Rozie Kelly's debut novel, shortlisted for this year's Women's prize for fiction, explores an unusual relationship between two writers. The story is narrated by an unnamed man, a creative writing academic, who becomes infatuated with an Irish woman 17 years his senior, a celebrated author he calls 'the poet'. They meet for lunch on a bench by a river, talking and watching wildlife, as she specialises in stories about birds. He observes that she 'smelled like jasmine. No, not exactly. She smelled like the earth beneath a jasmine pot on a hot day.'
The protagonist pursues her, despite being in a long-term relationship with Michael, a gym owner with whom he has little in common. He longs for the success the poet has achieved, noting: 'She was in high demand. I was a beggar. I knew she had a purse full of gold, if only I could get close enough to cut the strings.' Their relationship deepens when she is diagnosed with breast cancer, and he takes on caring duties, a role that surprises him and contrasts with his strained relationship with his ailing mother, Hetty, who disapproves of his homosexuality.
Dan Bottomley narrates the audiobook, deftly guiding listeners through Kelly's reflections on love, desire and power. The novel offers a fresh perspective on age-gap relationships and highlights the long-term damage a parent can inflict on a child.
