California Gold

For readers of Curtis Sittenfeld and Ann Patchett, a multi-generational literary saga with book club appeal set against the backdrop of a 1970's Californian dream.

Frank and Chrissy meet a few days into '70. Frank has been travelling around California when someone tells him about a house in the desert where the walls are steel and the glass shimmers. When Chrissy picks him up hitchhiking on the side of the road, all blond hair and oversized sunglasses, it's love at first sight.

Years later, as their shared dream of recreating a mid-century masterpiece in Britain threatens to overwhelm them, Frank will often think back to the start. What if he had carried on walking? What if she had driven to Palm Springs the next day? Every moment of tomorrow would have changed...

California Gold by Jodie Chapman is a compelling read for those who enjoy richly detailed narratives and evocative settings.