The Road to Nowhere

Davie and Isa Reid leave their Island home in Scotland to seek a new life in Canada. But existing in this new and often harsh land is harder than they had expected.
Their lives become entwined with Sarah, a young girl from the Irish community in Liverpool who has been sent to Canada to marry a man twice her age and whom she has never met.
Their struggles are exacerbated by the great war, which brings tragedy to Isa, but gives Sarah the opportunity to escape from the nothingness of her existence.
Davie sees it as an opportunity to return to Europe and perhaps see his beloved homeland again.
Left alone during the war years, Isa is faced with even greater trials.
Then she receives a letter that gives her the opportunity to return to her homeland.
Both Isa and Sarah are faced with choices. Which road will they choose?

Margaret Mackay rated it 5* it was amazing · review on Goodreads
I loved 'Follow The Dove' and held my breath at times when reading 'The Broken Horizon' but I have to say that 'The Road to Nowhere' ticked all the boxes for me.A real page-turner.
The horrors of WW1 and the trials and tribulations of life as immigrants to Canada although portrayed with great skill are softened by the author's use of poetic language and sympathetic concern for her beloved characters. A truly great read. Well done, Catherine

Feb 09, 2018 Susan Wüthrich rated it 5* it was amazing · review on Goodreads

This book appealed to me being of Scots/Canadian descent and I wasn’t disappointed.
It is the three-dimensional story of Isa and her husband, Davie, luckless Sarah, and church minister Donald.
Isa and Davie with their two children leave their home on the island of Raumsey to pursue a new life
in Canada. Isa adapts well to the harsh conditions of the Alberta prairie, but her fisherman husband
yearns to move on and explore the lakes and rivers of the vast Canadian territory.
Donald, who was always in love with Isa, continues his life in Scotland until WW1 when he volunteers his services, ministering to the injured and dying, on the brutal battlefields of France.
I especially liked the character of Sarah. After being raped in a back alley in Liverpool, she is shipped off to Canada in disgrace to marry a man three times her age. Her character grows from one of a downtrodden minion to a courageous woman, who eventually breaks free of her shackles.
The words tumble easily off the pages, turning the dramatic tale full circle into a satisfying climax on the Road to Nowhere.