Heartwarming and heartbreaking debut novels: A Little Bit Bad by Cassandra

A Little Bit Bad by Cassandra Neyenesch

 (Fig Tree £16.99, 352pp)

When Perdita witnesses her neighbour’s roofer, Nando, falling off a ladder she rushes to help.

Thanks to the community gossip, Perdita already knows Nando is an anarcho-Marxist who plays drums in a band, but she also finds out he’s played at a cool venue in Los Angeles she has a connection with.

Despite having a husband and baby, and Nando’s girlfriend calling to thank her, Perdita can’t help but think that this unusual meeting between them feels like the beginning of love. Although there are obstacles between them, Perdita and much-younger Nando begin an intense affair. Perdita’s single-minded focus on Nando causes chaos in the rest of her life and when Nando is murdered three years later, this chaos returns with a vengeance.

The narrative zips along and is full of wisdom on addiction, obsession, motherhood and marriage. Different and compelling.

Retro by Jessica M. Goldstein (Michael Joseph £16.99, 416pp)

It’s 2017 and failed millennial actress Ash is overwhelmed by discontent, unable to imagine an appealing future.

Ash can’t get a part, or keep a job, is drowning in debt, living with strangers and barely connecting with her family. Adding insult to injury is the fact that Ash’s best friend has made it big.

Doomscrolling on Instagram, Ash comes across an advert for a job at Retro, a new recreational time-travel agency, and feels hope for the first time in ages. Ash somehow sails through the interview process and joins the team, excited that employees can time travel for free.

Multiple adventures ensue as Ash leads parties of super-rich tourists across history. Eventually, however, Ash must confront terrifying truths. I was gripped.

The Ballad of Ronan McCoy is available now from the Mail Bookshop 

The Ballad Of Ronan McCoy by Colin Morgan (HQ £16.99, 384pp)

Brendan lies to people at school about what he does at weekends and in the holidays. What Brendan is really doing is working at a funeral home, but because he doesn’t want his classmates to think he’s weirder than they already do, he keeps it a secret.

Thanks to constant knockbacks, the other boys stop inviting Brendan out and soon his only friend is Ronan. Brendan is honest with Ronan about everything, including how lonely he is – Ronan is the most important person in Brendan’s life.

Excited to reunite on the first day of term, Brendan is devastated to learn that Ronan has had a life-changing accident which has resulted in a wheelchair. I loved this alternately heartbreaking and heartwarming story about friendship and hope.