“CHILBURY is the PERFECT summer read!” a reader messaged me yesterday, sending this glorious photograph; what a delightful way to spend the summer!
Well, that started me thinking about how crucial it is to have a brilliant read while away; not only does it make the moment shine, but it rounds off the entire vacation with that magical feeling of escape, taking you into a different world.
It was with this in mind that I sat down and worked out the five core features on the perfect summer book:
1. It needs a beautiful, quintessentially fascinating location, both in place and time
2. It needs to look deeply into human relationships; how others impact our lives
3. It needs to delve into people’s pasts; how the details and the big stuff affect our present
4. It needs to deliver a core message; bring me something that changes the way I look at the world
5. It needs a gripping plot, and a happy ending!
Whatever you’re reading, I wish you a wonderful summer, with plenty of great escapes.