Alexandra Barber

I have always loved words; the sounds of them, the history of them, the way they can make you feel. Words have power. I have also always loved reading and writing, thanks largely I believe to a father who was a prodigious and eclectic reader and took the time to read to me when I was small.

Today I live with my husband and our cocker spaniel in a small village in the centre of England. My three children have grown and flown but I am lucky enough to have two of them living not too far away and my grandchildren too. When I'm not reading or writing I love to walk in the countryside, visit art galleries, bake cakes and potter in my garden. I can never have too many plants!

My adult fiction is escapist romance. It is written in the hope that, for a short while, it will whisk you away from the problems and pressures of everyday life. With the right book the simple act of sitting quietly and reading for a short time can be both relaxing and restorative. This first book is set on the Isle of Wight, a beautiful place just off the south coast of England. The story is about the importance of following our hearts, the blessings of nature, friendship, community and of course love.