Paolo Giordano

Heaven And Earth by

Fourteen-year-old Teresa watches from behind a curtain as three boys strip naked and dive into the moonlit waters of her grandmother’s pool. It is the year everything changed. The year those bland summers she once resented became the gateway to something hot and urgent – spirituality, lust, jealously. Nicola, Tommaso and Bern – who Teresa will love for the rest of her life – were raised as brothers on the farm next door. But though Teresa injects herself into their world, it will be years before she truly realises the twisted depth of their brotherhood. Bonded by shared love and resentment, the boys’ seemingly unequivocal connection holds them together as much as it drives them apart, leaving Teresa to interpret where exactly she fits into their story. Raw and evocative, Giordano’s Heaven and Earth is a breathtaking and poignant creation that will leave you itching under the skin.

9/10

Rolling Fields by David Trueba

David Trueba is highly regarded in his native Spain as a very successful novelist and filmmaker. His latest, Rolling Fields, spent weeks in the bestseller lists in Spain on its release in 2017. Now translated into English by Rahul Bery, it tells the story of Dani Mosca, a successful musician whose father has just died. The 40-year-old undertakes to accompany his father’s body in a hearse on a final trip back to his childhood village for internment there. The road trip becomes the pretext for a journey into Dani’s past, as he reflects on his relationship with his father, the revelation that he was adopted, the early years getting his band off the ground, conquests and relationships, heartbreak and tragedy. Not much happens in the present, so we are constantly thrown back into the past, much of which is a motley selection of anecdotage, pillow talk and hearsay. The style is light and readable, but somehow something gets lost in translation, and the book struggles to really hold your attention.

6/10

The Sight Of You by Holly Miller

Joel has sworn off falling in love, but when he meets Callie he can’t help himself. However he has a secret – he dreams about the people he loves, and these dreams always come true. When he dreams about her one night, he must decide if he can stay, knowing how her story will end. The idea is an original concept, beautifully written and completely convincing. Told through both Joel and Callie’s eyes, The Sight Of You is a heart-wrenching love story that steers clear of being overly sentimental or soppy. It’s a romance that even those who normally steer clear of the genre will also enjoy. Perfect for fans of The Time Traveller’s Wife and In Five Years, this bittersweet novel is one that will stay with you.