Abbie Greaves

A detailed account of a loving marriage between 2 dynamic individuals. A strong, independent woman, scarred by her mother's affairs and abandonment, finds a lonely, introverted man with a voracious need to bestow love, receive love, and do everything in his power to protect that love.

Maggie is enough for Frank but Maggie struggles with infertility until years into their marriage she finds herself pregnant. Frank is stunned to feel a strong deep bond of love for his daughter. Frank and Maggie are blessed with happiness in their daughter. They shower Eleanor with constant love and attention, getting caught up in an intense smothering dynamic.

But when Eleanor is faced with a horrific crisis, she does not turn to her parents for help. They are devastated watching her deteriorate emotionally and physically, with their offers of help rejected.Overwhelmed, they suffer with the agony of guilt for years, believing their love for Eleanor is not enough.

A moving, emotional novel of a couple lost and floundering, hoping to restore their family, but not the way they planned.

Very good read.… (altro)

For seven years Mary has been standing outside Ealing Broadway station each night after her supermarket shift holding a handmade sign ‘Come Home Jim’. Commuters push past her, oblivious. Except that one night she isn’t invisible and her vigil goes viral.

Mary meets James (Jim), a doctor, whilst working as an events organiser in Belfast and theirs is a whirlwind relationship. Mary has never met anyone like Jim and the two characters seem to fit so well together that I couldn’t understand what had happened for Mary to end up alone and waiting outside the station six years later.

Over the course of the book, with the present day being 2018 the story goes back to earlier timelines to give glimpses of their life together and the challenges in their relationship.

Mary is an engaging character, easy to sympathise with but also I found her frustrating at times. At first I couldn’t understand why she wouldn’t accept what was to be and try to rebuild her life. She volunteers at Nightline, a crisis telephone centre but when she receives calls that are rather too close to home, that fragile stability that she has made for herself is rocked to its core.

This is such a moving and thought provoking book. Focussing on mental health and the inability to properly communicate one’s fears and needs, there are several characters suffering in one way or another who all need a helping hand. Mary made a promise to Jim and is determined to keep it, whatever the cost. Her vigil attracts the attention of a journalist, Alice (who has her own issues, both personal and professional) and together with Kit, another Nightline volunteer, they decide to help Mary.

This is very much a character driven story, beautifully written with a tender touch and may strike a chord with so many people on the several issues it touches upon. Lest you get the wrong idea, there are times of humour, especially with Alice and Kit, whose pairing was a joy. I loved the mystery running through the story as to why Jim disappeared, where he went to; and more importantly, will he come home? A wonderfully enjoyable read. One to recommend.… (altro)

The attempted suicide of Maggie is the catalyst for this story. In a medically induced coma to try and save her life, Maggie's husband, Frank, is encouraged to talk to her and give her something to live for. Frank tells the story of their life together, including the pain of infertility and the joy of a late-in-life baby. At the end of the novel we get Maggie's perspective as well and we begin to see the depth of grief both have endured separately. The big question is can they bear it together and will it make a difference. I liked the slow reveal of the essential conflict because it gave me the chance to develop real empathy for both characters.… (altro)