This story had great potential, it is well written and had an interesting storyline. The plot is intriguing and quite different from what I was expecting; the search for Roman had me intrigued.

The characters are interesting, if somewhat annoying at times. I like Roman best of all and I wanted him to be found and for him to be happy. The characters are well developed and you certainly felt for them.


For me, though it just missed the mark. There was too much going backwards and forward, although I get this was to set the scene but it felt messy. I found it difficult to get into for quite a long way into the story. Having said that, the ending was really good and not what I expected at all. It is definitely worth a read.

When Lizzie discovers a letter from her first love Roman, dated twelve years previously. It turns her life upside down. Roman was also her best friend and when her Grandfather Hubble dies twelve years ago. Roman ups and leaves never to be seen again. So, when Lizzie receives the letter, she decides to go on a search to find what happened to Roman, with her now best friend Priscilla.
The journey takes them over the country and deals with subjects of mental health, drugs, to love and loss. Lizzie not only discovers things about Roman that she never knew about, but also things about herself. This is a beautiful written poignant tale. I thought it at first a bit slow but, I am glad that I stuck with it. This is a great book for a debut novel. I will be looking out for more books in the future from this author.

I feel the cover (which is very appealing!) promises a slightly different book to the one that I read. I must admit I was expecting a fun, light and easy read. This was not the actual read. The novel deals with deep and serious issues. It is a page turner which features well rounded and thought out characters. A solid read.

The cover somewhat betrays the seriousness of the topics covered. A well written novel that I enjoyed immensely.

I finished this book at 1am last night - just had to get to the end to find out whether Lizzie got to meet Roman again! Wonderfully written - made me laugh out loud so many times at the hilarious family situations & also cry at the poignancy of their teenage relationship. Loved it all & can’t wait for Lia’s next one.

I found this touching and funny novel quite different to what I expected, I suppose I thought it would be a HEA/romance book but actually it's very poignant, very funny and an accurate portrayal of being a young adult, making mistakes and going through life-changing circumstances.
It covers many gritty topics such as loss, grief, mental illness/breakdowns with accuracy and sensitivity, whilst maintaining the feel-good light-hearted fun of true friendships and the ups and downs of families.
I loved how excerpts of Roman and Lizzie's online messenger chats, voicemails, etc are dotted about at the end of chapters to give you that added insight in to what's happening and link back to this adventure starting from a long lost letter.
Atmospheric, nostalgic and heartbreaking, this is a book that leaves you with a little bit of extra soul at the end of it.

Don’t let the jolly looking cover mislead you, Somewhere Close to Happy is a deep and emotional read. It is focused on a young woman’s quest to find her friend and first love who left without trace when they were teenagers. They had met in a pupil referral unit (school for those who can’t manage mainstream school for a period due to emotional and behavioural issues) and had an intense yet supportive relationship. Lizzie hasn’t ever understood why he left and why he hasn’t been in touch.
The book is well written. It says a lot about friendship, grief, and the impact of parental neglect on young people. I would definitely read more from the author Lia Louis.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this book #NetGalley #SomewhereCloseToHappy

I loved this book and warmed to the characters.
The story was well written and kept my interest throughout the book.
A great read

I loved it! This book was funny, touching, heart wrenching and true to life. Mental health issues don’t magically disappear and this story took us through that journey for two people; it also told the story of those around them who were affected by their illness. Although I found it sad they did not end up together, it was the right ending and I was glad the author did not make it into a saccharine sweet happy ending, and instead left the reader feeling uplifted, if a little melancholy. I completely recommend this book.

Lizzie met Roman back when they were teenagers in a place called The Grove. Struggling with their mental health, they struck up a strong friendship, supporting each other through every difficult patch. Then out of the blue, Roman disappears, leaving Lizzie heartbroken. 12 years later, her life is quiet, predictable, but stable. That is until a letter from Roman arrives, dated around the time he disappeared apologising to Lizzie and dredging up memories she'd cleared from her mind. She wants to find Roman. She wants answers to her questions. Most importantly she misses her best friend. But where to begin?

I'll start by saying I really appreciated the mental health theme in this book and thought it displayed an accurate representation of the illness - people having good days and bad, people trying really hard to put on a brave face, and crucially people hiding their struggles from others. It was raw and emotional, covering two distinctly different perspectives (those suffering and those that think they're doing it for attention). I hated Lizzie's Aunt and thought the way she spoke about Lizzie's health as if it was one big farce was disgusting. But like I say, accurate portrayals. I just hope in real life someone would have the guts to call her out for being such a cold-hearted and ignorant cow.

The negative for me was that I found the storyline a bit stale. The chase for Roman seemed never-ending when I felt like his location was staring us in the face. I thought the opening few chapters withheld important details, explaining them further in the book. This mainly confused me though. I would have liked to know what The Grove was early on as I really had no clue and therefore couldn't really connect to anything that happened there. I liked the flashback chapters and thought these provided good context but I kept losing my train of thought skipping from past to present so often.

I liked how the ending wasn't too predictable but I would have like more of a wrap-up between Lizzie and Roman. I felt that it was left dangling.

Overall a good story but too much filler for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! Full of warmth and charm it really tugs at the heartstrings. Despite having quite serious themes, including mental health, grief and addiction issues, it is really positive, thought-provoking and funny. I loved all the 90s references and could really relate to the main characters, being a teen in the 90s myself. I only wish I'd had a Hubble in my life.
This is an impressive debut, I will definitely read Lia Louis again.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this E-copy in exchange for an honest review.

A really wonderful read, sad in places but uifting too, some great charecters and a great storyline all woven together that came together at the end perfectly

Funny and sad, I did enjoy this book. The characters are interesting and memorable. The relationships explored reminded me of my own younger days and the intensity of those teenage years.
Mental health aspects are covered in a sensitive and sensible manner. This is an all round delightful story that will make you smile and perhaps shed a tear.

Lizzie won me over as a heroine. Lia Louis had me truly believing in the characters and throws the reader into that feeling of teenage angst and first love so convincingly that it almost had me falling for Roman myself. I’m sure many of us wonder what it would be like to go back and find that first meaningful relationship and in my view, the whole plot was handled perfectly. When I had finished, it was one of those books I wanted to talk about. The story was carefully woven between the past and the future so you were never too far away from the teenagers, and the emotions that had resurfaced for Lizzie so that I could share her urgency to find Roman. I enjoyed the fact that Roman was important but never more so than Lizzie herself and Priscilla’s role was fantastic - just what was needed in a novel that centred around a vulnerable but ultimately powerful female protagonist. I was taken in by this novel entirely and actually loved all of the characters, which is a rarity for me.

I really enjoyed this warm, charming debut novel that tells the tale of Lizzie who is trying to track down her childhood friend Roman. It uses two narrative threads, a contemporary thread following her life now as she tries to find him, and a flashback thread following their teenage lives as they meet and their friendship develops. This book has a really deft, gentle touch as it covers the many challenges Lizzie and Roman face both now and then. I really felt drawn into their lives and cared about what happened.

I loved this story of Lizzie searching for her childhood soul mate Roman. Told with warm humour and a gentle touch despite having some darker themes, Somewhere Close To Happy is a book that made me want to reach out and reconnect with people from my past. Lia Louis is one to watch in 2019.

A very funny book, heart warming. The book tells the story of Lizzie and Roman, first loves. Should she be with him?
This book caught my attention because of the way it dealt with mental health issues. I recommend this read.

A charming debut novel! An absolutely beautiful book and I loved every part of it, and couldn't put it down!

Lizzie lives a simple and uncomplicated life, that’s what she chooses because that’s what she likes. It makes her feel comfortable. Content. Safe. Happy......
Then one day, out of the blue, she receives a letter from her ex Roman. Which is odd. Order still is the fact that it’s dated twelve years ago. When they broke up. So Lizzie starts to investigate.
This book is careful to highlight mental health and all that it means with both sympathy and empathy and it feels real, as if the author has some experience of it. It’s beautifully written and very very enjoyable

A lovely and entertaining book that will put a big smile on your face. I loved the story and the hope that can be found in its pages. If you’re looking for an enjoyable read, look no more – this is your book!