Narrative theme: love / relationships

Book SynopsisNOW A MAJOR BBC ONE DRAMA STARRING HAYLEY ATWELL AND MATTHEW MACFADYENIn spring of 1905 in England, a brief romance between Helen Schlegel and Paul Wilcox ends badly, their two very different families are brought into collision. The liberal, intellectual Schlegels, who had hoped never to see the capitalist, pragmatic Wilcoxes again, learn that Paul''s family are moving from their country estate - Howards End - to a flat just across the road.As the lives of the Schlegels and the Wilcoxes become increasingly entangled, Helen befriends Leonard Bast, a man of lower social status. His presence further inflames the families'' political and cultural differences, which are brought to a head in a fatal confrontation at Howards End.Considered by some to be E. M. Forster''s finest work Howard''s End blends humour and lyricism in this classic exploration of British class and character.

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Book SynopsisThe greatest writer of them all, brought to glorious life.How well do you know the man you love? How much do you think you know about Shakespeare? What if they were one and the same? He is an ordinary man: unwilling craftsman, ambitious actor, resentful son, almost good-enough husband. And he is also a genius. The story of how a glove-maker from Warwickshire became the greatest writer of them all is vaguely known to most of us, but it would take an exceptional modern novelist to bring him to life. And now at last Jude Morgan, acclaimed author of Passion and The Taste of Sorrow, has taken Shakespeare''s life, and created a masterpiece.

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Book SynopsisLiza Klaussmann was born in New York but lives in London. She is the Sunday Times bestselling author of Tigers in Red Weather and Villa America.Trade Review'It’s hard to know where to start a review of this startling debut novel because Tigers in Red Weather is absolutely packed with plot . . . anybody who enjoys Mad Men will almost certainly like this book . . . heady, page-turning stuff — the intelligent beach read of the summer.' Sunday Times‘Postwar America, beautiful and damaged people, secrets and lies and passions and martinis and the smell of something rotting beneath the fragrance of summer . . . an immensely gripping and well-told tale of two generations . . . It is part of the considerable pleasure of this novel that much of it reminds you of other stories, in prose and film. You are on familiar but never stale territory, and you read on with the growing conviction that a nasty surprise lies around the corner.’ Guardian‘What an unexpectedly brilliant read this is. It starts off all Stepford Wives and Valley of the Dolls and ends up somewhere in the territory of Jeffrey Eugenides' The Virgin Suicides or Donna Tartt's The Secret History . . . This is an ambitious undertaking for a first novel but Klaussmann really pulls it off, turning an elegant period piece into a creepy psychological thriller . . . A wonderfully clever, chilling summer read.’ Independent on Sunday'Tigers in Red Weather yokes literary craftmanship to a strong, engaging plot . . . The stakes are raised with artful subtlety over the course of the novel . . . The final sequence, told by a relative outsider, is impressively disquieting and concludes this arresting debut with a flourish of ventriloquism’ Literary Review ‘A scintillating look at a gilded but dysfunctional family grappling with lies, secrets and conspiracies . . . The voices of the five main characters ramp up the tension with languorously graceful prose, perfectly mirroring the book's long, dangerous summers.’ Marie Claire‘The novel you should be tucking into your beach bag this summer is Klaussmann’s excellent Tigers In Red Weather . . . Flipping back and forth across a couple of decades, it gracefully tracks the currents souring the intoxicating cocktail of money, sex, heat, boredom and beauty that constitutes the lives of the wealthy on Martha’s Vineyard following World War II. With a conscious nod to F Scott Fitzgerald, it’s a clever, sensual thriller that combines a smidgen of Klaussmann’s family history with a clear-eyed perspective on the multi-faceted nature of families and the emotional duplicity of the rich.’ Metro'Summers are made for novels like Liza Klaussmann's debut, a sophisticated page-turner, where danger and pain throb in every tight-lipped silence, every casually cruel remark, every misinterpreted gesture . . . Hemingway['s] influence is apparent in the simplicity of her language and observations . . . I read it the first time in one sitting, and envy anyone about to start it, with that delicious pleasure ahead of them.' Sunday Telegraph'Two things set this enjoyably creepy book apart from your average beach read. The plot and pacing are expertly managed . . . But the real selling point is the writing, which is minimalist and evocative at the same time.' Observer‘Tragedy, betrayal and passion . . . A riveting, intelligent read’ Stylist

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Book Synopsis''I loved this book, everyone needs a Jack Eversea in their life'' 5* reader review Following Eversea, Forever, Jack is the second gorgeous Butler Cove novel from Natasha Boyd. Nicholas Sparks introduced you to Noah Calhoun. Jamie McGuire brought you Travis Maddox. Now meet Jack Eversea, and prepare to be swept away...When Hollywood movie star Jack Eversea stumbled into sleepy Butler Cove, he had no idea he would encounter the only ''real'' thing that''s ever happened to him - only to let her slip through his fingers... Small-town girl Keri Ann Butler''s life changed the night she met Jack Eversea. But suddenly he was gone, and she had to pick up the pieces and start again.Now Jack is back, with one thing on his mind. Winning back the girl who stole his heart. Whatever it takes. But is it too late? Passionate. Devastating. Explosive. Unforgettable. <Trade ReviewBoyd creates magic once again * A Bookish Escape *Natasha Boyd weaves a fascinating tale of love, loss, heartache and redemption * Tome Tender Book Blog *A perfect blend of heartbreak, angst, romance, steam and pure love in its rawest and sometimes most painful form * All Romance Reviews *5 Eversea* glass Loving Stars! * Sizzling Pages Reviews *

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Book Synopsis ''Eversea is captivating, romantic and a stunning read to get lost in! I''ll be honest - this is a book that I have been DREAMING of reading'' 5* reader review Eversea is the first gorgeous Butler Cove novel from Natasha Boyd. If you loved Nicholas Sparks'' Noah Calhoun and lusted after Jamie McGuire''s Travis Maddox, you''ll be dreaming about Jack Eversea...An orphaned, small-town, southern girl, held hostage by responsibility and self-doubt.A Hollywood A-list mega-star, on the run from his latest scandal and with everything to lose. A chance encounter that leads to an unlikely arrangement and epic love affair that will change them both for ever.As powerful as the pounding surf, as intoxicating as the sea breeze, this is one love affair you won''t be able to forget about...Don''t miss the electrifying sequel, Forever, Jack, and return to Butler Cove in the noTrade ReviewA completely captivating read * Romfan Reviews *You will get lost in the characters and their stories. This book is escapism at its very best. A beautiful coming of age story with lots of lovely romance mixed in * Bookish Treasures Blog *An absolutely sexy, heart-touching tale of finding oneself and discovering love along the way. Eversea is brilliantly written with lovable characters and wonderful story that left me wanting more * Tome Tender Book Blog *So if you'd like a book that's full of vibrant characters, swoon (fracking hot) males that leave you hot under the collar, and just generally a book that leaves you wanting so much more, then pick this book up! * Book Passion for Life Blog *

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Book SynopsisIt kept me awake desperate to find out what had happened to affect them all so badly.' 5* reader review'This is a beautifully written novel with powerfully drawn characters.' 5* reader review'Had me hooked...

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Book Synopsis** AN OBSERVER BEST DEBUT NOVELIST AND BOOK OF THE YEAR FOR 2023 ** ** SHORTLISTED FOR THE NERO BOOK AWARDS 2023: DEBUT FICTION ** ‘A voice unlike any other’ OBSERVER ‘I fell in love immediately’ MAX PORTER ‘A writer of imagination and flair’ ECONOMIST ‘Smart, subversive, funny, heartbreaking’ KAMILA SHAMSIE ‘Buoro's writing deserves to inspire a generation of superheroes’ THE TIMES Fifteen-year-old Andrew Aziza lives in Kontagora, Nigeria, where his days are spent about town with his droogs, Slim and Morocca, grappling with his fantasies about white girls – especially blondes – and wondering who his father is. When he’s not in church, at school or attempting to form ‘Africa’s first superheroes’, he obsesses over mathematical theorems, ideas of black power and HXVX: the Curse of Africa. Sure enough, the reluctantly nicknamed ‘Andy Africa’ soon falls hopelessly and inappropriately in love with the first white girl he lays eyes on, Eileen. But at the church party held to celebrate her arrival, multiple crises loom. An unfamiliar man claims, despite his mother’s denials, to be Andy’s father, and the gathering of an anti-Christian mob is headed for the church – both set to shake the foundations of everything Andy knows and loves. The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa announces a dazzling, distinctive, new literary voice. Profound, exhilarating and highly original, this tragicomic novel is a stunning exploration of the contemporary African ‘condition’, the relentless infiltration of Western culture and, most of all, the ordinary but impossible challenges of coming of age in a turbulent world.Trade ReviewThis is extraordinary, driven by a gloriously eccentric central character. It is utterly compelling, not shy about posing difficult questions for the reader * 2023 Nero Book Prize Judges *The pleasure here is as much in the journey as the destination, with sex, terrorism and, er, catechisms in the mix. Buoro has energy to burn -- IndependentCraft and verve abound in this tragicomic coming-of-age debut fuelled by the lapel-grabbing voice of its 15-year-old narrator, Andy . . . Both sweet and sour, it offers a family story, a thwarted romance and a story of friendship * Daily Mail *A smart and incisive coming-of-age tragicomedy * i *The vivid immediacy of Buoro’s prose is transporting, his similes as alive as the scenes he paints . . . [Buoro's] writing deserves to inspire a generation of superheroes * The Times *This ticks all the boxes of a literary blockbuster . . . Buoro commits to representing diversity within Blackness, the way Toni Morrison does . . . You wouldn’t be wrong to read the book as satire of a certain kind of Black aspiration, or as an allegory of Africa and the western imperialist project. Or you could read it as itself, without abstracting its particularities: the story of a boy doing his best under the assault of powerful western influences and illusions * Guardian *An assured debut . . . [Buoro] brings Andy’s world to life with such immediacy * Independent *Buoro is a writer of imagination and flair . . . His sentences are mad, boisterous, incantatory – and, in a continent where rhythm is as common as praying, quite singular. The prose on any page could only be his. And Andy Africa is an unforgettable character … Contemporary African literature is rich in coming-of-age stories. For its sheer energy, The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa is among the best * Economist *An exhilarating, tragicomic novel that questions what it means to come of age in Nigeria today . . . A voice unlike any other * Observer *Beautiful, intelligent and heart-wrenching -- NoViolet Bulawayo, author of GLORY and WE NEED NEW NAMESA barnstorming, heartbreaking debut . . . Tackling the perils of carving out a unique identity in a world of carnage and confusion, in the shadow of colonialism, this assured, engaging book, will make you fall in love with teenager Andy Aziza, and will undoubtedly make a star of Stephen Buoro * Harper's Bazaar, Highlights for 2023 *This novel exudes a wonderfully vivid sense of place and leads the reader inside the head of its teenage hero . . . It’s a narrative of depth that also manages to be instantly engaging -- Ian RankinI fell in love with this novel immediately. [It has] hilarious energy, a satirical but also wildly ambitious philosophical framework … It’s eccentric, profound, timely, specific but it also has global concerns and a really, really brilliant central character -- Max PorterFascinating; unashamedly, brilliantly intelligent. It grapples with ideas around maths, Afrofuturism, biblical myth . . . profound philosophical stuff, but fundamentally it’s a really playful, pleasurable book about young boy who’s falling madly in love, and has a difficult, intense, loving relationship with his mother -- Sarah PerryStephen Buoro’s wonderful The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa is filled with lovable, memorable characters. You’ll meet a young man pining over a fantasy; his fierce mother who tries to shield him as best she can; a friend who confides; and others who just want happiness. This novel is at once funny and heartbreaking. Most importantly, it’s honest -- De'Shawn Charles Winslow, author of DECENT PEOPLE and IN THE WEST MILLSA blazing debut – smart, subversive, funny, heartbreaking. I’m already impatient for Buoro’s next book -- Kamila ShamsieHilarious and heartbreaking and full of surprises, Stephen Buoro’s debut novel puts us inside the head of the titular teenager, a charming, nervous Nigerian kid who is curious about the world but convinced that he lives on a cursed continent. It’s a fun and harrowing place to be * The Philadelphia Inquirer *

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Book SynopsisFunny of course it's funny but also smart, insightful and sincere about heartbreak'' DAVID NICHOLLS, author of ONE DAY''This is the greatest. You''ll cry and laugh. I read it though the night. And I never, ever avoid sleep'' CLAUDIA WINKLEMANI award it 13/10 on my QWJ scale (stands for Queasy With Jealousy that I didn''t write it)' MARIAN KEYES---Every relationship has one beginning.This one has two endings.Andy loves Jen. Jen loved Andy.And he can''t work out why she stopped.Now he is. . .1. Without a home2. Waiting for his stand-up career to take off3. Wondering why everyone else around him seems to have grown up while he wasn''t lookingSet adrift on the sea of heartbreak at a time when everything he thought he knew about women, and flat-sharing, and his friendships has transformed beyond recognition, Andy clings to the idea of solving the puzzle of their broken relationship. Because if he can find the answer to that, then maybe Jen can find her way back to him.Andy still has a lot to learn, not least his ex-girlfriend''s side of the story.From the bestselling author of Ghosts and Everything I Know About Love: a sharply funny, beautifully observed and exquisitely relatable story of heartbreak and friendship, and how to survive both.''The most book-based fun I had this year ... It''s the most I''ve laughed while reading about heartbreak since Nick Hornby''s High Fidelity. A complete delight'' The Sunday Times, Critics'' favourite books of the yearSunday Times bestseller, November 2023Trade ReviewIf Dolly’s memoir Everything I Know About Love summed up being twentysomething then this, her second novel, is a tender and funny love letter to our tumultuous 30s * Red *Brilliantly observed … Beautifully written, pacy and excellent on rejection, friendship and letting go. Fabulous * Daily Mail *Laugh-out-loud dialogue on every page ... No-one has a firmer grasp on the themes she explores. Good material, indeed * Sunday Express *Funny, sad and true; a book she has clearly poured her soul into ... Cements her status as a fiction heavyweight * inews, The best new books to read in November 2023 *This is the greatest. You’ll cry and laugh. I read it through the night. And I never, ever avoid sleep * Claudia Winkleman *It's so good. I loved it * Sharon Horgan *Leaves you heartsore but happier. Irresistible * Richard E. Grant *Made me laugh while punching me in the gut. Loved this book * Aisling Bea *Sharply written and acutely observed ... A beautifully nuanced portrayal of modern love that will have you racing to the last page * Heat *Have you ever wondered what a lost love was thinking? In this ingeniously constructed and endlessly amusing novel, Dolly Alderton flips the script on everything we think we know about romantic loss, to bring us an unforgettable character on a deeply relatable downward spiral. Wise and relatable and pee-your-pants funny. I cried by page 5. Dolly Alderton is, quite simply, the bard of modern day love * Lena Dunham *WONDERFUL ... Shot through with Dolly's characteristic emotional intelligence ... Very funny ... Such a pleasure to read. I devoured it ... I award it 13/10 on my QWJ scale (stands for Queasy With Jealousy that I didn't write it) * Marian Keyes *I adored it! I ... Dolly is THE comic writer of our generation. This feels like her most ambitious book yet, and it delivers on every single page. She uses humour so brilliantly to underpin the quiet roar of romantic despair - this book is raw, smart and human. This makes me believe Dolly knows everything there is to know about love. * Daisy Buchanan *Dolly Alderton just gets better and better. Good Material is both heartbreaking and hilarious with an ending that has you holding your breath. With the wit of Nick Hornby and the emotional scalpel of Nora Ephron, Alderton is one of our greats and this is sure to be an absolute classic * Emma Gannon *A relatable, laugh-out-loud story of a thirtysomething failed comedian struggling with a break-up * Sunday Times Style *Good Material combines Alderton’s wit and eye for detail with a beautiful depth of emotion * Woman & Home *Genuinely laugh-out-loud funny – with characters straight out of a Richard Curtis film – whipsmart dialogue and relatable millennial themes (Alderton’s forte) mean there’s never a dull moment ... Thought-provoking and wise * The Independent, Best New Books to Read This Autumn *The author of Everything I Know About Love nails the zeitgeist with a witty, relatable and acutely insightful page-turner about the trails and tribulations of the lovelorn * Daily Express *Dolly Alderton is the Adele of writing * Esther Coren, The Spike *Witty, warm and well-observed * Fabulous Magazine *A funny, tender novel about human relationships. By turns, laugh-out-loud, eye-roll relatable, and 'stop you in your tracks' heart-wrench. A thoroughly modern romantic masterpiece. * Nina Stibbe, author of Love, Nina *Highly relatable for millennials navigating dating in London, and hugely insightful for those generations wanting to understand them. Packed with sharp observations and wisdom. A triumph * Sathnam Sanghera *Alderton entertains with observational quips about thirtysomething life ... There's a Hornby-esque charm to her well-meaning characters and their relatable dramas * The Observer *The bestselling author brings her warmth, emotional intelligence and wry observation to bear on her second novel ... Refreshing * The Bookseller, Editor's Choice *Alderton is perceptive about how men deal (badly) with emotional pain * The Times *Relatable, funny and refreshing * Elle *[A] book to be devoured, adored, underlined, and passed on (but only to the friends you know will give it back) ... [Alderton] proves herself once again as having both a deep understanding of the intricacies of relationships and the ability to articulate it better than the majority of us ever could ...Good Material showcases Alderton’s knack for rich characterisation and zippy dialogue like never before ... Genuinely funny – if only more books made you laugh as much as this * The i *All of Alderton's considerable gifts as a writer are on display here: her wit, her ability to capture exchanges that feel real, and her skilful characterisation ... Alderton's work truly shines when she writes about friendship * Sunday Independent *With distinct notes of Helen Fielding, Richard Curtis and Nick Hornby ... Warm and generous ... A writer very much in control of her material * Guardian *Alderton is excellent at fusing poignant tenderness with wry observations about modern life, and that talent is on full display here. Good Material is a highly enjoyable exploration of the messy, non-binary nature of many break-ups, and how two people can simply make a terrible couple ... If you're on the hunt for a readable romcom to inhale in a few sittings, this is very good material * Stylist *Funny, tender and astute on heartbreak * Mail on Sunday *This is Dolly Alderton's best book yet ... Alderton is a great social chronicler: her observations here about thirty-something friendship and the differences (or not) between millennials and Gen Z feel particularly true. But most crucially, this is a tender, bittersweet portrait of the addictive fug of longterm monogamy – and the crushing pain when it ends * The i – All I want for Christmas: Which books should you buy for your loved ones this year? *Brilliantly observed ... addictive * Daily Mail *Comical yet warming * Psychologies *A brilliantly observed portrait of a break-up, which examines how miserable it is to become obsessed with the unknown reasons a relationship has ended. Andy can’t understand why Jen no longer wants to be with him. The more he thinks about it the madder he feels but he can’t stop. Addictive * Daily Mail – Christmas Books: Best way to survive Christmas? Read a really good book! *I’ve already bought several copies of Dolly Alderton’s Good Material for the men and women in my life, and I will continue the rampage through the festive season. It’s the perfect blend of easy to read, funny and extremely astute * The Observer – Books of the year 2023 *Failing stand-up comedian Andy is devastated when his girlfriend Jen breaks up with him out of the blue. Alderton explores the trials and tribulations of finding yourself unexpectedly single in your mid-30s in a novel as witty as it is perceptive * Daily Express – Stocking fillers: What were the must read novels of 2023? *The most book-based fun I had this year ... It’s the most I’ve laughed while reading about heartbreak since Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity. A complete delight * The Sunday Times – My favourite read of the year, Charlotte Ivers *

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Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of the Undead series comes a ride through the lives of three estranged friends as they?re reunited by murder (possible frame job) and mayhem (just the way they like it).Operation Starfish has one goal: to remove domestic violence survivors from danger. But when a mission backfires in tragedy, the band of bikers who founded OpStar dissolves the organization and their ride-or-die friendship.Five years later Amanda, Sidney, and Cassandra are brought back together by the same thing that tore them apart when the man who victimized his wife is murdered, and all signs point to Cassandra.Circumstances being what they are?in a word: dire?the trio reignites their bond, if only to shut and barricade the door to their past once and for all. Their tentative sisterhood is infiltrated by Investigator Sean Beane, whose intentions aren?t as clear as they should be, but even so he?s too tempting for his (or Amanda?s) own good.Despite all reservations, regrets, and blossoming romance, it?s time for these biker babes to strap on their helmets and hit the road?before the real murderer can run them off it.

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Book Synopsis“Masterfully written and pitch perfect, Black Girls Must Be Magic is, simply, magic.”—Good Morning AmericaIn this highly anticipated second installment in the Black Girls Must Die Exhausted series, Tabitha Walker copes with more of life’s challenges and a happy surprise—a baby—with a little help and lots of love from friends old and new.For Tabitha Walker, her grandmother’s old adage, “Black girls must die exhausted” is becoming all too true. Discovering she’s pregnant—after she was told she may not be able to have biological children—Tabitha throws herself headfirst into the world of “single mothers by choice.” Between her job, doctor’s appointments, and preparing for the baby, she’s worn out. And that’s before her boss at the local news station starts getting complaints from viewers about Tabitha’s natural hair.

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Book SynopsisWhat if your work rival was the ex that you’d never actually broken up with? ‘Sizzling’ SOPHIE IRWIN‘Witty’ BETH REEKLES‘Excellent’ JANE CASEY‘Pitch-perfect’ EMMA HUGHESTrade ReviewPraise for Niamh Hargan: 'Could Niamh be Ireland's answer to Nora Ephron?' STELLAR ‘Snap-crackling with wit and energy, ridiculously enjoyable’ MHAIRI MCFARLANE ’Fresh, funny and beautifully written. Niamh Hargan is going to be huge’ SOPHIE COUSENS ’A sweepingly romantic debut . . . it’s sexy, escapist and FUN – everything a romantic comedy should be!’ LAURA JANE WILLIAMS ‘Smart, funny and sizzling with chemistry – but with a big, tender heart’ CRESSIDA MCLAUGHLIN ’I adored this thoughtful, funny, intelligent and very hot romcom’ SARRA MANNING ‘A sparkling, witty debut from a talented new voice’ LAUREN HO ‘Funny, smart and very romantic . . . the perfect escape’ ALEX BROWN

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Book SynopsisDon''t get mad. Get everything.When their best friend commits suicide over her divorce, Elise, Brenda and Annie decide enough is enough. Each was crucial to her husband''s career. But now that the men are successful, they''ve traded in their wives for newer, blonder models.Over lunch one day they form the First Wives Club. But this is no support group. This is the SAS in Chanel. Painstakingly, inexorably, they plan the downfall of the men who''ve wrecked their lives - and know that revenge has never tasted sweeter...Trade Review'A delicious tale of retribution' * Daily Express *'It does what all good books do, forces you to keep turning pages' * Independent on Sunday *'Hilarious, smooth and sexy' * Cosmopolitan *

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Book SynopsisIan McEwan is the critically acclaimed author of seventeen books. His first published work, a collection of short stories, First Love, Last Rites, won the Somerset Maugham Award. His novels include The Child in Time, which won the 1987 Whitbread Novel of the Year Award; The Cement Garden; Enduring Love; Amsterdam, which won the 1998 Booker Prize; Atonement; Saturday; On Chesil Beach; Solar; Sweet Tooth; The Children Act; and Nutshell, which was a Number One bestseller. Atonement and Enduring Love have both been turned into award-winning films, The Children Act and On Chesil Beach are in production and set for release this year, and filming is currently underway for a BBC TV adaptation of The Child in Time.Trade ReviewUtterly compelling * Sunday Times *Hypnotically readable * Sunday Telegraph *Taut with narrative excitement and suspense * Sunday Times *A plot so engrossing that it seems reckless to pick the book up in the evening if you plan to get any sleep that night * Daily Mail *He is the maestro at creating suspense * New Statesman *

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Book SynopsisSet in the rural midlands of England, The Rainbow revolves around three generations of the Brangwen family over a period of more than sixty years, setting them against the emergence of modern England. When Tom Brangwen marries a Polish widow and adopts her daughter as his own, he is unprepared for the conflict and passion that erupt. Suffused with biblical imagery, The Rainbow addresses searching human issues in a setting of precise and vivid detail.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.Trade Review"Lawrence is the most Dostoevskian of English novelists, in whose best work conflicting ideological positions are brought into play and set up against each other in dialogue that is never simply or finally resolved." -David Lodge

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Book SynopsisWhat happens when a washed-up musician looks for another chance? And miles away, a restless woman looks for a change? NICK HORNBY''S HILARIOUS INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER IS NOW A MAJOR FILM''A comic delight'' Evening Standard _____________In 1986, legendary musician Tucker Crowe disappeared from the public eye and for 20 years, his rabid fans have speculated his whereabouts. Annie lives in Gooleness, the north''s answer to a question nobody asked, and has put fifteen years into a safe relationship with one such Crowe-ologist, Duncan. And she wants her money back, please.Then Tucker releases new material. Duncan thinks it''s genius, Annie does not, and when she dares to go public with her dislike, there are unexpected, life-changing consequences for all three . . .Juliet, Naked is a humblingly humorous novel about music, love, loneliness, and the struggle to live up to our own potential.Trade ReviewA wonderfully assured writer * Sunday Times *Juliet, Naked is ingenious, funny and moving * Daily Mail *A comic delight. In Juliet, Naked the author once again deftly but affectionately anatomizes the foibles of flawed men and women * Evening Standard *Sharp, funny, touching . . . Nick Hornby's triumph is to find infinite amounts of warmth and humour in this seeming world of desolation * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisRichly expansive and deeply moving, an intimate novel of secret lives and painful histories from one of the finest storytellers we have''This brilliant novel examines lives lived, losses accumulated, and the slipperiness of perception. Yiyun Li writes deeply, drolly, and with elegance about history, even as it''s happening. She is one of my favorite writers, and Must I Go is an extraordinary book.'' Meg Wolitzer Lilia Liska is 81. She has shrewdly outlived three husbands, raised five children and seen the arrival of seventeen grandchildren. Now she has turned her keen attention to a strange little book published by a vanity press: the diary of a long-forgotten man named Roland Bouley, with whom she once had a fleeting affair.Increasingly obsessed by this fragment of intimate history, Lilia begins to annotate the diary with her own rather different version of events. Gradually she undercuts Roland''s charming but arrogant voice with an incisive and deeply moving commentary. She reveals to us the surprising, long-held secrets of her past. And she returns inexorably to her daughter, Lucy, who took her own life at the age of 27.Must I Go is an unconventional epistolary novel, a gleefully one-way correspondence between the very-much-alive Lilia and the long-departed Roland. Though mortality is ever-present, this is ultimately a novel about life, in all its messy glory. Life lived, for the extraordinary Lilia, absolutely on its own terms. With exquisite subtlety and insight, Yiyun Li navigates the twin poles of grief and resilience, loss and rebirth, that compass a human heart.Trade ReviewThis brilliant novel examines lives lived, losses accumulated, and the slipperiness of perception. Yiyun Li writes deeply, drolly, and with elegance about history, even as it's happening. She is one of my favorite writers, and Must I Go is an extraordinary book. -- Meg WolitzerThere is no writer like Yiyun Li, no one in contemporary literature who is as masterful at digging into the uncertainty of our existence on this earth. And Must I Go is sheer brilliance. Lilia Liska is one of the most arresting, strangely funny, and complex characters I've ever met . . . Li does something truly transformative. She remakes our world for us, so we can figure out how to keep living in it. -- Kevin WilsonA masterpiece. This book haunts me more than any other novel I've read in recent yearsAny new book by Yiyun Li is cause for celebration, but now more than ever do we need the clarity and humaneness of her vision. Must I Go takes us into her familiar and powerful emotional territory, brilliantly exploring how what we love, what we lose, and what we mourn make, unmake, and remake us into the human beings that we are. -- Sigrid NunezA portrait of resilience like no other, Must I Go takes Yiyun Li-and the reader-into entirely new emotional territory. Bracing and almost unnervingly perceptive, this is wisdom literature for our time. -- Gish JenFierce and intransigent -- Joyce Carol Oates

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE_______________________Near perfection... one of the outstanding works of fiction of the year.'' - The Times''A splendidly bracing experience.'' - New Statesman_______________________Sheila Redden, a quiet, 37-year-old doctor''s wife, has long been looking forward to returning with her husband to the town where they spent their honeymoon over twenty years ago. Little does she suspect that after a chance encounter in Paris she will end up spending her holiday with a man she has only just met, an American man ten years her junior. Four weeks later, Sheila is nowhere to be found. Owen Deane, her brother, follows her steps to Paris in the hopes of shedding some light on her disappearance, but soon begins to wonder if she will ever reappear. Interspersed with Sheila''s harrowing memories of her hometown of Ulster at the height of the troubles, this is a compelling and powerful tale of love, escape and abandon.Trade Review‘The subject - an ordinary woman seized by love for a younger man in the middle of her life - supplies just the right material for Mr Moore's tender, probing technique. It is uncanny: No other male writer, I swear (and precious few females), knows so much about women' * Sunday Telegraph *‘The novel is near perfection. The elegance and clarity of style rides in perfect harmony with the subtlety and depth of feeling. The dialogue is perfect- the author's ear sharp for the cadences of ecstasy, self-pity, love and anger. The feeling for mood and background is perfect... a novel of mature assurance and brilliant insight that must make it one of the outstanding works of fiction of the year.' * The Times *‘Nightmare images of tanks cruising down empty night streets, feverish erotic couplings with a stranger in foreign hotels; a married woman from a provincial backwater breaking out on a trip abroad; a concerned sibling observing a rebellious sister; the palpable absence of God in the central characters' lives and the notion that art and sex might replace Him... a splendidly bracing experience.' * New Statesman *

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Book SynopsisCleanness revisits and expands the world of Garth Greenwell’s beloved debut, What Belongs to You, declared ‘an instant classic’ by the New York Times Book Review. In exacting, elegant prose, Greenwell transcribes the strange dialects of desire, cementing his stature as one of our most vital living writers.‘This is an exceptional work of fiction, which places Greenwell among the very best contemporary novelists.’ – IndependentSofia, Bulgaria, a landlocked city in southern Europe, stirs with hope and impending upheaval. Soviet buildings crumble, wind scatters sand from the far south, and political protesters flood the streets with song.In this atmosphere of disquiet, an American teacher navigates a life transformed by the discovery and loss of love. As he prepares to leave the place he’s come to call home, he grapples with the intimate encounters that have marked his years abroad, each bearing uncanny reminders of his past. A queer student’s confession recalls his own first love, a stranger’s seduction devolves into paternal sadism, and a romance with a younger man opens, and heals, old wounds. Each echo reveals startling insights about what it means to seek connection: with those we love, with the places we inhabit, and with our own fugitive selves.Chosen as a book of the year in the New Yorker, Daily Telegraph, Observer and Irish Times.Trade ReviewGreenwell may be the finest writer of sex currently at work. He is certainly the most exhilarating . . . If the book is imagined as a body, then cleanness – a total lack of shame in putting sexual passion on the page – is what it achieves in these refreshing depictions. In one brilliant passage, Greenwell even redeems pornographic language itself . . . a glorious, affirmative vision. -- Michael LaPointe * TLS *Cleanness is stunning, provocatively revelatory and atmospherically profound. Here is love and sex as art, as pulse, as truth. -- Lisa Taddeo, author of Three Womena brilliant examination of love and intimacy -- SJ Watson * The Times *Garth Greenwell is an intensely beautiful and gorgeous writer. I can think of no contemporary author who brings as much reality and honesty to the description of sex—locating in it the sublime, as well as our deepest degradations, our sweetness, confusion, and rage -- Sheila Heti, author of MotherhoodAn unbearably wonderful, eloquently sexual, thoughtful, emotional delight of a novel - Garth Greenwell writes like no one else -- Eimear McBrideCleanness is a impressive book: moving, radical, both beautiful and violent, unexpected. Garth Greenwell is a major writer, and his writing provides us tools to affirm ourselves, to exist - to fight -- Edouard Louis, author of The End of Eddy.Cleanness reaches into the relationship between masculinity and violence with more depth than any book I’ve read in a very long time, and it does it by elaborating both the tender and brutal means that men who try to love other men employ to survive the violence they inherited and the violence they still possess. It is, in the best sense, a disturbing book for the simple reason that it speaks the truth -- Adam Haslett, author of Imagine Me GoneSo rarely do words make comprehensible the inevitability and confusion of desire as Garth Greenwell’s writing does. His sensibility is akin to James Baldwin’s, and he observes the world with eyes like those of Tolstoy. With shimmering prose and undiluted intensity, Cleanness captures the indefinableness of pain and intimacy, love and alienation, vulnerability and sustainability -- Yiyun Li, author of Where Reasons EndIt has been four years since Garth Greenwell’s stunning debut, What Belongs To You, was published. I don’t think I have read a better new novel in all that time, so to discover that his follow-up is every bit as exquisite was a mixture of relief and joy . . . Greenwell’s prose possesses the same luminescence, shimmering with emotional truth . . . This is an exceptional work of fiction, which places Greenwell among the very best contemporary novelists. -- Lucy Scholes * Independent *In Cleanness, I found an end to a loneliness I didn't know — until now — how to describe. Greenwell maps the worlds our language walls off—sex, love, shame and friendship, the foreign and the familiar—and finds the sublime. There are visceral shocks like I’ve never encountered in print, and they delighted me, again and again. With each plunge we take beneath the surface of life, lost and new worlds appear. This could only be the work of a master -- Alexander Chee, author of How to Write an Autobiographical NovelThe casual grandeur of Garth Greenwell’s prose, unfurling in page-long paragraphs and elegantly garrulous sentences, tempts the vulnerable reader into danger zones: traumatic memories, extreme sexual scenarios, states of paralyzing heartbreak and loss . . . These stories are masterpieces of radical eroticism, but they wouldn’t have the same impact if they didn’t appear in a gorgeously varied narrative fabric, amid scenes of more wholesome love, finely sketched vistas of political unrest, haunting evocations of a damaged childhood, and moments of mundane rapture. Tenderness, violence, animosity, and compassion are the outer edges of what feels like a total map of the human condition -- Alex Ross * New Yorker *Garth Greenwell’s sentences are magical and spellbinding. They breathe, and are alive, in completely unpredictable ways. Words are voyages, says John Donne. Greenwell is a novelist whose art makes a poet stand on his toes -- Ilya Kaminsky, author of Deaf RepublicA novel of devastating honesty and beauty. A gorgeous literary line runs from Death in Venice to Giovanni's Room to A Boy's Own Story to What Belongs to You, and, now, Cleanness, and I will follow it to the last word -- David Ebershoff, author of The Danish Girl and The 19th WifeI don't know how Garth Greenwell writes such delicate, profane fiction. Reading this book made me want to sit with my emotions and desires; it made me want to be a better writer. -- Carmen Maria Machado, author of Her Body and Other PartiesGarth Greenwell, whose first book is a masterpiece, amazingly has written a second book that is also a masterpiece. The great enterprise that Joyce and Lawrence began—to write with utter literal candor about sex, grounding one’s moral life and philosophical insight in what that candor reveals about us—finds fulfillment, a late apotheosis, in Greenwell’s work. Cleanness is the act of a master -- Frank BidartIf Henry James were alive in this strange century, if Thomas Mann had been allowed to write raw sex, if Virginia Woolf had slummed it more, if Proust had been born in Kentucky, if they all commingled their blood and brains, we might get something like Garth Greenwell. Cleanness is indescribable, and it is genius. -- Rebecca Makkai, author of The Great BelieversThe narrator of Greenwell’s debut What Belongs to You returns in this masterpiece of intimacy. An American expat soon to leave his post in Bulgaria, he looks back at his encounters — those rooted in love and those ones where feeling emerged unexpected — recounting, in Greenwell’s seamless, acute prose, the violence and surrender, gestures and codes of love and sex. * Financial Times *

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Book Synopsis'A fragmentary meditation on the nature of love' GuardianA Chinese woman comes to post-Brexit London to start over - just as the Brexit campaign reaches a fever pitch. Isolated and lonely in a Britain increasingly hostile to foreigners, she meets a landscape architect and the two begin to build their future together.Playing with language and the cultural differences that our narrator encounters as she settles into her new life, the lovers must navigate their differences and their romance, whether on their unmoored houseboat or in a cramped apartment in east London. Suffused with a wonderful sense of humour, this intimate novel asks what it means to make a home and a family in a new land.Trade ReviewGuo is an unsparing noticer. The truthfulness and accuracy of Guo's language gives the book mischief and energy. There are shades of Lydia Davis in her carefully etched sentences as she details the ups and downs of the relationship without sentimentality. . . . Along the way, it's capacious enough to touch on moments of real darkness, while somehow managing to be mordant, funny and, ultimately, life-affirming -- Marcel Theroux * New York Times *A fragmentary meditation on the nature of love, on desire and on connection between two humans . . . this book sets off cross-cultural echoes with the lightest of strokes -- Aida Edemariam * Guardian *Xiaolu Guo writes with tremendous delicacy and nuance about migration, language, alienation, and love . . . Guo has pared down every tiny chapter to its poetic essence so as to let the largest themes emerge, thus taking the reader from the verbal to something approaching the numinous -- Mike Cormack * Spectator *A story told with charm that will leave you in a ponderous mood -- Susannah Butter * Evening Standard *Guo's latest novel . . . demonstrates how much can be achieved when narrative is cut loose from plot and scene-setting in favour of free-floating reflection -- Anthony Cummins * i *

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Book SynopsisWhen Andrée joins her school, Sylvie is immediately fascinated. Andrée is small for her age but walks with the confidence of an adult.The girls become close. They talk for hours about equality, justice, war and religion; they lose respect for their teachers; they build a world of their own. But as the girls grow into young women, the pressures of society mount, threatening everything.This novel was never published in Simone de Beauvoir's lifetime. It tells the story of the real-life friendship that shaped one of the most important thinkers and feminists of the twentieth century.'Slim, elegant, achingly tragic and unaffectedly lovely in its evocation of the closeness between girls - and the pressures that sunder them' SpectatorVINTAGE FRENCH CLASSICS - five masterpieces of French fiction in gorgeous new gift editions.TRANSLATED BY LAUREN ELKIN - INTRODUCED BY DEBORAH LEVYTrade Review[An] exquisitely simple tale... The Inseparables invites us to cherish friendship, and how it makes and breaks us in a precarious and cruel world. * Church Times *A short novel that will bring most to tears, it's loving, it's tender, it's heart wrenching and absolutely worth reading * Left Lion *

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Book Synopsis'Prepare to ugly cry and snort laugh with abandon' - Heat'An emotional read with an OMG ending' - Jill MansellOne moment in time can change everything...The day Scarlett dies should have been one of the most important of her life. It doesn't feel fair that she'll never have the chance to fulfil her dreams - all because she stopped to help a stranger. And now, she's still ... here - wherever here is - watching the ripple effect of her death on those she loved the most.Evie cannot contemplate her life without Scarlett, and she certainly cannot forgive Nate, the man she blames for her best friend's death. But Nate keeps popping up when she least expects him to, catapulting Evie's life in directions she'd never let herself imagine possible. If you could go back, knowing everything that happens after, everything that happens because of one choice you made, would you change the course of history or would you do it all again?'A gorgeous love story with a twist' Veronica Henry'Fans of Jojo Moyes will devour Becky Hunter's stunning tale' Sunday ExpressTrade ReviewA thought-provoking and moving novel about loss, love, and the unique and life-affirming power of friendship. Poignant yet unwaveringly hopeful, One Moment is a fresh look at how grief can not only break us, but put us back together again. An unmissable debut. * Holly Miller *'Completely involving. An emotional read about love and trust, with an OMG ending -- Jill MansellA beautiful, bittersweet examination of friendship, love and grief, prepare to ugly cry and snort laugh with abandon * Heat *Wonderful * Marie Claire *This heart-wrenching tale is beautifully written * Sun *A beautifully written novel that captures the joy of a lifelong friendship and the horror of grief. Fans of JoJo Moyes will devour Becky Hunter's stunning tale * Sunday Express *A joy from start to finish -- Sheila O'Flanagan. No. 1 bestselling authorThis emotional read about friendship, love and loss is touching and relatable with an unexpected ending that leaves you reeling * Good Housekeeping *Full of heart and humour and the characters are all so well written * Prima *One Moment is so many things. A gorgeous love story with a twist, a tender portrait of the kind of friendship that transcends everything, and an exploration of the important things in life. It will make you question who you are, and what you want, and how to make the most of every opportunity and every relationship you have. Intimate, thoughtful, beautiful and deeply moving. Becky Hunter will steal your heart! -- Veronica HenryI adored this emotional debut from Becky Hunter. It's such a gorgeous tale of love and friendship, beautifully written and with characters you really believe in. * Georgina Moore, author of The Garnett Girls *An exquisitely written novel about grief, hope and the power of love. I loved every word. -- Cathy Bramley, Sunday Times bestselling authorBeautiful, hopeful, deeply emotional, incredibly wise and wonderfully romantic. One of those books I feel stronger for reading -- Cressida McLaughlinFantastic. Incredibly moving and very thoughtfully written -- Harriet TyceThis stunning debut explores grief, love and friendship in a beautiful and original way - a powerful read full of both moving and joyful moments * My Weekly *A story of friendship, loss and how one moment can change your whole life. A gorgeous debut. * Woman *Sharp, funny, tear-jerking, so assured and well observed. What a debut! -- Elizabeth BuchanA compelling read * Bella *A heart-warming and often heartbreaking read * Daily Express *A beautiful story about love and loss * Best *A warm and thoughtful novel that skewers friendship, loss and negotiating grief in a touching and relatable way. I was completely caught up in Evie and Scarlet's stories. -- Fanny BlakeA page-turner to grip you * Chat *The must-read debut of the year ... brings joy, happiness and pleasure in a story simply not to be missed' * People's Friend *Deeply moving ... truly packs an emotional punch. Heatwarming, witty and brilliantly written. * Press and Journal *A poignant, uplifting and life-affirming tale of friendship, love, grief and learning to let go. It'll have you welling up one moment and smiling the next. And by the end, your heart will feel a little fuller. * CultureFly *A hugely accomplished debut about dying, grief and loss, but also learning to live again. It's about love in all its forms, and, despite its subject matter, it manages to be uplifting and life-affirming. It's a story that will stay with me for a long time. -- Claire FrostSo moving and uplifting - I have no doubt that readers will fall in love -- Emylia HallAn engaging story about love, true friendship and sacrifice * Candis *A touching tale focusing on friendship, grief, and hope * That's Life *

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE JOHN MCGAHERN PRIZE 2022This critically acclaimed debut will be a guaranteed hit with literary fiction lovers this Christmas._____________A young woman comes of age in the shadow of her family's tragic pastWhen Beth Crowe starts university, she is shadowed by the ghost of her potential as a competitive swimmer. Free to create a fresh identity for herself, she finds herself among people who adore the poetry of her grandfather, Benjamin Crowe, who died tragically before she was born. She embarks on a secret relationship - and on a quest to discover the truth about Benjamin and his widow, her beloved grandmother Lydia. The quest brings her into an archive that no scholar has ever seen, and to a person who knows things about her family that nobody else knows.Holding Her Breath is a razor-sharp, moving and seriously entertaining novel about complicated love stories, ambition and grief - and a young woman coming fully into her powers.SHORTLISTED FOR THE IRISH BOOK AWARDS 2021SHORTLISTED FOR THE KATE O'BRIEN AWARD 2022__________'A stunning debut from this new Irish talent' STELLAR'A beautiful coming-of-age story told with impressive skill and lightness of touch . . . I absolutely loved it' LOUISE O'NEILL'Whip smart observations and addictive prose' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH'Precise, sure, engaging, and a joy to read' RODDY DOYLE'A moving debut with a satisfying conclusion' IRISH INDEPENDENT'Brilliant, vivid - I enjoyed this book ENORMOUSLY' MARIAN KEYES'Enthralling' IMAGE'A nimble account of student life with a darkly enjoyable undercurrent of secrecy and emotional turmoil' SARA BAUME'A truly compelling read, and one I wholeheartedly recommend' BUZZ'Through the dark sky of our times, Eimear Ryan arrives like a comet, a bright talent scorching through every page' DOIREANN NÍ GHRÍOFA, author of A Ghost in the Throat'Brilliantly realised, gripping, and moving . . . This is absolutely the real thing' KEVIN POWER'Written with a wonderful clarity and insight, Holding Her Breath lingers in the imagination. Beth's unravelling and re-ravelling is drawn with great skill and empathy. A brilliant debut' DONAL RYANTrade ReviewFunny, dark and unexpected -- Kevin Power * The Last Word with Matt Cooper *A stunning debut from this new Irish talent, as well as being an exciting page turner it's also a perfect depiction of how it feels to be lost as you embark on a new chapter of your life * Stellar *From the first sentence to the last, this is a great piece of writing - precise, sure, engaging, and a joy to read -- Roddy DoyleRichly accomplished . . . a true pleasure to read -- Dermot Bolger * Business Post *A moving debut with a satisfying conclusion * Irish Independent *Through the dark sky of our times, Eimear Ryan arrives like a comet, a bright talent scorching through every page. To read this book is to feel it blaze to life. I can't stop thinking about it -- Doireann Ní Ghríofa, author of A Ghost in the Throat

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Book Synopsis“Moving, poetic and quietly provocative.” – The Independent. A novel sure to appeal to fans of Outlander. When Alys revisits the beautiful Scottish island of Garve after an absence of 25 years, she is captivated by the embroidered casket on display in her hotel. She discovers that it belongs to Donal, her childhood playmate, and soon they resume their old friendship. Interwoven with the story of their growing love is the darker 18th-century tale of Henrietta Dalrymple, kidnapped by the formidable Manus McNeill and held on Garve against her will. Despite the 300 years separating them, the women are strongly connected: their parallel lives are linked by the cabinet and its contents, by the tug of motherhood and by the magic of the Hebridean island itself. But Garve has its secrets, past and present. Donal must learn to trust Alys enough to confide in her and, like Henrietta before her, Alys must earn the right to belong.Trade Review“Elegant, restrained prose...compelling.” * Sunday Times pick of historical fiction *“Historical fiction at its most luxurious.” * Authors Electric *“A powerful story of love and obligation.” * John Burnside *“Moving, poetic and quietly provocative.” * The Independent *“Heart-warming, realistic and page-turning.” * Lorraine Kelly *“Beautiful – lyrical and sensual.” * Hilary Ely *“Blisteringly eloquent.” * The Scotsman *

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Book SynopsisThe chilling psychological thriller from a top ten bestselling author.Trade Review‘Emotional and sensitive, populated with wonderfully real characters, but also underscored by menace which races towards a heart-in-the-mouth denouement.’ Gillian McAllister, author of EVERYTHING BUT THE TRUTH ‘THE SECOND SISTER is both a twisty thriller and a sensitively written story of a family stricken by loss and the fear of not knowing the worst. The strife between the remaining sister and her mother especially is depicted with heart-rending warmth and insight.’ Isabelle Grey, author of THE BAD MOTHER ‘Marvelously tension-filled storytelling’ New York Times ‘A thriller with intelligence and a high creep factor, a genre that’s difficult to get just right…Claire Kendal’s version comes close to perfection’ The Toronto Star PRAISE FOR THE BOOK OF YOU: ‘Any thriller that has you checking over your shoulder and peeking from behind your curtains must be gripping so hats off to Claire Kendal’s hard-hitting debut THE BOOK OF YOU for doing just this’ Stylist ‘Both brutal and unbearably tense, THE BOOK OF YOU announces the arrival of a fierce new talent, a writer not afraid to grasp a woman’s fears in stark detail and to invoke nightmares’ Daily Mail ‘Clever, claustrophobic and chillingly good’ Good Housekeeping ‘THE BOOK OF YOU starts with breathtaking brilliance and then just gets better with every page. Already my book of the year’ Elizabeth Haynes, author of INTO THE DARKEST CORNER ‘Gripping with some very smart twists’ Woman Magazine ‘A gripping read!’ Closer ‘Addictive … I literally hardly breathed as I raced to the end. It's a terrifying thriller’ Samantha Hayes, author of UNTIL YOU’RE MINE ‘Creepy and compelling. What happens when the wrong guy won't take no for an answer?’ Paula Daly, author of JUST WHAT KIND OF MOTHER ARE YOU?

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Book SynopsisPeople die. Love doesn't.A bitter-sweet pang in my heart' Monique RoffeyA beautiful book. Insanely romantic and utterly convincing' Julie MyersonA wonderful and inventive novel, sorrowful and hopeful in equal measure. It was a true pleasure to read' Miranda Cowley HellerLouisa Young is the great chronicler of romantic love and the pain of its loss' Linda GrantHeart-stoppingly romantic A lovely, moving, ultimately hopeful read' MirrorWhat a writer so beautifully earthed in the everyday. Terrific' Elizabeth BuchanA modern day Truly Madly Deeply Rasmus and Roisin both lose their partners, but the ghosts of Nico and Jay stay, unable to leave their loved ones alone as the broken-hearted pair find comfort in each other. Beautifully written, this is a haunting love story literally' Best magazine, Must-ReadsA skilfully calibrated love-after-death tale, it's a four course feast of hearts broken, hearts mended, of songs, laughter, old regrets and fresh desire, that demands a major film deal' PaTrade Review‘Sweetly comic yet deeply moving… Anybody who loves the film Ghost will feel the same way about this wonderful novel, which asks what happens when people cease to live – but love does not’ Daily Mail ‘A modern day Truly Madly Deeply… Rasmus and Roisin both lose their partners, but the ghosts of Nico and Jay stay, unable to leave their loved ones alone as the broken-hearted pair find comfort in each other. Beautifully written, this is a haunting love story – literally’ Best magazine, Must-Reads ‘A beautiful book. Insanely romantic and utterly convincing’ Julie Myerson ‘Heart-stoppingly romantic… A lovely, moving, ultimately hopeful read’ Mirror ‘Twelve Months and a Day is poignant and sad as well as funny and beautifully written and imagined… You will fall in love again as you read this clever book … Hugely engaging and readable. A bitter-sweet pang in my heart as it ended. A page-turner’ Monique Roffey ‘A wonderful novel, charming and surprising, filled with loss and its triumphant opposites’ Susie Boyt ‘A wonderful and inventive novel, sorrowful and hopeful in equal measure. It was a true pleasure to read’ Miranda Cowley Heller ‘A skilfully calibrated love-after-death tale, it’s a four course feast of hearts broken, hearts mended, of songs, laughter, old regrets and fresh desire, that demands a major film deal’ Patrick Gale ‘Louisa Young is the great chronicler of romantic love and the pain of its loss’ Linda Grant ‘Thoughtful, philosophical and clever, it is also funny, and full of poetry, and powered by an unflagging and irresistible belief in the redemptive power of love’ Perspectives magazine ‘What a writer. A raw and beautiful exposition on grief and loss but so beautifully earthed in the everyday. Terrific’ Elizabeth Buchan ‘A beautifully written story that’s very funny, and full of heart and hope’ Best

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Book SynopsisI devoured it.' Erin KellyAn exhilarating voice' Adele ParksUnbelievably tense and twisty.' Laura MarshallLuckyRachel EdwardsThe more she wins, the more she losesAbsorbing, unsettling, unflinching. I've been thinking about it for days and I'll be recommending it to everyone.' Caz Frear, author of Sweet Little LiesSomeone is watching Etta. Footsteps in the night, the security light coming on at strange hours is it all just her curtain-twitching neighbours, who seem to monitor her every move? Or is her little online problem making her paranoid?Because Etta needs to win big. She joined a gambling website to get a bit of cash, hoping to convince her boyfriend Ola that they can afford to get married. And she was so good at it until she wasn't. Luckily, she's made a friend who hit the jackpot and if she plays her cards right, he could lend her the money to win everything back. Easy. So why does she feel so afraid?Trade Review‘Betrayal, blackmail, a marriage on hold…all the ingredients of a page-turning thriller, in a post-Brexit world of debt and insecurity.’ Monique Roffey, author of The Mermaid of Black Conch ‘Terrifying. Enough to make the reader break out in a cold sweat.’ Guardian ‘A fresh, exhilarating voice’ Adele Parks ‘Unbelievably tense and twisty’ Laura Marshall, author of Friend Request ‘This deep dive into gambling addiction packs a huge emotional punch. I devoured it’ Erin Kelly, author of He Said/She Said ‘A brilliant portrayal of one woman’s descent into the world of online gambling – I felt every spin of the wheel; the highs of adrenaline followed by stomach churning nausea’ Nikki Smith, author of All In Her Head ‘Tense beyond belief but impossible to put down. Dark, absorbing and brilliantly terrifying’ Louise Hare, author of This Lovely City ‘Love, chance and betrayal all take a seat at the table in Rachel Edward’s compelling novel, Lucky. Delivered in Rachel’s exciting and original style is a winning storyline, crafted with excellence, packed with suspense and walk-off-the-page characters you’ll think about long after turning the last page’ Olivia Kiernan, author of Play Dead for Me ‘Timely, absorbing, unsettling and unflinching, with a dark, knowing wit. I’ve been thinking about it for days and I’ll be recommending it to everyone’ Caz Frear, author of Sweet Little Lies

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Book SynopsisExpect to be heartbroken' ElleOne of the most eagerly awaited debuts of 2022' Sunday TimesIts ending brought me close to tears' Beth O'Leary, author of The FlatshareEver fallen in love with messy, confusing consequences for everyone involved? Then Good Intentions is for you' StylistAn unforgettable debut novel about first love, family obligation and finding your way.As Nur's family counts down to midnight on New Year's Eve, Nur is watching the clock more closely than most: he has made a pact with himself, and with his girlfriend, Yasmina, that at midnight he will finally tell his Pakistani parents the truth. That he has built a life with a woman he loves and she is Black.Nur wants to be the good son his parents ask him to be, and the good boyfriend Yasmina needs him to be. But as everything he holds dear is challenged, he is forced to ask, is love really a choice for a second-generation immigrant son like him?This powerful story will stay with me for a very long time' Louise O'Neill, aTrade Review‘Family obligation and racial prejudice sit alongside the flush of first love. Expect to be heartbroken’ Elle ‘[A] clever novel about vulnerability and victimhood that subtly subverts the reader’s expectations’ Sunday Times ‘Ever fallen in love with messy, confusing consequences for everyone involved? Then Good Intentions is for you’ Stylist ‘Kasim Ali boldly grasps the nettle of South Asian prejudice … what a tonic’ The Times ‘Good Intentions is so absorbing, compelling and beautifully written. Its ending brought me close to tears – what an incredibly assured debut. I can't wait to see what Kasim Ali writes next’ Beth O’Leary, author of The Flatshare ‘A beautiful and honest story… from a fantastic new talent’ Sareeta Domingo, author of If I Don't Have You ‘[A] compelling debut reminiscent of The Big Sick in storyline and Ordinary People in feel’ Living Magazine ‘Moving, modern and utterly engaging. What a talent’ Rhik Samadder, author of I Never Said I Love You ‘A love story full of hard choices and tensions, family obligations and racial prejudices. Not to be missed by fans of Modern Love’ Vogue India ‘A gorgeous, unbelievable debut’ Angie Kim, author of Miracle Creek ‘[A] clever debut… Ali explores racism, the difficulty of navigating cultural heritage and the travails of early adulthood [with] a climactic sucker punch’ Metro

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Book SynopsisExpect to be heartbroken' ElleOne of the most eagerly awaited debuts of 2022' Sunday TimesIts ending brought me close to tears' Beth O'Leary, author of The FlatshareEver fallen in love with messy, confusing consequences for everyone involved? Then Good Intentions is for you' StylistAn unforgettable debut novel about first love, family obligation and finding your way.As Nur's family counts down to midnight on New Year's Eve, Nur is watching the clock more closely than most: he has made a pact with himself, and with his girlfriend, Yasmina, that at midnight he will finally tell his Pakistani parents the truth. That he has built a life with a woman he loves and she is Black.Nur wants to be the good son his parents ask him to be, and the good boyfriend Yasmina needs him to be. But as everything he holds dear is challenged, he is forced to ask, is love really a choice for a second-generation immigrant son like him?This powerful story will stay with me for a very long time' Louise O'Neill, aTrade Review‘Family obligation and racial prejudice sit alongside the flush of first love. Expect to be heartbroken’ Elle ‘[A] clever novel about vulnerability and victimhood that subtly subverts the reader’s expectations’ Sunday Times ‘Ever fallen in love with messy, confusing consequences for everyone involved? Then Good Intentions is for you’ Stylist ‘Kasim Ali boldly grasps the nettle of South Asian prejudice … what a tonic’ The Times ‘Good Intentions is so absorbing, compelling and beautifully written. Its ending brought me close to tears – what an incredibly assured debut. I can't wait to see what Kasim Ali writes next’ Beth O’Leary, author of The Flatshare ‘A beautiful and honest story… from a fantastic new talent’ Sareeta Domingo, author of If I Don't Have You ‘[A] compelling debut reminiscent of The Big Sick in storyline and Ordinary People in feel’ Living Magazine ‘Moving, modern and utterly engaging. What a talent’ Rhik Samadder, author of I Never Said I Love You ‘A love story full of hard choices and tensions, family obligations and racial prejudices. Not to be missed by fans of Modern Love’ Vogue India ‘A gorgeous, unbelievable debut’ Angie Kim, author of Miracle Creek ‘[A] clever debut… Ali explores racism, the difficulty of navigating cultural heritage and the travails of early adulthood [with] a climactic sucker punch’ Metro

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Book Synopsis[A] masterfully written story . . . An absorbing tale of a woman who wants more for her daughters and for herself, it's a five-star read' Woman's WeeklyA powerful novel about motherhood, belonging and culture' PrimaA complicated mother-daughter drama that looks at the lasting effects of intergenerational trauma and what it takes to break the cycle of abuse' Time magazine, The Most Anticipated Books of the Year'* * *The powerful and poignant new novel from the author of the much-loved A Woman is No Man.Raised in a conservative Palestinian family in Brooklyn, Yara thought she would finally feel free when she married a charming entrepreneur. Now, she has a good job at the local college, and balances that with raising her two daughters and taking care of their home. Yara knows that her life is more rewarding than her mother's so why doesn't it feel like enough?After Yara responds to a colleague's racist provocation, she is put on probation at work and must attend mandatory counselling. HeTrade Review Praise for Etaf Rum: ‘Rum accomplishes the high-wire act of telling a story that feels both contemporary and timeless, intimate and epic . . . lingers in your heart and mind long after the last page’ Tara Conklin, author of The Last Romantics ‘This mesmerizing novel will take all your attention from the very beginning’ Washington Book Review

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Book SynopsisAs her hand slips from his grip, Patrick''s life is shattered, forever changed...Trapped high on a high mountain face during the worst storm in living memory, a young man is forced to fight the brutal winter for his life - moments after his beloved wife is swept away forever across the ice. Haunted by grief and guilt, Patrick keeps vigil on the mountain for 25 years, in the hope that one day it will release his devastating secret.Trade ReviewThe mountain and its ferocious weather are brilliantly described * The Times *Another gripping mountaineering epic, but also much more than that, a fine, poetically written meditation on love, loss and redemption * Daily Mail *The familiar Simpsonian territory of guilt, survival and loss against a background of elemental terror and beauty * Daily Telegraph *Arresting * Metro *The tale is deftly woven with an air of immediacy and a visceral, intimate feel, drawing heavily on Simpson's mountaineering experiences * Evening Post *

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Book SynopsisThe heartwarming new novel from the international million-copy bestselling author of THE LITTLE PARIS BOOKSHOP ''Everyone knows me, but none can see me. I''m that thing you call love'' __________In a small town in balmy Provence, Marie-Jeanne has a gift.She can see the marks Love has left on the people around her. Glowing faces, hands that shimmer brighter when enclosed in another. Before long, Marie-Jeanne is playing matchmaker.When her foster father, Francis, sets up a mobile library travelling the many mountain towns of the Nyons region, Marie-Jeanne takes her quest further. Their library offers entertainment, guidance, reassurance and comfort - but for Marie-Jeanne, the books also allow her to bring soulmates together.The only person that Marie-Jeanne can''t seem to find a partner for is herself. She has no glow of her own, though she waits and waits for it to appear.Everyone must have a soulmaTrade ReviewBrimming with magic . . . Full of allegory and mysticism, the book often feels more like a poem than a novel. Nuanced and enchanting . . . an elegantly crafted, unhurried examination of the enthralling and elusive nature of love * Kirkus Reviews *An appealing companion piece to The Little Paris Bookshop. George convincingly portrays her characters’ emotions . . . Charming * Publishers Weekly *This spin-off of George’s beloved The Little Paris Bookshop—this is the book within that one—is narrated by omniscient and powerful representations of abstract concepts, with Love, Pride, and Fate all weighing in, and this creative framing adds to its considerable charm. George pays particular attention to the romantic potential of the everyday—those mundane events that can spark new feelings in anyone hoping for a chance at love. Fans will adore George’s latest exploration of life, love, and destiny * Booklist *PRAISE FOR NINA GEORGE * - *Glowing...layered with wit, enchanting writing and a love of books...I prescribed it for a cynical friend who has "seen it all" (and read it all) and she swooned' * Daily Mail *A true gem for fiction lovers * Good Housekeeping *A charming tale...for fans of Like Water for Chocolate and Amelie * Red *An enchanting, uplifting read...the sort of book that acts as a soothing tonic as you read - so the perfect accompaniment to relaxing in the sun * Independent *

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Book SynopsisSliding Doors meets High Fidelity in the enthralling debut novel from Channel 4 F1 presenter Steve Jones''Joyously unpredictable, clever, witty and warm. Gorgeous!'' RUTH JONES''I was immediately gripped by the story and the characters'' 5***** READER REVIEW''A great read . . . A born writer'' LORRAINE KELLY, ITV LORRAINE____________Bob Bloomfield is, in the words of his best friend''s wife, a ''selfish, arrogant a*sehole'', who hasn''t spent a great deal of time making friends in his 49 years on earth.But what if he could change? What if Bob could stop the very thing that has made him the man he is, the death of his younger brother, Tom in 1986.If he could save Tom, could he save himself?. . . And what if all it took was a phone call - to his childhood self?Trade ReviewJoyously unpredictable, clever, witty and warm. Gorgeous! * Ruth Jones *Funny, fast-paced and moving * Saturday Live *Fantastic! Love it. Makes keeping up with the Jones’s next to impossible * Johnny Vaughan, Radio X *Very funny … echoes of Nick Hornby * You're Booked *A great read. A born writer. * Lorraine Kelly *

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Book Synopsis''Incredibly relatable and horribly funny'' LUCY VINE''Smart, bittersweet and extremely funny'' DAISY BUCHANAN''I wolfed it down in two days because I was totally hooked'' HELLY ACTON *A No. 1 Bestseller in Dark Humorous Comedy on Kindle*_____________________Adult life is hard. Send help. Ivy Edwards is thirty-one years old, funny, shameless, and a bit of a romantic. She''s also currently trying not to cry in the office toilet.Partly because she''s just run out of money for fags. A bit because her mum continues to annoy her. Definitely not because she''s just been dumped by her fiancé.With her London life in shambles and her family miles away in the Welsh valleys, Ivy doesn''t actually feel like she belongs anywhere.At least, she has her friends - and a bottle of vodka.Embarking on a journey of singlehood, IvyTrade ReviewA warm, witty and occasionally filthy story of breaking up, breaking down and becoming a truer version of yourself. Quirky, astute and full of heart, like that trusted friend who'll give you a 'cwtch' (Welsh hug), check your mascara and then take you to get hammered on vodka martinis. - Nicola Mostyn, author of The Gods of LoveOne of the most accurate depictions I've come across about the tipping point that is your late twenties.'Raw, unapologetic and pretty damn relatable . . . a brilliant debut' - HeatGritty, surprising, redemptive, honest and confronting, there's an Ivy Edwards in all of us!Smart, bittersweet and extremely funny . . . so perceptive and REAL An absolute joy. . . reminds me of some of my all time favourites - Adults, Not Working, The To-Do List

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Book Synopsis'An extraordinary debut' (ANN PATCHETT) to fall for - a coming-of-age story and an immersive love story.

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Empire Falls returns to North Bath, in upstate New York, and to the characters that captured the hearts and imaginations of millions of readers in his beloved best sellers Nobody’s Fool and Everybody’s Fool.“Sumptuous, spirited . . . [Russo] paints a shining fresco of a working-class community...” —The New York Times • Another instant classic, filled with Russo's witty dialogue and warm understanding of human foibles. —People MagazineTen years after the death of the magnetic Donald “Sully” Sullivan, the town of North Bath is going through a major transition as it is annexed by its much wealthier neighbor, Schuyler Springs. Peter, Sully’s son, is still grappling with his father’s tremendous legacy as well as his relationship to his own son, Thomas, wondering if he has

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Book SynopsisStarting an affair with Robert is easy. Bored with the awkward, boorish single men of her own age and flattered by the confident attentions of a handsome stranger, Harriet is excited by the idea of a lustful friendship, as Robert chooses to describe it. A commitment-free fling is ideal, and the existence of a wife is a minor inconvenience. But then Harriet finds out about his other mistress...Trade ReviewPraise for Sarah Challis's writing: 'I really enjoyed TURNING FOR HOME...I thought it so perceptive... I particularly enjoyed the very touching romance * Rosamunde Pilcher *Excellently-written, with a gripping ending * Wiltshire Times *Touching, funny and exciting * Blackmore Vale magazine *Sarah Challis is becoming a novelist to be reckoned with * Dorset Life *Her evocation of the English countryside is elegiac...a pleasure to read * Oxford Times *

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Book SynopsisIn The New Tribe, pioneering author Buchi Emecheta tells the tale of a young Nigerian boy adopted by a white family. Life changes overnight for the Arlingtons when an abandoned baby girl, Julia, arrives unexpectedly on their doorstep. The couple take her in and settle into family life. But then, just two years later, their lives change once again when they are told a Nigerian mother is in desperate need of a loving home for her baby boy, Chester. Instantly marked as different from the other children in his school and even from his own family Chester's pain and confusion at growing up an outcast ignites in him a desire to find out about his biological family.In this poignant, heartwarming story of Chester's journey through childhood, Buchi Emecheta weaves together a tale of love and acceptance while illuminating the vital importance of self-discovery.''We are able to speak because [Buchi Emecheta] first spoke.'' Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie''Her name deserves to be emTrade ReviewWe are able to speak because [Buchi Emecheta] first spoke -- Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieHer name deserves to be embedded in our literary history -- Bernardine EvaristoA pioneer among female African writers * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisThe stunning novel about our fiercest loyalties, deepest desires and the power of forgiveness''A highly-charged love story'' DELIA OWENS, bestselling author of WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING''This story has everything. Just thinking about it makes me feel that lovely feeling where your heart seems to skip a beat'' 5***** Reader Review________Rosalind Porter''s biggest mistake was love . . .Chicago, 1950. Before Thomas Weaver broke her heart and wrecked her career, Rosalind was a leading atomic researcher. Five years on, she''s alone and can barely make ends meet.Which is when Thomas - a shattered man - walks back into her life, begging forgiveness. Rosalind would, and should, say no but for two reasons.First, she still loves Thomas. And, second, Charlie Szydlo.Charlie''s a damaged FBI agent who believes Thomas is spying for Russia. He wants Rosalind to find evidence.But thisTrade ReviewScience, love, espionage, and a heroine who carves a strong path in the world of men. There is nothing left to want -- Ann PatchettA highly-charged love story -- Delia Owens * bestselling author of Where the Crawdads Sing *Brimming with espionage and passion, Atomic Love shines a light on the private lives of scientists involved with the Manhattan Project and the growing threat of nuclear Russia. Taut, atmospheric, and wholly immersive, Atomic Love is a thrilling read for historical fiction lovers -- Chanel Cleeton * New York Times bestselling author of Next Year in Havana *Atomic Love is so propulsive that 'page-turner' doesn't do it justice...At the heart of it all is a brilliant, damaged woman determined to save herself and the whole human race. The world could not be in better hands -- Margaret Renkl * author of Late Migrations *Atomic Love had me in its thrall from page one. How rewarding to follow these sympathetic, brilliantly drawn characters through their affairs of state and heart. Thank you, Jennie Fields, for this terrific, atmospheric, suspenseful and wholly gratifying read -- Elinor Lipman * author of Then She Found Me and Good Riddance *A page-turning thriller that's also an exploration of the competing pressures on women that still resonates today. This one goes to the top of your pile -- B. A. Shapiro * author of The Art Forger *Fields combines a paean to feminist empowerment with old-fashioned romance...atmospheric, historically interesting escapism * Kirkus Reviews *Fields creates authentic female characters teetering on the verge of the women's movement, struggling to claim their place in the world. Inspired by history, Fields' fifth novel is a love story filled with passion, betrayal, mystery, and liberation * Booklist *Full of intrigue and good old fashioned espionage, Fields has created a flawed and ferocious heroine in the intelligent Rosalind Porter. A captivating must-read with a cast of crafty characters so engaging I was sad to see it come to its glorious end -- Noelle Salazar * author of The Flight Girls *The smart, warmhearted, and haunted heroine at the centre of Atomic Love is just one of the complex characters that enrich this imaginative page-turner. Field's sharp eye for detail never slows the action, but sensuously immerse the reader in time and place -- Laura Moriarty * author of The Chaperone *Atomic Love lives up to its name - explosive and passionate, this is a story that you will not want to put down, and that will resonate long after it has ended. Fields has an unerring gift for recreating the past, and making it live and breathe like the present -- Kitty Zeldis * author of Not Our Kind *A beautifully rendered love story entwined in a page-turning espionage thriller. Fields packs the pages of this wonderful novel with fascinating facts about the Cold War and characters that are complex and compelling. A must-read! -- Anita Abriel * author of The Light After War *This involving novel deals with the dilemma faced by so many women of the time * Literary Review *A romantic spy thriller with an explosive twist * Peterborough Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR BOOKTOK AUTHOR OF THE YEARBridesmaids meets The Hangover in the laugh-out-loud rom-com of the yearWhat happens in Vegas . . . doesn’t always stay there.Kate is the ultimate planner. She has her happily-ever-after all plotted out, starting with her dream wedding to successful dental surgeon, Norman, and an iconic Las Vegas hen party with her three best girlfriends. Even running into her DJ ex, Trevor Rush, the man who broke her heart nine years ago, won’t ruin Kate’s vision for the perfect girls’ trip.But when an alcohol-fuelled night out leaves Kate and Trevor accidentally hitched, her plans are officially out the window. To make matters worse, Trevor has decided he wants Kate back, and won’t sign the annulment papers until she agrees to go on three last dates with him.With her fairy tale wedding just days away, Kate is determined to fight her growing feelings for Trevor. But in the scorching heat of Sin City, is it time for her to tear up the rule book, and finally take a gamble on love?************Praise for J. F. Murray‘The freshest, sexiest, funniest and most poignant book I’ve read in a very long time’ Claudia Carroll‘Clever, original, witty’ Sinead Moriarty‘Utterly original, emotionally astute and cripplingly funny. Murray is a bright and talented new voice in fiction’ Laura Jane Williams‘Hilarious and original – one of the best books I’ve read this year’ Laura Price‘Fresh, funny, genuinely heartwarming’ Catherine Walsh‘Fabulous! A beautiful rom-com of the Nora Ephron variety’ Edel Coffey‘A literary soul brother to the likes of Marian Keyes and Beth O’Leary’ Irish Independent

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Book SynopsisFrom rags to riches…?Since her father's death, Emma Beech has supported her family by selling paper flowers to the theatre crowds in the West End. But when Emma meets street musician Theodore Barrington, she dreams of finally leaving poverty behind. Previously known as the Great Theodore on the London stage, Barrington turns Emma's head with tales of his former glory. But as Emma is captivated and eager to become his new assistant, she must face her mother’s disapproval over their secret rehearsals. Forced to make a difficult decision between staying loyal to her family and her roots, or pursuing fame and fortune, will she follow her heart or her head?...A gripping East End saga, perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Maggie Hope.

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Book Synopsis'O'Keeffe exposes the scandal of the Special Demonstration Squad with empathy and anger' - SAGA'In a country of lockdowns, borders bills and voter ID, O'Keefe's 'arrow of hope' is needed more than ever. In Skylark that arrow will pierce your heart.' - SHINY NEW BOOKS BLOG'O'Keeffe brings the world Skylark inhabits to vibrant life, painting the passions of her activists so vividly that the reader - and Dan himself - are drawn into their desire to change the world.' - OBSERVER'An acutely observed, beautifully written story of lies and betrayal ... a thought-provoking, well-researched and compelling saga.' - BUZZ MAGAZINE'A lyrical love story about a real-life scandal' - HEAT'respectful and moving... a lovingly evoked examination of the 90s protest scene.' THE GUARDIAN'SKYLARK plunges the reader headfirst into a vivid, heady world where passion and betrayal collide. Beautifully-written, immersive and ultimately enraging, it's a must-read for anyone who has ever wanted to change the world.' - ERIN KELLY'Alice O'Keeffe deftly renders the shocking truth of the spy cops scandal into a moving tale of love, identity and betrayal. Essential reading.' - JAKE ARNOTT'Skylark is a book of profound psychological perception, which conjures with deft precision the atmosphere of the anti-roads movement in all its fierce, tender idealism. I couldn't put it down.' - JAY GRIFFITHSTheir ideals brought them together, but how closely should you follow your heart?It's the mid-90s, and rebellion is in the air.Skylark is an activist, a raver, a tree-dweller, a world-changer. Handsome, dependable Dan appears on the scene, offering her the security she has never had. When they fall in love, she shows him a new way to live; he will never be the same. But Dan has a secret, which Skylark must never, ever know. A secret so powerful that its fault-lines run from their ordinary council flat right up to the highest echelons of the state.Their story is the story of Britain's undercover police.As Skylark comes to doubt not only Dan's commitment to their shared ideals, but his very identity, she finds herself asking: can you ever really know the person you love?

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Book SynopsisThe wedding is tomorrow. If they can only get through today...Long-time couple Megan Givens and Tom Prescott are preparing for what should be the happiest weekend of their lives. But their plans for a perfect wedding are ruined when a huge fight causes them to call it all off on the night of their rehearsal dinner.Megan and Tom think the worst is over - until they wake up the next morning and find themselves stuck in a time loop. Somehow they are being forced to relive the worst day of their lives - with its painful secrets, age-old grievances, and family dramas - again and again. We've all had regrets and what ifs; The Rehearsals imagines what you might do with the chance to finally get it right.Trade ReviewRomantic escapism with an irresistible Groundhog Day twist. You will be charmed by Megan and Tom as they relive the worst day of their lives . . . until they get it right. Annette Christie has written a fun, yet thought-provoking, rom-com * Elin Hilderbrand *A funny, clever, enchanting story about finding our way back to ourselves and to those we truly love. It had me spellbound from the first page . . . The Rehearsals is refreshingly honest about the ups and downs of long-term relationships, whether romantic or family, handling its themes with wit and zest. Terrific fun from beginning to end * Sarah Haywood *A fabulously fun read * Prima *A wonderful romantic story about do-overs, second chances, and finding your happily ever after. In the spirit of the story, no sooner had I finished this book than I wanted to read it again -- Dani AtkinsAn enchanting and compelling look at life's what-ifs. Christie writes with honesty, heart, and a great deal of charm -- Helen Hoang, bestselling author of The Kiss QuotientClever, funny and relatable with wonderful characters. I finished it with a lump in my throat -- Cressida McLaughlinUtterly captivating, charming, and brilliant. With a compelling plot and relatable characters, The Rehearsals explores the raw emotions behind the question of what if and the true meaning of second chances -- Sonia Hartl, author of Heartbreak for Hire, Not Your #LoveStory, and Have a Little Faith in MeA compelling, clever look at the hard work of growing up in our relationships - with friends, family, lovers, and ourselves - woven through with humour and tremendous heart -- Rosie Danan, author of The RoommateA compelling story about the power of second chances and forgiveness that's sure to spark conversation. * Kirkus *Delightful . . . This charming story delivers equal amounts of honesty and hope and is bound to win the hearts of rom-com fans * Publishers Weekly *Fans of Christina Lauren and Meg Cabot will savor this charming relationship comedy * Booklist *A perfect beach book * Teleadvisor *A clever concept and a brilliant read * Fabulous *This is light-hearted and funny while still covering serious topics in a way that makes you not want to put the book down * Press Association *This delightful romantic comedy delivers an engaging time-loop of possibilities * Love Reading *It's difficult to see this as a debut as it's confidently written, funny and warm, and perceptive of relationships and how we act to please others * Belfast Telegraph *Light hearted and funny while still covering serious topics in a way that makes you not want to put the book down * My London *Wonderfully fun and touching novel * Woman *

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Book Synopsis'A heartbreaking and profoundly visionary book.' Emily Fridlund, author of History of Wolves'The poetic beauty of the writing and a certain swirling Gothic passion and drama bowl the reader along... An unusual, intense, experimental novel' Daily MailIt is the end of the Great Depression and Elle Ranier believes that by marrying her wealthy husband Simon she is saving her life. Young and impressionable, she is unable to foresee the true cost of her decision. Instead, she leaves everything she has known in New York City to live in a vine-covered mansion on the tangled shores of Lyra, an island off America's southeastern coast. There, amid the wild horses, oak woods and rumours of jewels hidden beneath the water, Elle harbours a secret. Her so-called 'cousin' Gabriel, who comes to stay, is really a boyfriend from back home and the love of her life.In subsequent years, when Elle and Simon raise a family and face a less than idyllic relationship, Elle can never forget her brief dalliance with Gabriel. Even fifty years later, when her memory recedes into the mists of Alzheimer's disease, she is haunted by his fate. With her mind a maze of questions about long-buried stories, the bewitching island of Lyra might eventually bring answers to light.'A prophetic fever dream sprung from a singular imagination. Hannah Lillith Assadi is an incomparable stylist and a fearless storyteller. This novel is a lush, addicting, daring wonder' Claire Vaye Watkins, author of I Love You But I've Chosen DarknessDarkly romantic and beautifully immersive, The Stars Are Not Yet Bells pulls us into a story about the limits of memory and people we can never forget.Trade ReviewA heartbreaking and profoundly visionary book. Hannah Assadi movingly renders the kaleidoscopic nature of memory-revealing not only one woman's disordered heart and mind, but the way our consciousness recombines shards of memory to create a glittering, prismatic view of a life. I wanted to stay in Assadi's shimmering sentences for as long as I could. * Emily Fridlund, author of History of Wolves *Assadi captivates the senses, compelling readers to pause and reflect as they progress through the story. Highly recommended for those who enjoy lyrical fiction that explores women's inner lives. * Booklist *Enchanted and haunting narration * The Millions *A story of love and loss * Harper's Bazaar (US) *A darkly romantic story * Choice Magazine *The poetic beauty of the writing and a certain swirling Gothic passion and drama bowl the reader along... An unusual, intense, experimental novel * Daily Mail *Sharp and impressionistic sentences . . . an exhilarating reading experience * NPR *Elegiac with slightly gothic undertones * Sydney Morning Herald *Poignant . . . a testament to love and loss * Washington Post *A luminous and deeply moving portrait of the end of life and the persistence of desire. While Hannah Lillith Assadi's characters are forced to deny the truth of themselves and who they love, in her assured hands the extraordinary beauty of life and love and the natural world is never lost -- JoAnne Tompkins, author of What Comes AfterA prophetic fever dream sprung from a singular imagination. Hannah Lillith Assadi is an incomparable stylist and a fearless storyteller. This novel is a lush, addicting, daring wonder -- Claire Vaye Watkins, author of I Love You But I've Chosen DarknessA rich, mesmerizing novel, in which waves of overlapping memory erode the landscape of a woman's life until only feeling remains-both in the story and in the reader -- Simon Van Booy, author of The Illusion of Separateness

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Book Synopsis*“A treasure of a novel…read it and be healed.” —Justin Cronin * “Beautifully written and emotion-packed.” —Harlan Coben * From the New York Times bestselling author of The Silver Linings Playbook—made into the Academy Award-winning movie starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper—a poignant and hopeful novel about a widower who takes in a grieving teenager and inspires a magical revival in their small town.Lucas Goodgame lives in Majestic, Pennsylvania, a quaint suburb that has been torn apart by a recent tragedy. Everyone in Majestic sees Lucas as a hero—everyone, that is, except Lucas himself. Insisting that his deceased wife, Darcy, visits him every night in the form of an angel, Lucas spends his time writing letters to his former Jungian analyst, Karl. It is only when Eli, an eighteen-year-old young man whom the community has ostracized, begins camping out in Lucas’s backyard that an unlikely alliance takes shape and the two embark on a journey to heal their neighbors and, most importantly, themselves. From Matthew Quick, whose work has been described by the Boston Herald as “like going to your favorite restaurant. You just know it is going to be good,” We Are the Light is “a testament to the broken and the rebuilt” (Booklist, starred review). The humorous, soul-baring story of Lucas Goodgame offers an antidote to toxic masculinity and celebrates the healing power of art. In this unforgettable and optimistic tale, Quick reminds us that life is full of guardian angels.

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Book SynopsisDuring the summer of 1955, death came to town. Reporters circled soon after. Some would snatch tidbits and fly away; others would stay for the full feast. The first body was embedded into the soil of a field of dandelions, grass, weeds, and stalks of volunteer corn. Hidden like a bug crushed by a rolling pin into soft dough. The earth, unlike dough, was more accepting of the intruder. It sipped from the offering before scavengers could deprive it of its due. A herd of cows retreated to a more distant piece of their world of square corners and wire. The human, who provided them hay and a little treat of sweet feed, would become an occasional memory. For now, the body was undiscovered. Not yet noticed by birds or animals, spectators or police. Just a corpse, partially buried in a field.

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Book Synopsis‘Strange, intense, brilliant’ S. J. Watson‘A witty, zappy fable ... Powerful’ GuardianDepression can be hell.Heartbroken and lonely, the narrator has made an attempt on his own life. Whether he meant to or not he can't say. But now he’s stuck in his own head, and time is running out.To save himself, he embarks on a journey across an imagined America, one haunted by his doomed relationship and the memory of a road trip that ended in tragedy.Help arrives in the guise of Jon Bon Jovi, rock star and childhood hero. An unlikely spirit guide, perhaps, but he's going to give it a shot...Trade Review 'A witty, zappy fable ... Powerful' Guardian 'A strange and rather lovely debut novel ... What begins as a witty, playful idea grows into a convincing and touching salutary tale of broken love' Big Issue

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