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Summertime (Paperback)

by Raffaella Barker (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
RRP: £7.99
Price: £5.36 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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Frequently Bought Together

Summertime + Hens Dancing + A Perfect Life
Total RRP: £22.97
Price For All Three: £14.91

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  • This item: Summertime by Raffaella Barker

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  • Hens Dancing by Raffaella Barker

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Product details

  • Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Headline Review; New edition edition (18 April 2002)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0747262225
  • ISBN-13: 978-0747262220
  • Product Dimensions: 19.9 x 12.9 x 2.7 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 143,706 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #4 in  Books > Fiction > Authors, A-Z > B > Barker, Raffaella

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

Summertime, the sequel to Raffaella Barker's extremely popular Hens Dancing is a six-month snapshot of the life of Venetia Summers and her three children. Deserted by her "tower-of-strength" boyfriend David, Venetia spends the summer waiting for him to return, lonely and hurt that he seems to be taking his time.

Don't be fooled into thinking that she's just going to sit and mope. Although it would be pushing it to describe Summertime as action-packed--too much of the novel takes place on the school run or in the knot garden for that--Venetia's life races along and the months soon skip past. There are three eccentric children to ferry about, the ex-husband and his Internet pet cemetery to contend with and a new neighbour--the elusive Hedley Sale, complete with monobrow and dandruff.

Written in a clipped diary style, Summertime is packed with moments city dwellers only dream about. Afternoons in the garden of a beautiful Norfolk cottage, impulsive trips to hear nightingales, Easter egg hunts and moonlit nights stuffed with stars. Although they're a privileged lot--the children tell jokes about Beethoven--they're endearing and lovers of Katie Fforde, Mavis Cheek and Joanna Trollope should snap this up. Especially if they're partial to a cheeky parrot with a fruity wolf whistle and a mean sense of rhythm.--Jane Honey --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

'Raffaella Barker's wistful prose fills your head with soft, luminous, Cezanne-like images only to be disturbed by the lively but lovable children who riot through the story... as you draw to the close you've come to care passionately about Venetia and a possible happy ending' (Daily Mail )

'Captures with a light touch the frustrations and indignities of single motherhood' (Sunday Telegraph 14/04/2002 )

'A light, bright and optimistic read... Throw yourself down on the sand, dive between those silken sheets or luxuriate on the shag-pile, and enjoy it - I certainly did' (Literary Review )

'I love [Raffaella Barker's] books - so funny and acerbic; a very good thing in a woman' (Maggie O'Farrell in the Observer )
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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Summertime
61% buy the item featured on this page:
Summertime 4.5 out of 5 stars (14)
£5.36
A Perfect Life
14% buy
A Perfect Life 5.0 out of 5 stars (2)
£4.50
Poppyland
10% buy
Poppyland 3.0 out of 5 stars (4)
£5.99
Hens Dancing
8% buy
Hens Dancing 4.0 out of 5 stars (29)
£5.05
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Customer Reviews

14 Reviews
5 star:
 (10)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:
 (3)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Summertime - a must!, 13 Feb 2003
Absolutely fantastic. Picked it up by sheer coincidence and so glad I did. Like Venetia I am divorced and so identified with all the thoughts and feelings about the odious ex and his new 'family', the antics of the children and the well meaning friends!! I found myself just laughing out loud at the turn of every page. Totally believable characters whose daily lives probably reflect a little bit of all of us - this book is an absolute must on your reading list.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A deliciously witty book to curl up around and savour., 22 Mar 2001
This review is from: Summertime (Hardcover)
I had eagerly awaited 'Summertime', having enjoyed 'Hens Dancing' so much. It was hard not to gobble it all up in one sitting! Rafaella Barker has an unerring ear for children's dialogue. She captures both the glorious man/boy wisdom of the son looking after his wayward mother, and the magnificently imperious egocentricity of the three year old Beauty. Her heroine is beautifully batty but completely identifiable with, to the mothers among us! I look forward to Rafaella Barker having a long writing career!
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Nostalgic, 20 Feb 2005
By Heather B. Munden (Spain) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
What a fabulous read. I managed to find this book in New York, my first time with this author. I am only sorry I didn't read Hens Dancing first. It is a very true to life story about a divorced housewife struggling with the balance of bringing up children, taking care of pets and starting a new career from home. Venetia is a little eccentric to say the least and charming with it. Her description of the countryside, the flowers, the woods, made me feel so nostalgic. I really love this character and epecially like her mother. It made me laugh out loud.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Summertime Read
I had no idea this novel was a sequel until today when I came to write a review for Amazon. I have never read any of her books before, but will probably look out for more now... Read more
Published on 4 July 2007 by LindyLouMac

5.0 out of 5 stars The Funniest Book I Have Ever Read
I bought this several years ago and re-read it often, it is absolutely hands down the funniest book I have ever read. Read more
Published on 27 Feb 2007 by Mr. G. Sloan

3.0 out of 5 stars A tiny bit annoying
After Hens Dancing I could not wait to get my hands on summertime. The writing is addictive however the character has become extremely annoying. Read more
Published on 9 Aug 2005

4.0 out of 5 stars Worlds most spoilt character!
I really enjoyed the first book featuring this character and so eagerly looked forward to reading the sequel. Read more
Published on 19 April 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars Summertime by Rafaella Barker
I read this book on a plane and probably kept the whole plane awake as I laughed until I cried. As I am from Norfolk, where Venetia lives with her three children, I could imagine... Read more
Published on 26 Jan 2003 by KB

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful
I really love this author. After the superb Hens Dancing I could not wait for this book to come out. Read more
Published on 9 Dec 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars Yet another fabulous book........
'Summertime' is the sequel of 'Hens Dancing'. It follows the life & times of Venetia Summers who leads a somewhat excentric kind of life in the countryside! Read more
Published on 31 July 2002

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing follow-up
I really enjoyed Hens Dancing so naturally hoped I would enjoy this sequel. I tried to enjoy it but was constantly irritated by the annoying character that The Beauty has become... Read more
Published on 29 May 2002 by J. Lindsay

5.0 out of 5 stars Laugh out loud
Makes you feel at home and I found myself telling the character'don't do it' Like shouting the answer at the tv when Millionare is on. Read more
Published on 24 April 2002 by Mrs. Anita Mcskimming

5.0 out of 5 stars SUPERB!
I've read and re-read Hen's Dancing countless times and looked forward to this follow up tale of Venetia, the boys and The Beauty and especially David! Read more
Published on 29 Mar 2001

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