[.ca] Summertime (ISBN 0747262225)

From Amazon.co.uk:
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

Didn't want it to end!:
I read this book in 2 days, and wish it took longer because I didn't want it to end! The story revolves around diary entries made by a single mother named Venetia living in Norfolk England with her three children two boys 9& 10--Giles and Felix, and a three year old girl that the author refers to only as The Beauty. Venetia is supported by a fun cast of wacky characters, from her flower power sixties mother to her lovestruck brother I just opened this book and wanted to be part of their world. What I really enjoyed about this book was that they left in all the british words for things, like nappies (diapers) and instead of darn it she would say bugger...etc. For an anglophile like myself I loved that. If you like Bridget Jones's Diary your sure to like Summertime, though it is not a knock-off, but a completely authentic work in its own right. As soon as I finished the book I found out there was a previous book by Mrs. Barker called Hens Dancing, which also features Venetia and the same cast of characters. Just ordered it, and I can't wait for it to arrive!