Join author and head of editorial at Black Ballad Jendella Benson in conversation with Liv Little, to celebrate the publication of her debut novel Hope And Glory.

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‘Jendella Benson has drawn such a compelling world that Hope and Glory, the book and the characters themselves, stayed with me, long after I’d turned the final pages.’ – Candice Carty-Williams, author of Queenie and People Person

‘A sweeping, rich tale that explores family, secrets, loss, love and redemption within the context of a tessellation of cultures – written with a beautiful texture, Benson pulls you into the deftly woven story, with tautly-written sentences, and before you know it you find yourself too deep to get out, too deep to want to get out, wanting to know more.’ – Bolu Babalola, author of Love In Colour and Honey And Spice

Hope and Glory is a filmic, engaging debut set against the changing landscape of Peckham. It follows Glory as she returns home from LA to find her family falling apart: her father has died, her brother is in prison and her mother is on the brink of a nervous breakdown. As she navigates the return to a life she feels is out of control, Glory must confront the past, including what really happened to her twin sister Hope.

Jendella’s debut novel explores the idea of private fostering (also referred to as ‘farming’), mental heatlh, second generation guilt, love and forgiveness. In conversation with founder of gal-dem Liv Little, Jendella will dive into this rich and heart-warming story of love, loss and family chaos.