Vulnerable Voices

by Owen B Lewis

Yorkshire boy Ellis is at a crossroads. Having finished school and been dumped by the girl he thought was the love of his life, he doesn't know what he wants to do next.

When he accidentally walks into a volunteer position at a hub for adults with mental illness and learning difficulties, Ellis doesn't expect to stay long. But relationships here go deep, and soon Ellis finds himself caught up in a never-ending swirl of friendships, enmities, sexual awakenings, emotional journeys, and cool new music.

Will he survive intact?

296 pages, Paperback

Published September 5, 2022

Reviews

[William Stafford · Rating 4 out of 5]

A coming-of-age story that is a cut above the norm, largely due to the likeable nature of our protagonist/narrator, who comes across as funny and a bit of an overthinker. What else sets the book apart is its positive depictions of what it calls ‘service users’ at the day centre where Ellis volunteers, emphasising the humanity of the characters rather than defining them by their needs. This gives the book an air of authenticity. It is at this hub that Ellis, self-declared heterosexual, meets Nathan and his head is well and truly turned. With his professed love for boy bands, the reader sees what’s coming long before Ellis has a moment of self-realisation, and that is part of the fun. Sweet, touching and relatable, this is an undemanding yet rewarding read.

[Sam Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely honest coming of age tale. Working with vulnerable people myself I have such empathy with this book and the tale it tells. I had the pleasure of meeting the author whilst he was working in the store in Abergavenny too. Fab read

[Gavin Gould · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable YA coming of age book.

[Jemma Ballinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book