THE BOOK
LUSH BY ROCHELLE DOWDEN-LORD
Four very different people, each at a crucial point in their lives, arrive at a French vineyard estate for a transformative experience – but not the kind they expected. As glasses are emptied, rivalries fermented and secrets spilled, each must confront hard truths. Heady and subtly powerful, Lush is a bittersweet reckoning with class, beauty, hedonism and desire.
ROCHELLE DOWDEN-LORD
Rochelle Dowden-Lord is a writer and former publishing professional from South London. Lush is her debut novel.
Photography © Marc Sethi
The judges said: Set on a crumbling French vineyard, Lush sees a group of influential wine-lovers invited to taste the oldest bottle of wine in the world. A funny, hedonistic romp ensues, the tension increasing with every glass, as the guests begin to reveal the less savoury aspects of their characters.
2025 Debut Fiction judges
