I loved ‘A Boy Made of Blocks’ and was therefore ultra excited to be offered a copy of 'Days of Wonder' to read and review. Keith Stuart’s novel had so much to live up to. What a tremendous amount of pressure that must have put on his shoulders, but he was certainly up to the job and this novel more than exceeded my expectations. It is fantastical, magical and a gift of a story for a booklover.
Single devoted Dad Tom was truly devastated when his daughter Hannah was diagnosed with serious heart disease at the age of three. For years he has nurtured, encouraged and coaxed her through endless hospital visits and crises. She is his very reason for living and everything is centred on her. Is she spoilt and precocious? Not a bit of it: she is kind, caring and an all-round nice teenager now aged fifteen. For year after year he has organised magical birthday treats for her. He is the manager of a provincial theatre and its thespian group. They come together to perform a play just for Hannah’s birthday. She is involved in every way. Her ideas are used and she is delighted with every single performance. The theatre is a second home to her and the actors and actresses are like family. Everyone loves and cares for her and her for them.
Two terrible pieces of news totally throw Tom and Hannah from all their normality of their being. The fact is their life is about to descend into chaos; it’s two bitter pills to swallow in one gulp. The Willow Tree Theatre looks set for closure, making way for housing. At the same time Hannah’s condition considerably deteriorates and she is forced to make a game-changing decision. Can Tom spin some more magic and save both Hannah and their precious theatre? That would be just too much to hope for. What happens next is a magical treat for you to savour and marvel at. I’m devastated to have finished this excellent novel, beautifully told and with true mastery, but conversely I had to read on and on right to the last page just so that my inner consciousness was satisfied, and I knew how the story ended and what a truly wonderful finale it was, well deserving of thunderous applause.
I’ve already written about some of the issues enfolded into this novel, but there is so much more to it than that. There’s passion, devotion, a whole range of marvellous relationships, depression, bullying, romances, grief, love, hope, commitment and even more. I loved the eclectic mix of characters, but Tom and Hannah were my stand out favourites. They were absolute gems. They had such a loving symbiotic relationship it made my heart melt. The story was full of love and laughter, empathy and courage and of the enchanting power of stories and what they truly mean. I cried, I’ll admit it, but I was awed by the power of this novel. I received a complimentary copy of this novel from publisher Sphere through my membership of NetGalley. These are my own honest opinions without any outside influences. It’s an excellent read and an all-round 5* review from me.

Once again Keith Stuart has channelled the essence of his characters so empathically that the reader roots for them and falls in love with them totally. He paints beautiful images and tells moving truths. To use a theatrical metaphor (as this book has a theatrical theme), a great show has a song, a dance a smile and a tear. This book is the perfect show! Can't wait for the next novel.

I was apprehensive about reading this book as I had loved “A Boy Made of Blocks” so much but it was an absolute delight.
The book follows the story of Tom and his daughter Hannah. Tom is the Manager of a small local theatre and every year he puts on a performance for his daughter’s birthday. Hannah has a life-limiting heart condition so these performances are especially poignant
I particularly loved the relationship between Hannah and Margaret, an 81 year old member of the theatre company. The theatre group serve as her family since her mother left when she was young and the relationships within the group are described exquisitely.
The book is told from both Tom and Hannah’s view which gives a deep perspective. The writing is style is simple and moving and I really felt that I cared about the characters.
A well-deserved 5 stars!
I received this book for free in return for an honest review.

This is a story about a single father who is trying to save his daughter through stories and fairy tales. Hannah has a life threatening heart condition and she can’t bear the thought of her dad being on his own when she has gone so she decides to find a partner for her dad so he won’t be left alone.

This is narrated alternatively between Tom (dad) and Hannah (daughter). It is very easy to follow and these characters were very likeable. This was a very good story, one that I would recommend highly.

Many thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read a copy for my honest review.

As a huge fan of Keith Stuart’s debut book ‘A Boy made of Blocks’ I was thrilled to be offered the opportunity by the publisher to read and review a pre-release copy of his latest novel. As always on such occasions when I eagerly look forward to a new publication, I hesitated for a fraction before plunging in to read … I just hoped the book would not disappoint. I need never have feared – it is truly a gem!

From the first couple of paragraphs into ‘Days of Wonder’ I knew I was in for a treat and settled back to enjoy, savouring the story, becoming engrossed with the characters and their lives. By the end my emotions had been on a rollercoaster ride, ending in tears, at times laughing out loud, all the time moved and touched to the core.

Keith Stuart’s first book was based on his own life experience as a father with an autistic son, ‘Days of Wonder’, his first fiction novel, also centers on the relationship between a father and his child; in this case a 15-year-old daughter, Hannah and her father Tom. Not only is Hannah seeking her natural independence, experiencing first-love, fretting about A-level options, she also has to contend with an uncertain future – and perhaps none at all. Since being diagnosed with a life-threatening heart-condition cardiomyopathy, her whole life has been under its shadow.

The disease has brought father and daughter wonderfully close together, their bond inseparable since her mother left whilst Hannah was still young. Tom has raised Hannah on his own, with the support of his eclectic theatre group which he manages. The members are close-knit and effectively a second, albeit quirky, surrogate family to Hannah, caring and understanding.

Since the initial diagnosis at the age of five, Tom has sought to bring magic into her life and a professionally produced birthday play at the theatre has been key to this … a tradition Tom is desperate to continue, one that Hannah feels less keen on in the cusp of adulthood… an adulthood that may never exist for her.

Starting the book my one fear was that the disease would dominate the book, that it could become mawkish and moribund. Not at all! The disease is a backdrop to so many stories within the book; the uncertain future of the theatre, how it has saved so many people. It’s about lives, relationships, friendships, love. Of living and dying. I became totally absorbed into not only Tom and Hannah’s lives but that of Ted, Angela, Margaret, Callum, Sally to name a few. Their fears, frustrations, courage and perseverance were uplifting and soulful.

Throughout feisty gutsy Hannah is insightful and wise beyond her years, whilst loving and worrying about her father as she desperately seeks to find him a date. Furthermore, she finds and becomes supportive of her first boyfriend; a young man equally crippled with a very different illness.

The book is effectively and skilfully told through the two-viewpoints of Tom and Hannah. With the latter, it is as if overhearing a private conversation, immediate, at times raw, at times swinging perfectly into modern jargon. As with Tom and the other characters, the sense of humour is impeccably narrated, the put-downs perfectly timed. Through Hannah’s words we learn about her best friends, including a very special 81-year-old lady, the dramas of school, relationships.

Tom’s narrative is personal, emotional, realistic … comically sardonic at times, other moments relating such humorous dating escapades I cried with laughter! As a reader, I couldn’t help but warm to him and feel for his predicament- caring and being over-protective and struggling to let go of his daughter. All the time, unaware his daughter is trying hard to protect her father from the future and for the future. His gentle, confessional tones mingled with the comic and drama persona whilst the ghost of his ex-wife lingered in the background, the possibility that they might yet be a family.

For both of them, there will never be a normal life … and as the novel develops they learn to embrace their predicament; their love and bond growing stronger as a result.

An interesting additional narrative format is the occasional letters in the book … deeply revealing about past events in Hannah’s life and written by her, it is only towards the end the reader becomes aware for whom they were written. This is yet one more poignant and emotional revelation in a novel which has heart-wrenching moments cascading throughout.

The descriptive detail by the author is superb, he is wonderfully visual in creating settings, presenting plays, and I became engrossed in them all and felt as if I’d been watching a film.

‘Days of Wonder’ is ultimately, and perhaps unexpectedly, a powerful, life-affirming and inspirational book. I was hooked from the very beginning and did not want to put it down for any breaks. It’s one of those books that I just had to read one more chapter until I sadly had to say goodbye to my new friends!

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest and impartial review.

This book was an utter joy to read, filled with laughter, tears, love and hope. It takes you on a journey that even when ended leaves memories that will linger for a long time to come.Thank to Netgalley and the Publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this superbly written book.

It's a lovely funny and heart warming story and the author has a wonderful way of bringing all the characters to life. 

The story of Hannah and Tom are wonderfully real and make you feel like you sharing the journey of some very special friends . 
Will definitely be recommending it
#daysofwonder

A lovely story of a father\daughter relationship. Full of magic and very heartwarming.

Tom, single father to Hannah, is the manager of a tiny local theatre. On the same day each year, he and its colourful cast of part-time actors have staged a fantastical production just for his little girl, a moment of magic to make her childhood unforgettable.
But there is another reason behind these annual shows: the very first production followed Hannah's diagnosis with a heart condition that both of them know will end her life early. And now, with Hannah a funny, tough girl of fifteen on the brink of adulthood, that time is coming.
With the theatre under threat of closure, Hannah and Tom have more than one fight on their hands to stop the stories ending. But maybe, just maybe, one final day of magic might just save them both.
A tale about growing up, the beauty of a special bond between father and daughter, and finding magic in everyday life,
I loved this book. I read it in one sitting. I was so involved with it, I could have been one of Tom and Hannah’s friends. It made me laugh and cry (especially cry!) I really didn’t want it to end! 5*

I loved this enchanting tale and was drawn in from the start. The characters are believable and one empathises with them. The story is written from two viewpoints, Tom and his daughter Hannah, with different styles. The Hannah sections are chatty and young whilst Tom's more serious and parental both looking out for the other. Two battles are going on, Hannah's illness and a fight to save a small local theatre. I grew up with the Andrew Lang fairy tales and still have 2 volumes in my bookcase and love the way these dark tales form a background to this book. This book has coincided with a particularly poignant time when a school friend of my daughter has been battling with a life limiting condition from childhood with many parallels. A sad emotional read but with admiration for the true grit shown by young Hannah which I saw with my daughter's friend. A thoroughly recommended read.

Delightfully wonderful!! This is one of those books that I was a little apprehensive in picking up, after loving The Boy Made of Blocks so much, as I always worry that the follow up won't be as fabulous. But within a few pages I was emotionally involved with the father and daughter who this story revolves around, and the tenderness and respect between these characters was just so charming that you cannot help but keep turning the pages as you are eager to find out what challenges they are set to face and hopefully conquer!

There's always been a strong bond between Tom and his daughter Hannah, as he has bought her up on his own and has had to be there for her as she fights her illness, a heart condition that has led to many restrictions on her life. But they've faced these things together and he's always looking for ways to make each day more magical for her, and each year on her birthday actors from the local theatre that he runs, put on a play for her. Within the group there are such a wide range of characters that add a nice mix to the story, and they all become like a little family as they're all so involved with each others' lives.

Hannah is always a realist though and is looking for her dad to find some happiness and so the story is also told from her point of view as she shares her own viewpoint on how challenging she finds her life and those that she meets along the way. She soon becomes close to Callum at her school, and he's not without his own problems, so she gets him involved in helping to find some romance for her dad.

I loved how the story went between the two characters, and the supporting cast were also fascinating to read about that there was always something going on and new to discover. It helps put the 'now' into perspective and to appreciate those little things that can make each day special in its' own little way! It was a touching, emotional and humorous book that was a delight to read!!

This is a lovely book. The author has taken the depressing and sad subject of a childhood illness and uncertain future and woven an interesting tale. There is sufficient humour and interest to balance the subject matter. I found it a little bit too sentimental in places but could forgive this because I liked the many and varied characters and thought they were well developed and interesting. The books centres around Tom, the father, and the small provincial theatre he runs and which is so much a part of his and his daughter Hannah's life, and how he copes with his daughter's illness and her uncertain future. Stories are an esssential way of understanding life and this theme is central to this book.

This book did fit the description, it was magical and moving. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was the magical theatre descriptions were just a bit too descriptive.
I loved the father/ daughter relationship and the epilogue was just lovely. Well worth a read.

LOVED 'A Boy Made of Blocks' by Keith Stuart, but not so sure this one quite matched my expectations. Tom and Hannah are the father and daughter of the story, their love and affection for each other matched only by their shared love of the theatre - and that is where the story lost me a bit. I appreciate that the theatre played a huge part in their lives, they wanted to save it and what it represented, but somewhere in the middle I started to find it a little bit tedious. What I wanted to hear about was Hannah's heart condition, the relationship between her and her father, Hannah's first boyfriend and his battle with depression, the wandering mother and ex-wife, Elizabeth, the friend Sally and her bullish husband! The human interest was great, writing sensitively on an emotive subject with a power that almost matched 'A Boy Made of Blocks,' and it was great to see a single father dealing with his teenage daughter in the absence of the mother figure. This is what made the book for me personally.
I give this book 3 stars.

I loved A Boy Made of Blocks and was blown away by the relationship so vividly drawn about a father trying to connect with his autistic son. So I was very excited to be reading this new novel by the same author. It is a charming, albeit heart-breaking, life-affirming story of a father and daughter battling her severe heart disease. There is little self-pity, but lots of humour, sometimes quite dark, and the closeness of the parent-child relationship is a thing of beauty. But, without spoilers, several details I felt missed the mark for me, and I didn't experience the same degree of empathy I had so much enjoyed in the previous book. Overall a tad disappointing and a 3.5 star read for me.

Oh I haven't read a book that I've loved quite this much in a long time! I was a huge fan of Boy Made of Blocks and when a friend recommended me Days Of Wonder and told me I'd love it even more- I was slightly sceptical. Hannah has had a life threatening heart condition since she was young and unable to handle it, her mother left and Hannah was brought up by her father. Her father runs a local theatre and the sense of wonder is incredible. The stories that take place in the theatre and the people who surround the pair as a surrogate family- the whole thing is just beautiful. This is an incredibly well written and moving novel and I can't recommend it highly enough.

The tale of the relationship between Tom and his daughter Hannah is very cleverly written. Both think they know the other so well, but as so often happens, both are often wrong.
Tom is a single parent after his wife, Hannah's mother, walks away. Hannah is a teenager with all the usual teenage angst about future plans, exams and boys. But Hannah has an extra factor to complicate life - a limiting and deteriorating heart condition.
Told with emotion and humour, with some great one-liners, this has a lovely ending, without being mawkish or too much of a fairy tale to be believable.
And as an added bonus we have the side stories of the theatre group where Tom works, where friends become family and their social life line is threatened.
Lovely story, thoughtfully written.

The story evolves around Tom and Hannah. Tom is a single father and manager of a local theatre. Hannah has a life limiting heart condition, and the theatre is threatened with closure. The story is beautiful from beginning to end and I had tears in my eyes at the end. There are so many different aspects to the story that the reader can relate to me, for me as a father to two teenage daughters the transition to adulthold really touched me. Would be difficult to explain the story without spoiling it. Without a doubt one of the most beautiful stories I have read in a long time and would totally recommend it.

The first thought that came to my mind after finishing this book was, wow what a magical story this was. I am pretty sure I won't make this book justice with my review but I'm gonna try.

Days of Wonder is a stunning story. It's an ode to theater and fairytales. To the magic of stories and how they inspire people and change lives. It's tender, it's sweet, it's funny and it's heart-wrenching. I haven't felt such deep emotions with a story in so long.

I was completely enthralled with Hannah's story. She was such a strong character. I loved her dark humour, her strength and her determination. The story was narrated in alternated chapters by both Hannah and her father, Tom, so as a reader you got to know them both quite well. Tom was also a fantastic character. His love for her daughter and his theater shone through the pages of this book.

Supporting these amazing main characters, there was a whole cast of secondary characters. The amateur theater group was like a little family, they all supported each other and were always there to celebrate their joys but also to mourn their loses. And then, there were Hannah's friends from high-school and the comic book store. They all added their own touch to the story and I came to love them all too.

Days of Wonder stole a tiny piece of my heart that I don't think I'll ever get back. After I finished reading it, all I wanted to do was start all over again and go back to these characters. It's one of those rare books that make you feel privileged to have read it. I definitely recommend this story to everyone looking for a bit of magic.

Let me start with what this book is not, it’s not gritty or gripping, it’s not depressing or morose even though it deals with the lives of a father and daughter growing up with a life limiting disease and it’s not an overly sentimental tear-fest as some books on this sort of subject are.
So, what is it? For me, it is just a delight. It is poignant and thought-provoking, gentle and a bit magical. The story is strong and throughout I did wonder what the outcome would be but I wondered in the nicest, gentlest way. It was funny and sad as well as endearing and uplifting, and the characters are wonderful. I have, as I think will be a common view, a real love for Margaret, some of her lines are brilliantly funny, as well as Tom and Hannah and in fact all of them!
I loved the author’s first book - A Boy Made of Blocks; it was one of my outstanding reads of the year so I was absolutely delighted to see this new one but also wondered whether it would live up to my expectations. It certainly did that and more.
This book is simply stunning. I am so pleased I read it and it will stay with me for a long time.