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Reading lists

Vintage new writers to discover in 2023

Phoebe McIntosh

A powerful and thought-provoking debut from a writer destined for greatness

I found it humbling and hopeful and I really CARED about the characters

Smart and thoughtful... intertwines the personal and the political with a soft deftness

A swoony romance is the starting point for a soul-searching look at the legacy of the British slave trade&hellip; a touching debut, unafraid to ask difficult questions

A thought-provoking look into the ties between past and present

Thought-provoking and engaging, raising challenging questions while weaving a satisfying story

Cracking dialogue, fascinating storyline, compelling characters and more

A timely and tender story about a young woman caught up in a sweet romance, who finds herself grappling with the idea that love, too, is political to its very core

AYESHA MANAZIR SIDDIQI, author of The Centre

Phoebe McIntosh is a tremendous storyteller, Dominoes is powerful and evocative, an outstanding debut

SALENA GODDEN, author of Mrs Death Misses Death

Dominoes combines a really charming, thoughtful protagonist with an expansive and beautifully drawn sense of a wider London around her. It’s so kind and smart and clear-eyed, even as the tension rises and the characters have to grapple with problems that they may not be able to solve

A thought-provoking story about love and the British slave trade

A thought-provoking and electric debut&hellip; At its heart, the novel is a love story, but the romance is a catalyst for larger, messier questions of identity

Vulnerable and vibrant, Dominoes is a radiant debut, shining with complexity and compassion for the bonds of family and friendship that give our lives purpose

RACHEL ELIZA GRIFFITHS, author of Promise

McIntosh adds depth and nuance to a concept that's fascinated humans for centuries: the eternal search for self and knowing where you come from... she raises important questions about allyship, belonging and intergenerational trauma. The writing is sharp and vulnerable, and Dominoes gripped me until the final page

Dominoes is a striking, thought-provoking read and Phoebe expertly examines the intricacies of romance as it intersects with race and class. A stirring story with strong, complex characters that delves into the legacy of Britain's slave trade while interrogating love, friendship and identity. Simultaneously sweet and sobering, this is one you will not want to miss

'A must-read... compulsively timely novel' Stylist 
 
When Layla and Andy first meet, they can't believe they have the same surname. It feels like fate… 
 
Sera, Layla’s best friend, has her doubts about Andy. As the couple fall deeper in love, Sera becomes more and more vocal about Layla settling down with a white boy. And then, only a few weeks before their wedding, Layla makes a devastating discovery – could their families be linked in the worst possible way? 
 
What seemed like a fairy-tale romance is rapidly derailed as Layla begins to uncover parts of her history and identity that she had never imagined – or, perhaps, had simply learnt to ignore. 
 
And now, she faces an impossible choice. 
 
**A STYLIST UNMISSABLE BOOK FOR 2024** 
 
‘A warm, sweet love story, and a thought-provoking examination of the British slave trade and its legacy’ MARIAN KEYES 
 
'I loved this book' JACQUELINE CROOKS, author of Fire Rush 
 
'So kind and smart and clear-eyed' HOLLY GRAMAZIO, author of The Husbands 
 
READERS LOVE DOMINOES: 
‘Tender, thought-provoking and hard-hitting’ 
‘Kept me second guessing how things would turn out until the very end’ 
‘Incredibly thought-provoking’ 
‘Such an important novel’ 
‘I laughed, I cried, I learned A LOT’ 
‘So much more than a love story’

Phoebe McIntosh

Praise for Dominoes

A powerful and thought-provoking debut from a writer destined for greatness

I found it humbling and hopeful and I really CARED about the characters

Electrifying debut

A powerful and thought-provoking debut from a writer destined for greatness

I found it humbling and hopeful and I really CARED about the characters

Electrifying debut

A powerful and thought-provoking debut from a writer destined for greatness

I found it humbling and hopeful and I really CARED about the characters

Electrifying debut

Articles featuring Phoebe McIntosh

Vintage new writers to discover in 2023

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