The Wakes

A funny, clever novel about love and loss and midlife, executed with the lightest touch. I can't remember when I last read a book that captures so well the sheer sensory joy of being alive.

While funerals and food seem to be an unlikely occasion to bring two singletons together, death and divorce offers the opportunity for new beginnings and an appreciation for life . . . A quietly powerful and tender read

There are funerals, friendships and people falling in love in this fabulous debut that carries a reminder to be grateful for what you have

I adored this novel. It's charming, poignant and moving but also very funny and left me full of the joys of this hard yet beautiful business of being alive

Far from a book about mourning, The Wakes is a celebration of what it means to be alive, and the joy of finding friendship where you least expect it. Dianne Yarwood explores the messiness of middle age with warmth, humanity and wry humour, as well as fiction's most delicious lemon tarts! I'd eat this book if I could

Take a powerful friendship and delicious food, add a series of upbeat funerals, blend with an optimistic attitude to death and you have the raw ingredients of The Wakes . . . While death is inevitably a key theme, the discussions are always more hopeful than depressing, and the funerals provide an opportunity for funny and touching celebrations of life. With its brilliantly drawn characters and intricately linked storylines, this is a delight of a debut. Highly recommended

Some books grab hold of you and won't let you go until the last page - and far beyond that. The Wakes is just such a book, an unforgettable story of hope and regret, of love lost and friendship found, and of understanding how the past and present are always intertwined

It's hard to believe that Dianne Yarwood is a debut novelist because The Wakes proves that she has the heart of a writer. This is a glorious book that will make you simultaneously want to eat Louisa and Clare's lemon tarts as well as forge a friendship like theirs. It reminded me that life is the most precious gift of all and every day is a treat meant to be enjoyed to its fullest.

A heartfelt debut novel that blends humour with poignant reflections on life and death

It's a debut novel, but Yarwood has you in the hollow of her hand from the first pages

Yarwood's poignant debut is infused with humour, pathos and gastronomic delights in an uplifting novel about friendship, death and how the joy of living can be found in the most unexpected places.

I fell head over heels in love with The Wakes - a truly beautiful, wise and funny novel about love, friendship and the perfection of a good morning bun.

A delectable fusion of comedy, hope, loss, and great food

I devoured it in two sittings - utterly wonderful! The kind of book where you want to stay in that world long after it's finished. Such a brilliant mix of gentle humour and devastating sadness. My favourite kind of poignant read

Yarwood's feel for character-building is unerring, and The Wakes is a light-on-its-feet exploration of big themes that takes tragedy and farce in its stride. Her book is like an embrace, kind and never cloying.

A heartfelt and uplifting novel about failing marriages and starting over in the most unexpected ways. You won't put it down!

Brilliantly funny and human. A delicious reading experience with characters that feel vivid from the very first page, The Wakes is life-affirming and joyful, even as it breaks your heart.

While there is a lot of death in The Wakes - two of the main characters run a funeral catering business -this heartfelt and uplifting book is essentially about living

I loved it. So warm and poignant and sweetly funny

The Wakes is a book that will stay with you long after you finish the final page, as the author accurately captures the beautifully messy nature of life, death and love in all of its forms. For readers who enjoy Liane Moriarty, Meg Mason or simply a story with interweaving storylines, this debut novel poignantly and humorously explores how the many facets of grief can so strongly bind people together. With strong dialogue, fully formed characters and outrageously delicious food descriptions, The Wakes will leave you with a renewed appreciation for life

The Wakes is an utter delight - warm, funny and profound. I can't wait for everyone to read it. I couldn't believe it was a debut

Few people can write about food and heartbreak like Nora Ephron - that was until Dianne Yarwood

An absolute delight . . . immensely human and warm and satisfying

A brilliant book about life, death, love and friendship

The Wakes is a truly delightful debut novel about life, death . . . and chicken sandwiches. Funny, moving, tender and wise, I ate up every delicious word

The Wakes is a truly exceptional novel. Dianne Yarwood skilfully illuminates the breadth of the human experience through the eyes of a suite of perfectly imperfect characters. This novel is rich with wisdom, love, humour and a sparkling joy - that unique kind of story that can make you sob and chuckle in the very same scene. I flew through this book in just a few sittings and have been gushing about it ever since!