The Black Rose of Blaby

* A haunting classic romance novel of magic and mystery lurking in a Leicestershire village.

* Rites of passage of four village lads reaching adulthood in the 1950's. Who were they really?

* What truth lies beneath this fictional account of the real lives and events behind the stolen history of Blaby village?

A mystical love fantasy set against actual events in real locations, involving:

- Myth, or truth?: was there really a black rose cultivated in the rural Leicestershire village of Blaby? Does it really grow, albeit hidden from plain sight, in its church graveyard?

- Legend: if dancing maidens emerging from standing stones did once appear on lunar cycles in 1950s Blaby - where is that site now? Is it still on The Fairway Estate off Grove Road, formerly Shoults Tomato Farm? Were - or are - there really mythical dancing maidens in Leicester?

- Reality behind the history of Blaby village: if what they say is true, did a German immigrant really keep the whole of England supplied with a rare 'Blaby Special' tomato during the war years? And what did happen to the family?

- Lost Love: The author's grandmother - Mary Alice Baker Sercombe - graces the cover of this novel. What was the truth behind her ancestors' tragic love story?

Take the innocence of youth and feed it with enough imagination, and even the unlikely becomes real. This coming of age tale has its roots in reality, tragic pasts, and a love story in Blaby, Leicester that had not seen the light of day - until now. It features characters, events and locations that have, so far, been discarded into history, hearsay, and word-of-mouth over a pint in the pub.

The author was born and raised within the midst of these fantasies mixed with realities, weaving mystical realism to shape a fascinating work of romantic fiction by Leicester author, J S Morey, for Book 2 of the 'Love should never be this hard' saga.

THIS BOOK IS ARGUABLY THE ONLY RECORD OF A LOST VILLAGE HISTORY - but an entertaining read none the less!