Almost Life

A love story that will last a lifetime

Erica and Laure meet on the steps of the Sacré-Cœur in Paris, 1978. Erica is a student, relishing her first summer abroad before beginning university at home in England. Laure is studying for her PhD at the Sorbonne, drinking and smoking far too much, and sleeping with a married woman. The moment the two women meet the spark is undeniable: but their encounter turns into far more than a summer of love. It is the beginning of a relationship that will define their lives and every decision they have yet to make . . .

Erica and Laure's love story spans decades, marriage, children, secret trysts, and the agonising changes – both personal and political – that might mean they can be together, after all. But when life brings them within touching distance again, will they be brave enough to seize a future together?

Almost Life is a story of longing for the paths not taken, and the almost lives we live.

About the Author

Kiran Millwood Hargrave (b. 1990) is an award-winning poet, playwright, and novelist. The Mercies was her first novel for adults, and became an instant Sunday Times bestseller. It won a Betty Trask Award, was longlisted for the Jhalak Prize and was named amongst the NYT 100 Most Notable Books of 2020. Her bestselling works for children include The Girl of Ink & Stars and have won or been short- and long-listed for numerous awards including the Waterstones Children's Book Prize, the British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year, Costa Children's Book Award, the Blue Peter Best Story Award and, twice, the CILIP Carnegie Medal. Kiran lives in Oxford with her husband, the artist Tom de Freston, and their rescue cats, Luna and Marly.