A marriage built on secrets. A family torn apart. A love that could heal them all.
When Anna Graham finds diamond earrings in her husband’s drawer the day before Valentine’s Day, she knows they’re not for her – her ears aren’t even pierced. Gray is having an affair – but before she can confront him about his betrayal, he receives a terminal cancer diagnosis that shatters their family.
As Gray lies dying in their Damask Square home, Anna meets Laurel – the nurse who stole her husband’s heart. Despite her rage, Anna finds herself sharing Gray’s final days with this other woman, both desperate to ease his suffering while drowning in their own grief.
But hidden in their loft, Anna discovers traces of a stranger – a boy who was a gifted pianist, who had a different life before he became her husband. As she struggles to hold herself together for her teenage children, Anna realises everything she believed about Gray was built on carefully constructed lies.
Can two women who loved the same man find a way to heal – and help each other discover who Gray really was?
About The Author
My Review
This is a deeply moving and emotionally layered novel that explores marriage, betrayal, forgiveness, and self-discovery with remarkable sensitivity. From the very beginning, I was drawn into Anna’s world as she faces the devastating fallout of her husband Gray’s infidelity, while also uncovering the pain and secrets that shaped him. What makes this story so compelling is the balanced perspective—it doesn’t just follow Anna, but also gives us insight into Gray and Laurel, the nurse who falls for him. Each viewpoint feels authentic, making it hard not to sympathize with all sides of this tangled, heartbreaking situation.
Ranald handles heavy themes with nuance, never resorting to clichés or easy resolutions. Instead, she paints a portrait of flawed, multidimensional people navigating love, grief, mistakes, and redemption. The characters grow in believable ways, with moments of anger, guilt, compassion, and eventual healing. The ending ties these journeys together beautifully, offering hope and renewal without diminishing the struggles that came before.
Powerful, heartfelt, and courageous in tackling tough topics, this book left me reflective and inspired.
My Rating
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