Australian author Noel D Page has announced the publication of Hibiscus: Lovers, Betrayal, Music, a novel that explores identity, heartbreak, cultural immersion and the resilience of the human spirit. The book, first published in 2024 and republished in 2026, follows Rohan, a young Australian who travels to late-1970s India to study tabla percussion, a journey that reshapes his understanding of personal growth and emotional resilience after unexpected changes alter his life.
The announcement matters because Page’s central argument runs against the instinct to treat romantic loss as a full stop. At the heart of Hibiscus is the idea that emotional betrayal and loss can obscure a person’s path without destroying their inherent capacity to create and love. “Heartbreak and sudden change can convince a person that their plans have failed completely,” Page said. “But there is a difference between clinging to what was lost and embracing the lesson of detachment. True transformation begins when we recognise that distinction.”
Across 14 chapters, Page traces Rohan’s progression through Bangalore, Bombay and Goa. The novel examines the masks people wear to cope with pain, the distinction between external circumstances and inner identity, the role of surrender and spiritual detachment, and the importance of rediscovering artistic purpose. Rather than presenting growth as the creation of an entirely new persona, Page frames it as a process of uncovering, removing the layers of heartbreak, expectation, fear and past identities that have concealed the authentic artist beneath them.
The book is aimed at readers of contemporary fiction, lovers of world music, travel enthusiasts and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of self-discovery. Page also addresses how emotional shifts affect relationships, emphasising that individuals cannot choose another person’s journey and should not lose themselves while trying to hold onto someone else. In doing so, the novel weighs the romantic allure of travel against the raw complexities of life, presenting human connection as a tapestry of culture, passion, vulnerability and unpredictable turns.
Page’s focus stays on the person behind the heartbreak and on the possibility of rebuilding a meaningful, music-filled life. The book’s central message is that loss cannot take everything. Creative passion, intrinsic worth, the capacity to love again, the power of artistic expression, the ability to choose a new path and hope can remain even in the darkest times. “A painful parting was never the author of a person’s destiny,” Page says. “A difficult chapter does not have to become the final chapter of your story.”
Page’s background spans fine arts, architecture, historic restoration and extensive travel across Australia, experiences that inform his storytelling. He is now settled in Queensland’s Noosa Biosphere Region, where creative writing is his central passion.
