A Novel Thought: February 2017

PUBLISHES: 9TH FEBRUARY 2017

Blurb:

Dan’s life has fallen apart at the seams. He’s lost his house, his job is on the line, and now he’s going to lose his family too. All he’s ever wanted is to keep them together, but is everything beyond repair?

Maria is drowning in grief. She spends her days writing letters that will never be answered. Nights are spent trying to hold terrible memories at bay, to escape the pain that threatens to engulf her.

Jack wakes up confused and alone. He doesn’t know who he is, how he got there, or why he finds himself on a deserted clifftop, but will piecing together the past leave him a broken man?

In the face of real tragedy, can these three people find a way to reconcile their past with a new future? And is love enough to carry them through?

Review:

I find myself having to be very careful about how I write this review. There is so much within this story which I don't want to giveaway, as I really believe that it is important for the reader to live this story through the characters, finding out the details as the characters decide they are ready to tell them.

This story follows the lives of a family who have suffered a great trauma and focuses on the different ways people deal with difficult situations and how this can start to come between them. If Ever I Fall is portrayed in a very different way to any other story I've read. It jumps from the view of Sam's parents, Maria and Dan, and then there is a third perspective which has a great deal of mystery behind it. I found that at first I became really hooked to this mystery; the need to figure it out and understand it. Then there was a small part where I felt myself getting a little more confused, struggling to see how it connected to the story of Maria and Dan. All I will say, is if you hit this phase like I did - and it was a short one - then persevere. S.D. Robertson pulls this story together beautifully.

This is one of those stories that will stay with you for a long time after reading that last page. You'll find yourself running over in your mind how each character was affected, how they dealt with the situation and in turn how their actions affected those around them. It makes you wonder, if you, God forbid, were in a similar situation how would you respond?

I love the honesty of this story. S.D. Robertson isn't afraid to show the pain and the struggle that these characters face. It really makes you think, makes you questions and isn't just a typical happy ending. Oh... and I should warn you... there is a scene towards the end which had me sobbing. S. D. Robertson's writing is so vivid and real that it takes you right there, into each moment with the characters and once you're there, there's no escape. You feel everything they feel.

I give If Ever I Fall;

Order your copy of If Ever I Fall now from Amazon

Now a special little treat for you... an extract from If Ever I Fall. Enjoy! :)

Extract:

The Land Rover is stopped in the middle of the dirt track and Miles is up in my face, looking very concerned, scrutinising my eyes. He looks like he’s about to slap me around the chops, so I pull back and mumble that I’m all right.

‘I had another flashback – memory – whatever you want to call it. Did I pass out again?’

‘Not exactly. It was more of an absence. Your eyes glazed over. You wouldn’t respond to my questions.’

‘What does that mean? It’s not normal, is it?’

‘I’d like to ask whether you’ve experienced anything like this before, earlier in your life, but I know that’s not something you can answer. Can you tell me what just happened from your perspective?’

‘Like I said, another memory. I assume that’s what it was, anyway.’

‘A memory of what?’

‘I was in a boardroom: modern, simply furnished. I was facing a panel of three people. I knew they were my bosses. It was about some big change that was taking place at work.’

‘What was your job?’

‘That’s the weird thing. I don’t know. I did when I was there in the moment, but now it’s gone. I have no idea.’ My brain is fried. I rub my temples, but it provides little relief. ‘What’s happening to me, Miles?’

He shakes his head. ‘I’m not sure. There’s only so much I can see and do here. I think you definitely should have a scan at the hospital. Just as a precaution.’

‘Really? Today?’

‘No, it’ll still have to be Monday. But I’ll be keeping an extra close eye on you in the meantime. And no more solitary walks.’

‘A brain scan? Can you arrange that?’

‘I know a couple of people there.’

Miles is all for returning to the house and leaving the trip to the village until later. But I tell him to continue, as long as he takes it easy behind the wheel, especially until we reach a proper road. I haven’t forgotten the panic I felt as we first started driving. I’m not sure where it came from, but thankfully it seems to have gone now.

Despite the slower speed, I’m still bounced from side to side as the car makes its way from crater to crater along the track. Eventually, after every bone in my body has been shaken, I see the welcome sight of tarmac ahead. We take a right turn.

I’d hoped that I might recognise some of the sights along the way. But other than empty fields, bushes, trees and the odd isolated house, there’s little to jog my memory. Heading inland as we are, there aren’t even any good views of the sea.

When we reach the village, it’s not much to look at. There are a handful of small shops, a pub and a church. There’s also a primary school: a tiny one that looks like it could only accommodate a handful of pupils. But from the small number of houses I see here, that’s probably more than enough. None of it rings a bell, although Miles tells me I’ve been here plenty of times before.

So what on earth brought me here in the first place? With no apparent ties to the area, how did I end up in the village’s only pub, the Red Lion, on the night Miles and I met?

We park outside the small hardware store.

‘Are you sure they’ll have the nails you need?’ I ask.

He laughs. ‘I’ve yet to ask for anything they don’t have. It’s one of those old school places where you tell them what you need and they disappear and find it for you. It might not look very impressive, but I think there must be a huge underground cavern somewhere nearby where they keep all the stock. It’s brilliant, honestly.’

We both step out of the car. I’m about to follow Miles when he asks if I’d mind popping to the general store, which is immediately opposite on the other side of the road. ‘We could do with some bread and milk,’ he says, holding out a ten-pound note, only to pull it back a second later. ‘Hang on. Maybe that’s not such a good idea. Probably best we stay together.’

‘Nonsense,’ I reply, reaching forward to grab the note. ‘I insist.’

I cross the road, aware of Miles watching me do so, and enter the shop.

I see her as soon as I’m inside. She’s standing behind the counter, staring straight at me. I don’t know how I know it’s her. To my knowledge, I’ve never seen her close up before.

But there’s no doubt in my mind.

I’m a hundred per cent certain.

It’s the girl in red.

Chat soon beautifuls,

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One thing that I'm trying to do this year is to focus on the positives. We spend so much time thinking about what we aren't happy with, what we wish we had done, the time we wasted and so on. Everything always feels very negative and in turn we end up pulling ourselves further and further down.

This is never more true than when I'm thinking about myself - how I feel about the way I look. I have spent the last few years trying, and not quite succeeding, to get myself back to an image I am happy with. I have had a lot of false starts or abrupt ends to a good streak when it comes to dieting. When I think back to my mentality at the time, without a doubt, I was doing what this quote refers to. I WAS FOCUSING ON FIGHTING THE OLD. I put all my energy in reminding myself what it was I didn't like about myself, what it was that I wanted to change because it made me unhappy. Even during the dieting or exercising, I would focus on the negatives - when I slipped and ate something naughty, or when I missed a class.

I'd never really thought about it before I read these words, but it's true. They always say that you achieve whatever it is your mind focuses on. If you focus on trying not to fall off the bike, you're going to fall off the bike. If you focus on trying not to be nervous, you're going to feel even more anxious. You're putting all your energy into what you don't want and losing the confidence to reach for what you do want.

I made the step yesterday to join a 6 week Boot Camp course with one of my friends. I know it's not going to be easy and that I will feel so self-conscious. My commitment to myself is that I am going to focus on all the positives.

I was brave and took that first step;

I'm going with a friend so we can support each other;

I'm going to become fitter and healthier;

I'm going to love myself for who I am;

I'm going to push and challenge myself;

I'm going to become a better me.

Without realising it, it makes such a huge difference when we focus on the positives of what the future holds, rather than the negatives of what we are trying to move away from. Granted this will always be easier said than done. But it's got to be worth a try if it means a greater chance at reaching our goals.

This quote has really helped me to look at my goal differently this year and hopefully this will keep me in a positive and healthy frame of mind to go on and finally reach my target.

I wanted to share these words with you in the hope that they inspire you in the same way that they have me. If you have something you're trying to change this year why don't you drop me a note in the comments and share your story. We are all here to support each other.

We got this!

Chat soon beautifuls xx

No comments

Anyone that talks to me, reads my posts or my tweets will already know that I absolutely adore the beautiful Hilary Grossman! I fell in love with her writing from her very first novel, Dangled Carat, which was actually a memoir based on her own life. I was completely inspired by Hilary's honesty and openness in her memoir (read my review here), and was excited when Hilary revealed that she was due to release her first fictional novel, Plan Bea (review here).

I absolutely adored Plan Bea; although it was fictional, Hilary still wrote with the honesty that you felt within her memoir which really helped bring the characters to life. Once I had read these two books I couldn't contain my excitement and couldn't wait to tell all my friends, family and followers all about them. I still take every opportunity I can to talk about them!

So when a little mail landed in my inbox inviting me to be part of the cover reveal for the sequel to Plan Bea I literally squealed - no, not the "I'm pretending I squealed for dramatic affect" kind of squeal... I actually squealed, out loud! *note to self... if anyone hears you do this, act normal!

If you haven't read Dangled Carat or Plan Bea yet... why not?! Oh, sorry, I get a little passionate about these ones. Let's try that again: if you haven't read them yet then make sure you do *nailed it!* - and then you can join in my completely devoted excitement about the soon to be with us...

Plan Cee!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sure you can already tell how excited I am about this book... so I can't keep this a secret any longer!! Here it is, the absolutely gorgeous cover, for Hilary Grossman's new novel, Plan Cee.

Publish Date: 10 April 2017

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Blurb:

Would you abandon your present for a second chance at your past?

Cecelia Reynolds has spent most of her life trying to forget the commitment-phobic man who broke her heart. It wasn’t easy, but eventually she did it, or so she thought…

As Cecelia and her husband gather for a friend’s wedding, her perfect world is thrown into complete turmoil. Even though it’s been twenty years since she last laid eyes on Keith Emerson, all it takes is one glance for her to feel emotions she thought were long gone. When Keith ends up officiating the ceremony, she quickly realizes his message of love is directed at her, not the happy couple. But can she believe him?

We live our entire lives thinking we know ourselves. But do we ever really?

As secrets and lies cause Cecelia’s world to spin completely out of control, she is forced to seek advice from the most unlikely ally. In the process, she must confront the demons of her past and the events that shaped her into the woman she is now. Will she finally learn the real meaning of love, friendship, and family?

While this book is a sequel to Plan Bea, it also reads as a standalone.

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About Hilary Grossman:

By day, Hilary Grossman works in the booze biz. By night she hangs out with her "characters." She has an unhealthy addiction to denim and high heel shoes. She's been known to walk into walls and fall up stairs. She only eats spicy foods and is obsessed with her cat, Lucy. She loves to find humor in everyday life. She likens life to a game of dodge ball - she tries to keep many balls in the air before they smack her in the face. She lives on Long Island.

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