Claire Calman Knihy

In a quest for escape, a group of individuals seeks solace in nature, only to find that their personal troubles and unresolved issues follow them. As they navigate their retreat, tensions rise and secrets emerge, revealing the complexities of their relationships and the difficulty of truly leaving behind their pasts. The story explores themes of self-discovery, the impact of unresolved conflicts, and the challenge of finding peace amidst chaos.

Calman's heroine Bella is trying to remember what sex is like. Wasn't it something that happened somewhere between the talking-and-going-out-to-dinner bit and the sobbing-and-eating-too-many-biscuits bit? But she is determined to fall off her sexual wagon before she becomes a virgin again ("all sealed over like pierced ears if you don't wear earrings for too long"). But there's one thing Bella is not prepared to hear again: the "L" word. Her body might be making hormonal demands, but she's resolute in not wanting the emotional baggage of love again. Nobody will be surprised, of course, to learn that she's back up to her neck in romantic trouble again--and why is it she always ends up with the wrong kind of man?

This is the story of Scott, who finds his belongings outside in a bin bag one day and realises he may have made a Big Mistake; Gail, who wishes her husband were under guarantee so she could send him back and get a refund; Nat, who discovers that growing up isn't all it's cracked up to be; and Rose, who just wants her Dad back - or if not, then at least some new glitter nail polish.