‘Gloriously nostalgic and beautifully emotional…’Â — The Sun
‘Elaine Hastings’ stunning debut will keep you turning the pages until you either reach for someone you love, or get on the move and create something.’Â — Jessica Anya Blau
Spring, 1994. Will, a gifted busker, falls for Emily, a quirky art student. By 1997, Will is playing Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage and Emily is unveiling her first gallery show. Swept up in their love for art — and each other — they spend a whirlwind summer touring with Will’s band.
But within two years, Will is dead.
Spring, 2016. Emily is single. Her art is long forgotten. Life now centres on her 16-year-old daughter, Liv. When Emily accidentally reveals she once knew Will, Liv is shocked. How could her ordinary, predictable mother have known someone like Will Bailey?
And why does Emily blame herself for his death?
Interweaving dual timelines, When We Were Young is a moving exploration of first love, loss, and the way the people we love can ultimately set us free.
