"With a sensibility that's as compassionate and quirky as those of her two indelible heroines, Marianne Cronin offers a deceptively lighthearted response to life's heaviest questions. As Lenni and Margot leave their mark on one another, so too does this tearjerker of a book leave its mark on the reader." - Kathleen Rooney, author of Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk and Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey
"Graceful, intelligent, beautiful writing. Full of wisdom and kindness. It is just the kind of book I adore." - Joanna Cannon, author of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep
"Sharp and funny, warm and wise, a remarkable friendship sparks two lifetimes of shared stories in one unforgettable book. I loved it." - Jess Kidd, author of Himself
"Gorgeously poignant novel . . . unexpectedly funny, touching and so uplifting." - Good Housekeeping
"A gorgeous, heartbreaking story readers won't soon forget." - Elle (Most Anticipated Books of 2021)
"With it's uplifting message, the story is both poignant and also comical." - Cosmopolitan (20 Book's You're Going to Want to Read this Summer)
"A beautiful debut, funny, tender, and animated by a willingness to confront life's obstacles and find a way to survive. . . . It celebrates friendship, finds meaning in difficulty and lets the reader explore dark places while always allowing for the possibility of light. Lenni and Margot are fine companions for all our springtime journeys." - Harper's Bazaar, UK (Author of the Month)
"Cronin has just struck the right balance between sensitivity and sentimentality, making her one of those admirable writers who does exceptionally fine work both celebrating life and addressing death." - Booklist
"You need a hanky to hand for this exquisite story of friendship . . . Their story is the most beautifully written love letter to friendship, managing to make you laugh and cry uncontrollably. It's quite simply brilliant!" - Woman & Home, UK
"This multi-generational novel about friendship is something special: moving, joyful, and life-affirming." - Good Housekeeping, UK (Book of the Month)
"Glorious debut about friendship . . . Touching, honest, and funny." - Prima (Book of the Month)
"A heart-warming story about how friendship can grow between people of different generations." - BBC
"A beautiful, tender ode to friendship, love and our chosen legacies." - Washington Post (Best Feel-Good Books of 2021)
"Cronin's characters are fully drawn, and chime together to tell a sweet story about connection, loss, and living." - Irish Times
"Cronin's touching debut is a joyous celebration of friendship, love, and life." - Publishers Weekly
"Marianne Cronin's first novel brims with so much life. . . . With love and tenderness on every page, this imaginative novel is a joy to read." - BookPage (starred review)
"After meeting in the terminal ward's art class, two women (one 17 and one 83) bond through life, love and friendship in this Uplifting and heartstring-tugging story." - Parade (Ultimate Summer Reading List)
Marianne Cronin was born in 1990 and grew up in Warwickshire, England. She studied English at Lancaster University before earning a PhD in Applied Linguistics from the University of Birmingham. She now spends most of her time writing, with her newly-adopted rescue cat sleeping under her desk. When she's not writing, Marianne can be found performing improv in the West Midlands, where she now lives. Her debut novel, The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot, is to be translated into over 20 languages and is being adapted into a feature film by a major Hollywood studio.