Preloved
A sparklingly witty and relatable debut novel
Description of book
‘Lauren Bravo is one of my very favourite writers’ Dolly Alderton
Gwen is coasting through life. She’s in her mid-thirties, perpetually single, her friends are busy procreating in the countryside and conversations with her parents seem to revolve entirely around the council’s wheelie-bin timetable.
And she’s lonely. But then, isn’t everyone?
When she’s made redundant from a job she hardly cares about, she takes herself out for a fancy dinner. There she has the best sticky toffee pudding of her life and realises she has no one to tell. She vows to begin living her life fully, reconnect with her friends and family, and finally book that dentist’s appointment.
Gwen decides to start where all things get a second chance: her local charity shop. There, with the help of the weird and wonderful people and donated items bursting with untold stories, Gwen will find a way to move forward with bravery, tenacity, and more regular dental care.
Dazzlingly witty, Preloved is a tale about friendship, loss and being true to yourself no matter the expectations. Lovingly celebrating the enduring power and joy of charity shops.
Praise for Preloved
'An absolute gem of a novel' Sarra Manning
'I think I’ve been waiting for a novel like Preloved for my whole reading life' Daisy Buchanan
'Preloved is full of sharp observations on life, loss, regret and self-preservation' Julietta Henderson, author of The Funny Thing about Norman Foreman
'Just like that once-in-a-lifetime charity shop find, Preloved is a gleaming prize to be treasured' Caroline O'Donoghue, author of Promising Young Woman
‘Preloved has taken up residence in my heart and I will be recommending it to everyone I know . . . I'm officially obsessed’ Lucy Vine
'Laugh-out-loud funny but also poignant and tender' Laura Price, author of Single Bald Female
Categories:
Format:
Language:
English
Ratings & reviews
4.2
★★★★☆93 ratings
Character-driven · Cosy · Well-written
4.6
★★★★☆91 ratings
Perfect match · Captivating · Credible
- Absolutely loved living in Gwen’s world for a few days. Experiencing her personal growth and the characters she met along the way. Lauren Bravo is a brilliant, atmospheric and emotional writer and my only problem is that she hasn’t written more books!
Danielle
Book★5
Character-driven · Masterpiece
Narration★5
Relaxing
- I liked the stories behind the items that ended up in a charity shop, and how they fed into the main story of love, loss and grief. The narration was good as well, especially all the different accents!
Seana
Book★5
Narration★5
- I couldn’t finish this book! :( I liked the idea of it; every chapter a new story about a typical charity shop item but made to fit with the story. However, I found myself not listening a lot of the time. The story wasn’t gripping and i wasn’t lured in by any of the characters; maybe slightly by the relationship with Nicolas to begin with but I’m not even sure what was going on with them to be honest. I found the book quite long too.
Sam
I tried my best to get through it and waited for the storyline to pick up but if it’s still not engaging half way through, I might as well give up! My love for charity shops just couldn’t keep me engaged enough sadly.Book★2
Narration★4
Maria
Loved every page of this funny book! Laughed out loud and cried which to me is proof that this book is just great and I definitely recommend!!For the book club
Book★5
Pleasant · Inspiring · Playful · Want more · Well-written
NarrationCredible · Captivating
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