Rosie is a beautiful and sensitive woman; with three children by her violent and abusive husband. When the children grow up and leave home, Rosie also leaves. She just walks out one day and does not return, losing contact with her family. Living on the streets, Rosie witnessed many hardships, before eventually running a homeless hostel.Her three children lead very different lives. Jill marries her childhood sweetheart and becomes a published author. David goes to London and works in an engineering firm where he meets Jane, a social worker with her own tragic family secret. Carla, the youngest of the family, runs off with a boyfriend to Greece and becomes part of a proud extended family that has some wonderful stories to relate. We follow the histories of these four, very different characters, their families and the people they meet along the way. There are highs and lows as Rosie's children struggle to survive the loss of their mother. There are also insights into the lives of the homeless as some of their tragic histories are related to Rosie.The journey is often hard, sometimes joyful, but ultimately inspiring and full of hope. "I found this novel impressive in so many ways; genuinely insightful as to the human condition, sometimes harrowing, always compassionate and ultimately uplifting." (Robb Squire, former BBC script reader, published novelist and screenwriter)"A delightful, warmhearted story that follows Rosie through life's trials. You can't help loving her and empathizing for her estranged family." (Patricia Santana, Mill Hill Book Club.)"This novel has a range and depth and, ultimately, a grandeur which is almost epic.