When We Were Young

A tender and funny story about wanting to go back - when you know it’s time to move on.

Theo has been living in his parents’ shed, nursing a broken heart and a wounded ego, convinced life can’t get any worse. Then he gets evicted on his 30th birthday. Theo thinks he’s done with the real world - until it shows up on his doorstep…

Joel is a successful TV scriptwriter, still in love with his teenage sweetheart. A proper grown-up - and yet he’s falling apart at the seams. He’s headed home to reconnect with best friend Theo - except they haven’t spoken since the summer they turned 16.

One of them is keeping a secret, and the other is living a lie. But can the promise they once made to walk all 184 miles of the Thames Path help them find their way back to the truth - and to their friendship?

Your favourite authors have loved reading Richard Roper’s uplifting first novel, Something to Live For:

‘A magnificent read. Tender, funny, compelling’ Lucy Foley

‘Funny, moving and thought-provoking - I loved this’ Clare Mackintosh

‘I adored this! It warmed my heart, broke it a little, then put it back together’ Beth O'Leary

‘Funny, fresh and achingly tender. Richard’s writing hooked me in from the very first page’ Cathy Bramley

‘A life-affirming novel that simultaneously tweaks your funny-bone and tugs at your heartstrings. Brilliant!’ Matt Dunn

‘It pulls you in, makes you laugh and breaks your heart’ Gill Hornby