by Paige Toon
Thank you to my amazing editor, Suzanne Baboneau, who has helped to make the last ten years some of the best of my life. You’re always there when I need you – and for this book I needed you quite a lot. You’re my rock.
Thank you to Emma Capron for her brilliance with everything book-related, and indeed to the entire team at Simon & Schuster. I adore each and every one of you and I am indebted to you for your decade of enthusiasm and support of my books. Cue another Mexican wave!
Thanks also to my fabulous agent Lizzy Kremer and the team at David Higham for everything that they continue to do behind the scenes.
I have a few people to thank for their research help, but Melanie Fowler – wow – you went above and beyond! Mel works on the Aiguille du Midi cable car in Chamonix and she really brought my characters’ adventures to life by sharing her experiences with me.
Thanks also to Natalie Collingwood for her crazy, fun and insightful account of what it was like to work as a seasonnaire, and to Emma and Justin Guest, whose apartment in Argentiere formed the backdrop for part of this story (email [email protected] for details).
Huge thanks to Helen Underwood for sharing her vast knowledge of baking and for allowing me to watch her at work. I have a new appreciation of artisan bread. Check out whitecottagebakery.com if you’d like to see some of her creations.
Thank you also to Keith Chadwick for his help with questions relating to Toby’s mum’s condition.
Huge thanks to Laura Betts for raising money for CLIC Sargent (for children with cancer: clicsargent.org.uk) by entering an auction to see her name appear in this book. She very sweetly donated the prize as a birthday gift to her sister, Becky, but I managed to include them both.
Heartfelt thanks to all of my lovely friends who have put up with my chatter about imaginary people for the last ten years – so many of you have offered valuable help and I truly appreciate it. I want to say an extra big thank you to Jane Hampton and Sarah Horsborough for reading the first draft of this book and giving me such valuable feedback.
And of course, thank you to my parents, Jen and Vern Schuppan and my parents-in-law Helga and Ian Toon for all their support.
Finally, thank you to my beautiful little children, Indy and Idha – mostly just for making me smile – and my husband and best friend, Greg. You’ve been pivotal to my career in so many ways, and frankly, I don’t know what I’d do without you.