The Compound by Aisling Rawle
An addictive literary dystopia. Lily wakes up in an inhabited compound with eighteen beautiful twenty-somethings on a dating reality show. There are rules to follow and punishments for disobedience. To win, she must outlast everyone else by waking up with a member of the opposite sex every morning and completing tasks for rewards that range from combs and lipstick to champagne to a main door for the house or garden furniture. No matter how dark the game gets, everything is better than the world outside the compound, ravaged by war, poverty and insecurity so she must keep playing because she doesn’t have anything to lose and the winner takes it all. – Laura GM
Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil by Oliver Darkshire
In a farm on the edge of the village of East Grasby, Isabella Nagg is getting on with her miserable existence, including tending to the needs of her useless husband, locating her wandering donkey, and fending off goblins at the door trying to tempt her with their nasty goblin fruit, but perhaps there could be something more to life? When her husband returns home with a stolen book of spells from the local wizard, she becomes more than a little intrigued…
This was a surprisingly unique little slice of whimsical fantasy (complete with Pratchett-esque footnotes), from rare booksellers and memoirist, Oliver Darkshire. It has a whole curious cast of creatures and sentient beings including a grouchy not-cat companion, a talking pot of basil, and a beetle that rolls out the sun into the sky and takes it away whenever it feels like it. A delightfully fun read! – Emma
How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days by Sophie Irwin
Rich, handsome, and titled Lord Ashford has every lady in England longing for his hand in marriage. Everyone, that is, except Miss Lydia Hanworth – who is, incidentally, the only young woman Ashford wishes to marry. Pressured into accepting Ashford’s proposal by her social-climbing relatives, Lydia’s only solace is that the announcement must be kept secret for ten days. Because Lydia wants a love match, and is willing to wait for it. Her only solution? Annoy Ashford into breaking off the engagement… and try not to ruin her reputation in the process.
No one does escapism quite like Sophie Irwin! A historical spin on the classic noughties romcom (think Jane Austen by way of Beth O’Leary!), How To Lose A Lord in Ten Days confirms Sophie as a truly Austentacious talent: if I loved her books less, I might be able to talk about them more. Featuring all of Sophie’s signatures – sharp heroines, swoonworthy romantic leads, sparkling dialogue, and a wicked sense of humour – How To Lose A Lord is my idea of a perfect book. A must read for fans of Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series, Lex Croucher, and Jane herself! – Liv