The Summer of Secrets - Martina Reilly

This was one of those books that you really didn't want to put down but you didn't want to finish either. Its a great read with all the required basics for a ripping yarn. It is humourous with a substantial plot line that is both comforting and with an element of mystery. The story follows the main character's recovery from the trauma of an air crash. Hope needs to address her past though before she can truly achieve healing from the crash. There are several sub plots and they are all gripping. She undertakes the journey in the company of her two best friends Julie and Adam. They also have issues that they are forced to face up to and in so doing they can look forward to a more balanced future. Hope and her friends return to Ireland and the people they encounter and the places they visit are both believable and interesting. You want to find out more at every stage of the story. This book kept me awake late into the night because I coundn't wait to find out what happened next. Hope has an eventful time in Ireland. You never loose sympathy with her and as she undergoes counselling you begin to see the bigger picture emerging. What may have initially been a judgement based on anger begins to swing to empathy and eventually sorrow for all that has been experienced by the main characters. A fascinating story that deals with many issues and eventually balances out the lives of all concerned. You couldn't ask for more from a summer read!!!