Ooh, no. I still remember a negative review for [Nineties TV programme] The Girlie Show, by [journalist] Kate Spicer, who said we did for feminism what Fred West did for Neighbourhood Watch.’ Ouch. ‘I mean, it’s quite a funny line, but also pretty cruel – and I’ve never forgotten it.’ Sara Cox on her varied career This was followed by Love in the Countryside and regular turns fronting The One Show. Today, she’s more in demand than ever, but have those years of struggle shaped the person she is now? Get this: my cleaner has organised them by colour. It’s not great and I’m too polite to say anything. I don’t know why I’m whispering – I don’t think she reads the Observer.

The assorted neighbours come together to try out a new skill, under the watchful eye of their charismatic teacher, Sasha. And as the soft unremarkable lumps of clay are hesitantly, lovingly moulded into delicate vases and majestic pots, so, too, are the lives of four women. It is light, pure escapism and a comforting, gentle story but although there IS humour, it isn't what I would call laugh out loud! I finished the book and was left with very little reaction to it at all. Perhaps some sadness, pleasure, hope, puzzlement or, in fact anything at all, would have been acceptable, but it was not apparent on this occasion. Sadly, it was an endless slog through fairly uninspired scenarios peopled with relatively mundane characters. Cox is good at her designated job and is an excellent broadcaster, and l feel sorry that I was not more impressed with this book.

Becky

My only sight criticism is it was a little predictable at times but it was such a fun read I didn’t mind that too much. The characters were so fully formed and vividly described that they all came to life instantly for me and I felt completely invested in each of their stories. The pottery aspect was a very clever devise (and clearly the author has used her experience on the great pottery throw down to full advantage) and wove there stories all together seamlessly. I wish I was part of their class! The assorted neighbours come together to try out a new skill, under the watchful eye of their charismatic teacher, Sasha. And as the soft unremarkable lumps of clay are hesitantly, lovingly moulded into delicate vases and majestic pots, so too are the lives of four women. Concealed passions and heartaches are uncovered, relationships shattered and formed, and the possibility for transformation is revealed. My Review of Thrown This story has Sara's voice ringing true throughout. A fresh, cheeky, insightful take on how change can happen through female friendships.' DAWN FRENCH

I’m a huge fan of Sara Cox’s BBC 2 Between the Covers so when the lovely folk at Team Bookends sent me a surprise early reader copy of Sara’s debut novel, Thrown, in return for an honest review, I couldn’t have been happier. I’m delighted to share my review of Thrown today.She has a garden office where she writes, but says Cyzer would come in between his own meetings for little chats. "He'd come in for office banter, but when you're writing you can't dip in and out of it. You really have to lose yourself in it."

The actual pottery kiln, the clay and the endless equipment needed is huge as the nervous potters-to-be begin their task. Their friendships begin to blossom as they learn, and draw upon the strengths of each other, and I did like the journey of the women as they followed the throwing, moulding and firing of their pots. It highlighted their joy and inspiration as they learned their new art. I have to say that the skill of potting was described really well (Cox hosted the TV programme The Great Pottery Throw Down) and, although I have never been a dab hand at it, I almost wanted to give it a go. “Sensitively done” Don’t get me started. I’ve been in London longer than I lived up north but on my dad’s side I come from generations and generations of farmers and then it’s screeched to a halt with us five – we’re lawyers and artists and NHS workers. I think a bit of that might come through in my next book. The dream is a smallholding one day – I’ve got a horse now, Nelly, so I’m getting there. She’s really my escape. Female friendship is a major feature in her debut novel, Thrown, about four women from the same estate who meet for a new pottery class at the local community centre - a setting inspired by her time as presenter on The Great Pottery Throwdown. I'd love this to be a thing, if I can," she says of writing. "It's so different to everything else I do."She's been hosting Drivetime since 2019, presents the weekly BBC Two book programme Between The Covers, and is currently hosting the new eight-part series Britain's Top Takeaways, in which the country's best independent takeaways go head to head.

Whilst there is romance, this is not a love story. It is more a story about connecting with others, realising what we want from life and trying something new. It’s a story of friendship and every day life, full of little dramas and periods of calm. The inhabitants of the Inventor's Housing Estate keep themselves to themselves. There are the friendly 'Hellos' when commutes coincide and the odd cheeky eye roll when the wine bottles clank in number seven's wheelie bin, but it's not exactly Ramsay Street. I would have also liked to perhaps see more of each story, to flesh it out so that there was more of a connection to each. This is probably an unreasonable request for the book would become too long if too much time was spent on each and then I would have complained about the story going on no doubt! I grew up half on my dad’s farm but half on a little council estate nearby. I liked the cosiness and wanted to reflect that. I could also picture the layout in my mind – the community centre, the little doctors…The above is basically the story. It is somewhat predictable and mildly scattered with jokey female sexual references that are slightly on the cringeworthy side. There is no suspense at all, but then again it is not a thriller, so I am not sure which genre it would fall into. Maybe we could say it is inoffensive and definitely well researched as far as the pottery is concerned, but otherwise quite bland. Thrown] is not a great literary piece. But I think it’s perfect for on the beach and just to have fun with…overall I wanted to make people laugh.’– Sara Cox Novel-writing dreams