Early Reviewers

'Brilliantly written' and 'very intriguing,' —Eve Laird, Women's Aid

It's 19th century England. Women have few rights, no vote, and the law offers scant protection. When home is a dangerous place, what does a woman do?

For Rachel there is no escape from her bullying husband. Forced by circumstance to marry him, she cannot forget Joseph, her first love, who left to fight in the war with Napoleon. Decades later her great-granddaughter seems set on a similar path after a failed romance.

Set in the sleepy Berkshire village of Greenfield Down and based on a true story, this epic tale follows the fortunes of four families - the Grays, Barcombes, Marks, and FitzBarons - through the period separating the Napoleonic Wars and World War One. There are secrets they must keep hidden, but their closely woven tapestry of family ties, forged through marriage and friendship, seem unbreakable.

Then a catastrophic event tears them apart, with truly devastating consequences. Who will survive?

This story is based on true events and characters in the ancestry of the author's family.

The author will donate 20% of royalties to Women's Aid UK via Work for Good.