Passage

by Prue Batten

Meeting Alex Tremayne changed Annie's life.

Losing him through a shocking farm accident shattered her.

After Annie loses Alex, her husband and soulmate, she withdraws into the state of solitude that has always been her refuge.

Unsure how to move forward, she leans on Blighty, her bizarre little Jack Russell terrier for comfort, wishfully encountering the spirit of her late husband and craving the dry wit and understanding of her French friend, Lisette.

Amongst the raw beauty of Tasmania's east coast, Annie discovers stalwart friends where she thought she had none and, ever so occasionally, there are glimmers of what could be.

With the help of feisty Blighty, her husband's earthy wisdom, and the glaring honesty and wit of Lisette, Annie begins the journey back from sorrow.

Will she reach the other side?

Maybe only her diverse companions know...

"What a beautiful book about loss and grief and learning to live again...a wonderfully moving novel." Cathy Kelly - number one bestselling author of contemporary fiction.

'I loved it. It's beautifully written..." Maggie Christensen, author of The Good Sister and The Oregon Series.

288 pages, Paperback

Published June 23, 2019

About the author

Prue was born in Australia and studied history and politics at the University of Tasmania. She has worked as a hotel cleaner, a cosmetician in a major department store, and a bookseller. But most properly, she was been a journalist/researcher for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Prue is a multi-award-winning cross-genre writer of historical fiction and historical fantasy. Her Historical fiction books of which there are two trilogies with more to come, are set in the last decade of the twelfth century.
She has collaborated in a number of excellent anthologies, including a number that raise money for cancer research, a cause that holds great meaning for her.
Her most unique contract is as an ongoing short-story writer for www. bopressminiaturebooks.com in the USA

Prue can be found at:www.facebook.com/Prue.Batten.writer
www.pinterest.dk/pruebatten
www.instagram.com/pruebatten/

Reviews

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ms. Batten has the gift of penning fantastic imagery that transports the reader to the protagonist’s setting with detailed and wonderful descriptions.

Read full review in the 2019 October issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Vicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I found it poignant and descriptive. The author wrote with a true heart about grief, and the value of family and friends. Her description of the scenery showed how much she loves the place she set the story. All in all an excellent book.

[Nicky Moxey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Authentic as they come

This book is lovely, full of joy and grief and hope; utterly real and authentic. Had me in floods of tears...

[Paul Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review soon - but for now I would like to quote what I think is the most eloquent sentence in the book..mind you it makes sense in context. ‘You know what, Blighty?’ she mumbled into his coarse fur. ‘Life is such shit sometimes.’ ♥

I know that in every review I've written about the books by Prue Batten, I have waxed effusively on the beauty of her prose; the eloquence, the spot on emotions, narrative descriptions that linger, like the smell and sound of the sea, and so on. So it might seem ironic that my favorite sentence in Passage is this:

‘You know what, Blighty?’ she mumbled into his coarse fur. ‘Life is such shit sometimes.’

Then again, maybe not so ironic when taken in context. Passage is a one the most poignant stories I have read in a long time. The coming to terms with grief for Annie is a grueling passage, and the author has given her an eloquent, heartrending tale to tell. A highlight feature, for me, is Annie's conversations with her recently deceased husband, Alex. The give and take between them is priceless and helps set the tone for dealing with the other people in her life...a new way of understanding the events..a new way of understanding herself. 

So, my peeps and fellow readers, Hoover Book Reviews gives it 5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, and it's highest recommendation...

[Tinney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This lovely book is both lyrical and moving.

Having read and enjoyed the author's historical novels set in the middle ages, I wondered if she could manage to create a comparably rich and evocative sense of place in a contemporary story. The answer to that turns out to be an unequivocal yes. Her deftly written descriptions, replete with sensory detail, enhanced this deeply-felt tale of grief and love, making it feel real and immediate to the reader. I found it moving, honest, and profoundly satisfying. Batten's writing is graceful and often poetic, but it addresses some of the deepest currents in human nature with wisdom and unflinching honesty. Highly recommended.