JOAN HESSAYON AWARD 2026

Time For Tuscany — contender for Best Debut Novel

Romantic Novelists' Association · Ceremony, London, May 2026

WOMEN'S FICTION · WALES · TUSCANY

Susie Sharp

Stories for women still writing their next chapter

Emotionally layered women’s fiction about love, loss, family, reinvention and the quiet courage it takes to begin again. Set between Wales and the sun-warmed heart of Italy.

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The Midlife Plot Twist Playbook is a guide for women who know life doesn’t always go to plan — but still believe the next chapter can be beautiful.

Inside, you’ll find seven thoughtful prompts to help you pause, reflect, and imagine what might come next.

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A series by Susie Sharp

Enter the Lake

Illustrated map of Lago di Fiore — the world of the Echoes of the Lake series by Susie Sharp

Explore Lago di Fiore →

Welcome to Lago di Fiore — my fictional Italian lake, and the world at the heart of the Echoes of the Lake series.

Inspired by the Tuscany I once called home, every story begins with a woman at a turning point. Come and discover her journey.

Villa Anna Bellacampo Palazzo della Riva San Fiorello Casa di Monteluce

"Start wherever calls to you. Every book is its own complete story — but the lake will keep drawing you back." Susie x

FEATURED NOVEL · 2025

Time For Tuscany

"Sara went to Tuscany to save her marriage.

She didn't expect to rediscover herself."

Five years after losing her young son, Sara Mortimer's marriage is hanging by a thread. A summer in Tuscany was meant to save it — but among the cypress hills and golden afternoons, she begins to wonder if she's been fighting for the wrong thing.

A poignant story of love, loss, and the quiet courage it takes to begin again.

For readers who love midlife heroines, emotional healing, slow-burn connection, Italian settings and stories about choosing yourself at last.

Perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes and Kerry Fisher

READER LOVE FOR TIME FOR TUSCANY

VERIFIED READER REVIEWS

For women who enjoy emotional, heartfelt fiction about loss, love and second chances

★★★★★

A complex and beautifully written story of loss and second chances. It’s always a treat to find a novel with characters that stay with you because they find a special place in your heart

AMAZON UK · VERIFIED PURCHASE

★★★★★

Oh my goodness - this story. It was absolutely, mind-blowingly beautiful. I just couldn't stop turning the pages to find out what would happen next!

AMAZON UK · VERIFIED PURCHASE

★★★★★

Beautiful story that draws you into the lives of Sara and Eddie... beautifully written and the setting is amazing. Highly recommended

AMAZON UK · VERIFIED PURCHASE

Finished reading Time For Tuscany?

If Sara’s story stayed with you, even for a little while, leaving a short review is one of the kindest ways to support an author.

It doesn’t need to be long or polished. A few words on Amazon or Goodreads can help another reader decide whether the book is for them — and it means more than you probably realise.

Thank you, truly.

Your review makes all the difference.

"The hills, the light, the scent of jasmine on warm stone… it healed me, shaped me, and found its way into every word I write."

SUSIE SHARP