The story covers a lot of issues from mental health to bullying to poverty. The characters are very likeable, the story is well written. A very enjoyable read and a great book.

I finished reading "One Moment" by Linda Green last night. I can't stop thinking about the well- developed characters and the storyline. I'm adding this to my 'read again' list! While it has a tense storyline; covering bullying, mental health and relationship issues it retrains joy and humor.
Finn is a quirky boy that I found myself cheering for throughout the book. Finn's friend Lottie is an amazing friend, one we'd all be lucky to have. Finn and Kaz are very different yet their relationship works.
I laughed and I cried. #onemoment @lindagreenisms is full of emotion. A book I will be recommending.
Thank you Quercus Books and NetGalley for a digital advanced reading copy.

This is a lovely story about two people on the outside who find one another through tragedy. Finn is a little boy who doesn't fit in, is bullied in school and loves Alan Titschmarsh. The only person who seems to understand him is his mother and sometimes she makes things worse. Kaz is a lonely soul who has spent her life caring for her schizophrenic brother and fighting the powers that be. She is working in a cafe when Finn and his mother come in. As his mother orders Finn realises the cafe does not have a 5 star hygiene rating so wants to leave, he will only eat in places with a 5 star rating. Another patron of the cafe causes a row and Kaz stands up for Finn. She loses her job and her life goes into a tailspin rapidly. Finn and Kaz meet again and we know something has happened but do not find out what until the end of the book. The story continues looking at the two characters before and after the incident.
This book was a slow starter for me but once I got to know the characters I really enjoyed it. They are both troubled souls but have good hearts and the friendship that develops is lovely.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and author for granting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed this one. If you’re a fan of Lisa Jewell then I would recommend this. It’s family saga mixed with drama however still keeps you wanting to read on. Although there were no major twists or turns throughout I still enjoyed discovering the story behind how the two characters ended up in the situation that they were in. Despite the lack of thrills the wonderful writing and characterisation and the use of emotion and love throughout won me over. A great book.

When I started reading this book all I want to do was to give Finn a great big hug.
A warm sensitive boy different from others meets Kaz a fifty nine year old woman who has brought her brother who has schizophrenia up.
Finn & Kaz become friends after something happens and help each other through the hard times
This is a warm , brilliant, beautifully written book.
Thank you Linda Green
Thanks NetGalley

Review

I firstly want to say I always enjoy anything that Linda Green writes, this is her 10th book and I think it’s my favourite so far! Also a big thank you to Net Galley for sending me this to read and review!

Finn is a young boy who doesnt quite ‘fit in’ with other kids who don’t understand his quirky, slightly anxious ways. The story is written from Finn’s perspective which works really well, his character made me instantly feel fond and protective of him.

Circumstances bring Finn and Kaz together and from there a beautiful friendship grows.  Kaz understands him like other people other than his Mum haven’t before.  As the story develops it becomes clear that Kaz needs Finn as much as he needs her, some things are meant to be! The way the writer communicates the development of their relationship is heartwarming.

This book addresses some very important issues surrounding bullying and mental health. As a parent whose child has struggled in ‘normal’ school the emotions that this brings to a family are represented accurately and sensitively throughout this story, while also describing some of the tough decisions faced along the way.

I would absolutely recommend this book, it’s a good reminder to us all to be kind.

Who knew a friendship between a 10-year-old Alan Titchmarsh fanatic and a 59-year-old, sheep-apron-wearing café worker could make for such an uplifting yet heart-breaking novel?

I can’t wait to share my full review closer to its paperback publication!

Oh man this book hit me in the feels. An emotional and raw book which is honest and truthful. I enjoyed this but it did put me into a little bit of a slump that I had to push my way out of by reading something light and fluffy. It was a good book but I don't think I could bring myself to pick it up again.

One Moment is an emotional read, when two people meet by chance, that meeting links their lives forever.

This book is written 'before' and 'after' both Finn and Kaz' point of views, the chapters move back and forth from both perspectives.

Finn is a ten year old boy who is different, unique, but a lovely character written with the innocence of youth shining through his chapters. It's very sad that he feels he cannot be himself, which is a little quirky.

Kaz, Karen, whose grown up in difficult times, but fights for what she can to keep what remains of her family, no matter what.

An unlikely friendship grows; on part knowing the difficulties faced through personal experiences, makes it easier to relate.

Not wanting to give any part of this story away, it's well written and well worth the read. It'll make you sad, but also smile. A definite should read.

Having read all of Linda Green’s books so far, and loved them all, I expected to enjoy this. What I hadn’t expected was to be so completely drawn in by the characters, and the amazing story that even some days after finishing it, it would still stick with me so much I didn’t actually want to pick up my kindle and read anything else, just The Moment!
The quality of writing is honestly mind blowing, and the way we are introduced to Finn and Caz, you wouldn’t see how their friendship could possibly develop, or what they could ever have in common.
Linda has managed to write about something very relevant and topical, yet rarely seen in fiction. She has obviously done her research well and written sensitively yet extremely compellingly.
This may be my favourite of hers so far, and definitely in my top five books read this year!

A story about how one moment in time, can change the course of many people's lives forever.

There are two main characters and voices to this book, and it alternates not only between them, but both in the before and after..

After what you may ask... well I had many theories none of them correct, but I was unable to put the book down until I discovered just what lead to the moment, and what exactly it was.

We have Finn, a 10 year old boy who thinks he is weird, we meet him as his parents are trying to sort out a divorce,, and he is being bullied at school.

He doesn't have the same interests as a "typical" young boy, and as such feels like an outcast, and his parents don't exactly seem to know what to do with him.

And then there is Kaz, who is sole carer to her younger brother Terry, who has mental health issues. They also have financial issues, and struggle to make ends meet.

It's a story that takes in themes such as bullying, unconventional parenting styles, mental health problems and how on earth you are treated as a non individual at the job centre and benefits office, more as a box to tick, rather than seeing the humanity in a situation.

They are worlds apart, an unlikely pairing and yet their interactions just felt right.

I couldn't read this book fast enough, I found the pages seemed to keep on turning, as I was drawn further and further into this story.

Another cracking read from Linda Green, who keeps on writing fabulous books that I can't get enough of.

Thank you to Quercus on Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This is another great book from Linda Green. I fell in love with Finn. What a wonderful character Linda has created in him . I did find the before and after chapters a bit confusing at first but that didn't stop it being a lovely book and well worth more than five stars

It took me a while to get into this book but it was so worth, Finn just stole my heart. At times it was heart wrenching to see what poor Finn went through but the ending was just fantastic and felt so good. Brilliant style of writing, i loved how it switched between before and after and Finn and Kaz.

If your favoured reading material is a compelling tale with a good sprinkling of warmheartedness, tragedy, and tenderness then feel free to read One Moment by Linda Green.

Finn Rook-Carter and Karen Allen (Kaz) both have their individual issues: ten-year-old garrulous, quirky Finn struggles to make friends and with his only mate Lottie at school he suffers at the hands of his other classmates; candid, caustic, and fun-loving Kaz, fifty-nine, works in a café called Teapots and Teacakes, and cares for her brother Terry, who has schizophrenia. Finn usually only eats at cafés with a five star hygiene rating, and Kaz is working at the café when Finn and his mum, Hannah, turn up. When a tragedy throws Finn and Kaz together, they both find their lives are changed forever.

Set in Halifax, the story is narrated alternately from the perspectives of Finn and Kaz. Whilst many of the underlying issues in this novel are serious in nature, the author writes in such a tender, though also humorous way, affording me several moments of deep reflection, but also many laugh-out-loud instances. She captures family gripes and grievances, the gossipy nature of some of the individuals, and the small-mindedness of a few, with great effectiveness. The cast of characters all have wonderful parts to play, and it was impossible to choose a favourite. The more I learned about these people and their lives, the more I found myself empathising with them. It was very hard to say goodbye to them and I found myself wishing all of of them well for the future. The way that Linda Green linked their lives together was very clever and I was completely drawn into this novel right from the start, fully appreciating all of the priceless scenes and also the more serious and sobering ones.

One Moment is a lovely book with a brilliant friendship at its core but it also covers so much more - bullying, divorce, anxiety, mental health, to name but a few. It was such a thought-provoking book and one not to be missed. This novel is most definitely worth the time invested and Linda Green could quite possibly become one of my go-to authors. Very highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Quercus via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

This is a beautiful story told through the eyes of 10 year Finn and 59 year old Kaz. The way these two extremely believable characters meet and the gentle way Linda Green leads the reader into their world will grip you from the very first page and it is only when you reach the end that you breath again.

I just wanted to hug Finn and never let him go.

I do not want to give away any spoilers, but all I really need to say is - buy this book because it is one of the most uplifting yet heart-breaking novels you will ever read.

A poignant novel, full of emotions and great characters.
My gran used to say: "I enjoyed, I cried a lot". This summarise my feeling for this book: sometimes I smile, a lot of times I was moved to tears.
Both Finn and Kaz reminded of moments I lived and reading about them was cathartic in bringing back memories and feelings. They're realistic, likeable and well thought.
The plot was engrossing and I couldn't put it down. It's one of those book you start reading and when you're not reading it you're thinking about the characters or the situations.
It made me feel involved in the character lives and root for them. But it always gave a lot of food for thought.
It was a great read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to Quercus Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

A beautiful, heartwarming story by this talented author. I have read a number of Linda Green books and thoroughly enjoyed every one. This was no exception. Such a lovely story told in a touching manner, with some extremely sad moments, however it has such a warm message told through the eyes of ten-year-old Finn, a boy with a different way of seeing the world. Something serious has happened to Finn, that much we know from the start; however, the magnitude of the situation isn't revealed until much later in the book. Finn finds an unlikely friend in Kaz, a middle-aged cafe worker who takes care of her 50-year-old schizophrenic brother on her own, having had a tough upbringing and no home to call her own. So much happens in this book in both Kaz and Finn's lives, yet they are intertwined in such a beautiful tender way, each of them bringing something to the other that they initially didn't know they needed. This book highlights too many issues to mention, yet in a way that they are not dwelled on too much, only in the background, the themes of the story. Finn is struggling so much with school, home life, making friends, and generally fitting into a society he doesn’t feel he fits into. Kaz is struggling also at home, at work, making ends meet and being sole carer for her mentally ill brother. Yet when they become friends, such a heartwarming story enfolds, despite the sadness lurking underneath and the apparent horrible tragedy that has brought them together. Finn sees the good in people and tries to get on with his life the best he can, and uses the bond he feels with Kaz to heal the relationship with his father, help his school life, and eventually, heal Kaz. I loved this book, it was such a nice read, to see the world through Finn's eyes and how simple life can be, even when faced with the most difficult of situations. Truly recommend this book, thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ARC.

I'm a huge fan of Linda Green and looked forward so much to this book. I wasn't disappointed. Although quite different to her earlier books this was refreshingly unique as the two main characters were so different. Finn is a 10 year old boy, gentle, kind and 'weird in a good way' as his only friend Lottie puts it. He doesn't like sport, computers or most other things enjoyed by many boys his age which makes him the subject of bullying and even physical attacks at school. His great love is gardening and his hero is Alan Titchmarsh. Kaz the other leading character is, by contrast, a 59 year old woman struggling to live on benefits and trying to support her schizophrenic younger brother Terry. The inadequacies of the Social Care system are highlighted and are heart breaking to read. Finn and Kaz are brought together in the most unexpected of circumstances but each one has a huge bearing on the life of the other. I loved every character in this book, each struggling with their own burden and yet showing so much love and empathy towards others. The only person I was annoyed with at times was Finn's dad who didn't listen or act upon the boy's fear and sadness at having to endure the schools he was put into and the bullying he had to endure. I wanted to shake him and make him see what his poor son was going through. So many emotions were drawn out as I read this book and so many social injustices made me weep with the sheer sadness of it all and yet despite this there were also funny, touching and very lovely parts in the book that truly melted my heart. The before and after chapters were a little confusing at first - especially reading on Kindle when it's harder to flip back to check facts - but this didn't detract from the loveliness of this book. Linda Green is an incredibly talented author and this book was crafted in such a special and clever way. I absolutely LOVED IT. My thanks to Netgalley and Quercus books for the opportunity of reading this ARC copy.

This book can be a touch confusing with the before and after chapters, but I eventually got it and oh what an amazing read. It was hard-hitting in places, but so well written.
It is not all sadness, it’s very funny in parts and is also full of positivity and has a wonderful cast of characters with Kaz who is one feisty individual that I loved and brave Finn who is a very special boy.
A big thank you to Linda Green, you have written a book that I will never forget.

This book shows how an unique friendship is developed between a young boy Finn and a middle aged woman Kaz. Both characters are dealing with difficulties in their lives and when they cross paths there is an instant connection which is a saving grace for both. This book shows that the human spirit is resilient even when adversities seem to be all consuming. Poverty, mental health, bullying, divorce, and not being and following the norm are discussed in book. A read that is sad but also has many moments of positivity and happiness.