Romany Heartford

One of five daughters, Romany grew up near the infamous dreaming spires of Oxford, England, in a small but loud household. Now married with three of her own noisy children, she finds solace walking and swimming along the beautiful beaches where she lives in Cornwall. She is a teacher of English Literature and creative writing and longs to see her name in print.

Mad Girl’s Love Song is her debut novel.

Mad Girl’s Love Song

In the UK

In the US

Mad Girl’s Love Song inhabits the inner world of 16-year-old Heli, sent to a remote island Facility for aberrant teens. Heli is an unreliable narrator, as she struggles to distinguish between what her Doctor claims is reality and the truths she holds within herself. While the Doctor promises to fix the teenagers, making them productive for a normal life in society, the complexities of their mental health unravel. Heli fears the loss of the parts of herself she’s come to love and begins to suspect the Doctor has an ulterior motive for helping them. And who wants to be normal anyway?

Amidst the Facility’s routines and future uncertainty, a love story blossoms between Heli and one of the other patients, Cai. Their connection offers hope in a place filled with questions and deception. Together, they navigate the island Facility, the motivation of the Doctor and the hidden side of themselves, seeking answers and solace in each other’s arms. Until the night when one of them goes missing.