Five-Star Summer by Sarah Morgan Review: A Warm, Witty, and Uplifting Read

Five-Star Summer is a heartwarming tale of friendship, family, romance, and fresh starts set against the charm of Cornwall.

Summary:

When Evie Hamilton takes on the challenge of restoring a once-prestigious Cornish hotel, she quickly realizes that determination alone may not be enough, especially with a meddlesome staff and mounting pressures. Help arrives in the form of Abby Jones, a temporary employee sent by the hotel’s parent company, who hopes to build a friendship with Evie while secretly pursuing her own personal mission in Cornwall. As their lives become intertwined, the arrival of Abby sparks change throughout the community, bringing together a charismatic chef, a gruff pub owner, and others who are searching for fresh starts. But as hidden truths come to light, Evie and Abby must decide whether they are willing to dismantle the lives they know in order to rebuild not only the hotel’s reputation, but also their own futures.

My Thoughts:

I’ve come to expect heartwarming stories filled with friendship, family, and memorable characters from Sarah Morgan, and Five-Star Summer delivered exactly that. With its charming Cornwall setting, engaging cast, and touches of humour throughout, it also solidified Morgan as an auto-read author for me. This book has also been published under the title Brave New Summer in the U.K.

Evie Hamilton is temporarily running a struggling five-star Cornish hotel while her boss is away, determined to restore it to its former glory despite plenty of obstacles standing in her way. Chief among them is a staff who have known her since childhood and spend almost as much time gossiping as they do working. Their constant meddling and matchmaking antics provide some of the funniest moments in the book and had me smiling more than once.

When Abby Jones arrives at the hotel on assignment from her mother, the head of the company that owns the property, she’s supposed to quietly observe operations and report back without revealing who she really is. Instead, she quickly forms a genuine friendship with Evie and falls in love with both Cornwall and its close-knit community. As the story unfolds, romance begins to blossom for more than one character, but it’s the evolving friendships and family relationships that give the novel its emotional heart.

One of my favourite aspects of the book was the way Sarah Morgan layered in family dynamics alongside the hotel storyline. These relationships added depth to the characters and made their personal journeys feel authentic and rewarding. The blend of friendship, romance, humour, and self-discovery created an uplifting story that was difficult to put down.

The Narration:

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Henrietta Meire, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. She brings each character to life with distinct voices and seamlessly switches between British and American accents, making it easy to follow the cast and become immersed in the story.

Final Thoughts:

Warm, funny, and full of heart, Five-Star Summer is a delightful escape that celebrates friendship, found family, second chances, and the courage to embrace change.