The Angelica Touch is the magical story of what might happen if you were a single parent and your teenage daughter decided to organise your love-life. From the same pen as the novel Dad’s Red Dress (2017), it’s an upbeat and humorous romantic rollercoaster set in Donegal during the first three months of 2010. It’s about doing something for the very best of reasons that makes everything worse... until it doesn’t.

Angelica, 14, has reached three conclusions. Firstly, her mother Molly, who manages a rundown hotel on the wild Drisogue peninsula in Donegal, is desperately lonely. (She's not.)

Secondly, it’s entirely her fault that Molly is still single. (It might be.)

Thirdly, since she can hardly have a boyfriend of her own if Number Two is true, it’s up to her to find her mother a man. (It really isn't.)

Given her dangerously impressive gift for matchmaking, Angelica’s solution is to develop a dating website for her mum. With the questions devised by Angelica and best friend, Grace, what could possibly go wrong?

About the author

L. J. SEDGWICK is an award-winning screenwriter whose credits span genres and form, from feature films, television drama and children’s series, to short films, radio plays and game narrative. Her first novel (Dad’s Red Dress, 2017) was described as ‘joyous, loving... truly unique among the vast canon of coming-of-age stories...a delight to read’. In addition to screenwriting credits, Lindsay’s plays have been produced throughout Ireland and in the UK and her writing has been described as ‘gripping,’ ‘gut-wrenching’ and ‘seductive’.

Testimonials:

L.J. Sedgwick has a joyous and lively signature style. Whether it’s her deft use of language or her playful wit, the author undoubtedly carries her own brand of fairy dust. The Angelica Touch is fantastical and daring; anchoring readers with a tender exploration of the single mother-daughter dynamic and know-it-all teenage hijinks, in a salty seaside community filled with characters we know well. - Sophie Grehman, The Gloss Magazine, Irish Times.

Another gift of joy from Sedgwick, the Angelica Touch is filled with heart and warmth. With a setting and characters that fire the imagination, the reader gets sucked in to Angelica's world immediately and pulled along on an incredible ride of the emotions. While Angelica is trying to grow into her own true self (and doing a marvellous job),the give and take in the relationship with her mother is at once unique and typical, deeply touching and completely grates. Both are guilty of getting it utterly wrong and completely right. This hits at the soul of what it means to be a teenage daughter. Each and every character is a real gem; quirky, well described and fully realised. Their own stories of past and present weave many coloured threads throughout and make the core story all the richer. Pitch perfect and with a great pace, just when you think this story can only end one way, a surprise twist brings an even more satisfying conclusion. This is a wonderful, imaginative tale that will leave you smiling. - Fallen Star Stories blog