Virago wins four-way auction for Yvvette Edwards' latest novel

Virago’s publishing director Anna Kelly has won a four-way auction to acquire Good Good Loving, a novel by Yvvette Edwards, the author’s first book in almost a decade.

Kelly acquired UK and Commonwealth rights in a two-book deal from Salma Begum at Greyhound Literary. It will be published in March 2026.

The synopsis reads: "Ellen’s big, beautiful family are gathered around her hospital bed as she prepares to slip away… her children have chosen now of all times to have a never-ending discussion about all her failings. Every single tiny thing they think she’s done wrong over the years – and the one big thing too. Even after everything, after all the sacrifices Ellen has made for every last ungrateful one of them, they still all take their father’s side. If only they knew the whole story.

"Moving backwards in time through all the decisive moments that have shaped Ellen’s life – the disasters, celebrations and surprises, the revelations, confrontations and betrayals – Good Good Loving is the vibrant story of a multi-generational British-Caribbean family across five decades."

Kelly, who beat three other publishers to rights for the book, said: "Full of big personalities, big mistakes, burning love and quiet heartbreak, this novel is painfully sad but so joyful and funny too. Everyone at Virago is very proud to be publishing the first book in nearly a decade from such a gifted writer."

Edwards is a British east Londoner of Montserratian origin and the author of two novels, the Booker longlisted A Cupboard Full of Coats (Oneworld, 2011), which was also shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize and The Mother (Pan Macmillan, 2016). Her short stories have been published in anthologies and broadcast on radio.