The Spirit Remains by Donna Goodacre

1890s. Lucy Chappell has lost her great love, Hōhepa, and now she must raise their children on her own in New Zealand. But new opportunities and new people enter her life, and there may be a chance she will find love again.

Wiremu, an elder and mentor to Lucy, guides the next generation and, along the way, discovers a son he didn’t know about.

Meanwhile, in the UK, artist Colin Greenwood is also mourning the loss of his partner. When Charles Patterson visits in both countries, secrets emerge from the family’s tangled past for Lucy and Colin.

In the present day, Ngaroma investigates her ancestors' lives, and this part of the story is based on the author’s real-life discoveries.

The Spirit Remains is a story of love, loss, resilience and connection. With themes of women's empowerment and the determination to find one’s purpose, it also brings to life the evolving Māori-Pākehā relations in Victorian times.  It explores mysteries that connect past and present, with colourful, well-crafted characters who will capture your heart.

Reviewer: Karen McMillan

Good Acre Books