Mother uses experiences of raising disabled daughter to write bestseller

A MOTHER from Newquay has used her experiences of raising her autistic, non-speaking daughter to write a bestselling novel.

Leanne Thomas has published ‘Overwhelming Love’, which has reached the number five bestseller position in Amazon’s disability fiction charts.

The author has combined the challenges she has faced herself raising her six-year-old daughter along with the experiences she has heard other parents with SEN children have encountered to write her debut novel, which explores SEN motherhood, burnout, resilience and disability representation.

Leanne attends The Special Mum Club meetings in Newquay where SEN parents have highlighted the judgments they have been confronted with for having a child with a disability to the difficulties of getting their children through mainstream education.

Overwhelming Love is rooted in Teesside, where Leanne was born and raised, but also includes a significant trip to Newquay, where she has lived for the past 14 years. The result is a story shaped by two contrasting landscapes. The resilience and humour of the North East and the restorative power of Cornwall’s coastline.

At the heart of the book is Tizzy Reeves, a mother who has spent years quietly coping. She is juggling an inflexible job, judgement from strangers, a lack of support and the exhausting fight to get her daughter what she needs. When one more setback pushes her past breaking point, Tizzy decides to finally stop staying quiet.

Described as funny, furious and fearlessly honest, Overwhelming Love shines a light on the realities of raising a child with a learning disability. Its chart success reflects the growing appetite for stories that explore inclusion, unpaid care, parental exhaustion and the strength of love within families.

Leanne said: “I started writing this story as a form of therapy for myself, but the deeper I got into it, the more I knew I needed to share it. I wanted other parents raising SEN children to feel seen. I never expected it to go further than my own support circle, so to see it reach a top 10 spot in such an important genre to me still feels unreal.

“Being born and raised in Teesside, there was never any question that my main characters would come from there.

“But I also really wanted to include a Cornwall element as this county provides such therapy for me with its dramatic landscapes, warm community and beautiful beaches. When my character needed an escape, there was no question where I would base it.

“I also gain a lot of inspiration from the SEN parenting community. When times are tough, we just roll up our sleeves and keep going, fuelled by nothing but coffee and love for our children. My intention was to help other parents feel less alone, and the feedback has surpassed anything I could have imagined.

“My hope is for it to give visibility to a parenting journey that, although a very popular topic at the moment, is rarely represented in mainstream fiction, offering both resonance for families who will feel seen and a new perspective for others.”