Sunstruck

The unmissable debut from the 2022 #Merky New Writers` Prize winner

AN OBSERVER BEST NEW NOVELIST 2025

WINNER OF THE #MERKY BOOKS 2022 NEW WRITERS` PRIZE

It`s summer and a young man walks through the gates of a luxurious mansion in the South of France. At the dinner table, the Blake siblings await him- Lily, his carefree friend from university; Dot, the rebellious younger sister; and Felix - handsome, charismatic and guarded.

Between sun-drenched days spent lounging by the pool and nights blurring into endless, opulent parties, the man is captivated by Felix`s restless allure. As his desire grows, the chance to become part of the family and their world of money and power starts to feel within reach.

But the idyllic haze of summer fades as they return to London and the cracks in the Blakes` careful fa ade begin to show. With the two men tormented by demons of their own, their bond is increasingly tested and pulled apart at the seams. Their secrets and the choices they make will change not only their lives, but the future of those around them.

Sunstruck is a dazzling and poignant exploration of race, status and the parts of ourselves we risk losing when we fall in love.