Breaking News from Vanessa Couchman

I’m delighted to announce that The House at Zaronza will be released in paperback and e-book formats on Tuesday 29^th July. It is set in early 20^th-century Corsica and at the Western Front in World War I. It can’t have escaped anyone’s notice that the 100^th anniversary of the outbreak of the “war to end wars” is approaching fast, on 4^th August, so I’m pleased that the release of my book is timely.

 

The book is loosely based on a true story: we stayed in a chambre d’hôtes in Corsica in 2012 and saw some framed love letters hanging on the walls. A fascinating tale emerged. Corsica is a savagely beautiful island with a turbulent history – a gift for novelists. I’ve been captivated by it and have tried to convey its magic in the book: 

 

Rachel Swift travels to Corsica to discover more about her forebears. She comes across a series of passionate love letters and delves into their history.

 

The story unfolds of a secret romance at the start of the 20th century between a village schoolteacher and Maria, the daughter of a bourgeois family. Maria’s parents have other plans for her future, though, and she sees her dreams crumble.

 

Her life is played out against the backdrop of Corsica, the “island of beauty”, and the turmoil of World War I, when Maria becomes a nurse.

 

This is a story about love, loss and reconciliation in a strict patriarchal society, whose values are challenged as the world changes.

 

If you feel you’d like to read it, please click on the book below to take you to the paperback version. It’s also available on amazon.com and amazon.fr