Set on the coast of Portsmouth and the beautiful Loire Valley, this is the story of Anna, married mother of three, the unremarkable rock of her family who is quite content with her life until by accident, she discovers that Matthew, her husband of 22 years is having an affair. Two months later he is dead.Consumed by hurt and tainted memories, Anna’s life is turned upside down by loss and betrayal, her confidence totally destroyed and the tormenting spectre of Matthew’s unknown lover is ever present;so whilst keeping the secret of his affair from her family, Anna must find her way alone. With one son on the other side of the world, another about to enter a war zone and her daughter off to university, her life gradually begins to crumble until she is saved by her feisty loyal childhood friend Jeannie.Step by step Anna embarks on an emotional and inspirational journey which takes her to rural France where she makes new friends, experiences country life and is unexpectedly given the chance to love again. Soon a whole new channel hopping adventure beckons but before she can truly move on, Anna must solve the mystery of the other woman, who is she and why did Matthew stray? When she finally discovers the truth, there is a twist in the tale and Anna realises she is not the only one keeping secrets. Nobody has the perfect family and this one has its fair share of dramas and conflict, as the tale unfolds we dip into the past seeking clues to the present, share their adventures and find out what makes them tick. There are laugh out loud moments from Anna’s cantankerous outspoken mother Enid and her gang of wayward OAP’s and posh pongy Paloma, the university pal from hell. The bond that ties mother and son is stretched to the limits when her new romance is revealed and tears fall as another son goes off to war. Anna faces many dilemmas along the way, not to mention climbing the mountain that is sleeping with a new man, but as she evolves, along with the secrets and lies, heartbreak and anger, we witness a woman becoming empowered in an uplifting story of love, loyalty and new beginnings.
