The Women and the Girls

Book excerpt: Laura Bloom has such a unique talent for modern historical fiction and this time it was a joy to be catapulted back to the 1970s. When I turned the last page I was so sad to say goodbye to her beautifully observed characters. A delight from start to finish!' Liane Moriarty Three friends. Three marriages left behind. Life begins in earnest. It's 1977, and warm, bohemian Libby - stay-at-home mother, genius entertainer and gifted cook - is lonely. When she meets Carol, who has recently emigrated from London with her controlling husband and is feeling adrift, and Anna, who loves her career but not her marriage, the women form an unexpected bond. Their husbands aren't happy about it, and neither are their daughters. Set against a backdrop of inner-city grunge and 70s glamour, far-out parties and ABBA songs, The Women and The Girls is a funny, questioning and moving novel about love, friendship, work, family, and freedom. The Women and the Girls explores the price, and the rewards, of family and friendship in the Age of Aquarius - at the dawning of the Age of Divorce. 'In this light hearted novel, Laura Bloom rejects the traditional rom-com, opting instead to follow a more contemporary journey of self-reckoning. Fans of Liane Moriarty will enjoy this friendship-driven romp.' - Books+Publishing