Return to Hunterville and the Mānuka Honey Shop

Vulnerability, emotion, passion, lust, kindness, caring, tenderness, commitment, respect and the incredible power of a smile – this is William and Aoife’s love story. William is a quiet and reflective man from Hunterville in New Zealand, escaping rural loneliness. Aoife is a beautiful and trusting woman from Galway in Ireland, escaping an abusive partner.
They fortuitously cross paths for the first time at Nonna Russo’s cooking class in Naples, Italy. Their relationship starts very slowly, but in just 10 short days, total strangers quickly become inseparable lovers as they are intoxicated by ‘la bella vita’ of Naples. William and Aoife embrace the Napoli café culture, go to an opera for the first time, go horse riding on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, experience aperitivo, visit jaw-dropping museums and churches, and swim down at the waterfront. They give kindness, respect and a friendly smile wherever they go. They are gifted the same by the people of Naples.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Seven weeks after a painful and emotionally charged farewell in Naples, Aoife is reunited with William on his farm in New Zealand. William proposes, Aoife is pregnant, there is a wedding and a funeral. As William walks from the Hunterville Cemetery, an old lady beckons him over. What she says has unimaginable consequences for William and Aoife’s journey ahead.

Stuart lives in Tauranga, New Zealand. Up until the beginning of 2020, international work, recreational travel, children and grandchildren occupied the bulk of his time. Then COVID-19 lockdown arrived to New Zealand in March 2020. This gave him the necessary breathing space to write his first novel. It was something that had been parked for a long time. He is especially interested in the scientific world including its diverse geology, fauna and flora. During his travels, Stuart has silently observed how people interact on a personal and group level, and has embraced the amazing diversity of global cultures experienced.