An enchanting tale of one family coming together and finding their way from the Sunday Times bestselling author. It's the summer of 1939, and after touring an unsettled Europe to promote her latest book, Romily Temple returns home to Island House and the love of her life, the charismatic Jack Devereux. But when Jack falls ill, his estranged family are called home and given seven days to find a way to bury their resentments and come together. With war now declared, each member of the family is reluctantly forced to accept their new stepmother and confront their own shortcomings. But can the habits of a lifetime be changed in one week? And can Romily, a woman who thrives on adventure, cope with the life that has been so unexpectedly thrust upon her? Praise for Erica James: 'A beautifully crafted and hugely uplifting tale of friendship, history and love. A real gem' - Isabelle Broom, Heat 'A captivating tale of love and loss' - Sunday Express Magazine 'Delightful...a blend of emotion and wry social observation' - Daily Mail 'A captivating read: beautifully written and heartrendingly sad' - Daily Telegraph Fans of Santa Montefiore, Katie Fforde, Jill Mansell and Rosamunde Pilcher will love the warm characters and storytelling in this wonderful new bestseller from Erica James.

Author Biography

Erica James is the number one international bestselling author of twenty-two novels, including the Sunday Times top ten bestsellers Summer at the Lake, The Dandelion Years and Song of the Skylark. She has sold over five million books worldwide and her work has been translated into thirteen languages. Erica won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award for her novel Gardens of Delight, set in beautiful Lake Como, Italy, which has become a second home to her. Her authentic characters are thanks to her fondness for striking up conversation with complete strangers. Chat to Erica online: www.ericajames.co.uk [twitter logo] @TheEricaJames [facebook logo] @EricaJamesAuthor [Instagram logo] @the_ericajames