Skin Contact

One of BBC Culture's most anticipated books of 2026

A razor-sharp exploration of intimacy, non-monogamous desire, and motherhood
'Sexy and self-assured, Skin Contact is irresistible'
Ada Calhoun, author of Crush

'This book is the party of the year and I wanted to join in, opening the next door and the next, getting a bit of gossip, sharing just one more story, stealing one more kiss. An absolute knockout of a debut.'
Gwen Kirby, author of Shit Cassandra Saw

'Elisa Faison's enthralling and unflinching Skin Contact gives us an intimate view of an intricately bound cast of characters, finding the hidden places where the real story lies [. . .] Faison has crafted a story that surprises us with its honesty, its passion, and its intensity.'
Kevin Wilson, author of Nothing to See Here

Unmoored by her mother's sudden death, Frances has never felt so diminished, or so old. She's painfully aware that strangers no longer look at her the same way - and that she's now, at thirty-two, older than the great aunt for whom she was named, who was killed in the seventies under mysterious circumstances involving an extramarital affair.

Her husband, Ben, will do anything to help Frances regain her vivacity and sense of purpose. So when Frances suggests that they open their marriage, Ben complies.

Over the next two years, they explore their sexualities and latent kinks; they navigate jealousy, betrayal, desire, and obsession; they defend their choices - and their new identities - to confused friends. They do all of this together, as a team. But when Ben finds himself falling in love with another woman, just as Frances realizes she's ready to settle down and have a baby, they are forced to confront the consequences of their experiment.