Six Poppies by Lisa Carter

 

Six Poppies by Lisa Carter.

Published 30th January 2025 by Michael Joseph.

From the cover of the book:

Afghanistan, 2007. Carl meets Sarah, a nurse, at Camp Bastion and they feel an instant connection. But she’s the girlfriend of his fellow soldier, Danny, so he pledges to keep his distance.

Finally back in England, Carl vows to never forget those who didn't make it home, honouring each of them with a tattoo of a poppy. While many miles away, Sarah tries to forget the man she swore to leave behind.

But when Carl and Sarah are thrown back together, it’s clear that both of them are broken. But do the scars of what they went through run to deep, or is there a chance they can find happiness again, together . . .

An achingly authentic and raw portrait of love, regret, and healing. This unforgettable journey of resilience and redemption will capture your heart and soul.

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Afghanistan, 2007. Soldier Carl meets nurse Sarah at Camp Bastian, and feels an instant attraction to her. When he discovers that she is the long-term girlfriend of his pal, and fellow soldier, Danny, Carl knows he has to keep his feelings under control.

2011. Carl is home on UK soil, searching for a way to deal with his experiences in Afghanistan, and the grief he carries for the friends he has lost. When the marriage of two of their Army colleagues brings Carl and Sarah back together, it is obvious that the connection between them remains, even after all they have been through. But Sarah is tied to Danny, now a shadow of his former self, and Carl is bound by promises he has made. Is there still a chance for them?

Lisa Carter's powerful and intimate portrait of this small cast of characters is beautifully written, and hits you right in the feels. The story unfurls from the points of view of both Carl and Sarah, moving back and forth between 2007, with scenes of life at Camp Bastian that delve into the close knit relationships between the characters, and the perils of military life in a hostile environment that mean not all of them make it home; and 2011, when Carter lays bare their struggles to live with the impact of terrible losses, haunting memories, and fractured minds. 

Carl seems to have found a way to keep going by opening up to friends, old and new, and through his dog-walking business. He decides to pay tribute to his lost colleagues by having a poppy for each of them tattooed on his back. His sessions at the tattoo parlour break up the story, and hit hard as he reflects upon each person lost. Meanwhile, Sarah is finding it impossible to see anything of the Danny she used to know in the shell of the man who she has lost to flashbacks, and the bottom of a bottle. Her life has become one marred by violence, but when she meets Carl again, she see the chance of a better future - if only they can move past their trauma. 

Carter hold nothing back when she examines what PTSD can do to those who have been on the front-line, and those who live with them, so there are quite a few difficult scenes to navigate around this thread of the story. She does a brilliant job shining a light on the intense relationships between soldiers, and those who serve alongside them (particularly nurses and local ancillary staff), and how lives lost in service impact those who are left behind, particularly when of comes to survivor's guilt.

Although this story is heavily tinged with sadness, and made me cry throughout, it is also equally about love, friendship, remembrance, and hope. The romance between Carl and Sarah is utterly bewitching. You really do not know where fate will lead them, until the ultimate sob-fest ending, and Carter portrays their relationship with such yearning that your heartstrings are well and truly tugged. The cast of characters around them is wonderful too, especially Cherub and Jenni.  

I consumed this book from cover to cover, and ugly cried at the end. This is a fitting tribute to all those solders who have lost their lives in battle, and to those who somehow have to find a way to live when they return - with a knock-out romance to boot. Lisa Carter is an author to watch.

Six Poppies is available to buy now in hardcover, paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Michael Joseph for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Lisa Carter is a journalist who has worked for The Sun, The Mirror and the Daily Mail where she edited the Femail pages for over ten years. She lives in London with her husband and three sons.