Things We Lose in Waves

(Paperback)

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'Brilliant' DAILY MAIL

'Moving . . . the characters are so vivid and memorable, I couldn't stop thinking of them' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

'An elegant, assured novel about family, friendships, secrets and the push-pull of home' PRISCILLA MORRIS

Jenny's world is falling apart.

Ravenspurn is falling into the sea. The little town is perched on a remote cliff, and every day, frequent storms are claiming more land, more homes and more livelihoods.

The news of her father's sudden death forces Jenny's return to her hometown from London, but the ravaged landscape now feels like a foreign place. In a small town like Ravenspurn, the rifts between her and those she once knew are so deep they threaten to swallow her whole.

Jenny is now responsible for her late father's small pub, and its staff, Alex and Si - her former best friend and ex-boyfriend, now a couple. She's stuck living in her childhood bedroom, orbiting awkwardly around her distant mother. Her boyfriend is still in London, separated by more than just distance. Each day that Jenny remains, the town seems to shrink around her, but she knows soon the pandemic will be over. Soon, she'll be able to return to her real life.

But the secrets and the unspoken regrets that have come to haunt Jenny are not so easily escaped. In the claustrophobia of Ravenspurn, where can she turn

A timely story of a home pushed to the breaking point; Things We Lose in Waves explores how you keep afloat when your world is falling away from underneath your feet.

'Filled with complex characters and exquisite writing' LOUISE HARE

'Emotionally rich . . . this is a beautiful, atmospheric work' ELIZABETH MCKENZIE

'A writer to watch' LAURIE PETROU

Reviews

Brilliant * Daily Mail *
This moving story of grief and loneliness is beautifully told and the characters are so vivid and memorable, I couldn't stop thinking of them. * Good Housekeeping *
A small town, where everyone has their secrets - I felt as though I was walking the streets of Ravenspurn as I read. Filled with complex characters and exquisite writing, this is a wonderful book. * Louise Hare, author of Miss Aldridge Regrets *
A vivid and affecting journey into the heart of Jenny, the main character, but also the heart of a community, and the heart of a family. A moving exploration of self, family, and what it means to be truly "home," this novel will grab your heart and never let go. * Suzette Mayr, author of The Sleeping Car Porter *
As a town's foundation erodes, so does Jenny, wounded by past and present alike. Emotionally rich and artfully restrained, this is a beautiful, atmospheric work. * Elizabeth McKenzie, author of The Portable Veblen and The Dog of the North *
An elegant, assured novel about family, friendships, secrets and the push-pull of home. Things We Lose in Waves paints a picture of England today through the real Yorkshire coastal village of Ravenspurn, as it crumbles into the sea during lockdown, and its close-knit community that is weary of both outsiders and its own. A poignant story of the earth opening up under your feet and what is revealed as things fall apart. * Priscilla Morris, author of Black Butterflies *
A finely-drawn and relatable tale of family and friendship, and how our past shapes who we become. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, with its artful writing and beautifully-crafted setting. A writer to watch! * Laurie Petrou, author of Stargazer *
A moving depiction of grief and isolation told in beautiful prose.The characters are so well-drawn and memorable - I can't stop thinking about them! * Angela Chadwick, author of XX *
A riveting read * i News *
Tingling with the tension of complex family dynamics and friendship, and the swell of secrets, this is a richly resonant novel of our time * LoveReading *

Author Bio

Lucy Ayrton has an MA in Creative Writing from Warwick University, and is a novelist and performance poet. Her debut novel, One More Chance, the story of a young mother battling imprisonment and addiction, was published in 2018 with Dialogue Books and was a finalist in the Exeter Novel Award. She wrote and performed two full-length spoken word shows at the Edinburgh Festival, which were respectively turned into a poetry pamphlet and a radio play. She also competed as a national finalist at the UK Poetry Slam. Lucy currently teaches Creative Writing at Oxford University.