Eat the Ones You Love

The Grey Area Review:

Firmly falls into the weird lil book category for people who enjoyed Boy Parts, Weather Underwater and Tell Me I'm Worthless. 

Botanical literary horror with a central romance between a gendery lesbian, a bisexual escaping a heteronormative life and the very hungry orchid Baby. The book is set in a dilapidated shopping centre which is the epicentre for the community and supporting cast - including a gay man and another lesbian. 

CW murder, cannibalism, body horror, toxic relationship, car accident 

During a grocery run to her local shopping center, Shell Pine sees a ‘HELP NEEDED’ sign in a flower shop window. She’s just left her fiancé, lost her job, and moved home to her parents’ house. She has to make a change and bring some good into her life, so she goes inside and takes a chance. Shell realises right away that flowers are just the good thing she's been looking for, as is Neve, the beautiful florist who wrote the sign asking for help. The thing is, Neve needs help more than Shell could possibly imagine.

An orchid growing out of sight in the heart of the mall is watching them closely. His name is Baby, and the beautiful florist belongs to him. He’s young, he’s hungry, and he’ll do just about anything to make sure he can keep growing big and strong. Nothing he eats – nobody he eats – can satisfy him, except the thing he most desires. Neve. He adores her and wants to consume her, and will stop at nothing to eat the one he loves.

This is a story about possession, and monstrosity, and working retail. It is about hunger and desire, and other terrible things that grow.