The Bench

'An unforgettable story about once-in-a-lifetime love. Powerful, timeless and moving' Holly Miller

'A beautiful portrait of love. Real. Complicated. Irresistible' Jemma Wayne

'A wonderful, life-spanning novel with real heart and depth. I didn't want it to end' Lisa Ballantyne

Perfect for fans of One Day and A Star is Born, this is a tragic love story spanning three decades that starts and ends on a bench, by the Richard & Judy bestselling author of The Twins.

It begins at the end.

It begins on a bench, on a heath, where a woman waits for a man.

Ten years ago, they made a pact:

On this bench, on this day, they will end a love affair that's spanned three decades, or start again.

They should never have met. They should never have fallen in love.

But they did, until a lie separated them for a lifetime.

Can they fix the mistake, forgive the lie, erase the years in-between?

Can what was lost ever truly be found?

'A sweeping love story rich with honest, tender moments. Cat and Sam will have you rooting for them from the very start' International bestselling author Emma Rous

More praise for Saskia Sarginson:

'Beautifully evoked' Sunday Mirror

'Stunning' Judy Finnigan, Richard & Judy Book Club

'Wonderful' Rosamund Lupton

'Outstandingly good' Sun

'Enthralling' Ruth Ware

'Haunting' Independent

'Engrossing' Lisa Ballantyne

'Compelling' Candis

'Absorbing' Heat

“With echoes of David Nicholls's One Day , this romance has just the right mix of heart-melting moments and heart-rending near misses -- Good Housekeeping”

With echoes of David Nicholls's One Day, this romance has just the right mix of heart-melting moments and heart-rending near misses Good Housekeeping
A raw, emotional book about love in all its guises The Sun
A wonderful, heart-tugging romance Prima
Fans of David Nicholls's One Day will love this heart-tugging read Hello!
A quirky and intensely romantic tearjerker Sunday Mirror
Read it if you liked One Day . . . Have tissues to hand Best
Heartbreaking Bella
Captivating . . . this beautiful love story is touching, relatable and gloriously romantic. It found it impossible to put down The Press and Journal
An unforgettable story about once-in-a-lifetime love. A heartfelt and emotional depiction of two people thrown together by destiny then torn apart by circumstance. Powerful, timeless and moving - I loved it -- Holly Miller
A beautiful portrait of love. Real. Complicated. Irresistible -- Jemma Wayne
A wonderful, life-spanning novel with real heart and depth. I didn't want it to end -- Lisa Ballantyne
A sweeping love story rich with honest, tender moments -- Emma Rous
A beautiful, very special, love story about what can happen when life gets in the way. About how love can endure the impossible. About how some people are meant to be. Saskia Sarginson is such a talented writer. Her characters are so human with their shortcomings and virtues, they could be us - they are us. And thus, their moments of grace are ours. I loved this book. -- Cecilia Ekbäck
A poignant and heart-wrenching love story, tender and suspenseful and exquisitely written. The characters are painted with such compassion and sympathy: we enter into their longing, into their passionate and aching worlds, willing the story to end well for them, not wanting it to end, but to go on forever. This is one of the best love stories written, engrossing and utterly immersive. Saskia Sarginson never disappoints. -- Mary Chamberlain
Saskia Sarginson is a gifted and versatile writer. She can turn her hand to just about any genre - be it thriller, historical or literary. This is the fourth novel of hers that I have read and for me, it's right up there with her best work. The Bench feels like a book that the world really needs right now. Packed full of surprises and kindness, I certainly fell head over heels in love with it. -- Fiona Mitchell
A beautiful romance with likeable characters you invest in wholeheartedly . . . an intriguing, thought-provoking, uplifting tale of love, loss, deceit, and destiny

Saskia Sarginson was awarded a distinction in her MA in Creative Writing at Royal Holloway after a BA in English Literature from Cambridge University and a BA in Fashion Design & Communications. Before becoming a full-time author, Saskia's writing experience included being a health and beauty editor on women's magazines, a ghost writer for the BBC and Harper Collins and copy-writing and script editing.

Saskia lives in south London with her partner and four children.

' An unforgettable story about once-in-a-lifetime love. Powerful, timeless and moving' Holly Miller 'A beautiful portrait of love. Real. Complicated. Irresistible' Jemma Wayne 'A wonderf ul, life-spanning novel with real heart and depth. I didn't want it to end' Lisa Ballantyne Perfect for fans of One Day and A Star is Born , this is a t ragic love story spanning three decades that starts and ends on a bench, by the Richard & Judy bestselling author of The Twins . It begins at the end.It begins on a bench, on a heath, where a woman waits for a man. Ten years ago, they made a pact: On this bench, on this day, they will end a love affair that's spanned three decades, or start again. They should never have met. They should never have fallen in love.But they did, until a lie separated them for a lifetime.Can they fix the mistake, forgive the lie, erase the years in-between? Can what was lost ever truly be found? 'A sweeping love story rich with honest, tender moments. Cat and Sam will have you rooting for them from the very start' International bestselling author Emma RousMore praise for Saskia Sarginson: 'Beautifully evoked' Sunday Mirror 'Stunning' Judy Finnigan, Richard & Judy Book Club 'Wonderful' Rosamund Lupton 'Outstandingly good' Sun 'Enthralling' Ruth Ware 'Haunting' Independent 'Engrossing' Lisa Ballantyne ' Compelling' Candis 'Absorbing' Heat

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