Description
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When Lydia stands on the stony beach looking out at the dark sea, she doesn’t believe in angels – in fact she doesn’t believe in anything – but something stops her taking that final walk…
Abandoned as a baby and brought up in care, Lydia learns to cope with rejection, but when Leo comes into her life, all that is over – or so she thinks. Instead, she finds herself suffering a life of control, violence and sexual abuse at the hands of a man she both fears and hates, while desperately trying to protect herself and her baby from what she is sure will end in their deaths. She has to get away.
After a mental breakdown, time in care and a court case, Lydia is finally free of Leo and starts to rebuild her life. She goes back to university, finds a job and somewhere to live, and begins a tentative relationship with a new man. Life is good. But then she is discovered, and her nightmare recommences. Imprisoned and tortured, Lydia starts to plan. She is determined not to die, but in order to find the strength to survive, she needs her angel to return…
The Author
Wendy was born in Sussex more years ago than she cares to remember and spent her teenage years in Essex before making her final move to Norfolk where she has continued to live for the biggest part of her life.
Writing has always been a part of Wendy’s life since penning Ponies in the Forest in a series of exercise books as an eleven-year-old, followed by a couple of nonfiction books on dog sport and several years spent writing a weekly column for the international journal Dog World.
Then in what might be described as her “third age” she discovered fiction writing and loves it. She describes the freedom to tell herself a story and decide how it will end as intoxicating, and whether she is writing a fairy tale for the little ones or a hard-hitting crime novel for the grown-ups she can escape to another world and let her imagination run riot.
Wendy describes her method of writing as starting with an idea rather than a plan and seeing where it takes her. Since discovering this incredibly rewarding pastime, she seems unable to stop; so with her third book out and three waiting in the wings, there will be many more to come.
Wendy is supported and encouraged by her husband and slightly surprised grown up kids; and her grandchildren have inspired and contributed to the children’s books.
When not writing Wendy can be found enjoying her other passion, breeding, training and working her long-established line of border collies, so don’t be surprised to find a dog in most of her books.
Billie Stewart –
This isn’t a novel I would normally choose – most of the books I enjoy are straightforward police procedurals. But the synopsis intrigued me and I’m glad I picked it up. It’s very much a story of two halves – the dark and the light. The protagonist, Lydia, has had a difficult start in life, but when she goes to university and meets her future husband, Leo, she thinks she has found happiness at last. Sadly, nothing could be further from the truth, and she finds herself trapped in a controlling and violent relationship. Angel is a real page-turner, and as we follow Lydia’s story, things get better and worse for her in turn, keeping the reader guessing until the end. But Angel is far from being all doom and gloom – there is a positive story here too, and Lydia finds hope and happiness on her journey. A really satisfying – if sometimes unsettling – read.
Flo Knox –
Angel appealed to me as soon as I read the blurb, and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s a well-paced novel which keeps you in suspense until the final pages. It’s certainly not an easy read at times – the themes explored include abusive relationships, kidnap and mental health issues, and the novel is hard-hitting in every sense. But there is also a great deal of hope and love at the heart of this story and the ending is perfect.
Jill –
This thought provoking novel brings alive the topic of abuse which is now being talked openly about in Britain today. I was carried along by the flow of the writing and captivating story..I do not usually sit down in the daytime to read a novel but I did with this book.
Teresa –
What a READ! So well written that as I was nearing the end of the book I couldn’t read it quickly enough.
A knockout ending!
Ann Morgan –
I started to read Angel one evening, then the following morning, just had to find out how it would end. It was an absolutely brilliant book, and I would definitely recommend it.
Mary –
Great book. Couldn’t put it down. Well done Wendy. Looking forward to the next
Ruby –
A fantastic book with both a gripping and moving plot!
Angie –
What a fantastic read. It had everything in it. Sometimes it was a difficult read but I couldn’t put it down and was willing Lydia to find her happy ending. Well done Wendy