The stunning bestseller about a woman who finds her voice and her destiny, from author of The Secret Life of Bees and The Invention of Wings

‘Transporting, life-affirming, gripping. It is simply brilliant’ Mel Giedroyc

‘Fascinating . . . Clever, rebellious Ana is a memorable character’ The Times

‘Brilliant . . . Brava!” The Daily Mail

Ana is born in Galilee at a time when women are seen as possessions, only leaving their fathers’ homes to marry.

Ana longs to control her destiny. Taught to read despite her mother’s misgivings, she wants to be a writer and to find her own voice. A voice that will speak for the silenced women around her.

Betrothed to an elderly widower, Ana almost despairs. But an encounter with a charismatic young carpenter in Nazareth awakens new longings in her, and a different future opens up.

Yet this is not a simple love story. Ana’s journey will bring both joy and tragedy, but it will also be enriched by the female friendships she makes along the way.

The Book of Longings is an exquisite tale of dreams and desire, and of the power of women to change the world.

‘One of my favourites’ Alicia Keys

‘I kept having to close this novel and breathe deeply, again and again . . . It is a true masterpiece’ Glennon Doyle, author of Untamed

‘Unleashes the reader’s imagination with glorious evocations of extraordinary times and places, allowing our minds to roam . . . Original, challenging, beautiful’ Adele Parks, Platinum

‘Compelling . . . Ana is a truly wonderful character, strong and inspiring, and her life story so captivating that it swept me along’ Good Housekeeping

‘This moving novel by bestselling author Sue Monk Kidd persuasively imagines the marriage between a brilliant young woman and Jesus’ Daily Mail

‘Incredible . . . A story which is full of humanity, love and tenderness – and one which touched me deeply.’ Brown Flopsy’s Book Bureau

‘The way that Hamnet gave a voice to Shakespeare’s wife, this does the same for Ana . . . One of the greats for historical fiction’ Books by Bindu

‘Not a day has passed since I finished reading it that I have not thought about Ana, her story and the beautiful lyrical words Sue has written’ TheFallenLibrarian

‘I loved it. I loved the feminist theme, I loved the language and I loved the imagery of putting voice to your longings and then giving birth to them. Just fab’ BetweenMyLines

‘Glorious. Beautiful. Life-affirming’ Buried Under Books

· OVER 125 WEEKS ON THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LIST

· MADE INTO AN AWARD-WINNING MOVE STARRING QUEEN LATIFAH, DAKOTA FANNING, ALICIA KEYS, SOPHIE OKONEDO AND JENNIFER HUDSON

· AN ACCLAIMED STAGE MUSICAL

Lily has grown up believing she accidentally killed her mother when she was four years old. Now, at fourteen, she yearns for forgiveness and a mother’s love. Living on a peach farm in South Carolina with her harsh and unforgiving father, she has only one friend, Rosaleen, a black servant.

When racial tension explodes one summer afternoon, and Rosaleen is arrested and beaten, Lily chooses to flee with her. Fugitives from justice, the pair follow a trail left by the woman who died ten years before. Finding sanctuary in the home of three beekeeping sisters, Lily starts a journey as much about her understanding of the world as about the mystery surrounding her mother.

‘A wonderful book, by turns sad, full of incident and shot through with grown-up magic reminiscent of Joanne Harris’ Daily Telegraph

‘Charming, funny, moving’ The Times

‘Wonderfully written, powerful, poignant . . . read it’ Joanna Trollope

What readers are saying about The Secret Life of Bees:

‘One of the most poignant and heart tugging books I have ever read‘ ? ? ? ? &#11088

‘Emotional and heart-breaking, yet full of hope and love. I laughed and cried equally through the book. This wonderful book will stay with me for a long time to come‘ ? ? ? ? &#11088

‘One of the best books I’ve read in a while. Touching, well-written, beautiful, full of expression, insightful‘ ? ? ? ? &#11088

‘A beautifully written masterpiece. I loved the writing, the descriptions, the humour sprinkled through the story. There was sadness and love, hope and forgiveness. I highly recommend this book‘ ? ? ? ? &#11088