I absolutely adored Talking at Night - it should be on everyone's must-read list. Beautiful, poignant and heart-wrenching." - Carley Fortune I had several finished novels, in the drawer. And I had no choice but to keep going; I loved it, it was a compulsion, and just finishing something didn’t seem to be getting me any closer to publication. I think a lot of published writers assume aspiring writers like the idea of being writers, but perhaps aren’t actually grafting and getting the words down. But I was, so the advice to ‘just write’ was always radically unhelpful, because it made me feel as though what I was doing wasn’t enough. This book kept me up all night! It’s everything I want from a love story, the will they won’t they, the romance, but also, there is the truthfulness of reality woven into it. This isn’t just escapism, it is also full of heartbreak and human failings and mistakes. I loved it.’ Kate Sawyer, author of The Stranding This book is about Rosie and Will, the practical girl and the bad boy and how they fall for each other, but shouldn’t, can’t, etc. something happens on Will’s birthday, and it shapes their lives forever. Like the very best of Sally Rooney with added lashings of heart - I loved it. A captivating, nuanced and beautiful debut' ISABELLE BROOM

A classic will-they-won't-they in the vein of David Nicholls, this novel is impossible to put down. A story of secret night meetings and calls, sunrises and bonfires, quiet moments and heartbreaking missed opportunities. Impeccable dialogue and wonderful characters that will stay with you for a long time." - Costanza Casati I think because she’d seen and enjoyed my previous novel, and she believed in Talking at Night as a concept, she was happy to take the risk. So I went away and finished it, knowing I had her trust in me, which was such a wonderful motivator after years of writing with no sense of where it might lead.A classic will-they-won't-they in the vein of David Nicholls, this novel is impossible to put down' CONSTANZA CASATI, author of CLYTEMNESTRA A poignant and emotional will they/won't they story that cleverly captures both the thrill and trepidation of first love Beautifully written and keenly felt. It’s romantic but not a romance, for this novel is authentic to its bones. Beguiling, but also painfully honest, and that’s a rare and winning combination indeed.” Deeply romantic. Reminded me of just how all-consuming first love can be' LAURA BARNETT, No. 1 bestselling author of THE VERSIONS OF US and what might a soul look like, if you could touch it, if you could dance with the light and the dark of it.'

Writing that is laced with the quiet devastation of Sally Rooney. One of the very best literary love stories I’ve read. Utterly spellbinding.’ Julie Owen Moylan, author of That Green Eyed Girl Too much sappy-ness and unrealistic promises of forever (yes, i know, it’s a romance book and I should’ve expected exactly that). I think, what bothered me is that I didn’t feel a strong enough connection between the two main protagonists, so the *overt, over the top* showcasing of affection just felt very forced. Can you tell us a bit about how you found your agent, Ariella Feiner? What have you found to be the most rewarding, and most challenging, aspects of getting your novel published?

Deeply romantic . . . Reminded me of just how all-consuming and transformative first love can be. The more I read, the more I was completely immersed in the story of Rosie and Will and how life, and tragedy, conspire to keep them apart." - Laura Barnett Talking at Night is a masterful and authentic depiction of true love in all its messy, complicated and gut-wrenching glory. Will and Rosie are the perfect, imperfect star-crossed lovers – their story had me enthralled from the start.” This book kept me up all night! It's everything I want from a love story, the will they won't they, the romance, but also, there is the truthfulness of reality woven into it. This isn't just escapism, it is also full of heartbreak and human failings and mistakes. I loved it' KATE SAWYER Talking at Night captures perfectly all the messiness and missed opportunities, waiting, watching and longing between Will and Rosie. Can you tell us a bit about how you built these two highly-relatable characters and their story? If you love really gentle, beautiful and very cleverly written love stories, then this is the book for you' FEARNE COTTON

A wonderfully captivating, character-driven novel, Talking at Night by Claire Daverley is sure to make it to numerous "best of the year" lists. A beautifully observed, tender love story with characters you really care about…a bit like Normal People. I devoured it.”Is the character of Rosie based on herself? ‘Everybody asks that of an author’s debut, but while my emotional fingerprints are all over her – like the fact we both went to Oxford University and her sense of perfectionism – she’s entirely fictional. In fact, I think the way she lives her life, always trying to do the right thing by everybody and not always herself, is very relatable to most women.’

Talking at Night really captures the intensity of first love, and the frustration of unfinished sentences and unexpressed feelings, as well as the waves of grief that spill into every area of our lives, over and over.' JaneThe story of Rosie and Will spans decades and will enrapture you from the start; an unlikely pair that share a mutual tragedy that connects them forever. The writing in this book got me hooked and their journey kept me reading. I loved it!’ Chloe