A light read that will touch hearts and rescue the sense of community lost to the passage of time.
Originally published as The Lido in 2018, Mornings with Rosemary, Libby Page’s first novel takes us on a journey through the heart of a South London community, Brixton, and the history behind its Brockwell Lido.
Threatened by a new construction development, Paradise Living, the historic Brockwell Lido is about to get closed and turned into a private tennis court. A young journalist, Kate Matthews is assigned the story for a local newspaper, the Brixton Chronicle. Her first task? To interview Rosemary Peterson, one of the Lido’s long-time swimmers. At 86 years old, most of her life revolved around the pool, centered around the memory of her late husband.
Through Rosemary, Kate will discover what is means to live fully and fearlessly, fighting to make a difference. With the help of Kate, Rosemary will find the feisty strength she was longing for to hold on a little longer and save her beloved home.
While interwoven with fiction, Libby Page’s portrayal draws attention to the current, relevant problems local communities face when losing their treasured publics spaces to new constructions sites that promise paradise but fall short of delivering the dream.
The Lido is more than just a pool, it is a place where children learn, couples laugh, and neighbors come together to get to know each other.
“She cannot wait for her baby to be born. Her body aches from carrying and her heart aches from wanting. But as she swims she wishes it could be like this forever – just the two of them, both as close as they will ever be to another person. The water holds them and they hold each other”.
Page found inspiration in some of her own experiences. After moving from one place to another, not knowing the people who keep the bookshop or who manages the grocery and fishmonger shops, Kate Matthews is also someone who has lost direction in her life. Struck by panic attacks that make her feel inadequate for the role she is looking to fulfill someday, a renowned writer who covers stories that matter, she will learn to overcome her own demons.
This novel reminds us to cherish human connections and to live outside of ourselves to make a difference and live happier lives. For when we grow old, what will we choose to remember?
Libby Page is already working on her second novel and we cannot wait to see what’s next for this emerging author.
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