It’s
never too late for a second chance at happiness…
Pearl Flowers has been hiding away for so long that she has
forgotten what real life is like. Her quiet routine in a woodland cottage in
France is a sanctuary, far away from her past life running a beauty salon. But
even when she is sitting at the foot of a beech tree with her drawing pad,
surrounded by birdsong, her mind is never still. If she keeps herself
distracted and far away, her past can’t hurt her… can it?
But then an unexpected phone call throws her calm world into chaos. Back in the
UK, her estranged father Francis is dying. She hasn’t seen him
for decades since he pushed her away and destroyed their family. And on his
death-bed, Francis leaves her a gift – a diary, written in a code that only
Pearl can understand.
As she begins to read her father’s diary, Pearl discovers that for forty years
he had been thinking of her almost every day. And as she reads on, secrets
begin to emerge from the pages causing her to question everything she thought
she knew.
Reeling from the diary’s revelations, Pearl realises that the only way to heal
and find true happiness is to face the past. But is she ready to confront her
deepest secret, the one she’s been running from all this time?
This utterly tear-jerking and heartwarming novel is for anyone who knows
it’s never too late to find happiness. Fans of Matt Haig, Mike
Gayle and Camille Pagán will fall in love with this beautiful,
feel-good story.
What did I think?
This was my first book by Beth and I listened to it on audio whilst I was out walking (part of my new get out in the fresh air and move more campaign!!)
I love a book which gets involved with family dynamics - and in this family there seems to be an awful lot of secreys which slowly unravel as the book continues. As we learn these secrets have led Pearl to distance herself from her family for one reason or another. Until the death of her father brings everything back to the fore. This journals were an inspired choice to reveal the long forgotten secrest, emotions and relationships. Quite an emotional read I thought. Loved the writing style and will certainly be reading more by this author.
As I said I listened to this book and I thought the choice of narrator was spot on and really brought the characters to life.
I have been told that I write like a
tall blonde, so that's how I'd like you to picture me.
I've published five novels. The most
recent, 'Starstruck', came out in August 2021. The previous one, 'The Missing
Letters of Mrs Bright', was a top twenty Kindle bestseller. I've also published
two non-fiction books. I work as a book coach and creative writing tutor.
Before writing books, I did a lot of
different jobs. I worked in schools, shops, offices, hospitals, students'
unions, basements, from home, in my car, and up a tree. OK, not up a tree. I've
been a sexual health trainer, a journalist, a psychology lecturer, a PhD
student, a lousy alcohol counsellor, and an inept audio-typist. I sold pens,
bread, and condoms. Not in the same shop. I taught parents how to tell if their
teenagers are taking drugs (clue: they act like teenagers), and taught
teenagers how to put on condoms (clue: there won't really be a cucumber). I
taught rabbis how to tell if their teenagers are druggedly putting condoms on
cucumbers.
Throughout this, I always wrote, and
always drank a lot of tea. I'm now pretty much unbeatable at drinking tea.
Twitter: @drbethmiller https://twitter.com/drbethmiller
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bethmillerauthor
Instagram: @beth_miller_author https://www.instagram.com/beth_miller_author/
Website: https://www.bethmiller.co.uk/
Grab yourself a copy below - if you are a Kindle reader then the book is just 99p right now!
Amazon: https://geni.us/B0953R75R5social
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