Overview
A funny, warm-hearted debut love story set in London in the mid-noughties and structured like a 100-piece jigsaw puzzle, jumping through time and events to capture the evolution of a modern relationship in all its ups and downs, filled with heart and wonderful characters reminiscent of Love Actually, David Nicholls, and Dolly Alderton.
It’s 2006. The Arctic Monkeys top the music charts, and Nell’s heart is in pieces.
In a London park at dusk, the story begins with an ending. Matthew and Nell have been together for years, but he still isn’t ready for commitment. Devastated by their breakup, Nell throws herself into nights out and new friendships, yet stays steady enough to care for her vulnerable brother, Sam.
Scenes from Nell’s present are interspersed with fragments of her past relationship with Matthew: sparks flying at a fancy-dress party, falling hard and fast on trips to hushed museums and low-lit bars, a sunny beach and a secret garden.
As time moves on, the flashbacks fade. Nell’s life has changed and she’s doing okay. Soon, she meets someone else. This new connection is so different to her beginning with Matthew—fewer lightning bolts, more slow burn. Maybe it’s just what she needs? But when, late one night, Matthew reappears, things get complicated.
In a moment of crisis with Sam, Nell makes a call that changes everything. Torn between her head and her heart, she must choose between her fledgling relationship and Matthew, the man she loved so completely. Does going back always mean going backwards—can it be a way forward, too? Or does happiness only arrive when you fully let go of the past?
In Pieces is a joyful, moving, funny love story, with a beautiful sibling relationship at its heart. It’s about the glorious messiness of relationships, the ways people change and heal, and the many possible paths to happiness.
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