Rita Collins is a woman who has postponed her own life and dreams to help her younger sister, a single mother, bring up her seven-year-old son, Charlie. Working as an accountant at Watson’s Mill in her home town of Rochester, Rita has cause to find another job when the mill closes. Opportunities in Rochester are scarce. Angel, Rita’s sister, brings home a flyer from a company seeking an accountant. That action has a snowball effect cumulating in Rita making a rare impulsive decision that changes her life—she 'runs away' to join the Garmancelli Family Circus.
Neve Garmancelli, a loner by choice, has spent the last twenty years of her life committed to a circus that never makes money. Inheriting the circus from her father at the height of her career as a trapeze performer, causes Neve to struggle to keep the circus alive at great expense to her personal life. When her uncle dies, Neve has the added dilemma of doing the accounting. It is then that she asks her brother, Lorenzo, to hire a new accountant.
“Ladies and gentlemen and children of all ages, turn your attention to the center ring for the circus is about to begin.”
JM Dragon was born in the United Kingdom and after leading a hectic working life in logistics, made the startling decision to up root and move half way around the world to New Zealand. That decision changed her life, she is now a New Zealand citizen and looks at the country now as her home and in her words 'I wouldn't live anywhere else in the world it's fabulous'. Her life changed dramatically to a lifestyle block owner of 3 acres, complete with 2 Alpacas, 80 chickens and 4 cats. She has written for as long as she can remember and has in her portfolio many novels and short stories. Some of which are published. Today she splits her time between, her home life 'those darn weeds and chickens', her business venture with Affinity Ebook Press NZ LTD and writing.
A good story - loved the premis - but it never caught fire and actually, half way though became slightly bored, read ending, then skim read back to make sense of everything... Sorry!
The story was great, the characters likable, and overall not a bad book at all. The book was screaming out for proper editing, but ultimately, well done.