The Back Up Man cover art

The Back Up Man

The hilarious and heartwarming brand new romcom perfect for fans of The Flatshare

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The Back Up Man

By: Phoebe Luckhurst
Narrated by: Cathleen McCarron
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

They made a pact to marry at thirty.

The problem? Euan's nowhere to be found.

Can Anya track down her back up man . . . ?

Shortly after her 29th birthday, Anya Mackie finds herself single, homeless and jobless. Well-meaning friends and family rally round, but she's soon stuck in a flatshare with Cold Claire and Weird Richard, and babysitting Glasgow's most unappealing twins.

But when Anya stumbles on the pact she made with high school crush, Euan Carrick, where they promised to marry if they were still single at thirty, she thinks it's a lifeline. Until Anya discovers that Euan hasn't been seen for a decade.

Grudgingly accepting the help (and car!) of handsome-but-emotionally-unavailable Jamie Kildare - another blast from Anya's past, with his own mysterious reasons for tracking down their old school pal, the pair set off across the country to find Anya's back-up-man.

In the age of social media and blue ticks, how could Euan have disappeared?
Will he even remember their pact?
And are some things just better left in the past . . . ?

The Back Up Man is a hilariously romantic tale of mishaps and matrimony, love and long shots, foibles and friendship, that may make you text that old school boyfriend of yours . . .

Praise for Phoebe Luckhurst:

'Entertaining, endearing, and truly unique. Found myself wincing and laughing with familiarity'
Emma Gannon
'The year's most original rom-com' Elle
'Hilarious' Evening Standard
'Nostalgic, pitch perfect' Cressida McLaughlin
'Funny and compelling from page one' Lucy Vine

©2023 Phoebe Luckhurst (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Clean & Wholesome Contemporary Contemporary Romance Fiction Friendship Genre Fiction Romance Romantic Comedy Comedy

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Critic reviews

An entertaining romcom with a very relatable set-up. Luckhurst is a terrific writer. The Back Up Man goes down like a good cup of tea - you know what to expect, but it doesn't make it any less warm, comforting or enjoyable
A romcom with depth and substance and also, refreshingly, set in Glasgow
Fresh, funny, satisfying - it's everything I want in a book (Holly Miller, author of Richard and Judy pick The Sight Of You)
Phoebe Luckhurst is one of the funniest new novelists out there. Perfect for anyone who has ever attempted to stalk an ex on Facebook (all of us, then)
I adored The Back Up Man! Phoebe is so funny, with such a brilliant observational eye and a perfect ear for dialogue. An absolute delight (Emma Hughes)
A charming romance
Funny and uplifting
You'll have a lot of fun
Delightful and uplifting. Brimming with nostalgia and warmth. A cosy, heartfelt novel that celebrates life for all of its messy, joyful and far-fetched twists and turns, making for a great read to brighten up the winter months
Praise for Phoebe Luckhurst
All stars
Most relevant
This book flows at such a good pace, the characters are relatable and so well written. I enjoyed the narration. The only issue now having to wait a while for her next book.

Fantastic book highly recommended.

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