Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor

Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor

Now a USA Today Bestseller!

The greatest journey is the one you least expect…

'Swept me off my feet! A jewel of a novel – it simply sparkles' Evie Woods

‘A treat of a book, utterly transporting' Eve Chase

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Long before Dorothy visits Oz, her aunt, Emily Gale, sets off on her own unforgettable adventure much closer to home…

When news reaches Kansas that her beloved sister has tragically died, Emily Gale must become a mother overnight. Her sister’s orphaned child, Dorothy, desperately needs a home.

But Emily doubts her ability to fill her sister’s shoes; her life on the barren Kansas prairies is no place for a child.

On the unforgiving plains, Emily's courage is endlessly tested. The prolonged drought and relentless dust storms threaten to destroy everything – including her home and her marriage.

Can Emily overcome her grief and let Dorothy heal her heart?

From the promise of Chicago in the 1920s to the harsh beauty of the Kansas prairie during the dust bowl of the 1930s, this is a story of family, duty and one woman’s journey of self-discovery.

Readers LOVE Before Dorothy

'A story as glimmering as the Emerald City and as hopeful as Dorothy herself' Kristin Harmel

'[An] enchanting and powerful tale of grief, love and self-discovery' Heat

'Captivating, luminous, spell-binding' Fiona Valpy

'Heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time, this is my favourite Hazel Gaynor novel to date, and I've read them all. Loved it!' Gill Paul

'An epic tale, a triumph of imagination and beautifully written' Amanda Geard

Acclaim for Hazel Gaynor:

‘Deeply movingBe prepared ― have handkerchiefs on standby at the end’ Antonia Senior, The Times

'A great read … beautifully written, with the alternative perspectives of child and adult giving a great depth of characterisation…That it is based on real events only serves to make the tale more powerful. Highly recommended' Liz Trenow, bestselling author of Under a Wartime Sky

‘A moving and authentic account of a neglected part of WW2 history. I empathised with the plight of the characters … and felt as if I were there’ Dinah Jefferies

‘I’ve been completely swept away … Set in wartime China, it transported me utterly – vivid, heart-rending and so, so beautiful. I loved it ’ Jenny Ashcroft

Hazel Gaynor is an award-winning, New York Times, USA Today, Irish Times and internationally bestselling author known for her historical novels which explore the defining events of the 20th century. A debut author recipient of the 2015 RNA Historical Novel of the Year award, her work has since been shortlisted for the 2019 HWA Gold Crown Award, the 2020 RNA Awards, and the Irish Book Awards in 2017, 2020 and 2023. THE BIRD IN THE BAMBOO CAGE was a bestseller in the USA and her most recent novel, THE LAST LIFEBOAT, was a Times of London historical novel of the month and a 2024 Audie winner for Best Fiction Narrator. Hazel's next novel, BEFORE DOROTHY, will be published in June 2025. Her co-written historical novels with Heather Webb have all been published to critical acclaim. Their latest collaboration, CHRISTMAS WITH THE QUEEN, will be published in November 2024. Her work has been translated into 20 languages in 27 territories to date. She lives in Ireland with her family.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780008518714
ISBN 10	0008518718
Title	Before Dorothy
Author	Hazel Gaynor
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	HarperCollins Publishers
Year published	2025-06-19
Number of pages	400
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.