The Accident
by Fiona Lowe
Harper Collins

Hannah’s perfect wedding was hours away and she was daydreaming of a honeymoon in Tahiti with her new husband Jamie. She was thinking about the long-awaited possibility of starting a family when she heard first-responder sirens on the remote country road.

No amount of preparation and planning in the three months leading up to the wedding could prepare her the disaster that had taken place the day before the wedding, when a car veered off the road and slammed into a tree in the small wheatbelt town of Garringarup.

Hannah’s best friend Freya was left to pick up the pieces. Freya was also in shock because the groom was the best friend of her husband Ryan. Hannah and Jamie’s lives were already intertwined as they were living on his family farm and Hannah had been contributing as a partner to Jamie’s IT consultancy business.

Freya, who ran the gift shop Just Because in town, was alarmed when Hannah wanted to harvest sperm from her deceased fiancé so she could have his baby. Hannah had the full support of Jamie’s parents, who had even offered to cover the costs, but Freya knew more about Jamie than she wanted to share, and urged her friend not to go down that path.

Fiona Lowe writes books that are authentic to Australians, featuring real people who have flaws. They are trying their hardest to live their best lives but face difficult choices. She explores how family ties and relationships impact Hannah’s decision while secrets begin to emerge from almost everyone who surrounds her and Hannah’s world unravels.

Lowe has stated “I want readers to see that life is not black and white but has many many shades of grey. Many readers are thankful that I tackled the hard questions in an accessible way and provided a new perspective.”

Lezly Herbert