Family life fiction / Stories about family

Book Synopsis''Wonderfully written and a real page turner. Christina tells a story equally as well as Barbara Erskine'' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader reviewFeatures an exclusive bonus short story!Brimming with romance, adventure and vivid historical detail, Christina Courtenay does for the Vikings what Diana Gabaldon''s Outlander and Clanlans does for Scottish history.''The Queen of Timeslip Romance has done it again! A romantic and compelling read - a total page turner'' SANDY BARKER''A brilliantly written timeslip that combines mystery and romance into a compelling and vividly imagined story'' NICOLA CORNICK''I LOVED Tempted by the Runes. Christina Courtenay is guaranteed to carry me off to another place and time in a way that no other author succeeds in doing'' SUE MOORCROFT...............................................Born centuries apa

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Book Synopsis'Real sagas with female characters right at the heart' Woman's Hour 'In the world of historical saga writers, there's a brand new voice' My Weekly 'This heartwarming tale celebrates the power of friendship and community' Woman's Own 'I really don't think any review I write could do it justice, you just really need to read it for yourself . . . Glenda Young breaks saga stereotypes with her hugely entertaining and incredibly inventive storylines' The Book Magnet 'Heart-warming, emotional and simply wonderful . . . If you think family sagas aren't for you, you've never read Glenda Young's books - pick one up today and you'll be converted' 5 * reader review Glenda's next gritty and compelling saga, The Sixpenny Orphan, is available to preorder now! If you love Dilly Court and Rosie Goodwin, you'll LOVE Glenda Young's 'amazing novels!'Trade ReviewIn the world of historical saga writers, there's a brand new voice * My Weekly *I really enjoyed Glenda's novel. It's well researched and well written and I found myself caring about her characters -- Rosie GoodwinWill resonate with saga readers everywhere...a wonderful, uplifting story -- Nancy RevellAll the ingredients for a perfect saga and I loved Meg; she's such a strong and believable character. A fantastic debut -- Emma HornbyGlenda has an exceptionally keen eye for domestic detail which brings this local community to vivid, colourful life and Meg is a likeable, loving heroine for whom the reader roots from start to finish -- Jenny HolmesI found it difficult to believe that this was a debut novel, as "brilliant" was the word in my mind when I reached the end. I enjoyed it enormously, being totally absorbed from the first page. I found it extremely well written, and having always loved sagas, one of the best I've read -- Margaret Kaine

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Book SynopsisFOUR WOMEN. ONE WEEKEND. A JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME. Zoe has always known that her grandmother's wedding ring would be hers one day. She just never expected that day would come so soon. She may not be ready, but Zoe knows the importance of goodbye - and how much it hurts when left unsaid. With her grandmother's belongings up for auction in just a few days, and her shifty uncle insisting on taking charge, she knows she has to return to Italy herself. Even if that means deceiving her mum, Ange, who will do anything to avoid conflict. But when a face from the past reappears unexpectedly, Ange and Zoe - along with Harriet, Zoe's best friend who simply won't be left behind - find themselves on a trip journeying through the rolling Italian hills where they will discover more about each other (and themselves) than they could ever have imagined . . . Explore the sun-drenched Italian countryside in this hilarious and heart-warming nov

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Book SynopsisWinner of the 2022 RNA Katie Fforde Debut Romantic Novel Award.''I ABSOLUTELY loved this book!'' Real reader review, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐''A gorgeous, romantic book, that will whisk you away to sunnier happier times'' Real reader review, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐''I LOVED this book! I can''t believe it''s a debut and can''t wait to see what''s next for Heidi Stephens'' Real reader review, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐**Game, Set, Match, the hilarious and utterly irresistible new romcom from Heidi Stephens, is available to pre-order now!**_________LOVE MIGHT BE CLOSER THAN YOU THINK . . .Gemma isn''t sure what upsets her more. The fact she just caught her boyfriend cheating, or that he did it on her brand-new Heal''s cushions.All she knows is she needs to put as many miles between her and Fraser as humanly

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Book Synopsis*FEATURING THE CHARACTERS YOU LOVED IN THE BOOKISH LIFE OF NINA HILL!*From the author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill comes a story about friends who become our chosen family, proving that, even as adults, we all need help from time time. . . Perfect for fans of Marian Keyes and Nina Stibbe.''GORGEOUS'' Marian Keyes''Like a big slab of your favourite cake in book form'' Libby PageWhen Laura Costello arrives in downtown Los Angeles, her life has somewhat fallen apart.Her apartment building has caught fire, her engagement to her high school sweetheart has been broken off, and she''s just been caught in a rare LA downpour and has no dry clothes.But when she seeks shelter in Nina Hill''s local neighbourhood bookshop, she finds herself introduced to the people who will become her new family. And as Laura becomes fri

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Book Synopsis''A wonderfully atmospheric and deeply unsettling novel, full of images so vivid they seem to leap off the page. Worsley''s fiction is something to savour'' Sarah Waters''A rich, wonderfully uneasy pleasure. Exquisitely written and deeply original, with secrets that are tightly layered, always surprising and teased out with impressive control'' Bethan Roberts, author of My PolicemanWorn out by poverty, Lettie Radley and her miner husband Tommy grasp at the offer of their very own smallholding - part of a Government scheme to put the unemployed back to work on the land. When she comes down to Essex to join him, it''s not Tommy who greets her, but their new neighbours. Overbearing and unkempt, Jean and Adam Dell are everything that the smart, spirited, aspirational Lettie can''t abide.As Lettie settles in, she finds an unexpected joy in the rhythms of life on the smallholding. She''s hopeful that her past, and the terrible secret Tommy has Trade ReviewA wonderfully atmospheric and deeply unsettling novel, full of images so vivid they seem to leap off the page. Worsley's fiction is something to savour -- Sarah WatersA rich, wonderfully uneasy pleasure. Exquisitely written and deeply original, with secrets that are tightly layered, always surprising and teased out with impressive control -- Bethan RobertsWith slow, quiet intent Kate Worsley builds a tense atmosphere of looming horror. This book demands to be savoured, even as it clamours to be devoured * The Times *Kate Worsley has a wonderfully fertile imagination. She writes for the senses: the touch of soil; the taste of a home remedy; the whiff of decay. Her wily prose curls around the story she is telling, like a creeper -- Katie WardBeguiling, and written with a piercing eye for style. It burrows under the surface of the rural idyll, exposing a shadowy hinterland -- Eva DolanA spellbinding evocation of the rural uncanny. In deceptively sensual prose Kate Worsley eviscerates the idyll of the smallholding and lays bare the vicious desperation of characters pitted against the elements and themselves * Sarah Bower *I loved the brooding suspense of Foxash - both the unspoken and the fear of speaking dominate its claustrophobic setting. Worsley takes us into a revelatory and revisionist corner of the Twentieth Century. * Jonathan Myerson *Foxash almost pulses with the force of its telling; the prose is lush, with a feverish, seething, darkly erotic edge. All that ripens, soon rots, and what rots must be hidden. What a story Worsley has conjured * Guinevere Glasfurd-Brown *

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Book SynopsisA compelling and emotional novel, for fans of Jojo Moyes and Jenny Colgan.''With a style similar to David Nicholls, Gayle''s writing is incisive, lyrical and very beautiful...It''s impossible not to fall in love with the Hope family'' Irish IndependentTom Hope is broken. Ever since his wife Laura died he hasn''t been the same man, and definitely not the same father. Luckily for Tom his mother-in-law Linda is around to pick up the pieces and look after his two struggling daughters, Evie and Lola. But Tom getting arrested on the first anniversary of his wife''s death is the last straw for Linda.In a last bid attempt to make Tom reconnect with his daughters she takes drastic action and leaves for Australia. With two fast-maturing daughters Tom has to learn how to accept his responsibilities and navigate the newly discovered world of single fatherhood - starting immediately. With only himself to rely on, will Tom fall bTrade ReviewI didn't move a muscle for a whole afternoon in my eagerness to finish this book. Gayle writes with such warmth and wisdom about the human condition, at the same time creating a page-turner in this charming family tale which centres so movingly around unbearable loss. His easy, confident writing style draws you in to become another member of the Hope family and share with them the - often humorous - ups and downs of learning to live again after bereavement. Neither Tom nor Linda - the main characters - are perfect, but both are endearingly real. I highly recommend this novel - I know it will stay with me for a long time. -- Hilary Boyd, author of Thursdays in the ParkI didn't move a muscle for a whole afternoon in my eagerness to finish this book. Gayle writes with such warmth and wisdom about the human condition, at the same time creating a page-turner in this charming family tale which centres so movingly around unbearable loss. His easy, confident writing style draws you in to become another member of the Hope family and share with them the - often humorous - ups and downs of learning to live again after bereavement. Neither Tom nor Linda - the main characters - are perfect, but both are endearingly real. I highly recommend this novel - I know it will stay with me for a long time. -- Hilary Boyd, author of Thursdays in the ParkThe Hope Family Calendar is the most heart-wrenching novel I've read this year...With a style similar to David Nicholls, Gayle's writing is incisive, lyrical and very beautiful...It's impossible not to fall in love with the Hope family. * Irish Independent *The Hope Family Calendar is the most heart-wrenching novel I've read this year...With a style similar to David Nicholls, Gayle's writing is incisive, lyrical and very beautiful...It's impossible not to fall in love with the Hope family. * Irish Independent *An emotional and surprisingly funny story you'll want to read in one sitting. * Fabulous *An emotional and surprisingly funny story you'll want to read in one sitting. * Fabulous *A delightfully easy and poignant read. * Closer *A delightfully easy and poignant read. * Closer *Praise for Mike Gayle * : *Wise, witty and wonderful . . . a triumph! -- Jenny Colgan on TURNING FORTYPraise for Mike Gayle * : *Wise, witty and wonderful . . . a triumph! -- Jenny Colgan on TURNING FORTYUnique, funny and full of drama . . . Genius! -- Closer on THE STAG AND HEN WEEKENDNot just readable, fresh and witty, but sophisticated in execution . . . funny but also poignant. * Independent on Sunday on TURNING THIRTY *Not just readable, fresh and witty, but sophisticated in execution . . . funny but also poignant. * Independent on Sunday on TURNING THIRTY *A funny and frank account of a hopeless romantic. * The Times on MY LEGENDARY GIRLFRIEND *A funny and frank account of a hopeless romantic. * The Times on MY LEGENDARY GIRLFRIEND *Mike Gayle has carved a whole new niche out of the male confessional novel. * Evening Standard on WISH YOU WERE HERE *Unique, funny and full of drama . . . Genius! -- Closer on THE STAG AND HEN WEEKENDMike Gayle has carved a whole new niche out of the male confessional novel. * Evening Standard on WISH YOU WERE HERE *Wise, witty and with endearing characters, this is a feel-good-read with lots of laughs. * Woman on WISH YOU WERE HERE *Wise, witty and with endearing characters, this is a feel-good-read with lots of laughs. * Woman on WISH YOU WERE HERE *

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Book Synopsis''A heart-clangingly powerful stunner of a novel'' - Isabelle Broom. Perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes, Lucy Dillon and Amanda Prowse. Can you ever outrun the past?It''s Zoe''s wedding day. She''s about to marry Jamie, the love of her life. Then a phone call comes out of the blue, with the news that her mum Gina has been arrested. Zoe must make an impossible decision: should she leave her own wedding to help?Zoe hasn''t seen Gina for years, blaming her for the secret that she''s been running from ever since she was sixteen. Now, Gina is back in her life, but she''s very different to the mum Zoe remembers. Slowly but surely, Gina is losing her memory.As she struggles to cope with Gina''s illness, can Zoe face up to the terrible events of years ago and find her way back to the people she loves?A Life Without You is a stirring and poignant novel about the power of the past - and the possibilities of the future. Trade ReviewA Life Without You is a tender, poignant story of love, loss and long-buried secrets. Katie Marsh's gorgeously heartbreaking, life-affirming tale grabs your heart and won't let go. A truly special book - I adored every twist and turn. -- Miranda DickinsonEmotional and brilliantly written * Fabulous *Another heart-clangingly powerful stunner of a novel from the effortlessly wise, warm and brilliant Katie Marsh. If you're looking for a novel to inspire you, a story to move you and a book to make your heart sing, you've just found it. A Life Without You is a triumph! -- Isabelle BroomA great read - heartwarming and funny in places and poignantly sad in others. A reminder to us all not to take our families or our memories for granted. -- The Unmumsy MumTouching, emotionally charged... A wonderful tale about love and motherhood -- Amanda JenningsA tender, beautiful, heart-tugging book. Totally gorgeous -- Iona Grey, Winner of the Romantic Novel of the Year Award 2016A poignant, heartfelt and refreshing tale about family, secrets, love and forgiveness. A stunner of a novel. Read it! * Heat *A tender, poignant portrayal of a mother/daughter relationship -- Sarah Vaughan, author of The Art of Baking Blind'Impeccably written... a stunning and compassionate story of family, forgiveness and unconditional love. Katie Marsh has such emotive writing, evoking both laughter and tears, ensuring that A Life Without You is a book that will remain forever in my heart. No words will ever do this book justice - you simply must read it for yourself.' -- The Book MagnetPraise for My Everything * : *Absolutely LOVED it! Such a beautiful book . . . Heartwarming and funny in places, and very honest. -- Carrie Hope FletcherIt was hard to put down, the characters are beautifully observed and continue to surprise one, all the way through to the story's unexpected end. -- Jenny AgutterDevastatingly good - wonderfully warm, heartbreakingly real and completely uplifting. I was completely blown away by the story and Katie's beautiful prose drew me right to the heart of Hannah and Tom's world. I will be recommending this book to everyone! -- Miranda DickinsonA moving and thoughtful story about love and second chances * Sunday Mirror *The vivid storytelling doesn't shy away from the emotional realities of Tom & Hannah's situation, which makes for a compelling and disarmingly moving story full of heartbreak and hope... a bittersweet story about love, learning and letting go. This deeply poignant and beautifully written debut is both devastatingly sad and blissfully romantic * Heat *A story that will evoke every emotion that lurks within your heart and pull each string firmly. Devastating is the perfect word, yet it is also beautiful and passionate and exquisitely written. -- Random Things Through My LetterboxThis thought-provoking debut novel is both brilliantly funny and sad * Sun *A moving and realistic portrait of life-changing illness...this skilful debut novel offers an inspiring journey through love, loss and second chances * Sunday Express *

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Book SynopsisUnable to bear the prospect of a life at sea, young Anthony O''Connell deserts his ship at Torquay and escapes into the Devonshire countryside under a new name. When Stella Sprigg, adopted daughter of a local farmer, encounters ''Zachary'', the pair instantly know they are destined to be together. Intertwined with the local legend of St. Michael''s Chapel, Stella and Zachary''s story takes them from the secluded Devonshire valley to the perilous Mediterranean seas and finally to the poverty and squalor of eighteenth-century London.Trade Reviewan enchanted tale of young love in the dark days when Buonaparte menaced the English coast. - Kirkus Reviews

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Book Synopsis ''The Iliad meets Friday Night Lights in this muscular, captivating debut''Oprah Magazine''A gorgeous debut that conjures one small town and the big emotions of its wealthiest family, the Briscoes, whose saga plays out over six days of pain, rage and love''People, Best of Summer''I read without breathing - OK, maybe I gasped - and I experienced the characters'' grief and regret as if they were my own''New York Times''The novel is based on Greek myths but you don''t need to know your Zeus from your Apollo to enjoy this saga full of deceit and drama''Good Housekeeping''Beautifully written and filled with atmosphere... a hugely accomplished debut''Prima''Secrets, lies and deceptions with Greek myth-like undertones... A literary family saga that spans one week and packs in everything from infidelity to a shooting''High Trade ReviewIn her essay "Notes on Writing a Novel", Elizabeth Bowen declares, "Nothing can happen nowhere." . . . Luckily for Stacey Swann, her appealing debut novel, Olympus, Texas, has plenty of somewhere for its cast of memorable characters to enact their displays of love, lust, rage and resentment . . . Swann's novel is most successful at its violent, surprising turning point. I won't dare to give it away. I read without breathing - OK, maybe I gasped - and I experienced the characters' grief and regret as if they were my own . . . I could have stayed in this particular somewhere for a long while * New York Times *The Iliad meets Friday Night Lights in this muscular, captivating debut * Oprah Daily *A gorgeous debut that conjures one small town and the big emotions of its wealthiest family, the Briscoes, whose saga plays out over six days of pain, rage and love. * People, Best of Summer 2021 *The novel is based on Greek myths but you don't need to know your Zeus from your Apollo to enjoy this saga full of deceit and drama. * Good Housekeeping *Beautifully written and filled with atmosphere... a hugely accomplished debut. * Prima *Secrets, lies and deceptions with Greek myth-like undertones... A literary family saga that spans one week and packs in everything from infidelity to a shooting. * High Life *A boisterous, big-hearted, modern family saga, in which marriages struggle, rivalries flare and secrets explode. There's adultery, betrayal, messy relationships, rage, grace, shocking revelations, addiction, pain and redemption. Perfect for fans of Big Little Lies * Best magazine *A powerful family in a small Texas town is wracked by miseries of its own making... Swann's debut is rich in Texas flavor and full of nods to classical mythology-quotes from Ovid, twins human and canine, and the kind of relentless bad luck that usually means you've offended a deity. A total page-turner. * Kirkus (starred review) *Olympus, Texas is the most wildly entertaining novel I've read in a long time, and Stacey Swann is a writer to watch. * Richard Russo, author of EMPIRE FALLS, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction *In this reimagining of the Greek pantheon along the Brazos river, Stacey Swann reveals the resonating wisdom of the ancients while situating us in a fully realized Texas family. The result is an uncanny twin-myth of modern Texas and ancient Greece that feels familiar and strange, loving and painful-like family itself. Olympus, Texas is an achievement of sustained brilliance, and an audacious opening to Swann's fated journey into the canon of greats. * Smith Henderson, author of FOURTH OF JULY CREEK *The endearing characters of Olympus, Texas gallop through a plot luscious with secrets and scandals. Escape to Olympus for the rollicking fun. Stay for the heartbreakingly lyrical writing and tender message about the enduring gift that is family love. * Sarah Bird, author of DAUGHTER OF A DAUGHTER OF A QUEEN *A remarkable debut. A gripping, big-hearted epic, full of characters you may recognize and will absolutely remember. * Jennifer duBois, author of THE SPECTATORS *A moving and exhilarating debut. With exquisite prose and unerring pace, Swann guides us through the strained-loyalties, love affairs, and violent disasters of a rural Texas town populated by characters as vibrant and compelling as the ancient gods they echo. Swann masterfully crafts both soul-stirring moments of connection and gasp-out-loud action - often on the same page. With the wit of Flannery O'Connor and the emotional scope of Donna Tartt, Swann sings family in all its painful, riveting beauty. I love this novel! * Owen Egerton, author of HOLLOW *

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF AN ENGLISH PEN AWARD''Effortlessly readable and fizzing with energy, this novel is by turns quirky, funny and thoughtful'' Mail on SundayDani Mosca is 40 and his father has just died. Fulfilling his father''s last wishes, Dani embarks on a road trip back to his childhood village, a three-hour hearse journey from Madrid. Leaving behind the busy streets of the city for the deserted, archaic heart of Spain, Dani revisits the key junctions of his life: his conflicted relationship with a pragmatic and authoritarian father; the mystery of his birth; his school years in the repressed atmosphere of Catholic Spain; the origin of his band and its early successes; the emptiness left by a tragically lost friendship; his great loves. Laugh-out-loud funny, deeply moving and featuring an unforgettable cast of characters - from Ecuadorian drivers to Spanish Bowie lookalikes - Rolling Fields is a novel full ofTrade ReviewEffortlessly readable and fizzing with energy, this novel is by turns quirky, funny and thoughtful. * Mail on Sunday *Incisive and bittersweet. * Independent *Breezy, bittersweet and tangential, Trueba's prose captures the rueful regrets of a man who's searching for meaning and redemption in a life that's short on both. * Daily Mail *What holds the attention is the evocation of a culture trying to break free of rural, religious and Franco-ist ties. Dani's wistful search for validation - from music, sex, or his father - adds a thoughtful dimension. * Evening Standard *David Trueba's skilfully crafted novel is fast-moving and full of sparkle, but with a deeper pull beneath the surface ... It is a novel that tackles the chaos of life nakedly and nobly -- Michael Eaude * LITERARY REVIEW *Funny, poignant, full of honesty and warmth * The Sun *Trueba writes about everyday life with a redemptive epic while avoiding sentimental pornography and cynicism. He wants to know who he is while we the readers try to figure out how is it possible that his experience of life looks so much like ours. * Carlos Zanón, El País *The narrative richness of the book is outstanding. Trueba has an instinct to extract from the language its paradoxes with a grace that comes only from a delicate attention to people's conversations (...) The novel shines even brighter as life flirts with death and the ballad becomes sad. * J.M. Pozuelo Yvancos, ABC *A funny and bitter novel, full of intelligence and energy. It shows some of the miseries and the modest grandeur of life. The character's self-criticism is brave, exciting, and realistic. With a skillful and stimulating taste for risk, it combines many issues and registers: from rock mythology to family melodrama, from John Irving to Rafael Azcona. * Daniel Gascón, Letras Libres *An effortless, fast-paced and light-hearted yet tremendously good piece of fiction. * Rafael Ruiz Pleguezuelos, Qué Leer *A stunningly lucid novel, well written and elegant, but never cold. * Juan Ángel Juristo, La Vanguardia *The novel can be read from several perspectives, all of them enriching the reading experience: the difficulty of growing up with no roots; the deep marks left by love and desire; identity as a work in progress; and the porous connection between life and art. * Domingo Ródenas, El Periódico (Book of the week) *A beautiful novel that blends drama and irony. * Elisabetta Pagani, La Stampa *Lively and bittersweet. * Il Manifesto *Writing that is both warm and charming. * Focus Vif *

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Book Synopsis''It blew me away'' Emma Donoghue''Large in scope and heart'' Patrick deWitt''Unforgettable'' Nathan Hill''A blast'' Karen Russell On the day of their estranged father''s wedding, half-sisters Cheyenne and Livy set off to claim their inheritance. It''s been years since the two have seen each other - Cheyenne is newly back in Seattle after a failed marriage, Livy works refinishing boats - but the promise of a shot at financial security brings the two together to claim what''s theirs.Except: instead of money, their father gives them information - a name - that reveals a stunning family secret. In the face of their new reality, the sisters each set out on journeys that will test their faith in each other, as well as their definitions of freedom.Moving from Seattle''s underground to the docks of the Far North, from the hideaways of the southern swamps to the storied reaches of the GrTrade ReviewA magnificent beast of a novel. Utterly engrossing. Original. One of the rare novels that understands the realities of American poverty. Epic. * Roxane Gay *The Great Offshore Grounds delivers on the promise Vanessa Veselka made with her excellent debut, Zazen. Large in scope and heart, Veselka skillfully illustrates human behaviors of every shade and iteration. She's a specialist, a keen interpreter of our demented society, and an enviable storyteller. I've been waiting long years for this novel. It was worth the wait. * Patrick deWitt, author of THE SISTERS BROTHERS *The Great Offshore Grounds blew me away. The tangled journeys of three siblings in the hardest of times pursuing freedom and love through a broken world will both move and dazzle readers. Wry, epic, glorious. * Emma Donoghue, author of ROOM *Vanessa Veselka is an expert portraitist of the forgotten and left behind, people struggling to make ends meet, broke and underemployed, people of deep humanity and shallow finances trying to find their place in dysfunctional America. The Great Offshore Grounds is an unforgettable journey through a country full of malice and greed and beauty and grace. A brilliant and fearless book. * Nathan Hill, author of THE NIX *The Great Offshore Grounds reminded me of what a great novel can do - Veselka's seafaring epic has the forward momentum of a grand adventure and the spiraling depth of a new myth. All the pleasure of eighteenth century storytelling renewed for our newborn millennium. I love this textured, tonally complex wonder of a book, a quest for Melville's 'unimaginable sublimity' that never shies away from the messy flux of the body, or the oceanic scope of our shared global history. It's also a blast to read - darkly hilarious, astral, cerebral, suspenseful, warm-blooded, divine. * Karen Russell, author of SWAMPLANDIA! *A deeply moving picaresque... Veselka traces these arcs with empathy and an earthy sense of humor but also with a ruthless eye. She is a remarkable writer, able to break through the surfaces of her narrative to reveal the animal chaos underneath. * Los Angeles Times *This is a novel that feels like hitchhiking: the route is unpredictable but fated and exciting, with an air of treachery. If you relate to the idea of desperate people doing desperate things for reasons only partly clear to themselves, you will find it thrilling. * Vulture *Animating... For all its sweep and ambition, The Great Offshore Grounds mercifully remains driven by its characters' personal travails... Portland, Ore.-based Veselka has an intuitive sense as to when she should break away from the big picture and home in on the little person. . . In Veselka's telling the story is in fact about [vulnerable Americans] - and, with the necessary adjustments, countless other underprivileged men and women caught up in a system that has little use for their kind." * Boston Globe *Vivid . . . The portrayal of the choices one must make when living paycheck to paycheck in late capitalist America is realistic and devastating . . . The deeply moving and nuanced mother narrative is a rewarding journey in itself . . . Veselka is a talented writer, with sensual imagery and an unflinching ability to stick with troubled and troublesome characters. * Seattle Times *The talented Veselka is such a crafty, confident writer you don't immediately grasp the absurdity of the journeys her characters are on. This was true in 2011's bleakly satirical Zazen. And it's true in Veselka's marvelous new novel, in which two sisters hit the road in search of the woman who gave birth to one of them. In other words, either Livy or Cheyenne is adopted and they don't know which. Things only get stranger with each turn of the page, but it's cool because you're in good hands. * Philadelphia Enquirer *I immediately fell in love with the phenomenal sisters at the heart of Vanessa Veselka's supernova of a new novel. This novel is thrilling in its content, daring in heart and makes a helix between a novel of ideas and the best damn story of women who forge their identities on their own terms that I've read in years. * Lidia Yuknavitch, author of THE BOOK OF JOAN *Vanessa Veselka writes with the power of the ocean tides, and The Great Offshore Grounds teems with life as beguiling and beautiful as any undersea grotto. This novel is warmhearted and coldblooded and I'll never forget Livy and Cheyenne and their fierce bond and bottomless wonder. Neither will you. * Peter Geye, author of NORTHERNMOST *The Great Offshore Grounds is a binge-worthy, kaleidoscopic, twenty-first century American family odyssey. Vanessa Veselka spins a radical, delicious, epic tale of women blasting their way forward to free themselves of the past. Her characters play by no rules but their own and they pull you in with oceans of black humor and so much heart. * Andrea Kleine, author of EDEN *PRAISE FOR VANESSA VESELKA'S ZAZEN'Vanessa Veselka is something like a literary comet: bright-burning, far-reaching, rarely seen and a little dangerous' Tom Bissell'At turns hilarious, unsettling and improbably sweet, Veselka's debut is, above all, a highly engaging, and totally unique experience, which will have you re-reading passages and dog-earing pages' Jonathan Evison, author of All About Lulu and West of Here 'Taut... Veselka's prose is chiseled and laced with arsenic observations' Publishers Weekly

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Book Synopsis''Barnett''s well-crafted backlist is big on emotional acuity and this novel is no different, forging from Christina''s grief an insistence that we think more creatively when it comes to happiness, and especially to the shapes that our families might take'' OBSERVERAt forty-three, Christina Lennox thought her future was settled: marriage to Ed, children, a house of their own. But this is not that future: her marriage has ended, fractured by the stress of five rounds of IVF and two miscarriages. Overwhelmed by grief and disappointment, Ed has relocated to San Francisco and Christina''s dream of becoming a mother rests on persuading him to let her go ahead with one final round of IVF, using the last frozen embryo they have stored at the clinic.But when Ed drops a bombshell that threatens to undo everything Christina has strived for, she is forced, once again, to realign her plans: is this the end of her dream, or an opportunity to cTrade ReviewBarnett's well-crafted backlist is big on emotional acuity and this novel is no different, forging from Christina's grief an insistence that we think more creatively when it comes to happiness, and especially to the shapes that our families might take. -- Hephzibah Anderson * THE OBSERVER *A warm, emotional story with brilliant characters. -- Deirdre O'Brien * BEST MAGAZINE *An uplifting tale about new beginnings. -- Maureen Stapleton * HEAT MAGAZINE *I found this beautifully told tale of disappointed motherhood moving, but the best bit for me was the lively South London scene Barnett conjures up. -- Wendy Holden * DAILY MAIL *Barnett writes beautifully about relationships and the possibility of finding a very different happy ever after from the one you were expecting. -- Mernie Gilmore * SUNDAY EXPRESS S MAGAZINE *Laura Barnett weaves an inspiring story about shifting perspective and finding light in the darkness. -- Zoe West * WOMAN'S OWN *A compelling read. * CLOSER *What makes Barnett's novel soappealing is the realistic steps taken by Christina so that she may improve her ownlife - it's not easy but, as Barnett suggests, nothing worth doing ever is. * SUNDAY BUSINESS POST *

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Book SynopsisFrom bestselling author Amanda Prowse comes a heartwarming tale of first impressions and lasting love.Thomasina ‘Hitch’ Waycott loves living and working on the remote family farm and B&B. But she also wants more. To see the world. To own her own home. To fall madly in love.But those are fairy tales, and if her life is a fairy tale, then she’s the ugly duckling. Her deformed lip, her crooked limbs and her weak heart have kept her from taking chances. But that’s about to change.When Grayson Potts comes to stay, he’s unlike anyone Thomasina has ever met. He’s aloof, eccentric and exceptionally kind. He’s also totally unconcerned with the physical flaws that have always defined Thomasina.The two form a bond that neither has had before. It’s possible that it could become something more, but Thomasina also wonders if it’s too good to be true. By putting her heart on the line, Thomasina may open hersel

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Book SynopsisBook one in the bestselling series that has captivated millions of readers around the world!A New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher's Weekly bestseller.Her Mother's Hope has all the meaty elements of a blockbuster. Denver PostThe first in a two-book family saga by the beloved author of Redeeming Love and The Masterpiece, Her Mother's Hope is a rich, moving epic about faith and dreams, heartache and disappointment, and the legacy of love passed down through four generations in one family.Near the turn of the twentieth century, fiery Marta Schneider leaves Switzerland for a better life, determined to fulfill her mother's hope. Her formative journey takes her through Europe and eventually to Canada, where she meets handsome Niclas Waltert. But nothing has prepared her for the sacrifices she must make for marriage and motherhood as she travels to the Canadian wilderness and then to the dusty

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Book SynopsisFrom New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Rhys Bowen comes a haunting novel about a woman who braves her father’s hidden past to discover his secrets… “Pass the bread, the olives, and the wine. Oh, and a copy of The Tuscan Child to savor with them.” —NPR In 1944, British bomber pilot Hugo Langley parachuted from his stricken plane into the verdant fields of German-occupied Tuscany. Badly wounded, he found refuge in a ruined monastery and in the arms of Sofia Bartoli. But the love that kindled between them was shaken by an irreversible betrayal. Nearly thirty years later, Hugo’s estranged daughter, Joanna, has returned home to the English countryside to arrange her father’s funeral. Among his personal effects is an unopened letter addressed to Sofia. In it is a startling revelation. Still dealing with the emotional wounds of her own personal trauma, Joanna embarks on a healing journey to Tuscany to understand her father’s history—and maybe come to understand herself as well. Joanna soon discovers that some would prefer the past be left undisturbed, but she has come too far to let go of her father’s secrets now…Trade ReviewA Goodreads Choice Award Semifinalist, Historical Fiction A New York Post Must-Read Selection “Pass the bread, the olives, and the wine. Oh, and a copy of The Tuscan Child to savor with them.” —NPR “The next best thing to going to Italy right now.” —HelloGiggles “Readers who enjoy World War II historical fiction and rural Italian culture will appreciate this story by a master of her genre.” —Library Journal “The alternating narratives keep the story moving along, and the pastoral setting is transporting.” —Booklist “Besides being an action-packed story that is intense and haunting, Bowen also brings to life the setting where the reader can smell the cooking scents, see the brilliant olive groves, and hear the Italian chatter.” —Crimespree “This novel is well plotted with characters that are so compelling, with their attributes and flaws, that the reader can almost feel as if they had sat down and shared a glass of vin santo with them.” —Historical Novel Society “The interwoven mystery is expertly crafted and unravels at a pace that will keep readers guessing until the end. This is an overall enjoyable trip to the Tuscan countryside and readers will be reluctant to leave this charming and intriguing place.” —RT Book Reviews “That Rhys Bowen is the consummate storyteller is a given—from her insightful characterizations to her plotting wizardry, she is a wonderful writer. But now Rhys has outdone herself—The Tuscan Child is a poignant story of love in wartime, woven into a compelling search for the truth when mysteries consigned to the past begin to unravel. The Tuscan Child presented me with a conundrum—didn’t want the book to end, yet I couldn’t put it down. Best read with a glass of Chianti beside a roaring fire. Brava Rhys Bowen—brava!” —Jacqueline Winspear, New York Times bestselling author of the Maisie Dobbs historical mystery novels

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Book SynopsisA Winter Love Song is a heartwarming and moving story of survival and love from bestselling author Rita Bradshaw.Bonnie Lindsay is born into a travelling fair community in the north-east in 1918, and when her mother dies just months later, Bonnie’s beloved father becomes everything to her. Then at the tender age of ten years old, disaster strikes. Heartbroken, Bonnie’s left at the mercy of her embittered grandmother and her lecherous step-grandfather.Five years later, the events of one terrible night cause Bonnie to flee to London where she starts to earn her living as a singer. She changes her name and cuts all links with the past. Time passes. Bonnie falls in love, but just when she dares to hope for a rosy future, the Second World War is declared. She does her bit for the war effort, singing for the troops and travelling to Burma to boost morale, but heartache and pain are just around the corner, and she begins to ask herself if she will ever find happiness again?Trade ReviewA moving and gripping tale of love, loss and survival from one of the nation’s favourite saga queens * Lancashire Evening Post *Raw passion and power on every page * Northern Echo *

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Book SynopsisUnder a Wartime Sky is an enthralling historical novel by Liz Trenow, based on real-life events at a top-secret wartime research station. Telling the story of the heroes behind the discovery of radar, it’s perfect for readers of Kate Furnivall and Rachel Hore.Bawdsey Manor holds a secret.1936: the threat of war hangs over Europe. Churchill gathers the brightest minds in Britain at a grand house in Suffolk. Bound to complete secrecy, they work together on an invention that could mean victory for the Allies. Among them is Vic, a gifted but shy physicist who, for the first time, feels like he belongs.Local girl Kathleen wants to do more than serving tea and biscuits to ‘do her bit’. So when the Bawdsey team begin to recruit women to operate their top secret system, she dedicates herself to this life-or-death work. Kath and Vic form an unlikely friendship as the skies over Britain fill with German bombers. Little does Kath know just whose life she will change forever, one fateful night . . .Based on the real history of Bawdsey Manor, Under a Wartime Sky is a novel about courage, belonging and hope.Praise for Liz Trenow:‘The characters shine . . . Fabulous’ - Dinah Jefferies‘It was a wrench to put the book down after the last beautifully written page’ - Gill Paul‘Trenow’s exquisite novel puts a real focus on the characters’ journeys’ - WomanTrade ReviewLiz Trenow draws us in so that we inhabit her world, and it was a wrench to put the book down after the last beautifully written page -- Gill Paul on The Dressmaker of Draper’s Lane

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Book SynopsisA moving and emotional family drama set between France and Britain from bestselling author, Mary Wood. They would fight for their country, at all costs . . .When Sibbie and Marjie arrive at RAF Digby, they are about to take on roles of national importance. It’s a cause of great excitement for everyone around them. Perhaps they will become code-breakers, spies even? Soon the pair embark on a rigorous training regime, but nothing can prepare them for what they’re about to face . . .Amid the vineyards of rural France, Flora and Ella can’t bear the thought of another war. But as the thunderclouds grow darker, hanging over Europe, a sense of deep foreboding sets in, not just for their safety but for the fate of their families . . . With danger looming, as the threat of war becomes real, Flora and Ella are forced to leave their idyllic home and flee. Can they make it to safety, or will the war have further horrors in store for them?The Brave Daughters is the fourth book in the Girls Who Went to War series by Mary Wood.Trade ReviewWood is a born storyteller * Lancashire Evening Post *

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Book Synopsis'Through sharply drawn characters, Rossi achieves a clear-eyed and poignant view of a family in crisis' - Sydney Morning HeraldA fatal car crash. A young boy orphaned. Who should now become his parents?Nicholas and April are driving home from a party when their car crashes on an empty road high up in the Blue Ridge Mountains. As they lay on the roadside slowly dying, their four-year-old son, Jack, waits for them at home. In the days after their deaths, their grieving relatives begin to descend on the family home. There, they are forced to decide who will care for the child Nicholas and April left behind. Nicholas’s brother Nathaniel and his wife Stefanie aren’t ready to be parents, but Nicholas’s mother and father have issues of their own. And April’s mother Tammy is driving across the country to claim her grandson. Spanning a few traumatic days in the minds of each family member, Mountain Road, Late at Night, is a masterly portrait of grief, the pain of sudden loss and a family in utter crisis. Gripping, affecting and extremely accomplished, Alan Rossi's unforgettable debut asks one crucial question: what do you do when the worst happens?Trade ReviewAn extraordinary debut for an extraordinary new talent -- Frederick Barthelme, author of There Must Be Some Mistake Compassionate and profound, this is the kind of novel that puts even difficult things into perspective -- Isabel Costello, The Literary SofaThrough sharply drawn characters, Rossi achieves a clear-eyed and poignant view of a family in crisis * Sydney Morning Herald *Gripping * Happy Mag *A minor miracle . . . a deeply compelling novel -- David Shields, author of Salinger

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Book SynopsisIn this compelling novel from No. 1 bestselling author Danielle Steel, a gifted young woman must grapple with the legacy of a troubled childhood in order to pursue her dreams.When destiny shines the spotlight on you, do you stay . . . or run?Antonia Adams is the product of a loveless marriage between a beautiful young model and a wealthy entrepreneur. As a child, she is abandoned in the chasm between them. Unprotected and unloved, she learns that the only way to feel safe is to draw as little attention as possible, to be invisible.In her isolation, films are her escape, and she dreams of one day becoming a screenwriter. During a summer job at a Hollywood studio, she meets a famous filmmaker, and is invisible no longer. He wants to put her in a movie and make her a star. It is a dazzling opportunity but a terrifying one. Suddenly she is thrust into the public eye – even more so when they fall in love. Antonia never lets go of her true dream of becoming a filmmaker, but to make that leap she will have to expose herself in ways she never has before. When tragedy strikes, she must decide whether she will remain center stage or retreat to safety once more. Will she face her demons, or run and hide?In this extraordinary novel, Danielle Steel tells the story of a woman who must decide the price of pursuing her passion, and whether it is possible to stay true to herself while she does.

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Book Synopsis'It's like a big hug in a book' - Janice Hallett, author of The AppealA novel about love, loss and the importance of living life to the full, Annie Stanley, All at Sea by Sue Teddern is proof that it’s often the most difficult moments in life that show us what really matters.Sometimes the end is only the beginning . . .Annie is single, unemployed and just a bit stuck when her beloved father dies unexpectedly. Furious at his partner’s plans to scatter his ashes somewhere of no emotional significance, Annie seizes the urn and, on a whim, decides to take it on a tour of the thirty-one sea areas that make up the shipping forecast, which her father loved listening to, despite living in landlocked St Albans.Travelling around the coastline of Britain searching for the perfect place to say goodbye, she starts to wonder if it might be time to rethink some of the relationships in her life – but is it too late for second chances?'Witty, wise with wonderful characters. I absolutely loved this book' - Katie Fforde, author of A Springtime AffairTrade ReviewA funny, warm, wry writer -- David Nicholls, bestselling author of One Day and Sweet SorrowThis charming, well-judged debut novel balances seaside kitsch and mordant humour. Deckchair optional -- ObserverWitty, wise with wonderful characters. I absolutely loved this book -- Katie Fforde, author of A Springtime Affair and Highland FlingThis bittersweet story about grief has just the right balance of poignancy and humour -- Good HousekeepingI loved Annie Stanley: she's a gloriously imperfect heroine who takes you on a stormy journey of grief, love and Britain's brilliant coastline. I was swept away -- Eva Carter, author of How To Save a LifeA journey to rediscover that life really is worth living * OK Magazine *This is a brilliantly funny, heartwarming celebration of life, love, grief and the Shipping Forecast -- Georgia Pritchett, author of My Mess Is a Bit of a LifePoignant, funny and full of emotional resonance. You cannot help but root for Annie Stanley as she embarks on a journey that is both stormy and strangely reassuring -- Elizabeth Enfield, author of Ivy and AbeDevoured this funny, tender book and fell in love with chaotic bumbler Annie Stanley along the way. Can’t wait to see her again -- Jenny Landreth, author of Swell and Break A LegThis book is packed with heart and wit. I was moved and laughed out loud so many times. I truly love Annie. Her journey and the people in her world are completely real to me -- Jo Clegg, author of The Summer Holiday

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Book SynopsisThe Promise is a unforgettable story about finding love, hope and joy in even the darkest moments, by the Sunday Times bestseller Lucy Diamond, author of The Secrets of Happiness.'This is Lucy Diamond at her very best - a stunning novel that will break your heart into little pieces and then glue it back together again with joy' – Milly JohnsonWhen faced with the sudden death of his brother, Dan’s mission is clear. He puts together a project to help pick up the pieces and support his grieving sister-in-law Zoe, plus her young children. This is Dan’s promise – to ensure his family’s happiness, and to try and live up to the man his brother was. But tying up loose ends brings a shocking secret to light, and calls into question everything Dan knew about his older brother. With more than just his promise on the line, Dan is faced with an ultimatum: Should he tell the truth and risk his family’s fragile happiness, or will his brother’s secrets end up becoming his own?'A bittersweet, big-hearted take on family dynamics, grief, and how to make happiness a priority' – Woman and Home'I loved The Promise' – Libby Page, author of The 24-Hour Café'We couldn't put this down' – Bella'Family drama at its very best with characters that have you reaching out to them' – My WeeklyReal readers love The Promise:'I cried and laughed''It was a beautifully written book from start to finish. Each night I couldn't wait to read the next chapter.''I literally cannot put it down.'

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Book SynopsisFrom the green hilltops of Kampala, to the terraced houses of London, Neema Shah’s extraordinarily moving debut Kololo Hill explores what it means to leave your home behind, what it takes to start again, and the lengths some will go to protect their loved ones.'[An] incredible debut' Stylist'Shah is excellent on the theme of home . . . an absorbing storyteller' – Daily MailWhen you’re left with nothing but your secrets, how do you start again? Uganda 1972 A devastating decree is issued: all Ugandan Asians must leave the country in ninety days. They must take only what they can carry, give up their money and never return. For Asha and Pran, married a matter of months, it means abandoning the family business that Pran has worked so hard to save. For his mother, Jaya, it means saying goodbye to the house that has been her home for decades. But violence is escalating in Kampala, and people are disappearing. Will they all make it to safety in Britain and will they be given refuge if they do? And all the while, a terrible secret about the expulsion hangs over them, threatening to tear the family apart.Trade ReviewAn impressive, confident debut about family and survival, against the backdrop of a history that is not written about often enough. -- Nikesh ShuklaDevastatingly beautiful . . . every sentence is a revelation. -- Nikita Gill, author of The Girl and the GoddessThis is a novel about home, about belonging and exile; a compelling and complex insight into a recent past that still resonates. * Irish Times *Shah explores the chaos and fear of ordinary people’s lives during Amin’s rule, weaving personal stories of love and betrayal into heightening tension and violence . . . nail-biting. * Independent *Utterly heartbreaking and so moving . . . a thoughtful reflection on what home and belonging mean. -- Haleh Agar, author of Out of TouchA moving portrayal of a family uprooted from a life they have worked so hard for. At times devastating, I found myself gripped to this story rooted in our history yet scarily still relevant. -- Louise Hare, author of This Lovely CityKololo Hill offers a glimpse into a terrifying and fascinating period of history. Neema Shah evokes Amin’s Uganda and early 1970s suburban England with both nuance and a fresh and wonderful vivacity. This is a book with a huge amount of heart; I was entirely captured by the stories of Asha, Jaya and Vijay. Their dreams and dilemmas resonate with many of today’s key questions around culture, identity and the places – and people – we can each call ‘home’. -- Joanne Sefton, author of The Guilty FriendA searing, timely, and beautifully written tale of displacement, the meaning of home, and developing identity across generations. I loved it. -- Stephanie Scott, author of What’s Left Of Me Is Yours

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Book SynopsisSecrets of the Jam Factory Girls is a moving saga novel of friendship set in the heart of pre-WWI London from bestselling author, Mary Wood.Elsie’s worked her way up at Swift’s Jam Factory from the shop floor to the top, and now it’s her time to shine. But when she’s involved in an incident involving her half-sister Millie’s new husband, she is forced to keep it secret – the truth could threaten their sisterly bond.Dot is dogged by fear, coming to terms with her mother’s rejection of her. She should be enjoying the happiness she craves with her beloved Cess; instead, she’s trapped in an asylum, haunted by the horrifying cries of inmates. All she wants is to get married, but what chance is there for her if she’s locked away?Millie is trying to build a life with her new husband. But the man she loves is not all he seems . . .Can the Jam Factory girls create the future they all deserve?This historical saga series begins with The Jam Factory Girls.Trade ReviewWood is a born storyteller * Lancashire Evening Post *

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Book SynopsisThe Jam Factory Girls is an uplifting and emotional novel of friendship set in the heart of pre-WWI London from bestselling author, Mary Wood.Life for Elsie is difficult as she struggles to cope with her alcoholic mother. Caring for her siblings and working long hours at Swift's Jam factory in London’s Bermondsey is exhausting. Thankfully her lifelong friendship with Dot helps to smooth over life’s rough edges. When Elsie and Dot meet Millie Swift, they are nervous to be in the presence of the bosses’ daughter. Over time, they are surprised to feel so drawn to her, but should two East End girls be socializing in such circles? When disaster strikes, it binds the women in ways they could never imagine. Long-held secrets are revealed that could change all their lives . . .This historical saga series continues with Secrets of the Jam Factory Girls.Trade ReviewWood is a born storyteller * Lancashire Evening Post *

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Book SynopsisHidden in Plain Sight is the second brilliant and captivating novel featuring William Warwick by the master storyteller and bestselling author of the Clifton Chronicles, Jeffrey Archer.Newly promoted, Detective Sergeant William Warwick has been reassigned to the drugs squad. His first case: to investigate a notorious south London drug lord known as the Viper.But as William and his team close the net around a criminal network unlike any they have ever encountered, he is also faced with an old enemy, Miles Faulkner. It will take all of William’s cunning to devise a means to bring both men to justice; a trap neither will expect, one that is hidden in plain sight . . . Filled with Jeffrey Archer’s trademark twists and turns, Hidden in Plain Sight is the gripping next instalment in the life of William Warwick. It follows on from Nothing Ventured, but can be read as a standalone story.

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Book Synopsis'Brilliantly original' – Clare Mackintosh, author of After the End'Deliciously dark and devious' – Red 'Highly recommended' – Harriet Tyce, author of Blood Orange'Gone Girl-esque' – The Times‘I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough’ – Abigail Dean, author of Girl A People like Emmy Jackson. They always have. Especially online, where she is Instagram sensation Mamabare, famous for telling the unvarnished truth about modern parenthood.But Emmy isn’t as honest as she’d like the fans to believe. She may think she has her followers fooled, but someone out there knows the truth and plans to make her pay . . . A smart and thrilling debut that delves into the darkest aspects of influencer culture, Ellery Lloyd’s People Like Her is about what you risk losing when you don’t know who’s watching . . .Trade ReviewI inhaled People Like Her in a single sitting . . . Breathlessly fast, brilliantly original. Bravo, Ellery Lloyd! -- Clare Mackintosh, author of I Let You Go and After the EndA smart, gobble-at-a-sitting thriller * Guardian *I loved this eye-opening and compelling look at the horrors of Insta influencing - funny until it goes very dark indeed -- Harriet Tyce, author of Blood Orange and The Lies You ToldFast-paced and insightful * Daily Mirror *Social media has never been so dark or so compelling . . . Had me hooked right up to the jaw-dropping end -- Samantha Downing, author of My Lovely Wife and He Started ItGripping and caustically funny * The Sunday Times *Grabbed me from the first few pages and didn't let go . . . Plotted to perfection with skillfully woven twists and turns -- Alice Feeney, author of Sometimes I Lie and His & HersDeliciously dark and devious * Red *I absolutely LOVED this book . . . One of my favourite reads of the year -- Phoebe Morgan, author of The Doll House and The BabysitterAs gripping and addictive as Instagram * Daily Mail *A clever, original and page-turning thriller . . . I was gripped from the start -- Jenny Quintana, author of The Missing Girl and Our Dark SecretSlick Instagram noir * The Evening Standard *Suspenseful, thought-provoking, clever, and I suspected everyone . . . A truly brilliant and a refreshingly original read -- Karen Hamilton, author of The Last Wife and The Perfect GirlfriendA smart read * Stylist *The perfect contemporary thriller . . . Utterly impossible to put down. I loved it -- Caroline Corcoran, author of The Baby GroupA cracker for the dark evenings * Sainsbury's Magazine *Excellent characterization turns up the tension in this addictive and absorbing psychological thriller. I was hooked from first page to last -- Olivia Kiernan, author of If Looks Could KillUtterly addictive and gripping * Fabulous Magazine *Compulsive and wickedly funny – featuring the most grimly fascinating marital duo since Gone Girl. LOVED IT -- Katie Lowe, author of The FuriesGone Girl-esque . . . slick and sharp * The Times *Don’t read this book on the train – I missed my stop . . . A thrilling, witty page-turner that makes you laugh out loud [and] a sharp dissection of a very modern way of life -- Holly Watt, author of To The LionsA real page-turner * Bella Magazine *Absolutely loved [it] . . . Twisty and dark, like all great thrillers, but very, very funny -- Abbie Greaves, author of The Silent TreatmentWe couldn't put this book down. A brilliant read * Closer *I loved it! I was actually holding my breath towards the end. Such a chillingly dark examination of what can happen if you filter reality -- Nikki Smith, author of All In Her HeadA slick thriller about the perils of putting oneself in the social spotlight * The Evening Standard *A gripping take on the murkiness of those who make social media their métier . . . By turns harrowing and caustic, this book demands you stay up late to finish it - and possibly delete your account afterwards -- Harriet Walker, author of The New GirlA cautionary tale for the social media age * Guardian *The most addictive read of 2021 - this book is pure genius. Darkly witty, chilling and totally unputdownable - I defy you not to devour this in one greedy, obsessive gulp -- Rebecca Thornton, author of The FalloutIf you're a fan of Liane Moriarty and Lucy Foley, then this is one for you * New! Magazine *Misery for the Insta-age. A fresh, smart, horribly plausible thriller about the dangers of putting our lives online -- Tammy Cohen, author of The Broken and Stop at NothingA dizzying tale about the dark underbelly of social media * Mail Plus *I tore through People Like Her, suspecting absolutely everyone and delighting in being wrong-footed at every turn . . . Clever, contemporary and thought provoking -- Caz Frear, author of Shed No Tears and Sweet Little LiesWhat a gripping page turner! Loved it -- Charlotte Levin, author of If I Can't Have YouWhat an absolutely white-knuckle ride . . . It got so under my skin I ended up dreaming about the characters. Original, compelling, funny, smart -- just brilliant -- Lucy DiamondSharp observation, well drawn characters and cleverly ramped-up paranoia * Guardian *Compulsively readable, deeply unsettling and deliciously accurate - a long overdue skewering of Instaparents that I read in one sitting -- Francesca Hornak, author of Seven Days of UsA great contemporary subject, examining Instagram culture and the consequences of sharing too much of yourself on social media * Press Association *

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year 2023Into the Dark is the new dark and gripping crime thriller from Fiona Cummins about revenge, greed, ambition and the true cost of friendship.'Complex. Inventive. Twisting. Unsettling.' - Sarah Vaughan, bestselling author of Anatomy of a ScandalThe Place: Seawings, a beautiful Art Deco home overlooking the sweep of the bay in Midtown-on-Sea.The Crime: The gilded Holden family - Piper and Gray and their two teenage children, Riva and Artie - has vanished from the house without a trace.The Detective: DS Saul Anguish, brilliant but with a dark past, treads the narrow line between light and shade.One late autumn morning, Piper’s best friend arrives at Seawings to discover an eerie scene – the kettle is still warm, all the family’s phones are charging on the worktop, the cars are in the garage. But the house is deserted.In fifteen-year-old Riva Holden’s bedroom, scrawled across the mirror in blood, are three words:MakeThemStop.What happens next?Trade ReviewBreathless plotting and twist after twist -- Ian Rankin, bestselling author of the Inspector Rebus seriesThis kept me reading well Into The Dark last night – so many layers of darkness and twisty complexity -- Harriet Tyce, bestselling author of Blood OrangeAn absolute BELTER of a thriller. A superb plot, brilliantly executed and beautifully written. -- Joanna Cannon, bestselling author of The Trouble with Goats and SheepAn absolute masterclass in misdirection. Trust NO ONE. I loved it. -- Sarah HilaryClassy, complex, filled with twists and dizzying reveals and TOTALLY addictive. -- Chris Ewan, author of The InterviewGripping. Twisty. Complex. No one does 'dark with heart' better than Fiona Cummins. -- Tammy CohenSo begins one of the most strikingly original police procedurals this year, whose serpentine twists and turns leave the reader gasping. It is breathtakingly good. -- Geoffrey Wansell * Daily Mail *Fiona Cummins evokes the dark arts of journalism and politics with an insider’s relish in this rich, intricately woven novel of childhood crime and adult redemption. I finished it with my heart in my mouth. Highly recommend -- Louise Candlish on When I Was TenGrips like a vice -- Val McDermid on When I Was TenAbsorbing, tense and beautifully paced -- Daily Mail on When I Was TenDark, creepy and ultimately compassionate . . . a chilling look at the consequences of a childhood gone wrong -- J. P. Delaney on When I Was TenUtterly compelling; a true just-one-more-chapter thriller -- Clare Mackintosh on When I Was TenTrust me – Cummins is a keeper -- Lee Child on The Collector

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Book Synopsis'Fans of Elizabeth Strout and Anne Tyler will devour it.' - Daily MirrorDarkly witty, deeply moving – Jackie Polzin's Brood is a startlingly original debut novel about motherhood, marriage and grief, full of sorrow, joy and unrelenting hope.Over the course of a single year, our nameless narrator heroically tries to keep her small brood of four chickens alive despite the seemingly endless challenges that caring for another creature entails – and all the while struggling to confront her own recent loss. From the forty-below nights of a brutal Minnesota winter to a sweltering summer which brings a surprise tornado, she battles predators, bad luck, and the uncertainty of a future that may not look anything like the one she always imagined.'Full of surprise, humor, grief, and wisdom.' - Karen Joy Fowler, author of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves'The most vibrant and compelling slice of life I’ve been privy to in a great while.' - Claire Lombardo, author of The Most Fun We Ever Had'Splendidly unsentimental, quirky, witty, smart and a complete one-off.' - Clare Chambers, author of Small PleasuresTrade ReviewDarkly funny and poignant. -- Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the TrainFans of Elizabeth Strout and Anne Tyler will devour it. * Daily Mirror *Acutely observed . . . and the chickens provide metaphors for the world at large. * New Yorker *Some novelists floodlight the world; Polzin uses a penlight to beautifully illuminate the least glamorous corners of a quotidian life . . . Her observation of the fragility and loveliness of daily life is so sharp and her commentary so droll, trenchant and precise, that the modest world she describes becomes almost numinous. * Washington Post *Polzin writes beautifully about chickens; she is lovingly cleareyed about their “idiocy” and their dearness. She writes beautifully about everything: the sound of melting snow at the end of a Minnesota winter; a forgotten container of orange sherbet frosted over; private emotion. Her eye for physical detail is surprising, gimlet . . . It’s a pleasure to see what Polzin sees. -- Elizabeth McCracken * New York Times *Brood, which chronicles a year of grief subsumed through care, abounds in wit, charm, and the very mystery of being. -- Joy Williams, author of The Visiting PrivilegeOh, did I love this book and its magnificent cast of characters—human and avian alike. Brood is the most vibrant and compelling slice of life I’ve been privy to in a great while—it’s generous, original, and witty, an absolute treasure of a novel. -- Claire Lombardo, bestselling author of The Most Fun We Ever HadA truly lovely book, and so perfectly balanced – it felt like a masterclass in how to tell a story through restraint. -- Jessie Greengrass, author of The High HouseI loved Polzin's philosophical way of writing and the narrator's stoicism in the face of one loss after another . . . Splendidly unsentimental, quirky, witty, smart and a complete one-off. -- Clare Chambers, author of Small PleasuresA beautiful book: sharp and funny and wonky in a way that only accentuates its depth of feeling, its clarity of thought, and its desperately human sadness. -- Lisa McInerney, author of The Glorious HeresiesThis is the most wonderful book! Acutely observed and flawlessly conveyed. Completely original, full of surprise, humor, grief, and wisdom and just the right amount of chickens. I am hugely on board with Brood. -- Karen Joy Fowler, author of We Are All Completely Beside OurselvesWritten with such wry charm, such lightness of touch, you don’t realise how far it’s got under your skin until it’s too late to stop reading. I read Brood in one go. Very funny, very sad, very wise. * Lucy Caldwell *A profound, uniquely enchanting big hearted novel. Unforgettable and deeply affecting. -- Irenosen Okojie, author of NudibranchI have never read a book like this one. Written with such delicacy, such elegance, the prose made me feel that the narrator has opened her heart to me, even as she withholds so much. This was a book about everything—joy and love and beauty and loss. Marriage and motherhood and friendship and grief. All brought to life through the story of a little backyard flock. I was surprised at every turn, moved to laughter and tears both—I could not put it down. -- Emily Ruskovich, author of IdahoA book about caretaking, about trauma and loss, about keeping others and one’s self alive, with sentences so confident and exact they continually took my breath away, Brood is that rare book that lives inside of you long after it’s over, that reminds you of the vast amounts of life that language is capable of conjuring. -- Lynn Steger Strong, author of WantBrood is beautifully written in a sparse, elegant style and is sharply observed. It’s a compassionate portrait of a grieving woman. I absolutely loved her connection with the chickens, and although it is heartbreaking in places, I was left with a hopeful feeling. For me Brood is about beauty in the small things, those ordinary moments that make up a life. It strikes the perfect balance of tender and wry. -- Haleh Agar, author of Out of TouchWitty and profound . . . Told in short vignettes studded with breath-catching wisdom, this novel feels both delicate and sustaining from beginning to end. * Publisher's Weekly *What pleasant alchemy is this novel? Polzin’s debut conjures humors and sadness in Minnesota, where the narrator ponders the potential of motherhood, a pending move, and the strangeness of raising animals who force us to consider the world in a new, slower, sideways perspective (which leads us to wonder: maybe the strangeness is us?). -- Most Anticipated 2021 Preview * The Millions *

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Book SynopsisLonglisted for the Booker PrizeWinner of the Desmond Elliott PrizeShortlisted for the Sunday Times Young Writer of the YearShortlisted for the Goldsmiths PrizeLonglisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize'Original, memorable, shimmering' - Sarah Moss'Restlessly inventive . . . delicate and persuasive' - The GuardianSomething gleeful and malevolent is moving in Lia’s body, learning her life from the inside out. A shape-shifter. A disaster tourist. It’s travelling down the banks of her canals. It’s spreading.When a sudden diagnosis upends Lia’s world, the boundaries between her past and her present begin to collapse. Deeply buried secrets stir awake. As the voice prowling in Lia takes hold of her story, and the landscape around becomes indistinguishable from the one within, Lia and her family are faced with some of the hardest questions of all: how can we move on from the events that have shaped us, when our bodies harbour everything? And what does it mean to die with grace, when you’re simply not ready to let go?Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies is a story of coming-of-age at the end of a life. Utterly heart-breaking yet darkly funny, Maddie Mortimer’s astonishing debut is a symphonic journey through one woman’s body: a wild and lyrical celebration of desire, forgiveness, and the darkness within us all.Trade ReviewRemarkable . . . A tearjerker, but it's hopeful too . . . Brave, inventive and mature * Sunday Times *Here is a book to dance and sing about. An extraordinary, kaleidoscopic dive into language -- Daisy Johnson, Man Booker-shortlisted author of Everything, UnderCompelling and uplifting . . . undeniably impressive: Mortimer is clearly a talent to watch * Telegraph *An original and memorable novel written in shimmering prose. The characters stayed with me long after I’d finished reading -- Sarah Moss, Women's Prize-shortlisted author of Ghost Wall and SummerwaterLyrical and beautiful, this is a novel unlike anything else * Stylist *Both expansive and intimate, Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies is an intricate portrait of a life hurtling towards the inevitable. An extraordinary debut. -- Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Sunday Times bestselling author of The MerciesStriking . . . formally inventive . . . Sadness is not allowed to crowd out wit and joy * New Yorker *A beautiful novel about death that feels completely alive, pulsing with tenderness and wit -- Megan Hunter, author of The End We Start From and The HarpyAn extraordinary debut, unlike anything I've read. Wildly inventive, poetic and poignant, this is a rare gem of a novel that took my imagination to new places and touched my heart. -- Emma Stonex, Sunday Times bestselling author of The LamplightersTechnically dazzling . . . Mortimer has the same felicity with language as Jon McGregor, combining an incantatory prose style with imagery so acute it almost burns * Daily Mail *Ambitious, sprawling . . . brings to mind Eimear McBride's A Girl Is a Half-Formed Thing . . . restlessly inventive . . . delicate and persuasive . . . sharply funny * Guardian *It may move between different styles and moods, but underpinning it all is the book’s bursting energy and, in the face of death, its verve for life * i newspaper *This is a touching, eye-opening perspective on life and illness like you've never read before * Good Housekeeping *Using word placement, font, and shape to create images on the page, Mortimer deepens the reader’s engagement with the story and characters . . . Through breathtaking attention to detail, Mortimer crafts a stunning novel that touches on the expanses one life can contain * Booklist (starred) *Maddie Mortimer's dazzling debut novel about a woman with breast cancer is a life-affirming read - all the more so because of its proximity to death . . . While there are many books that explore these themes, it is rare to find one that does so in such an immersive and harrowing way * Straits Times *

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Book SynopsisNumber one New York Times bestselling author W. Bruce Cameron once again captures the bravery and determination of a very good dog in the gripping sequel to A Dog’s Way Home, the acclaimed novel that inspired the hit movie.Bella was once a lost dog, but now she lives happily with her people, Lucas and Olivia, only occasionally recalling the hardships in her past. Then a weekend camping trip turns into a harrowing struggle for survival when the Rocky Mountains are engulfed by the biggest wildfire in American history. The raging inferno separates Bella from her people and she is lost once more.Alone in the wilderness, Bella unexpectedly finds herself responsible for the safety of two defenceless mountain lion cubs. Now she’s torn between two equally urgent goals. More than anything, she wants to find her way home to Lucas and Olivia – but not if it means abandoning her new family to danger. And danger abounds, from predators hunting them to the flames threatening at every turn.Can Bella ever get back to where she truly belongs?A Dog's Courage is a moving tale of loyalty and the constant heart of one devoted dog – brought vividly to life with a keen understanding of what makes all dogs so special.Trade ReviewAnother winning tale of an extraordinary human-canine companionship full of tug-at-the-heartstrings adventure -- Booklist on A Dog's Way Home

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Book SynopsisAs seen on Kay Burley at BreakfastThe Theory of (Not Quite) Everything by Kara Gnodde is a tender, intelligent and uplifting novel about brothers and sisters, true love in all its forms, and how life is more than just a numbers game . . .'Tender, unique and uplifting, it explores sibling love, romantic love and the love between friends. Such an accomplished debut' – Beth O'Leary, bestselling author of The Flat Share'[A] sunny debut, in which heart and mind must work together to shed light on a family secret' – Daily MailLike circles of a Venn diagram, Mimi and Art Brotherton have always come as a pair. Devoted siblings, they're bound together in their childhood home by the tragic death of their parents.Art believes that people - including his sister - are incapable of making sensible decisions when it comes to love. That’s what algorithms are for.Mimi knows that her brother is a mathematical genius. But she believes that maths isn’t the answer to everything. Not quite. Especially when it comes to love.Still, when Mimi begins her search for a soulmate, Art's insistence that she follow a strict mathematical plan seems reasonable. The arrival of Frank, however - a romantic stargazer who is definitely not algorithm-approved - challenges the siblings' relationship to breaking point. As their equilibrium falters, Art's mistrust of Frank grows, but so do Mimi's feelings. Something about Frank doesn't quite add up, and only Art can see it . . .'Gorgeous' – Rosie Walsh, bestselling author of The Man Who Didn't Call'My book of the year . . . Smart, funny, tender' – Kate Weinberg, bestselling author of The Truants'A delightfully clever tale of first love, loss and an unforgettable sibling relationship' – Marianne Cronin, author of The One Hundred Years of Lenni and MargotTrade ReviewThe Theory of (Not Quite) Everything is such a special novel. Tender, unique and uplifting, it explores sibling love, romantic love and the love between friends. Such an accomplished debut. -- Beth O'Leary, bestselling author of The Flat Share and The Road Trip[A] sunny debut, in which heart and mind must work together to shed light on a family secret * Daily Mail *Gorgeous -- Rosie Walsh, author of The Man Who Didn't Call and The Love of My LifeThe Theory of (Not Quite) Everything is (quite) wonderful. Happily, no maths is required to find Kara Gnodde’s writing – rich with metaphor and passion – totally absorbing. A delight -- Katherine Heiny, author of Early Morning RiserPoignant and compelling * Woman's Weekly *A perfectly balanced equation of head and heart. My book of the year. I fell in love with Mimi and Art, and the smart, funny, tender world that Gnodde creates -- Kate Weinberg, author of The TruantsI was thoroughly invested in both Art and Mimi and emotionally devastated by the twists that lay ahead. Debut author, Kara Gnodde, is one to watch * Red Magazine *Quirky, warm and uplifting, we loved this * Fabulous Magazine *A beautiful book full of life, love and maths -- Matson Taylor, bestselling author of The Miseducation of Evie HepworthIf this novel about mathematicians were a math problem, and Kara Gnodde set out to prove that love is varied, unpredictable, and infinite in its capacity to expand, then she's done it. I adored this quirky, big-hearted book -- Mary Beth Keane, New York Times bestselling author of Ask Again, YesA delightfully clever tale of first love, loss and an unforgettable sibling relationship -- Marianne Cronin, author of The One Hundred Years of Lenni and MargotKara Gnodde’s debut novel is an exquisite piece of writing that is as intricate and beautiful as mathematics itself. Do not miss this one -- Annabel Monaghan, author of Nora Goes Off ScriptDrawing comparisons to The Rosie Project and Lessons in Chemistry, this debut is a poignant and uplifting tale of love, logic and the devotion between brothers and sisters * Culturefly *The Theory of (Not Quite) Everything is a moving exploration of the bond between siblings and the long shadow of tragic events on the way they navigate relationships. It's also a compelling novel about the many ways that we protect the people we love -- Balli Kaur Jaswal, author of Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows[A] feel-good novel that's meticulously researched, with quirky, well-rounded characters. Plot twists are woven in amongst astute psychological insights, making this a story I gobbled up in just a few sittings. -- Florence Knapp, author of The Names

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Book SynopsisCan this East End girl find a better life? Born in a tenement on the Isle of Dogs, Jessie has higher hopes for her future. When she manages to land a job at the Telephone Exchange, her earnings allow her to join the choir at the People's Palace. There, she catches the eye of the charming James Medway who sweeps her off her feet.But married life isn't a bed of roses, and when Jessie falls pregnant it quickly becomes clear that James is far from the doting husband she'd hoped for. Can Jessie find a way to stay strong for her baby?A heart-warming and gripping East End Saga, perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Maggie Hope.

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Book SynopsisA tender portrait of grief, fatherhood and a life going to pieces from the bestselling author.'Vivid and moving... It would be hard to find a better writer than Petterson' Irish TimesIn 1992 Arvid Jansen is thirty-eight, divorced and paralysed by grief. More than a year has passed since the tragic accident that took his parents and two of his brothers.Existence has become a question of holding on to a few firm things. Loud, smoky bars, whisky, records, company for the night and taxis home. Or driving his Mazda into the stunning, solitary landscape outside of Oslo, sleeping in the car when his bed is an impossible place to be.Adrift and inept, Arvid feels his life unravelling. Is there any redemption for a man in his situation?'Per Petterson writes about masculinity as well as anyone' Torrey Peters'A rare insight into male vulnerability' Evening StandardTrade ReviewPetterson's spare and deliberate prose has astonishing force * The New Yorker *Petterson is a profoundly gifted novelist -- Richard FordIs there a living writer better at conveying the disconcerting relationship between time and memory?... There is pleasure, too, in watching Petterson shift through the gears from pleasure to unease in one of those gloriously sinuous sentences that have become something of a trademark -- Adrian Turpin * Financial Times *Petterson is remarkably gifted -- James WoodReading a Petterson novel is like falling into a northern landscape painting-all shafts of light and clear palpable chill * Time *

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Book Synopsis*THE #3 IRISH BESTSELLER*'Momentous and epic' BERNARD MACLAVERTY'Superb and moving' JOHN BANVILLE'A lovely, piercing book' SEBASTIAN BARRYThree generations. More than a century of famine, war, violence and love. At sixteen Nancy, the only member of her family to survive the Great Famine, leaves her small island for the mainland. Finding work in a grand house on the edge of Cork City, she feels irrepressibly drawn to the charismatic gardener Michael Egan, sparking a love affair that soon throws her into a fight for her life. In 1920, Nancy's son Jer has lived through battles of his own as a soldier in the Great War. Now drunk in a jail cell, he struggles to piece together where he has come from, and who he wants to be. And in the early 1980s, Jer's youngest child Nellie is nearing the end of her life in a council house, moments away from her childhood home; remembering the night when she and her family stole back something that was rightfully theirs, she imagines what lies in store for those who will survive her.'Brilliantly immerses us in its respective time periods' SUNDAY TIMESTrade ReviewBilly O'Callaghan's writing is so good and true it feels almost magical; Life Sentences is a beautiful book, a small epic, a joy. -- Sadie JonesO'Callaghan is amongst the finest storytellers and wordsmiths in Ireland today. -- Anne GriffinA beautiful novel. -- Eithne Shortall * Sunday Times Culture *The strength of Life Sentences lies in its long range but intimate style . . . A reader could profitably finish the book and go straight back to its beginning -- John Self * Spectator *People who read Sebastian Barry, Donal Ryan, Liam O'Flaherty will really love [Life Sentences] . . . It's my book of the year so far. -- Ryan Tubridy * RTÉ Radio One *

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA FIRST NOVEL AWARD AND LONGLISTED FOR THE DESMOND ELLIOTT PRIZEFROM THE AUTHOR OF THE BOY WITH THE TOPKNOT AND EMPIRELAND'Enormously enjoyable' SUNDAY TIMES'A satirical masterpiece' TELEGRAPH'Sanghera's tender and funny book is a cracking and pacy read' OBSERVER'A stunning novel . . . touching and funny and feels so fresh . . . it just leaps off the page. I adored it' DEBORAH MOGGACH'Impressive' GUARDIAN'Entertaining' INDEPENDENT When Arjan returns to the Black Country after his father's death, his family's corner shop represents everything he tried to leave behind. But his mother insists on keeping the business open, and Arjun finds himself being dragged back from London, and forced into big decisions about his own relationship. Yet Arjan's story isn't the first and it won't be the last: Surinder and Kamaljit, two sisters, a generation back in the family, also experienced their own share of betrayals and loyalties, loves and regrets.Praise for Empireland'A fascinating reckoning with a history of empire' GUARDIAN'I only wish this book had been around when I was at school' SADIQ KHAN'Balanced and insightful' THE TIMES'This immensely readable book is very timely' FINANCIAL TIMES'An important book' NEW STATESMAN Trade ReviewEnormously enjoyable…Marriage Material isn’t simply an ingenious exercise in updating…Sanghera’s central subject, as in his much-praised memoir, The Boy with the Topknot, is prejudice…One of the novel’s achievements is to keep you in mind of all this while maintaining a tone of shrewdly humorous tolerance. Sanghera’s forte is wry comedy tinged with pathos…There is a concluding twist that has all the poisonous horror of finding a cobra coiled around boxes of confectionary in a corner shop…[A] warm, keenly observant and immensely appealing novel. * Sunday Times *Having grown up in a corner shop in the West Midlands, I hoped that Sathnam Sanghera's Marriage Material would resonate. I was expecting acerbic wit, unsentimental tenderness and a Black Country setting – and it lived up to my stupid expectations. I really wanted to like it and I loved it - which never seems to happen. I usually damn things with high hopes. It was a lot of things I expected - funny and tender and scathing - but it's insanely gripping as well. So much of the newsagent detailing was completely spot on – there was plenty of my Dad in the character of Tanvir, plenty of all of my family in there really. A great achievement.A satirical masterpiece … A razor-sharp disquisition on the trials of being an Asian newsagent…Handled with a poignancy that makes it hurt to read. But those tears are soon replaced by ones of laughter … As past and present collide in a violent, twisty finale, it is clear that the caste system of the old country is alive and dangerous. Sanghera is such an engaging and versatile writer that the pages fly by in a flurry of pathos, politics and paratha with extra butter. Not many readers will recognise this satirical mini-masterpiece as a reworking of the 1908 Arnold Bennett novel The Old Wives’ Tale, but everyone will feel richer for its uncompromising take on race relations in the Black Country. * Sunday Telegraph *A stunning novel ... touching and funny and feels so fresh ... it just leaps off the page. I adored it.His poignant memoir of growing up in 1980s Wolverhampton won Sathnam Sanghera an army of admirers as well as a clutch of nominations and awards. Five years on, he has turned his literary talents in the direction of fiction, with this funny and insightful first novel the result … A thoughtful examination of the complexities of modern Britain … An engrossing, entertaining and rewarding read. * Daily Mail *Smart, funny and melancholic, Sanghera's debut novel goes straight to the heart of family life * Marie Claire *A novel that ingeniously ‘shoplifts’ (his word) characters and elements of plot from Arnold Bennett’s The Old Wives’ Tale…This dangerous material is handled with a darkly comic lightness of touch, and an impassively detached ironic tone that may owe something to Bennett — like Bennett, Sanghera makes good use of local newspaper cuttings, letters to the editor, and contemporary fashion magazine material, which gives an unobtrusively authentic period flavour to each passing phase. This book is so well researched you hardly notice the work that’s gone into it…The mix of comedy, satire, realism and optimism is nicely judged. * Spectator *Subtle and often very funny prose … What lifts this novel far above cliché is Sanghera’s deft sense of irony and self-awareness regarding his subject matter … The family’s unfolding history is beautifully counterpointed by real-life events in the local political landscape … Sanghera’s tender and funny book is a cracking and pacy read. * Observer *Sathnam Sanghera’s entertaining story is a “remix” of Arnold Bennett’s classic novel The Old Wives’ Tale … Playful wit infuses the novel … But behind the humour and the plot twists, is an important novel that explores an often overlooked part of this country's history … That the story of the Victorian mercantile class told in Bennett’s novel is so easily transposed onto the community Sanghera grew up in nearly a century later is absolutely fascinating, and by recognizing and exploiting this with excellent effect, he examines the nationwide story of British immigration through the prism of the Punjabi Sikh experience. * Independent *A funny and touching read ... Brilliant … A superbly updated version of Arnold Bennett’s The Old Wives’ Tale. At its heart, this is a simple story of family … yet, all this is handled throughout with the lightest of touches, so that on reaching the end, you want to begin again to pick up the subtle nuances of this book * Psychologies *It is very good and has many of the qualities found in Bennett’s masterpiece: acute observation of society and societal change, thoroughly imagined and well depicted characters, mastery of naturalistic detail, and generosity of tone. It is very enjoyable … It does what the novel can still do better than any other art-form: showing you that other people think and act in a manner very different from your own, but one which is equally valid … It is [a novel] which celebrates that most necessary of qualities, kindness … It is acute about human frailty, but also understanding of this. It is often funny and its great merit is its humanity. It’s worthy homage to Arnold Bennett. * Scotsman *Marriage Material is a comic feast, full of delectable matter. It does what only the best comic fiction can do: it robes important social subjects in laughter. Then, too, by the end, I felt I knew Sathnam Sanghera’s characters intimately and felt so warmly about them, I didn’t want them to go: no mean feat, given that I’ve never been into a Wolverhampton corner shop, either in Enoch Powell's scurrilous heyday or more recently. This is a splendid debut.Marriage Material is a wonderfully engaging book, full of heart and wit. Its exploration of what it means to feel torn is rich and subtle. Its characters stay with you. Its jokes make you laugh in the night.It will take virtually no pages for you to be hooked * Harper's Bazaar - 5 Books for the Autumn *Sanghera’s Marriage Material has humour [and] cultural relevance…Anyone who’s grown up as a second generation immigrant can relate to the themes seen here … I’d heartily recommend Marriage Material to anyone who needs a little push to reconnect to where they’ve come from, be it Copenhagen or Punjab. * Stylist *Sanghera’s story captures a time of extraordinary changes in Wolverhampton […] Discrimination, mixed-race marriages and the changing face of Britain appear in both Sanghera’s timelines. As the novel progresses, the stories collide and there are startling revelations, humour and mystery. It is smartly crafted, weaving in droll observations about immigrant life and the defensiveness of south Asians living away from home, while also providing a thoughtful commentary on the casual racism of Britain, the tedium of always being out of place and the complexities of belonging in an increasingly heterogeneous world. * Financial Times *Sanghera ... tells a larger story about the big political and economic struggles of the past half-century. He examines changing attitudes to immigration, the rise of big-box stores and the hollowing out of Britain’s industrial centres ... Sanghera, who grew up in Wolverhampton himself, does a good job of capturing the complications of progress. * The Economist *

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Book SynopsisIf you could test your son for a gene that predicts violence, would you do it?Antonia and Bea are sisters, and doting mothers to their sons. But that is where their similarities end.Antonia had her son tested to make sure he didn't possess the "violent" M gene.Bea refuses to let her son take the test. His life should not be determined by a positive or negative result.These women will go to any length to protect their sons.But one of them is hiding a monster.And there will be fatal consequences for everybody....PRAISE FOR JAYNE COWIE: 'Nature, nurture, and parenting styles go to war in Jayne Cowie's tense thriller with a twist' Christina Dalcher, Sunday Times bestselling author of VOX'Original and unsettling' The Sun'So timely, so relevant and so remarkably written, it's going to live with me for some time to come' John Marrs, #1 bestselling author of The One

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Book Synopsis'Catherine Cookson soars above her rivals' Mail on Sunday'Her characters have the grit of real life' Sunday Times'Queen of raw family romances' TelegraphA rags-to-riches story of a young woman who must overcome the scandal of her past to forge a new life.In Heap Hollow cottage in County Durham live what appears to be a close and loving family. But across the happy façade lies a shadow that has lengthened and darkened with the passing years. Their narrow-minded neighbours disapprove of the family's choices because of their illegitimacy, their mother and father never having married.Anna, the eldest daughter, is determined to face the challenging legacy of her birth and prove herself to those in the community who look down on her. Will her strength of character and zest for life be enough to put the scandal of her past behind her and forge a new life?Previously published as The GillyvorsTrade ReviewCatherine Cookson soars above her rivals * Mail on Sunday *Her characters have the grit of real lif * Sunday Times *Queen of raw family romances * Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisAN OBSERVER BEST DEBUT NOVEL OF 2023WINNER OF THE 2021 #MERKY BOOKS NEW WRITERS' PRIZENik has lots of questions about his late father but knows better than to ask his mother, Avani. It's their unspoken rule.But when his grandfather dies, Nik has the opportunity to learn about the man he never met. Armed with a key and new knowledge about his parents' past, Nik sets out to unlock the secrets that his mother has been holding onto his whole life.The Things That We Lost is a beautifully tender exploration of family, loss and how far we will go to protect the ones we love.Trade ReviewAn assured debut from a vital new voice. About family, grief and belonging, Patel weaves an intricate story that will stay with you. * Nikesh Shukla, author of Brown Baby and The Good Immigrant *Brilliant. * Candice Brathwaite *Incredible. * Guz Khan *Effortlessly weaving intricate intergenerational stories across time, Jyoti has written a poignant debut. * Christian Adofo, author of A Quick Ting on #Afrobeats *A big book, full of assured and affecting writing. . Secrets spill and relationships sour, sacrifices are made and promises are broken, as plot twists propel the narrative forward to a dramatic finale. * The Guardian *One of the best books I've read this year. * gal-dem *A thoughtful meditation on family, grief and the lengths we'll go to protect the ones we love. * Good Housekeeping *A deftly assured debut novel about a fractured family and how words left unspoken can be more devastating than the truth. * Red Magazine *Patel's novel revolves around the lingering trauma of bereavement and shows the lengths we go to to protect those closest to us. Sensitively written with a deep, emotional undercurrent. * Mr Porter *Highly recommended. * Huffington Post *The debut novel from 2021 Merky Books New Writers' Prize winner Jyoti may be one of the best books you read this year. The Things That We Lost is an achingly tender and heartfelt exploration of family, loss, and the lengths to which we go to protect the ones we love... Jyoti Patel is an exciting new writer, deftly exploring deep family intricacies, love and grief in equal measure. * Platinum *An invigorating narrative centred around family, loss and protection. * The Handbook *There is an immersive and intimate quality about Patel's writing - from its portrayal of London teenage slang to the detailed depiction of British-Gujarati culture. Her characters have a depth that brings a poignant reality to issues around coping with grief, abuse and racial prejudice, and navigating family and friendship dynamics. An enthralling read." * Breaking News.ie *Immeasurably moving, a poignant and touching story about love and family bonds, and an especially tender portrait of a mother and son. * Huma Qureshi *A deeply reflective, searching depiction of grief. * Rabeea Saleem, The Times Literary Supplement *The Things That We Lost took me by the hand and guided me through my worst ever reading slump! Patel writes about the complexities of family life with such wisdom and heart. * Sairish Hussain *Captivating and deeply moving. * Mohsin Zaidi *Frank, funny and light on its feet, it's a novel about generations, hopes and grief. A writer with a deft turn of phrase. * Ali Smith *A beautiful novel; it feels real and honest, with characters that seem to lift off the page and come alive…[it] is a book bursting with love * The List *

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Book SynopsisThe first collection of extraordinary stories from one of the greatest writers of our time. With astonishing clarity, Booker Prize winner Galgut explores both the intimacies and violence of family life against the complex landscape of 1980s South Africa.From a mother who experiences a devastating unmooring after her child falls gravely ill, to a son retracing his late father's brief yet passionate affair, the stories ripple out from one another, tenderly exposing those bonds we cannot escape.PRAISE FOR DAMON GALGUT:'Galgut seems to deliver effortlessly...there's nothing he can't do' Times'Damon Galgut is very nearly without peer...an essential writer' Garth Greenwell'Terrifically agile and consistently interesting...certainly up there with Nadine Gordimer and JM Coetzee' Guardian Trade ReviewOne of the world's greatest writers -- Edmund WhiteRemarkable...astonishingly mature, subtle and understated * Sunday Express *Galgut explores grief, despair and love in a way that feels ageless * Literary Review *In Mr. Galgut's fiction South Africa materialises, vast, astonishing, resonant. And on this vastness, he stages intimate dramas that have the force of ancient myth * Wall Street Journal *

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Book Synopsis'Funny and well observed, this timely novel explores the isolation of new motherhood O'Keeffe examines themes of class, race, privilege and gender with a deft touch which will speak loudly to a certain generation. I loved this book.' CLOVER STROUD, AUTHOR OF MY WILD AND SLEEPLESS NIGHTS'A warm-hearted and entertaining debut' HANNAH BECKERMAN, OBSERVER'A poignant tale of modern family life' WOMAN & HOME'On the Up is a gem of a novel that holds up a mirror to the way we live now.' RED'Funny and compassionate' NEW STATESMAN'Funny and real, this is a blast of fresh air.' FABULOUS'An uplifting debut.' HELLO'I love the way this book makes the domestic political, and vice versa' POLLY SAMSON'An intimate exploration of womanhood and the idea of home and belonging. Funny, melancholic, and full of warmth' XIAOLU GUO '[Alice writes] really well about the frustrations of not having much money in a culture that is geared towards those that have it all. It's not a topic we see a lot of in contemporary fiction and I found it very refreshing to see it tackled here.' LAURA BARNETT author of The Versions of Us'I love this book. Funny, heart-felt and poignant. It reflects perfectly the experiences of a generation that doesn't ever seem to have as much time, or money, as our parents had.' TOBIAS JONES'an uplifting book about persevering through the tough times ... an amazing debut.' YAHOOBy reading Style magazine, I was training myself not to want things. It was going quite well. I had already found that I did not want a pair of Yves Saint Laurent mules, a chandelier made from plastic antlers, or a diamond-encrusted necklace in the shape of a pineapple. I was still working on not wanting a fitted farmhouse kitchen in warm wood. Sylvia lives in a flat on a council estate with her not-quite-husband Obe and their two young children. She dreams of buying a house on a leafy street like the one she grew up in. If she closes her eyes, she can see it all so clearly: the stripped floorboards, the wisteria growing around the door... It's not ideal that she's about to be made redundant, or that Obe, a playworker, is never going to earn more than the minimum wage. As sleep deprivation sets in, and the RnB downstairs gets ever louder, Sylvia's life starts to unravel.But when the estate is earmarked for redevelopment, the threat to her community gives Sylvia a renewed sense of purpose. With a bit of help from her activist sister, and her film-maker friend Frankie, she's ready to take a stand for what she believes in.Trade ReviewOn the Up is a gem of a novel that holds up a mirror to the way we live now. - RedAlice O'Keeffe's funny and compassionate debut novel shows a deep understanding of contemporary urban life, and covers themes of dependence, parenthood, post-natal depression, social housing and the wealth divide. - New Statesman'A warm-hearted and entertaining debut' - Observer'An intimate exploration of womanhood and the idea of home and belonging. Funny, melancholic, and full of warmth''A poignant tale of modern family life' - Woman & HomeFunny and real, this is a blast of fresh air. - FABULOUSAn uplifting debut. - HELLOI love the way this book makes the domestic political, and vice versa

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Book Synopsis'An eerie and atmospheric mystery that kept me guessing from start to finish' Allie Reynolds, author of Shiver One year ago, Leah's twenty-one-year-old niece, Amy, mysteriously drowned near her family-owned luxury resort on the shores of Lake Garda. Now, returning to Italy for the first time since Amy's death, Leah is shocked to find her family seem to have erased all reminders of Amy. Despite the murky circumstances, they insist her death was an accident but Leah knows she must look deeper if she is to uncover the truth. Meanwhile, in Derby, university counsellor Joanna is recovering from a surprising break-up when she is swept off her feet by a handsome bartender. But after she invites him into her home, Joanna is forced to accept that she doesn't know him as well as she thought.What follows is a propulsive game of cat-and mouse as both women begin to realise that appearances can be deceptive - and that the darkest secrets often lie closest to home.Trade ReviewA luxury Italian resort with a dark side. A cast of suspicious, secretive characters. The Other Guest is an eerie and atmospheric mystery that kept me guessing from start to finish * Allie Reynolds, author of Shiver *Teased out against the slick and stylish backdrop of Lake Garda, The Other Guest had me simultaneously glued to my seat and wanting to jump on a flight. It served up the perfect combination of glamour, intrigue and sibling rivalry. I really enjoyed it! * Polly Phillips *Sinister and beautifully atmospheric, The Other Guest lures you with the promise of a luxury island before revealing its darker, claustrophobic side. I loved it. * L. V. Matthews *A cleverly-plotted thriller in a luxurious and sun-drenched setting, where two seemingly-unconnected stories come together in a totally unexpected way. A great holiday read * Catherine Cooper *An exquisite setting masks layers of secrets in this captivating thriller . . . beautifully written, powerfully conveyed, and swirling with mysteries you'll race to the last page to solve * Megan Collins *Masterfully written, drawing you in to the lives of the fascinating characters as the tension builds and builds. Compelling, perfectly paced, and packed full of suspense * Sarah Bonner *Difficult-to-put down thriller... Brilliantly characterized, boldly plotted, and boasting an ending that readers will think they have figured out only to have everything turned around. The perfect vacation thriller. * Booklist *[A] strong psychological thriller...Credible characters enhance the suspenseful plot. Cooper remains a writer to watch. * Publishers Weekly *In this captivating slow-burner, dark secrets lurk beneath a luxurious lakeside resort in Italy with mysterious connections to a handsome bartender in England. Helen Cooper deftly navigates between what seems like two completely separate narratives bundled in The Other Guest: One involves a murder hushed up by the victim's own family, and the other involves a blossoming romance. You'll be hooked on trying to solve this puzzle! * Reader's Digest *A masterpiece of storytelling with twist after unguessable twist. I relished every delicious page. If you can't actually go on holiday, just read this book and you're in a luxury Italian resort, you can smell it, taste it, feel it. * Lucy Martin *

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Book Synopsis'Exquisite'New York Times'A superb family drama'Daily Mail'A searingly intelligent writer' Jennifer Egan'A twist of eerie magic'Tessa Hadley'A singular, extraordinary delight' Claire Lombardo'Every novel of Margot Livesey's is a joyous discovery'Alice Sebold'A tender, deeply humane exploration of what it means to hold another's heart in yours with tenderness and mercy'Elizabeth WetmoreOne September afternoon in 1999, teenagers Matthew, Zoe, and Duncan Lang are walking home from school when they discover a boy lying in a field, bloody and unconscious. Thanks to their intervention, the boy's life is saved. In the aftermath, all three siblings are irrevocably changed.Matthew, the oldest, becomes obsessed with tracking down the assailant, secretly searching the local town with the victim's brother. Zoe wanders the streets of Oxford, looking at men, and one of them, a visiting American graduate student, looks back. Duncan, the youngest, who has seldom thought about being adopted, suddenly decides he wants to find his birth mother. Overshadowing all three is the awareness that something is amiss in their parents' marriage.Over the course of the autumn, as each of the siblings confronts the complications and contradictions of their approaching adulthood, they find themselves at once drawn together and driven apart.A New York Times Notable Book of the Year and Daily Mail and O Magazine Book of the year.Trade ReviewThis is the kind of book you ration yourself reading because you don't want to get to the end. A gripping, beautifully written novel showing the light and shade of modern family life * Daily Mail *Written in elegant, spare prose, this story flies swiftly forward from the transfixing opening pages. A charming, complicated family dynamic, a twist of eerie magic -- Tessa HadleyExquisite . . . Livesey's writing is quiet, observant and beautifully efficient * New York Times *A superb family drama -- Wendy Holden * Daily Mail, Best Books of 2020 *I loved every single sentence of The Boy in the Field. This novel is so intricately woven, its world so vibrantly built, its characters so beautifully and empathically wrought. To experience the world as rendered by Margot Livesey is a singular, extraordinary delight. -- Claire Lombardo, author of THE MOST FUN WE EVER HADElegant writing, intriguing and subtle -- Lucy AtkinsLuminous... Livesey's language is crystalline-clear and immersive, replete with vibrant imagery... Full of kindness * Boston Globe *How lucky the world is that Margot Livesey has turned her usual keen and sympathetic writer's eye to the Lang children - Duncan, Zoe, and Matthew- as they struggle to make sense of a terrible crime and the sensitive, mysterious young victim who suffers in the aftermath. From its taut and frightening opening chapter to its final, mournful pages, The Boy in the Field is a tender, deeply humane exploration of family, philosophy, and what it means to grow up, to keep secrets, to care for one another, and most importantly, what it means to hold another's heart in yours, always, with tenderness and mercy -- Elizabeth Wetmore, author of VALENTINEFamily bonds are fraught, fragile, yet ultimately enduring in Livesey's nuanced account of the siblings' separate but conjoined odysseys . . . Livesey demonstrates . . . respect for the mysteries of the human heart . . . Quietly yet powerfully affecting. * Kirkus (starred) *Every character rings true; every observation and reaction feels real. Braiding three separate views of the same incident, Livesey weaves a masterful tapestry of emotion and action focused on the indelible impact of random events * Booklist (starred review) *Livesey deftly portrays the rich inner lives of adolescents . . . [she] does well by her teenage protagonists while offering a vivid portrait of life among intellectuals in an Oxford-vicinity village. * Library Journal *Margot Livesey has the unique ability to find the hidden darkness beneath the surface of our lives, no matter how deeply buried. A deceptively simple story that explores the aftermath of a moment of violence, The Boy in the Field amazed me with its insight, and the subtlety of Livesey's beautiful, almost dreamlike prose. -- Kevin Wilson, author of NOTHING TO SEE HEREFilled with detailed observation and a precisely delineated plot, The Boy in the Field will please readers who enjoy coming-of-age stories written with psychological precision and empathy. * BookPage *A stunning novel of tenderness, interconnectedness, cause and effect . . . this brilliant novel offers a sense of beauty and safety in its quiet ruminations * Shelf Awareness *Margot Livesey is a searingly intelligent writer at the height of her powers. -- Jennifer EganEvery novel of Margot Livesey's is, for her readers, a joyous discovery. Her work radiates with compassion and intelligence and always, deliciously, mystery -- Alice Sebold, author of THE LOVELY BONESMargot Livesey should be better known . . . [She] writes as well as anyone and is clearly steeped in the literary canon . . . She's a patient builder of complex characters who are often brought face to face with uncomfortable truths about themselves. -- Mark Kamine * Wall Street Journal *Livesey knows her way around human desire and disappointment. * New York Times *MERCURY explores that thrilling, terrifying moment when grief turns blind, when passion becomes obsession. As always, Livesey tells her tale masterfully, with intelligence, tenderness and a shrewd understanding of all our mercurial human impulses. -- Lily King on MERCURYConsuming . . . Explores themes of honesty and understanding by showing the impact that obsessions - grief, rapacity - can have on a marriage * New Yorker on MERCURY *

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Book SynopsisAS HEARD ON BBC RADIO 4'S BOOK AT BEDTIMEWINNER OF THE FICTION PRIZE AT THE EAST ANGLIAN BOOK AWARDS 2021'A poignant and page turning apocalyptic tale of the foibles, strengths and hopes of humanity. I was gripped, both terrified and emotional throughout and I loved every minute of it.' SIMON SAVIDGE'An immersive end of the world story full of hope and imagination' THE GUARDIAN'A terrific debut. Brave, unexpected... transfixing and captivating... full of hope, resilience and love' THE SUNDAY TIMES'Holds the big within the small, the intimate within the epic' - Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The Mercies'A captivating read' THE SUN'GORGEOUS and original and captivating' - Marian Keyes, international bestselling author of Grown Ups'A captivating read... (a) beautiful, surprising novel' FABULOUS 'A novel that has stayed with me for weeks afterwards . . . Perceptive and unflinching' - Jessie Burton, author of The Miniaturist'A quiet, piercing contemplation on what really matters when it comes to the end of the world. Strange and beautiful' - Abigail Dean, author of Girl A'Beautiful and harrowing but also optimistic and extremely moving . . . a truly arresting depiction of an unlikely relationship' - Clover Stroud, author of The Wild Other'I didn't want this book to end. It blew me away, and moved me beyond belief' - Bryony Gordon, author of Mad GirlHER WORLD FELL TO PIECES.FROM THE BONES SHE BUILT A NEW LIFE.Ruth lives in the heart of the city. Working, drinking, falling in love: the rhythm of her vivid and complicated life is set against a background hum of darkening news reports from which she deliberately turns away. When a new romance becomes claustrophobic, Ruth chooses to leave behind the failing relationship, but also her beloved friends and family, and travels to the other side of the world in pursuit of her dream life working with whales in New Zealand. But when Ruth arrives, the news cycle she has been ignoring for so long is now the new reality. Far from home and with no real hope of survival, she finds herself climbing into the mouth of a beached whale alongside a stranger. When she emerges, it is to a landscape that bears no relation to the world they knew before. When all has been razed to the ground, what does it mean to build a life? The Stranding is a story about the hope that can remain even when the world is changed beyond recognition.Trade ReviewIt's GORGEOUS and original and captivating . . . Beautiful writing and characters I cared for as if they were my own family * Marian Keyes, international bestselling author of Grown Ups *Brilliant and original, THE STRANDING illuminates the beauty and fragility of humanity with a story so immersive and tender; I was surprised to find myself still in familiar surroundings when I surfaced from it. Kate Sawyer masterfully weaves a gripping narrative between a world disappeared and a world that must begin anew in this ultimately hopeful tale of love, loss and survival in the face of overwhelming odds. With characters you'll be thinking about long after the end, THE STRANDING is an absolute must read! Get one for yourself and one for a friend * Buki Papillon, author of An Ordinary Wonder *The Stranding is the perfect book, both intellectually stimulating and a page-turner. Kate Sawyer's writing awakened all of my senses, transported me into other worlds. I could not put it down * Olia Hercules, author of Summer Kitchens *What a fabulous piece of storytelling. So original and compelling and Kate Sawyer writes like a dream * Julie Owen Moylan, author *The Stranding is a breathtaking book about relationships, love and human resilience at the end of the world; it's beautifully written and I know I'll be thinking about it for a very long time! * Lex Croucher, author of Reputation *Powerful, atmospheric and utterly transfixing * Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne *An extremely powerful, bold but unassuming book about connection, the planet, sexuality and family * Alice Ash, author of Paradise Block *Sensitive, gripping, thought-provoking and edifying, THE STRANDING is a book of our times, and reminds us that no life lives forever; how precious our moments are * Laura Carlin, author of The Wicked Cometh and Requiem for a Knave *A beautiful, heart-wrenching, moving novel. The depth of love, passion and authentic feeling amongst the backdrop of a bleak post-apocalyptic world is quite extraordinary * Susannah Wise, author of This Fragile Earth *The Stranding is an original, compelling and brilliantly written story. I loved the dual timelines of 'before' and 'after' and could not put it down. It's a thought-provoking and timely read, about hope, survival and the human spirit * Aliya Ali-Afzal, author of Would I Lie To You *A truly unique and gripping read * Marianne Cronin, author The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot *It is extraordinary, and quietly revolutionary, for a novel centred around the end of the world to feel so affirming, so luminous, so hopeful. In both the Before and After times, Ruth's seeking of what it is that matters is moving, complex, and vividly drawn. I've not stopped thinking about The Stranding since I put it down * Kate Young, author of The Little Library Cookbook *Kate Sawyer has created a dystopia so unerringly familiar that it can make you laugh and shiver simultaneously. Sensual and hopeful, this is a pacey and surprisingly relatable read * Gemma Reeves, author of Victoria Park *Post-apocalyptic fiction that's beautiful, moving and strangely uplifting * Frances Quinn, author of The Smallest Man *Haunting and hopeful. Eerie and evocative * Jacqueline Bublitz, author of Before You Knew My Name *A tender, affirming, luminous debut * Melinda Salisbury, author of Hold Back the Tide *A beautiful exploration of motherhood, stripped back to its barest, most fragile bones * Polly Crosby, author of THE ILLUSTRATED CHILD *I didn't want this book to end. It blew me away, and moved me beyond belief. I want to read it again and again and again * Bryony Gordon, author of Mad Girl *A stunning, unforgettable novel that I can't stop thinking about. A truly brilliant debut * Katherine Webber, author of Only Love Can Break Your Heart *This book is quite devastating but still left me with a gorgeous feeling of hope. The perfect blend of love, life and apocalypse * Emer McLysaght, author Oh My God, What A Complete Aisling *Original, visceral, rich with themes of refuge and redemption, it's a beautifully imagined story about the hiding places in our hearts and minds * Emma Stonex, author of The Lamplighters. *The Stranding is a soaring, lyrical and contemplative vision of the end of humanity. A beautiful story about learning to love yourself and others, and of experiencing the end of the world at the ends of the earth * Bethany Clift, author of Last One At The Party *Beautiful and harrowing but also optimistic and extremely moving . . . a truly arresting depiction of an unlikely relationship * Clover Stroud, author of The Wild Other *Wholly original, haunting and beautiful, this is a novel about life and survival, death and grief plus everything in between * Neema Shah, author of Kololo Hill *This book absolutely captivated me. Ruth's story is full of love and hope, but is also brutally honest about mistakes, regrets and missteps, and how they impact our lives. The Stranding felt completely real, while being almost unimaginable. A unique, imaginative story that's brilliantly told. And a book that will stay with me for a very long time. * Jamie Fewery, author of Our Life in a Day *A quiet, piercing contemplation on what really matters when it comes to the end of the world. Strange and beautiful * Abigail Dean, author of Girl A *Kate Sawyer brings her settings to life - both the Before and After - with vivid detail. Peopled with characters that challenge stereotypes and linger in the mind long after reading, this is a moving story of love, loss and, despite all, hope. I loved it * Elizabeth Lee author of Cunning Women *Beautifully written, it's truly something special * Stylist *Incredibly moving, totally gripping and (considering it's about the end of the world and living in a dead whale) strangely relatable * Ellie Taylor, author of My Child and Other Mistakes *A truly original and moving debut * Charlotte Northedge, author of The House Guest *An exceptional debut * Yorkshire Times *A terrific debut. Brave, unexpected . . . transfixing and captivation . . . full of hope, resilience and love * The Sunday Times *A captivating read . . . [a] beautiful, surprising novel * Fabulous Magazine *Captivating and strangely hopeful * Waitrose Weekend Magazine *A captivating read * Sun *A compelling tale of what it means to be alive. It breaks your heart while filling it with hope. Kate's writing is beautiful * Grazia’s Book Club *Sawyer's debut is an assured and intriguing character drama * SFX *Sawyer has done an especially brilliant job . . . a spellbinding fantasy of trading past mistakes for a clean start * Daily Mirror *

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Book Synopsis'Bursting with heart' Lindsey Kelk'Filled my heart with joy' Paige ToonSophie Breeze is a brilliant bridesmaid. So brilliant, in fact, that she's made it her full-time job.As a professional bridesmaid, Sophie is secretly hired by brides to be their right-hand woman, ensuring their big day goes off without a hitch. From wrangling rowdy hen dos to navigating last minute portaloo cancellations, there's no problem she can't solve. So when she's employed by an actual Marchioness to help plan the society wedding of the year, it should be a chance for Sophie to prove just how talented she is. Of course, it's not ideal that the bride, Cordelia, is rude, difficult and determined to make Sophie's life a nightmare. It's also a bit inconvenient when Sophie finds herself drawn to Cordelia's posh older brother, who is absolutely off limits. And when a rival society wedding is announced, things get even more complicated . . .Can Sophie pull off the biggest challenge of her career, follow her heart and maintain her reputation - all while keeping her true identity hidden?________________________________Everyone is talking about The Secret Bridesmaid'Total escapist fun!'Fabulous magazine'An absolute treat'Katie Marsh'Will have you laughing down the aisle'My Weekly'Vivid and heartwarming . . . a fun, fresh romantic comedy' Holly Miller'A unique, hilarious spin on wedding mayhem' Publishers WeeklyTrade ReviewJust like a glass of champagne, a bright, sparkling treat of a book. Funny, uplifting and bursting with heart, The Secret Bridesmaid is classic romcom escapism * Lindsey Kelk *Hilarious and heartwarming - the perfect wedding season read -- Heidi SwainA fun, fresh romantic comedy that perfectly depicts all the delights and dramas of wedding season. A vivid and heartwarming reminder of the joys of celebration, friendship and togetherness - the perfect read for this summer * Holly Miller, author of The Sight of You *I devoured The Secret Bridesmaid - it's as moreish as a wedding canapé, as heady as champagne and as romantic as any wedding vow. One of the funniest books I have ever read. An absolute treat * Katie Marsh *A unique, hilarious spin on wedding mayhem . . . Birchall pays just as much attention to the complex nuances of female friendship as to the healing power of love, resulting in an entertaining romp * Publishers Weekly *This book filled my heart with joy - I never wanted it to end. I loved it and will be recommending it far and wide! * Paige Toon *Total escapist fun! * Fabulous Magazine (Sun on Sunday) *Hilariously fun! * Peterborough Telegraph *For fans of Sophie Kinsella, this will have you laughing down the aisle. Friendships, love and weddings, with a confetti of humour * My Weekly *

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Book SynopsisThirty-something Parisian artist Billie is working towards her next exhibition when she receives the news that her mother, with whom she has had no contact for years, has drowned in the river near her nursing home. In an attempt to understand the circumstances of her death, she returns to V, the village where she grew up in the parched, sun-drenched hills above the Mediterranean. When she arrives there, Billie finds herself reliving memories of another river drowning, 20 years earlier, memories she had tried to obliterate. What happened to Billie's dear friend Lila back then, at the age of 16, and why is Billie stalked by guilt? Sunlight Hours paints a picture of three generations of women, united by the secrets of a river.

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Book SynopsisThe superb novel from the bestselling author of Half A World Away and All the Lonely People.'A joyful celebration of life' - Heat'Filled with warmth, tenderness and character. It really made me think, too - I love that it encourages us to see the extraordinary in the ordinary. A gorgeous novel' - Beth O'Leary'A keenly observed and warm-hearted tale of how people cope with loss and keep their dreams alive against the odds . . . a delightful read' - Ruth HoganStill reeling from the sudden death of her mother, Jess is about to do the hardest thing she's ever done: empty her childhood home so that it can be sold.But when in the process Jess stumbles across the mysterious Alex, together they become custodians of a strange archive of letters, photographs, curios and collections known as The Museum of Ordinary People.As they begin to delve into the history of the objects in their care, Alex and Jess not only unravel heartbreaking stories that span generations and continents, but also unearth long buried secrets that lie much closer to home.Inspired by a box of mementos found abandoned in a skip following a house clearance, The Museum of Ordinary People is a thought-provoking and poignant story of memory, grief, loss and the things we leave behind.'This author's books just get better and better' Good Housekeeping'Mike Gayle is the king of touching, human stories' HeatTrade ReviewThe Museum of Ordinary People is a timely treasure of a read. Spilling over with Mike Gayle's trademark warmth and tenderness, it's so insightful and thought-provoking on loss and grief, as well as the meaning of possessions and how we might take a fresh look at the things we once took for granted. It's the kind of book you'll want to re-read as soon as you've finished it. Just beautiful -- Holly Miller, author of The Sight of YouMike has an uncanny ability to create characters that are immediately familiar and relatable and to draw the reader into their world, ever eager to follow where they lead. The Museum of Ordinary People is a keenly observed and warm-hearted tale of how people cope with loss and keep their dreams alive against the odds. It is a delightful read -- Ruth HoganOne of my favourite writers, and this is his best yet...a relatable and yet brilliantly original story - this is a novel I could recommend to so many people -- Clare MackintoshMike gets better every year and every book. He's becoming a real chronicler of our times -- Jenny ColganA new Mike Gayle novel is always a treat. The Museum of Ordinary People is filled with warmth, tenderness and character. It really made me think, too - I love that it encourages us to see the extraordinary in the ordinary. A gorgeous novel -- Beth O'LearyUplifting and poignant * My Weekly *A joyful celebration of life, it's also a study in grief, second chances, and what can happen when you truly believe in yourself. * Heat *This is a beautifully written read that's full of heart * Fabulous *A powerful read * Bella *This is a tale of loss and friendship by an author who has a way of making the ordinary things in life seem extraordinary * Candis *This will resonate with anyone who has lost someone they love * The Sunday Post *A real gem of a book * Yours *A poignant look at grief and the things we leave behind * Huffington Post *This thought-provoking, tender and brilliantly observed story shows Mike Gayle at his very best * Sunday Express, S Magazine *'A poignant novel about memory, loss and new beginnings.' * Woman Magazine *This novel is pure, unadulterated feel-good, and Gayle is a master puller of heartstrings. It radiates an unforced kind of goodwill, which makes up for some of the overly expository dialogue and unabashed sentimentality . . . Fans of uplifting-lit authors like Fredrik Backman will likely be suitably charmed * Kirkus *Moving and heartwarming, this is a story about love and loss and holding onto the memories thatmake us who we are. Fans of character-driven relationship fiction by Clare Pooley, RachelJoyce, and Freya Sampson will want to pick this one up * Booklist *

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