Narrative theme: love / relationships

Book SynopsisNellie March and Jill Banford manage an ailing Berkshire farm at the time of the First World War, a task which is made all the more complicated by the frequent rampages of a local fox through their chicken coop. When a young soldier turns up and begins to interfere with the farm and the lives of the two women, they must find ways to react to this new fox in their midst. A compelling study of the question of power, gender and sexuality, as well as a realistic portrayal of wartime rural England, The Fox showcases Lawrence’s inimitable gift for psychological observation and dramatic description.

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Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE 2022 BOOKER PRIZE SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2022 GORDON BURN PRIZE 'A page-turning blast.' Times 'Genuinely affecting … a very funny book.' Guardian 'Burstingly alive and engaging.' Telegraph FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOKER PRIZE-SHORTLISTED HIS BLOODY PROJECT. 'I have decided to write down everything that happens, because I feel, I suppose, I may be putting myself in danger.' London, 1965. An unworldly young woman suspects charismatic psychotherapist Collins Braithwaite of involvement in a death in her family. Determined to find out more, she becomes a client of his under a false identity. But she soon finds herself drawn into a world in which she can no longer be certain of anything. In Case Study, Graeme Macrae Burnet presents both sides: the woman’s notes and the life of Collins Braithwaite. The result is a dazzling, page-turning and wickedly humorous meditation on the nature of sanity, identity and truth itself, by one of the most inventive novelists writing today.Trade Review'Enormous fun … a mystery and a psychological drama wrapped up in one. Case Study is a triumph.' -- Alex Preston * Observer *'Brilliant, bamboozling … Burnet captures his characters’ voices so brilliantly that what might have been just an intellectual game feels burstingly alive and engaging.' -- Jake Kerridge * Telegraph *“Sinister and cleverly done … punctures the myth-making of the period.” -- Anthony Cummins * Daily Mail *“What’s real and what’s not is beside the point in this skilful portrait of a disturbed woman and her encounters with an experimental 1960s psychotherapist … Both strands quickly become compelling … I was hooked like a fish.” -- Leyla Sanai * Spectator *'A thrilling investigation into the nature of sanity and identity' -- Alice O'Keefe * Bookseller *“Poses questions about the nature of the self and the authenticity of identity … fine comic passages … shed[s] light on the dark places of the mind … He is an uncommonly interesting and satisfying novelist.” -- Allan Massie * Scotsman *“Undoubtedly one of the best books of the year.” -- Alistair Braidwood * Scots Whay Hae *'A masterclass of diversion … blurring the lines of fiction and reality … serious and witty at once … an enthralling read.' -- Heather McDaid * The Skinny *'A novel of mind-bending brilliance. Graeme Macrae Burnet is a master of muddying the waters, of troubling ideas of truth and identity, fiction and documentary, and Case Study shows him at the height of his powers' * Hannah Kent *

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Book SynopsisTwo lonely bookworms. An unexpected friendship. A library that needs their help 'A touching story of a friendship between a troubled teenager, a yoga-practising farming woman in her seventies and a local library. A delight!' – Sunday Times bestselling author Katie Fforde Teenager Tom has always blended into the background of life. After a row with his dad and facing an unhappy future at the dog food factory, he escapes to the library. Pensioner Maggie has been happily alone with her beloved novels for ten years – at least, that's what she tells herself. When they meet, they recognise something in each other that will change both their lives for ever. Then the library comes under threat of closure, and they must join forces to prove that it's not just about books – it's the heart of their community. They are determined to save it – because some things are worth fighting for. EVEN MORE PRAISE FOR THE LIBRARY! 'Such a heart-warming and thought-provoking novel! A touching tale of true friendship, overcoming adversity and the genuine joy books can bring to our lives' – Jill Mansell 'A touching tale that will warm your heart and put a smile on your face' – Hazel Prior 'A story that was deeply moving, and ultimately uplifting... Definitely recommended – it was one of my best reads this year' – Janet Gover 'Heart-rending and inspiring in equal measures. A wonderful story. I adored it!' – Celia Anderson 'Beautifully and sensitively written, the characterisation is superb!' – Sue Moorcroft 'Absolutely LOVED IT! It's Bella's best book yet! A glorious heartfelt novel' – Christie Barlow 'The Library is a beautifully uplifting story full of wit, warmth and tender moments, with community at its heart and characters you truly care about' – Cressida McLaughlin 'I absolutely loved this book. Heart-warming with genuine characters, the plot pulled me in and I was rooting for the library every step of the way. A great tonic for the times and highly recommended!' – Talli Roland 'A truly special book, brimming with charm, heartwrenching moments and inspiring characters. The Library is one of those feel-good books that is sure to delight readers' – Carmel Harrington, author of The Moon Over Kilmore QuayTrade ReviewTender and heartwarming * Fabulous Magazine *A touching story of a friendship between a troubled teenager, a yoga-practising farming woman in her seventies and a local library. A delight -- Sunday Times bestselling author Katie FfordeSuch a heart-warming and thought-provoking novel! The Library is a touching tale of true friendship, overcoming adversity... and the genuine joy books can bring to our lives -- Jill MansellThe Library is heart-rending and inspiring in equal measures. A wonderful story of the triumphs of community over bureaucracy. I adored it! -- Celia AndersonI absolutely loved this book. Heart-warming with genuine characters, the plot pulled me in and I was rooting for the library every step of the way. A great tonic for the times and highly recommended! -- Talli RolandBeautifully and sensitively written, the characterisation is superb -- Sue MoorcroftA story that was deeply moving, and ultimately uplifting... Definitely recommended – it was one of my best reads this year' -- Janet GoverAbsolutely LOVED IT! It's Bella's best book yet! A glorious heartfelt novel -- Christie BarlowThe Library is a beautifully uplifting story full of wit, warmth and tender moments, with community at its heart and characters you truly care about -- Cressida McLaughlinTender and heart-warming * The Sun *It's hard to convey what a charming, affecting, uplifting and entertaining read it is * My Weekly *A wonderful, endearing story... A really enjoyable read * Beauty and Lace *A wonderful story of two people whose lives have not been easy. The book is written with a lovely touch of humour and so easy to read * Beauty and Lace *

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Book SynopsisMarcovaldo is an enchanting collection of twenty stories that are both melancholy and funny, farce and fantasy. Calvino charts the struggles of an Italian peasant to reconcile country habits with urban life, combining comical disasters with a surrealistic view of city life through the eyes of an outsider. As always with Calvino, nothing is quite as it seems.''Delightful and rewarding as always'' Observer''The most magically ingenious of the contemporary Italian novelists'' The TimesTrade ReviewCalvino is surely among the handful of living writers that can be called, without hesitation, great. Each book by Calvino is a completely original conception. Marcovaldo is one of the best works of fiction published * Spectator *The greatest Italian writer of the twentieth century * Guardian *It is the refinement, the oddness and the humour of the thoughts he gets which make Calvino a rare pleasure to read; he is a match for Borges as he stealthily patrols the limits of the unthinkable * New Review *He will continue to glitter, this strange, lonely prospector in the universe of words, well into the next millennium and after, a master in the empire of the imagination * Independent *What is so much admired by the readers of Mr. Calvino's later Invisible Cities was already at work in Marcovaldo and with a more cogent narrative drive... Marcovaldo conveys the sensuous, tangible qualities of life * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisA USA Today Bestseller!Wow! What an enthralling and emotional read! I was literally in tears Captivating.' Goodreads reviewer, ?????A world at war. One woman will risk everything. Another will uncover her story.1940:When the island ofGuernseyis invaded by the Nazis, two sisters are determined to rebel in any way they can. But when forced to take in a German soldier, they are shocked to find a familiar face on their doorstep a childhood friend who has now become their enemy.2016:Two generations later, Lucy returns toGuernseyafter the death of a distant cousin. As she prepares the old family house for sale, Lucy discovers a box of handwritten notes, one word standing out:resistance. Lucy's search for the author will uncover the story of a forgotten sister who vanished from the island one night, never to be seen again.A timeless story of love and bravery. Fans of Fiona Valpy and Kate Quinn will be absolutely gripped from the very first page.Readers love The Girl from the Island:I finished this novel last night and I cannot get it out of my head Put the phone off the hook, pour yourself a nice hot chocolate and settle down for a wonderful read' Goodreads reviewer, ?????I was gripped from the beginning and could not put it down. I lost a lot of sleep on this one and do not regret it in the slightest!!' Goodreads reviewer, ?????Unputdownable, passionate, captivating, and magnetic!!' Goodreads reviewer, ?????Absolutely brilliant I had to stay up late to read the next chapter!! I couldn''t put it down' Goodreads reviewer, ?????Gripping and very emotional This book has it all and I loved it' Goodreads reviewer, ?????A heart wrenching story of love, loss and survival' Goodreads reviewer, ?????A beautiful, wonderful, and poignant story' Goodreads reviewer, ?????Utterly beautiful and poignant I was blown away' Goodreads reviewer, ?????Trade Review Praise for The Girl from the Island: ‘With a descriptive backdrop this story offers intrigue and tender romance. Highly recommended’ Glynis Peters, author of The Secret Orphan 'Paints an evocative picture of the bravery, fortitude and heart-breaking decisions of two British sisters living under German occupation on the beautiful island of Guernsey during WWII' Adrienne Chin, author of The English Wife ‘A book to get lost in… Love, suspense and a page-turning story’ Tracy Rees, Richard and Judy bestselling author ‘A heart-rending, devastating, beautiful book that brings Guernsey’s past to life in a fresh and thoroughly readable way’ Louise Douglas, author of The House by the Sea ‘A sweeping tale of love and courage, The Girl from the Island is tender and shocking in equal measure. Get ready for an utterly absorbing, heart-rending read. I loved it’ Emma Rous, author of The Au Pair Praise for Lorna Cook: ‘I was so absorbed I read it in a single day’ Kate Riordan ‘Compelling, dramatic, with a great twist’ Jenny Ashcroft ‘An intriguing mystery’ Gill Paul ‘Kept me turning the pages eagerly’ Tracy Rees ‘Entrancing, evocative and romantic’ Woman’s Weekly ‘Full of twists and turns’ Nikola Scott ‘Hugely likeable characters and a corker of a twist!’ Mandy Robotham

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Book SynopsisThe instant Top 5 Sunday Times bestseller''The Book Of The Summer' VOGUE''A page-turning read about the dark side of social media''STYLISTTopical, heartfelt, provocative' BERNARDINE EVARISTOImpossible to put down' PAULA HAWKINSA page-turner that you can't second guess' THE TIMESFans of Yellowface will love The List' RED MAGAZINEONLINE RUMOURS. REAL LIFE TROUBLE.Ola Olajide, a high-profile journalist at Womxxxn magazine, is marrying the love of her life in one month''s time. She and her fiancé Michael seem to have it all.That is, until one morning when they both wake up to the same message:Oh my god, have you seen The List?'It began as a list of anonymous allegations about abusive men. Now it''s been published online. Ola made her name breaking exactly this type of story. But today, Michael''s name is on there.Will the truth behind The List change everything for both of them?An Evening Standard and The Times book of the year.*SOON TO BE A MAJOR TV SERIES*Explosive Every book club shoulTrade Review‘A page-turning read about the dark side of social media’ Stylist ‘A total page-turner on the underbelly of life online’ BBC Woman’s Hour ‘One of the hottest books of the year… Topical and vital’ Marie Claire ‘The Book Of The Summer… Sure to inspire frenzied debate’ Vogue 'Blistering… a love story for our times’ Harper's Bazaar ‘Impossible to put down. The hype is real’ Independent ‘Fun and thought-provoking… A book that's just right for our times’ Harpers Bazaar ‘Punchy, topical and hugely thought-provoking’ Glamour ‘The hottest book of the summer… an incredible commentary on the internet’ BBC Radio London ‘A gripping social nightmare’ Observer ‘One of the most anticipated books of the summer’ Guardian ‘A compulsive read’ Heat Magazine ‘Topical, heartfelt, provocative’ Bernardine Evaristo, author of Girl, Woman, Other ‘The perfect summer read’ Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train ‘An enthralling, razor-sharp, witty page-turner’ Bolu Babalola, author of Honey & Spice ‘Phenomenal’ Abi Daré, author of The Girl with the Louding Voice ‘Utterly compelling, immersive and addictive’ Sara Collins, author of The Confessions of Frannie Langton 'Full of sharp wit and exacting observation’ Diana Evans, author of Ordinary People ‘A biting, chilling, prescient page-turner’ Deborah Frances-White, author of The Guilty Feminist ‘Whip-smart and thought-provoking’ Ruth Ware, author of The It Girl ‘Addictive… will set off a million debates’ Annie Lord, author of Notes on Heartbreak ‘Unputdownable’ Nels Abbey, author of Think Like a White Man ‘Explosive … Every book club should read this’ Symeon Brown

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Book SynopsisGoodreads Choice Award winning poet Trista Mateer "expertly exposes the intensity of first love" in this confessional collection of poetry.You will meet people in your lifetime who demand to have poems written about them. It''s not something they say. It''s something about their hands, the shape of their mouths, the way they look walking away from you.Honeybee is an honest take on walking away and still feeling like you were walked away from. It''s about cutting love loose like a kite string and praying the wind has the decency to carry it away from you. It''s an ode to the back and forth, the process of letting something go but not knowing where to put it down. Honeybee is putting it down. It''s small town girls and plane tickets, a taste of tenderness and honey, the bandage on the bee sting. It''s a reminder that you are not defined by the people you walk away from or the people who walk away from you. Consider Honeybee a memoir in verse, or at the very least, a story written by one of today''s most confessional poets.Perfect for fans of Caroline Kaufman, Atticus, Clementine von Radics, Nina LaCour, Adam Silvera, and Becky Albertalli; or anyone interested in bisexuality, heartbreak, running away from your problems, and coming out.

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Book Synopsis'A glorious love story' – Sarah Winman, author of Still LifeLonglisted for the Dublin Literary AwardA stunning story about the impossible lengths we go to for the ones we love, with a breathtaking twist, from the bestselling author of Burial Rites, Hannah Kent.Hanne and Thea’s friendship is a miracle. Before, Hanne always felt apart from the local girls, but with Thea it all came easy. Suddenly she could imagine a future for herself, a happy one, by Thea’s side.But when their tight-knit community embarks on a long and brutal journey to Australia, in search of new freedoms on old land, Hanne and Thea’s bond must find a way to survive the most impossible devastation.Will their love prove too strong for even Nature to break?'Extraordinarily daring . . . a remarkable novel, an almost visionary celebration of the death-defying power of the women’s love' - Sunday Times, Historical Fiction Book of the Month'Exquisite . . . it's taken root in my heart' – Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The Mercies'So beautiful and so raw . . . Devotion is impossibly good' – Evie Wyld, author of The Bass RockTrade ReviewPiercingly beautiful . . . [Hanne and Thea's] story is an elegy, freighted with loss and longing * Guardian *With an extraordinarily daring twist halfway through its narrative Devotion is a remarkable novel, an almost visionary celebration of the death-defying power of the women’s love * Sunday Times, Historical Fiction Book of the Month *A modern classic, on par with heart wrenching love stories such as Wuthering Heights and Pride And Prejudice. It tells the story of an achingly beautiful love and a brutal search for freedom . . . A moving tale with a breathtaking twist * The Herald *Devotion is rare and exquisite, both beautiful and muscular in its portrayal of love found and denied. It’s a story of love as a radical act . . . this is masterful storytelling with pull-no-punches stakes. It’s taken root in my heart -- Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The MerciesKent tells her heroine's burgeoning love story beautifully * The Times *Such a glorious love story. And the poetry of the landscape had, for me, a Whitmanesque sensibility. A mighty impassioned cry to love and the land -- Sarah Winman, author of Still LifeHannah Kent’s latest novel is stunning - full of magic and adventure. I fell in love with language again reading it. So beautiful and so raw. Devotion is impossibly good -- Evie Wyld, author of The Bass RockAbsolutely stunning. The writing, the characters and the twist were just perfect. Any Hannah Kent novel is guaranteed to be powerful, moving and so imaginative, but this was something else. It is a story that will stay with me -- Elizabeth Macneal, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Doll Factory and Circus of WondersA poetic story of friendship, nature and what it means to step into a new world - both physically and spiritually * Cosmopolitan *A superb novel. A fantastic merging of exquisite lyrical writing and page-turning adventure. Devotion had me constantly surprised, always entertained, and ultimately deeply moved: it deserves to be a glittering success -- Emma Stonex, Sunday Times bestselling author of The LamplightersKent combines lyrical writing with a strong sense of place in this novel that takes us from a 19th-century Prussian village to the dusty plains of Australia * Good Housekeeping *It is a love story, ardent and wholesome, and it drapes its reader in lush historical detail. Fans will find a lot to savour * Guardian Australia *[A] marvellous queer love story * InDaily *Draped in rich historical detail, Hannah Kent's luminous and poignant story explores kindred spirits and an epic search for freedom * Woman's Own *Devotion, is nothing short of divine. Kent uses prose like a magician might use a wand. I could say so much about the depth and scope of this novel, its raw, powerful connection to nature and human emotion, and it still wouldn’t do it justice. Simply put, this is a beautiful book. A liturgy of love, full of grace and wonder. -- Nydia Hetherington, author of A Girl Made of AirOne of my favourite reads of the year . . . While there is great sadness and hardship here, this surprising novel is ultimately about beauty, nature and an epic love. I adored it * ABC Arts *A tale of the refiguring might of faithful hearts; of love that sustains and love that ruins; of exile and dominion * Sydney Morning Herald *Exceptional . . . there are not many novelists writing today who can conjure a European past as vividly as Hannah Kent . . . she is a master at immersing the reader in a particular place and a particular period, specialising in stories of women on the margins trapped in close-knit communities and claustrophobic situations * New European *Devotion is utterly original. A glorious heartbreaking love story of infinite beauty -- Heather Rose, author of The Museum of Modern Love

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Book SynopsisWhile enjoying a six weeks' stay in fashionable Bath, the young and callow Catherine Morland is introduced to the delights of high society. Thanks to a new literary diet of the sensational and the macabre, Catherine travels to Northanger Abbey fully expecting to become embroiled in a Gothic adventure of intrigue and suspense - and, once there, soon begins to form the most gruesome and improbable theories about the exploits of its occupants. An early work, but published posthumously, Northanger Abbey is a parody of the Gothic genre typified by the novels of Ann Radcliffe, as well as a witty comedy of manners in the style of Jane Austen's later novels and, ultimately, an enchanting love story.Trade ReviewAs a creative realist, giving to her characters the very body and pressure of actual life, no writer, living or dead, has surpassed her. -- John Cowper Powys

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Book SynopsisSometimes, only a dog's love can heal a family. A Dog’s Promise is the heart-warming and uplifting story about a dog who helps a family that are on the verge of breaking apart. From W. Bruce Cameron the international number one bestselling author of A Dog's Purpose, this novel is perfect of fans of Garth Stein's Art of Racing in the Rain. Bailey knows one thing for sure: all dogs who offer unconditional love, just like him, are destined for heaven.But before Bailey can rest in peace, there’s one family in particular that needs his help. A family that is on the verge of breaking apart. Bailey knows that helping this family means he won’t remember his previous lives, and the other families that he’s met and loved, but sometimes making the sacrifice to help those in need is its own reward. Deeply emotional and beautifully told, A Dog’s Promise will speak to dog lovers all over the world who know that their pets are sent to them for a reason and that their love can heal all wounds.Trade ReviewMarley and Me combined with Tuesdays With Morrie -- Kirkus Reviews on A Dog's Purpose

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Book SynopsisBad, mad, flame-haired cellist Stella, adulterous Jonathan and high-spirited sisters Ellen and Lydia Dent find their fates bound together through love, loss and literature in this dazzling tragicomedyTrade ReviewPungent with life, with wit, love yearning and grief, The Travelling Hornplayer is Barbara Trapido’s most entertaining and powerful novel to date. Her fans might be forgiven for thinking this writer couldn't get any better. She just has * GUARDIAN *Murdochian entertainment: a tragicomedy of errors. Trapido ... races along with a kind of nervy glamour * NEW YORKER *This woman is brilliant. She deserves to be up there, topping the bestseller lists and winning all the prizes. And she actually makes you laugh … I enjoyed every page of this book, which is so shimmering with wit, hectic energy and crazy convolutions of plots that I eneded up in a state of sublime, satiated exhaustion * DAILY MAIL *Sprinkled with magic * SUNDAY TIMES *An entrancing, quirky confection packed with such a rich mixture of fun and pathos that readers may need to pause occasionally, if only draw emotional breath … She has the mind-teasing skills of a crime-writer combined with a sense of humour as dry as a Martini * TELEGRAPH *Witty ... moving ... clever, warm-hearted * NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW *A funny, cunning and surprisingly sexy novel, which moved at least this reader to both tears and laughter * SUNDAY TIMES *The brilliant [Trapido] ... is one of the better-kept secrets of contemporary letters ... [She] is a great novelist; sooner or later the whole reading world will know it * SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE *Audacious, energetic and dazzing … The vividness, and the immediately engaging style, is as sure as ever, and the Dickensian swiftness with which she can draw a character is full of charm … There aren’t many novelists whose stories one doesn’t want to end, but Barbara Trapido is one of them -- PHILIP HENSHER * MAIL ON SUNDAY *Reading Barbara Trapido is sheer pleasure. Afterwards, I went out and bought everything else she has written - and am only disappointed I didn't do it earlier * INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY *

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Book SynopsisEvelyn Waugh''s celebrated tale of decadence and social disintegration, with an introduction by Philip EadeAfter seven years of marriage, the beautiful Lady Brenda Last is bored with life at Hetton Abbey, the Gothic mansion that is the pride and joy of her husband, Tony. She drifts into an affair with the shallow socialite John Beaver and forsakes Tony for the Belgravia set. Brilliantly combining tragedy, comedy and savage irony, A Handful of Dust captures the irresponsible mood of the ''crazy and sterile generation'' between the wars. This breakdown of the Last marriage is a painful, comic re-working of Waugh''s own divorce, and a symbol of the disintegration of society.''One of the twentieth century''s most chilling and bitter novels; and one of its best''Nicholas Lezard, Guardian''One of the most distinguished novels of the century''Frank Kermode''This is a masterpiece of stylish satire, and is funny, too ... a marvello

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Book Synopsis''Leon is a skilful plotter . . . Brunetti is a nicely shaded creation, a moral man who is also all too human'' The ObserverA sudden act of vandalism has been committed in the chill Venetian dawn and Commissario Guido Brunetti soon finds out that the perpetrator is no petty criminal. For the culprit waiting to be apprehended at the scene of the crime is none other than Paola Brunetti, his wife.As Paola''s actions provoke a crisis in the Brunetti household, Brunetti himself is under increasing pressure at work: a daring robbery with Mafia connections is linked to a suspicious death and his superiors want quick results. As his professional and personal lives clash, Brunetti''s own career is threatened and the conspiracy which Paola has risked everything to expose draws him inexorably to the brink . . .''Donna Leon has established Commissario Guido Brunetti as one of the most engaging of fictional detectives'' Sunday TimesTrade ReviewDonna Leon has established Commissario Guido Brunetti as one of the most engaging of fictional detectives ... Brunetti is ... back on track, sadder perhaps, but wiser and wittier than ever * Sunday Times *A splendid series ... with a backdrop of the city so vivid you can smell it * Sunday Telegraph *One of the most exquisite and subtle detective series ever * The Washington Post *No one knows the labyrinthine world of Venice . . . like Leon's Brunetti * Time *[Brunetti's] humane police work is disarming, and his ambles through the city are a delight * The New York Times Book Review *

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Book SynopsisBest selling international author, Isabel Allende tackles her homeland head-on in this staggering, epic romance.Portrait in Sepia' is both a magnificent historical novel set at the end of the nineteenth century in Chile and a marvellous family saga peopled by characters from Daughter of Fortune' and The House of the Spirits', two of Allende''s most celebrated novels.As a young girl, Aurora del Valle suffered a brutal trauma that has shaped her character and erased from her mind all recollection of the first five years of her life. Raised by her ambitious grandmother, the regal and commanding Paulina del Valle, she grows up in a privileged environment, free of the limitations that circumscribe the lives of women at that time, but tormented by terrible nightmares. When she finds herself alone at the end of an unhappy love affair, she decides to explore the mystery of her past, to discover what it was, exactly, all those years ago, that had such a devastating effect on her young life.RichTrade Review‘You’ll find it hard not to be beguiled by the charm and ingenuity of Allende’s storytelling.’ The Times 'Though its story is the life of Aurora del Valle, a privileged young girl growing up in 19th century Chile, its subject is history, and the way in which the lives of people and the lives of countries exist in uneasy limbo, caught between the shadows of the past and the mysteries of the future. It's a world of secrets and uneasy truces; all that is certain is death, and all that is valuable is love.' Jeremy Poolman, Daily Mail 'If you were thrilled by “The House of the Spirits”, you'll love this.' Marie Claire 'A wonderful, wide-ranging story, which moves back to Chile, and is told in a clever mix of first and third person. Allende's dramatic descriptions of hand-to-hand combat and bloody battle scenes are every bit as vivid and physical as her descriptions of wild passionate love-making. A compulsively readable, colourful, informative and entertaining novel.' Sunday Tribune

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Book Synopsis''Subtle, understated, not without a hint of menace and always courageous ... An important book'' Irish Times''Marvellously compelling ... Park takes that most difficult of subjects - recent history - and with graceful integrity explores the difficulties involved in coming to terms with the legacies of the past ... beautifully described in Park''s crystalline prose'' Daily MailIt is December in Belfast, Christmas is approaching and three sets of people are about to make their way to Amsterdam.Alan, a university art teacher, goes on a pilgrimage to the city of his youth with troubled teenage son Jack; middle-aged couple Marion and Richard take a break from running their garden centre to celebrate Marion''s birthday; and Karen, a single mother struggling to make ends meet, joins her daughter''s hen party.As these people brush against each other in the squares, museums and parks of Amsterdam, their lives are transfigured as they encounter the complexities of loTrade ReviewSubtle, understated, not without a hint of menace and always courageous ... An important book * Eileen Battersby, Irish Times *Marvellously compelling ... Park takes that most difficult of subjects - recent history - and with graceful integrity explores the difficulties involved in coming to terms with the legacies of the past ... beautifully described in Park's crystalline prose * Daily Mail *One of the shrewdest observers of the way we live now * Independent *A stealthily affecting novel, this could well give more famous names a run for their Booker money * GQ Magazine *Woven together with warmth, compassion and great skill * The Times *

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Book SynopsisWhile holidaying at a villa on the French Riviera, Dick and Nicole Diver, a wealthy American couple, meet the young film star Rosemary Hoyt. Her arrival causes a stir in their social circle and exposes the cracks in their fragile marriage. As their relationship unravels, glimpses of their troubled past emerge, and a series of disturbing events unfolds. Peopled by an unforgettable cast of aristocrats and high-fliers, Tender Is the Night is at once a scathing critique of the materialism and hypocrisy of the Roaring Twenties and a poignant and sensitive account of personal tragedy and disillusionment.Trade ReviewGatsby was a tour de force, but this is a confession of faith. -- Fitzgerald comment on Tender is the Night He was better than he knew, for in fact and in the literary sense he invented a generation. * The New York Times *

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Book SynopsisThe glittering new uplifting Christmas read from bestselling author Cressida McLaughlin.A wonderfully cosy festive treat' My weeklyOllie Spencer has started a new life in the idyllic Cornish seaside town of Port Karadow. Throwing herself into her job at the town's bookshop, A New Chapter, is one way to make friends. The shop is glitzing up for first Christmas and Ollie hopes her inspired ideas will give the shop the edge it needs to dazzle the town.But far from being the Sugar Plum fairy the place needs, Ollie is fast becoming its Christmas pudding. With the bookshop's success at stake, Ollie turns to twinkly-eyed café owner Max for help. Can he help Ollie to turn the page, and put the sparkle back into her Cornish dream?Praise for the Cornish Cream Tea series:Gorgeous!' Phillipa AshleyPerfect' Cathy BramleyWarm-hearted fun with a sprinkle of love' Holly MartinTrade Review Praise for Cressida McLaughlin: ‘One of our favourite women’s fiction stars’ – Heat ‘A warm and wonderful read’ – Woman’s Own ‘The perfect summer treat; as sweet as a cream scone and just as moreish’ – Cathy Bramley ‘Gorgeously romantic’ – Rachael Lucas ‘Cressida's characters are wonderful. So warm and relatable… A delicious summer treat!’ – Sarah Morgan ‘Evocative and gorgeous’ – Phillipa Ashley ‘Warm and wonderful… bursting with characters you’ll adore’ – Miranda Dickinson ‘So many perfect romantic moments that made me melt.’ – Jules Wake ‘You’ll want to cancel plans and stay in’ – Pernille Hughes ‘Sizzingly romantic and utterly compelling’ – Alex Brown ‘I just LOVED this story. All the characters are wonderful’ – Isabelle Broom ‘Real heart and soul’ – Sarra Manning ‘I absolutely love Cressida’s warm-hearted, romantic stories – they’re the perfect escape’ – Rachael Lucas ‘A wonderful ray of reading sunshine’ – Heidi Swain ‘A little slice of a Cornish cream tea but without the calories’ – Bella Osborne ‘Perfectly pitched between funny, sexy, tender and downright heartbreaking’ – Jane Casey 'A lovely warm gem’ – Alex Brown ‘McLaughlin writes so warmly and vividly, the rest of the world melts away!’ – Kirsty Greenwood ‘Beautiful, heartwarming. Drew me in and I didn’t want to leave!’ – Zara Stoneley ‘As hot & steamy as a freshly made hot chocolate, and as sweet & comforting as the whipped cream & sprinkles that go on top’ – Helen Fields

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Book SynopsisGet ready for small towns stirred by mystery and desire in The Eden series, sexy fourth story . . .Eloise is so close to her dream she can almost taste it. Eloise Eden always knew one day she''d take over her family''s hotel, The Eloise Inn, in Quincy, Montana. All she has to do is prove she''s responsible to her parents. And that her immature, gullible, and reckless ways are long gone. But now her ideal future is at stake following a weekend in Las Vegas when she comes home married to a stranger. Jasper must have put her under a spell with those soul-deep eyes because after a single night together, they woke up husband and wife. Her only hope is to keep this marriage a secret until it''s annulled. Then she''ll pretend it never happened. Except Jasper begs her to stay married. To fake it for just three months so she can accompany him to a wedding. Maybe she''s lost her mind to agree. But her brooding husband seems desperat

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Book Synopsis'A superb romcom, with relatable and loveable characters that literally burst from the pages. With laugh-out-loud moments, woven between a heartwarming and hopeful story, it charmed me from the first page'Carmel HarringtonTrue love is only just a swipe away? Right?Iris lives by numbers. The only thing missing from her perfectly calibrated life is a partner - and not for lack of trying. After decades of disappointment, Iris practically has a PhD in online dating. But something still eludes her: that unquantifiable spark.Kim is too busy being the life of the party to look for love. Her terrible dates make great stories for her friends and co-workers, as long as she's not caught by her tyrannical boss, Iris.Connie, Kim's recently widowed mum, is single for the first time since the 1970s. The dating game has changed a lot since her day . . .Sick of being let down, Iris takes matters into her own hands - using her analytical skills to create the first real formula for love. With Kim and Connie on board, they launch Analyzed, a dating app like no other.As Analyzed takes the world by storm, are the three women in over their heads? Is love really just a numbers game?'A laugh on every page, entirely empathetic characters and a warm heart in the middle of the story. I found this book highly entertaining and totally satisfying' Liz NugentPraise for Claudia Carroll:'Brilliantly funny' Sun'An immensely talented writer' Sinéad Moriarty'Brilliant' Bella

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Book SynopsisPre-order Julie Soto''s new book, Not Another Love Song now!I loved every second of it!' Ali HazelwoodHe loves me. He loves me notAma Torres is a great wedding planner. Ama Torres does not believe in happily-ever-aftersWhen Ama lands the job of her dreams, a headline-grabbing wedding for a glamorous Instagram star and her fiancee, it's her biggest job yet.But the florist is none other than Elliot Bloom Ama's ex, the man whose heart she broke two years ago. The man she hasn't spoken to since.Can they get through the wedding without killing or kissing each other?A scorching hot debut rom-com you won't want to miss. For fans of The Love Hypothesis and The UnhoneymoonersNetgalley readers LOVE Forget Me Not:WOW! I loved every minute of this! ?????I loved every second of this book Just a fantastic romance, from start to finish! ?????Wow 10 stars ?????I bloody loved it ?????I 100% recommend ?????Julie is my new favorite author. You have to read it ASAP! ?????This is going to be a forever Trade Review‘Julie Soto is my favorite writer, period. I'll read anything she writes – I loved every second of it’ Ali Hazelwood, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis ‘A spicy bouquet of thorns and roses … a triumph for those who love weddings and hot florists’ Abby Jimenez, New York Times bestselling author of Part of Your World

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Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times bestselling novel from viral sensation, @MammyBanterA hilarious warts-and-all novel about modern motherhood and how having it all sometimes isn't what you think it might be.Previously published in hardback as Mammy Banter: The Secret Life of an Uncool MumShe used to want it all.Now she just wants a nap.Tara Gallagher is knackered. She used to dream of being Beyoncé but suddenly she's thirty-six and instead of headlining Glastonbury, she's in her pyjamas on a Friday night, watching Gogglebox.It's time for a mammy makeover. She's going to show her teenage daughter she's still cool. Show her husband she's still an absolute ride. And show her colleagues she's still a Boss Bish.But most of all, she's going to prove to herself that she can still be a mum, still work full time, and still be Beyoncé*Published in hardback as Mammy Banter: The Secret Life of an Uncool MumMammy Banter was a Sunday Times No.5 bestseller for w/c 08/03/2022Trade Review‘Honest and laugh-out-loud funny’ Woman’s Own ‘An authentic, relatable and hilarious debut novel’ The Sun

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Book SynopsisWhen the Basque dragoon Don José meets a Gypsy woman at the factory he is guarding, he is immediately ensnared by her wiles. After she is arrested for injuring a co-worker and he helps her to flee, he is imprisoned and demoted, but she repays him at their next meeting with a day of excess and a night of love. As Carmen continues to exert her spell, José is dragged further and further into a seedy world of smugglers, robbers, fiery passions and uncontrollable jealousy – one that he will find difficult to escape alive. Carmen, the archetype of the amoral femme fatale, is Prosper Mérimée’s highest creation, and a model for many subsequent literary heroines. First published in 1846, this story of crime and desire – here accompanied by another famous novella by Mérimée, The Venus of Ille – has been adapted into a number of dramatic works, including the famous 1875 opera of the same name by Georges Bizet.

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Book SynopsisThe Christmas Cocktail Campervan bringing love, laughter and friendship from coast to coast . . .The gorgeously romantic new novel in the Cosy Campervan series' next stop: Christmas markets, mince pies and kisses under the mistletoe!Christmas feels like a real gift for Lucy this year. Her cosy coastal cottage is starting to feel like home, her new pizza business is getting the locals All Fired Up', and she can't wait to spend it with her new flame Jack, the charismatic owner of the Cocktail Campervan.Winding along the snow-dusted Northumberland coast for a whirlwind of Christmas markets and celebrations, Lucy and Jack can't resist stealing a few kisses under the mistletoe. But there's a twist in their romantic tale when Lucy's ex turns up in the village. As her past closes in, Jack becomes increasingly distant. And Lucy worries he's holding back a few secrets of his own . . .Will Christmas bring a cold spell for Lucy and Jack? Or could it really be the most wonderful time of the yearTrade Review Readers love escaping with The Seaside Cocktail Campervan!: ‘Just the most gorgeous book, really summery, romantic and heartwarming’ Netgalley reviewer ‘THIS BOOK! I absolutely loved and read most of it in one sitting’ Netgalley reviewer ‘What a beautifully written uplifting story’ Netgalley reviewer ‘The perfect summer romance!’ Netgalley reviewer ‘A great story keeping you hooked in from page one’ Netgalley reviewer ‘A real feel-good read and a fresh take on a tale of romance. Five enjoyable stars from me’ Netgalley reviewer

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Book SynopsisA powerful story of grief and hope, a passionate and epic love story from the Russian-born author of the internationally bestselling novels TULLY and ROAD TO PARADISE.The world at war two people in love.Tatiana is eighteen years old and pregnant when she miraculously escapes war-torn Leningrad to the West, believing herself to be a widow. Her husband, Major Alexander Belov, a decorated hero of the Soviet Union, has been arrested by Stalin''s infamous secret police and is awaiting imminent death as a traitor and a spy.Tatiana begins her new life in America. In wartime New York City she finds work, friends and a life beyond her dreams. However, her grief is inescapable and she keeps hearing Alexander calling out to her.Meanwhile, Alexander faces the greatest danger he''s ever known. An American trapped in Russia since adolescence, he has been serving in the Red Army and posing as a Soviet citizen to protect himself. For him, Russia''s war is not over, and both victory and defeat will meTrade ReviewPraise for Tatiana and Alexander'This has everything a romance glutton could wish for: a bold, talented and dashing hero, a heart-stopping love affair that nourishes its two protagonists even when they are separated and lost, a long and bitter military campaign, plus personal excavations into the past. It also has – thank goodness – a welcome sense of humour and discernable characters rather than ciphers.' Victoria Moore, Daily Mail The Bronze Horseman‘Pulling off the passionate love story embedded in a truly epic narrative is a difficult thing to do. Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind remains the blueprint for the genre, while Tolstoy's War and Peace carries off the literary honours … it's quickly apparent that the Russian-born author Paullina Simons has the measure of this kind of epic romantic saga. The power of her descriptive writing, the vividness of the historical detail and, most of all, the strength of her central characters mark out her novel as a considerable achievement … she is able to make some powerful statements about the durability of the human spirit, but never at the expense of descriptive passages refulgent with power and beauty’ Barry Forshaw, amazon

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Book SynopsisHeart-warming Fantastic to curl up in your chair with a cup of coffee in front of the fire with and smile, laugh and cry your way through.It will really bring out your Christmas spirit!' NetGalley review?????For Bo Grayson, Christmas has always been the most wonderful time of the year. Well, until she had her heart broken last DecemberWhen Bo Grayson and her friends meet a mysterious fortune teller, she gives each woman the same prediction: You will meet the love of your life by Christmas Day.But Bo quickly dismisses this as nonsense. And with the festive season in full swing, she has plenty to keep her busy: creating the seasonal menu for her Boatyard Café, getting her rock and roll dance group ready for their Christmas show and avoiding thinking about last December, when her fortune took a turn for the worseBesides, she definitely isn't ready to open her heart again. But will fate and perhaps a sprinkle of Christmas magic change her mind?Pour yourself a mug of hot chocolate and seTrade Review ‘Fabulously festive and sparkly as tinsel – an absolute treat of a book’ Milly Johnson Praise for Phillipa Ashley’s books: ‘Sparkling and festive, as satisfying as figgy pudding and clotted cream – loved it!’ Milly Johnson ‘Sheer joy!’ Katie Fforde ‘Full of genuine warmth and quirky characters’ Woman’s Own ‘Serious festive escapism . . . like a big warm hug’ Popsugar ‘A page-turner of a festive read’ My Weekly

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Book SynopsisHe can't date, she doesn't datebut what happens when they fall in love?A heartfelt romance that isn't afraid to tackle serious issues for fans of Ali Hazelwood, Colleen Hoover and all the best Tiktok made me buy it books'!Dr Lily Galbraith solves her city's love problems with wisdom and wit every week on her widely popular Love Doctor podcast, but her own approach to romance centres on one goal: staying single. So when a meet-cute in the sauna brings gorgeous Jay Hooper into her life she knows she needs to run the other way.Having just agreed to a bet with his sister that he'll stop dating and searching for Mrs Right' for at least six months, Jay tries to ignore the attraction he feels for Lily, which is only intensified when they find themselves working together.He can't date, and she doesn't datebut then again, rules are made to be broken, aren't they?T/w: mention of past violence and abuse, PCOSReaders are already loving The Love Experiment:Super enjoyableIt does touch on some serioTrade ReviewReaders can’t get enough of Kitty Wilson: 'Oh wow!!!! I was invited to read this amazing book and I’m so grateful that I was. What a truly beautiful book that has shaken me to the core!!!! A beautiful heartfelt read.' Oriana 'Being Kitty Wilson, this is a funny book and will make you laugh out loud…But the love story takes centre stage; believable, real and flawed. I absolutely loved it.' Jane 'This book was an absolutely fantastic slow burn, friends-to-lovers books for the holiday season! I mean I am seriously obsessed.' Sophia 'Kitty Wilson just has that knack, and what a knack it is. I loved it!' Kaisha 'The book is a quick, atmospheric and relaxing tale of summer fun, friendship and never giving up on what and who you want in your life. Kitty Wilson has a magical ability to transport the reader.' Kat 'Lots of laugh-out-loud moments along with some of the more serious issues that are tackled in the narrative, and all delivered with a Jilly Cooper-esque joy that makes a warm, humorous read something a little bit more personal.' Terri 'This is a fabulous book. One of those that you end up reading into the wee hours or rushing jobs so you can find out what happens next!' Sarah 'Kitty does a great job of balancing humour, romance and genuine stories of people’s lives and her writing is warm and approachable… All in all, another fabulous book that I would highly recommend.' Julie 'Wow. This book took me completely by surprise with the amount of love I now have for it.' Jess 'This is just so charming, fun, sweet but not too much. It's the perfect balance of good and a wee bit of dark. I loved every moment of it.' Corey 'A refreshing and modern romance…I absolutely adored this book.' Laurel 'This is the perfect love story to restore your faith in humanity and healing.' Kyrie 'I can describe this novel in one word: ADORABLE. But there are many other words I could use to: lovely, romantic, soul-wrenching, beautiful, wonderful.' Tiffany

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Book SynopsisI loved Archie and Esther . . . Such a gorgeous feel good romance' Reader review ?????Absolutely brilliant story . . . Highly recommend' Reader review ?????Once again Miranda Dickinson has written an enchanting love story' Reader review ?????All My Love is such a well written, warm and funny tale, with a love story at its heart that will quite simply melt you. Just gorgeous!' Reader review ?????* * *Sometimes love can be staring you in the face . . . and you don't even know itBy day, Archie works tirelessly as assistant to the editor of a local newspaper.By night, Esther works after hours cleaning the rows of office desks with the help of her trusty sidekick, Fred the trolley.Their paths have never crossed, until one discarded Post-it note unexpectedly brings them together.Because they share one thing in common . . . they're both secretly in love with someone else.And they might just be the two people who can help each other find the courage to confess their feelings and write the perfTrade Review Praise for All My Love ‘I love Miranda Dickinson! Esther and Archie stole my heart’ Sarah Morgan ‘All My Love is the very best of romantic fiction – charming, uplifting and warm . . . A will-they won't-they story with two sparkling and unforgettable leads, it will captivate you from the first page to the last’ Holly Miller ‘Miranda Dickinson has penned another winner. All My Love is an original and heartwarming friends-to-lovers story with all the feels!’ Fiona Lucas, Never Forget You ‘Full of warmth and love, this is the perfect comforting read to bring some sparkle to a cold winter’s day’ My Weekly Praise for Miranda Dickinson ‘Dickinson does it again! Charming, quirky and properly romantic’ Mike Gayle, bestselling author of All the Lonely People ‘Gentle and romantic, a wonderful salve for the soul, it is a charming joy of a read – this is Miranda at her very best’ Milly Johnson, Sunday Times bestselling author ‘Breathtakingly romantic and utterly captivating’ Cathy Bramley, Sunday Times bestselling author ‘Charming, relatable and sweet – I was fully invested in this heartwarming love story’ Laura Jane Williams, bestsellling author of Our Stop ‘A truly heart-warming novel about hope, loneliness and the power of reaching out. Charming and romantic, [this] story will move anyone who's ever taken a chance on love. A magical read’ Holly Miller, bestselling author of The Sight of You ‘A story about love, fear, trust; this is a big warm-hearted hug of a book’ Nina Pottell, Prima ‘A slow-burning, heart-wrenching and witty portrayal of modern love, perfect for anyone who's a sucker for a good romance novel’ Heat ‘This sparkling love story . . . is sure to bring a smile to your face’ Woman’s Weekly

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Book SynopsisGloriously uplifting and unashamedly warm-hearted' Bestselling author FAITH HOGANA lovely, summery read full of secrets and hope' Bestselling author JO THOMASAn unforgettable tale of romance, humour and heart set against the stunning backdrop of the Cornish coast, from the Sunday Times bestseller.When Eden steps out of her beautiful coastal cottage to find a Speedo-wearing, suntanned stranger doing yoga in next door's garden, she is immediately on her guard. Since her ex-husband betrayed her in the worst possible ways, she has kept her distance from all men, taking refuge in her start-up coffee business.But as she gets to know Levan, Eden begins to wonder if he might be different until she discovers he's not quite what he seems. And when a long-buried family secret surfaces, her faith in those she loves most is shaken to the core.As the secrets spill out, relationships old and new will be tested like never before. Can Eden learn to trust again, and move past all the secrets of this Trade Review Praise for A Secret Cornish Summer: ‘I LOVED A Secret Cornish Summer – the uplifting summer read for every holiday tote bag. Gloriously uplifting and unashamedly warm-hearted!’ Faith Hogan ‘A lovely summery read, full of secrets and hope. A smashing slice of life in a seaside town, the perfect place to draw a line in the sand and for new beginnings.’ Jo Thomas ‘Escapism at its very best, what a book! The most wonderful setting, lovely characters and oozing with heart and hope – I adored it.’ Milly Johnson ‘Combines romance, humour and intrigue so well … The whole thing was so captivating, and I loved that there were secrets peppered and hinted at throughout … that I was desperate to uncover. A Secret Cornish Summer is blissful story, full of sunshine, secrets and Phillipa’s trademark romance, that I loved diving into.’ Cressida McLaughlin ‘Sunshine, secrets and a stunning setting make this the perfect summer read!’ Heidi Swain Praise for Phillipa Ashley: ‘Sheer joy!’ Katie Fforde ‘Within moments you’ll feel like you're at the Cornish seaside, gazing out on the waves, cream tea in hand. The ultimate summer reading escape!’ Yours Magazine ‘Full of genuine warmth and quirky characters’ Woman’s Own ‘Serious festive escapism . . . like a big warm hug’ Popsugar ‘A page-turner of a festive read’ My Weekly ‘Romantic and life-affirming’ Woman’s Weekly ‘A feel-good read for summer’ The Sun

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Book SynopsisMartin believes he can possess both a beautiful wife and a delightful lover. But when his wife, Antonia, suddenly leaves him for her psychoanalyst, Martin is plunged into an intensive emotional re-education. He attempts to behave beautifully and sensibly. Then he meets a woman whose demonic splendour at first repels him and later arouses a consuming and monstrous passion. How will he survive it?Trade ReviewThis is a comedy with that touch of ferocity about it which makes for excitement -- Elizabeth Jane HowardOf all the novelists that have made their bow since the war she seems to me to be the most remarkable...behind her books one feels a power of intellect quite exceptional in a novelist * Sunday Times *Immensely readable...Miss Murdoch is blessedly clever without any of the aridity which, for some reason, that word is supposed to imply -- Philip Toynbee

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Book SynopsisIt is the summer of 1936, the early months of the agonising civil war that engulfs Spain and shakes the rest of the world. In a prison in the pilgrim city of Santiago de Compostela, an artist sketches the famous porch of the cathedral, the Portico da Gloria. He uses a carpenter''s pencil. But instead of reproducing the sculptured faces of the prophets and elders, he draws the faces of his fellow Republican prisoners. Many years later in post-Franco Spain, a survivor of that period, Doctor Daniel da Barca, returns from exile to his native Galicia, and the threads of past memories begin to be woven together. This poetic and moving novel conveys the horror and savagery of the tragedy that divided Spain, and the experiences of the men and women who lived through it. Yet in the process, it also relates one of the most beautiful love stories imaginable.Trade ReviewA startling novel. I have rarely read a piece of writing so poetic * Daily Telegraph *He is an important storyteller because he is sensitive and he has an incredible ear, which, in his fiction, is allied to great ingenuity -- John BergerI learnt more about the Spanish Civil War from The Carpenter's Pencil...than from any history book I've read -- Gunter Grass

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Book SynopsisTales of upheaval and confusion, longing and love in the aftermath of the Kobe earthquake.For the characters in after the quake, the Kobe earthquake is an echo from a past they buried long ago.Trade ReviewIn a dance with the delights of Murakami's imagination we experience the limitless possibilities of fiction. With these stories Murakami expands our hearts and minds yet again * The Times *Ushers the reader into a hallucinatory world where the real and surreal merge and overlap, where dreams and real-life nightmares are impossible to tell apart...this slender volume, deftly translated by Jay Rubin, may serve as a succinct introduction to his imaginative world...Lewis Carroll meets Kafka with a touch of Philip K. Dick * New York Times *Dazzlingly elegant...In a world where even the ground beneath our feet can't be relied on, imagination becomes less of a luxury and more of a duty. It's an obligation that Murakami is busily making his raison d'etre, to our very great advantage * Guardian *In the world of literary fiction, Haruki Murakami is unquestionably a superstar...Many critics have touted Murakami for the Nobel Prize. If he can stay on this kind of form, he could be in with a chance * Scotland on Sunday *Murakami is a unique writer, at once restrained and raw, plainspoken and poetic * Washington Post *

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Book Synopsis''A bittersweet work, tough and touching at the same time. Kurkov''s style is spare and effective, drawing us with deceptive ease into a dense, complex world full of wonderful characters'' Michael PalinA sharp, engaging satire that delves into Ukraine''s history.Moscow, 2013. Bunin, the Ukrainian President, has joined other heads of state in an open air swimming pool to drink vodka and celebrate with Putin. During his rise to power Bunin has juggled with formidable and eccentric political and personal challenges. His troubles with his family and his women combine with his difficulties with corrupt businessmen and demanding international allies, but it is his recent heart transplant that worries him most. Since the operation he has started to develop freckles, and his heart donor''s mysterious widow seems to have moved in with him... Spanning forty years, The President''s Last Love is a hilarious satire on love, lies and life before and afTrade ReviewA bittersweet work, tough and touching at the same time. Kurkov's style is spare and effective, drawing us with deceptive ease into a dense, complex world full of wonderful characters -- Michael PalinInventive, funny and worryingly prophetic -- Tibor Fischer * Guardian *Kurkov is a fine satirist and a real, blackly comic find * Observer *Kurkov sports a double whammy: the fiercest of political intelligences married to a truly surrealistic mindset ... This is an ambitious, multi-layered political black comedy * Independent *Kurkov's eye for the absurdities of Ukrainian life is as sharp as ever * Sunday Telegraph *

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Book Synopsis**NOW A MAJOR FILM STARRING HARRY STYLES**This love is all-consumingIt is in 1950s'' Brighton that Marion first catches sight of the handsome and enigmatic Tom. He teaches her to swim in the shadow of the pier and Marion is smitten - determined her love will be enough for them both.A few years later in Brighton Museum Patrick meets Tom. Patrick is besotted with Tom and opens his eyes to a glamorous, sophisticated new world.Tom is their policeman, and in this age it is safer for him to marry Marion. The two lovers must share him, until one of them breaks and three lives are destroyed.''A sensitive, sweeping novel'' VOGUE''Tense, romantic, smart...I loved it. Devoured it!'' RUSSELL T. DAVIES''A powerful story of forbidden love, regret, and living as your true self'' VANITY FAIR''A moving story of longing and frustration'' OBSERVERTrade ReviewThe era and the seaside locale are beautifully rendered and observed, not least the social and sexual undercurrents of the time * Sunday Times *A humane and evocative portrait of a time when lives were destroyed by intolerance * Guardian *This spiky portrait of love makes for a gripping read * Independent *Pitch perfect * Marie Claire *A moving story of longing and frustration * Observer *Stunning...fraught and honest * New York Times Book Review *

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER''Quietly brilliant ... among the best fiction of our time.'' Daily Telegraph''The finest novel Dunmore has written.'' Observer''Superb and poignant.'' GuardianIt is 1792 and Europe is seized by political turmoil and violence.Lizzie Fawkes has grown up in Radical circles where each step of the French Revolution is followed with eager idealism. But she has recently married John Diner Tredevant, a property developer who is heavily invested in Bristol''s housing boom, and he has everything to lose from social upheaval and the prospect of war. Diner believes that Lizzie''s independent, questioning spirit must be coerced and subdued. She belongs to him: law and custom confirm it, and she must live as he wants. But as Diner''s passion for Lizzie darkens, she soon finds herself dangerously alone.______________Nominated for the 2018 Independent BookseTrade ReviewThis is the finest novel Helen Dunmore has written ... From the start, Birdcage Walk has the command of a thriller … The novel’s cast is marvellous and vivid … A novel that deserves to be cherished and to last. -- Kate Kellaway * Observer *This powerful novel is a fine final flourish from a gifted writer … The power Dunmore gives to lowly female lives is inescapably moving, their stories taking us on a remarkable journey into the visceral heart of the female experience in Georgian Britain … [Dunmore is] one of the bravest and most versatile writers of her generation … This fine, fiery novel will surely be remembered as one of her best. -- Melissa Katsoulis * The Times *Like many of Dunmore’s novels, Birdcage Walk defies categorisation ... a blend of beauty and horror evoked with such breath-taking poetry that it haunts me still ... she has an extraordinary gift for taking the ordinary and familiar and rendering them new. When Tredevant’s growing unpredictability once more tightens the narrative, forcing the story back into the ominous and unsettling territory where it first began, it is easy to see why [Dunmore] has earned a place among the finest writers of historical fiction working today. * Guardian *Helen Dunmore’s quietly brilliant historical novels are among the best fiction of our time. -- Jake Kerridge * Daily Telegraph *A finely wrought psychological thriller … But it’s ultimately a novel about the ways in which we remember and, as such, a fitting contribution to Dunmore’s extraordinary legacy. * Daily Mail *Elegant prose and brilliantly researched historical detail … a devastatingly good novel. * Sunday Express, S Magazine *Part psychological thriller, part poetic exhumation of the past, it’s a fiery, first-rate historical novel from an author who’ll be much missed * Mail on Sunday, Summer Reads *A firecracker of a historical murder mystery story with which to leave her many admirers * Guardian, Readers Books of the Year *Dunmore is skilled at claiming the huge canvasses of history and painting upon them exquisitely detailed human tragedies … Every scene is saturated with vivid period detail but Dunmore’s touch is feather-light. -- Francesca Segal * Financial Times *A very good novel indeed * Scotsman, Books of the Year *Dunmore just writes so effortlessly. Birdcage Walk is a joy to read. * Stylist *Marvellous … Dunmore has the ability to evoke a sense of place and to write passages of thrilling and disturbing action … Dunmore is a remarkable novelist who sets herself very different challenges in each new novel. She meets this one triumphantly. It will surely be a great and thoroughly deserved success. -- Allan Massie * Scotsman *

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Book SynopsisKenneth Trachtenberg has left his native Paris for the Midwest. He has come to be near his beloved uncle, the world-renowned botanist Benn Crader, self-described ''plant visionary.'' While his studies take him around the world, Benn, a restless spirit, has not been able to satisfy his longings after his first marriage and lives from affair to affair and from ''bliss to breakdown.'' Imagining that a settled existence will end his anguish, Benn ties the knot again, opening the door to a flood of new torments.

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Book SynopsisConstance Chatterley feels trapped in her sexless marriage to the invalid Sir Clifford. Unable to fulfil his wife emotionally or physically, Clifford encourages her to have a liaison with a man of their own class. But Connie is attracted instead to her husband's gamekeeper.

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Book SynopsisRemember the wonderfully romantic book of letters by Beethoven, Byron and Napoleon that featured in the Sex and the City film? That collection never actually existed, but all of the letters referenced in the film were real; so Macmillan decided to create Love Letters of Great Men...Table of ContentsIntroduction - i: Introduction Chapter - 1: Pliny the Younger to his wife, Calpurnia Chapter - 2: King Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn Chapter - 3: William Congreve to Mrs Arabella Hunt Chapter - 4: Richard Steele to Miss Mary Scurlock Chapter - 5: George Farquhar to Anne Oldfield Chapter - 6: Alexander Pope to Martha Blount Chapter - 7: Alexander Pope to Teresa Blount Chapter - 8: Alexander Pope to Lady Mary Wortley Montagu Chapter - 9: David Hume to Madame de Boufflers Chapter - 10: Laurence Sterne to Catherine Fourmantel Chapter - 11: Laurence Sterne to Lady Percy Chapter - 12: Denis Diderot to Sophie Volland Chapter - 13: Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland, to Lady Grosvenor Chapter - 14: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to his wife, Constanze Chapter - 15: Lord Nelson to Lady Emma Hamilton Chapter - 16: Robert Burns to Mrs Agnes Maclehose Chapter - 17: Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller to Charlotte von Lengefeld Chapter - 18: Napoleon Bonaparte to his wife, Josephine Chapter - 19: Daniel Webster to Josephine Seaton Chapter - 20: Ludwig van Beethoven to his ‘Immortal Beloved’ Chapter - 21: William Hazlitt to Sarah Walker Chapter - 22: Lord Byron to Lady Caroline Lamb Chapter - 23: Lord Byron to the Countess Guiccioli Chapter - 24: John Keats to Fanny Brawne Chapter - 25: Honorè de Balzac to the Countess Ewelina Hanska Chapter - 26: Victor Hugo to Adèle Foucher Chapter - 27: Nathaniel Hawthorne to his wife, Sophia Chapter - 28: Benjamin Disraeli to Mary Ann Wyndham Lewis Chapter - 29: Charles Darwin to Emma Wedgwood Chapter - 30: Alfred de Musset to George Sand Chapter - 31: Robert Schumann to Clara Wieck Chapter - 32: Robert Browning to Elizabeth Barrett Chapter - 33: Gustave Flaubert to Louise Colet Chapter - 34: Gustave Flaubert to George Sand Chapter - 35: Walter Bagehot to Elizabeth Wilson Chapter - 36: Mark Twain to Olivia Langdon Chapter - 37: William F. Testerman to Miss Jane Davis Chapter - 38: Charles Stewart Parnell to Katherine O’Shea Chapter - 39: Oscar Wilde to Lord Alfred Douglas Chapter - 40: Pierre Curie to Marie Sklodovska (Marie Curie) Chapter - 41: G. K. Chesterton to Frances Blogg Chapter - 42: Captain Alfred Bland to his wife, Violet Chapter - 43: Regimental Sergeant-Major James Milne to his wife, Meg Chapter - 44: Second Lieutenant John Lindsay Rapoport to his fiancée Acknowledgements - ii: Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewI love Sebastian's courage, his lightness, and his wit -- John BanvilleSebastian belongs in the pantheon of classic authors * New Statesman *A compelling portrait of desire * Kirkus *Nothing I have read is more affecting than Mihail Sebastian's magnificent, haunting 1934 novel, For Two Thousand Years. -- Philippe Sands * Guardian Books of the Year 2016 *His prose is like something Chekhov might have written - the same modesty, candour, and subtleness of observation -- Arthur MillerSebastian's observations of the complex physical and emotional details of romantic intrigue are perceptive and affectionate....these concise stories...showcase Sebastian's brilliant eye for emotional detail * Publishers Weekly *If there is any justice [Sebastian's] posthumous profile will increase * Herald Scotland *Sebastian died a victim of an automobile accident in 1946, having survived the Second World War and the Holocaust. That fatal moment robbed the literary world of a unique voice * New York Journal of Books *A minor masterpiece of voice, mood and emotion * Irish Times *

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Book SynopsisOne of the most exciting new voices in crime fiction.' ERIN KELLYA fresh, bitingly witty take on the whodunnit.' REDThe night beforeRupert's 30th is a black tie dinner at the Kentish Town McDonald's catered with cocaine and Veuve Clicquot.The morning afterHis girlfriend Clemmie is found murdered on Hampstead Heath. All the party-goers have alibis. Naturally.This investigation is going to take Detective Inspector Caius Beauchamp down a rabbit hole of Classics degrees and aristocrats, Instagram influencers and who knows who. Or is it whom? Caius isn''t sure -- can he pin any of them down long enough to see how the other half live, before anyone else dies?''Brilliantly compulsive . . . I could not stop reading this book.'' DENISE MINA''Sharply witty . . . an enticing blend of frothy social satire and deadly serious detective work.'' Daily MailWHAT READERS ARE SAYING⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐A perfectly horrid cast of over the top characters and an engaging detective. Glorious.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Such a fun, biting take on the thriller genre . . . I loved this book!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Highly recommend if you enjoy Lucy Foley, I raced through this in less than a day!

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Book SynopsisBe swept away with this breathtaking and beautifully written wartime romance set deep in the French Alps, from the bestselling author behind Channel 5''s Carol Drinkwater''s Secret Provence''A moving story of love and friendship'' KATE MOSSE''Each sentence shimmers'' MY WEEKLY''A virtual hug of a tale'' JOANNE HARRIS''Exciting, evocative'' DAILY MAIL''Emotional and moving'' FIONA VALPY''A beautiful book'' WOMAN & HOME, Historical Novels of the Year ________ France, 1943. Forced to flee war ravaged Poland, Sara and her parents are offered refuge in a beautiful but dilapidated house in the French Alps. It seems the perfect hideaway, despite haunting traces of the previous occupants who left in haste. But shadows soon fall over Sara''s blissful summer, and her blossoming romance with local villager Alain. As the Nazis close in, the Trade ReviewA lovely novel. A moving story of love and friendship with a wonderful sense of place -- Kate MosseAn exciting, evocative and beautifully written romance that views the war from an unusual angle * Daily Mail *Carol skilfully draws us in to the beautiful Alpes Maritimes region of France to tell the story of Sara, a Polish refugee who want to live her life her way. The writing is evocative and Sara's story is both moving and inspiring -- Sheila O'Flanagan, bestselling author of The Women Who Ran AwayA terrific story [...] skilfully written & heart-rending, we are pulled into the beauty and destruction of the French countryside in WW2, as a young Jewish girl discovers what matters in life & fights for her love & for freedom -- Miriam MargolyesA novel where the quality of the writing matches the intrigue of the story. An Act of Love is a beautiful book and the themes of displacement resonate with contemporary events * Woman & Home, Historical Novels of the Year *An outstanding and beautifully written story and one not to be missed. This compelling and meticulously researched WWII novel tells a part of history that should never be forgotten. Thoroughly recommend -- Shirley Dickson, author of The Lost ChildrenBeautifully written, each sentence provides atmosphere and shimmers in thought-provoking prose * My Weekly *An exciting, evocative and beautifully written romance that views the war from an unusual angle * Daily Mail *I loved An Act of Love: it's a virtual hug of a tale; warm, and engaging, and tender. Just what I needed -- Joanne Harris, Sunday Times bestselling authorRomantic, evocative and pulse-racingly dramatic, this novel views the war from an unusual and fascinating angle -- Wendy Holden, Sunday Times bestselling authorAn emotional and moving read. The beauty of the French landscape contrasts starkly with the fear and oppression of the war years in this story of love, loss and courage -- Fiona Valpy, bestselling author of The Beekeeper's PromiseDramatic and enthralling (...) will encourage emotions to dip and soar as it gives hope even in the darkness * LoveReading *Her detailed research and vivid characters bring an emotional depth to a novel that depicts poignantly a remarkable period of history. An Act of Love is an emotional and compelling novel about the power of first love and friendship . . . could be Drinkwater's best novel yet * Historical Novel Society *I enjoyed it very much. Her portrayal of damaged and fearful teenager is so good and believable ... I longed to be in France. It's her best -- Elizabeth Buchan, author of The Museum of Broken PromisesI loved reading An Act of Love. It kept me engaged, fascinated and eager to turn the pages ... It's a wonderful, enjoyable novel with courage and survival at its heart -- Elizabeth Chadwick, author of The Wild Hunt seriesA moving story of love, friendship and bravery that simply races along * Woman's Weekly *An evocative tale of courage and loss, of secrets and risk, in some of France's darkest days * France Magazine *Accomplished ... the narrative is beautifully paced and clever -- Anne Lucey, The Irish ExaminerIncluded in 'The Hot List' * Inside Soap *Praise for Carol Drinkwater * - *Secrets, tragedy, hidden pasts and family secrets - I loved thisPlenty of page-turning drama but also mouthwatering descriptions of Paris and Provence * Daily Mail *Carol Drinkwater's writing is like taking an amazing holiday in book formI was hooked from a start threaded with mystery and menace . . . The story kept me gripped as the past tragedy unfoldedCarol Drinkwater's writing is always guaranteed to sweep me off my feetEmotional and tenderly writtenBeautifully written, each sentence provides atmosphere and shimmers in thought-provoking prose * My Weekly *Carol Drinkwater writes with captivating eloquence . . . Full of secrets, tense moments and gorgeous descriptions * LoveReading *A great and compassionate writerAn emotionally charged, wartime story set in the French Alps . . . an evocative tale of courage and loss, of secrets and risk * France Magazine *

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Book SynopsisShe found love. Now, she needs to try and keep it. She spent years in the Veil as an invisible cupid. Unable to talk, touch or love anyone, which made her a little bitter.Now, Emelle has a life . . . and a bounty on her head. The fae prince wants her dead, and her three gorgeous genfins are arrested. The royal culling trials are about to begin, but Emelle isn''t going to let everything be taken from her without a fight.There''s rebellion in the air, a princess who''s not all she appears to be and a lamassu fae who claims to be Emelle''s mate.Love is getting complicated.But to a cupid, it always is.Bonds of Cupidity is Book Two in the fun, addictive and sexy Heart Hassle seriesGild, Glint and Gleam, Sunday Times bestsellers, April 2023

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Book SynopsisTHE TOP 10 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER''Vintage Jill Mansell, this is a real ray of sunshine'' FabulousLove, friendship and secrets revealed as the sun beats down on dazzling blue Cornish seas . . .It''s set to be a perfect day - until the chauffeur is asked to keep driving the bride around the church. This wedding definitely isn''t going as planned.Lottie is a guest at the wedding when she sees Max. No kiss has ever matched the last one they shared fifteen years ago. They were on the brink of a beautiful love story, until a shocking event tore them apart. Now here he is, still ridiculously good-looking, teasing Lottie in the old way - and that overwhelming electric attraction is back. But Max is way out of bounds.Freya owes Cameron everything. But she doesn''t love him. Which is a shame, because they''re about to be married.Ruby has been the perfect wife. When she discovers the truth about her husTrade ReviewI loved it. It has all the ingredients of a wonderful Jill novel, a lovely seaside town, community, new arrivals, twists and turns and fabulously satisfying ending. I devoured it like a huge slice of celebratory wedding cake! And left me wanting more -- Jo ThomasA delicious treat . . . Mansell doesn't shy away from suffusing The Wedding of the Year with an uplifting, joyous essence * My Weekly *A fun, witty romcom with a lot of heart * Woman & Home *Jill Mansell is the queen of romantic, witty and heartwarming novels . . . Uplifting and romantic, it's astory to devour this winter, set against a beautiful Cornish backdrop and spilling over with the feel-good factor. Jill Mansell has served up another delicious treat -- Anne Cater * Sunday Express *Vintage Jill Mansell, this is a real ray of sunshine * Fabulous *Three tales intertwine in this delightful romcom * Woman's Own *With a beautiful seaside setting - it's a guaranteed spirit-lifter * Best *

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Book Synopsis'An engrossing and inspiring story of loss, love and hope, set against a backdrop of art, activism and addiction.' – ObserverMoving from the Tompkins Square Riots and attempts by activists to galvanize a response to the AIDS epidemic, to the New York City of the future, Tim Murphy's Christodora recounts the heartbreak wrought by AIDS, illustrates the allure and destructive power of hard drugs, and brings to life the ever-changing city itself.The Christodora is home to Milly and Jared, a privileged young couple with artistic ambitions. Their neighbour, Hector, a Puerto Rican gay man who was once a celebrated AIDS activist but is now a lonely addict, becomes connected to Milly's and Jared's lives in ways none of them can anticipate. Meanwhile, the couple's adopted son, Mateo, grows to appreciate the opportunities for both self-realization and oblivion that New York offers.As the junkies and protestors of the 1980s give way to the hipsters of the 2000s and they, in turn, to the wealthy residents of the crowded, glass-towered city of the 2020s, enormous changes rock the personal lives of Milly and Jared and the constellation of people around them.'An impassioned, big-hearted, and ultimately hopeful chronicle of a changing New York that authoritatively evokes the despair and panic in the city at the height of the plague.' – Hanya Yanagihara, author of A Little LifeTrade ReviewBrilliantly kaleidoscopic . . . Murphy is exceptionally skilled at writing about addiction, the intertwining of bliss and abjection... What makes this novel remarkable, though, is the way it captures the full arc of Aids in New York . . . There have been several whopping New York novels in the last couple of years, but none of them possesses Christodora’s generosity, its weathered and unflinching faith in what people can achieve. -- Olivia Laing * Guardian *This novel is your next must-read . . . A captivating, multi-stranded New York epic about the AIDs crisis . . . An engrossing and inspiring story of loss, love and hope, set against a backdrop of art, activism and addiction. * Observer *This thrillingly accomplished novel... [Its] varied minds and voices are realized so convincingly that Christodora sometimes seems the product of spirit possession. And it is joyous despite its subject matter... Murphy's skills are most nakedly on display as he describes the addictions in which Mateo and others find solace, and their electrical-shocking, soul-warping, mind-annihilating trips. Desperately intense, it is the kind of scene that requires putting a book down for a moment to take a breather. * New York Times *Hugely ambitious . . . this rich, complicated story . . . compelling . . . The richness of Murphy's account . . . the most moving sections of the book deal not with the height of the [AIDS] crisis but with its aftermath . . . The book's overwhelmingly powerful final sections... the last hundred [pages] have a rare narrative sweep and force. For all the despair it documents, [it is] a book about hope -- Garth Greenwell * Washington Post *An impassioned, big-hearted, and ultimately hopeful chronicle of a changing New York that authoritatively evokes the despair and panic in the city at the height of the plague. -- Hanya Yanagihara[Murphy] writes about addiction with undeniable fluency and power. * Sunday Times *A moving portrait of New York in the time of AIDS, Tim Murphy's honest and insightful writing gives Christodora a particular vibrancy that causes the characters to leap, whole, into the reader's imagination. This spectacular novel is an important addition to literature that captures New York in all its glory and despair. -- Candace BushnellMurphy injects fresh vim into this tale . . . [He] jumps back and forth through the decades here, creating a fractured structure that neatly reflects the fractured lives of those caught up in the epidemic and its aftermath. And it’s the latter, in the end, that proves Murphy’s most poignant subject. * Daily Mail *An intimate portrait of a bohemian family, Christodora is also a capacious historical novel that vividly recreates the lost world of downtown Manhattan in the eighties - a nuanced portrait of an era in which artists were unwitting agents of gentrification and the bright dawn of gay liberation was brutally interrupted by the AIDS epidemic. -- Jay McInerneyAn ambitious, time-traveling novel textured with the detail and depth of a writer who spent years reporting from the front * New York magazine *A magnificent novel . . . I was struck by the unflinching generosity of Tim Murphy's vision. -- Olivia LaingAn impassioned and "devastating" story set in a real-life building . . . the breathtaking new novel from Brooklyn writer Tim Murphy . . . a powerful and rewarding reading experience. Stylistically challenging, emotionally devastating (both positive and negative), realistic (even when it shifts into an imagined future) and impassioned, it is one of the finest novels we are likely to encounter this year. * Toronto Star *Tim Murphy's rich saga of New York in the age of AIDS . . . To write a novel as full of truth as Christodora . . . Tim Murphy had to know Manhattan; he had to know AIDS; he had to be fluent in the languages of visual art, addiction, activism, bipolar disease and depression; he had to have American cultural history from 1981 at his fingertips . . . Then he had to make all that information disappear, more or less, by seamlessly embodying it in characters and plot . . . He pulls it off with very few lapses, developing a rich and complicated New York saga . . . An exciting read . . . While Christodora has the scope of other New York epics, such as Bonfire of the Vanities, The Goldfinch and City on Fire, it is slimmer than any of these by several hundred pages. Capacious yet streamlined, it is a very fine book. * New York Newsday *Brilliant . . . this year's most ambitious and devastating contribution to the New York City realist novel * Interview *Murphy has written The Bonfire of the Vanities for the age of AIDS, using the same reportorial skills as Tom Wolfe to re-create the changing decades, complete with a pitch-perfect deployment of period detail . . . A powerful evocation of the plague years. * Publishers' Weekly *An ambitious social novel informed by an extended perspective on the HIV/AIDS epidemic, from the early 1980s to the near future . . . A poignant . . . exploration of a health crisis that hasn't yet ended. * Kirkus Reviews *A textured, layered, tightly woven exploration of the AIDS epidemic and its impact on a community linked by proximity, love, drugs, and pain. -- Barnes and Noble blogOutstanding and judicious . . . This breathtakingly panoramic saga feels lithe and refreshingly current . . . Christodora is the most exciting New York novel since Hanya Yanagihara's A Little Life. * Attitude *Christodora . . . has got it all: drugs, sex, music, race, class, art, activism, adoption, and tears. It’s a gut-wrenching, happy-ending story . . . Murphy’s troubled characters move deliberately toward but instinctively away from each other, too unsettled and sad to be comfortably together, too human and hopeful to stay apart for long. -- Salon.comSeveral times a year, a few books are published that are so compelling and immersive they simply demand the unadulterated free time of the reader. Tim Murphy's Christodora is one of those powerful, ambitious sagas . . . The folks who populate his pages are difficult to forget, and their legacy fully dramatizes the devastation and frenzied panic of the epidemic . . . Each scene is filled with atmospheric detail, period dialogue, and the intricate nuances of a character's movement, attitude, and emotion . . . A novel that reads like a contemporary motion picture beautifully acted by a durable cast with a been-there-done-that caliber of experience. Murphy has truly outdone himself with a perceptive and accomplished novel that is captivating and immensely entertaining. * Bay Area Reporter *Although it’s epic in scope, ultimately [Christodora] is about loneliness and the struggle to find love, accept love and to arrive at a state of self-love. A tremendous achievement. * Winq *Reminiscent of [Jay] McInerney at his peak, concerning itself with young Manhattanites and their relationships with sex, drugs, psychologists, art and real estate . . . There is no denying the quality of the writing and the deep integrity of this novel. -- John Boyne * Irish Times *

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Book Synopsis'A profound examination of friendship, romantic confusion and mortality' John BoyneOne summer's evening, two men meet up in a Dublin restaurant. Old friends, now married and with grown-up children, their lives have taken seemingly similar paths. But Joe has a secret he has to tell Davy, and Davy a grief he wants to keep from Joe. Both are not the men they used to be. As two pints turns to three, then five, Davy and Joe set out to revisit the haunts of their youth. With the ghosts of Dublin entwining around them - the pubs, the parties, the broken hearts and bungled affairs - the men find themselves face-to-face with the realities of friendship.Trade ReviewMasterly... A first-rate novel about the different bonds between men and the ineffable mysteries of love. -- Claire Allfree * Daily Mail *Doyle is justly renowned for his whip-smart dialogue... And there is beauty and compassion in Mr Doyle's sculpted, spare writing. Among all the banter and gags he manages to articulate feelings that are rarely expressed so fittingly... Love is a reminder that its author is one to treasure. * Economist *Fast-paced and deceptively easy to read... Goes down as smoothly as gulps of beer. * Boston Globe *Love is altogether spellbinding... The whole book is audacious, richly layered and often comic, but ultimately deeply moving... Move over Socrates and watch an Irish master of dialogue at work. -- David Monagan * Irish Examiner *So perfectly constructed it is hard to believe it is really just about two old school friends getting drunk, and drunker... [Love] seems to bottle what male friendship can be like. -- Chris Harvey * Irish Independent *

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Book Synopsis'Short but very special. ... funny, touching and quite beautiful.' Matt Cain'A powerful finale to her classic trilogy of heartbreak and healing.' Clare Chambers'An unforgettable story. It's beautiful all through, but the closing chapters are just astonishing, transcendent and hope-filled and life-affirming.' Donal Ryan'Just brilliant' Patrick Gale'Profoundly moving and deeply human, this story of self-discovery and forgiveness is essential reading. I loved every word.' Bonnie Garmus'Astonishingly powerful... Truly stunning' Ruth Jones......................................................................................................................................Ten years ago, Harold Fry set off on his epic journey on foot to save a friend. But the story doesn't end there. Now his wife, Maureen, has her own pilgrimage to make.Maureen Fry has settled into the quiet life she now shares with her husband Harold after his iconic walk across England. Now, ten years later, an unexpected message from the North disturbs her equilibrium again, and this time it is Maureen's turn to make her own journey.But Maureen is not like Harold. She struggles to bond with strangers, and the landscape she crosses has changed radically. She has little sense of what she'll find at the end of the road. All she knows is that she must get there.Maureen Fry and the Angel of the North is a deeply felt, lyrical and powerful novel, full of warmth and kindness, about love, loss, and how we come to terms with the past in order to understand ourselves and our lives a little better. Short, exquisite, while it stands in its own right, it is also the moving finale to a trilogy that began with the phenomenal bestseller The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and continued with The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy.This is a slender book but it has all the power and weight of a classic.Trade ReviewJoyce bestows tenderness and grace, revealing how forgiveness and a reckoning with the past can transform the present for the better. -- Eithne Farry * Mail on Sunday *Joyce is a fearless explorer of emotional landscape; Maureen's pilgrimage north becomesa moving account of healing and acceptance. -- Patricia Nicol * Sunday Times *Exquisite and beautifully crafted -- Ruth Jones * Daily Mail *A beautiful novella ... with compassion and tenderness ... the novel's conclusion is deeply moving and life-affirming. -- Hannah Beckerman * Observer *Very rarely, there is a writer who can touch the deepest and most hidden parts of the soul, by using the everyday matter of our daily lives to reveal the sacred that always surrounds us. This writer is Rachel Joyce, and her trilogy starting with The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, then The Love Song of Queenie Hennessy and finally Maureen Fry and the Angel of the North does just that, as well as delighting by her assured story-telling. To read her work is to think at first you are being invited to a perfect and delicious afternoon tea - then realise that you are intimate communion with what it means to be human: to suffer, to love, and to be understood. There is beauty, and the reason for art. -- Laline Paul

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Book SynopsisA TIMES BOOK OF THE MONTH AND STYLIST BOOK OF THE WEEKA BAD FORM REVIEW PAPERBACK BOOK OF THE MONTH'Sharp, swiftly moving, darkly funny . . . [a] compassion filled delight' The Times'[A] sharp, assured debut' Daily Mail'A sensitive, sharp-eyed, slyly funny novel of venturing back into the foreign country that is your past— and discovering that you can never really shake the places and people that shaped you' Celeste Ng, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Our Missing Hearts'Delia Cai fully renders the uneasy marriage between past and present. Central Places is honest about the strangeness and revelation of returning home' Raven Leilani, New York Times bestselling author of LusterAudrey Zhou left Hickory Grove, the tiny central Illinois town where she grew up, as soon as high school ended, and she never looked back. She moved to New York City and became the person she always wanted to be, complete with a high-paying, high-pressure job and a seemingly faultless fiancé. But if she and Manhattan-bred Ben are to build a life together, in the dream home his parents will surely pay for, Audrey can no longer hide him, or the person she's become, from those she left behind.But returning to Hickory Grove is . . . complicated. Over the course of one disastrous week, Audrey's proximity to her family and to Kyle, her unrequited high school crush, forces her to confront the past and reexamine her fraught connection to her roots before she undoes everything she's worked toward and everything she's imagined for herself. But is that life really the one she wants?Trade ReviewDelia Cai’s sharp, swiftly moving, darkly funny debut novel….[is a] compassion filled delight * The Times, Book of the Month *[A] sharp, assured debut * Daily Mail *A sensitive, sharp-eyed, slyly funny story of venturing back into the foreign country that is your past--and discovering that you can never really shake the places and people that shaped you . . . This book will resonate with anyone who's tried to navigate the confusing terrain of family tensions, lost friendships, or embarrassing memories of youth: in short, pretty much everyone. * Celeste Ng, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Our Missing Hearts *Delia Cai fully renders the uneasy marriage between past and present. Central Places is honest about the strangeness and revelation of returning home. * Raven Leilani, New York Times bestselling author of Luster *An incandescent debut shedding light on old friendships, half-forgotten selves, and ferocious longings past and present, Central Places is a revelation, disquieting and so very moving, and dazzling with insight. * R. O. Kwon, author of The Incendiaries *A moving, nuanced novel about race, class, and the unspoken power dynamics of an interracial relationship, Central Places negotiates the personal and the political with unsparing precision. Delia Cai has created an indelible cast of uniquely complicated characters. A spiky, intelligent narrator leads the story--readers will root for Audrey to win, even as her definition of triumph shifts with every chapter in this masterful debut. * Jean Chen Ho, author of Fiona and Jane *Burns with complexity and compassion . . . A fiercely narrated and deeply affecting novel about imperfect love, the willingness to try again, and generosity?to ourselves and to each other. Audrey's unforgettable story of self-discovery will speak to anyone who has ever stood on the precipice of change, who has ever felt in between, and who has ever wondered if looking back is part of moving forward. * Elaine Hsieh Chou, author of Disorientation *Sharply observed and humorous, and filled with Cai's trademark pop cultural geekiness. * Stylist, Book of the Week *

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Book SynopsisFrom the prizewinning author of God's Own Country and A Natural comes a moving and intimate exploration of marriage, devotion and sacrifice, and a woman's enduring search for freedom.'One of our best novelists' Daily Mail'A superb achievement' Guardian'Moving...and beautiful' Irish TimesAnita is a talented sous-chef at a high-end London restaurant. At home, however, her husband Patrick is suffering from dementia and declining rapidly.As she is thrown between two conflicting worlds, Anita must make a decision: should she free them both by acting on his last plea for mercy, or should she remain faithful to the person Patrick used to be?It's a decision complicated by ambition and the guilt of her own past - and by her intensifying friendship with another man, Peter, and the temptation of a new life.Trade Review[A] beautifully observed heart-wringer... for me there was no better novel published in 2022. * Daily Mail, *Books of the Year* *There can be no doubt he's one of our best novelists...Dealing sensitively with love, ambition and duty - not to mention the bodily experience of womanhood, from youth to late middle age...absolutely not to be missed. -- Anthony Cummings * Daily Mail *Ross Raisin's deeply thought out and beautifully unshowy fourth novel... is a superb achievement. * Guardian, *Book of the Day* *Raisin is ambitious...and impressive in his execution. * Financial Times *Raisin's... most ambitious achievement yet... The attention to detail with which Anita is drawn means she steps outside the pages and lives enduringly in the reader's mind. -- John Self * Observer *

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Book Synopsis'He must know by now, I should think, that I can give as good as I get!'This is the story of Gigi, educated as a future courtesan in Paris, her days are filled with cigars, lobster, lace and superstitions. Bored and unconvinced by what she's taught, Gigi surprises everyone with her earnest approach to love.In this classic turn-of-the-century novella, Colette unveils Gigi's journey into womanhood in rich and supple prose.Meet ten of literature's most iconic heroines, jacketed in bold portraits by female photographers from around the world.Trade Review“A perpetual feast to the reader…her prose is rich, flawless, intricate, audacious and utterly beautiful.” -- Raymond Mortimer

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