You’ve seen me on the street. You’ve walked past my house, and pointed, and wondered. The cat lady. All on my own, with only my five cats to keep me company. Did no-one ever tell you that you can’t judge a book by its cover?
Everyone in town knows Nancy Jones. She loves her cats. She loves her tumbledown house by the sea. She loves her job in the local school where she tries to help the children who need help the most. Nancy tries hard not to think about her past loves and where those led her…
Nancy never shares her secrets – because some doors are better kept locked. But one day she accepts a cat-sitting request from a local woman, and at the woman’s house, Nancy sees a photograph, in a bright-red frame. A photograph that opens the door to her painful past…
Soon Nancy doesn’t know what frightens her the most: letting her story out, or letting the rest of the world in. It’s impossible to find companionship without the risk of losing it. But can Nancy take that risk again?
My review
A devastating incident can turn your world upside down. It can have such an impact that you build walls around you and you only find solace in taking care of cats and people in need.
You think you are safe in your little shell but suddenly the past you tried so hard to put behind you is thrown in your face when you least expected it.
On the one hand you live through all the pain yet again. On the other hand it might be the start to full recovery.
The author takes us back in time so we can find out what happened. It’s a heartbreaking story and things were said in the heat of the moment. Now, years later, people find their way back to each other and the healing process can start for real.
You might say you will never fall in love again, but you never know what Cupid might have in store for you …
A lovely heartbreaking story with quite a few silver linings around the big black clouds. 4 stars.
Thank you, Amy Miller, Bookouture and Netgalley.
About the author
Amy Miller is the pseudonym of Amy Bratley, who started her writing life working on magazines and newspapers. She has previously written three women’s fiction novels published by Pan Macmillan, the first of which was a bestseller in Italy. Her day job is being a freelance managing editor of both a vintage interiors magazine and a food magazine, two subjects she’s passionate about. Amy lives in Dorset with her husband and two children.
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