The Last Summer

A wild, romantic tale of opposites attract . . .

By: Karen Swan

Narrated by: Katie Leung

'Meticulously researched and beautifully told . . . a wonderfully satisfying read' – Santa Montefiore

The Sunday Times Bestselling Historical Fiction

Summer on St Kilda – a wild, remote Scottish island. In the 1930s, two strangers from drastically different worlds meet . . .

Wild-spirited Effie Gillies has lived all her life on the small island of St Kilda. But when Lord Sholto, heir to the Earl of Dumfries, visits, the attraction between them is instant. For one glorious week she guides the handsome young visitor around the isle, falling in love for the first time – until a storm hits and her world falls apart.

Three months later, St Kilda lays silent as the islanders are evacuated for a better life on the mainland. With her friends and family scattered, Effie is surprised to be offered a position working on the Earl’s estate. Sholto is back in her life but their differences now seem insurmountable, even as the simmering tension between them grows . . .

Then, when a shocking discovery is made back on St Kilda, all her dreams for this bright new life are threatened by the dark secrets Effie and her friends thought they had left behind.

Opposites attract in this epic and spellbinding novel, which transports us from the untamed beauty of St Kilda to the glamour and intrigues of high society in the 1930s.

The Last Summer is the first book in the Wild Isle series by Sunday Times bestseller Karen Swan, inspired by the true history of St Kilda and its small island community. It is followed by The Stolen Hours.

'The most exciting, enchanting and evocative story of forbidden love I’ve ever read. I truly loved it' – Cathy Bramley

'Powerful writing and a wonderful premise make this a novel you’ll simultaneously want to savour and race through. I loved it' – Jill Mansell

'A delicious romantic tale of wild 1930s Scotland . . . perfect for everyone dreaming of summer' – Rachel Hore

Critic reviews

A dramatic start to a gripping new series set on the Scottish island of St Kilda. The Last Summer is meticulously researched and beautifully told by one of our most prolific and talented writers. It contains all the ingredients of a wonderfully satisfying read: love, passion, drama, violence, menace and peril, and characters you fall in love with - and some you hate! Happily, this is the start of a series so your longing for more will be fulfilled. (Santa Montefiore, author of An Italian Girl in Brooklyn)

This sweeping love story gripped us from the start, so we can’t wait for the next in the series. Best historical romance of 2022

I so enjoyed The Last Summer by Karen Swan, which provides fascinating details about life on St Kilda prior to the evacuation of its inhabitants from the island. Powerful writing and a wonderful premise make this a novel you’ll simultaneously want to savour and race through. I loved it and can’t wait for the next in the series! (Jill Mansell, author of Should I Tell You?)

The most exciting, enchanting and evocative story of forbidden love I’ve ever read. I truly loved it and am waiting feverishly for the second installment. (Cathy Bramley, author of The Summer That Changed Us)

A delicious romantic tale of wild 1930s Scotland . . . perfect for everyone dreaming of summer (Rachel Hore, author of One Moonlit Night)

A sweeping page-turner with an engrossing love story at its heart, this is an absolute treat for historical fiction fans. Swan is a superb storyteller. I loved it. (Eve Chase, author of The Glass House)

The queen of destination books...exciting...beguiling...The first in a new series, we're already looking forward to meeting these characters again . . .

Vividly drawn and beautifully atmospheric, this is a book to savour.

Wonderfully romantic and epic in feel, this beautiful historical novel is a fascinating and deliciously escapist read (Tasmina Perry, author of Guilty Pleasures and Perfect Strangers)

What a great adventure! The perfect way to tell the tale of the St Kilda's population in fiction form. History fans will love the fascinating St Kilda detail woven throughout this thrilling romance. Wonderful! (Jennifer Ryan, author of The Chilbury Ladies Choir and The Kitchen Front)

A promising new series from Swan . . . The vivid beauty and danger of St. Kilda only enhances Swan’s effortlessly intricate plotting. Toeing the line between romance and historical fiction, this gorgeous story and its unconventional heroine are sure to win hearts.

Good story with great narration

Took me around an hour to get used to Scottish accent. Beautifully narrated though.
Quite slow start of the story, more and more enjoyable later.

The accents

It took me a few chapters to get used to the accents, but got used to it. The narrators were quite dynamic! The ending left me wanting more ..

Great narration

A nice love story with a little bit of history. It’s appreciated even more when you do a little research into the history of the story.