by Alan Warner
First published 2023
Alan Warner brings back the characters from his earlier novel in this follow-up set in Scotland. The story continues where the first book left off, with the same group navigating their complicated relationships and small-town dynamics. Warner explores how these characters have changed since we last encountered them, showing the ways their bonds have shifted and evolved. The narrative moves between different perspectives as old tensions resurface and new conflicts emerge. Warner captures the particular rhythms of Scottish life and dialogue that marked his previous work. The book examines friendship, loyalty, and the pull of home against the desire to escape. At its center lies the question of whether people can truly change or whether they remain trapped by their past choices and circumstances.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, 21st-century, contemporary-romance, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, friends-to-lovers
Setting: Scotland
Period: 21st-century
288 pages · Paperback · London Books