A candid portrayal of first love and self-discovery, from the author of the 'instant queer classic', Isaac.

Cornwall, 2018. In the quiet fishing village of Portscatho, sixteen-year-old Daniel and seventeen-year-old Jago form an unexpected connection - something neither of them can name. What unfolds is transformative, particularly for Daniel, who for the first time feels truly seen.

East London, 2023. Daniel has rewritten himself: sharper, louder, queer in a way the city understands. But a visit from Jago stirs up a reckoning with his former life, forcing them both to question how much change their bond can withstand.

Reminiscent of Edouard Louis and Douglas Stuart's writing, Orange examines how we reconcile our past selves with the people we become, those we bring with us and those we leave behind.

About the Author
Curtis Garner is the author of the 'instant queer classic' Isaac, which was published in 2024 to critical acclaim. He was born in Cornwall in 1996 and moved to London when he was eighteen to study Creative Writing and English Literature. He graduated in 2017 and has been working in publishing since. In 2020 he also received an MA with Distinction from Manchester Writing School, where much of Isaac was written. In his spare time he reviews novels on Instagram (@queer_novels). Orange is his second novel.

Reviews
An effective exploration of how we live and experience different pressures together and apart * Dazed (Most Anticipated Novels of 2026) *
If you're a fan of the tenderness of nuanced relationships found in Sally Rooney, you'll want to pick up a copy of Orange * Radio Times (Best Books Released in 2026) *
A gorgeous, heart-wrenching novel about the search for belonging, the struggle between past and present and the courage it takes to hold onto love when everything else feels uncertain. One of the most emotionally resonant and beautifully written books you'll read this year, Orange is an unforgettable meditation on what it truly means to find home -- Andrew Porter, author of The Imagined Life
Exemplary. Orange is a love letter to London and all its flaws and excesses. Garner has crafted a deeply felt and painfully accurate story about the impossibilities of ever truly escaping ourselves. Written with the flair of Ocean Vuong and the narrative excellence of Alexander Chee, Orange is an extremely accomplished sophomore novel -- Alex Allison, author of Greatest of All Time
Richly humane, wholly original, beautifully crafted, probing and sharply insightful... Every scene is precisely rendered, every image and sensation finely wrought -- Niamh Campbell, author of This Happy



Book Information
ISBN 9780857309402
Author Curtis Garner
Format Paperback
Page Count 288
Imprint Verve Books
Publisher Verve Books