I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion. 
 The Summer Before the War starts in the summer of 1914 in Rye in Sussex, England. After the death of her father, self-declared spinster Beatrice Nash has secured a job there as the new Latin teacher in order to support herself. Hiring a woman as the new Latin teacher was not a popular decision in Rye, but Beatrice is supported by Agatha Kent and comes to befriend Agatha and her nephews, Hugh and Daniel. The book tells the story of several townspeople, including Beatrice; the Kents; Hugh; Daniel; Tillingham, an American author who now lives in Rye; Snout, a smart boy with limited options because of his Gypsy heritage; and Celeste, a teenage refugee. Most of the book takes place, as you would expect, in the summer of 1914, though the last quarter of the book takes you through the summer of 1915. 
 The book and plots weren't bad, but they weren't exactly compelling either. There was nothing that hooked me and made me feel that I just had to keep reading to find out what would happen next. Overall, I liked it, but I won't be telling others that it is a must-read.