Fresh out of university and right on the precipice of adulthood, El is trying her best to figure out what she really wants from life. This is complicated by the fact that she is also dealing with the loss of her father, Martin. After his sudden death, El inherits and moves into his home just outside Tavistock, in the Devon countryside. Her stepbrother, Will, comes to help her through her grief and to go through her father’s belongings. As El spends time in her father’s home, she uncovers more about his life, and the secrets he had been keeping from her and her family. This includes mysterious messages on his phone from someone El suspects may have been more than just a friendly acquaintance.

A busy mom of twins, Liv is looking forward to a week at the Beach Hut --- even if she feels that something is not right between her and Matt. She's sure he's just too busy at work to join them on their summer holiday, not that he wants time alone. Baz, her father-in-law, loves having his family stay by the sea. But when an unexpected guest arrives, he finds himself torn between the past and the future. Still reeling from a breakup, all Sofia wants is a quiet summer --- until she meets Baz, and her plans are turned upside down. And back home, Matt might be missing Liv and the children, but when an old friend appears, he finds himself distracted. What does she know about his family's past that she's not letting on?

When Tim confides in Mattie that he needs a sabbatical from work and a fresh place to live, she suggests he move into one of the cottages at her family's home in the beautiful English countryside. As he gets to know the warm jumble of family who share their lives, Tim discovers that everyone there has their secrets. There's Kat, a retired ballet dancer who longs to take the stage again; Charlotte, a young navy wife struggling to bring up her son while her husband is at sea; and William, who has tried hard to get over his estranged wife --- though it's much harder now that she's trying to move into the cottage Tim just occupied. And, even when she's far away, Tim knows there's Mattie. Can he open up to her? Would it matter if he did?

As summer beckons, Evie’s family gathers once more at the beautiful old riverside house they all adore. But when Evie discovers a secret that threatens their future, a shadow falls over them all: this summer by the river could be their last together. For Charlie, a visit home to see stepmother Evie is an escape from his unhappy marriage in London. Until a chance encounter changes everything: in the space of a moment, he meets a woman by the river, falls in love, and his two worlds collide. As Evie and Charlie struggle to keep their secrets safe, they long for the summer to never end. Can the happiness of one summer last forever?

For years, Marcia Willett has touched readers with her poignant novels about the intricacies of friendship and family. Now, in THE SUMMER HOUSE, she explores the secrets that families keep, and the decisions, made in an instant, that can change our lives.