"A topical rallying and remarkable read about the patriarchy and toxic masculinity, all debated between friends, colleagues and on the social media stage."
Olaide and Michael. They seem like the perfect couple. Madly in love. We meet them just 28 days 'til their wedding and no doubt, it'll be the wedding of the year.
They met three years ago at a media networking event. Ola is a senior editor at Womxxxn where she heads up the Current Affairs desk, the women's lifestyle brand that releases an agenda-setting digital issue every quarter. And the day #TheList drops Michael starts at CURated.
What began as a crowdsourced collection of names on a Google doc became an expose of the UK media's most prolific abusers, live for 24 hours on social media - and Michael is on the list. He had woken up less than an hour ago, as the newest presenter of Tasted on the first day of the rest of his life. He was now going to work as a named industry abuser.
Ola has dedicated the best part of a decade to rallying against the patriarchy, rape culture and toxic masculinity. What does she do now? Now her Michael has been named and shamed?
She had never asked to become the ambassador of Black love. Following their engagement photo on Instagram using the hashtag #BlackLove, they experienced a surreal 2 week period where they gained 47,000 followers between them. But nevertheless they had become a power couple on the social media stage and now, with #The List it's all threatening to crumble.
Does she believe his proclamations of innocence? Does she stand by her man? This is an absolute page-turner and a brilliant holiday read. I now want to press it into the hands of my friends so we can discuss and debate, and will be pitching it as our next book club read. A dazzling debut full of pace about how things are never quite as they seem.
| Primary Genre | Modern and Contemporary Fiction |
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Win a Copy of The Sisters of Hope Square by Faith Hogan and a Bucket List Scratch Book
Closing date: 04/07/2026
ONLINE RUMOURS. REAL LIFE TROUBLE.
Ola Olajide, a high-profile journalist, is marrying the love of her life in one month's time. Young, beautiful, successful – she and her fiancé Michael seem to have it all.
That is, until one morning when they both wake up to the same message:
‘Oh my god, have you seen The List?’
It began as a list of anonymous allegations about abusive men. Now it has been published online. Ola made her name breaking exactly this type of story. She would usually be the first to cover it, calling for the men to be fired. Except today, Michael’s name is on there.
With their future on the line, Ola gives Michael an ultimatum to prove his innocence by their wedding day, but will the truth of what happened change everything for both of them?
The List features in the following genres: Modern and Contemporary Fiction, Narrative theme: Love and relationships, Contemporary lifestyle fiction, Psychological thriller, Narrative theme: Identity / belonging, Narrative theme: Death, grief, loss, Narrative theme: Politics, Narrative theme: Social issues, General Fiction, Fiction, Fiction: narrative themes, Thriller and Suspense, Debut Books of the Month, Debuts, Star Books, Recommendations
The List is available in Paperback, Hardback
The List was written by Yomi Adegoke and published by Fourth Estate Ltd an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
The List has 372 pages
£8.99
