I loved this book. It made me laugh and cry. The characters are perfectly drawn and relatable. Why do we find it so hard to discuss or think about our death and how we want it to be dealt with? This story was down to earth and relevant to us all. Highly recommend.

Eudora has had a difficult past. Her relationships have been painful and lacking of love, not to mention she has no family since the death of her mother fifteen years ago. That and old age may have made her bitter but she has wrapped it around herself like a shield.

Her decision to take her life into her own hands gives her a sense of independence and freedom. As she begins the process of approval, Eudora finds herself pulled into an unwilling and unusual friendship with Rose. A seventy-five-year age gap between them, Eudora is uncertain why this girl insists on monitoring her moves like the KGB, following her wherever she goes. Rose, ever curious, turns out be wise beyond her years – a fact that surprises Eudora. Stanley, perhaps a few yours younger than Eudora, is the more willing participant in the group. He finds joy in living and spreads happiness around him.

In a comic turn of events, Rose and Stanley convince Eudora to join them on their impromptu plans and together they strike up an unlikely cross-generational friendship. However, her memories continue to haunt her, making her even more determined to go through with her plans. She keeps it a secret from her new friends, intending to simply vanish when the time comes.

Eudora’s story describes the challenges about facing life in the old age when one has nothing else to look forward to except death. Should one stop living and wait for death to come? Isn’t that why old age becomes sad, because not only joy, but hopes cease as well? Perhaps this is a fork in the road when one must decide a new course of action. A new way of life.

Eudora gets to view life not only from her own eyes, but from those of Rose and Stanley, too. They each bring a perspective which has absolutely nothing to do with age. Their company shines light and adds warmth to Eudora’s dull life which, though she might deny at first, has brightened up her days. It is heartening to see their friendship bloom and add meaning to each other’s lives. They’re the friends everyone needs in their life but rarely find.

I am not the kind of reader who will take her time with a book. If I love it, I go all in; read it non-stop if I can and only catch a breath when it is finished. With this book, I broke all my rules. I’d waited months to be approved for it on NetGalley and somehow knew I was going to love it. I refused to go beyond a couple of chapters every day for fear that the book would end soon and I would suffer from major withdrawal. I spent a week with it which, sadly, didn’t help the tiniest bit with the withdrawal.

I must add, Nicolette McKenzie’s narration of this audio book was incredible. An audio book’s appeal comes not only from the content but also what the narrator adds to it in their performance. I loved how she brought Eudora’s world to life, evoking a deep, heartfelt connection with her story and the people around her.

This book has raised the bar of expectation this year. It is a beacon of hope in a world that does not look very promising right now. It will warm your heart and make you laugh. Most importantly, it will persuade you to be eccentric now and not wait for old age to wear purple.

I really enjoyed this audio book.
It follows an elderly lady named Eudora that is basically fed up with life.
She looks into her option for a peaceful send off.
Then one day her new neighbours introduce themselves and Eudora starts to make friends and socialising more.

I really enjoyed listening to this book; it would be perfect to listen to whilst on holiday. I just loved the characters and their relationships. I’d recommend this book to my friends.
On a side-note, I didn’t realise this was an audio book when I requested it and found the app more difficult to use.

This story was beautiful. It reminded me of the Channel 4 programme 'Old People's Home for 4 Year Olds' and some of the beautiful friendships that that social experiment forged.

The only thing I found was that I had to imagine Rose as a 4 or 5 year old, not the 10 year old she is in the book. I felt she was far too young and immature to be 10 (as a Mum to an 11 and 13 year old girls I think I know age 10 quite well). Her speech pattern was definitely that of a younger child.

Other than that it was thoroughly enjoyable.

Thanks netgalley for the copy of the audio book for review.

Great fun book. Couldn’t put it down! Loved Eudora and all her friends. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher

Eudora is an 85 year old lady who is suffering the common aliments of old age and has decided she has had enough and wants to leave this world on her terms then the ever inquisitive Rose moves in next door and Eudora's life begins to change. Flicking between the present day situations Rose gets her involved in and insights into her past really help understand Eudora's character and why she behaved in certain ways.

This book tackles some serious issues such as loneliness, grief and friendship, in the most unlikely of places. The dynamic between the elderly woman and the young girl was a pleasure to read, it made me laugh, cry and have hope for the future.

The audio was excellent and really helped add to Eudora's sense of dignity and properness.

Fans of a man called Ove will definitely enjoy this one!

What a delightful breath of fresh air. I love Eudora! I work with the elderly and I see my residents in Eudora and it just gives me such delight to see how much life she has left! Bless Rose for showing her this.

Such a powerful story - one we should all read.

This is an audio book review for Eudora Honeysett Is Quite Well Thank You written by Annie Lyons.
Eudora is 85 and she has had a enough of her life. She is very practical about this and is set on taking a trip to Switzerland to end things her own way.
That is until a new neighbour arrives in the form of ten year old Rosie whose, wiser than her years and fun outlook on life, is thrust on Eudora
At first grumpy Eudora doesn’t want to bother with this small but ‘full of beans ‘ person, but Rose wins her over as she encourages Eudora to start living life again!
What an audio book! The narrator - Nicolette McKenzie breathes life into this book with the most marvellous voice! She was the perfect choice for this audiobook without doubt.
This is a special book but not in a sad way. It is joyous, uplifting and quite funny in places despite touching on topics such as death. In essence this is a book about life and living and how friendships can appear in all kinds of guises. This is a book that will stay in your heart forever - long after the last word is finished.

I listened to this beautiful audiobook on the journey to visit my mum over the Christmas holidays, This year she couldn’t come to stay with my family so instead I travelled to her to stay a few days before lockdown began again and I related with so much of Eudora’s story.

Growing old and facing death is without a doubt one of the most difficult stages of life, but this book not only explores it fantastically but also reflects on the power of friendship, family and enjoying every minute of life.

Eudora Honeysett is eighty five years old and is feeling the effects of her age. She decides to take matters into her own hands and books into a clinic in Switzerland to end her life.

What she doesn’t plan for is the arrival of ten year old Rose who moves next door with her family. Rose introduces Eudora to adventures and feelings of love and friendship which Eudora had long buried in the past. This allows Eudora to resolve past experiences and wonder if life is indeed worth living.

The fierce independence of Eudoras generation is beautifully explored. We all need to remember that her generation have lived fascinating lives and have many things they can still contribute to our fast paced modern world.

The narrater of this audiobook was first class. I was transported into the story and found it pulling at my heartstrings and pondering on many parts of the storyline. I loved Eudora, Rose and Stanley such beautiful well written characters. I highly recommend this story to anyone who loves character driven stories. Grab a box of tissues and enjoy this beautiful gentle read.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for my chance to listen to this audiobook

Eudora feels prepared for death, in her own terms of course. Rather than being a female Scrooge, she is a kind soul from the start although wrapped in no-nonsense stoic manners. We can see glimpses of her world in two story lines: her present as an 85-year-old and by various events in her past that are revealed gradually. And currently, Eudora is getting some new neighbours with 10-year-old Rose among them - without friends and in a new place. While Eudora ponders about mortality and dignity, a very practical matter to her, Rose and her new friends are busy with life and Eudora is pulled into it unwittingly.

Despite the main topic of death, it was a humorous read, sometimes a dry black version of humour but funny nevertheless. Rose was empathic and caring beyond her years. Her sincere curiosity (also about dying) and genuine contentment with her octogenarian friends made some witty and absurd dialogues. Sometimes she seemed like goodness personified, in great contrast to Eudora’s sister who resembled an evil character from a fairy tale. Anyhow, I enjoyed it probably even more as an audiobook, thanks to a talented narrator who managed to voice both proper Eudora and spirited Rose.

* I voluntarily reviewed this audiobook via NetGalley and I thank HarperCollins Audio UK for the opportunity

Loved the book so much I wanted the audiobook as well - It is such a lovely story, heartbreaking at times. I loved the characters, the way they interact. It is a story that has made me rethink life and love and it will stay with me for a very long time!

The narrator fit the main character perfectly, so added to the tale.
The story itself is a little bit clichéd and cheesy, but lovely, warm and moving at the same time. Eudora, an 85 year old spinster, is looking into assisted suicide. However, whilst awaiting a decision from doctors in Switzerland, she meets the new girl next door. Rosie is a strangely old-fashioned child who forces herself into Eudora’s life, much to her initial annoyance. Rosie and her family change Eudora, giving her another chance at life. Eudora hasn’t had it easy and her sad story unfolds as she slowly heals. Nice book for this rainy winter.

EXCERPT: When Eudora Honeysett hears the flip-clunk of her letterbox on this particular Thursday morning, her heart skips before she pulls it back down to earth like a rapidly descending hot air balloon. It will be junk mail as usual. Unsolicited junk. As she struggles to a standing position, retrieves her stick and anchors herself to gravity, Eudora marvels, not for the first time, at humanity's ability to fill the world with unwanted junk. The oceans are stuffed with plastic, the landfills with broken three-year-old fridges, and her doormat with an endless littering of pizza leaflets, advertisements for retirement homes, and flyers from individuals offering to re-pave a driveway she doesn't have. Occasionally, she casts a critical eye over the expensively produced retirement home brochures filled with photographs of smiling elderly couples toasting their successful move to the old person's equivalent of a Premier Inn. Eudora can't imagine anything worse. She was born in this house, and intends to die in this house, hopefully sooner rather than later.

ABOUT 'EUDORA HONEYSETT IS QUITE WELL, THANK YOU': Eudora Honeysett is done – with all of it. Having seen first-hand what a prolonged illness can create, the eighty-five-year-old has no intention of leaving things to chance. With one call to a clinic in Switzerland she takes her life into her own hands.

But then ten-year-old Rose arrives in a riot of colour on her doorstep. Now, as precocious Rose takes Eudora on adventures she’d never imagined she reflects on the trying times of her past and soon finds herself wondering – is she ready for death when she’s only just experienced what it’s like to truly live?

MY THOUGHTS: Initially I didn't particularly like Eudora Honeysett. We've all known an elderly woman like her, self-contained, forever correcting grammar and pronunciation, and complaining about everything. She doesn't join in with anything, doesn't associate with anyone. Her routine is rigid. She is lonely, but would never admit it. But as her life story was revealed, I began to understand her. By the end of the audiobook, I admired her.

This is the story of an elderly woman facing death, on her terms. This is not a depressing story. It is a story of hope. It is confirmation that it is never too late to start living, or to make friends.

It would have been easy to over-sentimentalise this tale, but Annie Lyons has adroitly avoided this trap. Instead it is poignant and touching, honest and realistic.

The character of Rose, the child next door, who inveigles herself into Eudora's life, is a breath of fresh air. Rose is full of life, of joy de vivre. She is a force to be reckoned with, impossible to resist. She is a child who prefers the company of adults after being bullied at school. Her family adopts Eudora, and Rose and Stan, the man who rescues Eudora after a fall, slowly broaden Eudora's horizons.

We all think about death and, naturally at her age, so does Eudora. Annie Lyons uses Eudora's story to introduce us to the concept of the death doula, and the option of the arranged death. There is a lot of information contained in this story, unbiased and unemotionally presented.

Narrator Nicolette McKenzie does a wonderful job of the many different voices and I will be watching for her name on other recordings.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.3

#EudoraHoneysettisQuiteWellThankYou #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: After a career in bookselling and publishing, Annie Lyons published five books including the best-selling, Not Quite Perfect. When not working on her novels, she teaches creative writing. She lives in south-east London with her husband and two children.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins Audio UK, One More Chapter via Netgalley for providing an audio ARC of Eudora Honeysett is Quite Well, Thank You, written by Annie Lyons and narrated by Nicolette McKenzie. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

Eudora Honeysett is a character who is like a cross between Eleanor Oliphant and a Man Called Ove. You just KNOW exactly what's going to happen to this curmudgeonly old lady who wants to quietly go away to Switzerland and end her life. But knowing where it's going doesn't make the journey any less of a joy.

I don't have kids and I know that if my husband goes before me, I could end up like Eudora. Maybe without the cold-water swimming and probably with more cats. She is an absolute delight.

The audiobook is beautifully narrated and the voice artist has a great range of voices and accents to deliver the characters. Her Eudora voice has more than a touch of Ann Widdicombe stridency but it's not irritating, at least not to me.

This is a book about friendship and the power of good company. Eudora's relationships with young sartorially-challenged Rose and Stanley the dog-walker are pure delight. Even her discussions with the staff of the Swiss clinic are life-affirming. I can find nothing not to like about this delightful audiobook. I also strongly recommend it in this format as I think I might have found the paper- or e-book a bit irritating at times but the audio didn't bother me in the slightest.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this lovely experience.

One of my favourite books of 2020! A book full of life lessons that will make you realise how important is to fill your life with people and experiences that make you feel joy and to put your personal happiness above your sense of duty.
Nicolette McKenzie's narration really elevated the story and brought all the characters to life. This is one of the books that will stay with me forever.

Eudora Honeysett is Quite Well, Thank You by Annie Lyons is a cute story about friendship.

Eudora is done with everything at eighty five so decides she is ready to die. She contacts a clinic in Switzerland for assisted suicide. Then, she makes an unusual friend. Rose is ten years old, full of life and shows Eudora how exciting life can be. Eudora now has to decide if she is actually ready to die.

Eudora Honeysett is Quite Well, Thank You is an enjoyable and comforting novel. Eudora’s life has been difficult and lonely. The story switches between present day and the past with Eudora’s family. The past ranges from childhood to young adult. Eudora’s family treated her bad. Her sister betrayed her. I felt bd for Eudora reading about her past especially as she was living a lonely life. Rose livened up Eudora’s life. Rose is so full of life and an entertaining character. Rose isn’t afraid to do what she wants. I liked how a young child was inspiring to an old woman. This book was very enjoyable and I recommend it to anyone that likes novels about friendship and struggling characters.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Nicolette McKenzie and enjoyed her narration.

Thank you One More Chapter, Harper Collins Audio UK and NetGalley for Eudora Honeysett is Quite Well, Thank You.

Eudora Honeysett is an 85 year old woman who has never married. She has lost everyone in her life, parents and her sister and keeps to herself. She has no friends except for Montgomery, a cat that is more a pain than a pet or companion. She just wants to be left alone. When she stumbles upon a pamphlet about a clinic is Switzerland where you can end your life on your own terms, she decides that is what she wants to do. Enter the new neighbours. Maggie and Rob are expecting a second child, a sister to ten year old Rose. Rose wants to meet her new neighbour, and explodes into Eudora's life bringing with her colour, music, laughter and love. Along with Rose, she becomes friends with Stanley, a man who lives down the street. She sees him walking his dog on a regular basis, but it is a fall and Rose that brings the three of them together.

I loved the multigenerational friendship of Rose, Stanley and Eudora. Stanley is dealing with grief after the loss of his wife, Eudora is sad and tired of the world, and Rose has been bullied at school in her previous neighbourhood. These three friends support one another and help each other to heal and grow. We learn about Eudora's life and what brought her to the way she is through flashbacks. My heart broke for her as this story unfolds, but you need to read this for yourself to learn about Eudora's story. I absolutely loved Eudora. She was a curmudgeon when we first meet her, but as she opens to others, we see her dry wit and caring nature. Rose is priceless. She is uninhibited and loves life. She tells everyone that Eudora and Stanley are her BFFs and she truly means it. Each of these characters learns something about themselves from one another and Eudora shares her wisdom with others along the way. This is a story that deals with grief and death. It is written with compassion and care. All I will say is that this book had me in tears a few times, but in giggles at others. If you love stories with mature characters, stories with intergenerational characters and uplifting and compassionate stories then you need to pick this one up. It is one I definitely recommend. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Nicolette McKenzie. This was the first book I listened to that was voiced by this talented narrator. She gave the various characters their own voice and used expression, inflection and intonation to bring this story to life. Another narrator that I will be adding to my list of those I will watch for

Oh what a beautiful, beautiful story this is!

This book reminds me of A Man Called Ove, and I loved this one just as much as I did Ove. Eudora is such a down to earth, matter of fact character that I just couldn’t help loving her, and little Rose is just a breath of fresh air and such a beautiful character that I just wanted to pick her up and cuddle her.

The story has a dual time line which works brilliantly as it gives an insight into Eudora’s earlier life and explains why she’s like she is. It’s such a warming story focusing on friendship and how it can draw you out of the loneliest of times when you least expect it. So beautifully written and so heart warming that I could have listened to Eudora’s story for so much longer.

I would definitely recommend this wonderful book.

A delightful, heart warming read! Eudora Honeysett has not had the easiest past, is old and is ready to die. She wants to be in control of her own death so investigates a trip to Switzerland, meanwhile a vibrant new family move next doors and Rose, their eight year old daughter, is set to change life for Eudora.
I loved this, it’s a proper comfort read perfect for the winter months. There are plenty of funny moments, a few tear jerkers and a well thought through backstory.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.