It might only have been her imagination, but there was a moment when she felt something. Of all her donor’s emotions, it was love, the strongest one of all, she felt warming her heart.
Acknowledgements
Given the subject matter of this book, I think now would be a good time to thank everyone involved in the search for a bone marrow donor for my son, and most especially the donor himself – who I know nothing about except he was a man in his thirties. And even though Nathan lost his fight, the selfless deeds of our unknown hero are by no means diminished and I thank him with all my heart for giving us hope. I am also immensely grateful to the medical team at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and the Anthony Nolan Trust for their help in matching Nathan to his donor and giving him a fighting chance.
I could not continue to write without the amazing support from family and friends. My daughter Jessica is, as always, my foundation and I never tire of saying how proud I am of her, and I very much doubt I ever will. I would also like to thank my long-suffering family; my mum Mary Hayes; Lynn Jones; Chris Valentine; Jonathan Hayes; and the wider family who I keep promising to spend more time with but seem to fail at miserably. I might not show it enough but I don’t take your love and support for granted and I’m blessed to have you all in my life.
Thank you to my friends and, in particular, one special group who have stuck together through some tough times. Thank you Nee Parker, Kathy Kelly, Tracy Wood-Burrows, Chris Broadfoot, Phil Quinn, Karen Lowe-McAlley and Sarah Evans as we raise a glass to absent friends.
Thank you as always to my agent Luigi Bonomi and all the team at HarperCollins, especially Martha Ashby, Kim Young and Jaime Frost for making the life of an author far more demanding, thrilling and rewarding than I could ever have imagined. Thank you so very much for giving me all those ‘pinch myself’ moments in what has become a dream job.
Finally, I would like to thank all my readers who invest their time and money reading my novels. I share a little of my heart in my books and I know I’m in safe hands.
Look out for Amanda’s next book, The Affair
A sixteen-year-old girl is pregnant. The father could be anyone…
You might as well know from the start, I’m not going to tell on him and I don’t care how much trouble I get in. It’s not like it could get any worse than it already is. Well, actually, it probably could be a whole lot worse, which is why I’m not doing it.
I can’t. Don’t ask me why, I just can’t.
Click here to pre-order now 978-0-00-811656-9
A little girl is missing. Her parents are hiding something. Who will pay the price?
When eight-year-old Jasmine Peterson goes missing, the police want to know everything.
What is local park ranger, Sam McIntyre, running away from and why did he go out of his way to befriend a young girl?
Why can’t Jasmine’s mother and father stand to be in the same room as each other?
With every passing minute, an unstoppable chain of events hurtles towards a tragic conclusion.
Everyone has secrets. The question is: who will pay the price?
Click here to buy now 978-0-00-811650-7
He has a secret…
Jo is five months pregnant with the baby she always wanted, and on the surface she has the perfect marriage to David, the love of her life. The only thing marring her happiness is the secret she’s hiding from her husband.
She told a lie…
Then David disappears and there doesn’t seem to be any trace of him. Did the secrets inside his marriage chase him away? Or something much worse?
Would you rather know the whole truth or nothing at all?
Click here to buy now 978-0-00-751137-2
Look out for Amanda’s two short stories:
The Keeper of Secrets – Elle’s perfect façade is hiding the cracks in her marriage. But what happens when a message from her past threatens to expose everything?
Click here to buy now 978-0-00-752218-7
If I Should Go – Rachel’s first chance at love in years forces her to consider what she could give up for love…
Click here to buy now 978-0-00-752228-6
About the Author
Amanda Brooke is a single mum in her forties who lives in Liverpool with her daughter Jessica, two cats, and a laptop within easy reach. Her debut novel, Yesterday’s Sun, was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick in spring 2012. The Goodbye Gift is her sixth novel.
www.amanda-brooke.com
@AmandaBrookeAB
www.facebook.com/AmandaBrookeAuthor
Also by Amanda Brooke
Yesterday’s Sun
Where I Found You
The Missing Husband
The Child’s Secret
Ebook-only short story
The Keeper of Secrets
If I Should Go
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
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Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
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Canada
HarperCollins Canada
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New Zealand
HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand) Limited
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Auckland, New Zealand
http://www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London, SE1 9GF
http://www.harpercollins.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
195 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
http://www.harpercollins.com