When a Jewish stage actress in London welcomes home her estranged son after World War II, her own personal battles begin in this moving family saga. Love and loss, success and failure, the joy of motherhood and the anguish of rejection—these are the patterns woven into Alison Plantaine's life. But her dedication to the theatre has ensured that her first loyalty will always be to her career. Her son Richard is old enough to understand that for all her talent Alison most struggles to play the role of mother. Now, having been sent abroad to avoid the horror of war, he returns a rebel and rivals his mother in the theatre world. For, Alison this is the moment she must decide—make way for the sake of her family or stay true to the art that has meant so much to her. A gripping saga of duty and love from a much-loved novelist, perfect for fans of Rita Bradshaw and Margaret Dickinson. Praise for the writing of Maisie Mosco "Once in every generation or so a book comes along which lifts the curtain." — The Guardian "Full of freshness and fascination." — Manchester Evening News "The undisputed queen of her genre." — Jewish Chronicle