Learning to Swim was a satisfying read, one of those books where the story is simply about growing up.
As a young teenager with highly conventional and buttoned-up parents, Abigail loves being drawn into the highly unconventional world of her good friend Frances’ family – Mr Radley, Lexi the mother, and big brother Rad.
Of course, Abigail carries a secret candle for the distant Rad, but just as her patience is rewarded two events – one tragic, one laughable – drive her from the Radley family, seemingly forever. That is, until she bumps into Rad (now using his real name of Marcus) at a Barbican concert 13 years later.
Delightfully told, with all the angst and embarrassment, the lows and highs of adolescence, with her usual wonderfully described characters, Learning to Swim was a compulsive read.
Find Learning to Swim here.