Book Review: That Last Summer by S.K. Snyder

Reviewed by Victoria Lilly

Thwarted romance, grief confronted, adversity overcome—That Last Summer is a delicious bite of family drama with a frosting of Regency aesthetics.

After a half-frozen young woman is discovered on the grounds of his country estate, Viscount Maxmillian Clavering’s quiet life of ledgers and renovations is turned upside-down. The found girl’s aunt, Madeline Manners, was Max’s mistress five years ago—he had intended to ask for her hand in marriage—and now here she comes again.

As the girl slowly regains strength in the midst of a freezing winter, Max and Madeline dance awkwardly around each other. But their icy exteriors slowly melt away as they are reminded of the last summer they spent together, full of passion and promise. Hesitation and doubts plague them, as Max tries to understand Madeline’s reasons for vanishing despite knowing his feelings and intentions. As they dance, a drama involving their families, old friendships, and scandalous secrets unfurls around them.

That Last Summer’s plot is first and foremost focused on the mysterious circumstances of Max and Madeline’s abortive courtship and the relations between members of their families, while their romance blooms in the background. Luckily, these aspects are the greatest strengths of the book. The cast is a colorful and energetic bunch—overwhelmingly women—and they all have a part to play, sometimes quite unexpected ones. The novella peppers in a great deal of social critique, as Austen’s works often do, addressing the ways women were silenced directly or indirectly and when their voices and desires were inconvenient.

In combination with the story’s limited space, however, this means that the central relationship can feel somewhat underdeveloped. The individual personalities of Max and Madeline are intriguing and fresh enough to sustain the romantic interest, but we may not get enough of it.

Still, rather than the more typical case of a man disappointed in love seeking refuge in vice and carelessness, Max takes responsibility; no womanly intervention is needed to “fix” him. This is an important and likable theme, and so the relationship being set in the background does make sense. While Madeline is in many ways a delicate lady, and often indecisive or reticent, when push comes to shove she displays remarkable determination, strength of character, and a clearness of desire not usually found in the frail type.

And there’s enough mystery, drama, and sweetness at the bottom of the pie to keep you coming for more. Its setting in the snow-covered English countryside provides a most welcome escape from the sweltering heat outside my window right now—a great summer read.

A well-measured pace, a delicious family intrigue, and a noteworthy dedication to historical faithfulness—That Last Summer is a rewarding tribute to Austen’s romances and social critiques, told with passion and warmth. It achieves a lot in its brief page count and demonstrates a commendable dedication to historical detail and style. And there’s enough mystery, drama, and sweetness at the bottom of the pie to keep you coming back for more.

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