Longlisted for the Ockham NZ Book Awards - Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction - 2022

'What a fabulous read. Stephanie Johnson's characters choose an old motel with little to offer except an amazing view in order to start a 'new life'. Their first guests are a classic cast of the sorrowful and dysfunctional that every-day life throws at us these days. They are joined by their pregnant daughter, a mysterious young criminal from next door and a dog that knows more than all of them put together. The story is fast paced, and unpredictable, it's smart, contemporary and heartbreaking all at once. And, just when it was about to make me cry, Johnson startled me into wild laughter. This is her best book ever, and I loved every page of it.' - Fiona Kidman