A sweeping and unforgettable story of a young woman finding love in a Victorian seaside town, only to unearth a secret that threatens everything she knows about her family.

When Martha arrives in the seaside town of Cove, she has lost almost everything. Forced to leave behind the comforts of her former life in London, she takes a position as a maid at the Grand Hotel and tries not to dwell on the future that has slipped from her grasp.

Then she meets Lizzy. As their friendship deepens into something more, Martha begins to imagine a different future for herself. But she’s harboring a dangerous secret. There’s something hidden away in the house she shares with her mother—something that could destroy them both.

As the past closes in on her, Martha must choose between the life she once expected and the family she has finally learned to love.

A Different Life is an atmospheric novel about forbidden love, motherhood, disability, and the courage it takes to build a life beyond society’s expectations.