Here's the more detailed description of the book from it's back cover: "They came together one summer ... and discovered what it meant to be alive. A JOURNEY FROM LOSS TO LOVE -- To the sun-bathed coves of Cornwal, Marina Meredith came with her only son, her grief over a tragic loss, and the pain of a marriage as rocky as the rugged Cornish coast. A JOURNEY FROM PAIN TO PASSION -- Into a summer-bright swirl of feasts and fairs and long days on secluded beaches, Meredity reawakens to the promise of life, the restoring magic of friends, and the unexpected challenges of a dynamic man's love. A TRIUMPHANT CELEBRATION OF LIFE -- Jean Stubbs, a storyteller of immense insight and power, invites you on an unforgettable odyssey of painful endings and bright beginnings, of hurtful secrets and redeeming love. SUMMER SECRETS -- a moving novel of discovery as involving as life itself, she takes us to the places of the heart where we all live."

This is an important book, not only for its content, but also for the fact that it exists in a political climate of ongoing hostility toward Cuba from the US. For many years, liberal scholars have idealized the socialist regime. Conservatives and expatriates, on the other side, have proclaimed their disdain and rage toward the policies of Castro's "worker's paradise." As someone who has been there three times in the past two years, Cuba is neither the heaven nor the hell illustrated by these extremes. This book sheds some realistic light on why Afro-Cubans have been thankful for real improvements in their daily lives made since the revolution, and yet still resent the pervasive racism and poverty that exists behind the veneer of socialist equality. There are some inaccuracies (I think due to translation errors) about the religion of Santeria. In any book about Afro-Cuban life, more needs to be said about the role of religion (Santeria, Abakua, and Palo) and it needs to be consistently correct, so from this perspective, the authors did not do their research. However, this book is very important for opening a dialogue about race in Cuba. I hope this dialogue will continue and break through some barriers.

In this slim volume, editors Pérez Sarduy and Stubbs shine light on the complex question of Afro-Cuban identity. The editors present numerous short vignettes where the reader hears, in first person, a variety of Cubans describe their lives. As with all matters Cuban, things are seldom as simple as pro- and anti- opponents claim. The conceptual tension between the gains people of color made as a result during the revolution, the silence the revolution imposed on race matters, and the looming threat of a "racial rollback" with the dolarization of the Cuban ecomony are all here, spoken from the perspective of Cubans caught in the complex social millieu that is contemporary Cuba. After an excellent review of the literature as introduction, it's all Afro-Cuban voices, a badly needed English language work that is mandatory reading for anyone interested in Cuba or in the struggle for social equality.

This author writes well, and manages to set up the opening situation with a grieving woman who decides to move and start a new life. The manner in which the witches become involved in her life seemed to be intentionally unemphasized, the main character's reactions rather washed out. From there, her descriptions of the characters and making the plot move forward are wonderful. Unfortunately, it seems as though the author is not truly emphasizing the role of the "good" witches so much as the "feminine" role, much more general. It just seemed as though the reader is set up for something exciting and meaningful to happen at the climax, and the climax is over before it starts. Leaving the reader puzzled and unsure of what has just happened. In my opinion, it was a feeling that I had been prevented from completing the transformation into the world of the book. As before stated, the author is technically very talented at description, but the story line seemed shaky, and perhaps the author needed to do some more research into the subject at hand.

Unlike the first reviewer, I fell in love with "The Witching Time". The author, Jean Stubbs, manages to evade the cliches that seem generally inherent in a story line that revolves around witchcraft. Sure, there is the obligatory stone circle and the fight between the the forces of Light and Dark, but it's done with intelligence and a lot of humor.The main character of Imogen Lacey is someone you can relate to. She's good looking without being intimidating...intelligent, but capable of making bad choices...and all-in-all, a very likeable person. In fact, all of Jean Stubb's characters are fully formed individuals. Some you like...some you hate, just like in real life. As for the village of Haraldstone, well, I'd live there in a heartbeat. And to give Stubbs her due, she does manage to make the reader feel as if they DO indeed live among the inhabitants of this quirky little hamlet. This is more than a story about witches. It's a rich blending of the fantastic, mixed with a good old fashioned "Who-Done-It". Take these elements and combine them with a touch of romance and the meaning of true friendship and what you come up with is story telling at it's best. Yes, this may be light-hearted fluff to some, but if you are in the market for an entirely enjoyable mental vacation, then this book has your name on it. I personally rate this in my top 10 books of last year. I work at a library and read over 400 books last year, so this is no small recommendation. At the least, if you are still not certain, go to your local library and check it out. I think you are in for a most pleasant surprise. Enjoy.

I was impressed with this novel, which I found while searching for biographies of Henry VII of England. The author really made the period come alive. I would recommend it to anyone interested in Henry VII; the Wars of the Roses and just English history in general. By the way, it's not a "trashy" novel, so for those of you looking for romance/historical, this one's not for you! But it's very interesting & well-written so if that's what you want, I recommend it.