The phoenix ballroom

'Magical ... uplifting ... the Phoenix Ballroom feels like an old friend' Anton Du Beke 'Every page is a joy' Pip Williams When it's time to face the music, all we can do is dance... Recently widowed Venetia Hamilton Hargreaves is left with a huge house, a bank balance to match and an uneasy feeling that she's been sleepwalking through the last fifty years. Determined to live fully again, she embraces life with an enthusiasm and purpose she'd forgotten she could muster. Buying the dilapidated Phoenix Ballroom and with it a drop-in centre and spiritualist church could be seen as reckless, but Venetia's generosity, courage and kindness provide a refuge for a touching cast of damaged and lonely people who find their chosen family. As their stories intertwine, long buried secrets are revealed, missed opportunities seized and lives are renewed as the Phoenix lives up to its name. The Phoenix Ballroom is a story of hope and second chances across the generations. 'Will enthral and delight everyone who reads it' Mike Gayle 'Packed with Ruth Hogan's trademark warmth' Matt Cain 'A rich and joyful story, told with wit and heart' Beth Morrey