About this item
From New York Times bestselling author Helen Brown comes a witty, uplifting novel about a woman who discovers that it's never too late to build the home--and the life--you've always longed for ... The windows rattle. The roof leaks. Every surface cries out to be stripped, painted, or polished. But for writer Lisa Trumperton, the dilapidated manor house that once belonged to her great-grandfather is far more than the sum of its battered parts. It's the chance for a new start on her own terms. The fact that it's in the Melbourne countryside of her Australian homeland, far from the deceitful ex-husband she just left behind in New York ... well, that's a bonus. Lisa sets to work refurbishing Trumperton Manor, assisted by her son, his friends, and a "Gray Army" of retired handymen. But it's not just her ancestral home that's being transformed. As she trades her chic Manhattan clothes for jeans and work boots, Lisa is changing and fortifying her relationships with her family and her sense of self. There are floods, fires, and catastrophes, but there are new allies too, including a one-eyed cat, a stubborn cockatoo, and a rugged landscaper with an irresistible grin. Piece by piece, the house is pushing Lisa beyond her old limits, daring her to embrace something bigger, braver, and more rewarding than she ever dreamed. Praise for Helen Brown and Her Books"A buoyant tale, heartfelt and open." --BOOKLIST on Cleo"Brown writes eloquently about the bonds between women ... a moving story of love and identity." --Kirkus Reviews on Cats & Daughters
About the Author
Born in New Zealand, Helen Brown was a multi-award winning columnist for newspapers and magazines. Her book, CLEO, about how a small black kitten helped her family heal after the death of her nine year-old son, Sam, became a NYT bestseller and is in more than 18 languages. A movie is in development.A children's version, CLEO AND ROB, was released in 2019.Helen loves writing about cats and their connections with humans, along with the funny and profound moments of everyday life.Her current feline, Jonah, bounced into the household while she was recovering from breast cancer in 2008. He became the subject of another book, JONAH (CATS AND DAUGHTERS in some parts of the world) .Her novel, TUMBLEDOWN MANOR, was published in 2016.While staying in New York, Helen fostered an endearing rescue cat called Bono. Her Huffington Post blogs written in hope of finding Bono a forever home, were read by more than 22 million people. The book, BONO, appeared in 2018.A revised and extended collection of her early columns, DON'T LET ME PUT YOU OFF - How to Survive Suburbia, was released in 2019.Based in Melbourne, Australia, with husband Philip and Jonah, Helen enjoys morning walks, good coffee, knitting and sunshine. She adores her grown-up children (Rob, Lydia, Katharine and their partners) and her grand daughters, Annie and Stella. Having faced a few challenges in life, Helen has learnt to savour every moment, just like a cat.
