Coming Home to Winter Island Read online

  Copyright © 2019 Jo Thomas

  The right of Jo Thomas to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  Apart from any use permitted under UK copyright law, this publication may only be reproduced, stored, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, with prior permission in writing of the publishers or, in the case of reprographic production, in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency.

  First published as an Ebook in Great Britain

  by Headline Publishing Group in 2019

  All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Cataloguing in Publication Data is available from the British Library

  Ebook conversion by Avon DataSet Ltd, Bidford-on-Avon, Warwickshire

  Cover artwork by Maike Plenzke, based on concept illustration by Adrian Valencia

  eISBN: 978 1 4722 4604 2

  HEADLINE PUBLISHING GROUP

  An Hachette UK Company

  Carmelite House

  50 Victoria Embankment

  London EC4Y 0DZ

  www.headline.co.uk

  www.hachette.co.uk

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  About the Author

  Praise

  Also by Jo Thomas

  About the Book

  Dedication

  Author Letter

  Acknowledgements

  Epigraph

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-one

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Chapter Thirty-three

  Chapter Thirty-four

  Chapter Thirty-five

  Chapter Thirty-six

  Chapter Thirty-seven

  Chapter Thirty-eight

  Chapter Thirty-nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-one

  Chapter Forty-two

  Chapter Forty-three

  Chapter Forty-four

  Chapter Forty-five

  Chapter Forty-six

  Chapter Forty-seven

  Chapter Forty-eight

  Chapter Forty-nine

  Chapter Fifty

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Hello all,

  My name is Jo Thomas. First, a little bit about me. I worked for many years as a reporter and producer, for BBC Wales Radio 5, before moving on to Radio 2’s The Steve Wright Show. I wrote my debut novel, The Oyster Catcher, in 2014 and it was a runaway bestseller in ebook, winning the 2014 RNA Joan Hessayon Award and the 2014 Festival of Romance Best Ebook Award. My novels since then include The Olive Branch, Late Summer in the Vineyard, The Honey Farm on the Hill, Sunset over the Cherry Orchard and A Winter Beneath the Stars.

  If you’ve read my other books, you know you’re in for a story about food and love, with a splash of sun, a dollop of fun stirred in and a cast of characters I hope you’ll fall in love with. If you’re new to my world, you’re very welcome. I hope you’re here to stay!

  I was once at one of my favourite restaurants in Puglia, Southern Italy, where I wrote my second book The Olive Branch. The owner brought around a bottle of limoncello, a wonderful Italian lemon liqueur, at the end of the meal with glasses for us all. As he pulled up a chair, he asked what kind of books I wrote. He didn’t speak any English and I didn’t speak much Italian, but I explained that my books were about food and love, because I have always felt that the two are intertwined. He told me that for him, life was all about the food that he and his family grew on the land, cooked in the kitchen and served on the table. He held out his arm to the olive grove surrounding us, gestured to the forno in the kitchen, where the burning wood was glowing orange and merrily pumping smoke out of the chimney, and slapped his hand down on the scrubbed wooden table, la tavola. ‘For the ones we love,’ he told me as he held his hand to his chest over his heart. And this is exactly the kind of book I like to write: about the food we grow to cook and put on the table for the ones we love. So, pull up a chair at my table.

  You can find out more about me and my books and follow my latest adventures at my website www.jothomasauthor.com, on Facebook www.facebook.com/JoThomasAuthor or on Twitter @jo_thomas01. Do get in touch, I’d love to hear from you.

  Love Jo x

  Praise

  Readers love Jo Thomas’s feel-good fiction:

  ‘Irresistibly romantic and utterly gorgeous’ Miranda Dickinson

  ‘Magically romantic . . . a book that wraps its arms around you and pulls you in’ Milly Johnson

  ‘Warm, funny, romantic with a terrific sense of place. I loved it!’ Katie Fforde

  ‘Perfect escapism’ Marie Claire

  ‘All the joy of a hot summer holiday without the hassle of having to wear sun cream!’ Jill Mansell

  ‘Romantic and funny, this is a great addition to any bookshelf’ Sun

  ‘A sunny, romantic, escapist read’ Woman & Home

  ‘What a gorgeous book! Reading it felt like the best kind of holiday!’ Lucy Diamond

  ‘Romantic, fun and full of heart, reading a Jo Thomas novel feels like being on holiday without even leaving the house’ A J Pearce

  ‘Warm and witty . . . Well worth a read’ Carole Matthews

  ‘An utterly charming read full of rustic romance and adventure’ Woman

  ‘Jo’s trademark warmth and wit sing from the page’ Cathy Bramley

  ‘Perfect for those who dream of a new life in the sun’ My Weekly

  ‘Sun, good food and romance, what more could you want?’ Heat

  ‘A warm summer breeze of a story that’s full of atmosphere and romance’ S Magazine

  ‘Perfect summer read’ Liz Fenwick

  By Jo Thomas

  The Oyster Catcher

  The Olive Branch

  Late Summer in the Vineyard

  The Honey Farm on the Hill

  Sunset over the Cherry Orchard

  A Winter Beneath the Stars

  My Lemon Grove Summer

  Digital Novellas

  The Chestnut Tree

  The Red Sky at Night

  Notes from the Northern Lights

  About the Book

  Do you need to find out where you’ve come from before you can know what the future holds?

  Ruby’s singing career is on the verge of hitting the big time when he
r voice breaks. Fearing her career is over, she signs up for a retreat in Tenerife to recover.

  But an unexpected call from a stranger on a remote Scottish island takes her on a short trip to sort out some family business. It’s time to go and see the grandfather she’s never met.

  City girl Ruby knows she will be happy to leave the windswept beaches behind as quickly as she can, especially as a years-old family rift means she knows she won’t be welcome at Teach Mhor.

  But as she arrives at the big house overlooking the bay, she finds things are not as straightforward as she might have thought.

  There’s an unexpected guest in the house and he’s not planning on going anywhere any time soon . . .

  To Ali Shone, a music teacher like no other.

  For inspiring me with your work with the stroke choir and dementia suffers and for being so much more than a music teacher. For all the help and support you gave by being there, helping and healing with song.

  And to Anita Burgh, for telling me I could write in the first place and for her love of gin! Thank Annie for setting me on this path.

  Hello all!

  Welcome back, or if you’re new to my books, welcome!

  Now then, who doesn’t love a gin and tonic? Come six o’clock I love the sound of the ice as it hits the glass and swirls in the bowl; the fresh smell of lemon as it’s sliced and dropped in; the gin measured out and the fizz of the tonic topping up the glass. And then, that first sip at the end of a long day, as dinner cooks on the stove, bringing relaxing joy.

  I’ve always loved a gin and tonic, as did my Mum before me, but it hasn’t always been as fashionable as it is now. But wow, hasn’t gin had a rise in popularity over the past few years? And the explosion of small batch gin distilleries has been incredible, as has the rise in gin bars and extensive gin menus in pubs and restaurants. Gin is most definitely on the menu all over the country at the moment and if you’re anything like me, I’ve often been overwhelmed by the choice.

  But I have taken my research for this book very seriously! I had a fabulous time visiting Sibling Gin in Cheltenham with Katie Fforde. The story of these four sibling’s entrepreneurial spirit is inspiring in itself. But I also learnt about the process of gin making, the dried spices and botanicals added to make their delicious gin. What I have come to understand is how the taste of gin can tell the story of its origins. It has a story to tell. It’s fascinating. So when you’re next trying to decide which gin to drink, think about where you want to be – by the sea, in the mountains, or in the sun on a Mediterranean island – and let the gin take you there!

  I have been so inspired by the distilleries creating their own spirits, telling the story of their terroir, particularly those from the islands, and telling their story of island life through it.

  I have also been inspired by how memories can be unlocked by music and stored in our hearts. I hope you enjoy the story of Winter Island and the island’s song. Life is for living in the here and now, creating memories along the way. Enjoy it, with a gin in your hand at the end of a long day, and take time to count your blessings. I know I will be!

  Love

  Jo

  x

  Acknowledgements

  Thank you to Ali Shone, who inspired this book. Ali works with the Strike a Chord stroke choir in Cwmbran and also with dementia patients, working on musical memories. Ali has music running through her veins and her ability is not just in being able to help people sing or play an instrument, it is about a much bigger picture: helping people to live the best life they can with music in their hearts. She has helped young people dealing with anxiety and pressure to face the world learn to breathe and to believe in themselves. Thank you Ali.

  With musical memories at the heart of this book, I was also inspired by the settings, dedication and spirit of some of our Scottish Island gins; a particular thank you to Robert Mceachern at The Botanist Gin, made at Bruichladdich distillery on Islay. And James Donaldson, their official forager, for answering my questions about botanicals. Also thank you to the Isle of Harris for your inspiring daily photographs and tempting foodie posts. And to the creators of Lussa Gin on the Isle of Jura for the inspiring story of your island and island life. All of these gins have fabulous websites and tell the stories of the spirit of their island. Please do take a look and order their gin. It’s delicious!! And yes, I did have to try them all!

  Thanks go as well to Sibling Gin in Cheltenham, for sharing their entrepreneurial spirit and for guiding me through the gin making process and introducing me to the fabulous flavours in their own gins. And of course to Katie Fforde for joining me on this research trip as well as our Scottish island trip, which sparked the idea for Winter Island and The Big Hoose!

  And finally, thank you to Jennifer Doyle for her support and faith in my stories and for letting me write the story of Ruby Mac and Winter Island. And to my agent David Headley for always being there!

  He who sings frightens away his ills.

  Miguel de Cervantes

  Prologue

  ‘Breathe,’ I tell myself firmly. ‘Breathe from your butt!’ I clench my buttocks and drag the air in through my nose, then let it out long and slow from my mouth, not allowing even a flicker of nerves in. ‘Just breathe!’ In. And out. In. And out. Phuuuffffffffff! My buttocks lift, followed by my hips and then my diaphragm. ‘Breathe from your butt!’ I repeat, and count, pressing each finger into my thumb, chasing off doubt and jitters, taking control. I focus my mind on the counting and not on any last-minute nerves that might be trying to creep in. This is what I’ve learnt to do. I begin to smile: this is it! Finally! I’ve waited for today for a long time and I want to drink in every bit of this performance and remember it.

  I can still taste the honey and lemon from the hot drink on my tongue. I look over at Jess, my best friend and band manager. She’s way more nervous than me. Jess writes new songs, which we mix into the set with covers in my country/blues/jazzy singing style. I turn to look briefly at the rest of the band and flash them a reassuring smile. There’s Moira on drums, looking relaxed as ever, dragging her hands through her short spiky hair. Gwilym on keyboards, nervously running his fingers over the keys and then staring up lovingly at the oblivious Moira, waiting to take his lead from her. Ali on double bass, as tall and impressive as her instrument, with a really high quiff, making her look even more imposing, which is why men are always terrified of her and she can’t understand why no one ever wants to ask her out. She plays bass guitar too.

  Our two backing singers are Lulu and Pixie Rose, who doubles up on trumpet and saxophone. We don’t hang out with them so much. They turn up when they’re needed and do their job. And they do it really well. Both want their own careers, of course, but this goes some way to getting a foot in the door. And then of course there’s Jess herself, in a smart black trouser suit, on lead guitar and sometimes the mandolin, holding us all together like a shepherd with her flock. She’s incredible. She gives me a nod, and the briefest of winks.

  We all know how important this gig is. It could change everything, for all of us. I know how much they’re depending on me to do the very best I can. I look up. Today I need to knock this performance right out of the park. We’ve been preparing for this day since we first came together as a band and talked about our dreams of going all the way. For Jess and me, that was right back when we met at an open mic night nearly twenty years ago. We hit it off straight away and started writing songs and performing, adding to the band since then. Obviously we’ve all done our own stuff too, to make money. I do solo singing in a piano bar, and Jess creates samples for an online music company; but we’ve kept the band going, adding to the family, growing all the time. It’s been a long journey, but hopefully tonight is when we’ll all get there together.

  And then of course there’s Joe, sitting out in the audience, probably as nervous as the rest of us, maybe more so. There’s a lo
t resting on this for him too. Gorgeous, smart, funny Joe, who has been my biggest supporter from the day I met him at a televised battle of the bands competition. His band crashed out in the early rounds and Jess and I went on to win that day, before getting knocked out prior to the show going on air. Joe gave up playing guitar after that; it was just a hobby, he said. Him and some mates from work had entered for a laugh, hoping to be the latest Take That, ‘one for the mums’. None of them could actually sing or dance, but they looked gorgeous. He abandoned the idea of instant fame and instead told me exactly how he could help take my career to the top with his marketing ideas. It took years for me to finally give in to his requests for a date. But his persistence paid off and we’ve been together for coming up to four years now.

  I breathe deeply and count on my fingers again. I feel excited, like it’s Christmas morning and there’s a stack of presents under the tree to be unwrapped, waiting to see people’s faces when they see what you’ve bought them. In Joe’s case, one present in particular. The ring that has been sitting in its box for nearly a year now. The one I’ve promised to put on when everything is sorted. When the deal here is done. When I’ve got my recording contract. As soon as I can move on to the next chapter in my life, I’ll be ready to set a date.

  After nearly four years together, life was finally starting to come together for me and Joe. After tonight, life will be sorted. It’s our time. And he wants it for me as much as I do. He’s supported me through all the times when I’ve sung to a handful of people, when shows have been cancelled, and when they’ve been packed out and we’ve floated home on a high. He’s always had faith in me, even when I’ve been tempted to give up. He has kept me going, believing in myself and that this day would come. He’s been happy standing in the wings, so to speak, and I want him to enjoy this as much as me. I know he will. He’s out there now, in the audience. He’ll have the champagne ready and on ice. He’s even invited his family along.

  Joe loves to make a big deal of things. He’ll be telling everyone how great I am, and organising photo opportunities for any groupies. He thinks I’m going to be the next big female voice. I hate thinking about things like that. I like to just do the best I can. Joe takes control of all the publicity, and I’m happy to let him, even if I do find his enthusiasm for me a little embarrassing at times. I’m not the big name he tells people I am, not yet. But as he works in PR, he knows how to put on a splash, and if it makes a great marketing opportunity too, well why not? He tells me we have to create the buzz and the crowds will follow. Which is why tonight is so important to us both. This gig – a night of singers and bands performing their favourite Christmas songs the week before Christmas, with an A&R manager here to see us, here in this theatre in our home city – feels just perfect. Perfect for finally putting down some roots. And I know Joe feels it too. He wants me to succeed, he tells me all the time.