The Piano in the Tree
Sixteen years ago, something terrible kept Polly from meeting her girlfriend at a train station in Berlin. Dreams were shattered. Hearts were broken. Two women continued through life alone.
Now, Ksenia Tokarycz is obliged to come back to Australia. Sure, she does it in triumph and she does it in style, but a tardy delivery sends her in search of her piano – back to her childhood home, back to the place where Polly Paterson is still just next door.
High on the escarpment where the summer storms beat their way up the coast and hurl their fury against the sandstone cliffs, a love that never truly died forces two women to come to terms with their scars.
But there is a curious sound on the breeze. There is music on the breath of the wind. And when Toks sees what has happened to her piano, she fears there is a very strong chance her darling Pearl might be utterly mad.
The Piano in the Tree is a contemporary, second chance romance set between Australia and Europe.
Published: 27 May 2024
Ebook and paperback
110,000 words
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Cover art by Korin Hunjak
www.korinahunjak.com
@korina.hunjak
Sensitivity Warning
This book centres around the memories of a character’s past trauma, which occurred sixteen years in the character’s past. This character is now content and happy and quite well adjusted, aside from some chronic insomnia and a curious way of dealing with triggering events. To reveal too many details about the trauma risks spoiling the story, and care has been taken to keep difficult events out of focus and opaque with blurred and distant echoes. The story is, after all, a love story.
But of course, I don’t wish to cause anyone any inadvertent harm, so please find a list of warnings below. Please read with care.
Expand the arrow below to see the warnings.
Character experiences nightmares and insomnia on a regular basis. This is simply mentioned as fact. No nightmares are described
Short, on-page description of a panic attack
A realisation that a character experienced rape in the distant past. No details or descriptions
Brief mention of a past period of drug and alcohol abuse
A remembered hostage situation in a war zone (dealt with through the lens of confused memories, and gently explained by another character in dialogue)
Mention of gun violence
Death of minor characters in the remembered past
The remembered death of a beloved pet
Read an Author Interview where Jo Havens discusses the inspiration and writing of The Piano in the Tree. Visit I Heart Sapphfic to read more.