Synopsis of Falling Backwards

A haunting and lyrical novel from the bestselling author of Dying Young

Rebecca and James live in a strange, insular world and have a relationship so unusual it is on the verge of destroying them. The ties that bind them to each other are twisted and rigid with memories from the past, and at every turn they are haunted by the spectre of Lea, James's beautiful and talented first wife.

Rebecca's story begins with an early childhood in sunny America, followed by an embarrassing adolescence spent in rainy South London, living with her Aunt Rose and battling with her endlessly glamorous - if slightly unreliable - mother. As a naive, uncertain teenager seeking refuge from her unconventional, sometimes bizarre family, she meets James and Lea and they introduce her to a whirlwind world of grown-up parties and cigarettes.

But life moves on and with it James's dependence on Rebecca. For, years after Lea's untimely death, Rebecca has become James's wife and takes on board a whole array of memories and complications she could never have imagined. Bestselling novelist Marti Leimbach has crafted a moving tale that explores the demands imposed by impossible and idealized love.