David M Barnett has such an incredible talent for writing characters who feel entirely real. There isn’t a character in this, or any other of his books, that doesn’t feel like they have a whole back story and life separate to the main plot, and that makes his books such easy and compelling reads.
Daisy is infuriating at times with how stuck in her ways she is and her unwillingness to change, yet as the book progresses you also start to become irritated that others aren’t following the basic structure as she is. Seeing her growth as she beings to broaden her horizons, and the ups and downs of that, makes this a moving read, whilst still being an uplifting story. Nate’s journey adds to that, and his flaws and step backs really make him relatable. It was also refreshing to have a love story, not only between people in their 30s, but for Nate to be a father who actively coparents with his ex-wife, and shows the struggles of that.
I enjoy the hints to music that Barnett’s work usually contain, and the addition of Greek myth in this book. Although I’m not sure how accurate some of the references are, it added a nice opportunity for the characters to bond. Also, the little mystery subplot was fun and felt like a very natural reason for Daisy and Nate to spend more time together.
For me this wasn’t quite as good as other works of his I have read, but I think that’s because I’m not a contemporary romance reader. I will continue to read anything he puts out.

I think this would be a great read for anyone who enjoyed the character growth and secrets of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and the slow blossoming romance of The Flatshare.

Oh I really enjoyed this book! The author has a knack of drawing wonderful characters, most of them just the right side of quirky. Nate and Daisy are two lost souls who only meet fleetingly each day, but when they start to get to know each other properly they start to allow a bit of change into their lives. Being a history/museum geek the setting was of the museum was ideal. Very satisfying ending too.

I received a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review thanks to NetGalley and Orion Books.

I honestly didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did! It’s a lighthearted but fun read, with a bit of romance thrown in.

It follows 2 characters who work in a museum as security guards on different shifts when exhibits start going missing. This forces them together to solve the mystery.

Daisy is very much a strict, by-the-book type of person whereas Nate is a go-with-the-flow type of person. Both of them working the same job on different shifts means there’s obviously a clash between them. It’s obvious where their story is going to go, it’s the classic opposites attract trope.

I just loved the twist in the mystery! It wasn’t shocking but it was perfect for the story line. There’s other mini plots within the book which all unravel at the perfect time.

I, unexpectedly, loved this book! I’d actually love a set of short stories that continue on from where this book finished.

This wasn't my usual go to and was nearly a DNF, but I am so glad i stuck to it, it ended up as a real page turner, The beginning was a lot of life, which I don't enjoy reading, but the more I read, the more the story opened up with the romance and drama and i couldn't put it down.

Many thanks to Net Galley, Orion Publishing Group, and the author for a chance to read and review this book. All opinions are expressed voluntarily.


Aww, what a bittersweet story this turned out to be. A book that teaches readers to give a chance at life and be open to opportunities, The Handover is essentially a lovely romance with some endearing characters.

Daisy Dukes is the night-time security guard at Manchester Museum of Social History. NOPE, if you ask Daisy, she would probably tell you that she’s definitely not the night security but kind of evening security coz her timing is from 6 PM to 1 PM in the night, so how can she be night security? Well, that’s exactly what her character is like, a stickler for rules and routines, she wants everything to run like a well-oiled machine and is happy to continue doing everything in order irrespective of the monotony of repetition. One can’t help but love this quirky woman, whose idea of jokes is non-existent, she’s too literal to understand the nuances of people's communication but it is this quality that Nate who does the job in the morning notices in her and can’t help but admire.

Nate and Daisy have struggles in their life, Daisy in letting go of the past that has crippled her to the point of having only her sister and her cancer-stricken mother and her work to get things going in life, the microscopic world that she lives in has no room for anything more. Nate on the other hand has the baggage of an abusive father in his past and his attempts with his son to do everything exactly opposite to what his father was, created some beautiful eye-opening scenes.

I loved the story for its simplicity, the setting of the museum, the various people inside it, the lessons in life that the author imparts thru incidents that seem real and relatable, both Nate and Daisy grow thru the story, realizing the importance of letting loved ones closer and helping each other, expanding one’s horizons and the connection Daisy discovers in loving someone wholeheartedly. The mystery element of the story with missing museum pieces was another lovely touch. The amateurish detective work taken up by Daisy and Nate brings a smile to the reader’s face. I loved the writing by the author which has a peculiar charm as the characters remain in our hearts days after finishing up the last chapter.

Endearing!

This review is published in my blog https://rainnbooks.com/, Goodreads, Amazon India, Meduim.com, Facebook, and Twitter.

I really wanted to read this then wasn't sure once I got started purely because it's not my normal thing but...I loved it. It's not what I was expecting that's for sure. Good writing, an interesting enough narrative to keep me flipping the pages but the characters! Barnett certainly packs a literary punch in the development of his MCs! I adored Daisy, a few raisins short of a fruitcake but when you drill down it's easy to see why. Perfect beach read.

Daisy work nights, Nate works days, Harold is somewhere in the middle.
A great concept of two very different characters who have the past haunt them moving forward. Whilst guarding the museum with very different styles.
I like how it tackles serious topics as well as having a light hearted edge to it.
Possibly a bit too slow starting for me, but did warm up to it.
A pleasant read.

This was very different for me so I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy it. Surprisingly, I did enjoy it. The beginning of it was slow with little to nothing happening other than life, which isn’t something I find enjoyable to read about. However, when the romance began to develop and the drama with Ben it began to get better which I enjoyed. There is some issues with the copy though, as lines with randomly break off or there with be blank space for no reason which did get on my nerves sometimes. I did enjoy this book and would recommend it to friends.

✨THE HANDOVER✨

3.9 stars ⭐️

Daisy works nights, Nate works days...and five minutes is all it takes to change their lives forever.

Daisy & Nate don’t have much to do together expect for the five minute handover between their shifts at the museum. She always asks him for a full report of the day to which Nate reluctantly gives. It’s the only interaction they have...until strange things begin to happen at the museum. Daisy notices priceless objects are going missing then reappearing a few days later with no explanation and nothing recorded on the CCTV....they both soon realise they have a lot more in common than they realised and their investigations uncover more than just the truth...could they have feelings for one another?

I seen this book on NetGalley and loved the cover so I requested to read it... I didn’t even check the blurb as i’m trying to read different books this year! I usually wouldn’t of picked something like this to be honest.

The first few chapters were really difficult to get into but it then started to pick up! The author wrote in detail about different topics like; Terminal illness, Divorce, Domestic Abuse and Financial strain.

I loved the characters growth and relationship development throughout the story, it really makes you realise that sometimes you try so hard to look for happiness but in fact it’s actually right in-front of you.

Good quick read!✨

The Handover is out 29 April 2021 so make sure you grab a copy!!!✨💛

Thank you to the author and netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVE THIS BOOK!
I was addicted to this book right from the first few pages. I’m still thinking about it days after finishing it. Great storyline and so well written.

A great read.
Daisy and Nate both work in the museum, and see each other for the handover every week day. Two great characters, who start to spend more time together when there is a mystery with items going missing and the reappearing in the museum, with no clues as to who 'borrowed' them.
Both of them had difficult childhoods which has shaped the person they are today. Will they move past this together?

Daisy is the night security guard at the Manchester Museum of Social History. She takes her job very seriously, protecting the museum from troublemakers and anyone who openly mocks the fact they have a dinosaur on display.

Nate works the day shift, though he'd be more suited as a museum guide the way he chats with the visitors. Daisy doesn't approve: every one of them is a potential threat and befriending them could impair his judgement.

Daisy and Nate don't have much to do with each other except for the five minutes when they're shifts overlap at handover. He passes the torch over to her - like a baton - always with a smirk on his face, and she asks him for a full report of the day, which he gives reluctantly. It's the only interaction they have... until strange things begin to happen at the museum.

Daisy notices priceless objects are going missing but then reappearing, with no explanation (and nothing showing on the CCTV, which is why she doesn't trust technology). No one believes her except Nate, and he agrees to help her solve the mystery.

They soon discover they have a lot more in common than they realised... and their investigations uncover more than just the truth. Could they have feelings for one another?

Thanks to Trapeze and Netgalley for the early review copy in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a book I had asked for on the basis of other people talking about it on Twitter and I'm so very glad I did. The main characters are loveable from the beginning and Daisy was the perfect main character. Ideal for fans of Gail Honeyman's Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine and Beth O'Leary's The FlatShare. A perfect cuddle of a book.

This was an enjoyable story. I would recommend this book. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Daisy does nights and Nate does days guarding Manchester’s Museum of Social History only meeting on their five minute handover at the end of one shift and the beginning of another. Daisy takes this seriously meticulously recording every detail in reports that nobody reads but when things start to go missing from the museum’s exhibits Nate is the only one who will listen.
This is a very sweet story of two people who have for one reason or another unconsciously isolated themselves from the world around them. Daisy has a sick mother and a complicated sister. Nate’s divorced and worries that his growing son is growing away from him. The last thing they need is their jobs threatened by budgets or thieves.
Daisy is blunt, focused and wrapped herself in prickles to stop from getting hurt. Nate is drifting and so laid back he lets things slide. Both of them have “issues” and the book becomes more and more about that than the mystery of what and why things are going missing and being returned to the museum. It’s used as a device to get them together and rather quickly forgotten. The ending is also terribly neat which is fine I like a happy ending there’s nothing wrong with that but it was all very convenient.

I received an advance copy of, The Handover, by David M. Barnett. This book is an interesting take on security guards at a museum. Daisy and Nate are pretty opposite.

Nate works the day shifts as a security guard at the Manchester Museum of Social History before handing over to Daisy to do the early night shift. 5 minutes is all they have to discuss the goings-on of the day, that is, until random artefacts start disappearing for days at a time...

I was expecting sickly sweet romance akin to The Flatshare, but this was so much more. The author wrote brilliantly about deeper and darker issues which have weaved Daisy and Nate’s lives up to this point; terminal illness, divorce and domestic abuse.

This wasn’t all doom and gloom though, there were plenty of “aww” moments which I loved. The character development was incredible and I loved seeing Nate and Daisy attempt to accept and overcome the problems they faced in their personal lives.

I’d recommend this for fans of The Flatshare & Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine!

I really enjoyed this book. It was refreshing to hear a story set "up north" as us Mancunians say. This isn't a book set in a perfect little town with perfect little people where everything is great and then they all fall in love etc, instead it faces up to the real emotions of life and the hardships people are secretly facing. It was good that it didn't shy away from hard subjects but also didn't make you feel depressed from reading the story, so it was well balanced out. As to the mystery aspect, well I was kept guessing right up until they told me what happened which rarely happens so that was very well written, and overall I really enjoyed this book so will recommend to others

Many thanks to the author, publishers and Netgalley for a free ARC of this ebook.
This was a rather lovely, unusual book and I enjoyed very much. It tells the story of Daisy and Nate, two security guards in a Manchester museum. They work opposing shifts and both have lives that have been beset by mistreatment, and misunderstanding. The story touches some difficult issues, child abuse, alcoholism and dementia. It's doesn't explore them in great detail however. It's a sad story at times, but uplifting at others.
I would recommend this book, and will read others by this author.

This book was an enjoyable read and not what I expected at all (in a good way). The characters are slowly developed over the course of the book and so you really get to understand what makes them tick. I enjoyed reading in first person as both Nate and Daisy as this added depth to their characters. There are several strands to the story, the mystery of the missing items in the museum, the personal lives of both Daisy and Nate, as well as a developing relationship between the two protagonists. The concept of the story is quite unique and I didn’t feel as though I’d “read it before” as you sometimes do with some novels. All in all this was a nice easy read and I’d definitely recommend.

I enjoyed this book mostly because I live near where the book is set. This is kind of a romance about two people that work opposing shifts at a museum. The majority of the book explores their separate families and how they fit into them.