Felicity Cloake's debut novel The Underdog (4th Estate, £16.99, 288pp) follows Katie, a 36-year-old aspiring chef who abandoned her legal career after her lawyer fiancé left her for a trainee. Now pregnant, the trainee prompts Katie to immerse herself in the restaurant world, taking courses and low-level jobs at high-end establishments to gain experience. Her goal is to ignite the London food scene with a fulfilling career, but instead she finds herself making sandwiches in a cafe, feeling resentful. Katie feels trapped in both her job and her relationship with a cocky young chef. When a handsome doctor begins frequenting the cafe, she can't see past his dog—which she dislikes. This joyful romcom is a delightful read.
The Left and the Lucky by Willy Vlautin
The Left and the Lucky (Faber, £16.99, 288pp) is an emotional, thoughtful story about the unlikely friendship between 42-year-old house painter Eddie and eight-year-old Russell, his neighbour. Russell's older brother Curtis is aggressive and disruptive, subjecting him to brutal beatings and constant humiliation. Russell starts spending time with Eddie, helping with painting jobs and gradually revealing his home situation. When Curtis goes too far and is sent to prison, Eddie sees how terrified Russell is upon Curtis's release and offers him a place to stay. Eddie's home becomes a sanctuary, and their bond strengthens as they spend more time together. Alternately heartwarming and heartbreaking, this novel brilliantly explores loneliness and the profound significance of building a solid connection. Wonderful.
Hey Man by Andrew Meehan
Hey Man (Muswell Press, £12.99, 242pp) is another story about an age-gap male friendship, with 13 years between the protagonists. In 1989, 17-year-old Ian, a student preparing for medical school, begins lodging with 30-year-old Tommy, an actor, in London. Impressionable Ian quickly becomes obsessed with Tommy, and when Tommy disappears, Ian can't shake the feeling that their business is unfinished. They meet again by chance in 2004, when Ian is a Benedictine monk and Tommy is dealing with fame and divorce. With their differences more pronounced, Ian doesn't tell Tommy that he has thought about him every day, or that the time apart felt like a very long prayer. Tender and thoughtful.
