My Name Is Leon

A TIMES and INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER<BR> WINNER OF THE IRISH NOVEL PRIZE<BR><BR> Soon to be a major BBC film starring Sir Lenny Henry, Malachi Kirby, Monica Dolan, Olivia Williams and Christopher Eccleston.<BR><BR> It's 1981, a year of riots and royal weddings. The Dukes of Hazzard is on TV. Curly Wurlys are in the shops. And trying to find a place in it all is nine-year-old Leon. He and his little brother Jake have gone to live with Maureen. They've lost one home, but have they found another?<BR><BR> Maureen feeds and looks after them. She has wild red hair and mutters swearwords under her breath when she thinks they can't hear. She claims everything will be okay. But will they ever see their mother again? Who are the couple who secretly visit Jake? Between the street violence and the street parties, Leon must find a way to reunite his family . . .<BR> <BR> 'Startlingly funny. Balances the gritty with the feel good' Observer<BR><BR> 'Vivid and endearing - a very powerful book' Emma Healey, bestselling author of Elizabeth is Missing<BR><BR> 'Authentic and beautiful, urgent and honest, this novel makes room in your heart' Chris Cleave, bestselling author of The Other Hand<BR> <BR> SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA FIRST NOVEL AWARD & THE DESMOND ELLIOT PRIZE

A tender and unforgettable story of found family and the long way back from heartbreak - now longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction<BR><BR>'A beautiful and important story about kindness that will break your heart, then make it sing' (reader review) ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ <BR>'A joyous story about love, and what family means to each of us' Prima<BR> 'I read this in a sitting, revelling in every word-perfect sentence' (reader review) ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐<BR>'I defy you not to cry while reading this' Red <BR><BR>Paulette's the kind of woman who likes the future all mapped out: the wedding to Denton, the Caribbean honeymoon, the gingham quilt on the baby's crib. Until one morning Garfield, Denton's friend, arrives at her door with the news that Denton won't be coming around any more, that there won't be time for her to say goodbye.<BR><BR>Somehow Garfield finds his way into her bed, and sooner than anyone can believe there is a baby, and suddenly giving Bird, her son, the best of everything is what gives Paulette's life meaning.<BR><BR>So why is it another little boy, Nellie, who keeps Paulette awake at night? Nellie who is being raised a few streets away, with no sign of a mum. Surely Paulette is the last person who should be getting tangled up in any of that?