In The Summer Seekers, her seventh standalone novel, British author Sarah Morgan weaves together the lives and tentative hopes of three very different women. After fending off an intruder with a cast-iron skillet, octogenarian Kathleen--a former travel show host--decides she's had enough of sitting at home. Her hyper-organized daughter, Liza, tries to convince Kathleen to move to assisted living, but Kathleen does the opposite: she hires a young woman to drive her on a road trip across the U.S.
Never one for showing or exploring her emotions, Kathleen has always preferred to be on the move, traveling often for business and pleasure even when Liza was young. Liza herself, worn down by the constant demands of work and parenting teenage twins, has always longed for a closer connection with her mother, but doesn't know where to start. And Martha, Kathleen's driver, is escaping a bad breakup, while hoping she can fake confidence behind the wheel until she figures out how to drive. As the summer goes on, all three women learn more about themselves--thanks in part to Liza's discovery of a stack of letters that hold clues to Kathleen's past--than they ever expected.
Morgan's breezy writing style draws readers in immediately, and her wisecracking dialogue entertains while providing insights into her characters' thoughts. Kathleen and Martha have their share of road-trip adventures, but it's Liza who is most surprised by her mother's calls back home. Warm, funny and often insightful, The Summer Seekers is a satisfying dose of escapism with plenty of heart. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams