Only Here, Only Now by Tom NewlandsMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Cora Mowat is a 14-year-old girl growing up in Fife, dreaming of making something of her life in the hustle and bustle of Glasgow. Living with her disabled mum, navigating her way with boys, and battling with undiagnosed ADHD, Cora is the epicentre of a novel that I dare say has all the makings of becoming a modern classic.
Oh God, I loved it I loved it I loved it!
Fresh off the back of a five star for The King's Witches I've been treated to another table-topper in the form of Only Here, Only Now. I don't give five stars lightly, but this is fully warranted. The wit, sensitivity, humour, and tenderness with which Cora's story is explored is as heartwarming as it is laugh-out-loud funny. So many parts of this ARC have been highlighted as I've gone along, and there are just as many parts that had me sobbing as they had me giggling like a teenager; the breakneck changes make it feel like a rollercoaster you don't ever want to end.
Particularly interesting for me is the exploration of Cora's ADHD. Growing up in the 90s and early 2000s I was the clever girl who needed to pay attention. Stop talking, apply yourself, concentrate more...being diagnosed at 35 was like a lightbulb moment, and reading all of the authentic little nods to Cora's experience got me on a personal level. It was refreshing to read from the perspective of a neurodivergent character that's been written in a nuanced, compassionate way.
Only Here, Only Now is an emotional, intriguing, poignant debut from an author whose name I'll be keeping an eye out for in future. A perfect debut coming of age novel, with Cora front and centre, surrounded by a vibrant cast of characters who shape her life as she grows up.
Please please make noise about this one because it is complete perfection.
Rating: ✨✨✨✨✨
Only Here, Only Now is available on June 13th, and I’d like to extend many great thanks to Orion Publishing and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance of publication.
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