Caroline Young

Following the gentle curve of the cliff through soft tussock grass, the old farmhouse lies ahead of her like a beacon. Drawing near, she sees cracks in the sash windows and buddleia seedlings sprouting from chips in the rendering. Years have passed since she visited the house as a child – and yet here it is, still standing, waiting for her…

‘You need rescuing,’ she says, unlatching the wooden gate, ‘and so do I.’

Nan Green has been visiting the island of Anglesey for as long as she can remember, drawn back to its windswept beaches and hidden coves every summer. The island is her refuge, a place where as a child she could escape her controlling father, if only for a few weeks.

When a ramshackle old cliffside farmhouse she remembers from her childhood comes on the market – complete with a wind-blasted hawthorn tree and endless sea views out towards the Irish coastline – Nan convinces her husband, Robin, they should buy it.

But Nan’s dream of a perfect family home by the sea soon starts to crumble. Robin is increasingly distant and dismissive, echoing the past behaviour of her father. Meanwhile, Nan’s mother refuses to visit her new home. What history does she have with the old house? Could it be the same secret that makes islanders say the farmhouse is cursed? And what has it got to do with local craftsman and single father Harri? Locals say he has a troubled history, but when they meet walking along a pebbled beach Nan feels a strange connection to him. She can tell he’s a little broken, just like her.

As Nan finds her place in the island community, old wounds begin to heal. But can she let go of her past after so many years? And by rescuing the farmhouse and setting its secrets free, can Nan save herself too?

A heart-warming and unputdownable tale about old dreams, new beginnings and finding your own happy ending. Perfect for fans of Susanne O’Leary, Amanda Prowse, Liz Eeles and Sheila O’Flanagan.

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