Rosamunde Pilcher: Anniversary

Pam and Tate are a young, urban couple. Pam grew up with two siblings in a well-protected family home in idyllic Cornwall. Her parents have been happily married for 25 years and are the third generation to run Holloway Stud, living conservative values that have influenced Pam. This is completely different to Tate, who grew up as an only child in London, unconventionally, with limited money, sometimes with his mother, sometimes with his father.

Now they are both approaching their first anniversary. It almost falls on the day of Pam’s parents’ silver wedding anniversary. In order to convince her boyfriend that marriage will guarantee their happiness, Pam spontaneously takes Tate along to the celebration at her parents’ stud farm, where her siblings have also arrived. Despite Tate’s reservations about country life and traditional family values, he is soon impressed by the Holloways and the reliable relationship of Pam’s parents, who warmly welcome him, not without testing him thoroughly as a potential son-in-law. The Holloways, including their children and grandchildren, find Tate very worthy, even though he does not (yet) want to marry. But Tate likes the country life and Pam’s large, colourful family.

But on their 25th wedding anniversary, Pam’s parents drop the bomb: They are getting divorced! With the end of her parents’ marriage, Pam loses all security. With increasing grotesque desperation, Pam first tries to save her parents’ marriage and then at least the family home and stud farm from being sold. In the process, she runs the risk of losing the love of her life, Tate, when he leaves, disillusioned. Pam has to make a decision…