Ava sees heading to university in the city as the opportunity to escape a poverty-stricken upbringing; Laurie sees it as something she has to do due to her father's expectations. The two women could not be any more different, yet their lives become intertwined in ways they never could've expected.

The story is so interesting on so many levels, and it covers many issues and topics, which I found really interesting. There is something so intriguing in seeing everything being approached in the two different point of views and the impact their backgrounds have on it all. It took me a while to fully get into the story, but once I did, I had such a great time with it. Both characters were very likable in their own ways and I rooted for them the whole time. I also really loved the supporting cast of characters that surrounded the main ones; I found them to be such a joyful addition to the story and they were such a really needed source of humor and lightness, considering how heavy some of the topics discussed are.

I listened to the audiobook for this one and I had so much fun with it! I genuinely loved it, the narrator did such a great job and it really kept me invested the whole time,

Many thanks to W.F. Howes Ltd & NetGalley for providing me with the ALC. All opinions are my own.

Ava has been raised on the Australian coast by her doting, but unwell father after her mother left them and ultimately got killed by a train. When she aces her high school exams, Ava gets the chance to go to college in the city. And so begins an amazing journey in which she makes a loyal new friend, Mai and some less well suited life choices which see her moving from the sunny climes of Australia, to the ivy towers of Cambridge, UK.

Like Ava, Laurie has been raised by her Dad after her mother died in childbirth. Having spent her childhood in the shadow (and corridors) of Cambridge University), her desire to escape both the academic life (and her father's presence) sets in motion a near fatal disaster. One which begins the Sliding Doors-esq feel of this book.

Criss crossing each others lives from afar, we watch as 6 degrees of separation bring Ava and Laurie's worlds ever closer together, with each getting little tastes of the others worlds and often finding it lacking.

Supported by a host of good friends - each written in vivid detail and bringing much needed humour, joy and straight talking for our main characters. We see how Ava and Laurie have to work through lies and deceit to get to their happy ending.

A lovely story which focuses a lot on the father:daughter bond, this does contain some triggering topics including miscarriage, abortion and death of a parent. It also contains much happy content relating to friendship, child/parental relationships and the joy of motherhood and finding your happy place

I enjoyed this one, both Laurie and Ava were relatable, likeable characters.
On completely different paths, I enjoyed following their lives, and their friends , and small families.
I was however always waiting for the part when their lives crossed.
A nice easy listen that got me through dull work commute.

Reminded me a little of Shuggie Bain in terms of how the book addresses class and disadvantage. The plot and writing style was a strong point for this book. I really enjoyed how the characters were thoroughly explored and thought that this sat perfectly within the premise and plot of the book. I hope to read more from the same author. The narrator was a great match for the story and I found the cover art eye catching. I would love a book 2.

This is a moving story about two young women who, in many ways, could not be more different - at least in terms of their backgrounds and opportunities.

Laurie is essentially going to university at the behest of her father, who is a Marxist professor. Her life has been defined by a childhood characterized by his very strong views on politics, protest and privilege.

Ava has experienced life at the other end of the spectrum, raised by a father who lives in a trailer park and struggles with a debilitating illness. Despite this, he has given her a life that is plentifully supplied with love, if not material things.

For Ava, university provides the opportunity to escape from a life shaped by the abandonment of her mother and an environment of poverty and limitations. It is a chance to bury her past and start over.

What the two have in common though, are some very important things: absent mothers and being raised by their fathers who have loved them deeply.

The story examines issues such as class, privilege, parenting, family, and many of the things that humans almost universally care about. The protagonists are both relatable and interesting characters. The book is well narrated and well worth checking out. It gets 3.5 stars.

I downloaded this audiobook from NetGalley and listened to it while doing some admin.

It’s the first campus novel I’ve read that engages with the 2010 student protests, and I really enjoyed that aspect of it, having lived through the rise in fees and been horrified by the decline in working class entrants to university as a result.

I also really enjoyed the way the two main characters’ lives ran parallel to each other in many ways, allowing the author to examine their relationships with their parents.

Altogether a really great contribution to the genre. I loved it.

Three Word Review: 21C campus novel.

A fantastic debut novel!! Ava and Laurie are worlds apart in most ways, Ava is brought up in New South Wales on a caravan park by her father who lives with MS. They are poor in most ways but rich in love. Laurie is brought up in Cambridge England, also by her father, who is by no means poor, they are rich in most ways. Laurie’s father is a professor at Cambridge and a Marxist who spends most of Laurie’s life protesting something.

Each of the girls are desperate to escape the life they know, Ava wants to travel the world, she wants freedom, adventure, and experience. Laurie wants the stability of a Cambridge education and to put down roots.

There’s a lot going on in this novel, a lot that probably went over my head, especially politically. However the character development is fabulous, the story itself is extraordinary and by the end, which was beautiful, I didn’t really want to say goodbye.
I look forward to finding out what comes next for the author.

The narration was lovely, and kept me invested.

Thank you to Wavesound from W F Howes via NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in return for an honest review.

A well-written and interesting account of two women on different continents with hugely different socio-economic backgrounds. The only thing they have in common when we first encounter the two young women is that they have both been raised by their fathers.
The book develops the characters of each of the women through exploring the themes of education, inequality, relationships, capitalism, parenting, friendship and loss and the intrigue lies in how the women will finally connect.
A great debut book from the author and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
I am grateful to NetGalley and the author for an advanced copy of this very well narrated audiobook.