Finding Marianne
Eek! I’m delighted, thrilled, excited ~ and I must admit, a little nervous ~ to say that I have written a new novel: Finding Marianne.
It’s four years since my last book came out (The Only One For Me), and in that time we’ve had a global pandemic... I’ve moved house to a completely new area... I’ve grown my business... I’ve grown as a person... So much has changed... But: not my love of romance stories, both reading and writing.
So what took me so long?! I have many excuses (see above!) and I also struggled to get, and stay, inspired and feel creative. I admit, at one point, I wondered if I’d ever have it in me to write a full story again. It feels, therefore, sooooo good to be back, and I’m so grateful for all the lovely messages from those who’ve stuck by me and waited for this new book to come.
So what’s Finding Marianne all about?
Marianne has gone through a mental health crisis. Mental health (as you’ll know if you follow me on social media or have frequented this blog) is a topic that I’m really interested in. I wanted to take a character who’s hit rock bottom - Marianne has gone through a period of time where she can’t even make it into work, she’s so depressed and anxious - and is on the way up.
Marianne decides, as she heals from these experiences, that she doesn’t much like her life, so she quits her job, ends her marriage and sets off for a road trip around Scotland, the birthplace of her grandmother Nora. She wants to find herself (hence the title) and work out what she wants her life to look like.
She’s determined she’ll never fall in love again, but of course; it’s a romance and she meets the handsome, kind, lovely Finn along the way. Finn is a single dad, also on his own healing journey. They agree to be friends, or have a fun fling at best, but the universe of course has other plans.
The story has dual timelines, so you also get to experience Marianne’s grandmother Nora’s story: she grew up on a Highland farm but moved to England to follow the love of her life, Marianne’s grandad Tom.
My inspiration
As I said above, writing about a character with mental health challenges is going to be a frequent theme for me.
In terms of Scotland; it’s my Happy Place. I have Scottish ancestry (my maiden name is Lindsay, as is Nora’s) and my spiritual home; I feel connected to the land and sad when I have to leave. I go there most years and my husband and I have visited many places and travelled all over. It was only a matter of time before I wrote a story about a Scottish road trip! The NC500 route is mostly covered although Marianne actually travels around 1,000 miles in total. I’ll be sharing her journey including photos and the route she takes, so watch this space.
Finding Marianne will be published on 8 May 2024. Keep an eye out on my social media for pre-order links, and if you love romance and want to get a free ARC copy in exchange for a review, click here >