Letters From a Patchwork Quilt: Separation, #1

By Clare Flynn

"A story of love, loss and tragedy: a heart-breaking and moving tale" Readers' Favorite

A young man turns his back on family pressure to become a Catholic priest in order to pursue the promise of a new life, in this powerful and moving love story.

England 1875, Jack Brennan runs away from home to take up a teaching job and follow his dreams of becoming a poet. 

Arriving in the thriving port city of Bristol, Jack loves his new teaching job. When he falls passionately in love with a fellow teacher, Eliza Hewlett, their future together looks bright. Everything changes when the daughter of Jack's landlord falsely accuses him of fathering the child she is expecting. Unable to convince the parish priest and Jack's powerful landlord, Jack is in an intolerable position.

Desperate, Jack and Eliza decide to risk everything by emigrating to America. As they stand hand-in-hand on the deck of their ship on the Liverpool quayside, the couple are excited about the adventure ahead. But just as the ship is about to weigh anchor, police come on board to arrest Jack, while preventing Eliza from disembarking with him. Eliza is left alone en route to New York with just a few shillings in her pocket, while Jack is taken back to Bristol to face a shotgun wedding.

Will Jack be forced to marry his accuser? Will he fulfil his dream of becoming a poet? How will Eliza cope alone and penniless when she arrives in New York? Will the heartbroken lovers ever be reunited?

A sweeping, heart-wrenching tale of love and sacrifice, separation and courage, perfect for fans of Santa Montefiore and Janet MacLeod Trotter

 

Readers are utterly compelled by Letters from A Patchwork Quilt:

"Another brilliant book by Clare Flynn… a beautiful ending and very inspiring"

"I love books by this author and can never put them down."

"The story is captivating." 

"This was the most engrossing page turner"

"Well written, moving and highly recommended. A great read."

"I highly recommend to readers of historical fiction, romance and women's books."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cranbrook Press
• Release date: Sep 25, 2015
• ISBN: 9781533777621

Clare Flynn

Historical novelist Clare Flynn is a former global marketing director and business owner. She now lives in Eastbourne on the south coast of England and most of her time these days is spent writing her novels – when she's not gazing out of her windows at the sea. Clare is the author of eight novels and a short story collection. Her books deal with displacement –her characters are wrenched away from their comfortable existences and forced to face new challenges – often in outposts of an empire which largely disappeared after WW2. Clare is an active member of the Historical Novel Society, the Romantic Novelists Association, The Society of Authors and the Alliance of Independent Authors.