Relative Love : A Heart-rending Story of Loss and Love

The Harrison family gathers as usual for Christmas in their big Sussex house. This year, however, outside realities are pressing hard: Pamela and John, married for four decades, know that time is catching up with them. And trouble is brewing in the lives of their four children. Cassie, the cossetted youngest, is in the throes of an affair with a married man; Elizabeth, her awkward older sister, is struggling with a faltering second marriage; Peter, the eldest and designated inheritor of Ashley House, is beginning to meet resistance to such a prospect from his career-orientated wife. Only Charlie, the charming and carefree younger son, and his wife Serena, seem truly content, with nothing to worry about except their adolescent twin girls and the simpler teething troubles of their toddler. Absorbed in their own lives, not one of them is prepared when real tragedy strikes, rocking their world to its core, changing them all forever. What readers are... The Harrison family gathers as usual for Christmas in their big Sussex house. This year, however, outside realities are pressing hard: Pamela and John, married for four decades, know that time is catching up with them. And trouble is brewing in the lives of their four children. Cassie, the cossetted youngest, is in the throes of an affair with a married man; Elizabeth, her awkward older sister, is struggling with a faltering second marriage; Peter, the eldest and designated inheritor of Ashley House, is beginning to meet resistance to such a prospect from his career-orientated wife. Only Charlie, the charming and carefree younger son, and his wife Serena, seem truly content, with nothing to worry about except their adolescent twin girls and the simpler teething troubles of their toddler. Everywhere the scent of change is in the air. Yet, change, when it comes, strikes in the form of a tragedy of the most unforeseeable and devastating kind. The family, so apparently secure, begins to unravel as secrets, past and present, are exposed. Praise for Amanda Brookfield : 'An engaging, emotionally-charged and intriguing story' Michelle Gorman No one gets to the heart of human relationships quite so perceptively as Brookfield.' The Mirror 'Unputdownable. Perceptive. Poignant. I loved it.' bestselling author Patricia Scanlan on Before I Knew You 'If Joanna Trollope is the queen of the Aga Saga, then Amanda Brookfield must be a strong contender for princess.' Oxford Times What readers are saying about Amanda Brookfield: 'I've loved all Amanda Brookfield's books and this latest one was excellent too. She writes so well, with insight and natural dialogue.' 'I could read it again, I read it so fast, I couldn't put it down. Very well written. I will definitely read more from this author in the future.' 'Brilliant book - just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, another twist popped up -had me picking it up whenever I had the chance.' 'A great story, great characters, vivid, immediate, so 'real', and such compassion. Every bit a page turner as Brookfield so gets you into her people. Only my second (Good Girls was a lucky dip first), but am hooked. If you like reading really well written real-life novels about your relationships, try this.' 'I enjoyed Amanda Brookfield's writing style. She really taps into her characters and writes them warts and all, with some raw and honest emotions.' 'All of Amanda's books are well written. She certainly knows how to grab the reader's attention and draw them into what proves to be an enjoyable read.' The Harrison family gathers as usual for Christmas in their big Sussex house.This year, however, outside realities are pressing hard: Pamela and John, married for four decades, know that time is catching up with them. And trouble is brewing in the lives of their four children.Cassie, the cossetted youngest, is in the throes of an affair with a married man; Elizabeth, her awkward older sister, is struggling with a faltering second marriage; Peter, the eldest and designated inheritor of Ashley House, is beginning to meet resistance to such a prospect from his career-orientated wife.Only Charlie, the charming and carefree younger son, and his wife Serena, seem truly content, with nothing to worry about except their adolescent twin girls and the simpler teething troubles of their toddler.Absorbed in their own lives, not one of them is prepared when real tragedy strikes, rocking their world to its core, changing them all forever.Praise for Amanda Brookfield:'An engaging, emotionally-charged and intriguing story'Michelle Gorman'No one gets to the heart of human relationships quite so perceptively as Brookfield.'The Mirror'Unputdownable. Perceptive. Poignant. I loved it.'bestselling author Patricia Scanlan on Before I Knew You'If Joanna Trollope is the queen of the Aga Saga, then Amanda Brookfield must be a strong contender for princess.'Oxford TimesWhat readers are saying about Amanda Brookfield:‘I've loved all Amanda Brookfield's books and this latest one was excellent too. She writes so well, with insight and natural dialogue.'‘I could read it again, I read it so fast, I couldn't put it down. Very well written. I will definitely read more from this author in the future.'‘Brilliant book - just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, another twist popped up -had me picking it up whenever I had the chance.'‘A great story, great characters, vivid, immediate, so'real', and such compassion. Every bit a page turner as Brookfield so gets you into her people. Only my second (Good Girls was a lucky dip first), but am hooked. If you like reading really well written real-life novels about your relationships, try this.'‘I enjoyed Amanda Brookfield's writing style. She really taps into her characters and writes them warts and all, with some raw and honest emotions.'‘All of Amanda's books are well written. She certainly knows how to grab the reader's attention and draw them into what proves to be an enjoyable read.' ‘This book, about deep and complex family love from this accomplished author, is told with true passion’ Family Circle Relative Love is a heart-rending story of loss and love, covering one year in the lives of the Harrison family, a sprawling clan doing their best to hold together in the face of a changing world. The story opens as the Harrisons gather for Christmas at their big country house. But when tragedy strikes, of the most unforeseeable and devastating kind, they are torn apart. Harsh truths emerge, about the past as well as the present, laying bare the fragility of their happiness and all that they have taken for granted. Praise for Amanda Brookfield: ‘There should have been a trumpet fanfare when this book was launched, for Amanda Brookfield is, surely, the queen of the relationship novel. I have read (and enjoyed) all her previous books but this one is - in my opinion - the best. It is the story of how apparently even secure relationships can fall apart. Is there a happy ending? I'm not going to spoil your enjoyment by saying another thing. Just buy and read and enjoy this splendid book.’ ‘I savoured every second of this deeply satisfying book. Amanda Brookfield goes from strength to strength’Patricia Scanlon ‘Few contemporary British novelists writing today explore the messy tangles of close human relationships with quite such warm perceptiveness as Brookfield’ Daily Mirror ‘What is refreshing here is the author’s conspicuous sanity and her sharp line in defence of reason... It could be sentimental, but it isn’t.’ Guardian ‘Penetrating insights into the ordinary female condition’ Woman's Own The Harrison family gathers as usual for Christmas in their big Sussex house - a tight safe world of festivity and family ritual. This year, however, outside realities are pressing hard: Pamela and John, married for four decades, know that time is catching up with them. And trouble is brewing in the lives of their four children. Cassie, the cossetted youngest, is in the throes of an affair with a married man; Elizabeth, her awkward older sister, is struggling with a faltering second marriage; Peter, the eldest and designated inheritor of Ashley House, is beginning to meet resistance to such a prospect from his career-orientated wife. Only Charlie, the charming and carefree younger son, and his wife Serena, seem truly content, with nothing to worry about except their adolescent twin girls and the simpler teething troubles of their toddler. Everywhere the scent of change is in the air. Yet, change, when it comes, strikes in the form of a tragedy of the most unforeseeable and devastating kind. The family, so apparently secure, begins to unravel. And secrets, past and present, are exposed, laying bare the fragility of human happiness and the myriad faces of love in an imperfect world