Beyond Reflection

In the upstart post-Expo Vancouver of 1987, Jane Stewart receives a marriage proposal that has the potential to up-end her carefully curated life as a single woman dedicated to a career as a research biologist. At age 31, she has no wish to lose control of her life. The shock of Julian's proposal triggers a buried trauma and a revising of events in 1968. Jane, as an adventurous youth, is found navigating the forested trails of North Vancouver, as well as the shifting landscape of unsettling family dynamics, intense friendships, and physical and emotional challenges. Will the reawakening of Jane's adolescent mind weaken or strengthen the mature woman's autonomy?

"An unforgettable coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of Vancouver's North Shore... a heartfelt, often humourous, exploration of the vibrancy and vulnerability of youth during the turbulent 1960s."

- Susan Steeves, interior designer

"Fresh and imaginative yet familiar in ways that had me reliving my own youth in the 1960s... Book club members especially will enjoy lots of belly laughs if they dare to share their own coming-of-age stories."

- Jane Rogerson, retired teacher/principal & Calgary Board of Education director