This was such an easy book to get into, absolutely charming yet poignant at the same time. The characters were so relatable and the mystery unfolded at just the right pace. Loved it.

I’m so glad I requested this from Netgalley as I would have missed out on a highly enjoyable read that kept me thinking about when I had to leave it aside. If you enjoyed reading Elinor Ophliant , then you definitely would like this, Eve Ainsworth is a new author that I will be going back to again.

A great read with really likeable characters … Lucy lives on her own with set routines she keeps herself to herself … new neighbours move in to the flat next door and her life is changed. Asked by neighbour Cassie to look after her daughter Ruby for a few hours is the start of a rollercoaster of events. Bringing back memories of losing her own mother at a young age and the hard childhood where she was given the nickname Duckling by her father Lucy does her best to look after Ruby and conquer her fears that her mother Cassie has disappeared. I was kept guessing until the end

Thank you to NetGalley for this read. This was a book that really made me think as I ploughed through the pages.

Lucy isn’t an instantly likeable character, yet I couldn’t stop reading. It would be easy to judge both Lucy and Cassie in a stereotypical way, but they surprised me, in the best way, with their strength. They grew on me as the story developed.

I don’t want to give too much away, but this book will keep you guessing! It has a lot of self realisation, some heartbreak but also a LOT of new found friendship and love.

This is certainly a book that will stay with me for a long time. It’s an absolutely wonderful book and you can’t help but fall in love with wise little seven year old, Rubi and her next door neighbour, the reclusive Lucy, as they form an unlikely bond, along with Liam, Jimmy and Tony to find Rubi’s mum, Cassie, who has disappeared after asking Lucy to look after Rubi for a couple of hours……
The book is fast paced, unbearably sad in places, and written with an understanding of how it feels to think that you don’t fit into ‘normal’ society. I devoured this book, routed for the main characters to find Cassie and felt empathy for Rubi and Lucy. It made me laugh and cry. It may trigger some people as the book covers uncomfortable subjects such as suicide, poverty,illness and domestic violence, however it is handled in a sensitive way. Highly recommended, but don’t forget the tissues.

Lucy , aged 30, has shut herself away from the world after a troubled childhood. She blamed herself for her mother’s death and her father’s collapse and battle with alcohol in its aftermath. She lived a self contained life - no real friends and no ties - until one evening when her neighbour, Cassie, asks her to look after her 7 year old daughter for a few hours. Although reluctant, she agrees to mind Rudi. Unfortunately Cassie does not come back and Lucy and Rudi together have to investigate her disappearance.

I did not find the circumstances behind Cassie’s disappearance wholly convincing - I did enjoy the development of Lucy’s character as she is forced to interact with those around her, to accept help and to build relationships with those around her. Particularly poignant is the understanding which develops between herself and her father.

Lucy is finally able to fly!

Lovely contemporary read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my feedback.

Lucy lives alone with her cat and avoids contact with other people. She has an ageing father who she sees quite often, but her mother died when she was 6 years old. Apart from him, her only contact is her work colleague, Jimmy.

Then Cassie and her daughter Rubi move into the flat next door. Cassie asks Lucy to look after Rubi, then disappears.

At first, Lucy thinks that Cassie is just taking advantage of her to have some time off, but then she gets some odd messages and starts to become concerned.

Help comes from some unusual places and Lucy finally starts to discover that perhaps she should begin to rely on others...

Although the book starts a bit slowly, it soon becomes a compelling read.

A gripping interesting read. Lucy was lonely but happy in her life but in 3 days everything changed when she helped look after her neighbours daughter. Books and being a deceive played a part. It was a fascinating read. Not sure about the ending . Happy and sad.

Lucy has always kept to herself until she runs into the little girl next door. Rubi has just moved into the block with her mum. Cassie has an errand to run and asks Lucy if she would mind watching Rubi for a couple of hours but then she doesn't come back. This was a good, quick read that I found to be very enjoyable. Lucy needs to overcome her fear of letting people in in order to help the young girl.

Ah its fair to say that I loved this one. A great set of female leads- and Rubi is just adorable. This has a superb chain of events, that becomes so addictive in piecing together. An unusual and refreshing take on people's lives- routine, how the past affects your future, and how complicated parent and child relationships can actually be.

Just one more thing.. who doesn't love a Columbo reference?

I cannot wait to see this waddle on to the shelves, if you ever feel like you haven't fit in, maybe too you'll realise that you are more normal than you think.

Divine, superb, thoroughly engaging.

Lucy tries to keep a low profile, she keeps herself to herself and likes a quiet life watching reruns of Columbo and looking after her cat Boris. She works at a bookshop and then spends the rest of her time at home or caring for her needy father hoping he hasn't fallen off the wagon again. Her steady routine caters when her new neighbour Cassie knocks on her door asking for a favour, can she take care of her daughter for a couple of hours whilst she goes on an errand? Lucy reluctantly agrees after Cassie says she can't trust anyone else with Rubi, but Cassie doesn't return and Lucy starts to panic. What can she do and how will she find Cassie? She's never really been with children before never mind have responsibility for their welfare. What would Columbo do? The narrative follows Lucy's anxiety and the reasons for it. Engaging if a little stressful.


Lucy's life is small, but safe. She's got a good routine. But all that's about to change...

When Lucy's neighbour asks her to look after her little girl for a couple of hours - and then doesn't come back - Lucy is suddenly responsible for someone other than herself.

It takes courage to let the outside world in, and Lucy's about to learn there's much more to life - but only if she's brave enough to spread her wings...

What an absolute gem of a book.! Thoroughly enjoyed this story about Colombo loving Lucy who lives on her own, keeps herself to herself and that’s just how she likes it. Her new next door neighbour Cassie asks her to look after her daughter Rubi but doesn’t return when she says she will. Together with Jimmy from the book shop where she works, her Dad and Liam who lives on the estate they try to find out where Cassie is and what has happened. A real story of how we should never judge a book by its cover, how perspectives can change and especially with Rubi and Liam, how sometimes children are wise beyond their years. It covers so many different topics, such as social anxiety, flowed well and I found all the characters, believable and (except for one in particular! ) likeable. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Random House Uk, Cornerstone for the opportunity to read this brilliant book.

Duckling by Eve Ainsworth

Lucy's life is small, but safe. She's got a good routine. But all that's about to change...
When Lucy's neighbour asks her to look after her little girl for a couple of hours - and then doesn't come back - Lucy is suddenly responsible for someone other than herself.
It takes courage to let the outside world in, and Lucy's about to learn there's much more to life - but only if she's brave enough to spread her wings...
An odd , but enjoyable read. This title is one you think you are not going to enjoy , but keep with it and it turns into a book that you know will stay with you long after you have finished reading it.

30 year old Lucy is happiest when she is at home in her familiar flat, curled up on her comfy old sofa, with her cat Boris and an episode of Columbo on tv.  She likes things just how they are  and follows the same routine every day, only venturing out to work at a bookshop or for her regular visits to look in on her recovering-alcoholic Dad.

She doesnt have anything to do with her neighbours, or anyone else for that matter, and she would rather it stayed that way.

One day, her new next door neighbour, single mum Cassie, turns up on her doorstep with her young daughter Rubi and asks for a favour. Lucy's routine and comfort zone is suddenly stretched to the max...

This book provides a refreshing look at introvertism, social anxiety and autism and, through Lucy, shows how people can often be perceived negatively. Lucy's father nicknamed her Duckling, after the story "the Ugly Duckling" as she come across as socially awkward and struggles to fit in. However, she would prefer to be Lucy, she was originally named after the Beatles song, as she is unique and intelligent and proves to be just what Rubi needs when problems come along with her Mum.

It's a brilliantly written book, but I'm not sure that it 's an enjoyable one. Lucy is such a sad and lonely character, shut away almost deliberately, content to live in her own world, wanting no interference from others. It all changes when Cassie and Rubi come on the scene. Rubi is so well portrayed, innocent but far-thinking. Lucy's perspectives begin to change.
Thanks to NetGalley for a reviewcopy.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book as it probably wouldn’t have crossed my reading path.
I expected a light read and this was certainly not, much deeper and darker.

Duckling is at the heart of it a story about found family and about a woman who finds that she is better than she thinks she is. I did go into this book thinking it would be a light and fluffy read but it turned out to be a lot darker than I expected. Not in a bad way, just not how I thought the book would be from the cover and synopsis. Overall though a enjoyable read and I’m glad I have experienced it.

A really good book that I am glad I got the chance to read & review & will recommend to others. Thanks for the opportunity.

Eve Ainsworth tells us the story of Lucy, a 30-year-old woman, who shut herself from the world after a troubled childhood, when she was still just a little Duckling. The past and her relationship with her dad, shaped her to be a loner with a distorted image of herself.

She lived the best part of her adult life on her own, with no friends to call her own, until one evening Cassie, her single mum neighbour, asks to take care of her 7-year-old daughter, Rubi. After some reluctance, Lucy agrees to look after the child – after all, it’s just for a couple of hours… Except Cassie, doesn’t come back that night. Or the morning after…
On her quest to find Cassie, this incredibly clever little girl shows Lucy that she’s so much more beautiful and stronger that she thought herself to be.

Eve managed to accurately represent the personality of children that are raised in underprivileged families, often a bit too mature for their age. An amazing story about love, friendship and finding your self-worth.
Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone for the arc provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.