Days of Wonder is a well, let’s just say, a wonder of a novel, and one I think will stay with me for a very long time.

I must admit I was a little apprehensive when I started this novel as “A Boy made of blocks” was so damn good, and I wasn't sure what to expect from the authors next, but I actually think it was even better.

Hannah Rose is Fifteen and has a chronic illness, a life limiting heart condition. She knows that her life will end earlier than she wants it to and she isn’t afraid of dying. She also knows that her Father isn’t prepared for this at all.

Tom Rose, Hannah’s Father, is a single parent and a theatre manager. His life is devoted to those two things since Hannah’s Mother left when she was small. His life, despite its challenges has been filled with joy with Hannah growing up and his amazing theatre friends putting on some memorable productions.

We first meet the pair of them in Hannah’s first performing role at the Willow Tree Theatre. Although she has always been involved in productions, her dead Dad has naturally been worried about her treading the boards, but as she approaches her Sixteenth Birthday she puts her foot down insists on a role in the latest production.

It is here that we learn of her illness for the first time, and how things can change within a blink of eye. Without giving too much away, I can only reveal that Hannah’s condition takes a sudden turn for the worse and the theatre is threatened with closure by the local council.

Everything that seemed perfect in life is suddenly thrown into uncertainty and Hannah and Tom must rally around each other as well as their friends to plan for the future. I don’t know if it’s because I also live with a Chronic illness (not life threatening) but I really identified with Hannah and her struggles. She is an amazing young woman and Tom a rightfully proud parent.

Days of Wonder is beautifully written novel and one I highly recommend. I can’t wait to see what Keith Stuart has up his sleeve next.

I loved The Boy Made of Blocks and I was really looking forwarding to reading Days of Wonder and it certainly did not disappoint. I devoured it from start to finish and had tears rolling down my face at the end. I loved the reallness of the teenage language used by Hannah. Her relationship with her dad was simply stunning. She was such an inspiration and force of nature and I will be thinking about her for a long time to come.

I fell in love with Hannah, her dad, Callum, Vanessa, Jay, Sally and all the other people I met while reading this book. A must-read!

Following on from his wonderful debut "A Boy Made of Blocks", Keith Stuart has managed to produce another heartrending and poignant book in "Days of Wonder";
a beautifully written and moving tale.
 
Tom has been bringing up his 15 year old daughter Hannah alone since his wife walked out on them over ten years previously. Hannah was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy - a degenerative heart disease - at age 4 and her future, if she had one at all, was filled with uncertainty. Tom has dealt with this devastating curve ball as best he can and is understandably quite overprotective of Hannah, a fact that causes Hannah much chagrin as she is feisty and independent, and realising that she might not have as long to live as others, she wants to fit as much into the time she has left as she possibly can. Tom runs a small local theatre - The Willow Tree - and Hannah has pretty much been brought up there amongst the cast and crew - a somewhat ramshackle, but caring family of friends. They've rubbed along together quite nicely, but now it seems that Hannah's health is taking a turn for the worse.
 
Narrated by Tom and Hannah alternatively, and interspersed with letters to the unknown 'Willow', the tone changes between the two viewpoints - Tom's harassed, well-meaning but awkward attempts to look after his little girl, and his teenage daughter's irritation at his interfering. 'Hannah's' writing really does read like a teenager. All overdramatic. It's a clever way of relaying the story to the reader because it shows how different the same event can seem depending on the perspective you are viewing it from - it also adds some (often dark) humour.
 
As with both of Keith Stuart's books, there is a lot of emotive writing, and in my opinion it is this area that the author excels in. There are laugh out loud moments as we follow Tom on various Internet dates (one involving a pizza is my particular favourite) and there are times when the interaction between Hannah and her best friend, 81 year old actress Margaret can bring a lump to your throat.
 
This book is brave, evocative and honest. There was a scene with Margaret that I felt was really quite over the top but it added brevity to a difficult subject and actually set up some scenes further along.
 
The epilogue is beautiful and moving and brought tears to my eyes. There was an 'aaaaah' moment which was perfectly played out and the ending was just…beautiful. All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable read.

“There is such a thing as magic”. A great opening line. This is a book about magic. Not just the magic that you find in fairy tales and fantasy books, or even with comic book heroes – all of which get a mention. “I just mean the idea that incredible things are possible, and that they can be conjured into existence through will, effort and love.” This is the magic of stories, of people, of life and living.
The book alternates chapter between two narrators; Tom – devoted father, actor and theatre manager; and Hannah – daughter with serious heart condition. Hannah, like all seriously ill children, is a fully mature adult at age fifteen. The Days of Wonder begin with her fifth birthday, immediately following her diagnosis, when Tom gets his amateur dramatic group to create a faerie cavalcade outside Hannah’s window at night. Thereafter, every birthday comes with a newly produced (by Hannah and Tom) fairy tale acted out at the Willow Tree Theatre.
Hannah’s mother disappeared when she was three, but the theatre and its amateur dramatic group become her family. One of the strongest things about this book is its characters – not just Tom and Hannah – but all the theatre troupe get to play their parts. Everyone should have a Margaret in their lives. Someone with risqué anecdotes of their former life, that may or may not be true, but are always wonderful to hear, and who is always willing to listen, and to talk about any topic – including death – with a teenager (“It’s weird, but when we talk about life and more specifically its unavoidable conclusion, we do it as equals – we don’t bother to reassure each other. No one else in my life does that – they feel they have to protect me from any mention of death. Or more accurately, protect themselves.”). There is Ted, an accountant, who really wants to be a lion tamer. Actually, I made that bit up, but he does want to spice up his life by travelling around Europe in a classic motorcycle sidecar (with or without his wife). Natasha sees the theatre as her escape from the stifling demands of motherhood (“She told me that living in Somerset feels like being trapped in a cross between Groundhog Day and Deliverance. I looked up Deliverance on Google – I don’t think it was a compliment”). For Sally the theatre is somewhere she can finally get to use her organisational skills, and grow in confidence.
Outside of the theatre there is Callum, in whom Hannah has absolutely no interest at all. She might even believe that if she says it often enough. Like Hannah, Callum is seriously into comics. And like Hannah, he has his own health issues, as does her friend, Daisy (“Sometimes I forget she’s broken like me. While I’m hiding in the theatre or reading comics, she’s out drinking and shagging. She’s so much better at being chronically ill than I am”).
Hannah knows she “could drop dead at any second” and feels unable to plan for her own future. However, she does feel the need to plan for her father’s: “When you’re this sick, you learn really fast that you have to protect your parents”. With the connivance of Sally, Hannah starts to set up some blind dates for Tom – none of which go as planned.
I got so invested in the characters in this book, especially Hannah, and expected to lose her any time. I spent the first third of the book checking on how far through I was – 10% that means Hannah lives at least another 70%, 20% she has another 60% of the story to go … And then suddenly I switched, and watched her LIVE. Soon after, Tom also realised that she had grown up, and that he needed to loosen the apron strings – just a little.
The story, then, got very emotional. Never saccharine. Just honest-to-goodness emotional. I started blubbing – happens very rarely, but I just could not help it.
The ending is just magical – that is, the ending of the current story. The epilogue ties up some loose ends, but isn’t really needed.
This is a truly wonderful story, and I recommend it to anyone with a heart – broken or otherwise.
“This is what I’ve always understood about the theatre – it is a place of possibilities, of magic – it is not bound by the rules the rest of the world has to follow … life always seeks to limit you, but it can’t do that here. The world is as big as you want it to be and it lasts as long as memory”.
Warning: do not read this book in public, if you are in any way shape or form emotional!
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This is a brilliant story. I love the characters, the setting and the way it is written. I have laughed and cried my way through this book. It is about living your life to the full. Hannah and her father Tom have a really special bond. I felt totally immersed in the story from the start. Hannah is inspirational. This is definitely a book that I recommend.

First book I head read by this author - such an emotional but enjoyable read.

The story is told from the points of view of both Tom and his daugther Hannah. Great set of characters, in particular Margaret!

Hard to describe without giving away the story - so you just have to read it for yourself!

I absolutely loved this book! It's just as good, if not better than 'A boy made of blocks.' Tom is a single parent to 15 year old Hannah. He is the manager of a theatre in a small west country town. Hannah has been living with a heart condition for a number of years, and both she and Tom know it could be life limiting. This is their story - how the theatre and the local drama group enrich their lives, and how Hannah copes with her diagnosis. I laughed out loud and I cried at this book. It's a wonderful story, which I thoroughly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

A wonderful books that get in touch with both your brain and your emotions. A wonderful group of characters, a very gripping plot, and a great style of writing.
One of the best books this year.
Many thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and Netgalley for the ARC

I lurched towards the end of this book in the garden centre cafe, trying not to sob over my slice of caramel shortcake & coffee and failing miserably. It was one of those mind-grabbing reads, where all the characters began to feel very quickly like friends, and I didn't just want to know what would happen, I needed to know.
Although there is a lot of sadness within the story, there's also so much humour and love that it doesn't feel overwhelming, or too hard to read. And there is also, importantly, a wonderful sense of magic throughout. I was involved in various different drama performances and plays throughout my childhood, so I identified a lot with the ideas and themes being discussed. It brought back lots of happy memories. I loved the relationship between Hannah and her dad - even when it isn't working all that well, it's really well written, and felt very realistic.
There were a couple of reasons that this ended up being a 4 star review, rather than a 5 star review for me: the ending - I didn't need that final conclusion, and I would have felt happier without it, however much I knew what was ultimately to come for Hannah. I also wasn't entirely happy with the conversations between Hannah's parents...the will they/won't they felt a little jumbled at times, and I was never quite sure how I was supposed to feel about Hannah's mum (I didn't like her, but I think I was supposed to forgive her...but I didn't!) But apart from this, it's a really great book.

Tom is a single father who's a manager of a provincial theatre and looks after his teenage daughter Hannah, who has a life - limiting heart condition. Hannah's mum has left - for a long time it's not explained why, however I was starting to guess what could have happened. Tom is determined to make Hannah's life as unforgettable and as special as possible, so with the help of his theatre's friends he stages a once in a lifetime exceptional play for his daughter's each and every birthday. Mostly they are based on fairytales, because Hannah loves them. Very soon the theatre and people working/helping to run it become a big part of the girl's life. But Hannah is growing up - is theatre really all she wants? And Hannah's dad - she's as determined as he was, to make the time they have left together special, to make sure that when she's gone he will be looked after, just as he looked after her.

I've read and absolutely loved Keith Stuart's debut novel, "A Boy Made of Block", so it is not a wonder that discovering a review copy of his second book on my doorstep made me very, very happy. Yes, I was a little afraid to read this book, of course, because I was asking myself after such mind - blowing debut would the author be able to make this dreaded second novel as wonderful as the first one? Oh my word, guys, Keith Stuart delivered, totally and with ease - "Days of Wonder" was perfect. Not too wishy - washy, not too sad, not too sugary, not too depressing, not too sentimental - just perfect. He took us on a wonderful and emotional rollercoaster - like journey that will make you smile and burst into tears in just one sentence and live the story through the characters. Keith Stuart can immediately enchant you with his writing style, he draws the reader immediately into the story, from the very first page you can feel as a part of the book's world.

The story is told from Tom and Hannah's points of view in alternative chapters. and boy, what distinctive, vivid voices they had! I immediately warmed to them and connected to them. The love between them was so real, raw and honest, so perfectly captured and put into words. I loved their banter, how they got each other, how they understood each other without words, how they challenged each other into getting dressed in second - hand especially chosen clothes and go to the restaurants. They laughed together and cried together and they respected each other. Their relationship was not a bed of roses, oh no, Hannah did also caused troubles but it only made them much more real and believable.
However, not only the main characters, but all of the background ones, are perfectly written and believable but I can't not focus on Hannah and Tom. I absolutely adored them and their relationship, that was not too forced, seemed so natural and genuine and they all had everyday problems and issues to contend with. Hannah was brilliant, cool as a cucumber. She was edgy and sharp and incredibly clever but not too overdone for her age - probably because of her condition, of not seeing the future, she was bold and brave and took life by the horns. She also tried to couple her father up with a woman, just in case, so that he won't be alone. She was this kind of character that you love so much that you hope till the end that somehow she's going to survive, even if you know that it's impossible.
I was very invested in the characters' lives. They all had their own story to tell and I love the fact that the author has found a place for those stories in his book. There was this brilliantly, overwhelming community feel to it, they supported not only Hannah and Tom but also each other, even though all of them had their own problems and private turmoil. They all rose to the challenge, they showed what they can achieve as a group, when there is a problem to solve or when somebody needs help.

It was a beautiful, poignant and sharp story about not giving up, about never losing hope, about beautiful, unconditional love, about family. It is a real roller - coaster ride of feelings and emotions, and the author effortlessly transports you into the characters' world, I really felt a part of it, and I experienced and lived through everything together with the characters. I wanted them to succeed, I applauded them and I cried with them. They all were a great bunch of characters and I am going to remember them for a long time yet.

"Days of Wonder" was first and foremost a story about love, but also about letting go, about spreading your wings, about trust. About friendship. Written in such light, chatty and accessible way, with a great feeling of authenticity, full of feelings and emotions. The author so very easily brought not only characters to life but also the setting and especially the Willow Tree Theatre. It was a truly magical place. And yes, the words on the cover stating that "Days of Wonder" is "The most magical and moving story of the year" are absolutely true - it was magical, and it was moving, and moreover, it was beautiful and enchanting. It touched upon some really heavy issues, like Hannah's heart condition or Callum's depression but it never feels too heavy or difficult to read. No. It was poignant, yes, but is also was very uplifting. There really isn't anything that I didn't like about this book. I savoured every single word and didn't want to put it down. It was a real delight to read and I can't recommend it highly enough!

I wasn't too sure of this book at first, and whilst there was enough interest to keep me reading, the first half dragged a bit for me - but persevere, because it was probably just me, and the second half is so much better and I couldn't stop reading it then.

It is written in alternating chapters by Tom and Hannah. Tom runs a local theatre, and Hannah is his daughter and has a life threatening heart disease. It is very clever and gives you both viewpoints all through the book, and a lot of the time Hannah seems like more the adult in the story, and Tom, whilst his heart is in the right place, is definitely more scatterbrained, although absolutely devoted to his daughter.

We go through their lives from Hannah's diagnosis as a small child, and most of the book centres around her as a 15 year old and reaching a very critical time in her illness. There are so many great side characters, I absolutely loved 81 year old Margaret, who had such tall tales of the her time in showbusiness, even though no-one was entirely sure they were true... but the truth does come out eventually. There were humourous parts where Hannah was trying to set up her Dad on internet dating, and really sad parts with various illnesses, death and relationships issues.

But the main story is firmly set around the theatre and the 'family' of regular actors. And when the council wants to close them down Hannah decides to rally the troops, even though she's really ill at the time, to try and stop them, all to help her Dad and without him knowing.

Of course Hannah's illness also runs throughout the story and you are always hoping for the very best outcome for her.

A really lovely, happy, sad, life affirming book that I definitely shed a few tears to, and in more than one place. I love that it didn't leave us wondering what happened to everyone either as there was an epilogue set in the future. One of those books that will linger for a long time and make you appreciate the life you have.

The love of a father and a daughter with a life limiting illness, first teenage love and the love of theatre all bring a beautiful story together. I really enjoyed reading this book and didn't want it to end.

Not my usual type of book, but I like to read a different genre in between my usual thrillers and sci fi,and when I read a book as good as this one ,I think I should be adventurous more often.I loved this book, I loved the humour ,the fact that the characters were so well written they were totally believable,and I cared what happened to them.There was quite a lot going on as well lots of little sub plots and I was enthralled by the story.not giving anything away ,all I can say is read this book and cherish it, I did,it gets 5 stars from me, and I would love to read more by this writer.Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an ARC.

I absolutely adored A Boy Made of Blocks by Keith Stuart and I have recommended his work quite often, because it is a great read, but also for its emotional and educational value in regards to the topic of autism and a father seeking a connection to his son.

I was genuinely interested to see of he could bring the same kind of emotional inner turmoil and tug-of-war to the table with Days of Wonder.

The answer to that is yes, but in a completely different way. The focus in Days of Wonder is on the relationship between Tom and his daughter Hannah, however the difference is the connection between them is already there. Instead the author explores the difficulty between father and daughter as she comes of age, with the added tragic factor of a future she may never be part of.

The topic of a child with heart disease is one I found easy to relate to. Being told that your child has joined the inner sanctum and group of children suffering from or affected by a terribly frightening disease, especially when it comes out of the blue, is devastating and incredibly traumatic.

Luckily for my child, who was a guinea pig for a new procedure nearly 25 years ago, the medical world had a solution and she is now a healthy young woman. For Tom and Hannah the reality is a lot more dire. They both know that their time together is limited and on a timer.

Tom decided a long time ago to make every birthday Hannah manages to celebrate an event to remember, and there is no limit to his imagination. I loved the ideas he prepared for his child, especially the fairy parade. What a wonderful memory and experience to give to your child. This is the kind of parent Tom is, but he is also a typical father who has trouble letting his beautiful caged bird fly and experience the world for herself.

Days of Wonder is an ode to the relationships between fathers and daughters. The majority of stories focus on mother and daughter bonds or dysfunctional family relationships, which makes this a refreshing change of tempo and a smorgasbord of emotions.

Stuart manages to change a tragedy into a warm, heartfelt coming-of-age story. He portrays the father as a man willing to go to any length to ensure his daughter experiences each moment to the fullest, even when she decides it is time to cut the cord between them. Kudos to the author for giving Days of Wonder the ending it deserved, and not falling prey to the scenario some readers may want to see, as opposed to the brutal reality it needed.

Keith Stuart offers up his heart, mind and part of his soul, which is part of his style and it’s what makes his books so memorable. He invites the reader to sit down at the table with his characters and become part of the family. At the end of Days of Wonder you may just see the fairies dancing in your garden at night too, and that is the magic Stuart creates.

Thanks to NetGalley and to Little, Brown and Company UK (Clara Díaz in particular) for providing me an ARC copy of this book that I freely chose to review.
I read and reviewed Keith Stuart’s first novel A Boy Made of Blocks, a truly extraordinary book, a couple of years ago, and loved it. I could not resist when I was offered the opportunity to read the author’s second novel. And, again, it was love at first read.
Days of Wonder has some similarities to A Boy. It does center on the relationship between a father and his child (in this case, Hannah), and how their relationship is shaped by a specific condition affecting the child (Asperger’s in the first novel, a chronic cardiac illness that cannot be cured and will only get worse in this novel). All the characters are beautifully portrayed, not only the protagonists but, in this case, also an array of secondary characters that become an ersatz family unit.
Tom, the father, runs a small theatre and has close links to the amateur theatrical group. His wife, Elizabeth, left the family when their daughter was three and leads the life of a high-flier, with no real contact with her family. Hannah has grown-up in the theatre, surrounded by the players and by stories, both on stage and out.
The book, narrated in the first person by both Tom and Hanna (mostly in alternating chapters, although towards the end there are some that follow the same character’s point of view, due to the logic of the story). Hannah’s narration in the present is interspersed with what appear to be diary entries addressed to Willow, (the theatre is called The Willow Tree). She is a strong girl, who loves her father, the theatre and the players, her friends, and who has a can-do attitude, despite her serious illness, or perhaps because of it. She knows how valuable each moment is, and lives it to the fullest (within her limitations). She is worried about her father and how much he has focused his life on her and decides that he must find a woman and live a fuller life. She loves comics, fairy-tales, is funny (having a sense of humour does help in such a situation, without a doubt), witty, and wise beyond her years, whilst being a credible teenager who worries about boys and can sometimes have questionable judgement. I challenge anybody not to fall in love with Hannah, her enthusiasm, and her zest for life.
Tom is a father who tries his hardest in a very difficult situation, and who sometimes finds himself in above his head, unable to function or to decide, frozen by the enormity of the situation. He is one of the good guys, he’d do anything to help anybody, and some of his philosophical reflections are fairly accurate, although, like most of us, he’s better at reading others than at understanding himself. His date disasters provide some comic relief but he is somebody we’d all love to count as a friend. Or, indeed, a father.
One of my favourite characters is Margaret, an older woman who has become a substitute grandmother for Hannah, and who is absolutely fabulous, with her anecdotes, her straight speaking, her X-ray vision (she knows everything that goes on even before the people involved realise what is going on sometimes), and she is a bit like the fairy-godmother of the fairy tales Hannah loves so much. As for the rest, Callum, Hannah’s boyfriend, is a very touching character, with many problems (the depiction of his depression is accurate and another one of the strong points of a book full of them), and the rest of the theatre crew, although they appear to be recognisable types at first sight (the very busy mother who wants some space for herself, the very capable woman whose husband is abusive, a retired man whose relationship with his wife seems to be falling apart, a gay man who can’t confess his attraction for another member of the group…), later come across as genuine people, truly invested in the project, and happy to put everything on the line for the theatre.
The novel is set in the UK and it has many references that will delight the anglophiles and lovers of all-things-British, from language quirks to references to plays, movies, TV series and festivals. (Oh, and to local politics as well), but I’m sure that the lack of familiarity with them will not hinder the readers’ enjoyment. Although there are also quite a number of references to theatre plays and comics (and I don’t know much about comics, I confess), they never overwhelm the narration and are well integrated into the story, adding to its depth.
The book deals in serious subjects (family break-ups, abuse, chronic physical and mental illnesses [affecting young people, in particular], aging and death, growing-up, single-parent families) and whilst it makes important points about them, which many readers will relate to, they are seamlessly incorporated into the fabric of the novel, and it never feels preachy or as if it was beating you over the head with a particular opinion or take on the topic.
Reading the author’s comment above, I can vouch for his success. This is indeed a book about love, life, and magic. It is a declaration of love to the world of theatre and to the power of stories. The novel is beautifully written, flows well, and the readers end up becoming members of their troupe, living their adventures, laughing sometimes and crying (oh, yes, get the tissues ready) at other times. Overall, despite its sad moments, this is a hopeful feel-good book, heart-warming and one that will make readers feel at peace with themselves and the world. It has a great ending and although I wondered at first if the epilogue was necessary, on reflection, it is the cherry on top of the trifle. Perfect.
The book is endlessly quotable and I’ve highlighted a tonne of stuff, but I couldn’t leave you without sharing something.
Here is Hanna, talking about magic:
I don’t mean pulling rabbits out of hats or sawing people in half (and then putting them back together: otherwise it’s not magic, it’s technically murder). I just mean the idea that incredible things are possible, and that they can be conjured into existence through will, effort and love.
As I’m writing this review on Star Wars Day, I could not resist this quote, again from Hannah:
I feel as though it’s closing in around me, like the trash-compactor scene in Star Wars, except I have no robots to rescue me although I do have an annoying beeping box next to the bed doing a twenty-four-hours-a-day impression of R2-D2.
Oh, and another Star Wars reference:
It’s as though the spirit of Margaret is working through me, like a cross between Maggie Smith and Yoda.
And a particularly inspiring one:
Margaret told me that you must measure life in moments —because unlike hours or days or weeks or years, moments last forever. I want more of them. I am determined. I will steal as many as I can.
A beautiful book, a roller-coaster of emotions, and an ode to the power of stories, to their magic, and to family love, whichever way we choose to define family. I urge you to read it. You’ll feel better for it. And I look forward to reading more books by its author, who has become one of my favourites.

Oh my goodness, Hannah’s story told from both hers and her father Tom’s view made me sob several times. The story of Hannah’s ill ess and the intertwining story of thr Willow Tree Theatre and the campaign to save it - for so many personal reasons was just beautiful. The beginning of thr boom makes clear there will not be a happily ever after for Hannah, but what a wonderful story the journey was. Highly recommend - wear sunglasses to hide the tears!

What an absolutely fabulous book this was! You know when you can tell from the very first pages it’s going to be a great book? It was like that! So let me tell you more about what I loved about this fabulous book:
I loved both Tom and Hannah, although I definitely had more of a soft spot for Tom, maybe even a slight book crush. They felt so real and I felt like I was actually part of their lives, not just a fly on the wall.
I loved the way Hannah and Tom told their stories through alternating chapters, revealing their close father/daughter relationship.
I loved all the theatre, fairy tale, and comic book analogies, it made me want to read fairy tales again and try comic books. Any recommendations of where to start?
I loved everyone in the drama group, they made me want to join in, especially the trip to the drama festival with the cheap cider and acrobatic insect troupe!
I loved Tom’s dating adventures and really loved the sound of that adult music lesson. Where can I find one of those near me?
I loved the character development of both Hannah growing up, and Tom learning to let go.
I loved the comic book shop even though I’m not a comic book fan, but I wanted to hang out there with Hannah.
I loved how it made me smile, laugh out loud and nearly cry. It had such a sense of hope and wonder all the way through, making me think about my own life and how I might treasure and enjoy everything and everyone around me more.
I loved that I’ve found a new favourite author in Keith Stuart.
I could tell you about so many other moments that I loved, but that would ruin the story for you. It’s one of my favourite books this year and I will definitely be getting myself a paper copy so I can re-read it. I’m going to be recommending this to friends, family and, given the chance complete strangers!

My favourite book of the year so far. Tom and Hannah are wonderful, realistic characters and it’s incredibly touching to read about their relationship in such difficult circumstances. I was torn between crying and laughing throughout the book. There’s even a hint of romance in the story, and I had no idea which way it would go. This is definitely a book I would want to read over again - a quiet masterpiece.

I loved this book! Heartwarming, engaging and poignant are three words that come to mind. Hannah and her father Tom are great characters and easy to relate to. Some of Tom’s dating experiences made me laugh out loud. Hannah is living under the shadow of heart disease and Days of Wonder is all about making every day count. It’s beautifully written and funny and sad at the same time. I was slightly wary in case it was a bit depressing because of Hannah’s illness but it wasn’t at all. It’s a lovely, uplifting read about the power of magic and the theatre, how people come together and how to make every moment count. A wonderful book!