This is the story of Ella. And Robert. And of all the things they should have said, but never did.

Ella has known Robert all her life. Through seven key moments and seven key people their journey intertwines.

From the streets of Glasgow during WW2 to the sex, drugs and rock n’ roll of London in the 60s and beyond, this is a story of love and near misses. Of those who come in to our lives and leave it too soon. And of those who stay with you forever…

Winner of the Debut Romantic Novel of the Year Award 2019 When you make eye contact, when you hold someone's gaze, it's the closest thing to knowing you're not alone in the world. 'This year's Eleanor Oliphant' Claire Allan 'Astonishing' Ruth Hogan 'Strikingly brilliant' Sun 'An exceptional book' Dundee Courier After 32 years of living her life in the dark, Jillian Safinova - Nova to everyone, except her mother - is learning to see. She can see that the sky is blue. And green. And grey. And a whole spectrum of colours, as changeable as her mood. She can see that clouds are surprisingly solid. And she can that Kate, a woman she's only just met, is going to change her life forever. Everyone is talking about The Rules of Seeing: 'A tender, tense drama about love and the unexpected places you can find it' Sunday Express 'A quirky love story which promises to make you see the world in a completely new way' Daily Mail 'Joe Heap's fascinating debut makes you think about the things most of us take for granted'Good Housekeeping 'An inspiring story of love, loss and friendship' #1 bestselling author Catherine Alliott 'It really made me re-evaluate how I see the world...outstanding'Katy Regan, author of Big Little Man 'A book that reveals the world in a different light and changes the way you see it...Extraordinary' Sunday Times bestseller Miranda Dickinson 'Startlingly, outstandingly good' Benjamin Ludwig, author of Ginny Moon

'The sheer definition of a page-turner' Reader review 'A truly original, bittersweet tale of life, loss and enduring love that had me completely hooked. A treasure of a book!' Sunday Times bestseller, Ruth Hogan 'Stunning, stunning, stunning' Anstey Harris This is the story of Ella. And Robert. And of all the things they should have said, but never did. 'What have you been up to?' I shrug, 'Just existing, I guess.' 'Looks like more than just existing.' Robert gestures at the baby, the lifeboat, the ocean. 'All right, not existing. Surviving.' He laughs, not unkindly. 'Sounds grim.' 'It wasn't so bad, really. But I wish you'd been there.' Ella has known Robert all her life. Through seven key moments and seven key people their journey intertwines. From the streets of Glasgow during WW2 to the sex, drugs and rock n' roll of London in the 60s and beyond, this is a story of love and near misses. Of those who come in to our lives and leave it too soon. And of those who stay with you forever... Readers LOVE When the Music Stops! 'Endearing and beautifully told' Janet 'Stunning ...with touches of a modern day Jane Eyre in that invisible space between the pages. Unusual. Rare. Magical. Highly recommended.' Jenny 'What a storyteller this author is...The closing chapters are sublime, and brought me to tears. A beautiful ending. This book will remain with me long after I write this review' Janette 'It mixes the ordinary with the extraordinary...in one way a version of David Nicholls' One Day' Jane 'I fell in love with this lovely book...it's about the things that connect us. A terrific read' Pamela 'This is going to leave a few people with tears in their eyes...read it in one sitting' Louisa 'There was one scene that overwhelmed me, had me crying so much I had to put the book down and take a breather. I went back after 15 mins to re-read, and cried again...Joe Heap does not disappoint' Reader review ' I just loved Ella and lived every step of her journey...a compulsive read' Bren 'I'm swiftly becoming a big fan of Joe Heap!' Emily

'The sheer definition of a page-turner' Reader review 'A truly original, bittersweet tale of life, loss and enduring love that had me completely hooked. A treasure of a book!' Sunday Times bestseller, Ruth Hogan 'Stunning, stunning, stunning' Anstey Harris This is the story of Ella. And Robert. And of all the things they should have said, but never did. 'What have you been up to?' I shrug, 'Just existing, I guess.' 'Looks like more than just existing.' Robert gestures at the baby, the lifeboat, the ocean. 'All right, not existing. Surviving.' He laughs, not unkindly. 'Sounds grim.' 'It wasn't so bad, really. But I wish you'd been there.' Ella has known Robert all her life. Through seven key moments and seven key people their journey intertwines. From the streets of Glasgow during WW2 to the sex, drugs and rock n' roll of London in the 60s and beyond, this is a story of love and near misses. Of those who come in to our lives and leave it too soon. And of those who stay with you forever... Readers LOVE When the Music Stops! 'Endearing and beautifully told' Janet 'Stunning ...with touches of a modern day Jane Eyre in that invisible space between the pages. Unusual. Rare. Magical. Highly recommended.' Jenny 'What a storyteller this author is...The closing chapters are sublime, and brought me to tears. A beautiful ending. This book will remain with me long after I write this review' Janette 'It mixes the ordinary with the extraordinary...in one way a version of David Nicholls' One Day' Jane 'I fell in love with this lovely book...it's about the things that connect us. A terrific read' Pamela 'This is going to leave a few people with tears in their eyes...read it in one sitting' Louisa 'There was one scene that overwhelmed me, had me crying so much I had to put the book down and take a breather. I went back after 15 mins to re-read, and cried again...Joe Heap does not disappoint' Reader review ' I just loved Ella and lived every step of her journey...a compulsive read' Bren 'I'm swiftly becoming a big fan of Joe Heap!' Emily