A summer filled with unexpected adventure and revelations

Synopsis

A Summer of Castles. A secret in ruins.

At the beginning of the sultry 2003 English summer, Robyn Yates quits her job to photograph fifteen castles for a man she’s never met. A man who won’t tell her his real name. 

What motivates her is an unusual ability she can’t explain nor understand. Somebody does though and is keen to exploit her secret.

But Robyn isn’t alone on her journey. An artist is painting pictures of the same castles. Wherever she goes, so does he, like a stalker. But is he dangerous? And could this man be the same person who wants her photographs? 

She decides to challenge him, never anticipating that the confrontation will change the path of both of their lives.

The stifling summer will eventually end, but will Robyn find out the truth in time?

My review

In 2003, Robyn Yates gets to fulfil partly her dreams, even if it comes in a strange way. She has always dreamed of visiting the castles of England.
So what does it matter if she has never met the man who wants her to photograph fifteen castles? Or that she doesn’t even know his name?
But it’s not only her dream that makes her accept the job, but also her unusual ability, that gets triggered at each place she visits.
While she expected to be alone on her journey, it becomes clear that an artist is following the same route. Is he following her? And is he dangerous? Or has he received likewise instructions?
Little does Robyn know that confronting him will make sure that her summer is unforgettable and that both their lives will change forever.

I always had a fascination for castles and having a story where the main character is going to visit not one, but fifteen castles, for sure it had my interest!
Add that we are in England, and it was even better!

Although, I have to admit, that the blurb of the book took my imagination a whole different direction than the actual story took.
I thought it would be a darker story, as Robyn finds herself being followed. And in those first chapters, it would really appear that the artist was not a genuine person.
But the more the story progressed, the more I realized that this is not that kind of story, and I was happy with the direction of the book.

I have to admit, that Robyn’s ability is not something I truly believe in. I believe, as in a book, that Robyn truly has this ability and that it’s not just an overactive imagination. So for in a book I can accept it, but if someone in real life would tell me about it, I would be sceptical…

Also, I wouldn’t know if I would accept the job like Robyn and Joseph did, without more information, just to follow the itinerary, send over what’s requested, but not knowing who you are actually working for.
But that is also the charm of the book, trying to figure out what is truly going on, and how Robyn and Joseph are both lined by the same person (or not?).

Both main characters have their own issues, and are trying to find their own spot in the world, literally and figuratively speaking. But it was also lovely to see how they are bonding together and are able to feel at ease with each other. Of course, there has to be some misunderstandings between them, that is mandatory!

With visiting each castle, I found myself using Google to understand better how the characters would feel with seeing the place.
it made me feel closer to them as I could see myself what they were seeing.

The further along in the story I found myself, the more curious I got about the main purpose of this journey. Obviously, there was a scheme of bringing Robyn and Joseph together, but in this story, it’s not until the end that all the pieces of the puzzle fall together.
And even if at moments it seemed a bit farfetched, I could appreciate the efforts someone would go for their beloved ones.

The author shows us with this tale that sometimes the most unexpected journeys takes us to unexpected places and let us meet unexpected people. But also that one unexpected thing can bring us the thing we were missing the most in our lives, love, acceptance, family and belonging.