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Abigail Summer

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Colette. You Don't Have to Say You Love Me: Adventure Romance (Sunset Over Lihou Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Abigail Summer (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.4 92 ratings

Book 1 of 2: Sunset Over Lihou

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1960s island romance.

When nineteen-year-old boatbuilder, Colin, is offered a new job in Guernsey, he doesn’t expect to become a girl. But he hasn’t counted on unconventional boatyard boss’ wife, Leanne.

Theirs is no ordinary attraction. In supporting Colin to become Colette, Leanne is confronted with her own conflicted physical needs. Even in the sexually liberated sixties, falling for a transgender woman might be seen as taboo. Together the pair embark on a rollercoaster adventure of love, despair, and rock ‘n’ roll.

Then Colette falls for kindly, down-to-earth George, and both women’s lives are thrown into turmoil. Torn between George and Leanne, it takes an unexpected turn of events to force Colette’s hand.

Tessa Barrie, author:
A transgender romance that is so much more than just a love story. It took my emotions on a roller coaster ride. I laughed, as Abigail weaves in a degree of humour, but I cried more, as the emotional struggles facing the nineteen-year-old main character play out. I can’t wait to read the second novel in this series.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07M792ZM1
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sutton Books (January 6, 2019)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 6, 2019
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3007 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 278 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #1,190,488 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #357 in LGBTQ+ Anthologies & Collections
- #892 in LGBTQ+ Literary Fiction (Kindle Store)
- #1,206 in Transgender Romance

Customer Reviews:
4.4 92 ratings

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Abigail Summer

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Born in Suffolk in the United Kingdom, Abigail Summer now lives in a small village in the north of France with her husband Alex. After retirement, she honed her storytelling by writing stage scripts performed by a local drama group in a converted barn theatre on their property.

In her teenage years, she lived and worked on the British Channel Island of Guernsey, where she made many wonderful friends with whom she shared the magic of the late 1960s. It seemed only right that her debut novel should be set in that time, and on that beautiful Isle. Book two in the Sunset Over Lihou series is set both in Norfolk on the UK mainland and in Guernsey.

As a long-time supporter of the right of individuals to be respected and loved, regardless of their sex, gender, or sexuality, she decided that her adventure romance series, Sunset Over Lihou, should have a transgender main character.

You can contact Abigail by visiting her Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/SunsetOverLihou/

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5

92 global ratings

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Debbie Ballard

A beautiful romance that touches the heart.

Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2020

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This was a beautiful and complete story that was delightful to read. The plot was interesting, with wonderful twists. The timeline of the late 60s seemed anachronistic to my American mind. The Stonewall riots were in 69, and transgender women were treated like criminals. Of course beck then transgender wasn't the term used. Transsexuals had to go to Sweden and in the USA most couldn't afford it, so they lived as drag queens.

This book however is very real! It captures the emotions and turmoil of love in the 60s and 70s. It captures the subtleties of being bisexual and transgender, of love, of pain, of heartache, and of love that transcends selfish desires. The characters are real, multidimensional, and believable.

This has been one of the most beautiful stories I've read in a long time. I was moved touched, and inspired.

Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2019

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wish it had a ending or another book but it was a great story

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commentator

The ride of a lifetime

Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2019

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If you've ever ridden a roller coaster you will recall the clanking sound as the cars are pulled to the top of the ride. The top - at that moment you're committed. There's no going back.. And so it is for Colin. If he knew the ride he would be taking would he have done things differently? The author doesn't give us a choice. We are as committed as Colin to his life's ride. The freedom as gravity takes over and sends Colin plunging down that first time on!y to rise as Colette is invigorating. Colette plunges into her new life and we are taken along for the ride. You don't have to say you love it . . . but you will.

3 people found this helpful

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William J.

Collette: A love story for the 21st century

Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2019

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Collette: You Don't Have to Say You Love Me is a novel of an innocent past, the 1960s in England, Guernsey, actually. The plot is not realism, but it has sound characters and it is full of love, hope, tragedy, redemption, and it will make you cry. Although the setting is the past, the issues---transgender love---is today when trans people struggle for recognition from society and love from those close to them....without blame or condemnation. Read it. You will cry and you will cheer for Collette!

One person found this helpful

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Shannon

Beautiful story

Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2020

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Fair warning this will leave you crying at the end. I was blubbering like a baby the last few chapters. Beautiful story overall. The pacing was pretty good and I really liked the characters. I didn't see it ending the way it did but I'm glad because I liked the ending. I stayed up way too late because I couldn't put it down after a while. I hope to see more like this from the author.

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Suzette Antoine

What a wonderful surprise!

Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2019

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I am so happy I found this book. I didn’t know what to expect but found a touching, emotional and amazing story. Colette feels so real to me and I am old enough to reminisce and enjoy the 60s era and the seeds of change from that time. I am looking forward to future chapters in Colette’s journey along with the wonderful characters that are a part of her life.

One person found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Share the journey.

Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2019

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I wrote a long-ish glowing review, then accidentally brushed my screen and it vanished. So for my second, weary attempt, I will simply say, take the plunge. Dive into this tale and spend a year, half-century ago, with these captivating people. Even after finishing, the feelings of the time spent with these characters lingers. Like after the best of holidays.

One person found this helpful

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Dan Moore

THANK YOU ABIGAIL!

Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2019

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I was really pleased with this touching story. Finally a trans woman living the ups and downs of life. Also I'm glad there wasn't detailed sex as in too many LGBTQ stories but enough to get the idea. Thank you for a wonderful story.

One person found this helpful

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Rachael P.

A wonderful and perfect romance.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 11, 2023

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The novel is set in 1967 and 68, in Guernsey. Nineteen-year old Colin is recruited by Leanne and her husband James to work in their boatyard. Leanne quickly spots that Colin has a deeply repressed feminine side: she helps him realise that and then act on it. Very quickly, Colin becomes Colette, and discovers that she is attracted to men, while also forming an ever-deeper relationship with Leanne. The novel follows Colette as she comes to terms with her gender and sexuality, and navigates between Leanne's desire for a soulmate, and fellow boatbuilder George's more straightforward sexual attraction. Colette is also a guitarist, singer-songwriter and artist: she gets involved with a band, and rock provides a steady background to the story.

The real background however is provided by Guernsey itself. Abigail Summers was there, and it shows in her writing, including some beautifully lyrical descriptions of the docks in St Peters Port, in the days before container shipping; sunset over the island of Lihou from L'Eree on the west coast; and a sailing trip to Sark. Abigail Summers draws her characters with a light touch - we learn at least as much about them through their deeds as from what we are told of their thoughts. We also get a clear sense of a small and closed community, in which news spreads quickly, and it is impossible to keep a secret for long. And everybody smokes, all the time, everywhere.

At the time of the novel, gay sex was illegal, trans people could not legally change gender or get married, and there were extremely limited NHS support services. I do find it surprising, given our own time's polarisation in the "Trans wars" that Colette would have found such a supportive environment, although the support is by no means universal. But a novel is by definition a work of fiction, and does not have to be historically accurate in order to tell a good story, which this is. Because at root this is a love story, with more ups and downs than it seems possible to fit into 270-odd pages. Most transwomen would envy the speed and simplicity with which Colette transtions and is (largely) accepted as a woman, but the emotional roller coaster more than compensates.

This is a lovely, gentle romance. At one level it really doesn't matter -- either to us, or it seems to the characters -- whether the protagonist is Colin or Colette. She/he has both male and female lovers. There is sex, but at the Mills & Boon level - there is nothing even slightly pornographic about it, although as in the author's disclaimer, the characters are drawn as real people and use real people's language. The unexpected ending is a real tear-jerker. _Collette: You don't have to say you love me_ is a wonderful and almost perfect book. Five stars. I don't know whether to launch straight in to the sequel, or to save it to savour, like the icing on a cake.

Renesanze

Love of the soul

Reviewed in Australia on October 8, 2019

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This is a book of how people can accept others if you start to accept yourself first wonderfully written thank you

Amy Lou

What I didn't know!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 1, 2022

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I have a large collection of books set in Guernsey and ordered this book when I saw Lihou Island (a place well worth visiting) mentioned in the title. I had no idea it was an LGBT novel, so this was a first for me. You Don't Have to Say You Love Me (Sunset Over Lihou Book 1) is well written and researched and with realistic dialogue. Having lived on the island, the author lends the story a welcome air of authenticity.

Amazon Customer

Sweet mostly believable story

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 16, 2019

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I really enjoyed the sweet story and while it definitely painted a more positive scene than took place in reality, it doesn't stretch reality too much to be believable.

I loved the appearance of bisexual characters as many stories only have either straight or gay characters.

Overall I loved the story and hope the author writes more of the same.

Michael Chartres

A read which keeps you turning the pages

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 17, 2021

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When I first started reading I wondered if I would get past the first chapter but it is very well written with an interesting and compelling story line. I am now going to get started on Book 2.

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Sunset Over Lihou series by Abigail Summer.

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Abigail Summer

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