In the Sixties, Athene Forster is the most glamorous girl of her generation. Nicknamed the Last Deb, she is also beautiful, spoilt and out of control. When she agrees to marry dashing young heir Douglas Fairley-Hulme her parents breathe a sigh of relief. But within two years, rumours have begun to circulate about Athene's affair with a young salesman. Thirty five years on, Suzanna Peacock is struggling with her glamorous mother's legacy. The only place she finds comfort is in her shop, The Peacock Emporium, a coffee shop-cum-curio store, decorated in her own image, which provides a haven for other misfits in the town. There she makes perhaps the first real friends of her life, including Alejandro, a male midwife, escaping his own ghosts in Argentina. But the spectre of Athene and the shop itself combine to set in place a chain of tragic events, forcing Suzanna to confront the feelings she has disguised for so long – and her family, in their varying ways, finally to deal with the events of the past. And Suzanna discovers the key to her history, and her happiness, may have been in front of her all along.
Review'A complex, feel-good read' – EVE 'A charming and enchanting read' – Company 'A rich chocolate box of a novel' – WOMAN AND HOME 'Entertaining' – Image Magazine, Dublin 'It says a lot for the author's storytelling powers that this classy family drama had me utterly engrossed, deeply involved with the characters and caring madly about their fate.' – Australian Woman's Weekly 'A captivating read' – OK 'This is a wonderful read.' You Magazine, South Africa 'Another feel-good read from the author of Foreign Fruit' – GOOD HOUSEKEEPING 'If you liked CHOCOLAT by Joanne Harris, you'll love FOREIGN FRUIT by Jojo Moyes … blissful, romantic reading' – Company 'A worthy successor to Maeve Binchy and Rosamunde Pilcher ' — Publishers Weekly 'Even if the sun isn't shining, this book will make you feel like it is' — Good Housekeeping on FOREIGN FRUIT 'A charming and enchanting read' — Company
About the AuthorJojo Moyes was born in 1969 and was brought up in London. A journalist and writer, she worked for the Independent newspaper until 2001. She lives in East Anglia with her husband and two children.