A heartwarming and uplifting debut about the power of friendship, facing your fears, and finding the courage to step into the rest of your life.

Pearl Winter hasn't been outside in forty-three years.

Since she arrived in Dartmoor as a teenager, her isolated cottage has been her whole world. A place of safety. But now Pearl is utterly alone - except for the postman, the local crows, and her memories of the summer when her life turned upside down.

Connor Matthews feels like a stranger in his own home.

Since his mother's death he's been adrift from his remaining family and the life that's always been mapped out for him.

But when Connor takes a summer job as Pearl's gardener, their unexpected friendship opens the door to a fresh start for them both. If they can just take the first step . . .

(P) 2022 Hodder & Stoughton Limited