I had a few download issues with the book and by the time it was sorted, the file had unfortunately been achieved.

Loved this sampler and as a result bought the book so I could read the rest. What an enchanting and beautiful book!

It made me laugh outrageously at times and at others I had to put the book down as I couldn't read any further because I was sobbing my heart out.
Just a beautiful, touching, wonderful piece of work

This was just the sampler but I got the full book from the library as it was such an enchanting and emotional story that I had to finish!

I'm enjoying books at the moment that have an older lead character and at 79, Missy Carmichael has lived a lot of life, so has a lot of thoughts and, yes regrets. Along with some things she still wants to change now.

It's about family tensions, finding friends later in life and just pulls on your heart-strings. You really care about Missy and want her to be happy. A hopeful and affirming book, perfect for cosy autumnal evenings reading.

I very much look forward to following this story all the way through to the end, instantly addictive and definitely my type of book. Well done Beth Morrey!

I was delighted to read a sampler of Saving Missy by Beth Morrey, which is a novel about a seventy nine year old woman starting over after losing her husband and her children moving away. Her life has become small, and she mainly leaves the house in order to have something of note to report in her emails to her children, who dismiss her from afar. She quickly falls in with a group of loud, opinionated and heavy drinking women and while she initially bristles against being drawn in to their group, she reasons that it's time to change things up. However, there is a dark undertone to the story that makes me think all is not what it seems in the novel.

The novel goes back and forward in time to Missy's days as a student studying Classics, to when she meets her husband Leo, and their early life together. We see Missy has always been reserved and a little lonely, though this has only intensified since her husband died, as he was always the more extroverted of the two. We also get the sense that Missy has always depended on alcohol to relate to people, but that isn't totally developed in the sampler.

The writing is assured and engaging, though maybe not totally gripping and is peppered with Missy's knowledge of Greek and Roman literature, which is an interesting touch - she is still the studious young woman we see in flashbacks, to an extent, but it seems as though her husband was always seen as the intelligent writer and historian.

What was interesting to me is that this novel doesn't seem to be overly cutsey or patronising about plucky older women,but shows a darker side to the character already, as well as the sad and shameful reality that elderly people are so often dismissed or belittled. I would be interested in seeing where this goes, so thank you to the publisher for the sampler.

Loved this sample. I immediately identified with Missy, despite the age difference. It’s so easy to lose your identity once you become a mother, to become so entrenched in what you are to everyone else- wife, mother, the keeper of all the life admin etc. The writing is really accessible, and pulled me along. Beautiful.

I have heard a lot about this book. So was really pleased to get a chance to read the first 10 chapters as a sample.
The main character Milicent, a widow in her late 70’s, is lonely. She gave her whole life to her husband, and children. Leo, her husband, has died, and her adult children have lives, careers, and families of their own, so very little time for Missy.
I think many women will identify with Missy, being “wife” and “Mum”, having lost their own identity. Age has intensified her isolation, and her feeling of not wanting to be an inconvenience to anyone.
I am intrigued to find out what the “incident that happened last year” with daughter Mel is. I have no idea of where the book is going, and what will happen next. Looking forward to reading the full book now.

Such a great sample cannot wait to read the full book. I have high hopes for this and have heard a lot about it.

The sampler sounded very interesting, but sadly was too short to create an actual opinion about teh book - the story looks promising, will be interested to read it in full.

Read the starter, and now finished. Delightful book with wonderful characters and many hidden depths. Highly recommend.

I have fallen in love...

I’ve been seeing lucky bloggers who’ve received early proofs of this book raving about it so I was elated to find this sampler available on NetGalley and have the chance to read some of it for myself. Like them, I’ve fallen under the spell of this charming story and the cantankerous Missy Carmichael who, despite her hard, bristly exterior was someone I found myself quickly having a soft spot for.

The story is beautifully written and addictive from the start. I was enthralled by this story and now desperately need the rest of the book so I can find out what Missy did to make her daughter stay away, learn more about her backstory, and to read more of the exploits of Missy, Sylvie and Angela.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for my copy of this sampler in exchange for an honest review.