Happy Families

WINNER OF THE RICHARD & JUDY SEARCH FOR A BESTSELLER 2020

'Fabulously, witty and warm what a talent!' Milly Johnson

'A rare find' Richard Madeley

Three generations, two secrets, one extended family . . .

Amy is thirty-four and has just given up her glittering career in the big (Welsh) city to move back in with her grandfather, returning to work in the small-town Chinese takeaway where she spent her bookish and boring childhood. Why? That's a secret she won't tell.

Just like the secret of why her grandfather, Ah Goong, and her father, TC Li, haven't spoken to each other in thirty years. Weirder still, they've lived in the same small flat about the takeaway for the majority of those years, with Amy's mother Joan acting as their unfortunate go-between and buffer.

Now Amy's parents have moved, leaving her in charge of looking after the old man. But then Ah Goong collapses in the street and Amy realises time is running out if she wants to play happy families again . . .

___

'Fabulously witty and warm what a talent!' Milly Johnson

'A rare find' Richard Madeley

'Delightful . . . You'll want to devour this in seconds' Heat, 'Read of the Week'

'A take-away success of a novel. Family antics, affectionately drawn characters this is a spit-your-noodles-out-laughing kind of read' My Weekly

'Heartening and down-to-earth, Ma's debut is one of February's must-read books' Culturefly

'Funny, sparky and heart-warming' Fabulous Magazine The Sun on Sunday

“'Fabulously, witty and warm - what a talent!'”

'Fabulously, witty and warm – what a talent!' -- Millie Johnson
'A rare find' -- Richard Madeley
'Delightful ... You'll want to devour this in seconds' Heat, 'Read of the Week'
'A take-away success of a novel. Family antics, affectionately drawn characters – this is a spit-your-noodles-out-laughing kind of read' My Weekly
'Heartening and down-to-earth, Ma's debut is one of February's must-read books' CultureFly
'Funny, sparky and heart-warming' Fabulous Magazine - The Sun on Sunday
'A delightfully charming story filled with lovable characters ... An absolute joy to read' -- Swirl and Thread
'This is a feel-good book that will leave you feeling a bit warm and fuzzy' -- Always Got Time For Books
'Wonderful, witty characters, and a story to keep you smiling – what more could you ask for? An absolutely cracking debut!' -- Tilly Loves Books
'Very memorable ... A real comfort read' -- Bookworm1346
'I rarely find a book which makes me chuckle out loud but this on certainly has' -- Book Club Mumma
'The perfect blend of humour and poignancy' -- Mary Queen of Books

Julie Ma was born and raised in Carmarthen after her grandfather arrived in Wales from China in the 1920s. Her parents set up a Chinese takeaway in the 1970s and she took over the business with her brother in 2008. As the child of parents who didn't speak English well, her love of reading and writing came from school and a legendary bookshop called Derrick Williams that allowed children to browse for hours. This her her first novel.

Amy is thirty-four and has just given up her glittering career in the big (Welsh) city to move back in with her grandfather, returning to work in the small-town Chinese takeaway where she spent her bookish and boring childhood. Why? That's a secret she won't tell. Set in rural Wales, Happy Families shines a tender, funny and heartwarming light on the lives of three generations of a Chinese immigrant family. Refreshing and original, this is perfect for fans of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry , The Rosie Project and Gavin & Stacey . When was the last time you paid much attention to the person behind the counter of your local Chinese takeaway? Amy is thirty-four and has just given up her glittering career in the big (Welsh) city to move back in with her grandfather, returning to work in the small-town Chinese takeaway where she spent her bookish and boring childhood. Why? That's a secret she won't tell. Just like the secret of why her grandfather, Ah Goong, and her faith, TC Li, haven't spoken to each other in thirty years. Weirder still, they've lived in the same small flat above the takeaway for the majority of those years, with Amy's mother Joan acting as their unfortunate go-between and buffer. Now Amy's parents have moved, leaving her in charge of looking after the old man. But then Ah Goong collapses in the street and time is running out if Amy wants to play happy families before it's too late.

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