Ginger and Me

By (author) Elissa Soave

Wendy is nineteen and living alone. All she wants is to drive the 255 bus around Uddingston with her regulars on board, remember to buy milk when it runs out and to just be ok. After her mum passed away, there’s no one to remind Wendy to eat, what to do each day and most importantly to love herself. Every week Wendy proudly shows her social worker Saanvi the progress she’s made, like the coasters she bought to spruce up the place, even if she does forget to offer her a cup of tea.

But Wendy is ready to put herself out there and really live. She joins a writer’s group to share stories she writes including the one about a bullied schoolboy who goes to Mars. The other writers are total amateurs, unlike Diane Weston – a famous local author who likes and sometimes even comments on Wendy’s tweets.

Everything changes on a rainy day when Wendy meets Ginger. A teenager with flaming orange hair, Ginger’s so brave she’s wearing a coat that isn’t even waterproof. For the first time, Wendy has a real best friend. But as they begin the summer of their lives, Wendy wonders if her life would be simpler if she hadn’t met Ginger. And that’s before she realises just how much of a mess Ginger is about to get them in…

Reviews of Ginger and Me

‘Vivid, funny, sad, thought-provoking, acutely observed and full of compassion’ Helen Sedgwick

‘A debut novel to treasure, by turns funny, dark and heartbreaking and I didn’t want it to end!’ Louise Mumford

‘A fascinating and poignant take on friendship and obsession’ Caron McKinlay

‘Startling, sly and full of suspense. Not your ordinary coming of age novel’ Catherine Mayer

‘Full of charm, insight and wit – with the power to break your heart’ C. E. Riley