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The Back Up Man
The Back Up Man
Oct 10, 2024 2:24 AM

Author:Phoebe Luckhurst

The Back Up Man

THE HILARIOUS AND HEARTWARMING NEW ROMCOM PERFECT FOR FANS OFTHE FLATSHARE, FROM THE COMEDY WOMEN IN PRINT PRIZE SHORTLISTED AUTHOR

'An entertaining romcom with a very relatable set-up. The Back Up Man goes down like a good cup of tea . . . warm, comforting, enjoyable' i

'Delightful and uplifting. Brimming with nostalgia and warmth. A great read to brighten up the winter months' Culturefly

· Marriage pact

· Slow burn

· Forced proximity

· Friends to lovers

'I could not put it down - I just HAD to know what happened' 5***** Reader Review

'A romcom with depth and substance and also, refreshingly, set in Glasgow' RED

'Uplifting and compelling. I couldn't put it down and I couldn't stop smiling - I loved it' 5***** Reader Review

*Shortlisted author for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize*

They made a deal to marry at thirty. But Euan's nowhere to be found . . .

Can Anya track down her back up man?

__________

Twenty-nine, single, jobless and in a nightmare house share, things could be going better for Anya Mackie.

Then she stumbles across a pact she wrote with her school crush, Euan Carrick - to marry at thirty if they're still single . . .

But Euan hasn't been seen for a decade.

Reluctantly enlisting the help of Euan's emotionally unavailable best friend Jamie Kildare, Anya sets off across the country to find her Back Up Man.

But will Euan remember her?

And should Anya really be betting her future on her past?

__________

The Back Up Man is a hilariously romantic tale of mishaps and matrimony, love and long shots, foibles and friendship, that may make you text that old school boyfriend of yours . . .

'I adored The Back Up Man! Phoebe is so funny, with such a brilliant observational eye and a perfect ear for dialogue. An absolute delight' EMMA HUGHES

'You'll have a lot of fun' HEAT

'A charming romance' WOMAN'S OWN

'Funny and uplifting' SUN

Praise for Phoebe Luckhurst:

'Entertaining, endearing, and truly unique. Found myself wincing and laughing with familiarity' Emma Gannon

'The year's most original rom-com' Elle

'Hilarious' Evening Standard

'Nostalgic, pitch perfect' Cressida McLaughlin

'Funny and compelling from page one' Lucy Vine

Reviews

An entertaining romcom with a very relatable set-up. Luckhurst is a terrific writer. The Back Up Man goes down like a good cup of tea - you know what to expect, but it doesn't make it any less warm, comforting or enjoyable

—— i

A romcom with depth and substance and also, refreshingly, set in Glasgow

—— Red

Fresh, funny, satisfying - it's everything I want in a book

—— Holly Miller, author of Richard and Judy pick The Sight Of You

Phoebe Luckhurst is one of the funniest new novelists out there. Perfect for anyone who has ever attempted to stalk an ex on Facebook (all of us, then)

—— Evening Standard

I adored The Back Up Man! Phoebe is so funny, with such a brilliant observational eye and a perfect ear for dialogue. An absolute delight

—— Emma Hughes

A charming romance

—— Woman's Own

Funny and uplifting

—— Sun

You'll have a lot of fun

—— Heat

Delightful and uplifting. Brimming with nostalgia and warmth. A cosy, heartfelt novel that celebrates life for all of its messy, joyful and far-fetched twists and turns, making for a great read to brighten up the winter months

—— Culturefly

Praise for Phoebe Luckhurst

—— :

David Nicholls for millennials . . . a dream read

—— i

Entertaining, endearing, and truly unique. Found myself wincing and laughing with familiarity

—— Emma Gannon, bestselling author of Olive

The year's most original rom-com

—— Elle

Immensely readable, witty and well-crafted

—— i

An entertaining tail of friendship full of squirming setbacks and humorous happenings

—— Woman

From the first hot minute when Grace Adams, stalled in traffic, stuck in her car, simply opens the door and walks away from it all-into her day, the single day that gathers all her days up to this tipping point at the middle, she had me. How Life in the middle of our lives breaks us open-and apart-and then open again. I finished her story on a plane above the country, so full, and in tears. "Ma'am?" my seat-mate asked, "are you ok?" "Oh, yes," I answered. And gave him this book'

—— Sarah Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Postmistress and The Guest Book

A redemptive story of womanhood, motherhood and marriage. You won't forget Grace Adams in a hurry

—— Culturefly

Brilliant . . . a story of a midlife heroine seeking redemption and so much more

—— Woman & Home, Book of the Month

I can't remember the last time I read a novel with such unbridled enthusiasm. Amazing Grace Adams is a raw, uproariously hilarious portrait of parenthood, love, and family; it's also a profound examination of the way language can both save us and fail us when we need it the most. I'd walk across London on the hottest day of the year with Fran Littlewood-hell, I'd walk anywhere with her. I'm begging you: read this book

—— Grant Ginder, author of The People We Hate at the Wedding

I laughed, I cried ugly tears, I rooted for Grace Adams. It broke my heart then reassembled it - as only a fabulous novel can

—— Emily Koch, author of Keep Him Close

An incredible debut. Grace Adams is fighting back and her story is both powerful and heartbreaking. I recommend.

—— Julie Owen Moylan, author of That Green Eyed Girl

Hugely accomplished. You'll laugh, cry and nod in recognition. Properly amazing

—— Sun

This is a redemptive narrative, conveying the complex midlife crisis, with humour and hope

—— Take a Break 'Book Club'

Family dynamics are well observed in a Falling Down-inspired tale of a mother's menopausal rage. Grace Adams is certainly a fighter

—— Guardian

Grace and her family feel brilliantly, dramatically real and believable, and she becomes a heroine to take to heart

—— Apple Books

Honest and relatable

—— Sun 'Pick of the Week'

An uplifting tour de force with a heartfelt message that will make you laugh and cry. It's the perfect January read. In her amazing Grace, Fran Littlewood has created an unforgettable heroine

—— Irish Independent

A surefire literary hit . . . destined to be a Hot for 2023 phenomenon

—— Hot Press

Hotly anticipated

—— Hello!

We promise you'll rage, cry and laugh

—— Sunday Post

Winn's finely accomplished debut novel is a rare thing, an intoxicating romance and an impossible-to-put-down war story in one . . . Winn captures the war as it looked, sounded, and smelled, but the ultimate death-defying acts here are in literature, breathtaking bravery, and love

—— Booklist, starred

Powerful, deeply imagined . . . One of the wonderful aspects of Winn's debut is that, just when you think you've settled into a tender literary novel, its revelations and surprises begin to unfurl at an impressive pace that reads more like a thriller . . . Winn's battle scenes are hair-raising and terrifying, but her portraits of Sidney and Henry are intimate and evocative . . . A love story that's hard to forget

—— Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

An epic sweep and an incredible intimacy that makes In Memoriam feel vividly alive...this is a book filled with death and suffering, but also with life and longing. War is hell, yes, but somehow love endures. You read it with your heart in your throat, and your knuckles white. The debut of the year.

—— i

Fast-paced and gripping, this debut brings fresh eyes to bear on the incomprehensible carnage that decimated a generation...a moving elegy for lost youth

—— Mail on Sunday

I'm still recovering from Alice Winn's phenomenal debut novel, and I know that many others will be feeling the same...Winn's characters will go down in literary history

—— nb. Magazine

an impressive blend of madcap action, moving meditations on loss and some spicy sex scenes.

—— The Times

This is my standout debut of the year: a page-turning, heart-thudding story of love and war that will burrow deep into your psyche.

—— Simon Mayo , iNews

Cinematic in scope and emotionally intimate, it viscerally describes the violence of conflict, while beautifully capturing the brave hopefulness of the duo's relationship.

—— Daily Mail

In Memoriam is utterly compelling. These young men live and love with a bright urgency, even as their world burns. Alice Winn has written one of the finest debut novels I have read in years. Her inventiveness, deftness of touch and command of period detail suggests this book marks the start of a truly first-rate career

—— Dan Jones

Funny, poignant and beautifully observed

—— Jojo Moyes

Straub writes beautifully and amusingly . . . hard to beat for sheer charm and gentle wit

—— Daily Mail

Smart and entertaining

—— Stylist

Hugely talented . . . intelligent holiday reading

—— Woman's Hour, BBC Radio 4

Warm and big-hearted . . . leaves you smiling for days

—— Maria Semple, bestselling author of Where'd You Go, Bernadette

Straub writes with such verve and sympathetic understanding of her characters . . . Reading this novel has all the pleasures of reading one of Anne Tyler's compelling family portraits

—— New York Times

It's the beautifully drawn, vibrant characters that make this smart, compelling novel so irresistible

—— Liane Moriarty

A funny and insightful look at love and relationships

—— Good Housekeeping

A smart, cool sensibility

—— Elle

Lovely, satisfying

—— EW.com

Smart and fresh, offering new insights into the lives of people all around us

—— Brooklyn Magazine

Thoughtful and hilarious

—— Real Simple

It would be easy to compare Straub to other masters of the genre like Meg Wolitzer or Jennifer Egan, but she's already a master in her own right

—— The Millions

Emma Straub is such a funny and brilliant writer and this time-travelling tale is a charming exploration of what it would be like to find yourself younger and surrounded by the people you love when they're still at the height of their power

—— Stylist

Wise and often hilarious

—— Buzzfeed

Readers will devour this witty and warmly satisfying novel

—— Publishers Weekly

A precise and observant writer whose supple prose carries the story along without a snag. Straub's characters are a quirky and interesting bunch . . . it's a pleasure spending time with them

—— Starred Review, Kirkus

Devilishly observed

—— Starred Review, Booklist

Sprinkled with humour and insight

—— Starred Review, Library Journal

Straub is consistently excellent

—— Book Riot
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