Love Untold
Ruth Jones
Bantam, £20, pp416
Actor and author Ruth Jones’s third novel tells a story of conflict between four generations of Welsh women. Matriarch Grace has been estranged from daughter, Alys, for decades. Alys abandoned her own daughter, Elin, years before, and now Elin’s daughter, Beca, is facing emotional dilemmas too. Rich in warm, engaging characters and a judicious mix of humour and pathos for which Jones is renowned, it’s a compassionate, wise and life-affirming book.
The Modern Bestiary: A Curated Collection of Wondrous Creatures
Joanna Bagniewska
Wildfire, £16.99, pp256