Yesterday’s Sun by Amanda Brooke

review

Every now and again, you read a book that leaves an imprint on your soul and truly deserves the accolade of ‘written from the heart’, and Yesterday’s Sun is that book. When Tom and Holly move into their new country home, they find a sundial in the overgrown garden but when they put it all together, they are disappointed it doesn’t work.

Much later, Holly discovers it is actually a moondial which only operates during a full moon and when she touches it, she is transported eighteen months into the future where she realises she is fated to die in childbirth. Tom has been eager to have children but Holly has always been reluctant as her own unhappy childhood has left her unsure whether she could be a loving mother. Now, Holly has even more reason to fear becoming pregnant.

Unable to share her burden with Tom, after seeing him so heartbroken over her death, Holly confides in Jocelyn, an elderly lady who to used to live in Holly’s house and has had her own experiences with the moondial. Jocelyn explains how she was supposed to have committed suicide after years of abuse from her husband, Harry, but Jocelyn managed to cheat death by sacrificing the life of her husband who ended up killing himself in her place. However, Jocelyn’s actions had bitter consequences as she became estranged from her son who blamed her for his father’s death. The only way Holly can escape her fate is by sacrificing another life and that other life has to be a family member.

As Holly contemplates her dilemma, she realises the best solution is to sacrifice the life of her future daughter by not getting pregnant in the first place but the more time she spends with her daughter in the future, the harder the decision is to bear. Holly’s maternal instincts, instincts she could never imagine having in the first place, kick into overdrive and Holly is consumed by desire to protect her daughter. However, each brief visit also reveals the emotional toll her death has on Tom and Holly’s resolve strengthens to the point she makes her final decision. And you will have to find out that decision for yourself.

The story is beautifully written by Brooke and she absolutely nails Holly’s emotional conflict as she contemplates the best course of action, however there were times when I felt the writing was becoming a little too repetitive. Holly’s dilemma is rather unique so maybe her endless rumination is justified but it did start to feel a tad tedious towards the end and I was ready for her to stop the monthly visits to the future. The dialogue between Tom and Holly is also a bit too sentimental at times, which would normally have me grimacing, but I really didn’t mind it so much since it was so heartfelt and I loved Tom and Holly as a couple.