Shirley Heaton

Sweet Caroline Shirley Heaton

CLASS CONFLICT, ARROGANCE AND DECEITTwo babies with different family backgrounds are born within days of each other not many miles apart. But they are destined not to meet until years later when a chance encounter between medical student, Caroline whose parents, Jack and Maureen have constantly struggled on the breadline, and law student, William, son of comfortably affluent Helen and Charles, brings them together. But following a series of malicious interventions and misunderstandings, Caroline decides to steer clear and it seems any future relationship is set to fail. SWEET CAROLINE, sequel to HELEN'S TOMORROW, continues the story of the Ravel family and traces the relationship between William and Caroline, who are both unaware of a link between the families. Caroline's father, Jack, fired with greed and lust in his youth, relentlessly pursued William's mother, Helen, and also stalked her sister, Laura. But now years later, worried the truth will emerge, he struggles with his conscience and, determined to put the past behind him, he tries to discourage any relationship between Caroline and William. But his reasoning is mainly to cover his guilt and his continued negative comments about William's family arouse the suspicions of his wife and daughter. SWEET CAROLINE is a story of arrogance, deceit, remorse and snobbery and, despite her working class roots, Caroline demonstrates her feisty nature in challenging situations and this leads to the eventual breakdown of class barriers.