He comes into the life of Fiona and her 3 children at a time when they are in need of a strong character, to depend on. Much to Fiona's mothers disgust, they inevitably fall in love.

Each of the characters in this omnibus have believeable personalities, and each one will make you laugh and cry, as you follow them through the tribulations of their lives.

Fiona's son makes a remarkable friend in Sammy Love, a child that reminds Bill of his rough beginnings, and is taken into their hearts, when tragically, the young boy needs a home and a family.

Disaster strikes for the family, when a teenage crush goes terribly wrong, leaving broken, hearts and friendships, in the lives of the Bailey Family and their friends.

The most moving part of the omnibus, is, when a new baby is born into the Bailey household, but all is not what they had hoped for.

Overall, another Cookson marvel, she has yet again managed to draw the reader into the web of family life, and all of the joy and heart-ache that brings with it.

This book will have you both laughing and crying within the same page, a must read book, not just for Cookson fans, but an excellent choice for those reading her work for the first time.