Description

*An Evening Standard Must Read, Grazia Best Book of 2021 and Independent Debut Not to Miss*
‘Beautifully written, this is a book of real hope and connection’ Stylist

Did you ever have a friend who made you see the world differently?

Stan did, and his name was Charlie. They crossed paths by chance one day, cycling on Goshawk Common. Fearless, clever, older, Charlie was everything Stan – bullied and adrift after his father’s death – wanted to be. Charlie taught Stan to ask questions, to stand on his own two feet. But could their friendship endure in a world that offered these two boys such different prospects?
When the two meet again, as adults, the tables have turned, and while Stan is revelling in all the city has to offer, Charlie is the one struggling. But will Stan be there for the man who once showed him the meaning of loyalty?

Publisher Review

An attentive and considered tribute to friendship, reminding us that, for all our human messiness, to have a friend is to enter an enduring pact to face the world together -- Ronan Hession, author of LEONARD AND HUNGRY PAUL A generous and disarming tale of loyalty, injustice and hope * New Statesman * Tender and savvy... engrossingly old fashioned * Daily Mail * Captured our imagination from the outset... thought-provoking, and beautifully observed * Independent * Her writing is so brilliant * Evening Standard * A heartwarming tale of a passionate and beautiful friendship * TLS * Long after finishing, Charlie and Stan refuse to be forgotten. I couldn't put this one down -- Molly Aitken, author of THE ISLAND CHILD A heartfelt, moving depiction of growing up in a complex world together. A joy to read -- Nick Bradley, author of THE CAT AND THE CITY I loved it. When so many of us are missing friends and feeling isolated, this novel feels like balm on a wound -- Megan Bradbury, author of EVERYONE IS WATCHING A timely and bittersweet novel, full of hope -- Helen Cullen, author of THE LOST LETTERS OF WILLIAM WOOLF A bittersweet perspective on the importance of friendship across cultural lines and a magnified glimpse into some of Britain's most glaring social issues * Bad Form * Immersive... here is a writer whose imagination is propelled by compassion, but who underpins her fiction with steely realism * Herald * I adored this book. Quietly stole my heart, and the ending was breathtaking., It left me with so much to think about. A beautiful novel -- Ericka Waller, author of DOG DAYS Tender but never sentimental, COMMON GROUND is a glorious novel about friendship, prejudice and injustice, which exposes the common threads that bind us together -- Gemma Reeves, author of VICTORIA PARK