Narrative theme: coming of age

Book Synopsis'Although I believe I will die here in this castle, my spirit will never be silent.’Ravenscraig Castle, Scotland. 1307When the castle she works in is sacked by the army of Prince Edward of England, kitchen maid Agnes Fitzgerald manages to escape north of Inverness to throw herself at the mercy of the Lord and Lady at Ravenscraig Castle. Although safe for now, the people of Scotland are fighting hard for their independence, and the threat of the English hangs heavy over the land. But when Agnes spies Cam Buchanan swimming in the loch, her mind turns away from war and towards love. Agnes even dares to dream of a happy future, until she learns that Cam must go and fight alongside Robert de Brus.Present dayTwins Leah and Zoe need a change, so caretaking at Ravenscraig Castle is the perfect opportunity to get away from it all. Surrounded by rugged Highland countryside, and bordered by a loch, the picturesque setting is everything they dreamed of. But the locals are reluctant to visit Ravenscraig, and there are whispers of ghosts and lost souls. The sisters quickly dismiss such superstition, but soon the overwhelming sadness they feel coming from the tower grows too hard to ignore.Can the sisters finally right the wrongs of seven hundred years of heartbreak, seven hundred years of betrayal…USA Today bestselling author Judy Leigh writing as Elena Collins, brings you this heart-breaking and unforgettable timeslip novel,perfect for fans of Barbara Erskine, Diana Gabaldon and Louise DouglasPraise for Elena Collins:'Very highly recommended.’ Louise Douglas'The Lady of The Loch held me spellbound from the first page to the last. With two storylines beautifully woven together to create a seamless tale of love, loss, betrayal and, above all, hope, it’s a must-read. Collins’s detailed knowledge of the period trickles through the tale wrapping the reader in a vivid shifting world as it moves between the 14th century and present day. Cleverly researched and exquisitely written, The Lady of The Loch is a timeless story of hope, family and love. I loved it.' Alexandra WalshWhat readers are saying about Elena Collins:‘I couldn't put it down and I cried at the end. A terrific read.’‘A rollercoaster of emotions reading this book...from the life of a young woman let down in her relationship (we've all been there)! running parallel to the complete un-justified vitriol against a young woman in the late 1600's. It was amazing, a very powerful novel. Brilliant.’‘A book that that left me tearful at the end, but a very good story that had me hooked from the first page. Well thought out and the characters very believable.’‘Loved this book so much, the story grips you from start to finish, leaving you wishing for more of the story to magically appear so that it never ends.’‘Absolutely delightful read! One found oneself utterly captivated by the characters - of flesh & spirit alike - the Author has the ability to conjure a physical reaction in the reader - of a scent or a chill - a rare gift.’‘Stunning. Loved this book. Interesting, really fabulous read that bought lots of emotion, gladness, spookiness, history and sadness with lovely clever story-telling. I loved it.’

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Book Synopsis'Although I believe I will die here in this castle, my spirit will never be silent.’Ravenscraig Castle, Scotland. 1307When the castle she works in is sacked by the army of Prince Edward of England, kitchen maid Agnes Fitzgerald manages to escape north of Inverness to throw herself at the mercy of the Lord and Lady at Ravenscraig Castle. Although safe for now, the people of Scotland are fighting hard for their independence, and the threat of the English hangs heavy over the land. But when Agnes spies Cam Buchanan swimming in the loch, her mind turns away from war and towards love. Agnes even dares to dream of a happy future, until she learns that Cam must go and fight alongside Robert de Brus.Present dayTwins Leah and Zoe need a change, so caretaking at Ravenscraig Castle is the perfect opportunity to get away from it all. Surrounded by rugged Highland countryside, and bordered by a loch, the picturesque setting is everything they dreamed of. But the locals are reluctant to visit Ravenscraig, and there are whispers of ghosts and lost souls. The sisters quickly dismiss such superstition, but soon the overwhelming sadness they feel coming from the tower grows too hard to ignore.Can the sisters finally right the wrongs of seven hundred years of heartbreak, seven hundred years of betrayal…USA Today bestselling author Judy Leigh writing as Elena Collins, brings you this heart-breaking and unforgettable timeslip novel,perfect for fans of Barbara Erskine, Diana Gabaldon and Louise DouglasPraise for Elena Collins:'Very highly recommended.’ Louise Douglas'The Lady of The Loch held me spellbound from the first page to the last. With two storylines beautifully woven together to create a seamless tale of love, loss, betrayal and, above all, hope, it’s a must-read. Collins’s detailed knowledge of the period trickles through the tale wrapping the reader in a vivid shifting world as it moves between the 14th century and present day. Cleverly researched and exquisitely written, The Lady of The Loch is a timeless story of hope, family and love. I loved it.' Alexandra WalshWhat readers are saying about Elena Collins:‘I couldn't put it down and I cried at the end. A terrific read.’‘A rollercoaster of emotions reading this book...from the life of a young woman let down in her relationship (we've all been there)! running parallel to the complete un-justified vitriol against a young woman in the late 1600's. It was amazing, a very powerful novel. Brilliant.’‘A book that that left me tearful at the end, but a very good story that had me hooked from the first page. Well thought out and the characters very believable.’‘Loved this book so much, the story grips you from start to finish, leaving you wishing for more of the story to magically appear so that it never ends.’‘Absolutely delightful read! One found oneself utterly captivated by the characters - of flesh & spirit alike - the Author has the ability to conjure a physical reaction in the reader - of a scent or a chill - a rare gift.’‘Stunning. Loved this book. Interesting, really fabulous read that bought lots of emotion, gladness, spookiness, history and sadness with lovely clever story-telling. I loved it.’

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Book Synopsis'Although I believe I will die here in this castle, my spirit will never be silent.’Ravenscraig Castle, Scotland. 1307When the castle she works in is sacked by the army of Prince Edward of England, kitchen maid Agnes Fitzgerald manages to escape north of Inverness to throw herself at the mercy of the Lord and Lady at Ravenscraig Castle. Although safe for now, the people of Scotland are fighting hard for their independence, and the threat of the English hangs heavy over the land. But when Agnes spies Cam Buchanan swimming in the loch, her mind turns away from war and towards love. Agnes even dares to dream of a happy future, until she learns that Cam must go and fight alongside Robert de Brus.Present dayTwins Leah and Zoe need a change, so caretaking at Ravenscraig Castle is the perfect opportunity to get away from it all. Surrounded by rugged Highland countryside, and bordered by a loch, the picturesque setting is everything they dreamed of. But the locals are reluctant to visit Ravenscraig, and there are whispers of ghosts and lost souls. The sisters quickly dismiss such superstition, but soon the overwhelming sadness they feel coming from the tower grows too hard to ignore.Can the sisters finally right the wrongs of seven hundred years of heartbreak, seven hundred years of betrayal…USA Today bestselling author Judy Leigh writing as Elena Collins, brings you this heart-breaking and unforgettable timeslip novel,perfect for fans of Barbara Erskine, Diana Gabaldon and Louise DouglasPraise for Elena Collins:'Very highly recommended.’ Louise Douglas'The Lady of The Loch held me spellbound from the first page to the last. With two storylines beautifully woven together to create a seamless tale of love, loss, betrayal and, above all, hope, it’s a must-read. Collins’s detailed knowledge of the period trickles through the tale wrapping the reader in a vivid shifting world as it moves between the 14th century and present day. Cleverly researched and exquisitely written, The Lady of The Loch is a timeless story of hope, family and love. I loved it.' Alexandra WalshWhat readers are saying about Elena Collins:‘I couldn't put it down and I cried at the end. A terrific read.’‘A rollercoaster of emotions reading this book...from the life of a young woman let down in her relationship (we've all been there)! running parallel to the complete un-justified vitriol against a young woman in the late 1600's. It was amazing, a very powerful novel. Brilliant.’‘A book that that left me tearful at the end, but a very good story that had me hooked from the first page. Well thought out and the characters very believable.’‘Loved this book so much, the story grips you from start to finish, leaving you wishing for more of the story to magically appear so that it never ends.’‘Absolutely delightful read! One found oneself utterly captivated by the characters - of flesh & spirit alike - the Author has the ability to conjure a physical reaction in the reader - of a scent or a chill - a rare gift.’‘Stunning. Loved this book. Interesting, really fabulous read that bought lots of emotion, gladness, spookiness, history and sadness with lovely clever story-telling. I loved it.’

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Book SynopsisBen wasn’t brought up, he was dragged up.With absent parents and broken friends, a young Ben makes choices that are ruining his life. Before he’s even twenty, Ben’s spells in prison begin, and soon he finds himself involved in serious crime. When people begin to die, Ben must choose a side.But is this really the life Ben wants or is there a way out of this vicious cycle? Is he destined to fulfil his fate of being once a prisoner, always a prisoner? Or can Ben swap a life on the inside, for one with hope on the outside?Ross Greenwood is back with this shocking, page-turning glimpse into the criminal underworld.This book was previously published as THE BOY INSIDE.Praise for Ross Greenwood:'Move over Rebus and Morse; a new entry has joined the list of great crime investigators in the form of Detective Inspector John Barton. A rich cast of characters and an explosive plot kept me turning the pages until the final dramatic twist.' author Richard Burke‘Master of the psychological thriller genre Ross Greenwood once again proves his talent for creating engrossing and gritty novels that draw you right in and won’t let go until you’ve reached the shocking ending.’ Caroline Vincent at Bitsaboutbooks blog'Ross Greenwood doesn’t write clichés. What he has written here is a fast-paced, action-filled puzzle with believable characters that's spiced with a lot of humour.' author Kath Middleton

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Book Synopsis'If you are looking for a perfect dose of summer sunshine, this is the book for you!' Sarah BennettTaking a chance on love is just the beginning…When Harlow Sands arrives on an idyllic Greek island to work on a big budget movie, it should be the opportunity of a lifetime. But her uncertainty over the direction of her life and the high expectations of Maeve Fennimore-Bell, her domineering Hollywood producer mum, threatens to ruin her summer on beautiful Skopelos.Location manager Tyler Reed has his fair share of demons. His and Harlow’s lives have been entwined for over a decade and now forced to work together, their complicated past begins to unravel.Harlow is desperate to break free and make her own way in the world, but with a fractured family, a long-hidden secret and a need to belong, can her happy-ever-after be found during one Greek summer?Escape to the beautiful Greek isles with bestseller Kate Frost for the perfect uplifting, feel-good romantic read.Praise for Kate Frost:'Kate Frost has a talent for telling a wonderful story.''If you’ve never read a Kate Frost book, then treat yourself as you’ve stumbled across a gem of an author who deserves to have accolades as a regular best-selling author.''Thank you, Kate Frost (again) for taking away all the stresses and strains of daily life whilst losing myself in a wonderful romantic read.''Kate Frost never lets you down, always a page turner.''I cannot wait to read future releases by this wonderful author.'

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Book SynopsisA brilliant psychological thriller by bestselling author J.A. Baker...After spending her childhood in care, Eva is desperate to find her birth parents and to get some closure on her difficult past. And so she finishes her relationship with boyfriend Gareth, leaves her home in London, and heads to Whitby in search of the family she has never known.But Eva’s close friend, Celia is worried. Eva has stopped answering her calls and when Celia travels to London to speak to her she realises Eva has moved without telling anyone. Both women have been badly damaged by their childhoods, and Celia makes the decision to follow Eva to Whitby, concerned that Eva is unravelling....Gareth, furious that Eva ended things the way she did also decides to go in search of his missing girlfriend. But it is the start of a lethal situation.But who exactly is Eva and why is Celia so concerned about her friend?Some relationships are toxic. Others are deadly.**Perfect for fans of Sue Watson, Valerie Keogh and K.L. Slater.What people are saying about J.A. Baker...**'Superbly written with a cast of crazy characters who will make you look differently at your co-workers from now on.’ Bestselling author Valerie Keogh'Fast-paced, riveting thriller. Gripped until the last page!' Bestselling author Diana Wilkinson'I read this story in a single day. Once you begin, it's difficult to put it down. 5 stars from me!' Bestselling author L.H. Stacey'A twisty, creepy story, expertly told. Perfect for reading on dark winter evenings…with the doors double-locked and bolted. Highly recommended!' Bestselling author Amanda JamesPlease note this book was previously published as Finding Eva

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Book SynopsisThe start of a gripping WWII series by bestselling author Fenella J. MillerAs war rages, Barbara Sinclair is desperate to escape her unhappy home life. And with the threat of German bombs ever present, Barbara reluctantly agrees to marry John, her childhood friend, who is leaving to join the RAF.But an encounter with Alex Everton, a dashing Spitfire pilot, complicates matters for Barbara. With emotions running high, she begins to question whether she has made a terrible mistake.With the constant threat of death all around her, Barbara must try to find a way to deal with the complexities of her difficult home life and her emotional relationships, too.Has Barbara made the right choice and will she find her own place in a time of great upheaval?Praise for Fenella J. Miller:'Engaging characters and setting which whisks you back to the home front of wartime Britain. A great start to what promises to be a fabulous series.' Jean FullertonPlease note: This book was previously published as Barbara's War

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Book SynopsisSingle mum Ellie is shown a missing person post on Facebook. It’s of her three-year-old son, Tyler… But he’s right there, holding her hand. Surely this is some kind of prank – she knows her friend Louise can go too far with her jokes sometimes. And Ellie is used to the other mums gossiping at the school gates…But now the other parents are questioning whether Tyler is really her child.Ellie does everything she can to prove the post is fake, but the longer it goes on she knows it is malicious. Who would do this to her? And why?It could be her ex, Darren, but deep down she knows it must be linked to what happened all those years ago – the night she’s been doing her best to forget…All she knows is that she has to keep her son safe – no matter what.-'I loved it, couldn't put it down and read it in two sittings...' Rebecca De Winter, author of Best Friends‘Ruby Speechley takes the essential elements of a thriller - suspense, action and a touch of darkness - and deftly mixes them into an immensely readable story... Fast-paced and engrossing, Missing is a great page-turner.’ Sarah Edghill, author of The Bad Wife‘I thoroughly enjoyed this gripping and twisty page-turner’ Caroline England, author of The Stranger Beside Me‘The very epitome of page-turner with a chilling storyline that grips from the first and kept me guessing right up to the heart-racing denouement.’ A. A. Chaudhuri, author of The Final Party'A dark and disturbing thriller that had me desperate to read just one more chapter. A cast of shady characters, a secret Ellie doesn't want to expose, and an unseen threat to her son all make for a twisted thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed.' M A Hunter, author of Adrift'I raced through this pacy thriller in two days and it was a wild ride. I had no idea where the author was taking me, but I knew I wanted to follow her there.' Laura Pearson, author of The Last List of Mabel Beaumont'The reader will keep the pages turning until the very end for the answers to this addictive psychological suspense where absolutely no one can be trusted. Each reveal is more shocking than the last...' Louise Mangos, author of Strangers on a Bridge'Such a tense, assured & compelling thriller. Gripped from the first page, I was holding my breath and rooting for poor Ellie as I raced to the end... highly recommended!' Jane Isaac, author of In the Shadows

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Book SynopsisParis, 1940: Two sisters separated by the Nazis… After a devastating attack, Justine and Ève Beaufort find themselves on opposite sides of the war, both in their beloved Paris. But can they ever find their way back to each other?It was the day that changed everything. When the Nazis broke into our home, destroying everything, taking our home and our security. I thought it couldn’t get worse. But then they also took my sister.After that day nothing was the same. I thought I’d never see her again. I thought she was lost to me forever. I joined the Resistance, vowing to fight against the evil German army with every last spark of fire in my body. Nothing and nobody can stop me.Until I catch a glimpse of a woman who looks just like my sister. Alive. But this is not the sweet darling girl I once knew. This is a platinum blonde happily conversing with a terrifying Gestapo officer. No longer my sister. But a traitor.And I know what I must now do…Could you choose your country – and what is right – over the person you once loved more than anyone in the world?Readers are loving Sisters At War:“My heart was torn to shreds… This is one powerful, gut-wrenching, soul-shattering novel that would make any woman cry… My own heart felt pierced to the core… Like nothing else I have read… Magnificent.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“Hard-hitting and heart-breaking, this is truly an excellent novel.” NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“Wow what a book! From the very first page I was totally hooked… A rollercoaster of a ride of heartbreak and bravery… An absolutely gripping, powerful story that I won’t forget anytime soon.” NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Praise for Jina Bacarr:“Wow! I was blown away by the magnitude of this novel. It is exceptional on so many levels. It is hard to know where to begin in singing its praises… A gripping, heart wrenching story of chaos, sacrifice and courage… A must-read for historical fiction lovers” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“This powerful heartbreaking story is one that will stay with me for a long time… Amazingly vivid…I was taken on a rollercoaster of emotions from heartbreak to joy and anger to excitement and a whole lot more. I hate what people had to face but I love their determination, bravery and courage… There aren’t enough stars in the world to rate this book.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“Wow, what an emotional read… Beautifully told, with an ending as perfect as one can be given the atrocities experienced, it brought a tear to my eye. Highly recommended!” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“A song of bravery, sacrifice, and freedom that sings out loud and strong.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“Unputdownable… A story of love, both given and desperately longed for, courage, bravery and above all, hope and determination that good will come out of darkness… When a story stays with you long after you turn the final page, you know you’ve hit gold.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Book SynopsisParis, 1940: Two sisters separated by the Nazis… After a devastating attack, Justine and Ève Beaufort find themselves on opposite sides of the war, both in their beloved Paris. But can they ever find their way back to each other?It was the day that changed everything. When the Nazis broke into our home, destroying everything, taking our home and our security. I thought it couldn’t get worse. But then they also took my sister.After that day nothing was the same. I thought I’d never see her again. I thought she was lost to me forever. I joined the Resistance, vowing to fight against the evil German army with every last spark of fire in my body. Nothing and nobody can stop me.Until I catch a glimpse of a woman who looks just like my sister. Alive. But this is not the sweet darling girl I once knew. This is a platinum blonde happily conversing with a terrifying Gestapo officer. No longer my sister. But a traitor.And I know what I must now do…Could you choose your country – and what is right – over the person you once loved more than anyone in the world?Readers are loving Sisters At War:“My heart was torn to shreds… This is one powerful, gut-wrenching, soul-shattering novel that would make any woman cry… My own heart felt pierced to the core… Like nothing else I have read… Magnificent.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“Hard-hitting and heart-breaking, this is truly an excellent novel.” NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“Wow what a book! From the very first page I was totally hooked… A rollercoaster of a ride of heartbreak and bravery… An absolutely gripping, powerful story that I won’t forget anytime soon.” NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Praise for Jina Bacarr:“Wow! I was blown away by the magnitude of this novel. It is exceptional on so many levels. It is hard to know where to begin in singing its praises… A gripping, heart wrenching story of chaos, sacrifice and courage… A must-read for historical fiction lovers” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“This powerful heartbreaking story is one that will stay with me for a long time… Amazingly vivid…I was taken on a rollercoaster of emotions from heartbreak to joy and anger to excitement and a whole lot more. I hate what people had to face but I love their determination, bravery and courage… There aren’t enough stars in the world to rate this book.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“Wow, what an emotional read… Beautifully told, with an ending as perfect as one can be given the atrocities experienced, it brought a tear to my eye. Highly recommended!” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“A song of bravery, sacrifice, and freedom that sings out loud and strong.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“Unputdownable… A story of love, both given and desperately longed for, courage, bravery and above all, hope and determination that good will come out of darkness… When a story stays with you long after you turn the final page, you know you’ve hit gold.” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Book Synopsis'I was running on happily because it was so good to be able to watch him under cover of my own talk, knowing exactly now what I wanted of him - mind, body, everything' Lallie is one of four children of the eccentric, quintessentially English Rush family. Boating, bird watching and inter-family rivalry are the focus of life in their village - Pin Mill, on the Suffolk marshes. Brought up on fair play and the 'family sense of humour' the Rush children soon learn to fend for themselves - on water and on dry land. We watch as Lallie grows to adulthood; loving and hating her 'ordinary' family, carving a space for herself in the shadow of her beautiful sister Margaret, who claims the lion's share of everything. But Lallie is special too, clear, clear-sighted, sexually aware. Just as well, for to keep the man she loves she faces the biggest family fight of all...

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Book Synopsis?????A fascinating small town, character-driven novel that delivers the most shocking twist you''ll read this year... - The Book ReviewWHEN LIVES ENTANGLE, WEBS WILL WEAVE...Time: September, 1997.Place: Lebanon, Kansas-quite literally, as marked by a monument, the very middle of middle America.A teacher. A soldier. An immigrant. A joker. A loner. A chancer. A carer.A mosaic of seven regular townsfolk are going about their days, blissfully unaware their lives are about to interweave, interchange and interact; entangling into such a messy web that, together - and unbeknownst to them - their lives end up changing the face of America forevermore.In the mold of movies such as Traffic, Magnolia & The Usual Suspects, In the Middle of Middle America follows multiple characters and allows the reader to become a fly on the wall to observe these seven lives entangling into such a mess that they ultimately lead the reader into a head-spinning twist.

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Book SynopsisFrom Tiffanie DeBartolo, author of God Shaped Hole, How to Kill a Rock Star, and Grace: The Jeff Buckley Story, comes Sorrow, a poignant story about friendship and love, art and music, and how these pursuits can save us from ourselves. Joe Harper has backpedaled throughout his life. A once-promising guitar prodigy, he’s been living without direction since abandoning his musical dreams. Now into his thirties, having retreated from every opportunity he’s had to level up, he has lost his family, his best friend, and his own self-respect. But Joe finds an unlikely path to redemption when he starts working as a carpenter for the bohemian conceptual artist October Danko. The job returns him to his hometown, loaded with bittersweet reminders of his former life, in the shadows of his beloved redwood trees. As Joe’s relationship with October develops, he yearns to take a daring step toward a bold future, but struggles to escape the craven decisions of his past. Sorrow is a stunning, moving novel that explores masculinity and suspended adolescence, all the while begging the questions: Can courage be learned? And is it ever too late to follow your heart?

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Book SynopsisNOW AN EMMY-NOMINATED HULU ORIGINAL SERIES • NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A stunning novel about the transformative power of relationships” (People) from the author of Conversations with Friends, “a master of the literary page-turner” (J. Courtney Sullivan). ONE OF THE TEN BEST NOVELS OF THE DECADE—Entertainment WeeklyTEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR—People, Slate, The New York Public Library, Harvard CrimsonAND BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR—The New York Times, The New York Times Book Review, O: The Oprah Magazine, Time, NPR, The Washington Post, Vogue, Esquire, Glamour, Elle, Marie Claire, Vox, The Paris Review, Good Housekeeping, Town & Country Connell and Marianne grew up in the same small town, but the similarities end there. At school, Connell is popular and well liked, while Marianne is a loner. But when the two strike up a conversation—awkward but electrifying—something life changing begins.A year later, they’re both studying at Trinity College in Dublin. Marianne has found her feet in a new social world while Connell hangs at the sidelines, shy and uncertain. Throughout their years at university, Marianne and Connell circle one another, straying toward other people and possibilities but always magnetically, irresistibly drawn back together. And as she veers into self-destruction and he begins to search for meaning elsewhere, each must confront how far they are willing to go to save the other.Normal People is the story of mutual fascination, friendship and love. It takes us from that first conversation to the years beyond, in the company of two people who try to stay apart but find that they can’t. Praise for Normal People “[A] novel that demands to be read compulsively, in one sitting.”—The Washington Post “Arguably the buzziest novel of the season, Sally Rooney’s elegant sophomore effort . . . is a worthy successor to Conversations with Friends. Here, again, she unflinchingly explores class dynamics and young love with wit and nuance.”—The Wall Street Journal “[Rooney] has been hailed as the first great millennial novelist for her stories of love and late capitalism. . . . [She writes] some of the best dialogue I’ve read.”—The New YorkerTrade Review“[Rooney] has invented a sensibility entirely of her own: sunny and sharp, free of artifice but overflowing with wisdom and intensity. . . . The novel touches on class, politics, and power dynamics and brims with the sparky, witty conversation that Rooney’s fans will recognize.”—Vogue “A future classic.”—The Guardian“Rooney is a tough girl; her papercut-sharp sensibility is much more akin to writers like Rachel Kushner, Mary Gaitskill, and the pre–Manhattan Beach Jennifer Egan. . . . Normal People is a nuanced and flinty love story about two young people who ‘get’ each other, despite class differences and the interference of their own vigorous personal demons. But honestly, Sally Rooney could write a novel about bath mats and I’d still read it. She’s that good and that singular a writer.”—Maureen Corrigan, NPR’s Fresh Air “[Rooney] has written two fresh and accessible novels. . . . There is so much to say about Rooney’s fiction—in my experience, when people who’ve read her meet they tend to peel off into corners to talk.”—Dwight Garner, The New York Times“[Rooney’s] two carefully observed and gentle comedies of manners . . . are tender portraits of Irish college students. . . . Remarkably precise—she captures meticulously the way a generation raised on social data thinks and talks.”—New York Review of Books“Normal People tackles millennial concerns with nineteenth-century wit . . . the millennial generation would no doubt be happy to accept her as its spokesperson were she so inclined.”—Elle“I’m transfixed by the way Rooney works, and I’m hardly the only one . . . like any confident couturier, she’s slicing the free flow of words into the perfect shape. . . . She writes about tricky commonplace things (text messages, sex) with a familiarity no one else has.”—The Paris Review“Funny and intellectually agile . . . [combines] deft social observation—especially of shifts of power between individuals and groups—with acute feeling . . . [Rooney is] a master of the kind of millennial deadpan that appears to skewer a whole life and personality in a sentence or two.”—Harper’s Magazine“Beautifully observed . . . crackles with vivid insight into what it means to be young and in love today.”—Esquire“I went into a tunnel with this book and didn’t want to come out. Absolutely engrossing and surprisingly heart-breaking with more depth, subtlety, and insight than any one novel deserves. Young love is a subject of much scorn, but Rooney understands the cataclysmic effects our youth has on the people we become. She has restored not only love’s dignity, but also its significance.”—Stephanie Danler, author of Sweetbitter“Masterfully done. The quality of Rooney’s writing, particularly in the psychologically wrought sex scenes, cannot be understated as she brilliantly provides a window into her protagonists’ true selves.”—BookPage (starred review)

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