Why a Booktrail?
2000s: When Sophie Taylor’s life falls apart, there is only one thing to do: escape and find a new one.
Under an Amber Sky
What you need to know before your trail
Dragged to Montenegro by her best friend Anna, Sophie begins to see the light at the end of a very dark tunnel. But when she stumbles into an old, run-down house on the Bay of Kotor, she surprises even herself when she buys it.
Surrounded by old furniture, left behind by the former inhabitants, Sophie becomes obsessed by a young Balkan couple when she discovers a bundle of letters from the 1940s in a broken roll-top desk. Letters that speak of great love, hope and a mystery Sophie can’t help but get drawn into.
Days in Montenegro are nothing like she expected and as Sophie’s home begins to fill with a motley crew of lodgers, the house by the bay begins to breathe again. And for Sophie, life seems to be restarting. But letting go of the past is easier said than done…
Locations
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Rose Alexander’s Guide to Montenegro
My second novel, Under An Amber Sky, is set in the stunningly beautiful but little-known country of Montenegro. I visited for the first time in 2015 and was immediately captivated. In all honesty, everyone who goes there is. The main protagonist, Sophie Taylor, experiences a terrible loss and, in a bid to start anew, buys an old stone house in the Bay of Kotor. Gradually, she’s joined by a disparate group of friends, each of them a little bit broken in their own way, all seeking the chance to heal themselves in the calm serenity of the bay.
As I did my research, I uncovered fascinating facts about the country’s history. We learn nothing about the Balkans in British schools, so I had no idea that Montenegro was occupied by the Italians in World War II. They imprisoned men, women and children who they suspected of being Partisans on a small island known locally as Mamula, and this became a key location in the book. To find out what happened there, and how it impacts on the modern day story, you’ll have to read the book!
Montenegro has a population of only around 650,000 and covers an area similar to Northern Ireland. But it packs everything imaginable into its small size: primeval forests, glacial lakes, mountains, ski slopes, golden beaches, wildlife sanctuaries, historical buildings and spanking new marinas. Most people centre their visits around the UNESCO world heritage site of Kotor and the bay, Budva and the beaches of the Adriatic coast. But go inland and there is a so much more to discover. My favourite place is Prcanj on the bay, because that is where I have a house, the house that is Sophie’s in the book.
Trail Gallery
Booktrail Boarding Pass: Under an Amber Sky
Destination: Montenegro Author/Guide: Rose Alexander Departure Time: 2000s
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