Simona's Corner of Dreams: Summer Daydreams

Sunday, 23 March 2014

Summer Daydreams - by Carole Matthews

Original Cover

My own copy

The blurb:

Nell McNamara never paid attention in school, spending most of her time daydreaming. Now almost thirty, Nell and boyfriend Olly are working back-to-back shifts just to make ends meet as they care for their adorable four-year-old daughter, Petal. But Nell can’t help but wonder: is life passing her by? So when the chip shop she works in needs a makeover, she jumps at the chance to help out. With her creativity finally unleashed, and backed by the best friends a girl could have, Nell begins designing her own line of must-have handbags. And amazingly, people love them! It seems Nell’s dreams are finally coming true, until she finds out Olly secretly craves the simplicity of their old lives. Soon Nell is asking herself if it really is possible to have it all …?

My Opinion:

A gorgeous family from the start =) Petal seems so sweet and reading about Olly and Nell being parents is so cute. They are a happy family with not much money.

Both of them have small jobs and also works nights to get through. However, Nell is not happy and wants to go tot he college of arts, she is really talented. But what about the money? Her boss Phil helps her out. It turns out, that she is not really made for it and gets kicked out.

Then she starts designing handbags and the people like them. She becomes more and more successful, but this also changes her and her relationship to Olly and Petal. She is working all the time and has barley time for them, Olly even has to take Petal to work. It was sad and not fun at all to see them drift apart, I liked them so much as a couple and as a family as well. I just hoped for it to turn around.

He doesn’t like her changing at all and Nell’s colleague Jenny likes Olly (or rather Nell’s life). It’s only then when Olly realises what is really important in life.

Also Nell has learn what is essential and that she is still completely in love with Olly.

Her handbag business is blooming, but then everything changes.

One night Olly just leaves, sells his scooter and flys out to Miami and tries fix it. It’s dangerous. Nell however, has no idea where he is, he didn’t even leave a message.

She is so stunned when he comes back. I think it’s so cute what he did for them and the ending is just adorable, especially one little bit.

After reading this wonderful story and quickly downloaded the short story following it. It’s about Jenny trying to find love. It’s really cute and heart warming.

This story shows how close success and failure can be and how important family is in these moments.

Rating: