Vanessa de Haan – författare

An epic story of changing times, courage and a love story only made possible by war. ‘A rich and skilful novel dramatizing how the war changed so many lives’ Elizabeth Buchan For Jack, orphaned and homeless after the Blitz, a new life begins in the Merchant Navy. As he waits for the ships to gather in a secret Scottish harbour, he meets Olivia – adrift from her sheltered home, yet relishing her new freedoms.Before the war, they would never have met. But these are extraordinary times, and the only choice is to live like there is no tomorrow.Praise for this epic, heart-rending debut:‘An emotional and memorable read’ Woman’s Own‘A story about class changing conventions, as much as it is a war story . . . De Haan writes with depth and compassion’ Times‘The sure-footedness of a pro – a remarkable debut’ Jeffrey Archer

A time of war. A time of change. A time to live like there’s no tomorrow . . . 1918: Freddie was destined for a different life, determined to make his fortune in the plantations of Ceylon. But just as the great war comes to an end, the eldest brother and heir to Coombe Hall, Edward, doesn’t return.Torn between duty and freedom, Freddie must now sacrifice his own dreams to keep the estate – and the future of Coombe – alive. And now he must now marry for an heir, not for love.But the turmoil of war didn’t end on the battlefield; the country faces upheavals like never before. And when an unexpected legacy blows in from Edward’s secret past, Freddie’s grip on the estate – and his future – looks more uncertain than ever . . . Sweeping from the smoking battlefields of France to the rich estates of Devon, A Time to Live is an unforgettable story of the legacy of war, and the unknown futures for those left behind. . .

‘The sure-footedness of a pro, an amazing debut’ Jeffrey Archer Absorbing and richly observed, THE RESTLESS SEA is a masterful story of the turbulent years of the Second World War. Three lives collide in a way that only the war makes possible…Jack, a child of the Blitz, has fled the law to become a seaman in the Merchant Navy. The frozen world of the Russian Arctic convoys may be harsh, but it opens his eyes to a new life.While on leave in the Navy’s secret Scottish harbour, Jack meets Olivia, the cossetted daughter of an officer family. Free to roam, Olivia relishes the new freedom granted by war. But her family – and especially the well-connected Charlie, now a fast-rising pilot – don’t welcome these changes. Least of all the arrival of Jack, the boy who casts doubt on each of their futures. The war inflicts danger and social upheaval like never before. But the most unlikely friendships are forged in times when people live like they don’t want tomorrow to come…