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. All of these events occurred sixteen years in the character’s past. This character is now content and happy and, aside from some chronic insomnia, is quite well adjusted. However, the events of the past unfold slowly throughout the story and have to be acknowledged so that the two lovers can understand each other and heal.
Expand the arrow below to see the warnings.
Nightmares and insomnia
Short, on-page description of a panic attack
A realisation that a character experienced rape (no details)
Brief mention of a past period of drug and alcohol abuse
A remembered hostage situation in a war zone (dealt with on-page though 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