"The Cactus"

Meet Susan Green : a prickly, independent woman who has everything just the way she wants it. At forty-five, she thinks her life is perfect : a London flat for one, a job that fulfills her passion for logic, and a personal arrangement that provides cultural and other - more intimate benefits. There's no room for messy, emotional relationships.

Yet following the loss of her mother and, implausibly, the prospect of becoming a mother herself, Susan's life is about to become somewhat messier. This sparkling debut packs a real emotional punch, its heroine';, as exasperating and delightful as The Rosie Project's Don Tillman. An uncompromising feminist and a fierce fighter, it's an absolute joy to watch her bloom.