Following a difficult few years and a mental health crisis, Ellie is asked to accompany her Nan and two great-aunts on holiday to India, where the older ladies had spent their childhood/teenage years, before partition forced them ‘home’ (they’d never even visited) to the UK. Staunch tells the stories of all four ladies, their relationship and their holiday. 

Initially I expected to struggle with Ellie’s story - a London hipster life, family break-ups, avoiding singleness with a string of bad relationships - but gradually you realise this isn’t a whinge, but a look at how things build up, how you can downplay abuse when you’re living with it - you ended up worrying for her, as you would a friend who just desperately needs out. 

Nan and her sisters, Rose and Ann, were (of course) great, and their story of leaving post-British Raj India was one I hadn’t heard before. And the intergenerational friendships gave me something to think about.

A highly-readable surprise pick. 

Thanks #netgalley for chance to read this e-ARC.

After losing a step dad, breaking up with her boyfriend and dallying with some unscrupulous suitors, Eleanor Wood escapes to India with her elderly relatives leaving Brighton behind.

Refreshingly frank and honest, her emotions, family revelations and personal realisations are all laid bare. The story takes in her family fleeing to England escaping partition, what it's like to vacation alongside your granny as well as her current romantic situation with a feckless lecturer.

The tone is similar to Dolly Alderton's Everything I Know About Love, with a smidge of Eat, Pray, Love and a pinch of the The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for good measure. Would recommend as a perfect holiday read. 

Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for providing an ebook for review.

There were so many things in this book that resonated with me. Despite being a bit older than the author so many of her experiences are similar to my own. I just wish I had had the chance to take a holiday with my great aunt , my inspiration still, although she is no longer around in body but always in spirit. A truly lovely book.

Delightful, heart-warming and funny. All excellent characters and I particularly warmed to the octogenarians. They were just so cool and so comfortable in their own skin and yes, staunch. 
Something we all should strive for. This story really illustrates how lucky people are if they have loving, close family members and that they should cherish them. This book gives a real story of what it says on the cover. Enjoy it.

I found that it took me a while to settle into this book but I was very glad I stuck with it. By the time I finished reading it I found myself looking at myself and wondering how staunch I actually was and how I could become more staunch.

This was funny and well written. I appreciated the emotional honesty and admire the author for being able to put her experiences out there like this. I think I just may not be quite the target audience this resonates with. Something is missing but I’m pretty sure that’s the reader not the writer in this case. If you like books such as Julie and Julia, Eat, Pray, Love or similar mid-thirties biography with a humorous bent, then I’m sure you’ll enjoy Staunch.