Falling - Paperback

by Emr Books (Author), E. M. Richmond (Author)

In the autumn of 1968, Billy Atkins is thirteen and living on the outskirts of a small New Zealand city in the Manawatu with his parents, Chris and Evelyn.

Billy's life is a full one, with school, rugby practice and chores on his family's market garden.

But then enters Olivia Hurley, a bright young girl who has moved with her family from Auckland. She quickly becomes a friend but also a source of confusion for the teenager on the cusp of manhood.

As their friendship deepens, both face the challenges of growing up in a time when even New Zealand isn't immune to social change. Olivia struggles with the expectations of both her parents and the societal belief of a woman's role in a time when women are battling for their own rights, while Billy is caught between the life he's grown up with and making his own choices.

Their journey is marked by moments of humour, tragedy and conflicts in the schoolyard and into adulthood.

As the season rolls around year after year, it becomes a symbol of shaking off those expectations and forging new lives and new destinies for both of them, while learning about love, friendship and resilience.

"Falling" is a poignant and heartfelt exploration of the trials and triumphs of growing up, set against the backdrop of a changing world. It is a story of love, loss, and the enduring power of hope.