WORK IN PROGRESS

Being abandoned by her imaginary friend aged seven left Hazel convinced she was impossible to love. Thirty-nine years later, she's about to learn that even the oldest stories we tell ourselves can be rewritten.

While most people grow out of their imaginary friends, Hazel Ogley was dumped by hers. Nearly forty years later, as her carefully ordered life is falling apart – a criminal conviction, a crypto scam, and a mother disappearing into dementia – Luna is back. But is she there to help or as a cry for help?

When she’s sentenced to community service, Hazel Ogley is devastated. A conscientious woman who shies away from social interactions, she mortified to learn she is to serve her time assisting with the community mobile library – while wearing a fluorescent orange hi-vis vest. The one upside: she loves books. She reads voraciously, has an uncanny gift for matching readers with the perfect book, and remembers every plot she’s ever encountered. Among the shelves, she knows exactly where she belongs. At home, though, her only companion is Pumpkin, the neighbour’s cat.

Raised by an emotionally distant mother, Hazel grew up convinced she was impossible to love. While most children outgrow their imaginary friends, Hazel was dumped by hers. So when one terrible mistake puts the future of the library at risk, and possibly her liberty too, asking for help feels almost impossible.

But as Hazel is drawn beyond the safety of the stacks, she discovers a community of people who, despite carrying burdens of their own, freely offer their expertise, humour, and support. Slowly, she begins to see that belonging isn’t something you earn by being perfect. And, to her surprise, she discovers she has a special talent: not just for connecting people with books, but for connecting them with each other. In the process, she begins to believe she doesn’t have to be alone either.