‘Years ago, watching a late-night movie, in which a mother had turned to her son and said, I have never loved you, Toby had yawned, declared the film unbelievable and taken himself off to bed. But Jo had watched to the end, a morbid curiosity carrying her through, because she’d known. Sometimes parents didn’t love their children.’

Party-planner Jo Swainson takes pride in her optimistic outlook. Nearly fifty, she has come to terms with both her childlessness and the estrangement from her cold mother, Bobbi. But after being blindsided by Bobbi’s sudden dementia diagnosis, she’s devastated when her husband announces that he’s leaving to start a family with another.

Puzzled by a photo of a newborn in Bobbi’s handbag, she is further stunned to learn her mother was once hospitalised for a psychotic breakdown. Each revelation only leads to more mysteries, and Jo soon realises her mother is a stranger she longs to know. But with dementia tightening its grip, time is running out for both of them.

Poignant and gripping, Cary J Hansson weaves a memorable tale both haunting and heartfelt. Tackling sensitive subjects in a relatable way, the listener is taken along a path of self-discovery where personal truths are challenged and enlightenment awaits at journey’s end.

Close To You, is the immersive second novel in the GenX women’s contemporary fiction series. If you like realistic protagonists, secrets hidden in the cobwebs of time, and hard-won second chances, you’ll adore Cary J Hansson’s ray of hope.