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Just for the Summer
Every July, the lucky owners of Cornish holiday homes set off for their annual break. Loading their estate cars with dogs, cats, casefuls of wine, difficult adolescents and rebellious toddlers, they close up their desirable semis in smartish London suburbs - having turned off the Aga and turned on the burglar alarm - and look forward to a carefree, restful, somehow more fulfilling summer.
Clare is, this year, more than usually ready for her holiday. Her teenage daughter, Miranda, has been behaving strangely; her husband, Jack, is harbouring unsettling thoughts of a change in lifestyle; her small children are being particularly tiresome; and she herself is contemplating a bit of extra-marital adventure, possibly with Eliot, the successful - although undeniably heavy-drinking and overweight - author in the adjoining holiday property. Meanwhile Andrew, the only son of elderly parents, is determined that this will be the summer when he will seduce Jessica, Eliot's nubile daughter. But Jessica spends her time in girl-talk with Miranda, while Milo, her handsome brother with whom Andrew longs to be friends, seems more interested in going sailing with the young blond son of the club commodore.
Unexpected disasters occur, revelations are made and, as the summer ends, real life will never be quite the same again.
Clare is, this year, more than usually ready for her holiday. Her teenage daughter, Miranda, has been behaving strangely; her husband, Jack, is harbouring unsettling thoughts of a change in lifestyle; her small children are being particularly tiresome; and she herself is contemplating a bit of extra-marital adventure, possibly with Eliot, the successful - although undeniably heavy-drinking and overweight - author in the adjoining holiday property. Meanwhile Andrew, the only son of elderly parents, is determined that this will be the summer when he will seduce Jessica, Eliot's nubile daughter. But Jessica spends her time in girl-talk with Miranda, while Milo, her handsome brother with whom Andrew longs to be friends, seems more interested in going sailing with the young blond son of the club commodore.
Unexpected disasters occur, revelations are made and, as the summer ends, real life will never be quite the same again.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 6, 1994
35 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
About the author
Judy Astley
37 books55 followersJudy Astley started writing in 1990 following several years of working as a dressmaker, illustrator, painter and parent. Her sixteen novels, the most recent of which are Laying The Ghost and Other People¹s Husbands, are all published by Transworld/Black Swan. Judy¹s specialist areas, based on many years of hectic personal experience, are domestic disharmony and family chaos with a good mix of love-and-passion and plenty of humour thrown in. Judy has been a regular columnist on magazines and enjoys writing journalism pieces on just about any subject, usually from a fun viewpoint. She lives in London and Cornwall, loves plants, books, hot sunshine and rock music (all at once, preferably) and would happily claim that listening in to other people¹s conversations is both a top hobby and an absolute career-necessity
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 26, 2025
Lo he dejado y retomado tantísimas veces…
Aburrido, superficial, no profundiza en nada, no he simpatizado con un solo personaje. Hay sucesos que se sienten forzados, no contribuyen a la trama.
Aburrido, superficial, no profundiza en nada, no he simpatizado con un solo personaje. Hay sucesos que se sienten forzados, no contribuyen a la trama.
June 27, 2018
Not the best of books, a little shallow I felt. The story follows 3 families who have summer homes in Cornwall, at times it was rather like being a voyeur looking in on the lives of these people, and watching them fall apart and come back together again more or less in the space of one summer. Unfortunately none of the characters were very nice, I could not emphasize with any of them, they all came across as spoilt and selfish and unlikeable, I didn’t even like the cleaner who just came across as bitter. Even the Cornish village itself was not painted in the best of lights. If you were thinking of buying a summer home in Cornwall this book might put you off! Having said all that I did want to read on and find out what happened to this miserable lot, it was an easy read but a bit like watching a car crash, you just keep on looking when there must be better things to do instead. Not one I think I can recommend.
September 4, 2023
Oh my what a delightful trainwreck
If you love Brit Lit then this is a must read. Three families who own summer homes in a beautiful seaside village sounds quaint and lovely right? Nope this is one big train wreck as each family has it's own drama. Characters are not likeable but then again they aren't meant to be. Several laugh out loud moments. Reminiscent of a Liane Moriarty novel.
If you love Brit Lit then this is a must read. Three families who own summer homes in a beautiful seaside village sounds quaint and lovely right? Nope this is one big train wreck as each family has it's own drama. Characters are not likeable but then again they aren't meant to be. Several laugh out loud moments. Reminiscent of a Liane Moriarty novel.
August 6, 2019
3.5 stars
July 4, 2020
It was an okay read but won't be rushing to read another of Judy's books.
February 17, 2012
This book is a real favourite of mine and even though it’s not new, I felt it deserved a mention, especially now Christmas is past and we start wondering about where our summer holiday will take us this year. I have both the paperback version, well read, and very dog-eared, and as it’s almost fallen apart, I have recently bought it on Kindle.
As you get to know the three main families in this book you can’t help but smile as you know that ‘their’ situations are going on all around you in real life. They are all fairly comfortably off, middle class families and although they live reasonably closely to each other in London, they only meet up when they are on holiday. They are the ‘second homers’ as opposed to regular tourists renting cottages/houses and as such are tolerated by the villagers rather than liked. Although they attempt to be part of village life, they really just stick together and bring all of their ‘up country’ snobberies with them.
I love the humour in this book and have giggled away happily even though I’ve read it several times now. The characters are very ‘real’ and you either love them or hate them! Not many of us have the luxury of spending an entire six weeks away on holiday but these families do and over the course of their summer we see their issues and angst over varying situations all come to a head.
Judy Astley, the author, lives in both London and Cornwall and her knowledge and understanding of both the area and the local cultural differences comes across well and I for one am transported down to Cornwall in my mind very quickly when reading this. It probably helps that I love Cornwall very much and go there often too! This book is delightfully funny and one to add to the holiday pile, wherever you may be planning to journey this year!
Verdict: A wonderful, light-hearted and enjoyable summer read!
Lesley: http://bigbooklittlebook.blogspot.com
As you get to know the three main families in this book you can’t help but smile as you know that ‘their’ situations are going on all around you in real life. They are all fairly comfortably off, middle class families and although they live reasonably closely to each other in London, they only meet up when they are on holiday. They are the ‘second homers’ as opposed to regular tourists renting cottages/houses and as such are tolerated by the villagers rather than liked. Although they attempt to be part of village life, they really just stick together and bring all of their ‘up country’ snobberies with them.
I love the humour in this book and have giggled away happily even though I’ve read it several times now. The characters are very ‘real’ and you either love them or hate them! Not many of us have the luxury of spending an entire six weeks away on holiday but these families do and over the course of their summer we see their issues and angst over varying situations all come to a head.
Judy Astley, the author, lives in both London and Cornwall and her knowledge and understanding of both the area and the local cultural differences comes across well and I for one am transported down to Cornwall in my mind very quickly when reading this. It probably helps that I love Cornwall very much and go there often too! This book is delightfully funny and one to add to the holiday pile, wherever you may be planning to journey this year!
Verdict: A wonderful, light-hearted and enjoyable summer read!
Lesley: http://bigbooklittlebook.blogspot.com
July 1, 2015
You know when you read a really awful book *cough* The Shakespeare Secret *cough* and then you just read some fluff and it's more amazing that you could have thought it would be.
The people in this book are people I'm not fond of, middle class people buying second homes that make it impossible for anyone of the working class to buy a home in the area they were brought up in. But despite this, they all made a wonderful soap opera and I was thoroughly entertained.
I would write more but it's the hottest day the UK has seen in 9 years and sitting here is uncomfortable. If you are looking for a book to sweat out the heat with, you wouldn't go wrong with this one.
The people in this book are people I'm not fond of, middle class people buying second homes that make it impossible for anyone of the working class to buy a home in the area they were brought up in. But despite this, they all made a wonderful soap opera and I was thoroughly entertained.
I would write more but it's the hottest day the UK has seen in 9 years and sitting here is uncomfortable. If you are looking for a book to sweat out the heat with, you wouldn't go wrong with this one.
July 18, 2012
This was a fairly good, quick read.
The story follows three families while they stay in their summer homes by the sea for the season. The characters were fairly simple and I didn't particularly like or dislike any of them. I found that I wasn't that interested in what happened to them...
The story was uncomplicated and reasonably entertaining. I can't really get too enthusiastic about it to be honest, it was ok and filled a few hours.
The story follows three families while they stay in their summer homes by the sea for the season. The characters were fairly simple and I didn't particularly like or dislike any of them. I found that I wasn't that interested in what happened to them...
The story was uncomplicated and reasonably entertaining. I can't really get too enthusiastic about it to be honest, it was ok and filled a few hours.
September 30, 2015
Judy Astley has done it again! Just for the summer is all about the family holidays that we have all experienced at one point in our lives. Set in Cornwall the story tells of a families 6 week school holiday at their second home. It involves teenage romances, wild parties and some major flirting on behalf of the main character.A light harted and witty, easy reading book. Well worth a read!
September 15, 2012
Another one I'd like to give an extra half star to and make it a three and a half. Just For The Summer is one of those books that you read with a smile on your face, a cute enjoyable read with a good dose of funny bits. (And I love the picture of the village on the cover.....)
September 22, 2013
A fun quick read which I would have given an extra half to if I could have done. Have the sequel to read now.
August 29, 2014
Enjoyable book about 3 families on holiday in Cornwall one summer, and the antics they get up.
Nice reasonably light hearted holiday reading.
Nice reasonably light hearted holiday reading.
May 2, 2015
Brilliant. Lots of references to Devon which is where I'm from.
August 27, 2016
Found it a slog
September 17, 2011
Read in 1994
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews