A quirky and heartwarming hug of a book, Hope Nicely (“Hope as in hope, and Nicely like nicely”) is a character that you can’t help but fall in love with!

I really enjoyed being inside Hope’s head in this novel, which reads sort of like her stream of consciousness as she negotiates all the ups and downs of her life. By turns funny, sad, life-affirming and uplifting, it’s a kind of coming of age story looking at loneliness, and how it can be overcome by kindness, acceptance and friendship.

This book is just brimming with “good” people. From Hope’s mum, to her friends from the writing group, her dog-walking boss, and Hope herself, this is the kind of book that starts to restore my faith in humanity. As the cover of my proof copy says, it’s “the novel that you *probably* really need right now…” and I really really did!

That it shines a light on FASD, a condition that I knew nothing about, was really thought-provoking, and I was glad to read that Caroline Day received an enthusiastic early response from a FASD support group she was in close contact with.

With thanks to Zaffre for sending me a proof copy of the book.

Hope Nicely is writing a book that is going to change her life. She is writing her autobiography in the hopes that it will help her find her birth mother and explain why she was given away at only a few hours old. Many years ago Hope was adopted by Jenny Nicely having been left in a cardboard box by her birth mother. She has so many unanswered questions running through her jumbled brain. She describes her brain as being in a bit of a muddle due to Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Her birth mother drank too much resulting in the damage to her brain.

The story is told entirely in the first person narrative and it takes a lot of time to get used to this. I could see why the story was written in this way as you have constant access to Hope’s way of thinking and you see how she functions and interacts with all aspects of society on a daily basis. But it became too much for me and just too intense at times. I would have loved to have heard from the point of view of other characters featured in the story and to be given an insight as to how they view Hope and how they wish to help her.

Hope faces many challenges in her life but she has always had Jenny Nicely there by her side, fighting her corner and providing her with the rules of life in order for her to get by. Literally everything needs to be explained and outlined to her so Hope can interact in the usual way that society dictates. That’s not to say the personality of Hope can not shine through. Of course it can but a lot of these rules are for Hope’s own safety. She learns how to converse with people and to cope with things that trigger her but she is dependent on others in so many ways as she takes things at face value and interprets what is being said very literally. Hope is not good at remembering things, she gets easily distracted and confused. She often talks too much and has to try to remember to let other people speak no matter how much she wishes to say what is on the tip of her tongue. She needs to keep things back for fear of upsetting others. She has her golden rules notebook which is her guide to doing the right thing in social situations and these rules do help her navigate the world she finds herself in. But at the same time the personality of Hope with all its quirks is allowed to shine through from the pages of this book.

I found this to be a very intense read as all the time Hope is constantly on edge and her rush of thoughts, feelings and opinions are constantly pouring forth onto the page. It was like an endless chatter without a pause for breath never allowing the reader to sit back for a moment and absorb what they had read. I understand this was the way Hope was and couldn’t help it and yes it gave such an excellent insight into how someone with FASD lived their life. But it became too much for me at times and especially the endless repetition of names, rules and events. I know it was all to add to the story and to give the reader an even deeper appreciation of Hope and the incredible person she was but truthfully it was just too much for me. I found it made the story drag somewhat as so much was said over and over and you are wishing for the plot to move along a bit which it finally does towards the last quarter of the book. She describes her disorder as being on a rainbow spectrum and I loved this analogy and it worked well with how Connor Flynn describes himself as he himself had Aspergers.

Hope works as a dog walker and dogs are her only friends that is until she is awarded a scholarship to attend the writing classes run by author Marnie Shale. Here Hope meets a diverse cast of characters which I really would have loved to have gotten to know better. Yes, we get to read of Hope’s interpretation of them but I would have much preferred to these characters have their own moment to share part of their stories and their specific reasons for being at the class. One person in particular Danny Flynn will become like Hope’s knight in shining armour when Jenny Nicely has a heart attack at home and Hope becomes paralysed with fear. Only for Danny arriving at the house and performing CPR and getting an ambulance Jenny could have been in very dire straits. That’s not to say she wasn’t, she is placed in an induced coma and Hope is left without her anchor. She literally doesn’t know how she will function without that person who is her mother and the one who has given her all these rules for life. The innocence of Hope and her lack of being able to function properly without Jenny be her side highlights how dependent she is on others. That no matter what tools she is given to be as independent as possible there are always things there in her mind which prevent from safely and comfortably striking out in life.

Danny and his family take in Hope as Jenny remains in hospital. Will Jenny ever wake and return to Hope? Bridget is Danny’s mother and Connor is Danny’s brother. They were two great characters. Bridget, a no nonsense mother but someone who was always there to offer comfort and support. As for Connor, he was perhaps the best written character and dare I say it even more so than Hope. He was so blunt in his observations and saw things either in black or white. He was much more calm and considered as opposite to Hope who I felt was just always so much on edge with her mind constantly running and racing never taking a breather. Which led to a feeling of exhaustion coming across to the reader in turn making you tired from what you had been reading. Connor said things like they were but he did have his own fears and foibles so in that sense Hope and himself gelled well together.

Hope ventures to a very dark place and I did think a warning before reading this book would have been welcome as things are described in some detail and it could perhaps trigger a certain type of reader. To be honest Hope Nicely’s Lessons for Life was not the kind of read I was expecting. Yes, the cover was whimsical and colourful and the dog does tie in well with one of Hope’s passions in life. But there are a lot of deep themes being explored here. Loneliness, acceptance and friendship I would say are the more lighter end of the themes despite these being very serious in their own right. I felt the ending was tied up too quickly and conveniently given the very long lead up to it and I wished for more exploration. I really appreciate what the author set out to do with this book and Hope Nicely is a stand out character but it was bit of a mixed bag for me. Without doubt this story will raise awareness of FASD and if you like books about self discovery than this is the one for you.

Hope Nicely’s Lessons For Life by Caroline Day is a gorgeously written book that captured my heart from the very first page. An utterly delightful and heartwarming read, I couldn’t help but fall in love with Hope from the moment she was introduced. This is a book that will make you laugh out loud one moment and then burst into tears the next, wanting nothing more than to wrap your arms around Hope and protect her from the harshness of the world around her.

Authentically written with a raw honesty that tugs at your heartstrings, the writing style of this book is different to what I’m used to but, once I’d got used to the way the writing flowed, one that worked incredibly well for me. It may not work for everyone, but for me it brought Hope and her story vividly to life, making her feel like someone I actually knew rather than only a character on the page.

Hope Nicely is a 25 year old dog walker who lives with her adoptive mum, Jenny. Told in the first person, Hope tells us that she’s decided to write her autobiography, in the hope that it will help her find her real mum. Abandoned as a baby, Hope was born with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), which means that her ‘brain is a bit like a jumble sale’ or, as her adoptive mother always tells her, that she’s a ‘rainbow person, a special drop of light’.

Bullied throughout her schooldays, Hope has only ever had friends of the canine kind, so it is a brave leap of faith that sees her join a local writing class. Although not without its challenges, she soon begins to enjoy the new knowledge opening up before her and the mostly inclusive attitude of her fellow classmates, with one in particular helping her when she is most in need of a friend.

Hoping to find her birth mother so that the questions that have haunted her all her life can finally be answered, Hope has no idea just how much the decision to write her own story is about to impact on her life, opening up her world more than she ever would have thought possible. And then her adoptive mother, Jenny, suddenly falls ill and Hope realises that she still has even more lessons to learn…

As the parent of a young adult with a disability, many of the themes touched on in Hope Nicely’s Lessons For Life are achingly familiar to me. Caroline Day has written a heartwarming book filled with love, friendship and a raw honesty that touched me more than words can say. It is a book that shows the importance of inclusivity and how it feels to finally be accepted for who you are. I loved Hope, a character who became like a real person to me, and felt bereft to have to say goodbye as I turned the final page.

A beautifully written book that will stay with me, Hope Nicely’s Lessons For Life is an utterly delightful read that I adored, leaving me with a warm feeling of hope as the story came to a close. Highly recommended.

Hope Nicely is 25 years old and was affected by her birth mother drinking during pregnancy. As a result she is on the spectrum and we learn a lot more about foetal alcohol syndrome. Hope decides she wants to contact her birth mother to find out why she drank and she has decided to write a book about herself. She joins a local writing class to be able to tell her story in the right way.

The book is written in the first person with Hope telling the story and I liked the way this was written. I quickly got into the mind of Hope and found it funny, endearing, and poignant. A great story and a really good read.

The first-person narrator of Caroline Day’s novel is twenty-five-year-old Hope Nicely who lives with her adoptive mother, Jenny, in Harpenden and was born with Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder (FASD). Whilst Hope treasures Jenny and enjoys her ‘real job’ walking dogs she would also like to find her birth mother and ask why she abandoned her as a baby, and if she knew that drinking during pregnancy could lead to Hope’s condition. Bullied and taken advantage of at school, Hope’s only real contacts besides Jenny are her dog walking boss, Karen, and retired former social worker, Julie. Hope is well aware of the issues that result from her condition (learning difficulties, poor memory, struggling to concentrate) and quite a lot of the time she would really rather not be the person that she is, even leading her to previously attempt suicide. Jenny is a poet and Hope makes the decision to try writing her autobiography in a bid to get the answers to the questions that she longs for. Gaining a scholarship to the evening classes of author, Marnie Shale, where Hope’s learning difficulties and uniqueness mark her out, she soon makes a big impression on the group.

The early part of the story covers the golden rules devised by Jenny that Hope follows and are aimed at keeping her out of trouble, along with seeing through Hope’s own eyes the events at her evening class. Whilst the first-person narrative gives the reader an insight into Hope’s head and thought processes, including the frustration she feels due to her jumble memory, it does mean that the prose is simplistic, frequently repetitive and can feel disjointed. As a reader unused to this I personally found it irritating and therefore difficult to engage with the storyline. I expect I would have empathised greatly if Hope’s condition and situation were narrated in anything other than the first person but as it was I found it difficult to immerse myself in her story due to the lack of depth. Whilst seeing how Hope handles certain social situations has the potential for amusement and might well endear her to many readers, little of significance happens in regard to Hope’s search for answers until well over halfway. Even with the introduction of an eclectic and well-drawn cast of secondary characters my patience wore thin and I found the book a slog to finish.

Whilst many readers have compared the topics of loneliness, acceptance and friendship that feature in the novel to Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and I would concur, the prose is markedly different, as is the depth of the actual story. Whilst the novel will raise awareness of FASD and offers an insight into what the condition is like to live with I feel unable to recommend due to the slow start, basic prose and the convenient coincidence ending that was rather too neat.

I will admit, this took me a very long while to get into, and I’m not entirely sure I did. As someone with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, this is incredibly educational as you get front row seats into the challenges, scatter-brain thoughts, vulnerabilities, heartbreak, confusion, misunderstanding and well just life, that is Hope’s. There are some very dark moments in this that might trigger some readers that occur at several points - so check at the end for more information on that.

I will say that this is a heartbreaking read in parts, as you follow her thoughts and feelings. But for me, Hope’s story was just too scattered and I really struggled to stay engaged. There was also some humour as you experience events and circumstances through Hope’s childlike eyes and naïveté. And her relationship with her mum, Jenny Nicely was just beautiful.

⚠️ Trigger warning and potential spoilers: includes repeated reference to and some detail of a suicide attempt and suicidal thoughts. ⚠️

Hope Nicely is a young woman with learning disabilities. In the UK one and a half million people have a learning disability, so an understanding of the difficulties they face is valuable to everyone. Born with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, as a baby Hope was abandoned by her birth mother. Now she lives with her adoptive mum, Jenny Nicely, and is employed by a friend of Jenny’s in a dog walking business.

In a bid to find her birth mother Hope decides to write her autobiography. Despite having been bullied throughout school, she bravely joins an evening class where Hope will not only learn the lessons of writing (including the number one golden rule of 'show don't tell'), but may also begin to discover more about the world around her, about herself and even make some (human) friends.

In Hope Nicely’s Lessons for Life, Caroline Day engages her readers with honesty and humour, enabling them to empathise with Hope’s challenges and successes. She explores Hope’s thought processes with insight into and awareness of the reality of living with a disability. In Hope’s own words, ‘I don't have any friends, only dog ones, because they don't make you do bad things. I don't want any human friends, actually. It's for the best.'

Hope reacts to new experiences by using her limited understanding of how the adult world works to figure out how to respond. To use a technical term, Day employs ‘interiority’ in the first person narrative, taking the reader inside Hope’s head. This is the source of much hilarity for readers, because Hope rarely ‘gets’ the situation right away. Sometimes she cannot tell the difference between what she is thinking and what she is saying. However, she eventually finds a way through, supported by her Mum and some good friends she makes through her creative writing class.

I was given a copy of this book in return for an honest review. I think it is perfect for reading groups. I enjoyed it and can heartily recommend it to anyone affected by or interested in learning disabilities. Because Hope is in her twenties, there is one scene involving sexual activity, so the book is not suitable for very young readers.

You'll live with Hope in your heart after you read this charming, thought-provoking story of a young woman in search of answers to her past. Born with Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, Hope Nicely was found abandoned in a cardboard box on the steps of a church, and subsequently adopted by Jenny Nicely. Hope is now 25, learning disabled, but ready to face all that life throws at her. She even has a "real" job, walking dogs, and now, with her mum's encouragement, she has decided to write her own life story, in the naive hope that it will bring her real mother out of the woodwork to answer Hope's questions of why she chose vodka, gin and beer over her growing baby.
In the course of the story we learn about Hope's past, the challenges she's faced and the challenges she continues to face from prejudiced, ignorant people. Thankfully her knack of making friends brings her plenty support - but can other people help her find the answers she needs to make more sense of her life?
I was captivated from the very first page! Hope writes as she thinks, so the reader gets an immediate sense of her character, of her difficulties in processing and grasping ideas, and of her determination to see things through to the end. What a strong, loving and lovely young woman she is. Of course she has less endearing traits - anger management being one of them - but we can feel and empathise with her every emotion, laughing and crying with her through her joys, sorrows, heartaches and bewilderment as she finds ways to dust herself off and begin again.
There are lots of lovely characters in this story - Hope's mum, Jenny, her social worker Julie, fellow writer Danny and his lovely mum and brother. But Hope is the true heroine, who exemplifies her adopted mother's assertion that labels don't matter, it's people who matter.
Perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, Hope's story will stay with you long after the final page and remind you that with women like Hope, her true friends and family in the world, there is always hope for the future, for us all.

Caroline Day’s 'Hope Nicely’s Lessons for Life' is a unique book with an unforgettable main character and a plot that gives a firm tug on the heartstrings.

Funny and heartbreaking by turns, 'Hope Nicely’s Lessons for Life' is about a young woman called Hope, who was born with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Hers is not an easy life, for as well as a range of symptoms to contend with, she often faces discrimination and prejudice. But neither is it an unhappy life: her adoptive mother, Jenny Nicely, is an undimming beacon of light and support, and Hope finds purpose and delight in her beloved job as a dog walker. (Dogs, you see, are easier to understand and get along with than people.)

At the beginning of the novel, Hope makes the decision to start writing an autobiography, and joins an evening writing class to learn more about the craft of writing. But her aim is a loftier one: to discover the truth of her early life and the real reason that her biological mother chose to drink while pregnant, and then to abandon her newborn baby on a church step. This is a big, life-changing project, for Hope’s very identity hangs in the balance, but it’s also an unavoidable one: the urge to know the truth of her origins is like an unreachable itch.

But when embarking on the writing of her book, Hope encounters difficult circumstances that she isn’t always adequately equipped to manage, and a whole new set of potentially life-changing circumstances that ultimately empower her to discover far more about herself than the early facts of her life.

Hope Nicely’s Lessons for Life is a story about obstacles and discrimination, but also about friendship, laughter, family, and the transformative power of simple acceptance.

The plot of 'Hope Nicely’s Lessons for Life' may be simple – a young woman sets out on a mission of discovery – but it’s very effective. The reader is drawn gently into Hope’s story and encouraged to understand and to sympathise, but also to laugh at the incongruous nature of some of the scenes – and some of the people. Because Hope is so much of a character, we’re encouraged to enjoy her journey and to will her on as she tackles each new obstacle, rather than languishing in misplaced pity or sorrow for the objectively unfortunate circumstances of her birth.

Nonetheless, the novel isn’t always easy reading. There are a multitude of deftly nuanced, life-affirming moments, but there are also moments in which Hope experiences intolerance and prejudice, and chapters in which her condition has an undeniably detrimental effect on her ability to manage stressful or emotionally difficult moments.

But this, I think, is what contributes to the success of the novel. Day could easily have written a heartwarming story in which Hope only meets kind, compassionate people who open their hearts and minds to her and offer indispensable assistance on her quest to discover her past. But – and here’s the important thing – she didn’t. 'Hope Nicely’s Lessons for Life' isn’t devoid of sunshine and rainbows, but instead makes it clear that they’re all the more enjoyable because of the rain. It’s a clever and nuanced novel in which good people can be hurt and suffer, and in which Hope Nicely’s quest is lined with pitfalls and obstacles that only she can overcome.

My only issue with the plot was that it took a while to get going, as a great deal of the beginning of the novel is given over to the faithful regurgitation of the lessons Hope learns at her writing class. While it’s initially pretty humorous, setting the scene for some rich misunderstandings and genuinely amusing moments, there’s a little too much of it, giving the sense of a novel of two halves: one setting the scene and establishing Hope’s character, and the other bringing in important plot points and increasing the pace to the conclusion. If, instead, it had been condensed and the lines between the two halves blurred, it would have been an even more powerful read.

'Hope Nicely’s Lessons for Life' is populated by a cast of realistic, well-depicted characters. Breathing life into the setting and novel, they’re the perfect foil to Hope Nicely, and we see in them a variety of relationships with Hope, ranging from whole-hearted acceptance and well-meaning interest to close-minded dislike and intolerance.

The best of them is, in my humble opinion, Jenny Nicely, Hope’s adoptive mother and an all-round good egg. She’s supportive of Hope’s plan to cast light on her past, and empowers her to commit to and succeed at her job as a dog walker. Cognisant of Hope’s unique needs, she also takes the time to communicate carefully with her and to ensure that safeguards are in place to protect Hope if routines need to be changed without warning. She’s not perfect – no one is – but she strives to provide what Hope needs.

Hope is, of course, also a standout character, with strength and resilience in spades. She manages a condition that rarely (if ever) makes life easy for her, and has a relentless zeal for life and new things that somehow remains undimmed even when she faces considerable opposition and prejudice. Not every decision that she makes is the right one, but that’s both understandable and realistic, given that she is a ‘rainbow person,’ as beautifully described by Jenny Nicely.

While I can’t comment on the veracity of Hope’s portrayal as a character with FASD, Day’s depiction of the obstacles that Hope has and continues to overcome, the variety of symptoms that she experiences, both on a day-to-day basis and in moments of high stress, and the degree of independence that she aspires to, all seem realistic given the parameters of her experience of FASD. On that basis, this novel provides a detailed, enjoyable and thoroughly engaging depiction of the ups and downs of life with FASD, both for a person on the spectrum and for their family and friends.

I think it’s important to mention here that Hope is the hero of her own story. It is her idea to embark on a quest to discover the truth, and through her own resilience and determination, she carves a life out for herself that isn’t immune to change, but that is positive and loving. While she has many obstacles to overcome, not least of which exist due to the fact that she is on the spectrum, she does manage to overcome them. Hope Nicely’s Lessons for Life sends two important messages: that you, like Hope, can be the hero of your own story, and that what makes you unique is to be celebrated.

'Hope Nicely’s Lessons for Life' is told from Hope’s perspective, giving us a unique, firsthand perspective as her story unfolds. We’re there for both the moments of success, delight and well-deserved pride, but also for the sad moments, the difficult times, and the not infrequent misunderstandings, whether caused or experienced by Hope.

This offers the reader clear insight into Hope’s thought processes, helping us to understand why Hope proves to be incapable of specific responses at certain points in the narrative. Importantly, however, it also gives the reader opportunities to recognise her strengths as well as her weaknesses, and that she is just as complex a person as any of the other characters, above and beyond the fact that she was born with FASD.

The prose in 'Hope Nicely’s Lessons for Life' is simplistic, with some repetition of phrases such as ‘flip a pancake!’ This means that each individual sentence isn’t necessarily an interesting or intriguing read, but together contribute positively to the telling of a story that is fun and enjoyable at times, and difficult to read at others.

Considering the repetition of certain phrases, it can be a little grating – but that depends entirely on your perspective. In truth, it regularly made me smile, because it felt like a touchstone of Hope’s indomitable personality.

There’s little in 'Hope Nicely’s Lessons for Life' that I would judge specifically needs warning about. Importantly, however, there are moments at which Hope considers suicide, though nothing comes of it, and there are some distressing hospital scenes towards the end of the novel.

I would recommend the novel to fans of 'Eleanor Oliphaunt is Completely Fine,' and to readers who are excited by the prospect of a protagonist with a disability in the first instance, but also to readers of fiction who prefer a heartwarming read set in a familiar world, in the second. This ticks all of those boxes – and more – and would be a great asset to any bookshelf.

In conclusion, 'Hope Nicely’s Lessons for Life' is an emotive and well-written novel that offers insight into the realities of life with FASD as well as an assured and intriguing plot, and realistic, memorable characters. Never bored, I quickly became invested in Hope’s story and search for the truth of her childhood, and found the climax of the novel to be satisfying on all accounts. It’s not an easy read – this is a novel that packs an emotional punch – but it is a heartwarming novel that creates more warm fuzzies than it does uncertainty. A well-rounded novel, it’s realistic but not pessimistic, and, ultimately, hopeful.

Additionally, this is a novel in which the main character has a disability – and is undeniably the hero of her own story. That’s something that I just can’t get enough of.

However, I did find the pacing of 'Hope Nicely’s Lessons for Life' to be laboured at times, with the opening gambit taking up too much of the novel, and the conclusion arguably taking up too little, culminating in a book of two very different halves. If the pacing could have been evened up, with less time taken on the description of every detail of Hope’s writing class and more prose devoted to the action in the second hand of the novel, I would have loved it even more.

I was lucky enough to have a proof copy of this book. It was *so* nice to read a story with a neurodiverse character at the centre. Hope wants to tell her story and has joined a writing group, but she's going to discover more than she imagined. The friendships and the community within this book have stayed with me. Out later this year and one to look out for.

I did not finish this book. As the story is told from Hope's point of view I think there is information missing that would help understand Hope better.

This was such a lovely and refreshing book to read, so different and thats what I liked about it, the narration felt genuine. It was nice to have the POV from a character that has this type of condition as I’ve never heard of it before so I felt I was being educated at the same time. In points of this book my heart broke for hope but at the same time she made me seriously laugh out loud moments with her humour and her sayings, she was easy to love. I really don’t get how people can’t give people a chance who are different it really annoys me as there was this one side character (luckily wasn’t in it much) who was just so mean to her and it made me angry, you know when writing is good when you can literally feel emotional 😂 would definitely recommend this book if you like a bit of a laugh and heartbreak at the same time

I really enjoyed reading this. It highlights FASD and through seeing through Hope's eyes it lets us see into how hers and others mind works. The story that goes around Hope and her mum Jenny Nicely is captivating and has lots of emotions and humour which makes you want to keep reading.
Would definitely recommend.

I absolutely loved this book. After the first couple of chapters in I did wonder if I could carry on with it. It does takes some getting used to, but do persevere because it is just so worth it. You will come to adore Hope, you’ll laugh with her at her funny ways and the things she says and you’ll soon get used to her way with words. Flip a pancake features on a regular basis, but isn’t it lovely to hear something like that rather than what has become almost every day use of the ‘f’ word.

The story is told in the first person by Hope herself. Hope has Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, as the name suggests, caused by exposure to alcohol from her mothers blood stream whilst she was pregnant with Hope. She was then abandoned at birth and adopted as a baby by Jenny Nicely. There are no siblings in the family, it’s just 25 year old Hope and her mum. Hope is still very dependent on her mum but she does have a job as a dog walker which she very much enjoys.

Because Hope is the narrator in this story, the reader experiences first hand what it is like to live with FASD. This is why I thought the writing is exceptional to say the least. I’m assuming that the author Caroline Day doesn’t have FASD herself so to be able to get across so well what it is like to experience frustration at your own mind when it becomes, as Hope puts it, jumbled, when situations become completely overwhelming, when you have been taught that you must do your best to control impulses to shout out or to scream to express your frustration is amazing. There are a couple of scenes in the book when Hope completely loses control. When everything just becomes too much for her to cope with. The extreme stress that Hope is feeling at these times is palpable. You feel the panic and the sheer distress that Hope is going through as you read. I thought the writing and the depiction of Hope’s character is just fantastic. The author obviously has a very deep understanding of this condition.

I won’t go into the plot as it’s all there in the book’s description but it’s a wonderful story which I thoroughly enjoyed. As well as Hope and her mum there are a whole host of other characters who added so much not only to Hope’s life but to the readers enjoyment too. I can highly recommend this quite unique book.

**To be posted to my blog on 28th April the day before publication date of the Kindle edition.
Posted to Good Reads now.

Hope Nicely lives with her adopted mom, Jenny, at 23 Station Close. Hope is in the spectrum, or rainbow as she prefers to call it, as she has Feotal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, meaning her mom drank alcohol whilst pregnant.
Hope would like to find her mom and ask her why she left her in a cardboard box when she was a newborn, so she has decided to write a book to tell her story.
The book starts with the writing class first class and Hope introducing herself, throughout the book, narrates with Hope's voice, we get to familiarise ourself with Hope, what she loves (dogs), what she hates (lights) and how she copes when her mom Jenny is taken to hospital ill.

I found the beginning slow and took me a while to get into the story, despite the very interesting characters. I did enjoy seeing the world from Hope's point of view, how her 'jumble sale' works and how she tries her best to follow the rules her mom Jenny has thought her.

Thank you Netgally and ABOS for my ARC in exchange of a honest review.

I have never read a book about this issue of foetal alcohol disorder. The story follows the namesake, Hope as someone who is struggling slightly with life. She wants to write a memoir so joins a class for writers.

I have to admit that I did struggle with the writing at certain points in the narrative, as I have never read a bool like it, but once I got used to the writing style it makes for a really good read.

Hope is a very special soul, you can not help but warm to her and at the same time want to jump into the story and help her. She is full of kindness and I enjoyed Hope as a character.

The book has a humorous element which I greatly enjoyed and I loved following Hope on her journey of self discovery.

Worth a read. Thanks for an advance copy of this book.

Hope Nicely's story is powerful. That is the first thing I need to say. It isn't powerful in that whole knock you over with drama kind of way. It is subtle and quiet but it has the lasting kind of power. Hope Nicely has a medical condition. She has FASD (Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder), for those who don't know a lot about this - I myself am someone who doesn't know enough - this means that she has a developmental disorder which makes every day life a little bit harder for her. She sets out with a mission to write her autobiography with the belief that her birth mum will find it, read it and explain why she abandoned her.
The book follows a certain period of her life that challenges her in ways that people with developmental issues would find distressing but we watch how she Hope Nicely deals with these challenges. It is a wonderful coming of age story and gives the reader an insight into the world of someone with this condition. I have worked with students with this disorder and I feel having read this book I now feel I have a more lived in experience of what they may be going through or how they see the world. I feel that I have gained a lot more empathy for having read this story and for that I thank Caroline Day for writing it.
Hope Nicely's Lessons for Life by Caroline Day is available from 22nd July 2021.
For more information regarding Bonnier Books (@bonnierbooks_uk) please visit www.bonnierbooks.co.uk.

This book was completely fascinating! Hope Nicely is a young woman with Foetal Alcohol Syndrome - this has affected her development and let to traits of autism. As a social worker, I come across children with disabilities and needs similar to Hope's, and I think the main character's name brings exactly that - I can't wait to share this book with the children I work with. The author, Caroline Day, has managed to create a complex story with multi-layered characters, while keeping the language basic to replicate the thinking style of someone with Hope's learning needs. The story focuses on familial love and friendship, and brings together people from all walks of life. I was worried after the first chapter that I would find the book difficult to read due to the writing style, however it allows the reader to understand Hope's vulnerabilities and grow to love and care for her as much as the characters around her. I was invested in the story and could not put the book down - especially after each twist and turn in the tale. A beautifully written story about a beautiful character - I feel honoured to have the chance to read this, and share it with the children who need to be represented in this way.

I am normally a fan of books narrated by characters who are just a little different – and this is no exception. Hope Nicely is a young woman living with a mental disability, namely foetal alcohol syndrome. We get to know Hope and those close to her bit by bit and while doing so, we experience life through Hope’s lens. I command the author for what (to my completely untrained eye) looks like a rather faithful depiction of how someone like Hope might perceive the world. Yes, the language does become a little repetitive at times, but I do think that this is in keep with the way Hope might express herself. Despite the seriousness of the topics explored, the book leaves the reader feeling positive and uplifted.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest and impartial review.

Such a heartwarming story! Hope Nicely's Lessons for Life has a unique voice and was such a pleasure to read! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a lovely read.