I am a big fan of Mike Gayle and this one didn’t disappoint. It had characters you really cared about and a plot that kept you hooked. The lonely pensioner angle seems to appear in a lot of books these days but it was done really well here. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. It is in parts an easy read but pulls at the heart strings in places. Not to be missed.

Breaks my heart to read about racism, even when fictional.

Another story by Mike Gayle about human characters that are far from flawless, but dare to give life another go, turning their back on bitterness and sorrow.

A gentle and impressive character, what's not to like about this Hubert Hezekiah Bird who can even give 'a tut of annoyance' (perhaps it is me not being native English that this makes me smile?!), or his nearby-neighbor Ashleigh who can talk endlessly. For instance when meeting Hubert:
'Then Mam would roll her eyes like this...' Ashleigh paused to demonstrate. She did it well that for a moment Hubert thought her pupils might have disappeared for good.'

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.