A Sea of Stars

A Sea of Stars
Kate Maryon

Two girls with two very different lives come together in this beautiful and moving story of friendship and family, by a major new voice in girls’ fiction.Meet Maya. She has a cosy, comfy life with her slightly hippy mum and dad by the sea in Cornwall. But as an only child, Maya feels smothered by her parents’ love and longs to be a given more freedom and independence; but what Maya wants more than anything is a sister.Meet Cat. She’s never known her dad and her mum’s an alcoholic and is not capable of looking after herself, let alone her 11 year old daughter. Cat’s spent her life protecting her mum and keeping some dark secrets; all she wants is to be left alone.But Cat and Maya’s worlds collide when Cat is taken into care and Maya’s parents make the life-changing decision to adopt her. Maya can’t wait to welcome Cat into the family and hopes that by having a sister, her parents might learn to ‘chill out’ and give Maya a bit more freedom. But Cat is angry and resentful and resists Maya’s attempts at friendship and soon Maya’s idea of a perfect family is blown out of the water.As tensions rise and secrets come out, will the girls ever become friends, let alone sisters?

Dedication

For Hayley, Sophie, Lucy, Georgina,

Janie and Tim…

for all the wonderful adventures we shared!

Beaches, campfires, tents, rain, sunshine, parks, oat burgers,

A303, M3, Stonehenge, swimming, theme parks, picnics,

Crimean wars, stories, sleepovers, mud, sand, forests and hills.

The kiss of your childhoods’ - still warm on my cheek.

Thank you for trusting a batty Sponge like me to take care of you!

I’m so relieved that no one actually did get blown off a cliff

or dragged away by a wave, and that you all survived to

grow into the awesome adults that appear before me.

I love you all so very much.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkyR9KsokYg

For Lily, Paige, Brooke, Ellie, Anna & Kitty.

For Doy & baby Jack x

Contents

Title Page

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Other Books by Kate Maryon

Copyright