It's been 11 years since Amy's s world fell apart when her boyfriend and best friend went missing without a trace. In her quest to find them, or the reasons that they left, she collects things that may hold the answers or remind her of them. After so long though, her house is now full to the brim, but a chance discovery kickstarts her quest again and we follow her on her journey for answers.
This is a lovely story about overcoming loss, never giving up and how different people deal with trauma. I especially liked the portrayal of the people who surround Amy. It's nice to read about nice, supportive people and you would hope that in a similar situation you would either receive or be that support.

This book is like several in one: there’s the character driven element as you follow Amy through her day to day life (intermingled with flashbacks) and it’s clear she’s not coping with life and struggling with her mental health. And in those flashbacks there’s the romance of the story as she and Tim get together and start their lives as a couple. And then there’s the mystery that she’s trying to solve - just what did happen to Tim and her best friend Chantel?

I liked how when you first learn about Tim and Amy’s loss of his disappearance, little snippets of Amy’s, his and Chantel’s characters are revealed bit by bit, keeping you invested in this story. The flashbacks are great as they show some of the reasons behind Amy’s compulsion to collect her treasures - and it makes you feel all the more for her. She’s a lovely character; very prickly given what she’s been through but she’s surrounded by people in her life who care about her. And when the new family move in next door, they slowly chip away at her eccentricities and it’s lovely as you see those defences fall away. Particularly as she becomes close with Charles and his little obsessions. A great twist at the end (I had a bit of an inkling I must admit) but the full reveal and ending was very satisfying. A really good read and an author to look out for!

Last week, I read #EverythingIsBeautiful by Eleanor Ray and absolutely adored it.

I was totally gripped and could not stop reading. The plot is compelling, heartwarming and devastating at times too. The exploration of grief through Amy’s hoarding is also very well done.

I found Amy’s character so unique and charming too - you take a little while to warm to her, but as you get into the story, you feel so much for her.

I would highly recommend if you’re looking for something heart-warming and charming. It also has a mystery threaded through, which really captures your attention!

If you’re looking for a warm hug of a book that’s charming, intriguing, and uplifting, then look no further. This beautiful, feel-good book will delight your heart even as it offers a hint of mystery mixed with relationship challenges. Amy Ashton is an orderly person at work but a mess on the inside. She’s a closet hoarder at home because she doesn’t realise that once everything seems precious and beautiful in our eyes, then nothing is really special at all.

Amy is not only trapped in a house bursting at the seams with stuff, she’s also trapped in the past because that’s where her greatest hurt stems from, where she feels stuck and unable to move on. Her boyfriend, Tim, and best friend, Chantal, have been missing for years yet she doesn’t know exactly why, where they might be, if they ran away together or are still alive. It’s this time warp heartbreak which keeps Amy fixated on keeping things she values.

Her work colleagues have no idea about the hoarding or why it started. Amy tries to keep things professional there and at arm’s length. But her closest neighbours are aware and they mutter to themselves, throwing hints her way about wanting to help her with her the state of her home. Stuffed to the gills as it might be, Amy’s home is still her refuge and sanctuary.

Until new neighbours arrive and the two little boys are blissfully unaware of Amy’s need for privacy and boundaries. When balls go astray and they invade her territory, she is briskly dismissive to begin with. Then over time, she develops a good relationship with them and with their father. A friendship develops that could lead to further unravelling unless she can learn to trust.

As Amy eventually starts to open up her home and her heart to the risk of allowing herself to be known, she begins to delve deeper into the mysterious disappearances from the past and gains some closure and answers. They’re answers she doesn’t expect as they shake the conclusions she’d already made. But they also serve to shake her eyes open to the mess and question how she really wants to live and love. Grateful thanks to NetGalley and Piatkus for the ARC.

As soon as I was given the opportunity to read and review this book i leapt at the chance! The description alone is enough to get the readers intrigued, and the cover is simply stunning.

Everything is beautiful is without any doubt one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. The characters are brought to life by the authors wonderful writing style, so much so you feel a true connection to them throughout. Amy’s character is enchanting and incredibly endearing, and as we learn more about her, her story is so deeply moving and truly pulled on my heartstrings.

And then we meet Ray. The ways in which he portrays the various reasons behind Amy’s hoarding being a response to the grief and trauma she has endured in her life is incredibly emotional. The story takes the characters through a huge range of emotions, and the reader alongside them too. The ways in which the characters have to learn to adapt to their new ways of life, and the unspoken tragedy of Tim and Chantel is ever present and always lurking just below the surface, leaving an air of suspense and a truly thrilling story in its wake.

This story was compelling and truly immersive from beginning to end. The storyline is so intricate and beautifully written. Eleanor Ray has captured the characters unique trace and brought them to life for the reader, perfectly highlighting the difficulties of not quite fitting in with everyone else, carrying emotional baggage and discovering how to slowly untie the knots from your past and move forward.

Although heart breaking at times, this book is thought – provoking and quite simply brilliant. I think everyone needs to read this book, i assure you you will most definitely not be dissapointed.

Amy Ashton lives alone in the house she previously lived in happily, with her boyfriend Tim and her best friend Chantel but eleven years after the pair seemly disappeared, all Amy has for company now is her collection of things.

Just a few keepsakes of happier times, turned into a collection of things others might throw away, a chipped china bird, some empty bottles which to Amy, represent a life that could have been and which fill her house to the brim. But when she finds an item from her past, she didn't expect to see again, Amy hopes to find the answers about what really happened eleven years ago..

What a wonderful debut, emotional yet hopeful, with a kind hearted and quirky protagonist to who, I became quite attached to.
I really felt for Amy with the way she treasured & clung to her things after her world was turned upside down - a coping mechanism which had distanced her from other people. Amy's grief was captured so well by the switching between past and present, where you got to learn so much about her alongside the meaning behind each one of her treasures, this really emphasized the attachment and emotions behind each object.

The mystery of Tim and Chantel's disappearance, had me eager to find out what happened to them and why they left so suddenly. I loved how the author used an object to set Amy on the hunt for answers, considering how attached she becomes to items of no value, I thought it was clever to use something that actually held precious memories to lead to the answers she desperately wanted.

Mixing a dark past with a optimistic future, I was really drawn in by Amy's story and was so happy to see things pick up for her at the end of the story - If you're a fan of Eleanor Oliphant, you'll love this!

I should be one of the few humans beings in the first world that didn’t read Eleanor Oliphant so I can’t say if there are similarities or not.
What I can say is that I never used the adjective “gripping” for a women’s fiction and this a way I would described this book.
Because it’s a women’s fiction but it’s also an excellent thriller and the mix of the genres works very well making this book a page turner you can’t put down.
The story is poignant, emotionally charged and it moved me to tears more than once as I know a hoarder and I can say that the author did an excellent job in describing this type of persons. Amy sees beauty in discarded objects but she also use the objects to collect to avoid being hurt again. We can read about her past, about what she was and we can read about her current life and what she became.
She try to avoid human contacts and she’s stuck in the moment when her world fell down. She starts to heal the moment some of her objects are destroyed and part of the barriers fall down.
The moment Amy starts to heal is also the moment when she starts investigating the disappearance of her fiancee and her best friends.
This is also the moment when the story becomes a thriller as she’s collecting clues and discovering that not all is what it seemed.
The solution to the mystery part came as a surprise and I was satisfied by it as it’s also the moment when Amy can leave the past behind and starts living again.
I loved the excellent character development: Amy is a complex and interesting woman. We learn she’s very beautiful but this is just an element as the plot is more about what’s going on in her mind.
All the characters are fleshed out and interesting, some are lovely as Richard and the children. Some are quite hateful, excellent villain in this story.
The plot is tightly knitted and the dual timeline helps the reader to understand what happened and who were these persons whose disseverance hurt Amy so much.
I think this is an excellent debut and this book is strongly recommended.
Many thanks to Piatkus and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

If you’ve ever watched the television show Hoarders, you, like me, may have wondered why people hold on to things and accumulate more stuff than they know what to do with. Watching the show and reading about hoarders has never really got me feeling so empathetic towards them as I did reading this heartbreaking story.

When people can’t deal with heartbreak and when they lose control of their life, they often try to control other things. Hoarding too, is a form of coping with pain that a person cannot control.

When Amy loses both her boyfriend and best friend at the same time, her life is out of control. She begins to hoard. She tries to fix broken things, as if in doing so she can fix her broken heart.

The author has done such a brilliant job of creating the quirky, sad, lonely and yet loveable character of Amy. As she goes about her life, collecting, trying to fix broken objects and all the while having things pile up around her, Amy feels that’s she’s okay.

Her world is suddenly turned upside down by the arrival of new neighbours – two young, rambunctious boys and their father. When the boys break some pots in her garden, Amy finds something that might help her travel down the past and see it in a new way.

Will she find it in her to look back at the past and see it for what it is? Will she be able to move out of her comfort zone?

This is above all a story of hope – an affirmation that we can heal. Amy’s story is a confirmation that unquestioning affection from children and the non-judgemental presence and kindness of adults can give us the strength to move forward from heartbreak and truly discover the beauty in brokenness.

This is certainly my best read of 2021 and the story will stay with me for a long time.

OMG you guys. Everything Is Beautiful was just so….beautiful. Since the book’s blurb said that it was perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, I was immediately hooked. I know a lot of you guys didn’t like how Eleanor Oliphant’s story was narrated, but Everything Is Beautiful is so, so much better. Eleanor Ray’s writing style is so addicting, you can’t help turning the pages to discover what happens next in the main character, Amy Ashton’s life. 💕

Amy’s story explored themes of grief, solidarity, and friendship. The title of the book itself holds a very special message. You see, Amy hoards the simplest of things – mugs, empty bottles, ashtrays, clocks, mirrors, basically all kinds of stuff – because she finds beauty in everything out there.💖 She lost two of her favorite people in the world in just a span of 24 hours, so she holds on to her “treasures” to find a sense of happiness in her lonely life. I loved reading about her. Her “closed-off” demeanor made her a very interesting character, since the chapters kept revealing a different side of her life until the very end. I felt a deep sense of empathy with her throughout the story.

I loved how the chapters in Everything in Beautiful swiftly changed between two timelines. The “past” chapters were always titled (I think the finished copy will contain illustrations of the objects too, the e-ARC didn’t have those, sadly) with the name of the treasure that Amy collected during that time. This made reading the book really fascinating! There was also a mystery aspect to the storyline, and I couldn’t wait to see how everything turned out in the end. The supporting characters were beautifully written as well. I especially loved Daniel and Charles – Amy’s littol neighbors who made her come out of her shell with their loving nature.

Equal parts heart-warming and heart-breaking, Everything is Beautiful mesmerized me in the best way possible. The book comes out on the 4th of February, 2021. Please read it when it comes out, you’ll fall in love, I promise.

This book is many things – mystery, romance, and (dare I say) a self-help. What they all have in common is a central character who, despite all her quirks and misgivings, is incredibly endearing.

Amy’s neighbours are convinced she has a serious hoarding problem and they keep looking for excuses to enter her home and prove themselves right. When all attempts fail, someone complains to the council who send a representative to check on her living conditions.

In the way events play out, you might think Amy is a lonely old cat lady, when in reality she is a young professional. With no other way to deal with her loss and betrayal, she has found solace in holding onto objects she believes she is rescuing from abandonment and protecting from heartbreak because, then, maybe, at least they’ll want to stick with her. Even though she seems reclusive, Amy is warm and friendly as long as no one intrudes into her life and, most importantly, into her home.

The plot takes a major turn when the little boys from next door trespass into her garden causing her carefully built sanctum to collapse, in turn opening up the wounds on her soul. Reeling from the damage, she is shocked to discover clues to a mystery she didn’t know existed, until now. Desperate to find answers, Amy gathers her courage to dig into her past and find out how and when exactly did things go wrong.

As the protagonist, she is eccentric and yet you find yourself rooting for her every step of the way, even willing to take up cudgels with the neighbours on her behalf. But there is Richard from next door, and his adorable boys, who, in extending a friendly hand toward Amy, set her on the path she knows she must take but is unable to bring herself to.

Amy’s story is as much a gripping thriller as it is a journey of self-discovery – of learning to prioritise yourself and to love yourself. Even more so, it is a beautifully uplifting story of the brightness of hope.

In an uncertain future, when you need something funny, inspiring and thought-provoking to get you up and moving, with a dash of mystery and romance thrown in as a bonus, this is the book you should seek. It is not just a story… it is an experience. It will warm your heart and soothe your soul like a mug of hot chocolate sipped under a cosy blanket.

This ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Piatkus Books.

🌿BOOK REVIEW🌿

Everything Is Beautiful by Eleanor Ray

🌼🌼🌼🌼/5

TW// toxic relationships, loss

Amy thinks life can’t get any better: she is in a loving relationship with Tim, she has Chantelle as a fantastic friend and she has rediscovered her love for painting. All of a sudden her best friend and boyfriend go missing on the same night and her world starts crumbling around her. She starts collecting ‘treasures’ that help her feel connected to the people she has lost as she tries to decipher what has happened.

It is 11 years after their disappearance and Amy’s house is full of collected items that she cannot bare to be broken. A chance discovery of a ring in her back garden brings back all the pain of that dreadful evening. Amy restarts her quest for answers and this time she won’t give up!

This is such a beautiful story all about loss, love and moving forward! It was a perfect book to read as an escape from the chaotic world around us. I got real Eleanor Oliphant vibes from Amy as she is woman who has been deeply hurt but trying to keep putting one foot in front of the other. The author does a wonderful job of bringing Amy’s character to life and I kept wanting to reach out and give her a cuddle!

I loved the theme of support in this novel as Amy finds a huge amount of comfort in the new family, Richard and his two children Charles and Daniel, who move in next door. These children understand Amy in a way no one else has before and Richard shows her kindness that she hasn’t felt in 11 years.

This book literally felt like a hug!

Everything is beautiful
By Eleanor Ray
Pub date mar 25 2021
This is a beautiful book I love it I’m a bit of a holder my self I’ve collected objects from people and from years ago I’ve had giving two me. I love the fact Amy started collected things now her house is over flowing with objects. I loved Amy character it’s funny it make you smile this book is beautiful written the cover is lovely and beautiful. This is a emotional moving story you enjoy. This is a gripping story every page is a turn over I didn’t want it two end I so happy I was gifted this lovely book and I hope two read more by the author in the future .

What a joy this was to read. A real tonic.
Amy's story was heart wrenching and the ending so satisfying.
A lovely book to curl up with.
Highly recommend

So relatable, absolutely love the protagonist in this lovely story.

I couldn’t put this book down any was gutted when I finished it.

Thought provoking and beautifully written you won’t regret picking this up.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Amy's life changed 11 years ago when her best friend and boyfriend disappeared on the same day. Since then, she's starting colleting things that remind her of what she had, things that other people might throw away. When she gets new neighbours, it prompts a discovery that brings the mystery front and centre and Amy needs to find out what really happened.
I felt so sorry for Amy - I recognised myself in her - and found it hard to leave her, I had to keep reading to make sure she was alright! The book jumps from the present to the past so we get a sense of Amy's relationship with boyfriend Tim, and why she's drawn to certain items and feels the need to keep them close. The two boys who move in next door are a delight, and I loved watching Amy thaw as she gets to know them and dad Richard.
I wasn't expecting that ending either! Fab.

Fabulous debut, it’s unusual for me to award 5 stars to a debut, because, well, we all have improvements to make when we do something for the first time. Not, apparently Ms Ray, I couldn’t fault The Missing Treasures of Amy Ashton it was crammed full (similar to Amy’s house) of heart, warmth and hope.

Highly recommended, loved it - End of.

Quirky story of Amy who is trying to solve the mystery of the sudden disappearance of her boyfriend and best friend. The book was written with such tenderness and insight on why Amy has become a hoarder, explaining thoroughly her thought processes on why she looks for and keeps so many 'treasures'. The plot regarding her quest for the truth of why the most important people in her life left her keep the story engaging and unravels at a perfect pace. Loved Richard's character who shows such warmth and patience in helping Amy. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an opportunity to read this book in return for my review.

So, this book only gets three stars from me, and I feel really mean because it’s a good read. The whole concept is great. There are a few twists and turns that you don’t expect. Ray writes really well, and manages to keep the reader engaged. The reason for the three stars? I just didn’t connect with the main character, Amy.

Amy is lost; in the past and the hundreds of possessions she keeps to fill the void. Rather than feel sorry for her, she annoyed me. I didn’t view her as the heroine of the piece, but rather the victim. At times I felt Amy was playing the victim, whether that was Ray’s intention, only she knows.

The whole book revolves around the secret that has resulted in Amy’s recent state.
She’s a hoarder. She collects those items that others would throw aside, because that’s exactly how she feels; cast aside. She’s buries herself in her own home. After all, no one can hurt her if they can’t get in. As the reader, we get to witness her metamorphosis as she confronts what brought her here.

As I say, do not let this put you off picking up this book. It’s well crafted, and I truly believe deserves a sequel. It’s a book with definite Eleanor Oliphant vibes, but for me Oliphant wins.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and became totally engrossed in the storyline. It is well written, clever and intriguing and I found it hard to put down, especially towards the end. It was like a jigsaw puzzle, slowly being pieced together, the back and forth on the timeline all gradually making perfect sense as to why Amy lives the way she now does. I loved every minute of the story.

Amy lives in a world of uncertainty now and a house full of her treasures; full to breaking point in fact. I really liked Amy and wanted her to find a way through her problems and find a good life. I really liked the interaction between the characters, especially Richard and the boys, her new neighbour. The story portrayed the very best and worst of people and nothing was ever quite what it appeared.

As everything came together I was gripped towards the end of the book, I was on the edge of my seat and couldn't put it down. I really loved this story and highly recommend you read it too.

As soon as I started reading this book I got major Eleanor Oliphant vibes. Amy the main character is quirky, funny and also really sad and lonely. 11 years ago her boyfriend and best friend went missing and ever since then amy has shut herself off from the rest of the world in hopes they would one day return. Oh and she has a major hoarding problem.

The chapters are split into present day and before her boyfriend and best friend went missing. The before chapters give us an insight into why amy collects the things she does which I felt made us really connect with her.

At the beginning of the book a new family move in next door and I found the children’s dialog hilarious. They are typical small children who force amy to come out of her shell in the best way possible. It was heartwarming and different to the typical romances you read, I love how this played out. I absolutely loved this story line and how amy gradually connected with all of the characters.

I did not guess the ending but I was so pleased with how this book finished. I felt everything was tied together nicely and as it should be.