Twenty years ago, Hugo and Ash were on top of the world.

As the acclaimed rock band Ashbirds they were poised for superstardom. Then Ash went missing, lost in a mountaineering accident, and the lives of Hugo and everyone around him were changed forever. Irrepressible, infuriating, mesmerizing Ash left a hole they could never hope to fill.

Two decades on, Ash’s fiancée Elza is still struggling to move on, her private grief outshone by the glare of publicity. The loss of such a rock icon is a worldwide tragedy. Hugo is now a recluse in Nepal, shunning his old life. Robert, an ambitious session player, feels himself both blessed and cursed by his brief time with Ashbirds, unable to achieve recognition in his own right. While the Ashbirds legend burns brighter than ever, Elza, Hugo and Robert are as stranded as if they were the ones lost in the ice.

How far must they go to come back to life?

A lyrical, page-turning novel in the tradition of Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano, Ever Rest asks how we carry on after catastrophic loss. It will also strike a chord with fans of Meg Wolitzer’s The Interestings and Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Daisy Jones for its people bonded by an unforgettable time; fans of Ann Patchett’s Bel Canto, for music as a primal and romantic force; and Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air for the deadly and irresistible wildernesses that surround our comfortable world.

Interesting & Enjoyable!

A very interesting read which made me think about things I haven’t previously considered, as well as being an enjoyable novel.

Twenty years ago rock star Ash was lost while climbing Everest with his band-mate Hugo, changing the lives of everyone around him. His fiancee, Elza, has been unable to move on with her life and the other band member find themselves living in limbo, but the press has never given up. What they need is closure – but how do they get it?

For most of us, a death is followed by a funeral and, whilst we may grieve for some time to come, we can at least begin to move on with our life; but when the body isn’t recovered there is no such finality. This novel follows the lives of close friends and how the tragic loss of Ash affected them for decades to come. I can’t say it’s something I’ve ever really considered before, but this book definitely made me think about how horrendous it must be to try and get up each day and continue with their own lives. While the rest of the world develops and moves on, these characters are stuck in a time warp. The author has created a fine cast, each with their own personalities and outlook on life. A lovely read and a bit of an eye-opener too. Well-paced and beautifully written, I’m happy to give this one 4*.

My thanks to the author for my copy; this is – as always – my honest, original and unbiased read.

Tags: contemporary fiction

• Format: ebook, paperback
• Size: 308 pages
• Publication Date: 03 June 2021
• Book Links:
• https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57208447
• https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ever-rest-roz-morris/1138861740
• https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/ever-rest
• https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/ever-rest/roz-morris/paperback/9781909905887.html
• https://www.waterstones.com/book/ever-rest/roz-morris/9781909905887
• https://wordery.com/ever-rest-roz-morris-9781909905887
• https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ever-Rest-Roz-Morris-ebook/dp/B08WYCMNL4

Author Details

Roz Morris is the author of three novels, a travel memoir and a series for writers, Nail Your Novel. She once had a secret career as a ghostwriter, where she sold 4 million books writing as other people, but is now obeying the commands of her own soul, which are to write literary fiction with a strong sense of story.

She is also an editor and writing coach, and has taught masterclasses in Europe and for The Guardian newspaper in London.

• Website: http://rozmorris.org/
• Twitter: @roz_morris