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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

 '[a] beautifully written novel that brims with art, beauty, love, family, passion and secrets' - Books+Publishing


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

At twenty-six, 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 step-son 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 bestselling author of Secrets of the Tides and The Shadow Year. 20th Century Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Romance Women's Fiction Marriage

Critic Reviews

The Peacock Summer is a heartbreakingly moving story about love and family, art and beauty, mistakes and sacrifices.
This book is one of the carefully paced, well-crafted and well-written commercial romance novels that women writers often do so well.
This is a charming novel that deftly portrays the relationship between the women with skill and care
All stars
Most relevant
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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