Interrupted Life

When Ida decides to leave her marriage after twenty-seven years, it isn't failure she feels but freedom. The future is suddenly full of possibilities - to reinvent herself, make her own decisions, and take control of her life again as a newly-single woman in her fifties.

Navigating the unknown territory of online dating, and enjoying (and enduring) the highs and lows of meeting potential partners, Ida finally meets Jev. He is intelligent, witty, handsome, and handy with a pair of hairdressing scissors.

They hit it off right away, slipping easily into a loving relationship, shuttling between her home in Melbourne and his in Healesville, enjoying a 'weekends-only' arrangement that suits their active lifestyles. They share their hobbies, their dreams, their lives. Futures are discussed. Plans are made.

And then Jev gets sick.

An Interrupted Life is a true story of love, sacrifice, and how the choices we make can impact the rest of our lives. Ida Di Pastena writes with deep humour and unflinching honesty about the realities of navigating the world as a newly-single woman, falling in love, and being suddenly thrust into the role of caregiver.

As Ida adjusts to the circumstances of her new life, she comes to realise that change isn't always a matter of choice, and it's how we choose to respond to change that determines how our story goes.