Book description
Hope and Jack Langley spend their honeymoon in a primitive Cornish
cottage called Widdershins. Hope falls in love with the place on
sight, even though half of it has fallen down, water has to be pumped
by hand and there are no sea views. To their delight, soon after they
return home to begin married life in a small riverside village outside
Gloucester, Hope discovers she is pregnant. And, almost
simultaneously, the glamorous Petersens, Henrik and Mandy, appear on
the scene as new neighbours. Local rumour about the couple is rife:
they are rich, they are Norwegian, they aren't married, they give
crazy parties.
When Henrik and Mandy arrive one lunchtime to introduce themselves
to Hope and Jack, they seem reassuringly normal and kind. Soon the two
couples became close, and while Mandy encourages Hope with her
dress-designing, Henrik takes Jack under his wing in his engineering
business. With the birth of their second daughter, the Langleys'
happiness seems complete. But appearances can be deceptive.
The challenges that eventually confront Hope are almost
overwhelming, and the only place that offers refuge and peace is her
beloved Widdershins.
The Apple Barrel confirms Susan Sallis's reputation as a storyteller
par excellence. It is a novel that will stay with you long after you
have closed the last page.
Susan Sallis is the bestselling author of many novels including
Choices, Come Rain or Shine, The Keys to the Garden, The Apple Barrel,
Sea of Dreams, Time of Arrival, Five Farthings and The Pumpkin Coach.
She was brought up in Gloucestershire and now lives in Clevedon,
Somerset.
