Paperback : $23.43
A love story about things...
Gwen's life has stalled. She's in her mid-thirties, perpetually single, her friends are busy procreating in the country and conversations with her parents seem to revolve entirely around herbaceous borders and the council's wheelie-bin timetable. Above all she's lonely. But then, isn't everyone?
When Gwen's made redundant from a job she drifted into a decade ago and never left, she realises it's time to make a change. Over what might be the best - and most solitary - meal she's ever eaten, Gwen vows to find something meaningful to do with her life, reconnect with her family and friends - and finally book herself a dentist appointment.
Her search for meaning soon leads her to volunteer in a local charity shop where she both literally and metaphorically unloads her emotional baggage. With the help of the weird and wonderful people she meets in the shop and the donated items bursting with untold stories that pass through its doors, Gwen must finally address the events and choices that led her to this point and find a way to move forward with bravery, humanity and more regular dental care.
Brimming with life, love and the stories bound up in even the most everyday items, Preloved is a tale about friendship, loss, being true to oneself no matter the expectations - and the enduring power and joy of charity shops.
Praise for Preloved
'A heartwarming tale of friendship, loss and being true to yourself, regardless of expectations.' Red magazine
'I think I've been waiting for a novel like Preloved for my whole reading life. This is a luscious, shimmering book of depth and delicacy. It's sad, hilarious, sad, tender, brutal, brilliantly observed - there is a sense of magic on every page.' Daisy Buchanan, author of Insatiable
'Preloved is full of sharp observations on life, loss, regret and self-preservation... spilling over with wit and hope. Cleverly interwoven with stories of the myriad reasons items find their way into charity shops, the joy, friendship and ultimate enlightenment Gwen discovers offers a quirky and poignant reminder that one person's trash is always somebody else's treasure.' Julietta Henderson, author of The Funny Thing about Norman Foreman
'Just like that once-in-a-lifetime charity shop find, Preloved is a gleaming prize to be treasured. Lauren Bravo is witty and thoughtful in her exploration of our relationship with objects and trends, believing that - just as a pair of shoes can have many, many lives - so can the people that wear them.' Caroline O'Donohue, author of Promising Young Woman
'Laugh-out-loud funny but also poignant and tender, Preloved is an absorbingly special debut novel. I devoured in equal measure the delicious descriptions of food and the moving vignettes of preloved treasures peppered throughout the book, while the nineties and noughties nostalgia had me gasping with pleasure.' Laura Price, author of Single Bald Female
'Full of relatable anecdotes, lively, funny and modern, Preloved is a moving tale of emancipation and friendship. I loved it!' Margaux Vialleron, author of The Yellow Kitchen
A love story about things...
Gwen's life has stalled. She's in her mid-thirties, perpetually single, her friends are busy procreating in the country and conversations with her parents seem to revolve entirely around herbaceous borders and the council's wheelie-bin timetable. Above all she's lonely. But then, isn't everyone?
When Gwen's made redundant from a job she drifted into a decade ago and never left, she realises it's time to make a change. Over what might be the best - and most solitary - meal she's ever eaten, Gwen vows to find something meaningful to do with her life, reconnect with her family and friends - and finally book herself a dentist appointment.
Her search for meaning soon leads her to volunteer in a local charity shop where she both literally and metaphorically unloads her emotional baggage. With the help of the weird and wonderful people she meets in the shop and the donated items bursting with untold stories that pass through its doors, Gwen must finally address the events and choices that led her to this point and find a way to move forward with bravery, humanity and more regular dental care.
Brimming with life, love and the stories bound up in even the most everyday items, Preloved is a tale about friendship, loss, being true to oneself no matter the expectations - and the enduring power and joy of charity shops.
Praise for Preloved
'A heartwarming tale of friendship, loss and being true to yourself, regardless of expectations.' Red magazine
'I think I've been waiting for a novel like Preloved for my whole reading life. This is a luscious, shimmering book of depth and delicacy. It's sad, hilarious, sad, tender, brutal, brilliantly observed - there is a sense of magic on every page.' Daisy Buchanan, author of Insatiable
'Preloved is full of sharp observations on life, loss, regret and self-preservation... spilling over with wit and hope. Cleverly interwoven with stories of the myriad reasons items find their way into charity shops, the joy, friendship and ultimate enlightenment Gwen discovers offers a quirky and poignant reminder that one person's trash is always somebody else's treasure.' Julietta Henderson, author of The Funny Thing about Norman Foreman
'Just like that once-in-a-lifetime charity shop find, Preloved is a gleaming prize to be treasured. Lauren Bravo is witty and thoughtful in her exploration of our relationship with objects and trends, believing that - just as a pair of shoes can have many, many lives - so can the people that wear them.' Caroline O'Donohue, author of Promising Young Woman
'Laugh-out-loud funny but also poignant and tender, Preloved is an absorbingly special debut novel. I devoured in equal measure the delicious descriptions of food and the moving vignettes of preloved treasures peppered throughout the book, while the nineties and noughties nostalgia had me gasping with pleasure.' Laura Price, author of Single Bald Female
'Full of relatable anecdotes, lively, funny and modern, Preloved is a moving tale of emancipation and friendship. I loved it!' Margaux Vialleron, author of The Yellow Kitchen
Lauren Bravo is an author, journalist and lifelong hypochondriac who has written about fashion, popular culture, food and feminism for titles including Grazia, Stylist, Vogue and Sunday Times Style. Her debut novel, Preloved, was named one of Red's best books of 2023. Her latest novel is Probably Nothing. She lives in London with her husband and daughter.
'Preloved is one for your keeper shelves'
*Red*
'An absolute gem of a novel, like finding vintage Dior in your
local chazza. It's hard to believe that this tender-hearted, wryly
observed and exquisitely written story is a debut and its heroine
Gwen, as lost as the unwanted donations she prices up, will
resonate with so many readers. Preloved is one for your keeper
shelves'
*Sarra Manning*
'I think I’ve been waiting for a novel like Preloved for my whole
reading life. This is a luscious, shimmering book of depth and
delicacy. It’s sad, hilarious, sad, tender, brutal, brilliantly
observed – there is a sense of magic on every page'
*Daisy Buchanan, author of Insatiable*
'Preloved is full of sharp observations on life, loss, regret and
self-preservation . . . spilling over with wit and hope.
Cleverly interwoven with stories of the myriad reasons items find
their way into charity shops, the joy, friendship and ultimate
enlightenment Gwen discovers offers a quirky and poignant reminder
that one person's trash is always somebody else's treasure'
*Julietta Henderson, author of The Funny Thing about Norman
Foreman*
'Preloved has taken up residence in my heart and I will be
recommending it to everyone I know. It's completely enchanting,
completely captivating, completely brilliant, I adored everything
about it. It has so much heart and warmth, while Gwen is so
well-written and relatable. I was already a fan of Lauren Bravo's
writing, and now I'm officially obsessed'
*Lucy Vine*
'Laugh-out-loud funny but also poignant and tender, Preloved is an
absorbingly special debut novel. I devoured in equal measure the
delicious descriptions of food and the moving vignettes of preloved
treasures peppered throughout the book, while the nineties and
noughties nostalgia had me gasping with pleasure'
*Laura Price, author of Single Bald Female*
'Full of relatable anecdotes, lively, funny and
modern, Preloved is a moving tale of emancipation and
friendship. I loved it!'
*Margaux Vialleron, author of The Yellow Kitchen*
'Beautifully considered and wonderfully crafted with characters who
feel true to life. Full of witty observations and dazzling retorts
and withering reactions . . . it won’t disappoint'
*Justin Myers/The Guyliner*
'Preloved is a beautiful, funny novel full of pitch perfect insight
and detail. In a world of fast fashion, fast friendships and
fast opinion, this is a refreshing and relatable alternative,
celebrating and challenging our ideas about objects and ownership.
For anyone (like me) who has ever stood behind the counter of a
charity shop, it will spark particular joy. Political, delightful
and very very funny'
*Nell Frizzell*
‘While all Gwen’s friends are “procreating in the countryside”, she
is single, lonely and now, jobless. So she begins anew in the
place where all things get a second chance: a charity
shop. Preloved is a funny and touching read'
*The I, best April books*
‘When Gwen is made redundant she volunteers at a charity shop,
where encountering objects that come with incredible stories
changes her life. Poignant and funny’
*Best*
'A hot water bottle of a novel – in that it’s best enjoyed on the
sofa when you’re in need of something warming and comforting'
*Stylist*
'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*
'A love letter to charity shops and the treasures within, this is a
tale that will warm your heart'
*My Weekly*
'Generous, hopeful, and big-hearted, Preloved’s warm sweetness is
perfectly balanced by sharp observation, and a deeply moving
exploration of grief. A glorious find of a book; one worth holding
onto'
*Kate Young*
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