'There's plenty of depth to Bloom's characters, who are smart, funny + relatable in today's modern world.' The Courier-Mail
It's 1977, and bohemian Libby - stay-at-home mother, genius entertainer + gifted cook - is lonely. When she meets Carol, recently emigrated from London with her controlling husband, and Anna, who loves her career but not her marriage, the three women form an unexpected bond.
Their husbands aren't happy about it, and neither are their daughters.
Set against a backdrop of inner-city grunge and 70s glamour, far-out parties and ABBA songs, The Women and the Girls is a funny, questioning + moving novel about love, friendship, work, family, + freedom.
About the Author
Laura Bloom is the author of eight critically acclaimed novels for adults and children, including The Cleanskin, which was described in The Australian as 'a masterpiece of drama + characterisation.' Her novels have been shortlisted for many awards, including the NSW Premier's Awards. Laura is also an award-winning screenwriter, + many of her novels have been optioned for film + TV.
Laura grew up in Sydney, in the 1970s, where her latest novel, The Women and The Girls, is set. It explores a turning point of the last half century, with a uniquely female gaze - casting new light on old stories + bringing fresh insight to the struggles + conversations we are having today.
'I'm from the Jane Austen/Liane Moriarty school of fiction,' Laura says. 'I want my stories to be entertaining, + an escape. The truth must be there, though - otherwise it's not a good story. Money must be there, and other practical considerations. Love must be there, of course, + suffering. But offered in a narrative that's told with humour + intimacy, so that my reader feels as if they're in the company of a keenly observant friend.'
Now based in the Northern Rivers Region of NSW, Laura also teaches writing workshops, and presents at libraries, festivals and events.
Published 2022 / 344p