NEW RELEASE
The Hidden Cottage - Erica James (2013)
Embroiled in family problems between her youngest daughter and her husband, disclosed at a birthday party for her oldest son, Mia Channing is once again the acting peacemaker. She longs to escape from what appears to be an idyllic lifestyle with three grown-up children that she adores and a successful husband. She realises that she needs to do something for herself at long last. When Owen Fletcher realises his boyhood dream of buying the neighbouring Hidden Cottage, gradually a friendship builds up and Mia's life changes in a way that she does not want to give up. She realises her life of compromise is deeply unsatisfying. This is a tender love story with family, relationships and responsibility at its heart. It's the tried-and-tested Erica James formula with characters that are endearing and believable and there are more than a few surprises and twists and turns that make you want to keep on turning the pages. (JH)
The Hidden Cottage, by Erica James, is a story about family ties, secret and guilt. The synopsis says: "We all hide things, some more than others ... Mia Channing appears to have an enviable life: a beautiful home in the village of Little Pelham, a happy, stable marriage, a job she enjoys and three grown-up children to whom she's devoted. But appearances are deceiving; the truth is that it's all a precarious balancing act. When the family gather for her son's 30th birthday, Daisy, her youngest daughter, drops a bombshell in the way only Daisy can. Once again Mia finds herself cast in the role of peacemaker. It's a role she's tired of, particularly since her husband refuses to believe he's responsible for the problems they're facing. Not surprisingly, Mia longs for escape. For Owen Fletcher, buying the Hidden Cottage was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream and provides the perfect escape for him. When Mia meets him, she must decide whether she has the courage to do something for herself for a change. And if she does, can she ever go back to the life of compromise she had before?" The Hidden Cottage is out in December.