‘Its characters pulse with life and energy – Connie’s contrary longings and Seppe’s difficult journey to inner peace are vividly rendered, as is the evocation of the forest and its healing qualities’

DAILY MAIL

‘I LOVED it. Seppe is one of the most refreshing portrayals of masculinity I have ever read’

SHELLEY HARRIS

‘A lovely hymn to the woods and the men and women who worked there during the Second World War’

LISSA EVANS

‘Powerful and moving. Connie and Seppe are amazing characters. So well nuanced. I loved her feisty courage. And such heartbreak! This compelling debut shows how outsiders in a time of war seek to rebuild their lives again’

ESSIE FOX

‘A tender and moving debut, which examines the way one can live through love, loss and duty … something wonderful’

OX MAGAZINE

‘An accomplished debut … the perfect read for those who enjoy historical fiction with humour, warmth and a real sense of place’

DAILY RECORD

‘Packed full of beautiful, touching characters in a story that keeps the reader gripped throughout, and goes in directions that aren’t expected. Love is at the heart of this story – romantic love, familial love, love for one’s country and love for one’s self. It’s a passionate, heartwarming and emotional tale that I hugely enjoyed’

THE BOOKBAG

‘What a fascinating read – draws you into the shadows and envelopes you right into the heart of the story. It’s a very unique angle on the second World War’

THE BOOK TRAIL

‘The wartime lives of both Italian POWs and the lumberjills have received surprisingly little cultural attention over the years; in Franklin’s tender, moving debut novel, with its unforgettable heroine, those experiences get the loving attention they deserve’

IRISH TIMES

‘A brilliant book. Everyone should read it’

ALEX REEVE

‘These two displaced people find solace with the rhythms of nature and with each other until the secret that Connie has been hiding threatens to tear them apart. A wonderful, affecting debut novel about the redemptive power of nature’

RED

‘One of the year’s hottest debuts’

NETGALLEY, Book of the Month