Narrative theme: coming of age

Book SynopsisA timely and hilarious novel about two friends who decide to give up their search for a perfect man and devote their lives to each other—but their careful plan soon begins to unravel with unexpected consequences.Trade Review"Full of humor and witty repartee, this sweet and multi-layered story about the desire to love and be loved celebrates the magnificent power of friendship." — Jill Santopolo, New York Times bestselling author “A delightful story of female friendship that will have you reaching for your phone to call your best friend.” — Jill Shalvis, New York Times bestselling author "In My Ride or Die, Leslie Cohen explores the power and complexity of female friendship. Full of fun banter, crazy hijinks and plenty of sweet, sexy moments, it begs the question: if you live your life to avoid getting hurt, are you really living?" — Alison Hammer, author of You and Me and Us “A young Nora Ephron.” — David Duchovny "An exploration of the expansiveness and constraints of female friendship." — Kirkus Reviews "Cohen’s witty buddy story... Enjoyable and lighthearted, this is a fun variation on the usual rom-com fare." — Publishers Weekly "Millennial fans of women’s fiction will love Cohen’s witty tale of friendship, love, and the surprises the universe throws our way." — Library Journal "Cohen's second novel is a sweet and sprawling tale about unconditional friendship and all the beautiful, unique shapes commitment can take." — Booklist "Leslie Cohen demonstrates a mastery of craft that is refreshing. Both the language and the plot are engaging, and the dialogue and intimate scenes are well-written and captivating...My Ride or Die is perfect for anyone who enjoys reading about strong female friendship." — Bookreporter.com

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“To be transported, wholesale, into a new and unfamiliar world is one of literature’s great gifts, and the opening pages of David Hopen’s ambitious debut novel, ‘The Orchard,’ promise exactly that…. Hopen is a stylish, atmospheric writer whose characters inhabit sensuous tableaus…. All-encompassing…. [Hopen’s] talent is evident.” — New York Times Book Review “Both fresh and affecting… Essentially The Secret History set among highly observant Jewish Floridians…. Heretics, sex, drugs, and even Talmudic rituals that border on bacchanalia abound.” — Entertainment Weekly “Audacious…. With The Orchard Hopen may have taken the boldest step yet in the ongoing turn of the American Jewish novel back to the sources of Judaism…. The Orchard [is] something distinctively new in fiction.” — Tablet “The most brilliant novel I read this year.... A wildly engrossing bildungsroman." — Book Riot “A poignant and utterly devastating experience…. ‘The Orchard’ is intense and deeply moving…. Its questions are not easy, nor are the answers it provides. To discover a thought-provoking young writer like David Hopen this early in his career is a rare privilege indeed.” — Anniston Star “Powerful and stirring, like a 2020 Jewish version of ‘The Catcher in the Rye.’ Structured into chapters by month throughout a typical school year and tackling the ‘majestic sadness’ that is tragedy, this journal-like book written by a Yale Law School student will definitely take root.” — Good Morning America "David Hopen’s riveting debut joins the urgency of a thriller with the devastating consequence of a spiritual crisis for its hero, who is no less imperiled by his religion than by the threat of its loss. In Ari Eden’s story the clash between youth and experience, godlessness and piety, individualism and conformity, will feel both devastatingly familiar and utterly new. The Orchard throws open the doors to this world, and introduces a major new voice." — Susan Choi, National Book Award winning author of Trust Exercise “David Hopen’s ambitious debut novel combines the religiously observant world of Chaim Potok’s books with the academic hothouse of Donna Tartt’s The Secret History and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s observations of the rich and privileged…. [A] singular addition to the world of Jewish fiction as well as a notable variation on the classic campus novel.” — BookPage “[The Orchard] makes good on its promise to shine light on the workings of privilege in every culture.” — Crime Reads “The Orchard is a wildly ambitious, propulsive novel touching on big, life-altering topics, but David Hopen manages that weight by never losing grip on the story, which blends philosophical questions with a unique thriller and a group of teenagers who command your attention. At the heart of the novel there’s a yearning, a reckoning with those moments when we transform and when we wonder if we can ever go back. I’d be so wary of comparing any novel to Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, but The Orchard can handle it because it diverges in such interesting ways.” — Kevin Wilson, author of Nothing to See Here

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Book Synopsis“The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes is a page-turning peek inside the glamour and brutality of life as a pop star. Sloan takes us on a wild ride through the world of music video shoots, expensive hotels, and arena tours—showing us the darkness that threatens just below the surface.” —Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones and The Six“I didn''t know I was waiting for a smart, literary writer to craft a novel about the rise and fall of a teen star akin to Britney Spears until I discovered The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes. A witty, bright, hilarious—and at times devastating—read. I loved it. —Amanda Eyre Ward, New York Times bestselling author of The JetsettersCassidy Holmes isn''t just a celebrity.She is “Sassy Gloss,” the fourth member of the hottest pop group America has ever seen. Hotter than Britney dancing with a snake, hotter than Christina getting dirrty, Gloss was the pop act that everyone idolized. Fans couldn''t get enough of them, their music, and the drama that followed them like moths to a flame—until the group’s sudden implosion in 2002. And at the center of it all was Sassy Cassy, the Texan with a signature smirk that had everyone falling for her.  But now she''s dead. Suicide. The world is reeling from this unexpected news, but no one is more shocked than the three remaining Glossies. Fifteen years ago, Rose, Merry, and Yumi had been the closest to Cassidy, and this loss is hitting them hard. Before the group split, they each had a special bond with Cassidy—truths they told, secrets they shared. But after years apart, each of them is wondering: what could they have done? Told in multiple perspectives—including Cassidy herself—and different timelines, this is a behind-the-scenes look into the rise and fall of a pop icon, and a penetrating examination of the dark side of celebrity and the industry that profits from it. Trade Review“The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes is a page-turning peek inside the glamour and brutality of life as a pop star. Sloan takes us on a wild ride through the world of music video shoots, expensive hotels, and arena tours—showing us the darkness that threatens just below the surface.” — Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones and The Six “I didn't know I was waiting for a smart, literary writer to craft a novel about the rise and fall of a teen star akin to Britney Spears until I discovered The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes... A witty, bright, hilarious—and at times devastating—read... I loved it." — Amanda Eyre Ward, New York Times bestselling author of The Jetsetters “A witty, devastating and ultimately beautiful peek behind the illusion of fame...With a perfect combination of music, drama and depth, The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes takes us on a journey I won’t soon forget. From the opening line to the stunning close, this is a mesmerizing, thrilling and must-read debut.” — Patti Callahan, New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis "The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes is for anyone who wondered why Britney shaved her head and attacked a car with an umbrella. Salacious and fun at moments, it's also insightful in the way Sloan examines the toll that stardom takes on these young women's mental health and personal value." — Zoe Fishman, critically acclaimed author of Invisible as Air and Inheriting Edith "The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes flips fame upside down to expose its underbelly, stripped of glitter and gloss. This story sweeps across time and perspective, but most importantly, through the rise and fall of a dream." — Alena Dillon, author of Mercy House "Readers looking to take a walk on the wild side should pick up Elissa R. Sloan’s debut for an exhilarating tale about the dark side of celebrity." — Harper’s Bazaar "In The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes, Elissa R. Sloan ponders the dark side of fame with the fictional tale of Cassidy Holmes...Think of it as 13 Reasons Why meets Daisy Jones & The Six—a mediation on fame, friendships, depression—and it will keep you turning until the last page." — Teen Vogue "Get ready for a whirlwind of 90s pop nostalgia." — Parade "Get out your butterfly clips, put on some Spice Girls, and call your gal pals after reading this tale of friendship and the dark side of fame." — Good Housekeeping "Told from different points of view and different time frames, the novel explores how the entertainment industry treats and catastrophically shapes people...The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes invites great pause and for us to ask ourselves: when do we forget that people are people and not just vehicles for our entertainment?" — Shondaland "If you loved Taylor Jenkins Reid's Daisy Jones and the Six and know every lyric to a Britney Spears song, this one is definitely for you." — E! Online "Fans of Daisy Jones and the Six shouldn't miss out on The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes by Elissa R. Sloan." — Popsugar "Sloan takes on the fraught topic of mental illness coupled with the pressure of fame in her sensational debut... The dark side of fame is evident throughout this spirited and expertly plotted story... Sloan's debut will leave readers eagerly awaiting her next outing." — Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Sloan deftly shifts between the meteoric rise of Gloss in the early aughts and the current day, where Yumi, Merry, and Rose are struggling both with Cassidy’s suicide and their own lost dreams. This pop-culture-inspired debut reads like an expose´...or a particularly tragic episode of Behind the Music." — Booklist Online "A book that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time...The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes is a book that will open your eyes and make you reflect on many situations...It’s bold and raw, and definitely needed in the world we’re living in today." — The Nerd Daily

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Book SynopsisThe Quinns scramble to hire the best legal minds money can buy, but Billy fits the all-too-familiar sex-offender profile—white, athletic, and privileged—that makes headlines and sways juries.Meanwhile, Cassie struggles to understand why Billy’s ex Diana would go this far, even if the breakup was painful.Trade Review"A haunting drama about the #MeToo era and the lies we believe in order to survive." — People “If you’re looking for story that takes on elements of the #MeToo movement, Jillian Medoff’s When We Were Bright and Beautiful is two parts Gone Girl, two parts Notes on a Scandal, and will play with your expectations about who’s the villain and who’s the victim.” — Jennifer Weiner, USA Today “A gifted novelist turns to an explosive topic—sexual assault—and the disquieting stories that leap to life from our darkest corners…Medoff writes with a soothsayer’s eye and a taut, alluring prose which winds inexorably to courtroom revelations and a shocking, shattering climax.” — Hamilton Cain, Oprah Daily "Jillian Medoff's captivating, keenly observed new novel gives the well trafficked Trouble on the Upper East Side story a much needed jolt." — Town and Country, "The Best Books to Read This August" “You are going to be thrilled with When We Were Bright and Beautiful. This novel begs to be a book club selection because you are going to need to discuss these characters, the choices they make and the trouble we can get into making assumptions about what we think we know about the world of wealth and privilege.” — The Ethel, "Best Summer Books for your Balcony or Vacation" “A fast-paced drama. . . . a book for these endlessly turbulent times and a comet force of a story that will satisfy our lust for surprises and plot twists. The shadows unveiled will stay with us long after the remarkable conclusion.” — BookReporter “I read When We Were Bright And Beautiful in a few big gulps; deftly and beautifully written, it’s a fantastic page-turner with a shocking twist.” — Kate Christensen, award-winning author of The Last Cruise and The Great Man “Jillian Medoff has written a hell of a book, one bound to captivate readers and ignite conversations.” — Grant Ginder, author of Let’s Not Do That Again and The People We Hate at the Wedding "Like a magician pulling scarves from a sleeve. . . . Medoff’s greatest feat in this novel is not the twisty plotting but rather Cassie’s evolving relationship with the reader, with storytelling itself, as she moves from suspiciously naïve to clearly unreliable. . . . A layered and compelling peek into the darkest consequences of privilege." — Kirkus Reviews "Both satisfying and heartbreaking." — Publishers Weekly “Explores the complexities of teenage girls’ sexuality and agency. . . . Medoff’s clear sense of Cassie’s voice carries the novel throughout.” — Booklist “Jillian Medoff's latest novel is an intricately crafted page turner with characters so flawed and fascinating, there's absolutely no looking away from them. Smart, challenging, and deeply unsettling, WHEN WE WERE BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL will test your assumptions about guilt and innocence, and subvert your expectations until the very end.” — Jung Yun, author of Shelter and O Beautiful “When We Were Bright and Beautiful blew me away. Jillian Medoff’s gripping exploration of wealth, consent, and complicity tells the story of a loving family’s unraveling with the propulsive pace of the best thrillers. A masterful achievement.” — Aimee Molloy, New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Mother and Goodnight Beautiful "When We Were Bright and Beautiful is a beautifully written and expertly paced examination of a privileged defendant and his family in the wake of a sexual assault allegation. Narrated by the defendant's sister Cassie, whose sharp voice is equal parts incisive and naive, the story covers much ground in American rape culture. Jillian Medoff's latest offers plenty for discussion and is perfect for book clubs." — Caitlin Wahrer, author of The Damage "This transfixing slow burn of a novel kept me up hours past my bedtime, bewitched by Medoff's ingenious storytelling, gorgeous prose, and complicated, fascinating characters. I loved it." — Joanna Rakoff, author of My Salinger Year and A Fortunate Age “This is Jillian Medoff’s best—deepest, wisest, most complex—work. Medoff dares to touch third rails in this novel, and doesn’t flinch when the sparks fly.” — Darin Strauss, award-winning author of The Queen of Tuesday Praise for Jillian Medoff: “As smart as Medoff’s critique of corporate inanity is, it’s tempered by compassion for these people, who are ultimately tender with each other, too. . . . Through the subterranean strata of this failing office run alliances and feuds, love affairs and betrayals that influence raises, promotions and dismissals. And when Rosa herself gets in trouble, how far will her beloved staff go to protect her from the rigid mechanics of the corporation? The answer to that question becomes the story’s central problem, its funniest routine and its most moving element.” — Ron Charles in the Washington Post on This Could Hurt “A smart, sympathetic dramedy. . . . It’s like a New York novelization of The Office—with less winky, fourth wall-breaking satire and more heart.” — Entertainment Weekly on This Could Hurt “This bighearted dramedy of manners stars Rosa, one of the most intriguing characters ever to walk the halls of an HR department, and her supporting cast of flawed but devoted employees, who set aside their differences to rescue their leader—for once, the one who needs help.” — O, the Oprah Magazine on This Could Hurt “An incredibly funny, incredibly human book. . . . the best book I’ve ever read about what work means, about how to do it better, about how to manage people, about how to be a good colleague, about the intra-personal relationships of an office. . . . I haven’t read something with as much pleasure in six months.” — Slate on This Could Hurt “A refreshingly authentic portrait of corporate America and the varied souls that dream, conspire, flounder and triumph there, and this she does with a great deal of affection and charm. A very enjoyable book.” — Joshua Ferris on This Could Hurt “Four stars. Dazzling . . . hilarious and heart-wrenching.” — People on I Couldn’t Love You More "A haunting drama about the #MeToo era and the lies we believe in order to survive." — People “If you’re looking for story that takes on elements of the #MeToo movement, Jillian Medoff’s When We Were Bright and Beautiful is two parts Gone Girl, two parts Notes on a Scandal, and will play with your expectations about who’s the villain and who’s the victim.” — Jennifer Weiner, USA Today “A gifted novelist turns to an explosive topic—sexual assault—and the disquieting stories that leap to life from our darkest corners…Medoff writes with a soothsayer’s eye and a taut, alluring prose which winds inexorably to courtroom revelations and a shocking, shattering climax.” — Hamilton Cain, Oprah Daily "Jillian Medoff's captivating, keenly observed new novel gives the well trafficked Trouble on the Upper East Side story a much needed jolt." — Town and Country, "The Best Books to Read This August" “You are going to be thrilled with When We Were Bright and Beautiful. This novel begs to be a book club selection because you are going to need to discuss these characters, the choices they make and the trouble we can get into making assumptions about what we think we know about the world of wealth and privilege.” — The Ethel, "Best Summer Books for your Balcony or Vacation" “A fast-paced drama. . . . a book for these endlessly turbulent times and a comet force of a story that will satisfy our lust for surprises and plot twists. The shadows unveiled will stay with us long after the remarkable conclusion.” — BookReporter “I read When We Were Bright And Beautiful in a few big gulps; deftly and beautifully written, it’s a fantastic page-turner with a shocking twist.” — Kate Christensen, award-winning author of The Last Cruise and The Great Man “Jillian Medoff has written a hell of a book, one bound to captivate readers and ignite conversations.” — Grant Ginder, author of Let’s Not Do That Again and The People We Hate at the Wedding "Like a magician pulling scarves from a sleeve. . . . Medoff’s greatest feat in this novel is not the twisty plotting but rather Cassie’s evolving relationship with the reader, with storytelling itself, as she moves from suspiciously naïve to clearly unreliable. . . . A layered and compelling peek into the darkest consequences of privilege." — Kirkus Reviews "Both satisfying and heartbreaking." — Publishers Weekly “Explores the complexities of teenage girls’ sexuality and agency. . . . Medoff’s clear sense of Cassie’s voice carries the novel throughout.” — Booklist “Jillian Medoff's latest novel is an intricately crafted page turner with characters so flawed and fascinating, there's absolutely no looking away from them. Smart, challenging, and deeply unsettling, WHEN WE WERE BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL will test your assumptions about guilt and innocence, and subvert your expectations until the very end.” — Jung Yun, author of Shelter and O Beautiful “When We Were Bright and Beautiful blew me away. Jillian Medoff’s gripping exploration of wealth, consent, and complicity tells the story of a loving family’s unraveling with the propulsive pace of the best thrillers. A masterful achievement.” — Aimee Molloy, New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Mother and Goodnight Beautiful "When We Were Bright and Beautiful is a beautifully written and expertly paced examination of a privileged defendant and his family in the wake of a sexual assault allegation. Narrated by the defendant's sister Cassie, whose sharp voice is equal parts incisive and naive, the story covers much ground in American rape culture. Jillian Medoff's latest offers plenty for discussion and is perfect for book clubs." — Caitlin Wahrer, author of The Damage "This transfixing slow burn of a novel kept me up hours past my bedtime, bewitched by Medoff's ingenious storytelling, gorgeous prose, and complicated, fascinating characters. I loved it." — Joanna Rakoff, author of My Salinger Year and A Fortunate Age “This is Jillian Medoff’s best—deepest, wisest, most complex—work. Medoff dares to touch third rails in this novel, and doesn’t flinch when the sparks fly.” — Darin Strauss, award-winning author of The Queen of Tuesday Praise for Jillian Medoff: “As smart as Medoff’s critique of corporate inanity is, it’s tempered by compassion for these people, who are ultimately tender with each other, too. . . . Through the subterranean strata of this failing office run alliances and feuds, love affairs and betrayals that influence raises, promotions and dismissals. And when Rosa herself gets in trouble, how far will her beloved staff go to protect her from the rigid mechanics of the corporation? The answer to that question becomes the story’s central problem, its funniest routine and its most moving element.” — Ron Charles in the Washington Post on This Could Hurt “A smart, sympathetic dramedy. . . . It’s like a New York novelization of The Office—with less winky, fourth wall-breaking satire and more heart.” — Entertainment Weekly on This Could Hurt “This bighearted dramedy of manners stars Rosa, one of the most intriguing characters ever to walk the halls of an HR department, and her supporting cast of flawed but devoted employees, who set aside their differences to rescue their leader—for once, the one who needs help.” — O, the Oprah Magazine on This Could Hurt “An incredibly funny, incredibly human book. . . . the best book I’ve ever read about what work means, about how to do it better, about how to manage people, about how to be a good colleague, about the intra-personal relationships of an office. . . . I haven’t read something with as much pleasure in six months.” — Slate on This Could Hurt “A refreshingly authentic portrait of corporate America and the varied souls that dream, conspire, flounder and triumph there, and this she does with a great deal of affection and charm. A very enjoyable book.” — Joshua Ferris on This Could Hurt “Four stars. Dazzling . . . hilarious and heart-wrenching.” — People on I Couldn’t Love You More

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisAn American teen living abroad discovers the truth about himself and his family in this thrilling novel from 'one of the best dialogue hounds in the business' (New York Times Book Review).In the wake of a baffling tragedy, 13-year-old Graham moves with his family to Beirut, Lebanon, a city on the edge of the sea and cataclysmic violence. Inquisitive and restless by nature, Graham suspects his State Department father is a CIA operative, and that their family’s fragile domesticity is merely a front for American efforts along the nearby Israeli border. Over the course of one year, 1972, Graham’s life will utterly change. Two men are murdered, his parent’s marriage disintegrates, and Graham, along with his two ex-pat friends, run afoul of forces they cannot understand.  The City on the Edge is elegiac, atmospheric, and utterly authentic. It’s the story of innocents caught within the American net of espionage, of the Lebanese transformed by such interference, of the children who ran dangerously beside the churning wheel of history. One part Stephen King’s “The Body” and another John le Carre’s A Perfect Spy, it’s a transformative crime story told with heart and genuine experience.

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Book SynopsisThe celebrated Danish poet Tove Ditlevsen begins the Copenhagen Trilogy (A masterpiece The Guardian) with Childhood, her coming-of-age memoir about pursuing a life and a passion beyond the confines of her upbringingand into the difficult years described in Youth and DependencyTove knows she is a misfit whose childhood is made for a completely different girl. In her working-class neighborhood in Copenhagen, she is enthralled by her wild, red-headed friend Ruth, who initiates her into adult secrets. But Tove cannot reveal her true self to her or to anyone else. For long, mysterious words begin to crawl across her soul, and she comes to realize that she has a vocation, something unknowable within herand that she must one day, painfully but inevitably, leave the narrow street of her childhood behind.Childhood, the first volume in the Copenhagen Trilogy, is a visceral portrait of girlhood and female friendship, told with ly

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Book SynopsisTwo young friends embark upon an epic journey across 1940s middle America in search of answers, a family, and a place to call home.Trade ReviewA beautifully woven story of a young woman's journey to understanding that the past shapes us but does not define us, and that it is love that gives us the courage to live like we believe it. With prose that is luminous and lyrical, The Bright Unknown is a compelling read from the first page to the last. * Susan Meissner *Younts's successor to The Solace of Water (2018) has an enthralling foundation for its story, along with an appealing historical setting and themes of friendship and love amidst oppression . . . the captivating plot will engage readers. * Booklist *

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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