This Is Fine: The funny and moving novel about second chances, the perfect summer read

'I will read anything Poorna Bell writes!' Taylor Jenkins Reid
'Gorgeous, affirming, an exploration of why and how we nurture' Pandora Sykes
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It might not be the stuff of dreams, but Padma and Wallace have spent ten years building a relationship that feels . . . fine. Until Wallace gives Padma an ultimatum about starting a family she's not sure she even wants.

Padma's fifteen-year-old niece Myra is reaching her own crisis point. When she falls in with the wrong crowd and her life ends up in danger, it's the final straw for her parents.

Now Padma will spend the summer with her niece - in a ramshackle, ivy-clad house on the Kent clifftops - running a DIY rehab of sorts.

Will this be a pressure too far for her and Wallace? And how will she spend six weeks with a niece who, thanks to her sister, she barely knows?

It's the last place they want to be.

But this could just be the summer that changes everything . . .

Praise for This Is Fine:

'This Is Fine is so much better than fine, it’s totally genius. The writing is compelling and insightful – not to mention hilarious – and the story moved me to tears more than once. I LOVE THIS BOOK!’ Lucy Vine

'Light, funny and gorgeous - but also at times gritty and profound' Good Housekeeping

'Heartwarming and funny' Heat Magazine

'One of my favourite fiction reads of the year so far. . . this was my first book of Poorna's and what a great introduction it was' Jessica George

'A perfect summer novel with endless entertainment and escapism. Warm, funny, charming and so brilliantly executed' Salma El-Wardany

'This witty, warm, beautifully written novel will both gladden and sadden; it'll crack open your heart and pour gold into it' Catherine Gray

'A sweet, smart story about sisterhood, exploring complex themes courageously. I fell in love with Padma and Myra’' Daisy Buchanan

'Heartwarming and poignant' Woman's Own

‘A brilliant, highly relatable look at complex family dynamics and womanhood, This is Fine is a must-read this summer’ Olivia Petter

'Warm, witty, wise and brimming with heart' Zing Tsjeng

'[Poorna] taps into the crevice of every human emotion and brings out pure light and joy. A must read' Poppy Jay

'Funny, insightful and ranges thoughtfully over all manner of subjects that matter' Natasha Poliszczuk

'A thought provoking and delicate read with a great deal of warm humour too!' Stephanie Yeboah

Poorna Bell is an award-winning journalist and author of twenty years, former Executive Editor and Global Lifestyle Head for HuffPost. She won Stylist's Rising Star award for 2019, Red magazine's Big Book Award for 2019 and a Sunday Times Sports Books Award in 2022. She was named as one of Marie Claire's top 30 women and is a Balance magazine top 100 Wellness personality. A judge for the Mind Media Awards and for the Costa Book Awards, Poorna has written for Red, the Telegraph, The Times, Stylist, I News, BBC, the Guardian and Grazia.

Poorna has published three works of non-fiction: Chase The Rainbow, In Search of Silence and Stronger, which is part memoir, part manifesto about women's strength and fitness. She is an experienced public speaker and is a regular contributor to BBC Radio.

Poorna's first work of fiction, In Case of Emergency was published in 2022 to high acclaim. This is Fine is her second novel.