Previously Published Book
Historical Fiction
The year is 1851 when the feisty but unworldly 18-year-old Isabelle forsakes her comfortable and sheltered upbringing in the Cumbrian hills of northern England to go against her family's wishes and marry a dedicated young clergyman. Together they set sail for the fledgling city of Melbourne, centre of the new Australian gold rush. Shipboard friendships and disasters help her break out from the confines of her upbringing, much to her husband's concern. She arrives in Melbourne angry, disillusioned and with no family ties to start life anew in a tough and harsh environment so vastly different from the one she has left far behind. She struggles on through disappointments and tragedy to battle her way to triumph as a mature independent woman.