Books
Find out more about my novels.
The Weight of Goodbye
In this poignant tale of loss and redemption, a young woman’s wartime secrets threaten to unravel her carefully rebuilt life.
1937. On the eve of her debutante season in London, Lucia Blake rebels against her domineering father and his fascist politics and runs away to France. Breaking the promise to always look after her, she leaves behind her adored younger sister, Della. Seeking freedom Lucia finds unexpected passion in the arms of a charming French archaeologist. But as war looms over Europe, their idyllic love is shattered by an unspeakable tragedy.
Returning to war-torn London, a heartbroken Lucia buries her past and throws herself into work as an ambulance driver. Every time she heads into the Blitz to rescue people she gambles with death. Yet it’s when she pulls a terrified young girl from the rubble— clutching a toy elephant—that suppressed memories surge to the surface. Bound by grief, Lucia and the child embark on a desperate search for the girl’s missing father, forming an unbreakable bond.
But the ghosts of Lucia’s past won’t stay silent. As the bombs fall and death claims those around her, she longs for Della to forgive her for the pain she caused when she fled those years ago. Will her sister ever be able to reconcile with Lucia? Or will the weight of goodbye prove too much to bear?
This heart-wrenching novel is testament to the power of love, courage, and the human spirit’s resilience in the darkest of times. Perfect for fans of The Alice Network, Kelly Rimmer’s The Things We Cannot Say and We Were the Lucky Ones.
Books
In a world at war, a young woman must face her darkest fears… 1941. After the death of her beloved mother, nineteen-year-old Romilly Brooks impulsively accepts a job as a nanny, accompanying eight-year-old Freddie and his grandmother on an opulent sea voyage from war-torn London to the safety of New York. If only she could put the idea of German U-boats circling beneath the waves out of her mind. Then she meets the mysterious Edward Witney. Just as she’s beginning to unpick his secrets, a thunderous explosion tears through the night. A German torpedo strikes the ship, and Romilly and Freddie are thrown into the deadly Atlantic. Clinging to a flimsy raft, they spot Edward, unconscious nearby. Romilly is suddenly forced to confront a terrible truth: that this is a night they might not all survive…
New England, 1992. Sophie’s hand trembles as she places the pink birthday card onto the creamy wood of her dresser – signed with a name she’s never forgotten, despite their years apart. France, 1942. Sophie is smiling through tears at the plaintive cries of a tiny, perfect newborn baby – her first grandchild. As a midwife, she’s helped so many take their first breath, but this is special. In the street outside, Nazi soldiers patrol day and night, and each week more people disappear. Sophie vows she’ll do anything to save Camille and her baby from that fate. But even the truest promises will be tested. A beautiful, heart-wrenching story of love, sacrifice, and the unyielding bonds of motherhood. Perfect for fans of Anna Stuart, Fiona Valpy and Kate Quinn.
After her beloved grandmother Rozenn’s death, Morane is heartbroken to learn that she has been written out of the will. She becomes consumed by one question: what made Rozenn turn her back on her?
When she finds an old letter linking her grandmother to Brittany under German occupation, Morane escapes to the coastal village where Rozenn lived in 1941 and uncovers a web of shameful secrets that haunted Rozenn to the end of her days.
