Laura Barnett crafts narratives with a keen eye for emotional nuance and character depth. Her work delves into the complexities of human relationships and the interior lives of her protagonists. As a seasoned journalist, she brings a sharp observational skill and a fresh, engaging style to her fiction. Her debut novel is a compelling exploration of identity and the search for one's place in the world.
The narrative centers on Lolo and Lane, both grappling with the loss of someone dear to them. Their paths intertwine through Little Max, who possesses a vital connection for both characters. As they navigate their grief, they must confront dark forces in their respective worlds that threaten their journey and the bond they share. Themes of loss, connection, and the struggle against malevolent influences drive the story forward.
This thoughtful and heartfelt book develops two main themes: the healing power of a compassionate understanding towards ourselves and others; and the ways boundaries are set within and around various areas of our lives.
From no. 1 bestselling author Laura Barnett comes a novel about motherhood, second chances and choosing your own family.
Twelve people. Twelve gifts. One Christmas to remember.A novel in stories about how wonderful and sad and difficult and happy and strange Christmas can be. Stories to inspire, move and comfort.
'Barnett has that rare talent, like Curtis Sittenfeld or Kate Atkinson, of building up the mundane aspects of everyday life until they acquire meaning' THE TIMES 'Barnett excels herself in this mesmerising ballad of a book...Greatest Hits is not just about music, it's about people: their ambitions, friendships and flaws. An absolute must read' STYLIST If you could choose just sixteen moments to define your entire life, what would they be? Cass Wheeler has seen it all - from the searing heights of success, to earth-shattering moments of despair. She has known passion, envy, pride, fear, and love. She has been a daughter, a mother, a singer, a lover. A musician born in 1950, Cass is now taking one day to select the sixteen songs in her repertoire that have meant the most to her. And behind each song lies a story - from the day her mother abandoned her, to her passionate first love, to the moment she lost everything. The dreams, the failures, the second chances. But what made her disappear so suddenly from her public life and, most importantly, can she find her way back?
Some moments can change your life for ever. Have you ever wondered, what if? A man is walking down a country lane. A woman, cycling towards him, swerves to avoid a dog. On that moment, their future hinges. There are three possible outcomes, three small decisions that could determine the rest of their life. Eva and Jim are nineteen and students at Cambridge when their paths first cross in 1958. And then there is David, Eva's then-lover, an ambitious actor who loves Eva deeply. 'Versions of us' follows the three different courses their lives could take following this first meeting. Lives filled with love, betrayal, ambition but through it all is a deep connection that endures whatever fate might throw at them. 'Versions of us' explores the idea that there are moments when our lives might have turned out differently, the tiny factors or decisions that could determine our fate, and the precarious nature of the foundations upon which we build our lives. It is also a story about the nature of love and how it grows, changes and evolves as we go through the vagaries of life