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On her thirtieth birthday, Gwendolyn Reese receives an unexpected present from her widowed Aunt Bea: a grand tour of Europe in the company of Bea's Sudoku and Mah-jongg Club. The prospect isn't entirely appealing. But when the gift she is expecting -- an engagement ring from her boyfriend -- doesn't materialize, Gwen decides to go. At first, Gwen approaches the trip as if it's the math homework she assigns her students, diligently checking monuments off her must-see list. But amid the bougainvillea and stunning vistas of southern Italy, something changes. Gwen begins to live in the moment: skipping down stone staircases in Capri, running her fingers over a glacier in view of the Matterhorn, racing through the Louvre, and taste-testing pastries at a Marseilles cafe. Revelling in every new experience -- especially her attraction to a charismatic British physics professor -- Gwen discovers that the ancient wonders around her are nothing compared to the renaissance unfolding within...
"Brant's newest...distinguishes itself with a charismatic leading man and very funny supporting cast, especially the wonderful elderly characters with their resonant message about living life to the fullest." ~ Publishers Weekly
"Brant's charming and engaging tale will allow readers to immerse themselves in the magic and beauty of Europe along with the characters. Although the descriptions of the scenery are amazing, the development of the characters and their unique personalities are what really make this novel shine. What an enjoyable escape!" ~ Romantic Times
**A SUMMER IN EUROPE is a Literary Guild and a Rhapsody Book Club Featured Alternate Selection for December 2011**
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"How I wish I were on this European tour with Marilyn Brant's winsome, wonderful characters. I loved every minute of this delightful novel, from the breathtaking sights to the deliciously described food to the thrilling new experiences." --Melissa Senate, bestselling author of The Love Goddess' Cooking School
"A Summer in Europe is Brant's best book yet. A thinking woman's love story, it swept me away to breathtaking places with a cast of endearing characters I won't soon forget. Bravissima!" --Susan McBride, author of Little Black Dress
"Marilyn Brant has done it again: she has crafted a warm and wise novel filled with characters that live on in your imagination. Make sure your passport is in order. After reading A Summer in Europe you'll want to book your flight immediately!" --Laura Moore, author of Remember Me
"Brant's newest...distinguishes itself with a charismatic leading man and very funny supporting cast, especially the wonderful elderly characters with their resonant message about living life to the fullest." --Publishers Weekly
"Brant's charming and engaging tale will allow readers to immerse themselves in the magic and beauty of Europe along with the characters. Although the descriptions of the scenery are amazing, the development of the characters and their unique personalities are what really make this novel shine. What an enjoyable escape!" --Romantic Times
From the Author
**A SUMMER IN EUROPE is a Literary Guild and Rhapsody Book Club Featured Alternate Selection for December 2011!**
Marilyn Brant is a national bestselling and award-winning author of contemporary fiction. She wrote ACCORDING TO JANE, the story of a modern woman who receives dating advice from the spirit of Jane Austen (October 2009); FRIDAY MORNINGS AT NINE, a tale about three suburban moms, their marriages and what happens a decade or two after the "Happily Ever After" (a Doubleday Book Club and Book-of-the-Month Club pick in 2010); and A SUMMER IN EUROPE, a novel about a woman's journey of self discovery as she travels through Europe with her adventurous aunt's Sudoku & Mahjongg Club (a Literary Guild and BOMC2 featured alternate in 2011, and a Rhapsody Book Club Top 20 Bestseller in "Fiction & Literature" in 2012), all women's fiction releases from Kensington Books.
She's also a #1 Kindle Bestseller and has written a series of fun and flirty contemporary romantic comedies, available as original ebooks. The first of these, ON ANY GIVEN SUNDAE, was released in June 2011 and was a Top 100 Bestseller on both Barnes & Noble and Amazon. The second, DOUBLE DIPPING, came out in September 2011 and was a 2012 International Digital Awards Finalist for Best Contemporary Novel. Her next ebook releases included HOLIDAY MAN in November 2012 and PRIDE, PREJUDICE AND THE PERFECT MATCH in January 2013, which was a bestselling Kindle title in "Single Women's Fiction" and "Humor."
As a former teacher, library staff member, freelance magazine writer and national book reviewer for Romantic Times, Marilyn has spent much of her life lost in literature. She received her M.A. in educational psychology from Loyola University Chicago, dabbled in both fiction and art at Northwestern University, studied the works of Austen at Oxford University and is an active member of the Jane Austen Society of North America. Her debut novel won RWA's prestigious Golden Heart Award® in 2007 and a number of awards since -- including the Single Titles Reviewers' Choice, the Booksellers' Best and the Aspen Gold.
Marilyn lives in the northern Chicago suburbs with her family, but she also hangs out online at her blog "Brant Flakes." When she isn't rereading Jane's books or enjoying the latest releases by her writer friends, she's working on her next novel, eating chocolate indiscriminately and hiding from the laundry.
I've thoroughly enjoyed all of Brant's books, but this is my favorite. I got to travel through Europe vicariously with Gwen, the main character, seeing the sights, eating the food, and interacting with her aunt and her aunt's S&M friends (Sudoku and Mah-jongg). They're colorful characters, and Gwen is the onlooker, taking everything in but not giving herself fully to life. The book is about Gwen's transformation, and part of this comes about because of a man who's the most colorful character in the book.
But what I loved most about the book is Brant's prose. Her first book was According to Jane, in which the main character has Jane Austen giving her advice. Perhaps Brant channeled a bit of Jane herself. Her prose is Austen-like - observing, witty and charming - making this a joy to read.
A Summer in Europe", by Marilyn Brant, is a beautifully written story of a young woman's self-renaissance. As Gwendolyn Reese turns thirty and contemplates her life experiences, she considers the orderly manner in which she goes through each day to be her safety net. Her mother's sudden death at age forty had left Gwen shaken and in need of the pedestrian reliability of a structured existence. With her mother's passing, Gwen assumed the responsibility of caring for her father and two younger brothers. Later, she finds some sense of satisfaction in her teaching career, and her love of music is a source of pleasure. Expecting her boyfriend, Richard, to propose, she is taken aback when he postpones making the commitment. Gwen's lively Aunt Bea, sister of Gwen's late mother, offers her a chance of a lifetime--to join her and the members of her S&M Club for a summer-long tour of Europe. "S&M" stands for sudoku and mahjongg, and Aunt Bea and her friends are die-hard devotees of the games. At first, Gwen feels awkward and out-of-place, intimidated by the timeless culture of her surroundings and the intellect and sophistication of some of the fellow travelers she meets along the way. However, as time passes, Gwen begins to absorb the sights and sounds and tastes and textures of each place that they visit. The more she takes in, the lighter she begins to feel, shedding the repression of her inhibitions. Her attention is captured and held by two charming and intelligent brothers, Emerson and Thoreau, whose main goal in life seems to be one-upping each other at every opportunity. It is Emerson to whom she is most drawn, and when he makes it clear that he returns her interest, her emotions take an unexpected turn.... Still involved with Richard, she is not free to begin a relationship with Emerson, but her heart speaks a different language. When Richard unexpectedly joins her near the end of her grand tour, she must face her real feelings about life and love. Will she learn to let go and take a leap of faith, or will she return to the known comfort of the cocoon of her orderly world? The author's great love of Europe and her extensive travels there are evident in her delightful, irresistible descriptions of the beauty and bountiful offerings to be found throughout the European continent. The subtle, insightful way with which Marilyn Brant has crafted Gwen's story will make you feel as if you are experiencing everything right beside Gwen. You will breathe the air, inhale the intoxicating aromas, and be enchanted by the art and music and flow of languages. You will taste all the fantastic flavors of gelato, savor the linguine with meat sauce and the variety of quiches, and feel lust in your heart for the fabulous pastries and artisan chocolates. Perhaps the Sachertorte will be your undoing. A layered chocolate cake is filled with apricot jam, coated in chocolate ganache, and then finished with a chocolate glaze. The flavors are then immeasurably enhanced by the giving and receiving of forkfuls of said cake between two people caught up in the spell of the love of a lifetime. Like me, you may never see your travel dreams come to fruition, but thanks to Marilyn Brant, you will always have the pleasure of "A Summer in Europe".
Those who loved Marilyn Brant's earlier books (ACCORDING TO JANE and FRIDAY MORNINGS AT NINE) are sure to adore A SUMMER IN EUROPE. It's her best book to date, and I was swept away to breathtaking places with a lively and endearing cast of characters I won't soon forget. SUMMER is definitely a thinking woman's love story, one I devoured as if it were creamy Italian gelato. In summary, bravissima!
A SUMMER IN EUROPE by Marilyn Brant is the perfect Holiday read. Wait a minute, you're saying to yourself. Did you just say "A Summer in Europe" is a perfect Holiday read?? Why, yes, my friends, I did.
Protagonist Gwen Reese likes things a certain way. From her bran cereal to her boyfriend to her exercise routine, she likes order and stability. Her Aunt Bea, however, does not. So when Gwen's straight-laced boyfriend suggests they take a break, Gwen reluctantly takes Bea up on an offer of a month-long vacation in Europe. And that is where our love story begins.
It's a great romance, filled with all the usual things accompanying first loves. Quickening pulses, fluttering heartbeats, uncontrollable smiles, but this love affair is one between Gwen and her life. Gwen's voyage of self-discovery is one we've all taken at one time or another. It is the moment we all come to when you have to look deep within yourself and ask: Who the hell am I? What do I want? What kind of person do I really want to be? And as with us, this is when Gwen really begins to live her life.
The author first gives us a glimpse of her love of Europe and travels there in the Acknowledgement, and, in the novel, you will see it seep from the pages. In her sweeping descriptions, you can almost feel the street beneath your feet, the wind on your face, the excitement of new discovery around every corner.
And, as with all Marilyn Brant books, there's the other kind of love story too, this time in the form of a very hot Brit. But, in the end, Gwen's story is all about appreciation. Appreciation of herself, her sometimes crazy family, of others (both good and bad), but mostly appreciation for every moment of life we are given.... And that's something we all need to remember, because it's like Marilyn's book says, 'It's not where you go. It's about what you take back with you."Read more ›
I've never been to Europe in person, but thanks to Ms. Brant, I feel like I have. This book swept me away to wonderful places with beautiful writing that engaged all of my senses. The characters effortlessly brought me along on their journey with dynamic and well-crafted relationships that defy age and experience. I fell in love with them all - but most especially enjoyed the blossoming romance between Gwen and Emerson, the British physics professor who makes her sees things in a whole new way. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and will always think of this book as one of my favorites.
