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Release Date: 19th January 2022 / Publisher: Boldwood Books

When seven-year-old Fran first met Will they knew instantly that they were made for each other. For eleven years they were inseparable, but then, at the age of eighteen, Will just upped and disappeared.

Twenty-five years later Will is back.

Is fate trying to give them a second chance?

Still nursing the heart break from all those years ago, Fran is reluctant to give Will the time of day. The price Will must pay is to tell the truth – the truth about why he left, the truth about why he's back…

And Fran has her own secrets to hide. The time has come to decide what Fran and Will really want from life – before it's too late.

Buy It Here!

My Review

This is the story of Fran and Will. They have been friends since they were young, but lost touch as teenagers through various things which were going on in their lives. Many years later, they meet in passing and their friendship starts up again. Both of them however are hiding secrets, both from the past and what is going on in their lives now. Secrets do have a habit of being revealed and one by one this story does just that.

I really enjoyed this book, although it wasn't the light hearted read I initially thought it was going to be.  I liked Will's character and really felt for him throughout his story. Fran was a good character, but I did take some time to warm to her. She definitely had more than her fair share of secrets, and I spent much of the book having different feelings about her, alternating between not understanding her train of thought, feeling desperately sorry for her and marvelling at what a strong character she was.

The story is a sad one though, so there's a big word of warning there! There are some trigger subjects which some may want to avoid, such as terminal illness and grief, and I have to admit to reaching for the tissue box on multiple occasions! The storyline was however heart-breaking and heart-warming all in one go, and I enjoyed being part of Fran and Will's story. I would definitely recommend it, but be prepared to cry your way through it!

The Author

Clare Swatman is the author of three women's fiction novels, published by Macmillan, which have been translated into over 20 languages. She has been a journalist for over twenty years, writing for Bella and Woman & Home amongst many other magazines. She lives in Hertfordshire.

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