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The Peacock Summer

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The Peacock Summer

By: Hannah Richell
Narrated by: Elisabeth Hopper
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About this listen

Two summers, decades apart. Two women whose lives are forever entwined. And a house that holds the secrets that could free them both.

At 26, Lillian feels ancient and exhausted. Her marriage to Charles Oberon has not turned out the way she thought it would. To her it seems she is just another beautiful object captured within the walls of Cloudesley, her husband's Chilterns manor house. But with a young stepson and a sister to care for, Lillian accepts there is no way out for her. Then Charles makes an arrangement with an enigmatic artist visiting their home, and her world is turned on its head.

Maggie Oberon ran from the hurt and resentment she caused. Half a world away, in Australia, it was easier to forget, to pretend she didn't care. But when her grandmother, Lillian, falls ill she must head back to Cloudesley. Forced to face her past, she will learn that all she thought was real, all that she held so close, was never as it seemed.

An utterly compelling story of secrets, betrayals and the consequences of a long-ago summer from the internationally best-selling author of Secrets of the Tides and The Shadow Year.

©2018 Hannah Richell (P)2018 Hachette Australia Audio 20th Century Coming of Age Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Romance Women's Fiction Marriage

Critic Reviews

"[A] beautifully written novel that brims with art, beauty, love, family, passion and secrets." (Books+Publishing)
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loved it pure escapism . totally absorbing and cheaper than a holiday. couldn't wait for each new x
chapter

switch off and enjoy a transformation in time

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The story is ok, but I should give up reading (listening) to unfulfilled love due to time and place. It is more a reflection on me than the book I suppose. In this modern/progressive age, it is just too hard to imagine women sacrificing for responsibilities and duty.

Unfufilled love

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i really love dual timeline books and this is a great example why. so engrossing

such a good book

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And I did like it but found it too slow at times. And if the author was going for the two love stories why didn’t she take it all the way but left us just hanging. If you do it do it all the way otherwise what’s the point.
It felt unfinished and rushed at the end. Not likely to be reading any other books from this author.
Narration was really enjoyable.

I wanted to like this book (spoiler alert)

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Did not expect the ending. Brilliant.. wonderful and kept me wanting to listen to this book. I could visual the painting in the room.

narrator's voice

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Umm... the Narrator is not the best with accents or the elderly, but don't let that put you off listening to this book. It's a nice, light read

Nice story

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This is a very romantic book that I wanted to get back to, excellent holiday book, characters are described very well, the story line compelling, I just enjoyed The Peacock Summer especially as an audible book, it followed me into every room for a few days....

Romantic n compelling holiday read .

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I cried and laughed and felt so attached to everything in this story. Five stars all round and I can’t wait to re read the story and fall in love with it again and again.

Love love love

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another great reader that can deliver a great story, i love it and want more

enjoyable listen

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I have to admit I struggled with this one. I’m not always a massive fan of dual timeline books, but this one did that aspect well, tying the two timelines together with images and words so it didn’t feel too forced.

I think I just found it a bit slow. Particularly the older timeline with Lilian as a young woman. I feel like it could have been condensed a lot and had the same impact.

There were quite a few places where the readers know more than the characters, which is fine but the characters seemed to take an age to catch up! Or people withheld information for no good reason, which really slowed the pace of the whole thing.

I didn’t give up on it because I wanted to know what happened, and the ending was satisfying without tying everything into a neat bow.

Overall I’d say I mostly enjoyed it, but it was a book I was glad to finish.

The narrator was ok but a bit stilted in places and her voice for the “old” characters was an annoying croak.

Interesting but slow

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