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The Wakes

THE AUSTRALIAN BESTSELLER ABOUT LIFE, LOVE AND GOOD FOOD

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About this listen

 'A truly delightful debut novel. Funny, moving, tender and wise, I ate up every delicious word' LIANE MORIARTY

'Warm and profound. I can't wait for everyone to read it' SALLY HEPWORTH

'A delectable fusion of comedy, hope, loss, and great food' Weekend Australian

'An insightful, emotionally intelligent writer . . . her book is like a warm embrace' The Times

'An uplifting novel about friendship, death and how the joy of living can be found in the most unexpected places' Guardian

'Few people can write about food and heartbreak like Nora Ephron - that was until Dianne Yarwood' Harper's Bazaar

This is a story about Clare, Louisa and Chris. And sometimes Paul, and less often, Beth. It is most certainly not about frittatas (a terrible concession), and more to do with lemon tart (a perfect contrast of textures).

It is about what to do when your husband tells you that he doesn't love you anymore. And what to do when your wife leaves you after too many rounds of IVF. It's about helping your new friend with her funeral catering business, and discovering that, sometimes, the most unlikely of pairings are the very, very best. It is about food that is outrageously good and comforting to sad people. And, for once, not being sensible, and throwing away everything you know.

Catering, like life, doesn't always go according to plan, and as Clare, Louisa and Chris's stories become more intertwined, they will learn that life will always manage to break in to remind you of just how good it can be.

This is a book about living. After all, the thing about death is that it makes life important.

'So warm and poignant and sweetly funny. I loved it' JACQUELINE MALEY

'A celebration of what it means to be alive, and the joy of finding friendship where you least expect it . . . explores the messiness of middle age with warmth, humanity and wry humour, as well as fiction's most delicious lemon tarts! I'd eat this book if I could' JOANNA NELL

'A truly exceptional novel . . . Rich with wisdom, love, humour and a sparkling joy - that unique kind of story that can make you sob and chuckle in the very same scene' KELLY RIMMER

'Brilliantly funny and human. A delicious reading experience with characters that feel vivid from the very first page, The Wakes is life-affirming and joyful, even as it breaks your heart' EMILY ITAMI

'For readers of Liane Moriarty and Meg Mason. Will leave you with a renewed appreciation for life' Books+Publishing Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Marriage Comedy
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Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Beautifully written with great insight into relationships and their effect on our lives. Entertaining and easy to listen to. Definitely recommended.

Well written, insightful and entertaining

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I really enjoyed this book. I loved the character, the setting, the story. It was very Australian and very relatable.

Nice enjoyable read

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I really enjoyed this. But needed to skip back a few times as it does jump about in time.

Lovely. Moving and uplifting

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This was a lovely story and a welcome insight to Wakes. Thankfully most people don't know what goes on in the funeral world until we're thrown grieving and reeling into the world of funerals and wakes. This is a delightful story that embraces the gentle side, without too much of the harsh reality of death. A subtle insight into the loving and caring types who facilitate in times of loss.

Until you're there, you won't know.

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The more I listened, the harder it was to stop! Initially it was a little challenging to work out the characters and remember names and details, because of the order in which the story is written. But, it’s actually very clever and has you guessing ahead and making connections and wanting to know if you’re right or wrong! I genuinely loved this story and will seek out further novels by this author. The narration was also the best I’ve heard. So expressive and clear. Highly recommend!

Beautifully written and narrated

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