Clare Swatman

Some people are just made for each other... When seven-year-old Fran first met Will they knew instantly that they were made for each other. For eleven years they were inseparable, but then, at the age of eighteen, Will just upped and disappeared. Twenty-five years later Will is back. Is fate trying to give them a second chance? Still nursing the heart break from all those years ago, Fran is reluctant to give Will the time of day. The price Will must pay is to tell the truth – the truth about why he left, the truth about why he’s back... And Fran has her own secrets to hide. The time has come to decide what Fran and Will really want from life – before it’s too late. Unashamedly romantic, Before We Grow Old is a book full of love, laughter and tears, and you’ll be rooting for Fran and Will from the moment you meet them. Let Clare Swatman whisk you away for the love story of the year. Perfect for fans of Sophie Cousens and Isabelle Broom Praise for Clare Swatman: 'A beautifully written tale of enduring love' - Rowan Coleman 'Irresistible . . . A delightfully bittersweet story that will appeal to fans of One Day' - Sunday Mirror 'Wonderful' - Sun 'A bittersweet debut about love, loss and second chances' - Good Housekeeping 'A lovely debut' - Prima 'An utterly gorgeous love story' - Katy Regan

Before We Grow Old

There is something I need to tell you . . .Zoe's life is upended when her boyfriend Ed is suddenly is killed. Zoe and Ed met at university, made a life together - then everything they shared was taken away. The morning he died, Zoe and Ed argued and she never told him that she loved him. Zoe desperately wants a second chance to say the things she never got to say to her husband Ed; to tell him she truly loved him, and that she failed to see what was really important in the time they had together. Now it's too late. Or is it? As we re-live Zoe's relationship with Ed alongside her, the potential and hope for change - to make things right, to alter the course of their time together - remains alive. Can Zoe change her past and her future?

Before You Go

Prima che sia domani

Last Christmas I gave you my heart...

Looking up at the departures board in Heathrow airport, her flight to New York boarding soon, Bea Preston knows that getting on that plane changes everything. Her life in London has grown stale, her relationship with boyfriend Dom has run its course, and New York has always been her dream. But it’s a risk – she’ll miss her parents, her friends, her job.

What if Bea could live both lives? In one she goes back home for Christmas, and in another she heads to the Big Apple. Would her fate remain the same, or can one decision really change everything? And will Bea get one happy ending - or two...

In a grand sliding-doors love story that spans oceans, years and lives

Last Christmas

Starting over can be hard to do... So when mum of two Beth moves out of her beloved marital home and into an unloved and unkempt cottage, she can't help but feel demoralised. Faced with months of DIY and dust, her children Jacob and Olivia aren't impressed either. But when Beth finds a box of letters while she's clearing out the children's room, things start to look up. The correspondence is decades old, between agony aunt Evelyn and those in need of solace. Intrigued as to why the letters have been kept safe all these years, Beth can't resist reading them, and as the wisdom and kindness of Evelyn falls off the pages, so Beth starts to feel she has a friend and champion in this woman she has never met. Good advice doesn't age, and as life starts to look brighter, Beth begins to wonder if she could track down Evelyn and thank her for her help. But as Beth uncovers more about Evelyn's story, it becomes clear that everything is not as it seems. And now Beth is determined to bring peace to Evelyn as she has to her. A spell-binding, heart-warming story of friendship, love and being brave enough to be yourself. Praise for Clare Swatman: 'A sensitive, touching story with emotional depth and page-turning quality' Helen Rolfe 'I loved The Night We First Met by Clare Swatman. Warm, romantic and wonderfully written, it's an emotional and thought-provoking read with such relatable characters.' Debbie Howells 'The Night We First Met is a beautiful love story that vividly evokes time and place, transporting the reader... and leaves you rooting for everyone who is brave enough to follow their heart and not their head.' Victoria Scott 'Heart-breaking and life-affirming in equal measures, Before We Grow Old is the tender story of a chance meeting between former childhood sweethearts Fran and Will, and is packed with secrets and revelations. Through her beautiful writing, Clare Swatman delivers a powerful lesson in learning to love with your whole heart and accepting the same, no matter what life throws at you.' Sarah Bennett 'Irresistible... A delightfully bittersweet story that will appeal to fans of One Day' - Sunday Mirror 'The Night We First Met is a breathless story of enduring love that will fill your heart and give you hope.' Laura Kemp 'The Night We First Met is such a special book, filled with broken and relatable characters, who you can't help but love. Just Gorgeous!' Emma Cooper 'The Night We First Met is a gorgeously romantic, sliding doors love story about how The One will find you in the end.' Katy Regan Readers love Clare Swatman: 'I've enjoyed all of Clare's books, but this one I just couldn't put down. I was hooked from the first page.' 'Another amazing read from Clare x another must read from her! You can't wait to get to the bed.' 'I really enjoyed this book, a real page turner. Great characters in a brilliant mystery story. Worthy of a book club, I wish I had someone to discuss it with!!' 'Clare Swatman weaves a beautiful tale that grips you from the first page, leaves you wanting to travel on this journey and ultimately tells a beautiful story. I heartily recommend this book, I loved her style of writing and will be reading more from this author.' 'This is another great, page-turner from Clare Swatman. A really enjoyable read, as are all her books. The characters are believable and you are rooting for Laura right from the off. The book does not disappoint, give it a go. A great summer holiday read.'

The Lost Letters of Evelyn Wright

'A beautifully written tale of enduring love' Rowan Coleman One night in December, twenty-two year old Ted Green makes his way to Waterloo Bridge determined to end his life. Lonely and despairing, it seems the only choice. That same night, Marianne Cooper is running away from a party. Having found her boyfriend in a passionate clinch with someone else, Marianne can’t get away fast enough. But as she makes her way along London’s South Bank, a figure catches her eye on top of the bridge. Then she sees him, a man ready to jump. When Marianne saves Ted’s life, this night in December becomes one they’ll never forget, and what should be the start of a love story to last them a lifetime. But as Ted watches Marianne leave in a black taxi, all he can think is he should have asked her name. In a story spanning twenty years, join Ted and Marianne as they navigate life’s twists and turns, joys and heartbreaks, while all the time wondering - will fate ever bring them together again, and will true love save them both in the end... Perfect for fans of Sophie Cousens and Isabelle Broom. 'I loved How To Save A Life by Clare Swatman. Warm, romantic and wonderfully written, it's an emotional and thought-provoking read with such relatable characters.' Debbie Howells 'How To Save A Life is a beautiful love story that vividly evokes time and place, transporting the reader to a snowy London night and a chance encounter that changes the lives of two people irrevocably. It takes us on a nostalgic and emotional trip through the past twenty years, and leaves you rooting for everyone who is brave enough to follow their heart and not their head.' Victoria Scott Praise for Clare Swatman: 'How to Save a Life is a breathless story of enduring love that will fill your heart and give you hope.' Laura Kemp 'How to Save a Life is such a special book, filled with broken and relatable characters, who you can't help but love. Just Gorgeous!' Emma Cooper 'How to Save a Life' is a gorgeously romantic, sliding doors love story about how The One will find you in the end.' Katy Regan 'Heart-breaking and life-affirming in equal measures, Before We Grow Old is the tender story of a chance meeting between former childhood sweethearts Fran and Will, and is packed with secrets and revelations. Through her beautiful writing, Clare Swatman delivers a powerful lesson in learning to love with your whole heart and accepting the same, no matter what life throws at you.' Sarah Bennett 'Irresistible . . . A delightfully bittersweet story that will appeal to fans of One Day' - Sunday Mirror 'Wonderful' - Sun

The BRAND NEW unforgettable love story from the bestselling author of Before We Grow Old

How To Save A Life

The Mother's Secret by Clare Swatman is a powerful story about family, secrets and devastating lies. Love keeps us together . . . Sisters Kate and Georgie have always shared a close bond. While Kate enjoyed the freedoms of youth, Georgie remained at home. But now Georgie is grown up, it’s time she started exploring. Love can tear us apart . . . Their mother Jan loves her daughters with all her heart. So what if she kept them out of sight when they were young? She just cared for them so much. She wanted to protect them. What if your life was based on a lie? Maybe there was another reason for Jan’s protective behaviour? If they ventured too far afield, it might destroy the facade of their childhood. This family’s about to discover that while lies can cause pain, the truth could destroy them all.

The Mother's Secret

The most unlikely friendship. The most unexpected consequences. When Anna's husband cheats on her, she's sure she'll never be happy again. But then she meets 94-year-old Grace. Despite an age gap of more than fifty years, the pair set out together on a life-changing journey halfway across the country in search of some answers. Sometimes the only way to move on is to revisit the past. But will Anna and Grace be prepared for what they find? A story about love, female friendship, heartbreak and learning to forgive.

Dear Grace

"Clare Swatman erzahlt so herzzerreiSSend und spannend, dass man von der ersten Seite an mitfiebert. [...] Ein temporeicher Roman, der zu Tranen ruhrt." Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung

Before you go - Jeder letzte Tag mit dir

Innan du går

Starting over can be hard to do... So when mum of two Beth moves out of her beloved marital home and into an unloved and unkempt cottage, she can’t help but feel demoralised. Faced with months of DIY and dust, her children Jacob and Olivia aren’t impressed either. But when Beth finds a box of letters while she’s clearing out the children’s room, things start to look up. The correspondence is decades old, between agony aunt Evelyn and those in need of solace. Intrigued as to why the letters have been kept safe all these years, Beth can’t resist reading them, and as the wisdom and kindness of Evelyn falls off the pages, so Beth starts to feel she has a friend and champion in this woman she has never met. Good advice doesn’t age, and as life starts to look brighter, Beth begins to wonder if she could track down Evelyn and thank her for her help. But as Beth uncovers more about Evelyn’s story, it becomes clear that everything is not as it seems. And now Beth is determined to bring peace to Evelyn as she has to her. A spell-binding, heart-warming story of friendship, love and being brave enough to be yourself. Praise for Clare Swatman: 'A sensitive, touching story with emotional depth and page-turning quality' Helen Rolfe 'I loved The Night We First Met by Clare Swatman. Warm, romantic and wonderfully written, it's an emotional and thought-provoking read with such relatable characters.' Debbie Howells 'The Night We First Met is a beautiful love story that vividly evokes time and place, transporting the reader... and leaves you rooting for everyone who is brave enough to follow their heart and not their head.' Victoria Scott 'Heart-breaking and life-affirming in equal measures, Before We Grow Old is the tender story of a chance meeting between former childhood sweethearts Fran and Will, and is packed with secrets and revelations. Through her beautiful writing, Clare Swatman delivers a powerful lesson in learning to love with your whole heart and accepting the same, no matter what life throws at you.' Sarah Bennett 'Irresistible... A delightfully bittersweet story that will appeal to fans of One Day' - Sunday Mirror 'The Night We First Met is a breathless story of enduring love that will fill your heart and give you hope.' Laura Kemp 'The Night We First Met is such a special book, filled with broken and relatable characters, who you can't help but love. Just Gorgeous!' Emma Cooper 'The Night We First Met is a gorgeously romantic, sliding doors love story about how The One will find you in the end.' Katy Regan Readers love Clare Swatman: ‘I’ve enjoyed all of Clare’s books, but this one I just couldn’t put down. I was hooked from the first page.’ ‘Another amazing read from Clare x another must read from her! You can’t wait to get to the bed.’ ‘I really enjoyed this book, a real page turner. Great characters in a brilliant mystery story. Worthy of a book club, I wish I had someone to discuss it with!!’ ‘Clare Swatman weaves a beautiful tale that grips you from the first page, leaves you wanting to travel on this journey and ultimately tells a beautiful story. I heartily recommend this book, I loved her style of writing and will be reading more from this author.’ ‘This is another great, page-turner from Clare Swatman. A really enjoyable read, as are all her books. The characters are believable and you are rooting for Laura right from the off. The book does not disappoint, give it a go. A great summer holiday read.’

A BRAND NEW breathtaking, uplifting novel of love and friendship from Clare Swatman for 2024

'Unputdownable - Swatman's story weaving is perfection. Loved every minute of this heartfelt read!' Rachel Dove Laura is watching the world go by without her. Unable to leave her house since suffering a trauma, Laura is stuck gazing out of her window at Willow Crescent, relying on husband Jim and best friend Debbie for help. Then one day, Jim doesn’t come home. A day becomes two, days become a week, and still no sign of Jim. And with the police half-hearted in their efforts to look for him, Laura is forced into a decision. She’s going to have to face the world outside and find her husband herself. But what Laura hasn’t realised is that Willow Crescent is a community, eager to help. From Arthur and Carol next door ready to rally the neighbours, to Marjorie and her daughter Faye at number nine looking for their own reasons to engage with the world. From Sonja at number seven who thinks she may have seen Jim in London, to widower Ben at number four who understands all about being lonely. Laura has a world ready to embrace her if she can just find the nerve. And when it slowly dawns on them all, that the Jim they thought they knew, may have been hiding some unfathomable secrets, Laura has a choice – retreat back behind her window, or start living the life that was waiting for her all along. This is Clare Swatman's tour de force. At the same time emotional, uplifting, page-turning and breath-taking, Laura is a character you will never forget. Praise for Clare Swatman: 'A sensitive, touching story with emotional depth and page-turning quality' Helen Rolfe 'I loved The Night We First Met by Clare Swatman. Warm, romantic and wonderfully written, it's an emotional and thought-provoking read with such relatable characters.' Debbie Howells 'The Night We First Met** is a beautiful love story that vividly evokes time and place, transporting the reader... and leaves you rooting for everyone who is brave enough to follow their heart and not their head.' Victoria Scott 'Heart-breaking and life-affirming in equal measures, Before We Grow Old is the tender story of a chance meeting between former childhood sweethearts Fran and Will, and is packed with secrets and revelations. Through her beautiful writing, Clare Swatman delivers a powerful lesson in learning to love with your whole heart and accepting the same, no matter what life throws at you.' Sarah Bennett 'Irresistible . . . A delightfully bittersweet story that will appeal to fans of One Day' - Sunday Mirror 'The Night We First Met is a breathless story of enduring love that will fill your heart and give you hope.' Laura Kemp 'The Night We First Met is such a special book, filled with broken and relatable characters, who you can't help but love. Just Gorgeous!' Emma Cooper 'The Night We First Met is a gorgeously romantic, sliding doors love story about how The One will find you in the end.' Katy Regan

A beautiful page-turning and breathtaking novel from Clare Swatman

The World Outside My Window

Mother's Secret

One night in December, Marianne Cooper is running away from a party. Having found her boyfriend in a passionate clinch with someone else, she can’t get away fast enough.

That same night, twenty-two year old Ted Green is trying to make the hardest decision of his life. What he really needs is someone he can confide in.

When Marianne meets Ted, with the lights of London shining around them, the night becomes one they’ll never forget.  Because this night might just be the start of a love story to last them a lifetime. But as Ted watches Marianne leave in a black taxi, all he can think is he should have asked for her name and phone number. 

The night we first met

The Mother's Secret is a powerful story about family, secrets and lies by the author of Before You Go, Clare Swatman Love keeps us together Kate and Georgie are best friends, different in the way siblings always are, united by the bond of sisterhood. Georgie's past has kept her close to her family, she cared for her mother while her sister travelled the world. At the age of 32, Georgie's decided it's her time to start discovering. There's a world out there for her to explore - but she's about to make a different kind of discovery. Love can tear us apart Jan, Kate and Georgie's mother, loved her little girls with all her heart. Some people might say she smothered them, but she just cared so much for them. Maybe there was another reason Jan wanted to keep her girls close? Letting them explore and question the world around then might destroy the façade of the world they grew up in . . . What if your life was based on a lie?

There’s nothing a mother wouldn’t do for her children – even if it means telling a lie... Sisters Georgie and Kate have always been close. Brought up by their mum Jan after the death of their father, this family of women have always been able to rely on each other. Jan loves her daughters with all her heart. She knows some people think she’s an over-protective mother, but they didn’t know what she knows. She has always kept her girls close but now she can feel them slipping away. Secrets have a nasty habit of refusing to stay hidden, and now Georgie and Kate are about to discover that while lies can cause pain, the truth could destroy them all. Two beloved girls. The mother who adores him. The secret that could tear them apart. Bestselling novelist Clare Swatman returns with a heart-breaking, devastating, but ultimately uplifting story about mothers, daughters and the bonds of love. Praise for Clare Swatman: 'Before We Grow Old is an unashamedly big, life-affirming, tear-jerking love story. Beautifully told, characters Fran and Will had me from the first page, and crying buckets by the last ! Just gorgeous.' Katy Regan 'Before We Grow Old took me on an intense emotional journey, and I cried at the end (and I rarely cry when I'm reading!) The portrayal of the mother and son bond - with its peaks and troughs of intensity and frustration - felt incredibly real, and the dialogue in particular was brilliantly done.' Victoria Scott 'A beautifully written tale of enduring love' - Rowan Coleman 'Irresistible . . . A delightfully bittersweet story that will appeal to fans of One Day' - Sunday Mirror 'Wonderful' - Sun

A heartbreaking but uplifting novel of mothers and daughters from Clare Swatman for 2022

The one that she wants... Adam Bowers; handsome, funny and with the charm of a rock star, from the moment she laid eyes on him, teenage Erin was smitten. But first loves don’t always last, and after a whirlwind romance, Erin and Adam go their separate ways. Yet, Erin never lets go of the feeling that Adam may have been her soul mate... The one that she needs... Greg fell in love with Erin in their first week at university. Solid, trustworthy and hopelessly devoted to Erin, he knows he's better for her than the feckless Adam, who is forever leaving Erin broken-hearted, before winning her back with his charm. As far as Greg is concerned, it’s easy to promise the world, but it’s harder to love someone for a lifetime. The one that got away... Years later Greg and Erin are married, and although life hasn’t always been easy, Greg’s love for Erin has never dimmed. But when Adam comes back, in desperate need of Erin's help, everything changes. Erin starts to wonder whether fate is trying to tell her something... Will Erin risk it all for the man she had thought was ‘The One’? From the author of the bestselling Before We Grow Old, Clare Swatman. A Love to Last a Lifetime is for anyone who had a first love, a lost love or a love that lasted forever. Perfect for all fans of Sophie Cousens, David Nicholls and Josie Silver. Praise for Clare Swatman: 'I loved How To Save A Life by Clare Swatman. Warm, romantic and wonderfully written, it's an emotional and thought-provoking read with such relatable characters.' Debbie Howells 'How To Save A Life is a beautiful love story that vividly evokes time and place, transporting the reader... and leaves you rooting for everyone who is brave enough to follow their heart and not their head.' Victoria Scott 'Heart-breaking and life-affirming in equal measures, Before We Grow Old is the tender story of a chance meeting between former childhood sweethearts Fran and Will, and is packed with secrets and revelations. Through her beautiful writing, Clare Swatman delivers a powerful lesson in learning to love with your whole heart and accepting the same, no matter what life throws at you.' Sarah Bennett 'Irresistible . . . A delightfully bittersweet story that will appeal to fans of One Day' - Sunday Mirror 'How to Save a Life is a breathless story of enduring love that will fill your heart and give you hope.' Laura Kemp How to Save a Life is a gorgeously romantic, sliding doors love story about how The One will find you in the end.' Katy Regan

A Love to Last a Lifetime

Was wir bereit sind, aus Liebe zu tun ... Die 37-jährige Georgie hat sich innerhalb ihrer Familie schon immer etwas fremd gefühlt. Während ihre extrovertierte Schwester Kate früh ausgezogen ist und seit Jahren die Welt erkundet, hat sich die schüchterne Georgie nie getraut, die Heimat zu verlassen, sondern sich stattdessen um ihre kranke Mutter Jane gekümmert. Als Georgie nun das erste Mal eine Fernreise unternehmen soll und daher ihre Geburtsurkunde benötigt, stößt sie auf dem Dachboden ihres Elternhauses auf ein Geheimnis, das alles, woran sie bisher geglaubt hat, auf den Kopf stellt – und vor allem die Geschichte ihrer Mutter in ein völlig neues Licht rückt ...

Roman

Das Geheimnis meiner Mutter

Some people stare love in the face for years before they find it. Zoe and Ed fumbled their way into adulthood, both on different paths - but always in the same direction. Years later, having navigated dead-end jobs and chaotic house shares, romance finally blossoms. Their future together looks set... Then the unthinkable happens. One morning, on his way to work, Ed is knocked off his bike and dies. Now Zoe must find a way to survive. But she's not ready to let go of her memories. How can she forget all of the happy times, their first kiss, everything they'd built together? Zoe decides she has to tell Ed all the things she never said. But now it's too late. Or is it?

'A beautifully written tale of enduring love' When you’re meant to be together forever, you want forever to start today. Zoe and Ed were made for each other. After meeting at college and having a whirlwind romance, their lives travel on separate, parallel paths, but always destined to meet. When love does finally strike, Zoe and Ed are sure they will be together forever. Then the unthinkable happens – one morning, on his way to work, Ed is knocked off his bike and dies. Zoe is left facing a lifetime of what-ifs and could-have-beens. How can she let go of all the memories they made, all the missed chances they’d had to be together... But what if Zoe had the chance to revisit all their important days again, the chance to say all the things she never said? And what if Zoe had the chance to change Ed’s destiny... Clare Swatman’s heart-breaking novel is an unforgettable tale of sliding doors, a life well lived, and a forever love. Perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes, Sophie Cousens and Isabelle Broom. Praise for Clare Swatman: 'A beautifully written tale of enduring love' - Rowan Coleman 'Irresistible... A delightfully bittersweet story that will appeal to fans of One Day' - Sunday Mirror 'Wonderful' – Sun 'Before We Grow Old is an unashamedly big, life-affirming, tear-jerking love story. Beautifully told, characters Fran and Will had me from the first page, and crying buckets by the last ! Just gorgeous.' Katy Regan ‘Through her beautiful writing, Clare Swatman delivers a powerful lesson in learning to love with your whole heart and accepting the same, no matter what life throws at you.' Sarah Bennett 'Before We Grow Old took me on an intense emotional journey, and I cried at the end (and I rarely cry when I'm reading!).' Victoria Scott

Clare Swatman

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