Preloved is a witty and poignant novel by British author Lauren Bravo about finding second chances in a charity shop. This hardback edition makes a delightful gift for fans of contemporary fiction.
Gwen is coasting through life. She's in her mid-thirties, perpetually single, her friends are busy procreating in the countryside and conversations with her parents seem to revolve entirely around the council's wheelie-bin timetable. And she's lonely. But then, isn't everyone?
When she's made redundant from a job she hardly cares about, she takes herself out for a fancy dinner. There she has the best sticky toffee pudding of her life and realises she has no one to tell. She vows to begin living her life fully, reconnect with her friends and family, and finally book that dentist's appointment.
Gwen decides to start where all things get a second chance: her local charity shop. There, with the help of the weird and wonderful people and donated items bursting with untold stories, Gwen will find a way to move forward with bravery, tenacity, and more regular dental care.
Dazzlingly witty, Preloved is a tale about friendship, loss and being true to yourself no matter the expectations. Lovingly celebrating the enduring power and joy of charity shops.
Praise for Preloved
'An absolute gem of a novel' Sarra Manning
'I think I've been waiting for a novel like Preloved for my whole reading life.' Daisy Buchanan
'Laugh-out-loud funny but also poignant and tender' Laura Price, author of Single Bald Female
'Optimistic and engaging... intimate and joyful... We're waiting for Preloved to be optioned by Reese Witherspoon or at least adapted into a binge-worthy Netflix series...' Glamour
Lauren Bravo is a freelance journalist who writes about fashion, popular culture, food, travel and feminism, for titles including Grazia, Stylist, Cosmopolitan and Sunday Times Style. She volunteers in a charity shop once a week (partly to get dibs on all the best clothes).
