Love Untold: The joyful Sunday Times bestseller and Richard and Judy book club pick 2023

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Grace doesn’t want a traditional celebration for her birthday, but her granddaughter Elin has other ideas. She’s determined that Grace’s big day will be celebrated, her own daughter, Becca is slightly mortified by her mother’s quest to party, much preferring to spend quality time with her great grandmother. Grace is about to turn ninety and she doesn't want parties or presents or fuss. She just wants a quiet celebration: her daily swim in the sea and a cup of tea with granddaughter Elin and great-granddaughter Beca. More than anything, she wants to heal the family rift that's been breaking her heart for decades. Love Untold is about mothers and daughters and the complex bond between them. It's about the heartache that comes from leaving things unsaid and the power of true forgiveness. It is a joy-filled, life-affirming, sob-inducing novel - with characters you'll come to know and love - from no.1 bestselling author Ruth Jones.

There’s a lot of warmth and comfort that comes with reading your work. Maybe I’m being biased because I’m Welsh… I must be very careful about spoilers in this delicious novel revolving around this family so full of resentment, long-held anger, prodigal daughters, and cold-water swimming. When I started the book, I wasn’t that sure about the characters as Grace is easy to understand and love, however, the same can’t be said for her granddaughter, beautifully portrayed as a Head Teacher, following in her grandfather’s footsteps, whereas her daughter hates school and the tension between the two is palpable. Ruth Jones is a romance and general fiction author that was born in the south Wales town of Bridgend and spent most of her childhood living in Porthcawl on the coast. She was born to a very comfortable family as her father was a lawyer and her mother was a general practitioner. Full of such warmth and kindness, and the writing is utterly beautiful. I adored it - Joanna CannonLove, mess, secrets; this story of four generations of women is shot through with Ruth Jones's warmth and wisdom. A big warm blanket of a book. I loved it * Jojo Moyes * I have absolutely nothing negative to say about this book . This is an emotional , heartwarming and captivating read and I finished it in one afternoon , completely unable to put it down ! I know you’ve mentioned your mother but have you drawn from any other personal experiences in the book? Gavin and Stacey” is Ruth Jones’ most popular work that introduces Stacey and Gavin. Stacey happens to be your everyday girl from South Wales while Gavin is your everyday boy from Essex. A beautifully written and deeply moving story about four generations of women from the same Welsh family and the secrets and bonds they share. I laughed out loud at times and enjoyed a good cry at others. A tale of friendship, forgiveness and second chances, LOVE UNTOLD is Ruth Jones at her very best - Sarah Turner, 'The Unmumsy Mum'

To heal the rifts she must first locate her daughter Alys. which will risk betraying granddaughter Elin. Elin is far less forgiving of the past rifts and may not be as ready as others. For Grace time is running out to solve the family rifts that have been going on for the last thirty years.

Finally, Beca, sixteen years old, artistic and musical but not good at lessons, constantly at odds with perfectionist Elin who sees education as a gateway to the world, she knows she is about to fail all her GCSEs and disappoint her mother, again. Ruth Jones: I’ve got to get on with the fourth book now, so goodness knows what I’m going to come up with for that! But I was in this position before Love Untold. I didn’t know what it was going to be. So I’m taking comfort in that – that I’ll be able to come up with an idea, even though I haven’t got a slightest idea! To do this she must locate her stranged daughter Alys but she risks betraying her grandaughter's trust in doing so. Elin isn't forgiving when it comes to her mother, she can't just forget all the past hurt, secrets and lies so easily. Beca, Elin's daughter is completely oblivious to all of it. Like all teenagers she is completely immersed in the ups and downs of teenage life, holding secrets of her own and not really paying much attention to anything else, especially the bores of family dynamics. Grace is about to turn ninety. She doesn’t want parties or presents or fuss. She just wants to heal the family rift that’s been breaking her heart for decades. The ending took me totally by surprise and I had to read the last couple of chapters twice because my eyes leaked (I sobbed) and the print blurred.