The cover caught my attention and the blurb lured me in but it was the quality of the writing that gripped me to the very end.
Lex Coulton has been described as a “true new talent” and, after reading her debut, Falling Short, I think that quote is spot on.
There are two central characters, Frances and Jackson, who both have strong and believable voices.
Parts of their story made my heart actually hurt while others made me laugh out loud but afterwards I realised the strangest thing...I wasn’t sure if I really liked either of them.
Maybe that's the wrong way to describe it, it was more that there were elements of their characters I found frustrating – just like in real life, I suppose.
People are complicated and I think part of Lex’s talent is writing characters who feel real, who don’t follow a linear path, who make mistakes, who fall short and perhaps do things differently to how I would.
It didn’t detract from how well the story read or how much I enjoyed following along - although by the end I was willing for good things to happen for Frances (I won't spoil it by saying more).
Maybe it won’t be for everyone but I found her writing exciting and I’m looking forward to what comes next.

With thanks to John Murray (via NetGalley) for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Not one for me, afraid I didn’t manage to finish. Wrong day wrong book I think