My first novel One Last Hundred Chances is out now.

A unique book, based on eight domestic abuse survivors’ lives, woven together to show how the recognised patterns of behaviour occur in a relationship.

Survivors who shared their stories with me not only to reclaim their narrative; but in the hope that by sharing their worst experiences, someone will recognise or understand what is happening to them, and be strong enough to leave.

Hazel finds herself in a relationship she didn’t want. As her family and friends fight to keep hold of her, Hazel is in the fight for her life. Slowly being robbed of her identity and individuality, she must somehow find the courage to break free of her controlling partner. How many chances will she give him before she finally manages to escape?

Set in the quintessential English seaside town of Eastbourne from the late 1990s to the early 2000s, the story is a reflection of changing times. Hazel is a bright young woman whose persona is slowly and deliberately being eroded by her ‘loving’ partner while trying to hold on to the heady optimism of being young in 1990s England.

From the simpler time of fax machines and those indestructible Nokia phones, it’s a retrospective tale of one woman’s struggle to hold on to herself in a time of constant flux and an insight into the lasting impact of manipulative relationships.

An emotional read for all of those women who once ‘lost themselves’ for the sake of love, and to all those who refound their inner ‘me’ years later…

I’ll share the story about how I started writing it shortly, and how it ended up being a completely different book from what I thought it would be.