Lauren has a new business with friends, happiness and contentment at home, a beautiful son, life is perfect. One weekend her world is turned upside down when the love of her life dies in a boating accident and her 8 year boy finds he has no father. Was it suicide? After clawing back a life, Lauren’s order and control disintegrates when she meets Adam. She becomes embroiled in adversity, secrets and lies. Opposing tensions and tragedies are more than one person can endure and nowthere are difficult decisions to make as she discovers some unwelcome truths. The haunting ancient Cornish coastal fortress of Karneved weaves its mystical spell as Lauren finds her faith and courage have deserted her efforts to ever find happiness again.
“A tale where landscape and the human condition meet to illustrate both the tragedy of life and the immense healing power our beautiful world can give”
“If ever you needed empathy for your heartbreak and to see courage and faith in the face of adversity, this is your story.”
“An emotional rollercoaster of a story written with such simplicity you are unaware until it is too late that you are completely embroiled in the lives of the characters. Long after the story is over, the characters continue to grow.”
“This tale describes the destructive power of selfishness versus the healing power of loving matriarchs. Regret, mistakes and tragedy beset these characters for whom you find a place in your heart. A gritty tale that tells it how it is, but how your spirits are lifted once you are back in the landscape of Karneved.”
“The power of family and its ties, no matter how long ago, no matter how far away comes thundering through this book. A heart-wrenching weepy guaranteed to put a smile on your face.”
“I loved how perceptive this writing is. If ever you wanted to see empathy on the page for grief, anger and guilt, this is it. Lauren’s journey of adversity and courage mirrors so many lives, you cannot help but will her onward.”
“You never know what is going to happen next. One event leads to another; secrets, stories and mysteries are revealed right up to the last page. Sparkling conversation, arguments and tensions contrast with the wild and serene beauty of the Cornish landscape to make this modern drama a memorable read.”
When you survive something tough, a gauntlet is laid down for you to be and do something better than you were before. The challenge and the change can be tough to stick to and if it wasn’t for my lovely children being so supportive and proud of their Mum, I am sure I would not have made it this far.
English teachers who supported my writing have stayed in my memory because I need to thank them. One was a small woman who taught in Penrice School when I was eleven and there were two in Merrywood Girls’ School. The beautiful redhead who brought in the first album of Dire Straits for feedback as her brother was in the group. The other was the one who leant me a book with two stories in it to read because one was so similar to a story I had written.
This first book is dedicated to those who believe in me.