About Never Again
Mountains, Mystery, Romance: Can you run from your past?
Harriet Anderson’s life is spiralling out of control. Unused to such mayhem, she ditches her high-powered job to take refuge in the Swiss Alps where she meets Philippe Smith, a crime writer with a dark and shadowy past. Thrown together by chance, is their fate intertwined? Will the karma and romance of the mountains and the quaintness of the Alps soothe their troubled souls?
Or will their rocky paths create avalanches that cannot be avoided...
My Review of Never Again
Never Again is set within Wengen in the beautiful Swiss Alps. I have never been to Switzerland, but now that I have read this book, I desperately need to go there and sip a hot chocolate on top of a mountain. This book is picturesque, romantic and a thoroughly enjoyable read.
The book begins with Harriet sat on a train as it slowly climbs the mountain to her final destination where she will be spending her summer waitressing at a hotel resort. During this compelling start to the novel, we learn that Harriet has secrets and that she is fleeing from a past that she would rather forget. I found that I was instantly drawn into Harriet's world and I wondered what life would be like for her working in a new country. I also wondered who she was fleeing from? Harriet is a likeable character and because chunks of the book are told from her point of view, I really found that I could identify with her as a woman who wanted to be independent but whose ties to her past kept pulling her back towards a life that she no longer wanted.
Huge chunks of the story are also told from Philippe's point of view and I have to admit that my heart was well and truly stolen by him. I loved Philippe. I loved his slightly gruff nature, his complicated past, a trait that he shared with Harriet, and his ultimate good looks. This attraction to him, I felt was further enhanced because he is not perfect and not your average romantic hero. The reason he has traveled to Wengen is to find solitude in order to write his crime novel, but there are also other reasons that are made apparat as the story progresses.
Throughout the novel, Harriet and Philippe have multiple misunderstandings and clash over a number of different issues - their romantic journey is not a smooth one, but that is what makes this book so much fun to read. You have no idea how the book is gong to end nd if there is a future for them. You just hope that there is a Happy Ever After.
On a final note I must mention Elspeth, an older lady and guest who befriends Harriet. I don't want to say too much, but you'll love her. I did.
This debut novel is well written and lives up to the romantic genre. I found myself completely immersed within the beautiful valleys of Wengen and I too wanted to walk hand in hand with Philippe along the mountain ridge. The book was completely captivating and whilst reading it I completely forgot all about the world around me. It was pure escapism.
Never Again is available to buy from Amazon here
About Nicky Clifford
Writing has always been a passion for Nicky Clifford and as a student she penned poems, short stories and articles, many of which were successfully published. But a lack of confidence in her novel writing led her to follow a different career path and for many years she worked in the corporate world of HR & Training.
Now with her sons having reached their teens and with her husband’s encouragement, Nicky has decided to focus on her writing once again and, glued to her writer’s chair, has completed three novels. Her debut novel, Never Again, is the first to be published and hits the contemporary romance shelves this autumn. The book is set in her home county of Berkshire and also in the Swiss Alps where Nicky has many happy memories, having worked there in her student days.
As well as dedicating her time to writing, Nicky also works part-time for a local charity. She will make a donation from the book royalties to the charities, Auticulate and Childhood Tumour Trust. Having completed a writing course at Reading University, she is a member of her local writing group which she says, were staunch in their support and have helped enormously in encouraging Nicky to launch her first book.
Nicky was a keen ice-skater, managing to perfect backwards crossovers, mohawks and one foot turns, but has recently hung up her boots to spend more time relaxing with her friends and family at home in Berkshire.
Website: www.nickyclifford.com
Facebook: NickyCliffordWriter
Twitter: @NickyNovelist
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