LoveReading Says
LoveReading Says
An emotional, yet simply told relationship tale, spanning thirty years and two countries. 18 year old Hannah leaves Sweden for a gap year in London, we follow her across the years as she makes friends, falls in love, and meets all the highs and lows that life can throw at her. While Hannah is the main focus of the story, her love interests, friends, foe and family are a necessary and captivating addition. There were times when Hannah felt naive and in need of a good talking to, she isn't perfect, she makes mistakes. Helene Fermont skates across time, filling in a picture of Hannah, yet ensuring a feeling of uncluttered structure to this lengthy tale. At times there is almost a diary like feel to the story, with narrative taking up a lot of the novel, leaving the reader to fill in emotion and feelings. ‘Because of You’ is an interesting glimpse into the past, covers a variety of issues, is full of drama, and yet is an easy and captivating read.
A 'Piece of Passion from the publisher...
'From the first time I had the chance to read the MS for Because of You, I knew that Helene Fermont had an exceptional gift for fiction. Her particular passion is for characterisation and it shows in the well-drawn protagonists and antagonists of her novel. Each character is fully realised and has their own motivations and psychological drives that spur them forward, for better or worse. This commitment to realism, and a fearlessness when it comes to tackling dark, morally complex issues, is virtually unheard of in the contemporary women’s fiction genre and it brings something refreshingly new to readers. Helene is Anglo-Swedish and her fiction offers a compelling, original mix of women’s lit and Scandi noir. In the publishing industry it’s common to fret over authors who don’t neatly fit certain boxes, but Helene’s writing shows such promise and has already generated such a glowing response that on this occasion it’s the right thing to break the mould.'
Christian Bjärnram, CEO - Fridhem Publishing
September 2016 Debut of the Month.
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Because of You Synopsis
Because of You is the deeply moving debut novel by Scandinavian writer Helene Fermont. It's a gripping work of modern women's fiction with a distinct 'Scandi' feel and a psychological twist. Because of You spans 36 years in the life of Hannah Stein, a Swedish teenager who arrives in London, at the tail end of the disco era, for a gap year before embarking on a teaching career.
The people she meets change the course of her life irrevocably and the novel charts her changing personal and professional fortunes over the next three decades. Throwing herself into the capital's club scene during the height of the disco era, Hannah experiences love - and heartbreak - for the first time when she meets handsome, charismatic but immoral womaniser Mark Copeck.Her affections are split when she encounters high-flying Ben Isaacs, who instantly falls in love with her. They both know they are a perfect match, but the course of true love never runs smooth and soon they are separated when Hannah returns to her native Malmo to pursue a teaching career.Hannah must ultimately decide between Ben and the persuasive yet unscrupulous Mark or risk being left behind, but wealthy heiress Vanessa Westbrook will stop at nothing to claim Ben as her own and sets in motion a series of shocking events that will change the course of all four lives for ever.
This absorbing and engaging cross-generational novel goes beyond the average chick-lit romance to explore themes of fate and destiny, enduring love and obsession, loss and gain as it explores the darker workings of the human psyche.True to the Scandi tone, this is a saga set in the real world where serious mistakes are made and every individual has their flaws. At the same time, they must deal with the curve balls that life throws their way, from the failing health of loved ones and cruelty of Alzheimer's disease to the devastation of miscarriage and rape.The happiness and redemption that Hannah, Ben, Mark and Vanessa can eventually secure for themselves will depend on how they respond to the inevitable changes that time brings.Because of You is about love, coming of age, friendship, bereavement, stillbirth and rape. Its themes include redemption, acceptance, fidelity and family.
Because of You is a story that every woman can relate to. Scandinavian noir has firmly established itself as a bestselling genre in the UK. Because of You takes the elements that make this style of writing so compelling - the realism and dark, morally complex mood - and combines it with women's fiction.This is a dark, morally complex and cross-generational story of enduring love, fate and destiny and will appeal to readers who appreciate an emotive, uncompromising and fulfilling read driven by character and circumstance.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9780995490703 |
| Publication date: |
15th August 2016 |
| Author: |
Helene Fermont |
| Publisher: |
Fridhem Publishing |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Primary Genre |
Family Drama
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| Other Genres: |
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| Recommendations: |
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Author
About Helene Fermont
Born into a bilingual family (Swedish/English), Hélene Fermont enjoyed an idyllic childhood on the outskirts of Malmö, Sweden's third largest city and a major cultural hub.
Growing up in the early 1970s, she enjoyed a brief musical career on Swedish TV and radio before pursuing a rewarding career as a therapist specialising in children with learning difficulties.
Hélene has lived in London for over 20 years but still regularly returns to her native Sweden, where the unspoiled scenery and tranquility help aid the creative process.
Through Hélene’s work and travels what has struck her most is that, irrelevant of culture and religion, most people’s lives are defined by past experiences and self-worth. This curiosity into what drives people is reflected in her writing, which has a distinct focus on characterisation and realism, reminiscent in some ways of the popular 'Scandinavian Noir' genre. Her unique style of storytelling is best described as contemporary women's fiction with a psychological twist.
Hélene’s sensational debut novel, Because of You, features a Scandinavian-British narrative, in-depth psychological characterisations and a morally-complex plot spanning three turbulent decades in the life of its protagonists.
Aiming to eventually turn her writing into a full-time career, Hélene is currently hard at work on her second novel.
Click here to read a Q&A with this author.
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