A Mother's Heart

Rachel Butler moves to Ireland with her stepchildren, but her heart is in New Zealand. When she visits her family there, memories of her past and conflicts with her stepmother arise.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 480 pages
Publication date: 02 February 2023
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

While Rachel Butler likes her life in a pretty Dublin coastal village, her heart lies in Hawkes Bay, where she grew up. Visiting for the first time since tragedy tore her family apart, she and her stepchildren fall for its beauty and outdoor lifestyle.

Malahide, Ireland

As Rachel picks up the threads of her life as a single parent, she can't shake off the memories of her loving family in New Zealand – and her dream house, the villa on the bay. But it's time to move forwards with their life in Ireland, close to the children's grandparents, amid the familiar surroundings they all know well.

Until the children's grandmother, still grieving, starts to interfere, questioning Rachel's position as stepmother.

Until Rachel's attempts to strengthen the family she loves so dearly backfires, pitting everyone against each other.

And until her late husbands parents, still reeling from the loss of their son, start to interfere, questioning Rachel's ability to be a good mother.

As Rachel struggles to navigate the complex web of family relationships, she realizes that protecting her family means putting her own needs aside and doing whatever it takes to keep them safe and happy.

But as the stakes get higher and the tensions mount, Rachel realizes that she may have to make the hardest decision of her life – to sacrifice her own happiness for the sake of her family.

In this powerful and emotional family saga, Carmel Hawkes explores the depths of familial love and grief, and how in the face of our greatest trials, our strongest bonds can be forged. With terrific characters and a heart-wrenching storyline, this book will sweep you to a very satisfying ending and perhaps a few happy tears.

So, how far would you go to protect your family? Let this moving book be a reminder of the strength and resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

Weight: 320g
Dimension: 128 x 198 x 34 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780008415938