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Summer of '76
It's the start of one of the hottest summers on record with weeks without rain; the summer of Abba, T-Rex and David Bowie; of the Notting Hill riots and when Big Ben stopped dead. Luke Wolff is about to turn 18 and is set to enjoy his last summer at home on the Isle of Wight before leaving for college. His job at a holiday camp promises new friendships and romance. But with the heat and open windows, secrets become harder to hide and his parents' seemingly ordered lives become unstuck and the community is gripped by scandal.
384 pages, Paperback
First published July 4, 2013
15 people are currently reading
483 people want to read
About the author
Isabel Ashdown
15 books256 followersIsabel Ashdown is an award-winning author and writing coach. 'One Girl, One Summer' is her tenth novel.
Isabel’s writing career launched with her critically acclaimed debut 'Glasshopper', which was twice named among Best Books of the Year after winning first prize in a national competition judged by Fay Weldon, Sir John Mortimer, and Michael Ridpath. Since then, her thrillers 'Little Sister' and 'Beautiful Liars' have been shortlisted in the Dead Good Reader Awards, while '33 Women' was an Amazon bestseller within weeks of release. Alongside her own work, Isabel is a Royal Literary Fund Fellow and a coach to developing writers.
Born in London, Isabel grew up on the south coast, and she now spends much of her time in a writing cabin in West Dorset, built for her by carpenter husband, Colin. She is a member of the Society of Authors and is represented by Kate Shaw of The Shaw Agency. Isabel lives with her husband, with whom she has two grown-up children and a pair of ageing dogs. Her happy place is anywhere with a coastal view.
Find out more about Isabel via her website, Instagram, Facebook or TikTok.
Isabel’s writing career launched with her critically acclaimed debut 'Glasshopper', which was twice named among Best Books of the Year after winning first prize in a national competition judged by Fay Weldon, Sir John Mortimer, and Michael Ridpath. Since then, her thrillers 'Little Sister' and 'Beautiful Liars' have been shortlisted in the Dead Good Reader Awards, while '33 Women' was an Amazon bestseller within weeks of release. Alongside her own work, Isabel is a Royal Literary Fund Fellow and a coach to developing writers.
Born in London, Isabel grew up on the south coast, and she now spends much of her time in a writing cabin in West Dorset, built for her by carpenter husband, Colin. She is a member of the Society of Authors and is represented by Kate Shaw of The Shaw Agency. Isabel lives with her husband, with whom she has two grown-up children and a pair of ageing dogs. Her happy place is anywhere with a coastal view.
Find out more about Isabel via her website, Instagram, Facebook or TikTok.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
July 10, 2013
I remember that summer of 1976, I was 10-years-old and it seemed as though summer was going to last forever, never before had we experienced weeks and weeks of baking sunshine, water shortages and cracks in the tarmac. It seemed like a whole new world, and even though we've had hotter weather in the years since, that first long hot summer will always be remembered.
The three page long prologue takes place a few years before the Summer of 76 - New Year's Eve, 1971 at a party on the Isle of Wight. Although this short snapshot does not go in to great detail, the reader quickly understands what is happening.
Fast foward to the Summer of 76 and Luke Wolff is seventeen, finishing his exams and looking forward to starting college in Brighton after the summer. He and his four-year-old sister Kitty live with their parents on the Isle of Wight. They are a pretty ordinary family; Dad's a teacher, Mum stays at home to look after Kitty. Luke has a best friend Martin - who people seem to think is a bit weird. Luke fancies Samantha, who is dating his ex-best friend Len. The weather is hot, hot, hot and when Luke lands a job at the local holiday park he's sorted - OK it's only cleaning chalets, but he gets to work alongside Samantha and can use the swimming pool whenever he likes.
The heat begins to make people behave strangely. Luke's Mum and Dad seem to be arguing a lot these days - something about the parties that their friends hold every so often. Dad's mate Simon seems to be the cause of some of this tension. Is it because he encourages Dad to stop out late on drinking sessions, or is there something else?
Isabel Ashdown has produced an extraordinary story from ordinary characters who live in an ordinary town and on the face of it, live pretty ordinary lives. She has skilfully added tension with the snappy weather forecasts at the beginning of each chapter - as the temperature rises, so does the atmosphere in the story.
There is a real art to creating everyday characters that pull the reader in quite as much as the Wolff family do. Episodes around the kitchen table, in the garden, general bickering and the day-to-day are brought to life brilliantly and make the reader feel as though they are actually sitting in that kitchen as part of the family.
There are darker undertones to the story, a mystery that Luke can't quite fathom, although the reader has a clue from the prologue. I didn't want Luke's life to be shattered, I wanted him to remain innocent, to go off to college and never uncover the secret. Why? Because I cared about him. I also cared about Luke's friend Martin and I cared about his Nan - two brilliant characters, whose depth and dialogue added a special touch to this fabulous story.
Isabel Ashdown
This is a first-class novel, excellent writing and fabulous characters. I'd recommend it to anyone.
The three page long prologue takes place a few years before the Summer of 76 - New Year's Eve, 1971 at a party on the Isle of Wight. Although this short snapshot does not go in to great detail, the reader quickly understands what is happening.
Fast foward to the Summer of 76 and Luke Wolff is seventeen, finishing his exams and looking forward to starting college in Brighton after the summer. He and his four-year-old sister Kitty live with their parents on the Isle of Wight. They are a pretty ordinary family; Dad's a teacher, Mum stays at home to look after Kitty. Luke has a best friend Martin - who people seem to think is a bit weird. Luke fancies Samantha, who is dating his ex-best friend Len. The weather is hot, hot, hot and when Luke lands a job at the local holiday park he's sorted - OK it's only cleaning chalets, but he gets to work alongside Samantha and can use the swimming pool whenever he likes.
The heat begins to make people behave strangely. Luke's Mum and Dad seem to be arguing a lot these days - something about the parties that their friends hold every so often. Dad's mate Simon seems to be the cause of some of this tension. Is it because he encourages Dad to stop out late on drinking sessions, or is there something else?
Isabel Ashdown has produced an extraordinary story from ordinary characters who live in an ordinary town and on the face of it, live pretty ordinary lives. She has skilfully added tension with the snappy weather forecasts at the beginning of each chapter - as the temperature rises, so does the atmosphere in the story.
There is a real art to creating everyday characters that pull the reader in quite as much as the Wolff family do. Episodes around the kitchen table, in the garden, general bickering and the day-to-day are brought to life brilliantly and make the reader feel as though they are actually sitting in that kitchen as part of the family.
There are darker undertones to the story, a mystery that Luke can't quite fathom, although the reader has a clue from the prologue. I didn't want Luke's life to be shattered, I wanted him to remain innocent, to go off to college and never uncover the secret. Why? Because I cared about him. I also cared about Luke's friend Martin and I cared about his Nan - two brilliant characters, whose depth and dialogue added a special touch to this fabulous story.
Isabel Ashdown
This is a first-class novel, excellent writing and fabulous characters. I'd recommend it to anyone.
July 10, 2013
I love Isabel Ashdown's writing! Having previously read and thoroughly enjoyed both Glasshopper and Hurry Up And Wait, I knew I was in for a treat. I remember the summer of 1976 very well, as I was 13 going on 14 and life seemed incredibly exciting. I remember the yellow dried-out grass in the field next to my house and Dad moaning about not being able to water his runner beans with the hose-pipe.
Summer of '76 didn't disappoint. Isabel Ashdown writers superbly from a teenager's viewpoint and captures the mid-70s perfectly. There was a point towards the beginning of the book when the pace slackened right off and I hoped it would pick up, as, indeed, it did. There were a couple of times when I thought I knew exactly what was going to happen, then Isabel veered off on a totally different course and surprised me.
I love Nan's character. In fact, all the characters in the book are brilliantly drawn, even the unsympathetic ones. She captures life in Britain so well.
Eight years ago I started to write a novel set in the 1970s and I'm still struggling with it. Summer of '76 has made me want to throw in the towel!
I can't wait for Isabel's next novel. I read this one in two or three days. Unputdownable!
Summer of '76 didn't disappoint. Isabel Ashdown writers superbly from a teenager's viewpoint and captures the mid-70s perfectly. There was a point towards the beginning of the book when the pace slackened right off and I hoped it would pick up, as, indeed, it did. There were a couple of times when I thought I knew exactly what was going to happen, then Isabel veered off on a totally different course and surprised me.
I love Nan's character. In fact, all the characters in the book are brilliantly drawn, even the unsympathetic ones. She captures life in Britain so well.
Eight years ago I started to write a novel set in the 1970s and I'm still struggling with it. Summer of '76 has made me want to throw in the towel!
I can't wait for Isabel's next novel. I read this one in two or three days. Unputdownable!
October 4, 2013
This book lacked any real storyline, other than describing the day to day life of a family during the summer of 1976. There were no surprises and you could predict what was going to happen next. The only reason I didn't rate this book as a 1star was because I finished the book and didn't give up reading it. Overall I found this book a bit of a disappointment.
September 3, 2021
I really enjoyed this. Lines that made me laugh out loud; scenes which brought me to the edge of tears; episodes which had my heart in my mouth. Characters I loved and some I loved to hate.
July 8, 2013
There’s intrigue as soon as we start reading … It’s December 31st 1971, Joanna Wolff and husband Richard are at a party. Whose key fob was Joanna looking for?
Leading on from this scene, it’s now early May 1976. Luke has just bought a new scooter … an orange Vespa. He’s just finished lovingly polishing it on their driveway when up rides his friend Martin. They go off to listen to David Bowie’s album. Feeling hungry, they go downstairs to the kitchen and we’re introduced properly to his parents and his 4 year old sister, Kitty. From this time, throughout the summer of ’76 we spend time with the Wolff family and friends as seen from Luke’s perspective as the community secret and family secret slowly unravels. Character’s backgrounds are revealed with more layers of sorrow underlying the face of situations.
Through Luke we get to experience his changing friendships, teenage angst, those awful feelings when we know we’ve made a wrong decision … and that feeling of being on the edge of something really exciting. His summer isn’t all about working at the holiday camp – plenty of time for sunbathing on the beach and alcohol that long, hot summer! We see him mature throughout the story. He’s even able to reason through the chaos of his thoughts and have a chuckle with his dad at the end … as opposed to slamming out of the house in frustration (I remember those days well!)
The characters are all fabulous. From pompous new neighbour Mike to 4 year old Kitty. One of my favourite scenes is with Kitty singing/performing at Martin’s 18th birthday tea. So funny! I will never hear Abba in the same way again!
Everything is very authentic from the music and fashion to the social and economical environment… I wasn’t a teen myself then, but do remember quite a lot! Just like Joanna, my mother used to run up outfits on the old Singer sewing machine (not just for us but for neighbours children too). I also had a similar elephant to Kitty so they must have been a craze!
Ashdown’s writing has transported me away from our awful summer weather, into a time when all the doors and windows had to be open and the beaches were jam-packed with tanned and gleaming bodies. I’ve believed I’ve been on this journey with Luke, right by his side. I’ve been at the funeral and climbed a tree. I’ve been drunk (and very sick!) I’ve been concerned about my mum, felt my dad ruffle my hair and been a part of Nan’s shenanigans. I’ve been anxious. I’ve also laughed with Gordon at work and loved my family.
I would like to thank the publishers for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Leading on from this scene, it’s now early May 1976. Luke has just bought a new scooter … an orange Vespa. He’s just finished lovingly polishing it on their driveway when up rides his friend Martin. They go off to listen to David Bowie’s album. Feeling hungry, they go downstairs to the kitchen and we’re introduced properly to his parents and his 4 year old sister, Kitty. From this time, throughout the summer of ’76 we spend time with the Wolff family and friends as seen from Luke’s perspective as the community secret and family secret slowly unravels. Character’s backgrounds are revealed with more layers of sorrow underlying the face of situations.
Through Luke we get to experience his changing friendships, teenage angst, those awful feelings when we know we’ve made a wrong decision … and that feeling of being on the edge of something really exciting. His summer isn’t all about working at the holiday camp – plenty of time for sunbathing on the beach and alcohol that long, hot summer! We see him mature throughout the story. He’s even able to reason through the chaos of his thoughts and have a chuckle with his dad at the end … as opposed to slamming out of the house in frustration (I remember those days well!)
The characters are all fabulous. From pompous new neighbour Mike to 4 year old Kitty. One of my favourite scenes is with Kitty singing/performing at Martin’s 18th birthday tea. So funny! I will never hear Abba in the same way again!
Everything is very authentic from the music and fashion to the social and economical environment… I wasn’t a teen myself then, but do remember quite a lot! Just like Joanna, my mother used to run up outfits on the old Singer sewing machine (not just for us but for neighbours children too). I also had a similar elephant to Kitty so they must have been a craze!
Ashdown’s writing has transported me away from our awful summer weather, into a time when all the doors and windows had to be open and the beaches were jam-packed with tanned and gleaming bodies. I’ve believed I’ve been on this journey with Luke, right by his side. I’ve been at the funeral and climbed a tree. I’ve been drunk (and very sick!) I’ve been concerned about my mum, felt my dad ruffle my hair and been a part of Nan’s shenanigans. I’ve been anxious. I’ve also laughed with Gordon at work and loved my family.
I would like to thank the publishers for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2016
An enjoyable enough book that conveys the oppressive Summer of '76 well (as I'd only just been born I can't remember but I certainly could imagine the scorched earth and endless days and nights of uncomfortable heat).
Surprisingly, the main theme of this book would suggest quite a different type of book! However, even though a lot of the plot is driven by the special 'parties' held by the neighbours this is only hinted at, as the lead character (a teenage boy) doesn't really know what is going on and so it all appears quite innocent to begin with. As the truth comes out and finally the reason behind it the reader can understand how the situation has developed as it has.
I think the viewpoint of the main character is fairly convincing but sometimes the writing jarred, as the book was not written in the first person but for example the boy's parents were still referred to as mum and dad rather than by name. Maybe this was deliberate, to indicate that this was their most important role? There were some other interesting characters and everything wrapped up satisfactorily at the end. An OK book but I don't think it will be particularly memorable.
Surprisingly, the main theme of this book would suggest quite a different type of book! However, even though a lot of the plot is driven by the special 'parties' held by the neighbours this is only hinted at, as the lead character (a teenage boy) doesn't really know what is going on and so it all appears quite innocent to begin with. As the truth comes out and finally the reason behind it the reader can understand how the situation has developed as it has.
I think the viewpoint of the main character is fairly convincing but sometimes the writing jarred, as the book was not written in the first person but for example the boy's parents were still referred to as mum and dad rather than by name. Maybe this was deliberate, to indicate that this was their most important role? There were some other interesting characters and everything wrapped up satisfactorily at the end. An OK book but I don't think it will be particularly memorable.
October 3, 2013
This really was a good read. I was hooked by the story and loved watching it develop. It speaks of a time I wasn't here for; but that I've heard lots of stories about. It's left me with a heart warming glow that I get from very few books.
July 5, 2013
Luke had grown up on the Isle of Wight, and he had reached the lovely point in life when he had finished with school, when he had a place at college and would leave home in the autumn. First though, he had a summer of freedom in front of him.
It didn’t play out quite as he’d expected.
He had a job at the leisure centre, and so did the girl he had his eye on. She had a boyfriend, and he and Luke didn’t get on. They split up, but what happened next rather took Luke by surprise. That maybe she wasn’t the girl he’d thought she was.
Brash new neighbours rocked the boat at home.
And Luke thought that his best friend was doing too much for his father, spending time at home, helping out with his business. Was he foolish to put his own plans on hold, was it a convenient way to avoid his friend, and things he hadn’t want to deal with, or was there rather more to the situation than Luke realised?
But the biggest thing was a scandal that broke. Luke’s parents were involved and he hated it, but he also felt some responsibility. Not for the scandal, but for the gossip and some rather startling physical evidence.
Lives played out on the pages of Summer of ’76. Ordinary lives, lived through times and events that would be remembered as being significant. And that is something that Isabel Ashdown does very, very well.
Her writing feels so natural, and I was pulled right into the time and the place. Characters and relationships are simply and clearly drawn, and they were so easy to believe in. These people could have been living in my own seaside town, everything that happened could have happened here.
The scenes set in Luke’s family home were, I thought, the strongest. The understanding of the family dynamic, and the capturing of the fine nuances of family life were wonderful. I was particularly taken with Luke’s father. There was one particular moment when he made a lovely gesture, and I thought that he had done just as my own father would have. Later in the book though, some of his actions infuriated me.
Lukes’s grandmother, on the other hand, was consistently brilliant.
There were times when the story moved slowly, but I never lost interest. There was a hint of the scandal to come at the start of the book, and of course that created a degree of suspense, but it was more than that. Once I had met these people, seen the families, seen the communities I was always going to hold on to see what they did, what would happen to them.
That summer, the oppressiveness of the heat, life in a small community, the point in a family’s history, so many details that rooted the story in the mid seventies, were caught absolutely perfectly.
The story unfolded beautifully. At times it was a little uneven, one or two things seemed a little improbable, but I didn’t find that too big a problem, because sometimes life happens that way. And this is one of those book that captures real lives, lived in a particular place and time, and makes them intriguing. There’s plenty to think about, lots of things that can be debated, and yet it never feels demanding.
Perfect reading for the long, hot summer that might just be on the way …
It didn’t play out quite as he’d expected.
He had a job at the leisure centre, and so did the girl he had his eye on. She had a boyfriend, and he and Luke didn’t get on. They split up, but what happened next rather took Luke by surprise. That maybe she wasn’t the girl he’d thought she was.
Brash new neighbours rocked the boat at home.
And Luke thought that his best friend was doing too much for his father, spending time at home, helping out with his business. Was he foolish to put his own plans on hold, was it a convenient way to avoid his friend, and things he hadn’t want to deal with, or was there rather more to the situation than Luke realised?
But the biggest thing was a scandal that broke. Luke’s parents were involved and he hated it, but he also felt some responsibility. Not for the scandal, but for the gossip and some rather startling physical evidence.
Lives played out on the pages of Summer of ’76. Ordinary lives, lived through times and events that would be remembered as being significant. And that is something that Isabel Ashdown does very, very well.
Her writing feels so natural, and I was pulled right into the time and the place. Characters and relationships are simply and clearly drawn, and they were so easy to believe in. These people could have been living in my own seaside town, everything that happened could have happened here.
The scenes set in Luke’s family home were, I thought, the strongest. The understanding of the family dynamic, and the capturing of the fine nuances of family life were wonderful. I was particularly taken with Luke’s father. There was one particular moment when he made a lovely gesture, and I thought that he had done just as my own father would have. Later in the book though, some of his actions infuriated me.
Lukes’s grandmother, on the other hand, was consistently brilliant.
There were times when the story moved slowly, but I never lost interest. There was a hint of the scandal to come at the start of the book, and of course that created a degree of suspense, but it was more than that. Once I had met these people, seen the families, seen the communities I was always going to hold on to see what they did, what would happen to them.
That summer, the oppressiveness of the heat, life in a small community, the point in a family’s history, so many details that rooted the story in the mid seventies, were caught absolutely perfectly.
The story unfolded beautifully. At times it was a little uneven, one or two things seemed a little improbable, but I didn’t find that too big a problem, because sometimes life happens that way. And this is one of those book that captures real lives, lived in a particular place and time, and makes them intriguing. There’s plenty to think about, lots of things that can be debated, and yet it never feels demanding.
Perfect reading for the long, hot summer that might just be on the way …
April 3, 2024
I loved this book!
For those with a penchant for 1970s nostalgia like me (I was born slap bang in the middle of the decade), Isabel Ashdown offers a refreshing twist on the many books I have read set in the Summer of '76, all of which seem to show that that summer wasn't just scorching in the way that British summers usually are. In a lot of books, this record-breaking heatwave felt different. It was as if the relentless sun beat down not just on parched lawns and paddling pools, but on the very fabric of reality itself. Alongside all the Zoom lollies, Abba in the charts, trips to the seaside and the ladybird invasion, it’s as if the mega-heat allowed glimpses of the otherworldly. The stifling heat, it seemed, opened a door, a portal to something unseen, forever altering the way many authors perceived that long, hot summer. Ghosts and hauntings.
While the record-breaking heatwave forms a backdrop here, though, the story isn't driven by supernatural chills. Instead, Isabel weaves a coming-of-age tale set against the backdrop of a scorching summer on the Isle of Wight. Our protagonist, Luke, is a teenager on the edge of adulthood. He navigates the usual teenage trials – summer jobs, budding romances, and best-friend malarkeys. But beneath the surface, a family secret simmers, intensified by the oppressive heat and a scandal that rocks their small community.
Ashdown masterfully captures the claustrophobic atmosphere of a small town under intense scrutiny. Each chapter opens with a weather report, subtly mirroring the rising tension within the narrative and the book adds up to a compelling exploration of family dynamics, the complexities of friendship, and the challenges of self-discovery under the relentless gaze of a long, hot summer.
I'm saving it for a summer re-read and I'll do another review then. Obviously I liked it!
For those with a penchant for 1970s nostalgia like me (I was born slap bang in the middle of the decade), Isabel Ashdown offers a refreshing twist on the many books I have read set in the Summer of '76, all of which seem to show that that summer wasn't just scorching in the way that British summers usually are. In a lot of books, this record-breaking heatwave felt different. It was as if the relentless sun beat down not just on parched lawns and paddling pools, but on the very fabric of reality itself. Alongside all the Zoom lollies, Abba in the charts, trips to the seaside and the ladybird invasion, it’s as if the mega-heat allowed glimpses of the otherworldly. The stifling heat, it seemed, opened a door, a portal to something unseen, forever altering the way many authors perceived that long, hot summer. Ghosts and hauntings.
While the record-breaking heatwave forms a backdrop here, though, the story isn't driven by supernatural chills. Instead, Isabel weaves a coming-of-age tale set against the backdrop of a scorching summer on the Isle of Wight. Our protagonist, Luke, is a teenager on the edge of adulthood. He navigates the usual teenage trials – summer jobs, budding romances, and best-friend malarkeys. But beneath the surface, a family secret simmers, intensified by the oppressive heat and a scandal that rocks their small community.
Ashdown masterfully captures the claustrophobic atmosphere of a small town under intense scrutiny. Each chapter opens with a weather report, subtly mirroring the rising tension within the narrative and the book adds up to a compelling exploration of family dynamics, the complexities of friendship, and the challenges of self-discovery under the relentless gaze of a long, hot summer.
I'm saving it for a summer re-read and I'll do another review then. Obviously I liked it!
February 13, 2014
I really enjoyed this because, like other reviewers I remember the summer of 1976 and the music referred to and I know the Isle of Wight. I was living in West Sussex at the time. This tells you a lot about the age of people reading it, too, which made me smile considering it was 38 years ago !! Our local school had a pool and they opened it up for us all to use THOSE summer holidays so it was fantastic !!
It tells of Luke and his final summer before he headed off to college and how his relationship with his parents was going. They sounded like a gang from Abigail's Party that lived on the island at the time. Luke's parents really didn't fit in with the others, I thought, and wondered why they kept mixing with them all. It reminded me of watching that with all its little undercurrents. I hadn't remembered Big Ben stopping the day after my birthday either !! Interesting as it was its first and only proper breakdown to this day !(Thanks, Wikipedia).
I really liked both little Kitty (and I don't "do" kids as a rule)and Martin and also their relationship I found very touching as well.
I did find there were mistakes in it. At one point Martin broke his nose but Len helped stem the flow to Luke's nostrils and the odd apostrophe error, too. Nothing too frightful, though, and I'll definitely read her again.
It tells of Luke and his final summer before he headed off to college and how his relationship with his parents was going. They sounded like a gang from Abigail's Party that lived on the island at the time. Luke's parents really didn't fit in with the others, I thought, and wondered why they kept mixing with them all. It reminded me of watching that with all its little undercurrents. I hadn't remembered Big Ben stopping the day after my birthday either !! Interesting as it was its first and only proper breakdown to this day !(Thanks, Wikipedia).
I really liked both little Kitty (and I don't "do" kids as a rule)and Martin and also their relationship I found very touching as well.
I did find there were mistakes in it. At one point Martin broke his nose but Len helped stem the flow to Luke's nostrils and the odd apostrophe error, too. Nothing too frightful, though, and I'll definitely read her again.
June 27, 2013
I love Isabel's writing and have been looking forward to this book for months. It didn't disappoint and kept me up until 1am last night finishing it. The heat of the famous drought and how it made everything that was happening seem so much more intense was superbly done. The characters were all very real and the way Isabel can bring tension to the most mundane happenings of family life is impressive. This has just moved into my favourite Isabel Ashdown novel spot!
May 1, 2017
Better than I thought it would be; more interesting characters and carefuly interwoven stories.
From my POV the date is immaterial and there was far too much 'product placement'; those of us who remember don't need references and those who weren't there probably won't care.
And if everyone who claimed to have been at that first Sex Pistols gig had actually been there, it would have had an audience of thousands!
From my POV the date is immaterial and there was far too much 'product placement'; those of us who remember don't need references and those who weren't there probably won't care.
And if everyone who claimed to have been at that first Sex Pistols gig had actually been there, it would have had an audience of thousands!
May 23, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. I turned 13yrs during the summer of 76 and have memories of it...not least the swarm of ladybirds. It's not just the nostalgia that makes this a good book. The story had me hooked too. Loved (and loathed) the characters. This is the first book I have read by Isobel Ashdown, but certainly not the last.
January 1, 2015
I was 18 in the summer of '76 and took my A'levels on one of the hottest days of the year. It was so hot we were allowed to have water to drink to stop us from passing out. I had high hopes for this but unfortunately it doesn't quite hit the mark. storylines are started, developed briefly and then cut off. It feels like there should be a whole lot more but sadly there isn't.
July 31, 2013
This is a lovely novel. A coming of age story told from the point of view of 17, going on 18 year old Luke. A novel about family relationships, the nature of friendship and life in a small community during the long hot summer of '76. Great characters and humanity here. Highly recommend.
July 29, 2014
I thought this book was dreadul. Looking through the reviews on here though I think I must be the only one. I read over half of it thinking it would improve, but it didn't, so I gave up. Disappointing because I was looking forward to reading it.
April 26, 2014
sadly found it hard work and skipped through a lot of it....
August 7, 2018
Absolutely loved this. Up there (nearly) with When God Was a Rabbit as one of my favourites of recent years.
October 14, 2018
I couldn't get hooked on this book so had to abandon it.
September 10, 2018
Good read
Good enjoyable holiday read. A proper story with the present time timeline. such a change from the tedious trend for past and present chapters , which to me breaks the storyline and needs constant adjustment from the reader , too much work in my opinion.
Very well written with interesting believable characters rather than cliches. Teenage and adult Emotions were dealt with cleanly , the author avoiding the trap of pages of boring angst repeated again and again. Rites of passage genre was well executed with Original and imaginative plot with no need for suspension of belief .
The special otherness of living on an island was well conveyed and formed a good metaphor for the teenage aspirations of escape towards independence in the wider world.
High standard of prose throughout and interesting insights thoughtfully expressed.
Not up there with the greats however, so only 4 stars.
Alice pearson
Good enjoyable holiday read. A proper story with the present time timeline. such a change from the tedious trend for past and present chapters , which to me breaks the storyline and needs constant adjustment from the reader , too much work in my opinion.
Very well written with interesting believable characters rather than cliches. Teenage and adult Emotions were dealt with cleanly , the author avoiding the trap of pages of boring angst repeated again and again. Rites of passage genre was well executed with Original and imaginative plot with no need for suspension of belief .
The special otherness of living on an island was well conveyed and formed a good metaphor for the teenage aspirations of escape towards independence in the wider world.
High standard of prose throughout and interesting insights thoughtfully expressed.
Not up there with the greats however, so only 4 stars.
Alice pearson
January 11, 2021
A Great Read
I clearly remember the summer of 76. At 14, I was younger than Martin and Luke, but the endless summer and childhood in that time are all remembered with fond nostalgia. That's not to say that this book won't appeal to readers of any age group.
This is the story, of two young boys on the cusp of manhood. Luke planning to move away from the Isle of Wight for Poly in Brighton, and Luke's parents, themselves on the cusp of middle-age and looking back wistfully to their more heady youth. It is a story that brings out so many of the social beliefs of the time and brings these boys lives onto a collision course with their parents.
Most of all though, it's a story about friendship and family.
I thoroughly enjoyed Summer of 76 and zipped through it in a matter of days. It's characters leave an indelible imprint. The best and worst of humankind is displayed before the family chooses which side of the fence its loyalties lie on. Thoroughly recommended.
I clearly remember the summer of 76. At 14, I was younger than Martin and Luke, but the endless summer and childhood in that time are all remembered with fond nostalgia. That's not to say that this book won't appeal to readers of any age group.
This is the story, of two young boys on the cusp of manhood. Luke planning to move away from the Isle of Wight for Poly in Brighton, and Luke's parents, themselves on the cusp of middle-age and looking back wistfully to their more heady youth. It is a story that brings out so many of the social beliefs of the time and brings these boys lives onto a collision course with their parents.
Most of all though, it's a story about friendship and family.
I thoroughly enjoyed Summer of 76 and zipped through it in a matter of days. It's characters leave an indelible imprint. The best and worst of humankind is displayed before the family chooses which side of the fence its loyalties lie on. Thoroughly recommended.
August 18, 2019
Marvellous
I discovered this author and her love of the IOW a few months back and decided to read everything she has written. This along with Glasshopper has to be my favourites. The way she describes mannerisms and a persons character absolutely gets the picture across. Martin & Kitty in this book I was particularly captivated by. As well as Gordon and his mum! I read the book during a heatwave in Gran Canaria so the summer of 76 heatwave was easily imagined. Wiping a bit of a tear from my eye at the closing chapter. Cracker. Thank you x
I discovered this author and her love of the IOW a few months back and decided to read everything she has written. This along with Glasshopper has to be my favourites. The way she describes mannerisms and a persons character absolutely gets the picture across. Martin & Kitty in this book I was particularly captivated by. As well as Gordon and his mum! I read the book during a heatwave in Gran Canaria so the summer of 76 heatwave was easily imagined. Wiping a bit of a tear from my eye at the closing chapter. Cracker. Thank you x
April 22, 2020
Not a Jaw dropper or ball breaker, but a great read
I wasn’t at all shocked, or overexcited about this book to begin with, but found it a complete must read in the end. I guessed some of what was to come, but also found other little twists along the way that made me realised I didn’t know everything. A brilliant pass the time kind of book, and in places both sad, happy and made me want again for my childhood, and those feelings we all have in our teenage years. A great family book, showing the things we don’t always know about our siblings and parents.
I wasn’t at all shocked, or overexcited about this book to begin with, but found it a complete must read in the end. I guessed some of what was to come, but also found other little twists along the way that made me realised I didn’t know everything. A brilliant pass the time kind of book, and in places both sad, happy and made me want again for my childhood, and those feelings we all have in our teenage years. A great family book, showing the things we don’t always know about our siblings and parents.
April 19, 2023
Was intrigued by the title as I remember this hot summer that went on forever with life & work being sometimes too much in the oppressive heat. Living in a terraced house with slightly opening windows with the heat rising up to the bedrooms… not comfortable… at aged 19.
Took a while to get into this but once entrapped in the lives of Luke & family and those close-knit around, fully appreciate
the young lives approaching leaving school/ going to college/ work storyline based in that summer of ‘76.
Took a while to get into this but once entrapped in the lives of Luke & family and those close-knit around, fully appreciate
the young lives approaching leaving school/ going to college/ work storyline based in that summer of ‘76.
April 29, 2023
Oh did I struggle to finish this book. There are roughly 4 main plot lines to this story all of which I had figured out within the first 2 chapters.. the rest of the book was simply a very detailed description of a long hot summer following one teenage boy and his summer job. So much of this book felt like ‘filler’ and so little to do with the story .. it was predictable and fairly boring.
I read Glasshopper many many years ago and loved it .. this one not so much
I read Glasshopper many many years ago and loved it .. this one not so much
April 21, 2025
Another page turner!! Wasn’t going to read this as it was about “swingers” but I continued and I was not disappointed. Yes the book is about swingers but it is not about swingers. It’s about Luke and his family and friends, of being a teenager finding his feet in the famous summer of 76. Brought back memories of that summer and the carefree life in the Isle of Wight.
I’m disappointed I’ve finished it
I’m disappointed I’ve finished it
August 30, 2025
I enjoyed the characters - especially Luke and his friend Martin - and it portrayed life during the hot summer of 1976 so well that I was transported back in time. I did find it a bit slow in parts and also a bit obvious but I still love the author’s writing style and how her characters are so real and believable.
March 31, 2019
I listened on BorrowBox excellent service from Hertfordshire Libraries. Didn’t know the Actor reading but it was so right for this book - Joe Jameson. Set on the Isle of Wight during the hot summer of 1976.
July 21, 2019
Sometimes a book comes along that is just a gentle, intriguing story with likeable characters. This book is just that in the backdrop of that famous hot dry summer of 1976. I read Glasshopper years ago, and enjoyed that too so this author is on my list for more must reads.
July 27, 2021
Read this as an holidaying on the IOW and was one of very few books I could find set here. Not my usual kind of book and nothing really happened but it was an amusing enough story to get to the end of. Perhaps better if you remember the summer of 76.
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