For sale: A heart in need of a home

LOVE, OR NEAREST OFFER by Adele Geras (Quercus £19.99)

I COULDN’T get enough of Geras’s books for teenagers when I was at school — and now, I am a huge fan of her adult books, too. Her brilliant writing, emotionally intelligent content and gripping narratives place her right at the top of this genre.

Protagonist Iris Atkins is an estate agent who defies the greedy, sales-focused stereotype of most of her profession.

Instead, big-hearted Iris is something of a visionary who cares deeply about the emotional wellbeing of her clients and understands, perhaps more than they do, what is missing in their lives and how things might be improved — not just with bricks and mortar.

One of life’s biggest lessons has to be that nothing stays the same, and Iris’s gift is to help her buyers and sellers navigate various upheavals, to come out the other side happier, stronger and settled.

But while Iris is an undoubted genius at sorting out other people’s problems, she doesn’t pay that much attention to her own.

Until, that is, circumstances conspire to force her to confront certain existing unsatisfactory arrangements and examine what it is that she really wants for herself.

It’s the perfect summer read — I loved it.

THE ONE WE FELL IN LOVE WITH by Paige Toon (Simon & Schuster £7.99)

IDENTICAL triplets Rose, Phoebe and Eliza may be indistinguishable on the outside, but on the inside they could not be more different.

In fact, the only thing they have in common is that they’re all in love with the same man.

Angus was the gorgeous boy next door when they were growing up, and Phoebe saw him first — or so she claims.

Years later and now engaged to Angus, Phoebe is suffering from secret doubts and, when she unexpectedly bumps into an old flame, her feelings of uncertainty only grow more intense. Meanwhile, Eliza is miserable and, although she knows it’s wrong to be in love with her sister’s fiancée, no matter how hard she tries, she can’t move on. Rose, jobless, single and forced to move back in with their mother, isn’t happy, either.

Although the triplets’ life choices don’t seem to be working out, they don’t talk openly and honestly to each other, so none is aware of how the others are feeling.

When tragedy strikes, however, the girls are forced to examine what they’ve been hiding from and what they must do to grab hold of the lives they really want.

This is an enjoyable read, populated with engaging characters — I couldn’t put it down.

BREAK-UP CLUB by Lorelei Mathias (Avon £7.99)

HOLLY is shocked and distraught when her five-year relationship with Lawrence comes to an abrupt end, and can’t imagine how she’ll ever get over it.

Salvation and support appear in the form of her also newly single friends, Olivia, Harry and Bella. They realise that alone they’re not much use, but together they can begin to heal and move forwards.

They form a society called the Break-Up Club, whose tagline is ‘To our members, we’re the first emergency service’, and make up most of the rules as they go along. It’s a light-hearted read about the power of friendship to see you through a tough time and out the other side.