A best book of the year for the Guardian, Economist and Daily Express

An Observer debut of the year

'Exceptionally touching . . . A terrific reminder that what binds us to our loved ones isn't blood but the care we take to keep them close, and our ability to show up for them when we screw it up on the first go-round'
NEW YORK TIMES

'Gently comic, bittersweet'
GUARDIAN, Books of the year

'A poignant and generous story'
TESSA HADLEY, DAILY EXPRESS Books of the Year

'In an unsentimental evocation of fatherhood and male friendship, this novel explores the glory and sacrifice involved in learning to love'
ECONOMIST, Books of the year

'Pepped up and gorgeous, just bristling with life'
OLIVIA LAING, GUARDIAN

'Brilliantly observed'
NEW YORKER

'A beautiful, funny tale of lives new and old'
SUNDAY TIMES

Téo Erskine might have a steady job and a brand-new London flat, but underneath the surface, he's still the boy seeking approval from his father, Vic; the young man playing late-night poker with his best friend, Ben; the one still in love with the enigmatic Lia, now a single mum to a young boy, Joel.

When the unthinkable happens, two-year-old Joel finds himself at the centre of this odd constellation of men - Téo, Vic, Ben. None of them is fully equipped to look after him, but their tentative attempts at love might just be enough to offer him a new place to call home.

"The shifts in perspective and the rich characterization are similar to those of Jonathan Franzen . . . Lamont superbly depicts neurodegenerative decline and complex family dynamics . . . Brilliantly capturing mundane and surprising aspects of raising a child, this is a fascinating portrait of parenting, the British Jewish community, and the struggle to break ties that may be holding you back" - Booklist

"A journey into rarely explored territory" - Sainsbury's Magazine

"Going Home overflows with heart, and its characters feel real with their multitude of dreams, fears, serious self-doubts and fierce loyalties . . . Lamont paces events with precision and humour, asking life's big questions regarding family and friendship, duty and devotion . . . The debut of a gifted writer whose readers will find themselves feeling better, somehow, about the world" - BookPage