I never read any other book by this author so this came as a wonderful surprise.
The book is well written, moving and heartwarming at same time.
You cannot help feeling for the characters and you want that the story never ends.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC

"It was a mystery, like a clue in a Famous Five story, but Tilly had a horrible feeling that this one was not going to end up with smiles all round, a slap-up tea, and a biscuit for Timmy.

This is my first Ruth Hogan novel, and it won't be my last. She enticed me with her opening line alone:
"My mother killed my father when I was seven years old. Now, thirty-nine years later, she is dead too, and I am an orphan."

Her way with words is as magical as a fairy godmother, the pages are her spells, and the reader receives what magic has been cast when reading her words.

In terms of plot, there's really not much of one. Instead the author explores the relationship between Tilly and her mother, with a strong theme of mental health alongside. The reader is taken on the journey of Tilly's childhood, Tilda's adulthood and the reasons why her upbringing went so awry. It wasn't exciting, but it was emotional. In fact, one scene in this book was described as "emotional armageddon" and I think that's a perfect description for the entire novel.

I found each character complex and moving, with a huge dollop of sparkling individuality. Although, I did find it a little difficult to find my footing when I first began reading this book, it was unclear to me if the character was relevant and how they connected to the story, because each character was so original and beautifully described that it seemed such a red flag for the author to put in so much effort into the creation of each of these fictional beings, and not have them in a bigger, main role within the story. Admittedly, I was having to dip in and out of the novel at first because of real life responsibilities, which, by the way, I wouldn't recommend - setting down this novel or indulging in obligatory duties.
"He nods and smiles and chats to his customers as he glides easily through the intricate patterns woven by social interactions, balancing plates and cups and saucers like a circus juggling act on ice skates. I'm more like the clown with too-big shoes, who gets squirted in the fact with water from the fake flower."

As each perception alternated, so did the prose. The author decided to write Tilda's point of view in first person, whereas have Tilly in mostly third, but sometimes first. This gave me readers whiplash. And made me uneasy. Which is why this wasn't a five star for me. Although the writing was poignant, resoundful, and utterly soulful, I couldn't seem to settle in.

However; thankfully I did find that it started to come together at the halfway mark. I realised that the first half is clearly just to engage with the reader whilst the second half guides the readers into gingerly exploring a fraught relationship between mother and daughter. So after rubbing my whiplashed neck, I began to see a storyline emerging. The storyline I saw emerging wasn't the 'big picture', though; with the allusions to Daniel, I thought the writing would take a more romantic approach, similar to Truths and Triumps of Grace Atherton , instead it leaned more towards Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine , but it also stood out on it's own merit with an impressive sheer originality. Even though the story didn't take the romance route, there's enough adorable intimacy within the writing to make me want to melt into the novel myself.
"He grabs me by both arms and kisses me passionately on the lips. It's not exactly Love Actually, but it's a start. Of course, if this was a film, there would have been a spontaneous round of applause from the customers in the cafe at this point, but in real life, there's a rather embarrassed and very English hush, followed by one of the old ladies remarking, 'That's all very well, but when's he going to take our order?'"
In fact, the talent Ruth Hogan has for writing makes me want to bawl my eyes out, it's so instantly compelling and has such a whimsical quality to it, as well as a depth that could challenge an onion with the amount of layers it holds.

I also have to applaud the delicate recurring theme of mental illness that held a sturdy place in the story. I found it extremely moving and I think that the author approached a difficult subject in a respectful way. Letting the mental health issues grow important whilst describing such inner anguish in a plaintive and graceful way.
"They have put me in the asylum. Stevie and that bloody doctor. I'm not myself, apparently. Well, I pity the poor sod that I am. I'm so tired. I'm too tired to be anyone, let alone myself."
I found this book to be an incredible emotional roller coaster, I'm not sure I knew what was going on at every height and drop, but I enjoyed the ride.

Thank you to the publisher Two Roads and Net Galley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is outing number three for Ruth Hogan and I felt that it returned a little more to the glory of The Keeepr of Lost things. Whilst I enjoyed The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes, I did feel that it was missing some of the magic. But here told through two perspectives, Tilly and Tilda the magic is restored.

The setting for much of this book is Brighton and Ruth Hogan does a brilliant job of imaginging being by the see and feeling the wind whipping through your hair. It's atmospheric and is the perfect setting for the strange and wonderful things that unfurl through the book.

I liked this booked because it was fundamentally about relationships, and about learning to look at situations with new eyes, and accepting that how we think we knew the past may only be from a single perspective and therefore flawed. There were parts that I chuckled out loud during this book, and the beauty in the depth of characters was wonderful.

That's not to say it was perfect, at times I felt it was stomping a bit, that I didn't really see where it was going, and that I wanted more. At times I was a bit lost as well, with who was who and were they really just a <spoiler> ghost </spoiler>.

I'd recommend anyone to read this though, it's about forgiveness and learning the grow and the sacrifices that we're willing to make for those we love.

What a beautiful story.

Tilda's mother has passed away, and Tilda is left to sort out her house and belongings. With the discovery of her mother's diary, Tilda is able to piece together her own story, the childhood of Tilly, and how her father was killed.

Tilly's childhood was lived out at Queenie Malone's Paradise Hotel, inhabited by a wealth of loveable and eccentric characters. All the characters in this story are splendid, and I cared deeply for them - from Tilly's amusing misunderstandings and the things she sees, to the eccentric sometime 'Anita Iceberg', Eli the dog, Daniel the cafe owner, and Queenie.

Love runs through this story where nothing is quite as it seems. Heartwarming and easy to read, highly recommended.

Really enjoyed this book. Heart warming & compelling. Completely different to all the other books I’ve read recently which was very refreshing. Thanks for the preview.

This is a charming enough book,6 year old Tilly is sweet and funny.
Grown up Tilly takes the lead in the story,revealing why there was such a break in her relationship with her mother.
It's full of interesting characters... quirky.
But I felt something was missing...surely more should have been made of the fact Tilly could see ghosts? Everyone just accepted it.
I also found the sent-away-to-school thing odd.... there was no mention of what happened after school finished.
Minor niggles,in what Is,as I said,a charming book.

What a lovely lovely book! A total departure from what I normally read but I’m so glad I did! I am now going to seek out the author’s previous work!

I have loved Ruth Hogans previous two book and was really looking forward to this one. It did not disappoint. This story was a real touching one with lovely lovely charaters.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to opportunity to read and review this book.

Having really enjoyed 'The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes' I was keen to read Ruth Hogan's new book and it didn't disappoint.
Told from two perspective's, Tilly is a 6 year old girl who has lost her Daddy and misses him desperately. Tilda is her older, somewhat broken self, who has to go back to Brighton and clear her Mothers flat after her death. She finds a diary and starts to put together what really happened all those years ago.
I loved the setting of Queenie's hotel, although we don't come across it until about halfway though the book. Heart-warming and heartbreaking in equal measure.
*Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion^

Ruth Hogan is becoming one of my favorite authors loved The Keeper Of Lost Things and now love this wonderful book .Each Characters warm charming delightful .Will be recommending to all my friends #netgalley#johnmurraypress.

This novel is quite simply adorable with the most engaging and lovable characters. This is the story of Tilly/Tilda, a seven year old girl and her grown-up self. Tilly is enchanting; she is funny and bright, she is intrigued by and equally puzzled by adults and confused by certain words. She loves fish fingers, swear words and going to the Catholic church with Mrs O’Flaherty. She sees people who aren’t there and has a friend in Eli, a dog only she can see.

Her world suddenly changes when she is taken by her mother to live at Queenie Malone’s Paradise Hotel in Brighton. It is here that she becomes part of a family of endearing, eccentric characters: Queenie; Lily the cook; Cecily the maid; Reg the lodger and Queenie’s Mum who goes by a variety of film star names. Tilly’s joyous life suddenly comes to an end when her mother sends her away to boarding school for reasons she cannot understand.

We meet the grown-up Tilda shortly after her mother’s death. They have never been very close and it is only as Tilda begin to read her mother’s diaries that she begins to understand who she really was and why she had to send little Tilly away. The older Tilda also has a lovely supporting cast including: Joseph Geronimo Heathcliff O’Shea, a man of mystery; Daniel the owner of a nearby cafe and soon to become her love interest and Penelope, her late mother’s next door neighbour.

This is primarily a novel about love and relationships, particularly that between a mother and daughter. It is told with such wit, warmth and humour. It is both extraordinarily funny and incredibly poignant. Ruth Hogan is a born story teller and her characters leap off the page; I really wanted them to be my friends too. It will my mission to recommend this book to anyone who crosses my path.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley and the publisher, Two Roads, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much.

Having read The Keeper of Lost Things by this author and found it to be a wonderful heartwarming story, it was with some trepidation that I started this book, thinking that nothing could come close to her first book. I had no need to worry this book was equally wonderful, the characters were brilliant and I laughed and cried in equal measure. I will be recommending it to everyone I know.