writing about romance and the things that make life worth living
Welcome to my website
Let me introduce myself…
I’m a newbie writer, and I understand you’d rather not shell out your hard-earned cash unless you like what you’re buying. So, to enable you to see if you enjoy my writing, why not try a free copy of A Bouquet of White Roses, the prequel novella to my first book The Garden Plot? (Scroll down - it's there!)
And if you've read The Garden Plot, you might like to see what happened when Lisbeth disappeared to France for a holiday and returned a changed girl... In which case, download a copy of French Kissing for Beginners.
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New for 2022!
I'm really, really happy to announce the release of my second Duality novel, The Fern Keepers.
It's been a bit like like 'that difficult second album' but it's done and I've had some great reviews! Take a look at the blurb below, and a couple of lovely comments left by readers.
The Fern Keepers
Damaged. Defiant. Renewed.
2022: Finally free from a controlling relationship, author Cat Kennedy moves into her aunt’s old house. Rapidly running out of cash, she desperately needs to recreate the success of her first novel.
When she discovers a Victorian diary buried in the garden, she’s inspired by the story of Emily, Lady Cleveland, and begins to rebuild her confidence – and the fernery.
But somebody is watching Cat and they want to see her fail.
First, it’s anonymous text messages that grow darker and more threatening. Then a carefully-designed campaign of intimidation that rapidly escalates. Is Cat’s life in danger?
1862: Grieving the loss of her new-born son and suffocated by society’s expectations, Emily Cleveland flees from London and the manipulative Dr Schenley, who she holds responsible for the death of her longed-for baby.
Designing the fernery in the peace of Cleveland House gives Emily new purpose, helping her recover the spirit and self-assurance she had when she was first married.
But even from a distance, Dr Schenley’s insidious influence over Emily’s husband, James, threatens not just her rediscovered independence, but her very liberty.
As Emily fights to convince James of her sanity, and Cat battles an unseen enemy, both women need to find reserves of courage they never thought they possessed.
The Fern Keepers is a compelling dual timeline suspense novel, perfect for readers of Susanna Kearsley and Barbara Erskine.
Reviews
"Sara Sartagne does it again! I love her writing! Sara creates strong, smart, flawed and real characters that I would love to meet!"
*
"I enjoyed both main characters in this book. Though from different eras, Cat and Emily are strong, independent women who acknowledge their flaws but push through for what their hearts desire. The parallel and intertwining stories of these two women worked for me.
The antagonists are real and believable! While Stephen is horrendous, and the feelings Cat experiences are heartfelt and possibly triggering for some, the potential power of the doctor’s influence in Emily’s story is terrifying."
*
"I love this duality pairing. When Cat inherits Cleveland House she's grateful to have somewhere far away from her manipulative controlling boyfriend. It comes with a beautiful fernery designed in Victorian times by Lady Emily Cleveland who is herself trying to escape controlling manipulation at the hands of a man. Both ladies are strong beautiful independent women who dark forces are trying to harm. I loved both of their fascinating stories, all the descriptions and feels. The stories draw you in so much that it's very difficult to pay attention to other family members or mundane things like eating, cooking etc!!!"
*
"Parallel stories about two women struggling to overcome adversity in their life. 'The Fern Keepers-a duel timeline novel' by Sara Sartagne is a riveting account of two strong women who found solace by building the same fern garden in two different periods of history.
I enjoyed this book for a few reasons. First being both protagonists were strong independent women who overcame injustices and abuse inflicted on them by a man. Secondly the historical descriptions created an amazing word picture of Emily's life in the mid 1800s. And lastly I loved the unforeseen mystery incorporated into Cat's story."
*
"With engaging characters and revealing references to past societal norms and current cultural pitfalls, this is a well researched and intriguing story. I quite literally could not put it down."
*
"A fascinating story with mystery and a dual timeline. The Fern Keepers kept me glued to reading about Cat Kennedy and her onslaught of bad luck (or was it something more sinister?) and Emily Cleveland's arrival to Cleveland house after the loss of her first child. A real whodunit with many twists and turns."
*
"I found the book hard to put down and I can never find any higher praise than that."
A Bouquet of White Roses
Florist Dawn Andrews’ business is to create beautiful bouquets, not to break up relationships. But when she’s asked to arrange the flowers for the wedding of an old school friend, it’s hard to ignore her budding feelings.
Dawn is the loveliest woman that landscape gardener Sam Winterson has ever seen. But as an engaged man, he dismisses the growing chemistry between them.
Until, that is, Sam has to rescue Dawn from an assault outside a nightclub. While he’s only doing what any honourable man would, Sam finds himself caring rather too much about the florist with the heart-shaped face and sherry-brown eyes.
With the wedding only five months away, can they dismiss their mutual attraction and carry on as ‘just friends’?