Available Formats
A Time to Live
By (Author) Vanessa de Haan
HarperCollins Publishers
HarperCollins
15th January 2024
United Kingdom
General
Fiction
Historical fiction
First World War fiction
Family life fiction
Historical adventure fiction
Narrative theme: Love and relationships
823.92
Paperback
480
Width 153mm, Height 234mm, Spine 40mm
580g
Will he choose inheritance or freedom . . .
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, doesnt 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 didnt end on the battlefield; the country faces upheavals like never before. And when an unexpected legacy blows in from Edwards secret past, Freddies 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, from Suffragettes to political extremists, this is a story of legacy and scars, of the price of change, the price of family
Praise for Vanessa de Haan:
A rich and skilful novel dramatizing how the war changed so many lives Elizabeth Buchan
The sure-footedness of a pro, an amazing debut Jeffrey Archer
This is a story about class changing conventions, as much as it is a war story . . . De Haan writes with depth and compassion The Times
The second world war brings three people's lives crashing together in this nuanced debut . . . Carefully researched and sensitively written, this is an emotional and memorable read Womans Own
A beautifully layered, expressive novel Historical Novel Society
Packs a powerful emotional punch . . . a wonderfully engaging new voice' Toronto Star
Vanessa de Haan is a freelance journalist and editor. She has worked in-house for various media companies and spent most of her career at The Spectator magazine. In 2005 Vanessa moved temporarily from London to Devon to concentrate on her own writing and never left. She completed the MA in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University and was a columnist on the Western Morning News for almost three years. When not writing, Vanessa is a proofreader and copy editor. She still lives in Devon, now with a husband, three children and various animals.