Meet Tess and George, two soul mates who haven't yet met one another. Marianne Kavanagh's debut novel, set in London, spans 10 years of near misses between two winning protagonists. Shades of David Nicholls's One Day with a dash of Maeve Binchy, it will leave you crossing your fingers that these two star-crossed lovers will finally get their stars aligned.
Tess, a romantic young woman who dreams of opening a vintage clothing shop, languishes in a boring job while she tries to convince herself that her equally tedious (but model-handsome) boyfriend fulfills her needs. He never says more than 10 words to her, and he's obsessed with his bank balance, but self-delusion is a marvel. Kind George is stuck under the thumb of his hideously cold and ambitious lawyer girlfriend, Stephanie. She's dismissive of his immense talent for playing jazz piano. Although Tess and George have plenty of friends in common, for the better part of a decade, forces conspire so that they cross paths but don't meet. When they ultimately collide (in a glorious revelation of fireworks and prayers answered), the moment is clouded by a complication involving Stephanie.
Kavanagh has crafted a lovely valentine of unrequited love that will tug at anyone's heartstrings. Her writing is beautifully descriptive and her supporting characters as richly drawn as her two leads. The sprinklings of humor and resonant discussions of love and relationships will leave even the most jaded cynic feeling a little dreamy. --Natalie Papailiou, author of blog MILF: Mother I'd Like to Friend