An outstanding read - 5 stars from me.

Virginia wants to be left alone and to choose the time of her death. She is grieving the loss of her husband and feels no connection to life until she notices Ocean and her mother. She becomes aware that something is not right in their household and tries to intervene - but with no success. Determined to leave well alone she decides she will die in 3 months.

However she returns home to find Ocean has been left by her mother for her to keep safe. The adventure then begins and brings her into contact with a group of ordinary people determined to do extraordinary things to do right by this child.

The themes of child cruelty, coercive control and violence are all dealt with sensitively. The novel has its elements of light and dark, humour and tears but ultimately hope.

Virginia is undoubtedly a hero!

Virginia has lost her beloved partner Jed, and wants solitude while still grieving his loss, but she cannot because there is a pressing matter: her neighbour Ocean’s safety and well being.
Acting with a human instinct, Virginia Lane can observe that the little girl is in distress and not feeling safe.
Then Ocean’s mother’s remarks prove Virginia’s instincts right.
Told from the POV of Virginia, but interestingly, because Ocean is very little, Virginia’s compassion for Ocean, and her descriptions of the wee pet give us Ocean’s POV to some extent.
How much should V intervene? Not at all? Is she a hero? Can she help save this girl?
Virginia, Annie, and Ocean are terrific characters. It won’t be wrong to say that they saved each other.
This is a tender thriller with touching themes, a powerful prose, dark humour and lovely characters. V’s voice is gripping.
I am not rating this 5 stars, out of personal tastes - if this were 15-20 % shorter, the pacing and the coherence of the plot would have been ideal for me however I anticipate that this will be a popular, 5 star read, enjoyed by many, and it deserves it and I recommend the book.
The balance of the themes and tones and how both the author and Virginia as a character dealt with the themes were amazing.

"I didn't want to kidnap that baby, and if I could have helped her any other way I would have." An arresting first line to what was a really excellent read, if harrowing at times.

The eponymous Virginia, recently widowed at the age of seventy, doesn't see much left to live for - indeed, she has determined to put an end to it all if nothing changes, and has even set a date to do so. Everything does change, though, when she becomes deeply concerned for Ocean, the baby girl who lives nearby with her mother Cate and, latterly, her mother's new boyfriend. Virginia knows for sure that something is badly wrong, but nobody wants to listen, all too ready to write her off as an interfering old woman dealing poorly with her own grief by imagining problems where there are none.

Meanwhile, in Margate, eighteen-year-old Jackson and his young brother Noah are living with their terminally ill grandmother - the marvellous "Panna" - dealing with everyday care needs and casual racism. They, too, put themselves in danger to help another when Noah rescues a mistreated dog from its owner.

This unlikely group ultimately join forces, along with Annie from Oban, determined to protect vulnerable Ocean - an adorable little character - from what will befall her if she returns home. It's a gripping story with a host of memorable characters (and one all out villain). Serious themes of abuse, racism and ageism are lightened by the dialogue and the overall theme of the difference good people can make, with courage and caring.

There were a couple of things left unanswered at the end, but this was an excellent read which I would highly recommend.

Virginia is deeply grieving the loss of her beloved husband Jed and all she wants is to be left alone with her memories. However, every time she sees her little neighbour Ocean, her heart melts. She’s so sweet and cute, but Virginia becomes increasingly concerned as she just knows deep in her heart that something is very wrong in that household. Virginia tries to help but meets hostility and her son Will advises her to get on with her life as you can’t always help those who need it. She can’t, she simply can’t as every time she sees Ocean, she gets more and more worried. She asks for help and advice and gets nowhere, in fact, she’s stonewalled. One day to her shock. Ocean’s mother Cate is at her door asking her to take her daughter somewhere safe. Well, what would you do? Maybe you would do the same as Virginia who is determined to do the right thing as she’s in way more danger than she first appreciated. Sometimes ordinary people like Virginia can do extraordinary things because they have big hearts. A hero? That’s up to you to decide.

Rosalind Stopps Is a born storyteller with a gift of balancing the gritty and dark with humour and the novel never loses sight of humanity despite what occurs. This is all about adorable Ocean and what’s best for her and it’s amazing what bravery people can summon up when push comes to shove.

What makes this such a wonderful read of the amazing characters that the author has created here. Much is from Virginia’s perspective and it’s as if she’s talking to us, sharing the confidences, her honesty, the ups and downs and letting her personality shine through. There are a host of characters who rise to the occasion to help her when she flees to Margate. There’s Annie, whose backstory will make you weep but she’s the most wonderful and warm hearted human being. There’s fantastic but deeply anxious Jackson and his younger brother Noah and their grandma ‘Panna’ who are all equally fabulous. I fall in love with Noah who is utterly gorgeous and wise beyond his years. Out of the mouths of babes and a laugh for two comes out of mine. The racism these two face is a disgrace.

This is a terrific, well plotted tale of dark and light and the balance between the two is spot-on. It makes you want to cry, but equally it makes you laugh. There are moments of such tension and fear that it is palpable and then the author lightens the mood to highlight the awfulness of one, versus the kindness of others. It has a great ending, it’s very suspenseful and dramatic which feels just right.

Virginia doesn’t think she’s a hero, she’s so is and are all of her new friends. This is a blooming marvellous page turner which I highly recommend.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

A really good book which I will recommend to others.
Thanks for the opportunity to read & review it.

This was a fantastic read with some amazing characters and challenging themes. Virginia is grieving after her husband’s death when she becomes concerned about her neighbours -a mum and her toddler. She tries to offer help but gets nowhere so she’s staggered when the mum gives her the baby to keep safe. Meanwhile 18yo Jackson is struggling with the responsibility of looking after his 11yo brother and his terminally ill grandmother. The story is fantastic, it could have been devastating with both death and domestic violence (including that of a child) at its core but it manages to maintain a lot of positivity, primarily due to the strength of the characters and their determination to do their best for baby Ocean. This takes place during a very short time frame but that works well with the events that transpire. Virginia is left in an impossible situation but with the help and support of strangers this shows the very best alongside the very worst of humanity.