Winner of the 2026 Literary Global Award
Book of the Year – Women's Fiction
Stories that linger long after
the last page
Mara Mansour writes quiet, emotionally rich fiction about love, vulnerability, and the courage it takes to truly be seen.
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Mara's Books
Debut Novel - Contemporary Romance
After The Lake
A tender, emotionally rich romance about two teenagers who fall in love at fifteen, on the fragile edge between childhood and adulthood. When circumstances force them apart, they sustain their bond through handwritten letters, carrying longing and hope across a year of separation. Set against the nostalgic backdrop of the 1980s, the novel explores first love, growing up too soon, and the question of whether love is something you outgrow - or something you choose, again and again.
Mara's Next Novel - Contemporary Fiction
Stepping Out Of The Silence
After losing both of his parents in a tragic accident, Elliot stopped living. For two years, he has hidden himself away inside the walls of his apartment, shutting out the world, and everyone in it.
The only person he still lets close is Noah, his best friend who quietly put his own life on hold just to keep Elliot from completely disappearing into himself.
Then Val moves in across the hall. She's loud, reckless, impossible to ignore and entirely too interested in the quiet man who never opens his door. She's everything Elliot is hiding from, but she refuses to leave him alone.
They clash constantly, pushing every one of each other's buttons, yet somewhere between late night arguments, unexpected honesty and the chaos she brings into his carefully structured existence, something begins to change.
Little by little, Elliot starts learning to live again. And Val, beneath all her noise and laughter, begins to realise she's been hiding too.
Heartfelt, emotional and deeply human - a story about grief, healing, friendship and the terrifying beauty of letting people in.
Coming Soon
The Christmas Letters
A cosy village at Christmas. A family secret. Twenty-six years of silence.
Sasha returns to Snowshill to clear out her childhood home following her mother's death.
There, she finds a letter hidden among her mother's belongings.
Dated twenty-six years earlier, it points to a secret her mother took to the grave.
As Sasha starts asking questions, she realises the quiet village where she was born remembers far more than anyone is willing to say.
Some secrets are buried for a reason.
Rain In London
She didn't need saving. He didn't expect to fall.
Isabelle Cole has spent four years rebuilding her life. With two young children to raise and a demanding career, she has no time for complications. Especially not the romantic kind.
As executive assistant to a powerful CEO, she's organised, capable and always in control. Until Robert Blake walks into her office.
Brilliant, arrogant and infuriatingly dismissive, Robert seems determined to underestimate her. Isabelle has no intention of letting him get away with it.
But when deadlines slip and important files disappear, Isabelle finds herself at the centre of a professional crisis. Someone is deliberately undermining her, and she's determined to find out who.
As she uncovers the truth, Robert begins to realise just how wrong he's been about her. Beneath their constant clashes, something unexpected begins to grow.
She’s built a life that doesn’t need him. But he’s beginning to wonder if his life needs her.
Events
Meet Me at the Book Fairs
I'd love to meet you in person! Throughout the year I'll be attending book fairs and literary events where you'll be able to browse my books, chat with me, and have your copies personally signed.
As a thank you for visiting my stand, you'll also be able to purchase my books at a special event-only discounted price.
Check the dates below to see where I'll be next. I hope to see you there!
Birmingham Christmas Extravaganza
Uffculme Centre — 52 Queensbridge Road, Birmingham, B13 8QY
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In the Press
Meet Mara Mansour
Mara Mansour is a debut author whose writing captivates with its quiet intensity, emotional realism, and careful exploration of what remains unsaid. Her storytelling style leans into stillness, where tension and connection emerge from the subtleties of human interaction.
Through her novels, Mara delves into complex themes of vulnerability, resilience, and love found in unexpected places, weaving narratives that allow readers to pause and reflect on life's unspoken moments.
Her debut novel, After the Lake, is character-driven, immersive, and quietly powerful - written for those who cherish slow-burn stories about emotional risks and the courage it takes to truly be seen. When she's not writing, Mara is a busy mother of four and a teacher, balancing her passion for storytelling with the everyday joys and challenges of family life.
Reader Reviews
What Readers Are Saying
After The Lake is the kind of book you read in one sitting and then sit quietly with for days. Beautifully written.
The letters between the characters are some of the most tender writing I have encountered. A stunning debut.
Mara has a gift for writing what goes unsaid. I cried at the end - in the best possible way.
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