Saltwater: Winner of the Portico Prize

WINNER OF THE PORTICO PRIZE

''A distinctive new voice for fans of ''Fleabag'' or Sally Rooney'' Independent

''Raw, intimate and authentic'' The Sunday Times

''Gorgeous . . . Andrews''s writing is transportingly voluptuous, conjuring tastes and smells and sounds like her literary godmother, Edna O''Brien.'' New York Times

When Lucy wins a place at university, she thinks London will unlock her future. It is a city alive with pop up bars, cool girls and neon lights illuminating the Thames at night. At least this is what Lucy expects, having grown up seemingly a world away in working-class Sunderland, amid legendary family stories of Irish immigrants and boarding houses, now defunct ice rinks and an engagement ring at a fish market.

Yet Lucy''s transition to a new life is more overwhelming than she ever expected. As she works long shifts to make ends meet and navigates chaotic parties from East