Love, Secrets and Absolution
K.L. Loveley
Publication date: November 1st 2017
Genres: Adult, Contemporary
People in the village gossip and say that Grace’s long-awaited son Alfie is “different”. He is a lonely boy with secrets, lies and obsessive thoughts.
How far can a mother’s unconditional love go? Will she ultimately sacrifice her life for his?
Set in Nottinghamshire, England – this gripping psychological drama follows the lives of Grace and her son Alfie, who transforms from a naïve boy to a University student spiralling out of control. A coming-of-age story with a difference.
A family falling apart: deceit, betrayal, teenage angst, love and addiction.
Will anybody find absolution?
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EXCERPT:
As the snowflakes fell, Grace shivered and instinctively stroked her bulging baby bump. Last night’s heavy snowfall was unusual for March and had taken everyone by surprise, including Grace who was ill prepared for the long walk to the doctor’s surgery. Underneath her unbuttoned teal blue Dannimac coat, she wore a hand-knitted cardigan and a velour maternity dress. Her swollen feet were uncomfortable in the brown moccasin boots she had squeezed them into. She sighed out loud. It’s going to be a cold and miserable trek to the baby clinic, she thought.
As soon as Grace stepped into the doctor’s surgery, the warm air hit her and she instantly became relaxed. She notified the receptionist of her presence and sat down on a brown utilitarian chair. As she gazed around the small waiting room she acknowledged the other mums-to-be, all of whom were younger than her. ‘Ayup, Grace, not long now eh, till your baby’s due,’ said a red-haired girl wearing a bright orange maternity dress. Just then, Grace experienced a sharp kick from her baby, she smiled and lovingly stroked her baby bump.
‘Shouldn’t be too long now,’ she replied.
The matronly midwife measured her baby bump to calculate the fundal height, and advised that according to her calculations the due date was today! However, after completing a multitude of other examinations, the midwife declared with some trepidation that Grace wouldn’t be giving birth just yet. ‘Your baby is a stubborn one and definitely nowhere near ready to come. Ain’t got its head engaged yet.’ the midwife chortled. Grace became frustrated, what did the midwife mean by “head not engaged”?
As Grace set off home and waded through the snowy village, she kept thinking of this strange terminology. She was so engrossed in her thoughts, that she lost concentration and tripped on a broken paving slab hidden beneath the snow. She fell onto the wet, cold, ground in an uncompromising position. With her coat spread out across the glistening snow, and her olive green maxi dress sprawled around her, she looked just like a huge beached whale.
Fortunately, one of her husband’s work colleagues’ drove by on his way to the afternoon shift down the mine. Laurence stopped the car and assisted Grace to her feet, ‘Please don’t mention this to Paul, I don’t want him worrying,’ pleaded Grace. However, her words must have fallen on deaf or mischievous ears, for within the hour, her husband arrived home with an anxious look on his face.
‘The whole colliery knows about your tumble, Grace. Laurence put it on the Tannoy system for me to go home as soon as possible, to look after you,’ he said whilst composing himself. ‘I felt sick with worry on hearing the message. All of my mates ushered me off the coal face with as much speed as one would expect in a colliery emergency and they send their regards. You should have seen the gaffers face, it was a sight to behold!’ He stated. ‘Not to worry,’ he said, ‘my shift was coming to an end anyway.’
Paul had rushed home still covered in black coal dust, his eyes rimmed with thick black lines, which almost looked like skilfully applied kohl eyeliner. He looked rather attractive she thought, almost exotic looking, deep, and interesting with the sooty lashes framing his soft brown eyes. ‘No time for a shower I’m afraid, not when my first child might have a rude awakening from his comfort zone and make an imminent arrival.’
Author Bio:
K.L Loveley is a former nurse, who has seen, heard, and dealt with a wide range of medical, social and family dramas. She has used her nursing experience, along with her excellent people-watching skills to create fascinating characters and intriguing scenarios within her books. She writes contemporary fiction, psychological dramas, and poetry.
Her debut novel Alice was published in February 2017, and the story tackles alcoholism head-on and presents the reader with an empathetic account of a spiraling addiction and the resulting pattern of hopelessness that many fall into.
K.L Loveley’s second novel Love, Secrets, and Absolution: An emotional and gripping psychological, family drama’ is a coming of age story with a difference. Deceit, betrayal, love, and addiction, this story is about a family falling apart in the midst of teenage angst and torn loyalties.
If you enjoy reading authors like Jodi Picoult and Diane Chamberlain, you will enjoy K.L Loveley!
K.L Loveley lives in Nottinghamshire, England and loves socializing with friends and family. She is an avid reader and enjoys a variety of genres including psychological, thrillers and historical fiction. Her favorite authors include John le Carré, K.L Slater, Marian Keyes and Philippa Gregory.
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