Praise for Talking at Night:
“Have your tissues handy for Talking at Night. . . a raw, extraordinary novel in which every scene aches with emotion.”
—Real Simple
“A beautifully observed, tender love story with characters you really care about…a bit like Normal People. I devoured it.”
―Jojo Moyes, New York Times bestselling author of Someone Else's Shoes
“I absolutely adored Talking at Night, the breathtaking debut from Claire Daverley. A gorgeous story of first love, loss, and the people who stick to your ribs, it should be on everyone’s must-read list. Beautiful, poignant, and heart-wrenching in the best way possible.”
―Carley Fortune, New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After
“Compelling and propulsive, Talking at Night is an achingly beautiful novel about the people in our lives who change us irrevocably and who we will always carry with us, no matter what. Claire Daverley writes with elegance and grace as she mines the depths of human emotions. This novel will consume you.”
―Jill Santopolo, New York Times bestselling author of The Light We Lost
“Talking at Night is a love story, certainly, but it’s much more than that. I was rapt. I highly recommend this wonderful novel.”
―Ann Napolitano, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Edward and Hello Beautiful
“The story of Will and Rosie is a classic love story in every sense, and yet, in Claire Daverley’s hands, it felt entirely new. The characters are completely alive from the very first page, and how I rooted for them! Talking at Night could be titled 'Reading at Night,' because I was awake through the night, turning these pages.”
―Mary Beth Keane, New York Times bestselling author of Ask Again, Yes
"Talking at Night is a transcendent marvel. Spanning decades and introducing readers to lush, complex characters whose witty dialogue reminded me of Sally Rooney's work, Daverley's debut is aching and tender, searing and sweet, a story about the power of love to make even the most broken of us whole."
–Amanda Eyre Ward, New York Times bestselling author of The Jetsetters
“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.”
―Laurie Frankel, New York Times bestselling author of One Two Three
“Spellbinding, beautiful, lyrical and tender, Talking at Night is a dazzling debut. I loved every word and was left longing for more.”
—Rosie Walsh, New York Times bestselling author of The Love of My Life
“Quietly devastating, entirely beautiful, bruising and hopeful. In a world of compromise, Claire Daverley has created a perfect thing. Talking at Night takes its place amongst my all time favourites. I implore you to read it. I’ll never forget it.”
—Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of We Begin At The End
“Daverley’s descriptive powers make even the ordinary seem significant. . . As much as Talking at Night is a love story between two people, it is also a meditation on family and the vagaries of grief when bonds are broken. . . Readers will keep turning pages.”
—BookPage
“[Talking at Night is] especially perfect for those with a Normal People-shaped hole in their hearts.”
—Into the Gloss
“With shades of Sally Rooney, this is a lyrical, tender love story about two people, Will and Rosie, who meet as teenagers and seemed destined to be together until tragedy strikes.”
—Good Housekeeping (UK)
“Daverley’s moving debut outlines a lyrical story of unspoken words and one unending love. . . While Rosie and Will’s love story is fraught with heartbreak and change, and although the journey is almost always tumultuous, their evolving friendship and unbreakable connection prove entirely worthwhile and real. A poignant romance perfect for fans of Josie Silver and Bethan Roberts.”
—Kirkus
“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.”
—Ruth Hogan, international bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost Things
“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, author of This Beating Heart
“Clever, beautiful and romantic. An absolute gem.”
―Rachel Marks, author of Hello, Stranger
2023-04-12
British author Daverley follows a young man and woman through decades of their lives as they experience love, tragedy, and heartache.
At 17, Rosemary Winters hopes there will be more to life than studying for her exams and counting calories to please her mom. Her energetic twin brother, Josh, has big dreams—he hopes to attend Cambridge. He’s taken to studying math with the broody Will White, a bad boy with a reputation for sleeping around, an absentee mother, and no current plans to go to university. Will first noticed Rosie singing at a bonfire, with her ever attentive doe eyes and enchanting voice, and hasn’t been able to forget her since. Rosie, on the other hand, could never imagine a boy like Will being interested in her, especially with her keen attention to school and what her friend Marley calls a “vanilla virgin” personality. And yet, one midnight conversation at the Winters’ house leaves Rosie noticing Will as much as he's been noticing her. The closer Will and Rosie get, though, the further Josh seems to pull away from his sister, until tragedy strikes and leaves their budding romance in shambles. Suddenly, Rosie’s dream of attending music school and Will’s travel plans are cut short, broken by the secrets they share and a loss they can’t overcome. As years pass, the two lose touch and find each other in different stages of life, but somehow, their attraction never wanes. Daverley’s moving debut outlines a lyrical story of unspoken words and one unending love: “But her voice keeps him awake that night. And again, the night after that.” While Rosie and Will’s love story is fraught with heartbreak and change, and although the journey is almost always tumultuous, their evolving friendship and unbreakable connection prove entirely worthwhile and real.
A poignant romance perfect for fans of Josie Silver and Bethan Roberts.
