A lovely story about a broken person slowly learning how to heal. Perfect for fans of slow paced reads and beautiful description

Could not get into this one as I couldn't get past first impressions on the protagonist, and this badly coloured the rest of my view of the book - I didn't find her sympathetic and could thus not root for her

Very emotional and thought provoking. I felt so sorry for Amy and could understand why she couldn’t move on even after 11 years. It was a joy to read with a satisfying ending.

What a truly beautiful book that was written in such a unique and beautiful way. I got serious Eleanor Oliphant vibes throughout this book (which is one of my favourite books!)

I felt and still feel, very attached to Amy's character. Her character development was phenomenal and I think the past and present timelines really helped me to get to know Amy, understanding what happened to her, and to work out why she is who she is today. I also found so much Joy in how Charles and Daniel understood Amy in a way that no one has the last 11 years. You could tell throughout just how much they meant to her, even if she couldn't show it.

This is the first book I have read that has delved into the topic of hoarding and I am so glad this book exists. Hoarding is something that isn't really discussed. It's seen as such a taboo subject and there are many stereotypes that go along with it. However, hoarding is usually the behaviour that we can all see but is usually the behaviours of a much deeper experience under the surface. The topic was handled with such sensitivity and compassion and I take my hat off to Eleanor Ray for that.

This is such a lovely story about love, loss, and moving on (no matter how long that takes!) and I really enjoyed every minute of it.

Thank you so much NetGalley, Eleanor Ray and Little Brown Book Group UK for an Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

What starts as a small collection of keepsakes for Amy Ashton soon grows out of control and the items that shes loved collecting soon become a burden that involves her new neighbours and leads to a discovery that threatens to unravel the life Amy has carefully curated.

If you're looking for a compelling heart wrenching read then this is the book for you. I would recommend it to fans of Eleanor Oliphant as it had a similar style and subject matter but was very much its own book with its own story.

Thanks to Eleanor Ray, Piatkus and Netgalley for the ARC.

Good, simple, enjoyable escapist read you can finish in a day. Very likeable characters, and warmhearting.
Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

Taking on an issue like hoarding with a focus on the grief behind it rather than painting a caricature of Amy was so refreshing. I loved having the alternating timelines and getting to see what the past was like for Tim, Amy, and Chantel. While parts of it were a little predictable, it was still overall an enjoyable book.

Oh my goodness. This book is incredible. It is written beautifully, the characters are loveable and the story is totally captivating. I loved that as the story progressed, we learnt more about Amy; both in the past and in the present. We gradually learn more about the events that have lead to why Amy is the way she is now, and we get to meet many other interesting characters throughout her journey. I don't want to say anything more for risk of spoilers, but in summary this story is the most wonderful amalgamation of love, loss, hope, betrayel, mystery and it shows that everyone comes with their own baggage; metaphorical or physical and that's perfectly okay.

An upbeat, warm hearted novel with likeable characters that was a quick and easy read. I found the writing a little forced and simplistic but a good escapist read if this genre appeals to you.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital ARC.

A unique debut, this was beautifully written. I've never read anything like this before. I loved the style of the story switching to the past and present, and focusing on why certain objects mean so much to Amy related to her past. I felt so connected to Amy, and felt all her emotions when her boyfriend and best friend disappear with no trace ever found. I could understand why someone would want to surround themselves with beautiful things, ones that could never leave you and feel safe. The other mystery within the book is what happened to Tim and Chantel? Amy needs closure, she can't move on with her life until she knows. I was so lost in the beautiful descriptions I forgot to eat lunch. I didn't want anything to interrupt this heartwarming, poignant and unforgettable read. I highly recommend. I can't wait to see what she writes next.

Thank you to Netgalley and Piatkus for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Such a wonderful read, really compassionately written. I love the balance between the two timelines, and could understand completely the way Amy's mental health suffered. There is such poignancy and hope as we discover the truths of the beautiful things, and what happened in the past.
Some interesting twists made for compelling reading.

11 years ago Amy Ashton’s best friend and boyfriend disappeared without a trace. They must have run away together is the obvious conclusion. At first Amy is not convinced, but with it being 11 years later and still no answers, there is little else left for Amy to believe.

Over the years Amy begins to collect things. It started with things related to the case and things which reminded her of her past and better times. However, now her house is full of lots of things; things which people would consider junk, but which Amy finds meaning in and uses to fill the gaps her losses have left her with.

It isn’t until a new family move in next door that an incident occurs in Amy’s garden which leads her to discovering a clue. Is it enough to lead Amy to finally uncover the truth about the past?

Everything is Beautiful is a fantastically written novel. Structured with chapters which switch between the past and the present- this was particularly helpful to understand who the main protagonist Amy was and how she got to where she is now. As the past helps us to understand what she once had and why she is drawn to certain things.

I felt very drawn to Amy and thought that her character was well thought out. At the beginning she comes across as someone who is a bit of a recluse and very lonely, perfectly happy in her own company with her many belongings. However, as the book moves on you begin to realise that is not the true Amy. It is difficult for Amy to move on when she is holding on to the past and has not ever had closure. At first it is almost unimaginable to think Amy can change and live the life she deserves, however, this is where Eleanor Ray gets it so wonderfully perfect, as with all situations in life, not everything is black and white or is it always linear. As we move through the book, we see that Amy still has so much to give and experience.

Themes in this book include but are not limited to love, loss, hope, healing and hoarding. I particularly loved that Eleanor Ray delved into the topic of hoarding. I think sometimes those who hoard can be really judged. Those who do not understand may see it as a choice or as simply lazy and therefore it can be seen as a taboo. However, as we see in the novel, hoarding is normally a sign of a deeper problem, which for Amy was her past and all the sadness she had experienced. I thought Eleanor Ray got this message across in a very sensitive way and I would hope it would have brought a greater understanding to many readers.

Overall, this is a story of hope. It truly felt like a hug in a book and without a doubt it deserves 5 stars.

A light hearted good read, I think every reader will identify with Amy a little, after all don't we all have that little ornament, scrap of paper or suchlike that we just can't get rid of?

I could definitely identify with the main character in this one!
I chuckled to myself many times, thinking of the chipped mug I refuse to throw away, because it was given to me by my first boyfriend! I felt a strange affinity and defence of Amy's habits, and it definitely shed a rather large light on my own!
This book was warm and definitely lifted my heart, wanting her to face the problems in her life and live it to the full. She was clearly troubled, and my heart ached with her pain.
I would definitely recommend this book!

To the outside world, Amy Ashton seems like anyone else. However, you need only take one step into her home (if indeed she will let you) to know something is seriously wrong. Amy’s house is filled to the brim with items she has hoarded for the last eleven years. Things are spiralling out of control until a coincidence makes Amy face her past - what actually happened to her boyfriend and best friend when they disappeared in to thin air?

I struggled with this book for several different reasons. I am neither a neat freak nor a hoarder - though my TBR pile might suggest otherwise! However, the descriptions of the state of Amy’s house and her compulsive hoarding made so anxious and uncomfortable that I considered stopping reading after the first third of the book.It made me tense enough that I felt unable to relate to Amy.

The elements of the book that I did enjoy - the cheerful innocence and empathy from the children next door and the mystery of what happened to Chantel and Tim encouraged me to read on. I thought it was clever that the items Amy hoards symbolise the happy moments in her past and that there was a chapter with the back story to each item. I liked the sense that the house is a microcosm to Amy’s mental health - stagnant and chaotic and suffocating in past trauma. The juxtaposition of filling her home with clutter to compensate for the absence of what she longs for most was written well.

What was ultimately unsatisfying for me was the lack of character development in Amy’s character. Very little changes until the end for Amy, even when the mystery is resolved. Even then, Amy is relatively passive in this and it’s spurned on by the people in her life rather than acceptance, peace or inner strength from Amy herself.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and Piatkus for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.

A moving and tender novel full of sorrow, mystery, acceptance and moving on.
Everything is Beautiful is the story of Amy Ashton, a woman in her late thirties who cannot let go of the past. The past is full of harrowing losses and in order to make up for the huge gaps in her life those losses have left, Amy collects beautiful things.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and Amy sees things in objects which her neighbours do not. Rachel doesn't, Nina doesn't and the Council certainly don't. Things that are broken, pots, clocks, mirrors, vases, lighters, ashtrays, wine bottles and china birds sit alongside 11 years' worth of newspapers to create a chaotic clutter that Amy must keep from prying eyes.
Amy seems lonely, keeping herself to herself, at work and at home, anchored by her beloved possessions and yet at the same time burdened by them.
Unexpected things come to light, unearthed from a deeply buried place, when widowed Richard, his two boys Charles and Daniel, and Richard's live in girlfriend Nina, move in next door.
With charm, compassion, the innocence of children and a particular passion in Charles for JCBs, can Amy begin to piece together the fragments of her shattered life to find the whole again? Missing pieces need to be found, not necessarily to create the original picture but definitely the key to painting a different more hopeful future.
A book that will make you feel sad, one that makes you laugh and feel good, Everything is Beautiful is a novel guaranteed to reassure that romance exists and hope can follow tragedy.
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book ahead of publication. A highly recommended read indeed.

I have a soft spot for stories about small, extraordinary lives and there was something about the marketing surrounding this book that piqued the curiosity of this particular spot. I knew I was in for a treat as soon as I started reading.

When Amy Ashton’s best friend and boyfriend disappeared on the same day eleven years ago, she started collecting things. Just little things that reminded her of the past and better times. Now her house is full of things that others would consider junk but that hold special meaning to Amy. But then a new family move in next door and Amy discovers something that could lead to clues about what happened a decade before.

The depiction of mental illness in this book is done in such a believable, sensitive manner. Amy’s anxiety and paranoia is such a prevalent force in the novel and as we learn more about her and her past, the origins of it begin to unravel. Although her hoarding isn’t normal, the reader can see how and why it started and why it has continued.

I really loved the structure of the book. Each chapter reflected on one of Amy’s collections and delved into its significance to her life. It may appear that Amy keeps absolutely anything and everything but it’s much deeper than that. She simply can’t let go of her memories and that’s exactly what her possessions are. Her house almost acts a safe for her life and that’s reflected in her reluctance to let anyone in -either to her house or her life.

When Amy visits Richard and his sons next door, the comparisons between her own house and life and theirs become apparent. The relationship that she builds with the boys, particularly Charles the eldest, is so beautiful to watch. I was worried that Amy would retreat back into herself but Charles was as adamant to prevent that as I was! He appeared to have such a profound, unspoken understanding of Amy and he somehow knew that she needed a friend. I guess he needed one too.

We learn a little bit about Amy’s childhood and family life but I still felt there were some unanswered and unexplored issues. She appeared to have had a close relationship with her grandmother but apart from the odd memory, this wasn’t reflected on very much. The sections set in the past all revolved around her young adult years with Tim and Chantel and I guess I would have loved to have seen Amy with her grandmother as a child. It wouldn’t have added much to the story but it would have perhaps been a happy, thought-provoking episode.

The mystery surrounding Tim and Chantel’s supposed joint disappearance is something that haunts the whole book and of course, it haunts Amy. The truth is much more horrific than I thought it would be and I’m not sure many readers will guess the answer before it’s revealed. I was constantly trying to figure it out but the clues weren’t adding up. I loved these mind tricks that the author incorporated and added a different, page-turning aspect to the plot.

Everything Is Beautiful is an emotional, charming read with wonderful characterisations and an important message at its heart. Despite how sweet and beautiful the past was, we must never spend too long in it and forget to see the joy in the present or the future. Amy definitely has a lot in common with Eleanor Oliphant but she is undoubtedly her own person with her own quirks and ghosts. Pick it up for a thought-provoking and heartwarming story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read.

Amy Ashton is an endearing character. I felt invested in her story and was rooting for her happiness. Following the disappearance of her boyfriend, Tim and best friend, Chantal, eleven years ago, Amy found herself hoarding treasures to help her preserve her memories. I particularly liked the idea of her china bird collection including Scarlett the robin.

Amy's neighbours, Rachel and Nina report Amy's house as unsafe to the council., however her new neighbour, Richard and his two young sons brighten up her life. The children's dialogue and role in the story were so well written. I loved their digger collection and the story of how pet mouse, Mickey came to live with them..

Chapters explaining the significance of various items were a great addition.

A well written climatic scene brings everything together and we discover the real story of what happened eleven years earlier.

The author has a flowing, engaging writing style and I look forward to reading more of her work.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book certainly kept me engrossed.

We have Amy who over the years has become a bit of a hoarder and this is due to the fact her boyfriend and best friend disappeared and she has never got over it. Amy is a strong personality.

We see her as she is now and also we have flashbacks to the time where she was with her boyfriend Tim and her best friend Chantel.

A new family move in next doo to her and we see an incident happens in her garden in which she discovers something that may unlock the past and make her move forward.

It has a bit of mystery, romance and some funny bits in this book.

I would certainly recommend this book.

This book is described as being perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant (which I have but not yet read).
The story about Amy and her life is beautifully told, and is both funny and romantic with a little mystery thrown in as well.
I would recommend this book if you are looking for a light hearted good read.