“A Prayer for Junie is a compelling and atmospheric story about friendship, love and the lengths people will go to in order to save those they care about.” Caroline Bishop, The Other Daughter, The Lost Chapter
Newly married Junie has found love but she has no idea who her husband really is. When her life is in danger, there is only one way this relationship can end.
Philomena has known Junie’s abusive husband, Gregory, since they were children and has grown to fear him. Set apart from the rest of the village community on a secluded plain, the women develop a strong bond. While Philomena plots to run away with her, Junie hopes the child she is carrying will change her husband’s violent behaviour.
When Philomena’s friendship is put to the test, she soon discovers how far she will go to protect her friend. Now a death on the plain and Junie’s disappearance has the whole village talking.
Can Philomena live with what she has done and will she ever let go of Junie’s memory?
In this powerful novel of lies, love and compassion a mystery unravels.
Fran Clark writes Women’s Fiction, both contemporary and historical. Her first novel was published by Indigo Dreams in 2014. In the same year she achieved a Distinction in her Creative Writing MA from Brunel University. In 2016 she was shortlisted for the SI Leeds Literary Prize. In February 2024, her Island Secrets Book Series will be published, starting with Holding Paradise Book 1.
Originally from London, Fran moved to the English countryside with her musician husband. A musician herself, Fran teaches vocals and leads a local choir. She has two sons.
Fran also writes under the pseudonym, Rosa Temple, writing contemporary fiction and published by HQ Digital and Simon & Schuster UK
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My thoughts: set in 1950s Dominica, this is a love story, a story about survival, about a crime and about finding a way out.
When Philomena meets Junie, brought to her village by the glowering boy next door, Gregory, a man who has never cared for his neighbours, there’s an instant connection between the two women. But Gregory, violent, drunk and insanely jealous doesn’t like the friendship between them and uses his fists to control his wife.
Philomena is determined to save her friend, to help her get away from the abuse and fear she lives in. Her own life, marriage to her colleague at the school and plans to move to New York, offer a possible way out for Junie.
As Gregory seems to get worse, becoming more aggressive and controlling, landing Junie in the hospital, Philomena realises her feelings are deeper than friendship for Junie, and that she would do almost anything for her.
Things take a darker turn and Junie vanishes, leaving Philomena frantic. But she’s due to leave for the US and can’t find her friend anywhere. She may never know what happened to Junie.
Moving, intelligent writing with compelling and interesting characters, A Prayer for Junie is timeless and powerful story telling.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 
Thank you so much for supporting the tour x
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Hi Madeleine, thanks much for being on the tour and really happy you enjoyed the book! Lovely review 🙂
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