Outlander meets Birdsong is this haunting literary timeslip novel, where a strange twist of fate connects a British soldier fighting in the First World War in 1916 with a young woman living in modern-day England a century later. *A debut novel shortlisted for the Eharmony/Orion Write Your Own Love Story Prize *Longlisted for the Exeter Novel Prize "The characterization is spot-on, as is the historical time-line. Beyond the Moon is not only a page-turner but an intelligent appraisal of medicine, psychology and mental illness over the years. Historical fantasy at its very best." -- Historical Novel Society "A poignant and stirring love story... Taylor's accomplished, genre-bending book succeeds as a historical novel and a beguiling, time travel romance... The sharply written narrative deftly moves back and forth between the past and present." --Kirkus Reviews "A time travel romance, yet so much more than that. It is also an unflinching portrait of the horrors of war, and a look at the torturous extremes a human soul can endure. It is a sonnet to the transformative power of love, even as it is also a criticism of the futility and pointless destructiveness of war." -- Shaylin Gandhi, author of By The Light of Embers In 1916 1st Lieutenant Robert Lovett is a patient at Coldbrook Hall military hospital in Sussex, England. A gifted artist, he's been wounded fighting in the Great War. Shell shocked and suffering from hysterical blindness he can no longer see his own face, let alone paint, and life seems increasingly hopeless. A century later in 2017, medical student Louisa Casson has just lost her beloved grandmother - her only family. Heartbroken, she drowns her sorrows in alcohol on the South Downs cliffs - only to fall accidentally part-way down. Doctors fear she may have attempted suicide, and Louisa finds herself involuntarily admitted to Coldbrook Hall - now a psychiatric hospital, an unfriendly and chaotic place. Then one day, while secretly exploring the old Victorian hospital's ruined, abandoned wing, Louisa hears a voice calling for help, and stumbles across a dark, old-fashioned hospital room. Inside, lying on the floor, is a mysterious, sightless young man, who tells her he was hurt at the Battle of the Somme, a WW1 battle a century ago. And that his name is Lieutenant Robert Lovett... Two people, two battles: one against the invading Germans on the battlefields of 1916 France, the other against a substandard, uncaring mental health facility in modern-day England. Two journeys begun a century apart, but somehow destined to coincide - and become one desperate struggle to be together. Part WW1 historical fiction, part timeslip love story - and at the same time a meditation on the themes of war, mental illness, identity and art - Beyond The Moon sweeps the reader on an unforgettable journey through time. An intelligent read, perfect for book clubs. For fans of Diana Gabaldon, Amy Harmon, Beatriz Williams, Kate Quinn, Kristin Hannah, Kate Morton, Susanna Kearsley and Paullina Simons.

Perfect for fans of THE TEA PLANTER'S WIFE 'This has everything - engaging characters, a thrilling story and beautiful scenery' KATIE FFORDE ________________________ The start of a war. The end of a dynasty. VIENNA, 1911. Greta Goldbaum has always dreamed of being free to choose her own life's path, but the Goldbaum family, one of the wealthiest in the world, has different expectations. United across Europe, Goldbaum men are bankers, while Goldbaum women marry Goldbaum men to produce Goldbaum children. So when Greta is sent to England to marry Albert, a distant cousin she has never met, the two form an instant dislike for one another. Defiant and lonely, Greta longs for a connection and a place to call her own. When Albert's mother gives Greta a garden, things begin to change. But just as she begins to taste an unexpected happiness, the Great War breaks out, threatening to tear everything away. For the first time in two hundred years, the family will find themselves on opposing sides. How will Greta choose between the family she's created and the one she was forced to leave behind?

As part of their project in commemoration of the Armistice which ended the First World War, the children of present day Caerleon in S Wales imagined the letters and poems they might have written to and from the Front during the war. Both primary schools, Charles Williams Church in Wales School and The Lodge Primary School, spent the 2018 summer term learning about life both at home and at the Front. In collaboration with Caerleon Remembers, which is co-ordinating the Remembrance Day events, 150 children were asked to try to compose letters and poems to imaginary WW1 servicemen fighting amongst the bomb craters, barbed wire and mud filled trenches of Flanders, sending the soldiers messages of hope and telling them about life back home in peaceful Caerleon. Some wrote letters to fathers at the Front, some chose to write home to families from the Front. Others wrote poems about the war, and many chose to illustrate their imaginings. Caerleon Remembers decided to include all contributions, in order to show the depth of knowledge these children have taken in about life in the trenches and at home. The result is this deeply moving book. As both Head Teachers say, `Fortunately, the children of Caerleon have not experienced the effects of war first-hand and we pray that this remains so. For our children, war and conflict is often confined to books and screens; it is something that happens elsewhere and it is something that only affects adults. This project has allowed our children to begin to understand that war, both in the past and present, affects all people everywhere, including the young, and that its legacy has long-lasting consequences. As imagined letters to and from the front were drafted, our children began to better appreciate the emotional cost of war, the love of family and the sanctity of peace. We would like to thank Caerleon Remembers for giving us this opportunity.'