, this is chicklit heaven after all!). Tor is with much younger Ed, and she worries about whether she is a real life cougar; and Leila is married to Tom but their marriage has hit a very bumpy patch. Patrick arrives with Candy, and what you see is not what you get with her. And with them comes Matt to whom Frankie has an aversion. But it all comes together and all is revealed for the happy ending.

The writing style is really fluid and the writing is good. If there were any gripes with what is an enjoyable read to rekindle the heat of Summer – it would be some of typos, which did irritate, for example: prepositions like at, in etc are occasionally missing, and scuples should be scruples. The majority of the setting is on the island, but suddenly, at Chapter 37 the front door is not that of the villa, it is the door of Leila and Tom’s house in Brighton (it takes a while to work out that they have flown home). But these small issues don’t detract too much from the overall enjoyment. A good book to capture the feel of a Summer with a touch of Greek life thrown in.

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