Laura Barnett – författare

From the author of the Sunday Times Number One Bestseller, The Versions of Us. A novel about six lifelong friends and one unforgettable year. 'Four Weddings and a Funeral meets One Day...I couldn't put it down.' 5-star reader review'I haven't read a book this delightful in a long time.' 5-star reader reviewZoe, Al, Rachel, Rob, Yas and Indie. Six friends who were inseparable at university, who have all had their secret or not so secret passions for each other, their hopes and fears.Over the years, they have gone their separate ways. Rob is a history teacher, with a string of broken relationships behind him. Yas is a surgeon and very much her own woman. Indie is married and a successful coffee entrepreneur. Rachel is a stay at home mum with two children. Al, widowed young, is about to take over his father's funeral business.When Rob's engagement party throws the gang together once more, some passions are reignited, old connections and resentments resurface. Over the next twelve months, there will, among the friends, be a birth, a marriage, and a death - but whose?BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES is an era-spanning, globe-trotting novel about love, friendship, and how to stay at least relatively sane in an ever crazier world. It's about a group of friends growing older, the possibility of second chances, about kindness and joy. It's about births, deaths, marriages... and everything in between.________PRAISE for BIRTHS, DEATHS & MARRIAGES:'I loved Births, Deaths and Marriages. Laura's ability to jump between so many different lives and to keep those strands alive in the reader's mind reminded me of Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors' Georgina Moore'Wonderful...beautifully written, superbly characterized and so truthful' Elizabeth Buchan'A book to sink into... a nuanced, compelling and comforting read that reminds us about the power, support and importance of found family' Kate Sawyer'A compelling tale about love and friendship in all its guises. Her exquisite line by line writing and astute character observations held me rapt' Lucy ClarkeREADERS LOVE BIRTHS, DEATHS & MARRIAGES:'An emotional, heartfelt book about the joys and sorrows of life. It is about love in all its forms, the friendships that shape us, and the quiet moments that define who we become.''Relatable, funny, moving and hopeful. Births, Deaths and Marriages is a fantastic read that reminded me of Cold Feet and deals with the themes of feeling unsure in your life, grief and moving forward beautifully.''Wow! Just wow! A book for anyone who has loved, for anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one, for anyone who has contemplated or been married, for every parent, indeed, for anyone who has lived.''A hugely enjoyable novel which celebrates the durability of friendships that have weathered the storm of growing up.' ???????'Reminiscent of Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually, Notting Hill''Immersive and thought-provoking . . . captures the nuances of human relationships-the tension, the tenderness, the misunderstandings, and the unbreakable bonds that endure despite time and distance.''With its perfect blend of humour, poignancy, and authenticity, this novel will resonate with anyone who's ever experienced the joys and challenges of close relationships.''Highly addictive and incredibly comforting. Exquisite storytelling written in a way that gives you all the feels from incredible sadness to raucous laughter. These are a bunch of friends I won't forget in a hurry!'

This thoughtful and heartfelt book develops two main themes: the healing power of a compassionate understanding towards ourselves and others, and the ways boundaries are set within and around various areas of our lives.

It examines how we live these boundaries, how they impact us, and what it takes to live these with deeper satisfaction. This book also addresses: shame and rage; the impact of trauma; the power of parental messages, spoken and unspoken; and transgenerational burdens. A theoretical chapter summarizes the author’s integrative, phenomenological approach: it brings the insights of a body-focused trauma therapy and a systemic lens to an overarching Existential perspective. Numerous vignettes, case studies and client-therapist dialogues illustrate reflections on life, philosophy, therapeutic modalities and practice.

This book will be a thought-provoking read for trainee and practising counsellors and psychotherapists, or anyone looking for self-reflection on their own practices, life, and ultimately, what it means to be human.

This thoughtful and heartfelt book develops two main themes: the healing power of a compassionate understanding towards ourselves and others, and the ways boundaries are set within and around various areas of our lives.

It examines how we live these boundaries, how they impact us, and what it takes to live these with deeper satisfaction. This book also addresses: shame and rage; the impact of trauma; the power of parental messages, spoken and unspoken; and transgenerational burdens. A theoretical chapter summarizes the author’s integrative, phenomenological approach: it brings the insights of a body-focused trauma therapy and a systemic lens to an overarching Existential perspective. Numerous vignettes, case studies and client-therapist dialogues illustrate reflections on life, philosophy, therapeutic modalities and practice.

This book will be a thought-provoking read for trainee and practising counsellors and psychotherapists, or anyone looking for self-reflection on their own practices, life, and ultimately, what it means to be human.

Although it is a natural and inescapable part of life, death is a subject that is often neglected in psychotherapeutic literature and training. In When Death Enters the Therapeutic Space Laura Barnett and her contributors offer us insights into working with mortality in the therapeutic encounter.

Taking an existential perspective, the book brings together a variety of client groups, all of whom have experienced a confrontation with mortality, and encourages the reader to engage with and reflect upon the subject of death. Although this may initially evoke anxiety and distress, Barnett and her contributors introduce the reader to the ''vitality of death'' (Koestenbaum): an energy and focus that can come from confronting our greatest fears and anxieties, including the anxiety aroused by our own mortality. Topics covered include:

When Death Enters the Therapeutic Space presents therapists with an understanding of what it means to experience such traumas and prepares them for helping the client. It will be useful for trainee counsellors and experienced therapists alike.

Although it is a natural and inescapable part of life, death is a subject that is often neglected in psychotherapeutic literature and training. In When Death Enters the Therapeutic Space Laura Barnett and her contributors offer us insights into working with mortality in the therapeutic encounter.

Taking an existential perspective, the book brings together a variety of client groups, all of whom have experienced a confrontation with mortality, and encourages the reader to engage with and reflect upon the subject of death. Although this may initially evoke anxiety and distress, Barnett and her contributors introduce the reader to the ''vitality of death'' (Koestenbaum): an energy and focus that can come from confronting our greatest fears and anxieties, including the anxiety aroused by our own mortality. Topics covered include:

When Death Enters the Therapeutic Space presents therapists with an understanding of what it means to experience such traumas and prepares them for helping the client. It will be useful for trainee counsellors and experienced therapists alike.

In 1958 in their book Existence, Rollo May, Henri Ellenberger and Ernst Angel introduced existential therapy to the English-speaking psychotherapy world. Since then the field of existential therapy has moved along rapidly and this book considers how it has developed over the past fifty years, and the implications that this has for the future.

In their 50th anniversary of this classic book, Laura Barnett and Greg Madison bring together many of today''s foremost existential therapists from both sides of the Atlantic, together with some newer voices, to highlight issues surrounding existential therapy today, and look constructively to the future whilst acknowledging the debt to the past. Dialogue is at the heart of the book, the dialogue between existential thought and therapeutic practice, and between the past and the future. Existential Therapy: Legacy, Vibrancy and Dialogue, focuses on dialogue between key figures in the field to cover topics including:

Existential Therapy: Legacy, Vibrancy and Dialogue explores how existential therapy has changed in the last five decades, and compares and contrasts different schools of existential therapy, making it essential reading for experienced therapists as well as for anyone training in psychotherapy, counselling, psychology or psychiatry who wants to incorporate existential therapy into their practice.

In 1958 in their book Existence, Rollo May, Henri Ellenberger and Ernst Angel introduced existential therapy to the English-speaking psychotherapy world. Since then the field of existential therapy has moved along rapidly and this book considers how it has developed over the past fifty years, and the implications that this has for the future.

In their 50th anniversary of this classic book, Laura Barnett and Greg Madison bring together many of today''s foremost existential therapists from both sides of the Atlantic, together with some newer voices, to highlight issues surrounding existential therapy today, and look constructively to the future whilst acknowledging the debt to the past. Dialogue is at the heart of the book, the dialogue between existential thought and therapeutic practice, and between the past and the future. Existential Therapy: Legacy, Vibrancy and Dialogue, focuses on dialogue between key figures in the field to cover topics including:

Existential Therapy: Legacy, Vibrancy and Dialogue explores how existential therapy has changed in the last five decades, and compares and contrasts different schools of existential therapy, making it essential reading for experienced therapists as well as for anyone training in psychotherapy, counselling, psychology or psychiatry who wants to incorporate existential therapy into their practice.

A NO. 1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

''The beautiful love child of David Nicholl''s One Day and Kate Atkinson''s Life After Life''The Times

What if one small decision could change the rest of your life? Eva and Jim are nineteen, and students at Cambridge, when their paths first cross in 1958. Jim is walking along a lane when a woman approaching him on a bicycle swerves to avoid a dog: what happens next will determine the rest of their lives.

As we follow three different versions of their future - together, and apart - their love story takes on different incarnations, as it twists and turns to the conclusion in the present day.

''A triumphant debut.. a thoughtful, measured book about the interplay of chance and destiny in our lives''Sunday Telegraph

''An utterly convincing love story about two people destined to be together somehow, no matter what''The Times

''Like Kate Atkinson''s Life After Life or the film Sliding Doors, this fine debut offers multiple "what ifs"... Involving and poignant''The Sunday Times

''The tantalising "what if?" theme keeps all three stories going at a cracking pace''Daily Mail

''Truly enthralling... I simply adored this wonderful novel''Jessie Burton, author of The Miniaturist

''Barnett has that rare talent, like Curtis Sittenfeld or Kate Atkinson, of building up the mundane aspects of everyday life until they acquire meaning'' THE TIMES

''Barnett excels herself in this mesmerising ballad of a book...Greatest Hits is not just about music, it''s about people: their ambitions, friendships and flaws. An absolute must read'' STYLISTIf you could choose just sixteen moments to define your entire life, what would they be?Cass Wheeler has seen it all - from the searing heights of success, to earth-shattering moments of despair. She has known passion, envy, pride, fear, and love. She has been a daughter, a mother, a singer, a lover.

A musician born in 1950, Cass is now taking one day to select the sixteen songs in her repertoire that have meant the most to her. And behind each song lies a story - from the day her mother abandoned her, to her passionate first love, to the moment she lost everything. The dreams, the failures, the second chances. But what made her disappear so suddenly from her public life and, most importantly, can she find her way back?

What readers are saying about GREATEST HITS:

''A brilliant and unusual read...There is real emotional power to Cass''s story and you really feel it in the narrative....It gives an unfiltered personal history, with joy, love, failures, regrets and all that it takes to live delivered beautifully'' Goodreads 5 star review''Truly, truly wonderful in every way imaginable and I can''t recommend it highly enough'' Goodreads 5 star review

''A triumphant second book to follow up to The Versions of Us which I also adored'' Goodreads 5 star review

''A truly unique and memorable novel. Definitely one of the best novels so far this year'' Goodreads 5 star review

''Filled with characters who burst from the page, dealing with almost unbearable sorrows and incredible highs, Greatest Hits is an absolute triumph. I loved every single page'' Goodreads 5 star review

WHAT IF THE FAMILY YOU WANT......ISN''T THE FAMILY YOU NEED?

''It was up to her now; everything was up to her;she needed only to make a choice and step towards it, out from the shadows and into the light.''

At forty-three, Christina Lennox thought her future was settled: marriage to Ed, children, a house of their own.

But this is not that future: her marriage has ended, fractured by the stress of five rounds of IVF and two miscarriages. Overwhelmed by grief and disappointment, Ed has relocated to San Francisco and Christina''s dream of becoming a mother rests on persuading him to let her go ahead with one final round of IVF, using the last frozen embryo they have stored at the clinic.

But when Ed drops a bombshell that threatens to undo everything Christina has strived for, she is forced, once again, to realign her plans.

Is this the end of her dream, or an opportunity to consider a different - perhaps happier - version of her future?

''Warm and uplifting storytelling: a delightful treat''Clare Chambers, author of Small Pleasures''If you''re not in the Yuletide mood yet, you will be after this''Telegraph''An ode to the strange and wonderful time that is Christmas''Stylist''A novel that''s sure to warm the heart of any Scrooge''Radio Times''Tender and moving, Gifts is infused with Christmas magic - that bittersweet mix of joy, yearning, sadness and hope that accompanies the festive season''Daily Mirror''A gorgeous festive tale... Beautifully written and highly emotionally intelligent''Daily Mail''I loved The Versions Of Us by Laura Barnett and her new novel is just as wonderful... The ideal warm, bittersweet read to get you in the festive spirit''Good Housekeeping''Full of warmth, poignancy and a huge dose of Christmas spirit''RedTwelve peopleTwelve giftsOne Christmas to rememberMaddy runs the bookshop on Market Square. She''s struggling to choose a gift (a watch? a wine subscription? a weekend bag? all too much?) for her old school friend Peter, who''s just moved back from London following a messy divorce.Peter doesn''t have a clue what to get for his teenage daughter Chloe - furious with her mother, she''s decided to up sticks and move to Kent with him, but he worries that he really doesn''t know her at all.Chloe wants to buy something special for her grandmother Irene, who lives alone on the other side of town.Irene doesn''t get out much these days, but she''d really like to find the right gift for Alina, who''s so much more than a carer, really - always stops to chat for a bit, have a cup of tea, even if it makes her late.And Alina, meanwhile, has her eye on something for...From the no. 1 bestselling author of The Versions of Us comes a novel about how wonderful and sad and difficult and happy and strange Christmas can be. Stories to inspire, move and comfort.''He felt it: the lightness, the expansiveness, the anticipation, the sense that something good was coming. And it was, wasn''t it - though the world was still licking its collective wounds and there was still suffering everywhere, suffering and loneliness and sadness. Despite all this, it was good: it was kindness, it was giving without thought of recompense, it was light in the darkness''

Brought to you by Penguin.Zoe, Al, Rachel, Rob, Yas and Indie. Six friends who were inseparable at university, who have all had their secret or not so secret passions for each other, their own hopes and fears.Over the years, they have gone their separate ways. Rob is a history teacher, with a string of broken relationships behind him. Yas is a surgeon and very much her own woman. Indie is married and a successful coffee entrepreneur. Rachel is a stay at home mum with two children. Al, widowed young, is about to take over his father''s funeral business.When Rob''s engagement party throws the gang together once more, some passions are reignited, old connections and resentments resurface. Over the next twelve months, there will, among the friends, be a birth, a marriage, and a death – but whose?Set over one year and told from multiple perspectives, BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES is an era-spanning, globe-trotting novel about love, friendship, and how to stay at least relatively sane in an ever crazier world. It’s about a group of friends growing older, a pair of sometime lovers finding their way back to each other, about kindness and joy. It’s about births, deaths, marriages, and everything in between.© Laura Barnett 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025