Some recent favourite reads…

The Unwilding by Marina Kemp

Family secrets are pushed to their limits in this sultry, sunny read. Zoe is invited to spend time in Sicily, at the holiday home of the famous writer, Don Travers. His family intrigue Zoe (and the other guests do too.) Zoe feels she has more to unpack than just her suitcase…

The Unwilding is a dual narrative book told from the points of view of Nemony, Don Travers’ daughter, and Zoe. It is masterfully assembled, and a story that is beautifully told.

Marina Kemp is one of my favourite contemporary writers and this is such a gripping page turner. The sense of place, the characters who populate each chapter… it is altogether utterly divine.

 

Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors

Avery, Bonnie and Lucky Blue are sisters, each struggling through grief. Their other sister, Nicky, died, and the remaining Blue sisters battle to find their feet.

Avery is a lawyer living in London. She’s a success but doesn’t feel like one (she has been unable to forgive herself for her years as an addict.) Bonnie, meanwhile, is a boxer, keen to get back into the ring. And Lucky is a model, and a mess, a party girl who cannot bear her own company.

A letter arrives from their mother prompting the three sisters to confront their pasts and engage in conversation, an activity that is much-needed as it’s been a while.

 

The Country Commonplace Book by Miranda Mills

Batsford Books are brilliant, aren’t they?

The Country Commonplace Book by Miranda Mills is the latest, sweetest offering. It is a cornucopia of seasonal poetry, an ode to the environment and fascinating tit-bits, with some delicious recipes sprinkled in for good measure. This would make the perfect gift for a treasured friend as it’s a beautifully illustrated hardback book that would sit companionably on one’s coffee table… that is, if they can bear to put it down!

Truly, this is a book to cherish.