The Cherries by D B Carter #Review #Giveaway

The Cherries by D B Carter has been published by Mirador Publishing. I was delighted to be invited to be part of the celebrations for this distinctive novel.  I also have a great Giveaway for you and the chance to win a print copy of the book. (UK only). Details on how to enter are at the foot of this post. 

 

When they have broken you, when you have been humiliated, bullied, deserted and destitute, can you find a place where you may dare to be happy?

Susan travels with her mother, escaping a life of heartbreak and poverty in the city, to live with their one remaining friend in a small rural village.

At twenty Susan is still bound by the trauma of her youth, but starts to blossom into womanhood, thanks to the tender encouragement of Luke, the eccentric occupant of ‘The Cherries’, who lives surrounded by books and art. It is a journey of tears and laughter, helping to heal mind and spirit.

But can the past ever be truly behind you?

Feeling safe and secure at last, mother and daughter nurture artistic talents that they had long since thought worthless, and their lives take directions they could never have imagined.

Yet, amongst the kindness and love in their new community, there lies hidden grief and a long-suppressed secret that must come to light. Something that might force Susan to another life beyond the confines of the village.

My Thoughts

The Cherries feels like a coming of age novel about young people who have issues in their past which overlap and which bring them together. It has a distinctive voice which gives it a literary fiction feel and which has echoes of classic readings especially Jane Eyre. Living in the sanctuary of the countryside, the effects of bullying and prejudice don't go away but there seems to be a healing quality about life there. Susan and her mother have taken sanctuary in the rural village life.

    Most fascinating has to be the character of Luke who appears to be calm and capable but who is controlling his own issues of anxiety through his self-imposed, restricted life style. Creativity seems to flourish within the safety of life in the village but eventually, Susan has to spend time away, attracted again to a contained environment. This is a confidently written novel which creates its own world with great clarity. 

In short: Beneath the surface, past issues continue to affect lives. 

 

About the Author

D B Carter writes contemporary drama and romance novels, dealing with difficult subjects as well has happier themes. A son of two painters, he grew up surrounded by art and through that world, he met many interesting characters. Later, he ran his own successful company for over 20 years, before taking up his life-long desire to be a writer.

He lives with his wife of 30 years in rural Devon, England. A lifelong bibliophile, he loves reading classical literature, including Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters, Thomas Hardy and Anthony Trollope; a childhood of Saturday afternoon black-and-white movies added to his appreciation of sagas and drama.

His world view is, "If we look for the good, we will find it."

You can follow him here: Twitter   |  Facebook

Book link: Amazon UK 

Thanks to DB Carter, Mirador Publishing and Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.  

                                                              Follow the rest of the tour!

 

                                                                       Giveaway (UK only) 

 

To win a print copy of The Cherries,  just Follow and Retweet the pinned Tweet at @bookslifethings.

 Closing Date 24th July 2019 and there is one winner.

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries only.  The winner will be selected at random via Tweetdraw from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.