The Last Summerville by Annabelle Lewis #VirtualBookTour #TheLastSummerville @alewisauthor @randomthingstours #AuthorInterview

 

A vulnerable woman. An irresistible man. And a love story twisting into a nightmare.

Twenty-two-year-old Georgia Parker already carries more regret than most people twice her age. Practically an orphan, she’s reeling from the death of her grandmother, Mimi—the one person who made her feel safe from the chaos of her mother’s world. Alone in Carson City, Nevada, Georgia is determined to start over, to stand on her own. Yet Mimi’s final words echo in her mind: Take risks. Trust people again. Be brave.

Then Heath Summerville steps into her life—charming, magnetic, protective, and so perfectly attuned to her needs it feels like fate. But the closer Georgia gets, the more she feels the pull of something she can’t name—something just beneath the surface of his charm.

Strange silences. Half-truths. High-society circles and an ancestral house that feels more like a trap than a refuge.
Lies are waiting to unravel. And by the time Georgia sees the truth, it might already be too late.

The Last Summerville by Annabelle Lewis was published on 1 September 2026. As part of this #RandomThingsTours Virtual Book Tour, I am delighted to welcome the author here. She's answered some questions for us. 

Interview with author Annabelle Lewis 

•  The Last Summerville explores trust, grief, and psychological manipulation. What first sparked the idea for Georgia and Heath's story, and what did you most want readers to experience as the mystery unfolded? 

I wanted readers to become invested in Georgia’s survival as the story is revealed, and to root for either a happily ever after and/or some serious revenge. I had some broad ideas of what might happen during the story, but as a writer, I’m more of a ‘pantser’, and going in, I didn’t know how the story would develop nor what would happen. Having the story reveal itself to me was the fun part. I had some inspirations, but for fear of spoilers, it’s difficult to share them here. 

•  Georgia is trying to rebuild her life after tremendous loss, while Heath seems almost too perfect. Without giving away spoilers, what was the biggest challenge in creating characters that readers would both love and question? 

I have a goal of creating fully fleshed-out characters, whether they are the heroes or the villains. Their compulsions, needs, desires, and character traits have to have depth with reasons behind them that explain how they got to be who they are. For Georgia, before I began writing the story, I spent quite a lot of time filling out personality profiles, answering questions as if I were her, which helped cement in my mind how she would react and behave given the challenges she would encounter. I believe that research time was well spent as it truly helped me ground the character by understanding who she is.

•  Your author bio is refreshingly funny and self-deprecating; from flunking out of college to raising a family before becoming a novelist. How much of your real-life personality finds its way into your writing, even in your darker suspense novels? 

Thanks for picking up on my snark. 😊 I use humor in all of my books and thoroughly enjoy the wry grin it sparks in me while writing. I’m having fun, and I hope it comes through on the page. Irony and satire help me mold my characters as well as their storylines and outcomes. For example, The Carrows Family Chronicles are really revenge capers, with a hearty wink of dark humor. Life is hard, and irreverence and anarchy help lift my mood. I’ve survived by breaking the rules, challenging the norms, celebrating the absurd, and throwing it back into the face of life when she inevitably throws a wrench in our well-laid plans. 

•  You've written more than a million words across multiple series before releasing The Last Summerville. How has your writing process evolved over the years, and what lessons have stayed with you from those early books? 

What a journey. I’ve learned that I didn’t know what I was capable of and that I should have tried writing fiction earlier, trusting myself to find a story. I believe everyone has a story in them, but writing is a disciplined process of actually sitting in a chair and doing the work. The challenges writers experience, are numerous and I wish I had had more people in my life to navigate the process, supporting me, assuring me that the struggles are real for everyone. The business side of the craft is extremely daunting too, with so many critical decisions to make, and of course, learning from those mistakes. But it’s all doable; you just have to persevere and believe in yourself. All easy words to say.

•  You describe yourself as someone who always had 'a lot to say.' Was there a particular moment when you realised writing wasn't just a creative outlet, but something you wanted to pursue seriously as an author? 

I don’t think that moment came to me until after I completed writing my first book of fiction – Charlotte McGee, Book 1 of the Carrows Family Chronicles. After I finished, I sat back, pretty proud of the story and what I’d accomplished, but then sad that the story was over. What was going to happen next to the characters I’d had fallen in love with? I realized I would have to write the stories to find out! And so, I did. For a couple of years, without input or influence from others, I wrote the first six books in the series and really lived with the characters. I’m glad that I had that time alone with them, because I solidly knew who they were. And when it was time for others to read my work (critique group, beta readers, editors), I knew what decisions to make to retain the character’s emotional arc and pathways while still accepting the numerous changes and edits that needed to be made.

•  For readers discovering Annabelle Lewis for the first time through The Last Summerville, what do you hope they'll remember most after they turn the final page, and what can they look forward to next? 

In addition to the feeling of having been thoroughly entertained, I hope they’ll heave a heavy sigh while wearing a smile as they muse through the arc of the story and the character outcomes. I also hope they’ll discover some of my other books and series and dive in for more. My characters are just waiting to regale them with their tales and to embrace them into their worlds.

Annabelle Lewis—a pseudonym for the author—lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Regrettably?
Perhaps. She still believes she’s a Texan even though the math no longer supports that. Nor her birthplace. Nor her residence. No offense, Minnesota. You’ve got your good points too, but only about six months of the year.

In her youth, Annabelle was a complete failure. Ask anyone who knew her. Any of her teachers and family would tell you this. High school graduation was a sad day for all when Annabelle walked proudly off the high school stage, her thoughts consumed with boys, beer, and after-parties, and later into the arms of her parents. Her father’s laughter and singular remark? “I didn’t think you’d make it. Get a job at the post office, they have a good retirement plan.”

A high bar and words to live by, but Annabelle wanted more. She needed to flunk out of college too. But damn, she sure did have a good time. Trivial arrest records not-withstanding, it was a growth period for our girl. And if you look closely, you’ll see a bit of what was to come when she majored in criminal justice. Her lifelong aspiration was to become a judge. Hmm.

For better or worse, Annabelle didn’t graduate from college but did find gainful employment and a fulfilling career. This path ended when she became a mom. Married to her wonderful George, who to this day can hardly remember an actual proposal, Annabelle finally became a mother. She didn’t have a clue how hard she would need to work to keep those self-imposed requirements of Downey-fresh, iron-pressed sheets, home-baked meals, and mom-of-the-year awards arriving. She composed a small self-affirmation song and made her children sing it to her for money. She was a very good mom.

After clearing the largest hurdles of motherhood and regrettably, begrudgingly, and not-without-tears, launching her children onto the world, she looked around and realized she had a lot to say. Picking up a laptop, she got to work.

Annabelle spends her days continuing to tackle the challenges of motherhood, for both her humans and canines. She also writes. And reads. And cleans. And cooks. And bakes. And cleans again. She also supports her husband, George, in an administrative capacity for their small business. She’s in charge of payroll and cuts George’s checks. This leads to no marital acrimony.

In the beginning, with the blank page staring at her and possibly in a hostile mood after being literally mauled by a dog and by the world in general, she had an idea. What if she could wield a force of good upon unsuspecting evil-doers? What if she had the resources to get the job done without dealing with committee and anyone else’s whiney-ass opinions?

It was gold. It took off. Annabelle sat down and began to write and couldn’t stop. To date, having written over a million words in the Carrows Family Chronicles and her second series on the Boston Clairvoyants, several items have become quite clear. Annabelle had a lot to say. Annabelle really enjoys writing. And although she hates all things technology, she begrudgingly pounds her head on her desk daily as obstacles are thrown in her path. Almost a hero.

Since entering her world of make-believe, she has rebelled against all intrusion of real-world responsibilities. Her house is a mess, but she tries. Her family is fed, but more often than not, on takeout. She vows to shower every day, but no, it’s a vow she’ll never keep. Her friends are neglected, but not in her heart.

Read her mordacious blog! Read her books! Follow her on social platforms! Sign up for her newsletter! These are all good things. What are you waiting for? Jump into bed with Annabelle. She’s having a swell time. You should join her. theannabellelewis.com  IG and Twitter: alewisauthor

The Thin Green Wedge by Katy Varley #thethingreenwedge @katy_varley999 #bookreview #paramedic

 

WHERE SAVING LIVES MEETS SURVIVING YOUR OWN

Lucy Whiteheart is the woman everyone depends on.
A frontline paramedic in the Northeast.
A single mum to three boys.
The calm voice in chaos. The capable one. The strong one.
The one who keeps going.
Through blue lights and broken bodies. Through impossible decisions, night shifts, caffeine and dark humour. Through motherhood, heartbreak and the relentless pressure of holding everything, and everyone, together.

But behind the uniform, Lucy is unravelling.
Years of giving too much of herself and asking for nothing in return have left invisible scars. The kind you hide well. The kind nobody notices until coping becomes performance… and survival becomes routine.

Then her health begins to fail.
And for the first time in her life, Lucy is forced to stop running from the one person she’s spent years trying to ignore:

herself.

Set against the raw and unpredictable world of frontline emergency healthcare, The Thin Green Wedge is a darkly funny, deeply honest and emotionally charged story about burnout, motherhood, grief, identity, resilience and the quiet ways women lose themselves while trying to save everyone else.

Perfect for readers who love emotionally powerful contemporary women’s fiction with flawed characters, sharp humour and real heart.

Because sometimes the people trained to save lives are the very ones silently crying out to be saved themselves.

The Thin Green Wedge by Katy Varley was published on 29 May 2026 by Sheildmaiden Press. My thanks to the author who sent my copy for review. 

The Thin Green Wedge is a book that feels incredibly personal. Katy Varley writes in such a natural, chatty style that at times I had to remind myself that this is fiction. There’s an almost autobiographical quality to Lucy’s story; her voice is convincing and often very funny, even when life is anything but.

Lucy Whiteheart is a frontline paramedic, a single mum and everyone expects her to cope. She deals with emergencies, difficult shifts and all the unknowns of ambulance work whilst also attempting to keep her own family life on track. The author does an excellent job of showing how exhausting it can be to continually be the capable one, especially when nobody thinks to ask whether that capable person might be struggling too.

The ambulance scenes bring plenty of drama, but this isn’t just a novel about the emergency services. Lucy’s life away from work is just as important, and the mixture of motherhood, friendships, relationships and everyday domestic chaos gives the story real warmth. There’s humour too, sometimes quite dark, and the banter between colleagues feels very authentic.

It’s a long book, very long, and I do think it could have benefited from a stricter edit. There are places where the narrative wanders and some scenes could have been shorter without losing anything important, and may have made some of the emotional moments hit harder. 

However, Lucy is great fun and it’s very easy to become immersed in her world. The Thin Green Wedge is warm, messy, funny and often very moving. It's really human story about what happens when someone who spends her life looking after everyone else finally has to consider herself.

Katy Varley is an NHS paramedic, single mother of three, and author based in Wallsend, Northeast England.

With over 18 years of experience in emergency healthcare, Katy uses her unique frontline perspective to craft authentic, emotionally resonant fiction blended with regional wit. 

The Thin Green Wedge is her first novel.