When I Lost Me
We all have secrets. Some we keep to protect others. Some we keep to protect ourselves.
Catherine O’Hall’s married life has become centred around trying to become pregnant – unsuccessfully. But when she discovers the reason why, she feels unable to tell her husband Henry. Instead, after moving to Sicily, she embarks on a secretive course of action, which she is sure she will be forgiven once they have a child.
Rebecca Allwood, along with her husband ‘Tick’, enjoys a successful farming life in South Africa, having a strong Christian faith and working to make a difference in the local community. But a series of unexplained events lead her to uncover a secret that threatens to take it all away from her.
As Catherine and Rebecca find their stories intertwining, hidden truths will be uncovered that will change their lives forever.
Claire leads the reader on an emotional heart-journey with skill, providing a satisfying and thought-provoking read.
About the Author
Claire Lagerwall
Claire Lagerwall is a young author with the remarkable ability to compose melodies from the real-life struggles her characters find themselves in, weaving their hardships into inspiring fiction.
Claire has a degree in English, an honours in Psychology and a post-graduate in education. Her passion for writing first bubbled a decade ago as she focused her career on building a technical writing portfolio. Covid-19 provided her the unique opportunity to be quiet, and in that silence she felt God say now was the time to write His heart into stories that will uplift, empower and encourage women around the world.
She’s the wife of a farmer, and mother to three rambunctious children, but she has also been a teacher, seamstress, bookkeeper and musician, although her guitar seems to be gathering dust as she builds her author career. Although Claire is from South Africa, she currently calls Ireland her home-base. When not writing, you’ll find Claire and her family in wellies outdoors exploring the world one trail at a time.
Endorsements and Reviews
Anna Jensen
When I Lost Me is a beautiful novel of contrasts, from the medieval streets of Sicily to the wild exuberance of the South African coastline.
Cousins Catherine and Rebecca have drifted apart over the years, each pursuing their own hopes and dreams. That is until the sophisticated but grieving Catherine seeks solace from her childhood companion. Arriving at the worst possible time, when Rebecca’s simple lifestyle is itself under threat from sinister, unseen forces, the young women struggle to reconnect in any meaningful way.
Will they eventually trust each other enough to share their deepest secrets? Will the love of God melt the barriers and win against all the odds?
Claire has created nuanced characters who are both believable and likeable. She approaches the difficulty of the challenges they face with compassion and empathy, showing extensive research into the main topics raised. Claire leads the reader on an emotional heart-journey with skill, providing a satisfying and thought-provoking read.
Cousins Catherine and Rebecca have drifted apart over the years, each pursuing their own hopes and dreams. That is until the sophisticated but grieving Catherine seeks solace from her childhood companion. Arriving at the worst possible time, when Rebecca’s simple lifestyle is itself under threat from sinister, unseen forces, the young women struggle to reconnect in any meaningful way.
Will they eventually trust each other enough to share their deepest secrets? Will the love of God melt the barriers and win against all the odds?
Claire has created nuanced characters who are both believable and likeable. She approaches the difficulty of the challenges they face with compassion and empathy, showing extensive research into the main topics raised. Claire leads the reader on an emotional heart-journey with skill, providing a satisfying and thought-provoking read.
Anna Jensen
Author of ‘The Outskirts of His Glory’
Cindy Power
Claire Lagerwall’s book When I Lost Me is a must read!! I was immediately drawn to the book because of the title. If we’re honest, there are times in each of our lives when we feel we’ve lost ourselves. This is a wonderfully written story of the lives of two women and the hardships and heartaches they must face. After completely captivating your desire to know more about each woman, the Author beautifully intertwines their stories. Along the way, you’ll feel their struggles, pain, disappointment, confusion and anger. Then you’ll rejoice with them as God restores their joy, faith and happiness. I fell in love with the characters; I felt their pain, but I also felt their joy and hope. Their strength and faith in God was truly inspiring. I didn’t want it to end.
Cindy Power
Susan Hill Jalosky
The characters are so unique to me and I enjoyed getting to know them. The story kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happened next.
Susan Hill Jalosky
Lana Hicks Burton
This book snagged my heart right at the first and I realized that this woman, Catherine, was going through a very traumatic, life changing situation! I was holding my breath, one fist clenched, tears welled up in my eyes. When I found out everything she had done, I was so upset with her, so bereaved for her husband, Henry, and what she was doing to their marriage!! … Then, the book switched to another couple, in South Africa, who loved each other so much and who were at such peace with each other, their community, feeding the people every week at their church’s community center, farming their land. And then devastation came knocking at their door! I was so saddened, enraged, and felt betrayed by the people on behalf of Rebecca and Nathaniel or Becs and Tick, as they are lovingly called. Becs having been born and raised on the land and Tick having joined her there ten years prior. One day, right after the attack, they come home to find Catherine, who is actually Rebecca’s cousin, in their yard! She had thought that going to her dearest, closest cousin where she had so many fond memories would be a healing place for her. Of course, Catherine is angry at God, and cannot believe how much Becs and Tick love the Lord with all of their hearts, minds, and strength, even after enduring such an unexpected betrayal by the people they loved. They continued to praise God, sing to Him, pray to Him, and speak of Him. She would shake her head in disbelief. While Becs and Tick are trying to make sense of what is going on with the “matriarch “ of the community, Ma Mthembu, Catherine decides to try to clean up the room where Tick had been attacked. Long story short, she finds clues, written in her Uncle’s handwriting, incriminating himself as a man who wronged many of the people there. As the story unravels, the bitter, ugly truth is revealed, and as is the Lord’s way, when His children are faithful, Catherine’s heart returns to Henry and her soul returns to her Lord and Savior, to everyone’s delight. Becs and Tick make restoration with the people of the community and Catherine and Henry decide to make their home there.
Lana Hicks Burton
Sally-Anne Goodwin
I absolutely loved When I Lost Me. I was hooked from the first chapter and I felt so connected to the characters. Claire writes in a way that is easy to read I had such clear images in my mind of the setting and characters.
Sally-Anne Goodwin
A beautiful novel of contrasts, from the medieval streets of Sicily to the wild exuberance of the South African coastline.
In the Media
Blogger L.G. Jenkins reviews ‘When I Lost Me’
Titled ‘A Tale of Heartbreak and Hope’, L.G. Jenkins has written a blog post sharing her honest take on the new novel ‘When I Lost me’.
