Title: A Song for Tomorrow
Author: Alice Peterson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Publication Date: 9 February 2017
Twitter: @AlicePeterson1
Website: www.alicepeterson.co.uk
Blurb
Tom fell in love with Alice the moment he saw her. He realises that being with her will not be easy, but she is a force of nature, a burst of sunlight in his otherwise ordinary world.
Some people might look at Alice and think she has everything, but Alice knows she is not like other women. Her life is complicated, unpredictable, difficult. Alice does not like pity. All she wants to do, has ever wanted to do, is sing.
Alice has been told not to follow her dreams. But when fate has already dealt a tough hand, it’s time to stop listening to everyone else and only follow their hearts.
Review
A Song for Tomorrow is truly a heart-warming and inspiring story, full of humour, love, friendship and honesty.
It is the fictionalised life story of real life singer, Alice Martineau, who tragically died from cystic fibrosis in 2003 at the age of 30.
A Song for Tomorrow tells of the remarkable determination of Alice and her truly inspiring story. This is an affirmative tale of living life and following dreams, not a sad tale of dying. It really is a story of courage, which Alice had in abundance. She must have been an incredibly inspiring person to have known.
Despite living with a life-limiting lung condition, Alice dreamed of being a singer. Having already successfully completed university and enjoyed a short career as a model, Alice displayed a steely and unwavering determination to make her dreams come true. The book tells how her courage and positivity affected the lives of everyone around her, bringing her own unique brightness into their lives.
What really struck me about the story was the humour with which Alice faced her daily challenges and how she remained so kind and hopeful throughout. The steadfast and reciprocated support between Alice and her family, friends and caregivers really shines through this book.
There are some difficult moments in the book, however it never becomes maudlin or downbeat. As a reader, I felt that if anyone deserved happiness and success it was Alice, however fleeting it may prove to be.
It is difficult to separate the real Alice from the fictional account given by Alice Peterson. However, I am aware that she collaborated closely with the Martineau family and I have no doubt that the character is very close to the real version of Alice.
The book prompted me to search for Alice Martineau online and after listening to a couple of her songs, it is apparent what an incredibly talented lady she was. It is nice to think that by writing this book Alice Peterson has brought some increased awareness of Alice Martineau and her lovely music.
The book also gives a fascinating insight into cystic fibrosis and what it means to live with the condition. When growing up, I had a classmate with cystic fibrosis. Unfortunately he is no longer with us, however this book made me realise how little I really understood about the condition.
I will be completely honest and admit that A Song for Tomorrow would not be my usual choice in books. I tend to avoid any books relating to death, illness, abuse etc… (except when told in the guise of a crime/thrillers). However, this is one book that I am truly grateful that I made an exception for. A Song for Tomorrow is undoubtedly one of the best books I have read for a long time. Although, I do blame Alice Peterson for making me cry on public transportation – it may be best to read the last few chapters in the safety of your own home rather than on a train in rush hour!! Despite that indignity, Peterson is undoubtedly a very talented writer and I very much look forward to reading her earlier works.
Despite some fairly hefty competition this year, A Song for Tomorrow is my book of the year for 2017, I really cannot recommend it enough. It is a beautiful tribute to a remarkable woman and an uplifting and inspiring tale for anyone facing adversity.
About the Author
Alice Peterson writes contemporary fiction with humour and compassion. Her novels always have the feel good factor, but she also aims to take the reader to a darker place where characters have to overcome adversity. This is partly due to Alice’s own life experience of living with Rheumatoid Arthritis, which she wrote about in her memoir Another Alice. She has written four novels: Monday to Friday Man, which has sold over 500,000 copies across all editions, Ten Years On, By My Side and One Step Closer to You, which won the Festival of Romance’s Best Romantic Read 2014.
BUY LINKS
(*A Song for Tomorrow is one of the December Kindle deals – you can get it now for £0.99! Just follow the Amazon UK link above)
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