Archivist Abby is putting together a photo exhibition about British explorers when she comes across a breathtaking picture of a man kissing his love goodbye before a dangerous expedition in Peru. She discovers the man in question is dashing magazine editor Dominic Blake, well known in society circles in 1961, and his love is feisty left-wing journalist Rosamund Bailey. Abby finds herself drawn to find out more about them, while she deals with the fallout of her husband Nick's betrayal. The dual-timeline story also backtracks to when Dominic and Rosamund first met, leading up to that last kiss goodbye captured on camera - and it is this storyline that was the most captivating. The novel has plenty of twists and intrigue even though towards the end, it did lose its way somewhat and the plot was not as tight as it could have been. (The cameo from Anna, a character from previous novel Private Lives, seemed forced too.) But the book is well worth reading for the heartbreaking romance between Dominic and Rosamund and the understanding this brings to Abby's own troubled relationship.
The Last Kiss Goodbye, by Tasmina Perry, is about a faded photograph and a long-buried secret. The summary says: "Everyone remembers their first kiss. But what about the last? 1961. Journalist Rosamund Bailey is ready to change the world. When she meets explorer and man about town Dominic Blake, she realises she has found the love of her life. Just as happiness is in their grasp, the worst happens, and their future is snatched away. 2014. Deep in the vaults of a museum, archivist Abby Morgan stumbles upon a breathtaking find. A faded photograph of a man saying goodbye to the woman he loves. Looking for a way to escape her own heartache, Abby becomes obsessed with the story, little realising that behind the image frozen in time lies a secret altogether more extraordinary." The Last Kiss Goodbye is out in September 2015.