Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I honestly can’t say enough good things about this book, I throughly enjoyed it!

This is the second book I have read by Mike Gayle and can say definitely a new auto buy author for me. I can’t wait for his next book.

Yet another winner from Mike Gayle! Before reading this ‘Half a World Away’ was my favourite book by Gayle but this was just as good! This heart tugging novel is full of good times with friends to the heartbreak of grief. Definitely one I recommend!

Jess stumbles on the museum of Ordinary people showing articles people just could not bear to throw away. little did she know how her life will change completely when she takes over as curator, Mike Gayle never fails to write a good story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder Books and Mike Gayle for this advanced copy!

What a lovely read this one was! When I was getting into it I couldn't help think of the phrase "One man's trash is another man's treasure" and, as much as I don't like the word trash here, it really does apply.
The Museum of Ordinary People is a wholesome story of a woman with a dream to create a place that honors the everyday and mundane items gathered throughout ones life, while navigating her grief after her own mother's death.

This was such a beautiful and wholesome read. From the characters to Gayle creates to the story itself, it really is just a lovely read. Emotional at times though since it does revolve around grief and nostalgia. Regardless of the deep content, I finished it feeling a sense of hope, warmth and happiness which is always lovely.

This is the first time I had read anything by Mike Gayle and it won't be the last for sure!

*Please research any trigger warnings before reading *

Mike Gayle takes my heart again.

Half a World Away was my first novel by this author and I didn’t think any of his novels would top that one. However, I think this one has won!

In this novel we meet Jess, who has recently lost her mother and tries to attempt to live without her. My heart was broken at this point and I knew that I was set for a tearjerker! Jess begins to clear her mum’s belongings and estate and quickly realises that there are some objects that she can really not part with, but neither has the room to keep.
Telling her best friend Lucy about the objects, Lucy finds the “museum of ordinary people” which does just want Jess wants.

Having visited the museum, Jess starts on her own project, to being the museum to life. However, Jess has to make some sacrifices and learn some secrets, whilst she learns to live without her mum, and make her life her own again.

The book was just magnificent. It made me laugh, angry, cry, woop and gave me a fair few hours of escapism from the real world. I couldn’t believe the hatred that I had for one of the characters, mentioning no name.

The author tackles so many subjects in this novel, but somehow it does not feel overloaded. Each subject is handled sensitively and in a way that I enjoyed reading.

I also watched the author on Vick Hope’s show this morning and had even more love for the novel after hearing him speak about it.

Hugely recommended and I am now on the way to work my way through the author’s back catalogue.

In this book we meet Jess Baxter who is grieving the loss of her beloved mum. She has cleared her house out but she cannot part with the encyclopedias that her mum bought for her to help her get through school. Having nowhere to keep them, she reads about the museum of ordinary people and this is when a new love affair starts.
Jess wants to be a museum curator and she sees the potential in the museum of ordinary people.
This museum houses all the things that are important to someone, whether it be Grandma's special chair or other random items and they are donated and shown in the museum.
I really did enjoy this book, it was nice to read something different. There are twists and turns and you are willing for Jess to find her way in the end.

Rated 4.5 - rounded off to 5

Wow, just wow.

Mike Gayle just knows how to combine quirky ideas into a sentimental story that strikes a chord yet at the same time sparks joy and a glorious feeling of upliftment.

Thanks NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC in exchange of an honest review. Apologies for the delay with the review.

Synopsis –

Jess is still processing her mother’s sudden demise. After clearing out her home, she doesn’t know what to do with her beloved encyclopaedias her mum had got for her when she was little. With no space to store them in the flat she shares with her boyfriend, she stumbles upon “The Museum of Ordinary People” which looks after such treasured old items and this becomes a pivotal point of her life.

Review-

Nowhere near achieving her career ambitions, I could instantly relate to and empathize with Jess, as life throws her around with blow after blow. Although she was now in a steady relationship with her long-time partner Guy, I just knew that it was far from perfect.  
 
I absolutely fell in love with the whole idea behind such a museum. Gayle deserves an applause for this very ingenious, lovely concept of saving old but valued things that once belonged to ordinary people. What a beautiful way to pay tribute, remembering their history, celebrating their lives and to preserve the story behind each of them!  
 
Going hand in hand with the museum project that Jess undertakes together with its new owner Alex, is how Jess processes grief of her mum’s death. I appreciated how she chooses to deal with it all as she gives up her home and begins triaging of her precious belongings.  
 
The other highlight was the friendship she shares with her childhood pal Luce and her parents. I was glad Jess had a strong support system, while she suddenly needs to rise to the many challenges, as well as find a way to come to terms with the discovery of some of the old secrets that threaten to upend her life.  
 
There was a bit of a scare towards the end where the focus veered from the museum itself, albeit related to it, shifting towards Alex and the unearthing of his own past.  
 
However, the plot quickly recovers and the ending comes together wonderfully with a surprise that made me cheer for Jess and all her accomplishments with a hearty roar!  
 
A truly touching story about dealing with grief and loss, but also how we could find hope, happiness and cherish our memories of the people that have left us

Aargh, I am so conflicted by this novel! I love Mike Gayle to bits. I love his writing, his storytelling, and the ordinary, flawed, humanness of his characters. His sensitively wrought tales have always struck a pleasing chord with me. So why, oh why, did this one seem ever so slightly discordant?

It wasn’t the characters. Jess and her story arc really appealed to me. A young woman trapped in a controlling relationship, content to let life drift by, until the death of her mother reignites in her a passion she had long let go: the desire to be a museum curator. I found Jess credible, likable and relatable, and I loved how she stood up for herself and finally found the gumption to follow her dreams.

I also really liked Alex, who with his awful disfigurement could so easily have been an object of pity. I admired how he wouldn’t let this define him and was actively seeking to overcome his insecurities. The most intriguing aspect of his story, though, was the mystery of the inheritance that brought him and Jess together. This, the subplot, was actually the one that really sucked me in and delivered that lump-in-the-throat moment I was looking for.

What I couldn’t fully get on board with was the titular Museum of Ordinary People. It was a quaint idea but, for me, altogether too airy fairy to really hold any substance.

I get the sentimentality that people attach to otherwise worthless objects. But I just don’t see how such items — effectively junk — could hold any interest for other people, especially when the majority of items arrive at the museum with little more than a sentence or two to describe their provenance. ‘Found in skip’ hardly inspires much fascination.

Considering that the museum was the foundation of the whole book, it is perhaps understandable why I struggled. I was able to put my reservations to one side long enough to finish it, but I was still left with a gnawing sense of frustration for what might have been.

That said, there was still much to appreciate. It just wasn’t the perfect fit for me.

I was sent a copy of The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle to read and review by NetGalley. This is an enjoyable read, though slightly predictable at times, which reminded me somewhat of The Museum of Broken Promises by Elizabeth Buchan. Interspersed throughout the novel we learn the personal history of protagonist Jess, alongside her current life and passionate desire to open the museum of the title. The concept of a museum housing ordinary everyday objects and memorabilia is lovely, especially for someone like me, being very sentimental and nostalgic! All in all it was a good read, but for me not quite compelling enough to warrant any more than 3 stars.

I had really high expectations for this book (maybe too high!), having read and loved two books by Mike Gayle before. This didn’t blow me away like the others, but it was an easy and entertaining read with some fun quirks.

I loved the idea of the museum itself and it really showed how what is meaningless junk to one person can be priceless to another, if you only know the story behind it.

The portrayal of Jess’s grief following her mother’s death was gentle and realistic, without being too overdramatic. I also thought the way she had lost herself through being with her boyfriend and letting him decide everything was relatable. However, I didn’t really feel all that attached to her as a character and think she could have had a bit more spark to her personality.

I liked Alex and his backstory, and thought it was a fitting and satisfying ending. I found that there were a lot of different threads to the story though, and a lot of things seemed to suddenly resolve in the last 20% of the book!

Overall, this book was fun and quirky and would make a great beach read.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Great characters, great story - another absolute winner from Mike Gayle. I've been recommending it left, right and centre. Really loved it.

This is a lovely easy read. It touches on grief, heartache and hope. Having suffered the loss of my own mum there were bits that did resonate with me.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Hodder&Stoughton for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

In The Museum of Ordinary People, the reader gets to meet Jess, an only child of a single parent who is about to undertake the clearing of her late Mum's house and who, despite offers is determined to do it alone. Jess Baxter grew up in Northampton, her best friend, Lucy 'Luce' Smith living just across the road. Jess takes a set of encyclopaedias her father bought her and returns home to London where she is living with her boyfriend, Guy.

Guy suggests selling his apartment so they can buy a house together so Jess must get rid of the encyclopaedias, and she hears about The Museum of Ordinary People where people can donate beloved items that they are no longer in a position to keep. Jess's dream of becoming a museum curator was shelved when her mother became ill. She meets Alex who inherited a house clearing business and his quirky 'museum' warehouse.

In a narrative that goes back and forth in time, Mike Gayle gives the reader a moving exploration of grief but also a hopeful story of self-empowerment. He indicates how lives and families can be complicated with unexpected secrets and hidden deceptions. I have no doubt that many readers will adore The Museum of Ordinary People.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

I really love Mike Gayle books and this new one was not a disappointment! Such lovely characters, intrigue and little surprises. I could see myself visiting the locations and befriending the characters. Lovely.

I loved the idea of this quirky museum that stores things people can no longer house but don’t want to throw away. Also the enthusiasm of Jess in making it happen despite it causing problems in her relationship with her boyfriend. However, she gets plenty of help along the way from a variety of different characters all of whom are interesting.
A real feel good book and an excellent holiday read.

This is one of those books that make you smile, move you to tears, cause a serious book hangover when you turn the last page.
It's sweet, well written and well told. It's a story of everyday and it's an exceptional story.
I loved the characters and loved the idea of a Museum of Ordinary people.
Mike Gayle did it again and this book is strongly recommended.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I have loved all of Mike Gayle’s books and this is definitely one of his best and a favourite for me.
It’s a heartwarming, emotional and engaging read that will stick with me.
I really enjoyed this book and was drawn in from page 1. It’s definitely a book that I’d recommend.

In a Nutshell: Outlier opinion, sorry. I think my expectations were too high. The book met some of them, but disappointed in other ways. It's still a nice story, but could have been a memorable work with some tweaks.

Story Synopsis:
Jess has recently lost her mother and is struggling to cope with her grief. Her most precious possession from among her mother's belongings is a set of old encyclopaedias, but she has no place to keep them in the apartment she shares with her partner Guy. A friend tells her of an odd place named "The Museum of Ordinary People" that accepts donations of such old, valued things that people love but can't keep. When Jess visits the museum, her life changes, both personally as well as professionally.
The story comes to us in the first person pov of Jess.


While the museum angle is one of the key story arcs, the book actually contains a mesh of interconnected tracks.
1. All things related to the Museum of Ordinary People.
2. Jess's relationship with her long-term boyfriend Guy.
3. Jess's struggle accepting the death of her mother. (This track begins a year back and moves ahead to join the contemporary timeline.)
There are also two relatively minor tracks that aren't elaborated upon until the final quarter of the book: the identity of Jess's father, and the mysterious reason the old owner of the museum Mr. Barclay willed his entire belongings to a complete stranger and current owner, Alex Brody.

Of all of these, my favourite by far was the one about the museum. It was almost flawless! Had the entire story been set only around this track, this book would have been a five star read for me. I loved the idea of the museum and the intention of the owners. I also relished seeing Jess and Alex give their best to the restoration. The geek in me was mighty pleased.

Jess's grief over her mother's passing comes a close second. These sections were very heavy on the emotions and some of the content got to me. I ended up taking unplanned breaks whenever these sections came up because my mind constantly wandered into thoughts of what I would do when I inevitably have to handle the same situation in the future for my parents. I loved the writing but hated the way it stirred up sad musings.

The remaining tracks generated mixed feelings. Jess's lack of communication and openness with Guy was frustrating, and the issues with their relationship were too repetitive and dragged. The secret behind Alex receiving the bounty from Mr. Barclay was worth waiting for but came too late. I wish it had been explored more. The mystery behind Jess's dad's identity was my least favourite part of the story. It was too neat.

The secondary character development is quite good. Alex, Jess's best friend Luce, Jess's old neighbours Dougie and Maggie, the museum helpers Dec, Paul and Angel - all had interesting and distinct personalities. But Jess somehow didn't win my heart despite the outstanding opportunity she had. Her personality wavers between underconfident to overconfident and it was difficult to see both aspects at work simultaneously.

One thing that bugged me was the shoddy detailing of Jess's character. Her age isn't mentioned till the 68% mark. Her race is mentioned once in passing as Black but it isn't used anywhere in the story. (By "used", I mean that she is written like every other stock white character – there is nothing to make her stand out as Black. If you missed that one reference, you wouldn’t even think of her as Black.) It felt like the mention of 'Black' was a token gesture just to ensure racial diversity. There's nothing about her hair, height, looks,... I've always seen male authors go to the extreme when it comes to describing female characters (rather, their physical attributes.) This book was on the other end of the spectrum. I simply couldn't visualise Jess because of this, and this probably increased my level of disconnect.

The book could also have been better in its plot development. There are too many convenient coincidences, some of which were tough to digest. The last 20% in particular goes over the top in making supposedly shocking revelations and tying up the loose ends. Until the 75-80% mark, I was hovering between 3.5-3.75 stars. The finale crashed the rating.

All in all, there are many enjoyable attributes to the book, and if you avoid using your inner critic too much, you'll certainly like it a lot more. My inner critic unfortunately refuses to die. As such, I liked it but didn't love it. The slow pace didn't help.

I haven’t read a Mike Gayle book before, though I have heard a lot of his writing. So it’s disappointing to have such a flat first experience of his work. Nevertheless, I shall definitely try out more of his books to see if they match me better.

3.25 stars. Mine is a strong outlier review, so do check other positive reviews before you take a call about this book.

My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Museum of Ordinary People”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

This is my favourite book of the year so far (and it's number 69). It was feel good, the characters were believable and likeable (apart from the boyfriend) and it was such a different premise that it was interesting. I want to visit this museum. The whole story of Jess's life threatens to unravel as we near the end, but thanks to the strength of her relationships and friendships we see how past mistakes can be made right in the present. Just a lovely read #netgalley #themuseumofordinarypeople

Meet Jess. An only child of a single parent who is about to undertake the heartbreaking job of clearing her late Mum's house of all her possessions and who, despite offers from her boyfriend, best friend and family friends, is determined to do it alone.
One of the very few things she saves is the set of encyclopaedias that her mum bought her when she was younger to help her through school.
Cut to a year later and that pile of books is still in her hallway, but the dilemma of what to do with them becomes more urgent as, along with her boyfriend Guy, they are selling up her mums house and his flat to buy their first home together. When her friend tells her about a quirky little museum that takes people's unwanted items, she heads down there to see if they will take them off her hands with no idea how much her life is about to change.

This was a heartwarming read with a great story and some very relatable characters. The whole concept is just lovely and will make you think more about your own possessions and those of your loved ones.