The author has a near-death experience after the birth of her first child. Once she realises she is out of danger, she vows to stop 'sleepwalking' through her life, instead reevaluating what is important, addressing past regrets and sorrows. And she hopes to encourage us to do the same. 

The author lives in a town in East Sussex. She is married with two children, and this is a very beautifully written, lyrical account of her life.

She introduces herself through the traumatic events immediately after the birth of her child, when she nearly dies. Having survived, she recalls her early years, the relationships with her parents and her hopes for the future. The pace, plot and characters are so well presented, it reads just like a good novel!

As an adult, Tanya chooses to build her security through routine, and in her own home and family, but the trauma of almost losing everything causes her to take more risks, and start exploring. 

Tanya is intrigued by the lives of the people in her community and, wanting to find out more about their stories, approaches first the owners of her town's lido and then a local hospice, asking if she can become a writer in residence. This experience would make a book in itself and I did find that I lost my way with her message as the book neared its conclusion. But it was so beautifully written, and so intriguing, that I couldn't put it down and read it very quickly. I think I might have to revisit it again and discover more. Fascinating!