“When you’re already wounded, it doesn’t take much more to add scars”

Reading The Locked Away Life was like getting that hug I didn’t know I needed. There was heartbreak and sad moments that tugged my heart and made me angry we still have to put up with certain things these days, but first and foremost, there was a wonderful relationship between two unlikely friends that will make your heart warm and show you that living in hiding (both literally and figuratively) is not really living.

Esther is an octogenarian who has been living secluded from the world for years after a scandal. Bruno, an 18 years old, is a closeted gay afraid to accept his sexuality and willing to change to conform with the life he thinks others expect of him. Internet lessons will bring them together and, despite their differences, they will strike a friendship that will bring them out of the dark so they can finally start living their lives in color.

I don’t know what is it about these intergenerational friendship stories, but I love them! I adored how Esther and Bruno, though total opposites, could bring out the best in each other. Esther’s word of wisdom were so fresh and pure, they made me realize how important it is for young people starting to discover themselves to have someone like Esther that will offer these insights that sometimes can be the only light in the dark surrounding them.

Every queer people out there will be able to relate to Bruno. His doubts, his fears and that tug-of-war between his real self and what he thinks society expects of him. It was so hard reading how he put himself through the conversion therapy camp, and I think it is so important that the author pointed the finger to this disgraceful topic that, still today, many people have to go through.

Both Esther and Bruno were superb, but the rest of the cast wasn’t far behind. I adored Bruno’s family and the support system they represented for him even though he didn’t realize it at first.

Despite the heavy topics involved, there was also time for laughs, and this humor was the perfect balance in this coming of age story about learning to confront your fears and self acceptance.

Drew Davies has created two memorable characters that will stay with me for a long time to come after finishing this book.

Thanks to the author, NetGalley and Bookouture for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the premise of this book when I found it and the blossoming of the relationship between Esther and Bruno -a most heart warming thing to see grow and develop. However, this book felt too long. The first chapter felt never ending and it meant the pacing was off and I couldn’t enjoy, the story took too long and had plot holes and myseteries i felt weren’t resolved or were tied up prematurely or with too much ease. The ending seemed sweet but then Bruno’s epilogue came and it was suddenly it- a very abrupt end and I feel Esthers would’ve been a better note to end on.

Promising but just didn’t hit what I wanted!

I thought Bruno and Esther were wonderful characters, they’re so well written and they play so well off each other. For me, the rest of the cast were incidental, surplus; they helped move the story along but for me, this was only about Bruno and Esther.

It wasn’t what I was expecting at all. I don’t mean that in a negative way though. Initially, having seen the cover and read the blurb, I thought it would be one of those light, joyful, happily-ever-after type books that you smile throughout. But it’s not that at all. Sure, there are joyful bits and happy bits and smiley bits, but it was a lot tougher than expected. It is quite a serious book with serious topics, morals and questions. Still very good and enjoyable, but it didn’t match the mood I was expecting from it.

I really liked the subtlety of how the serious topics were handled – sexuality, grief, illness, mental health, abandonment, ageing, loneliness. They’re important themes in the book and you wouldn’t have half the story or emotions without them, but they’re not in your face. They’re there because life isn’t always perfect, and we all go through a range of things we would rather we didn’t, and they help move Bruno and Esther’s story along without being jarring.

I would have preferred if the chapters weren’t as long. There were some shorter chapters, but overall, they were a little longer than I like. I know some people enjoy longer chapters, but I am a fan of a short, sharp chapter, but that was the only real negative in my view – and it’s more a view on me and my tastes than of the book itself.

Overall, it is a really lovely, warming story, full of love and friendships, happiness and sorrow, anger and joy. It’s a story you can really lose yourself in and see yourself in, and before you know it, you’re half way through.

Finished this one over a weekend, I loved it and it hooked me from the start! It was really heart warming without being soppy, too romantic or fluffy.

The friendship between Esther and Bruno was written so well, I loved both their characters. I loved how polarized they appeared to be at the start, and watching as they grew closer. Dominic was also a great character, and I enjoyed how he progressed through the novel. Esther was one of those old ladies who lived an amazing life in ways, seeing that unraveled was fascinating. Her ailments as an elderly woman were described so well, as were Bruno’s uncertainties and worries as a teenager.

Some serious issues were touched on and dealt with in such a realistic and thoughtful way. Not to spoil anything but I personally gained far more awareness of practices ongoing which I didn’t think were still prevalent. Horrifying, but great to be made aware.

Really enjoyed this one, definitely going to read more by Drew Davies soon.

where do i start?? what a book, i was so invested with the characters and their lives, each of them struggling with their way through the trials and tribulations of life. Bruno is a lost soul so confused about his life and where he fits into the world, esther is a live wire and she has lived a full life but with many regrets. Together they find themselves.. i loved this book and couldn’t put it down as i wanted to know more of their stories. now to find another book by this author!!

The Locked-Away Life
by Drew Davies
Two lonely souls, one old and one young become friends. They share beautiful and sad times. This is a sweet story about loneliness and the unlikeliest of friendships. It will make you laugh hard, and cry hard.But, life does that . Beautiful book.

I loved the premise of this book and at its core the relationship between Esther and Bruno is a heart warming thing to see grow and develop. But it’s just not strong enough to make up for the gaping holes and weaknesses in this plot.

In both stories we’re dealing with major life changing experiences; a sordid affair in the 70s, splashed across the newspapers, so public it made her a recluse and a young man struggling with his identity and sexuality so much he looks to conversion therapy. And yet this book speeds through them. We never fully know who Esther was, why her affair was such big news, what the public scrutiny was like. And Bruno’s whole experience is about two chapters long. It felt rushed and lacking in depth. I wanted more back story, more history, more moments. Likewise the ending was like a badly wrapped present held together loosely by tape and clearly rushed. I had high hopes for this book based on other reviews but it just didn’t do it for me.

Two star review ⭐️⭐️

“The Locked-Away Life” by Drew Davies caught my attention. First, there’s that lovely cover and second, that publisher’s summary. I liked both main characters (Esther and Bruno) and found both interesting on their own - and even better when together. I liked Esther’s sparks of humor - along with her general sparks of wisdom. Bruno is interesting in his own way, although in general I’m not a fan of “coming of age” characters, in this book his coming of age bouncing off of Esther’s wisdom worked. My one comment is that the pacing of this book was an issue for me and it took me a long time to get into the book. However, that aside, this was an enjoyable book.

What a gorgeous book! The author has a great gift for characterisation - nuanced, interesting, believable people but created with a charming lightness of touch. Thanks to the authors warmth, wisdom and emotional intelligence, this book was a huge pleasure to read!

As the Blurb suggests this is both a Heartbreaking and heartwarming book. The relationships are so intriguing.

I was really intrigued to know what was what and who was who.

Poor Bruno goes through so much, his insecurities about who he is and who he should be is so hard for him. Unfortunately I imagine places like the he visits are still around even in this day and age and that's so sad.

I adore Esther, she's such a feisty and wonderful character and her relationship with Bruno is so lovely. I have really enjoyed reading about their developing relationship.

Such a wonderfully emotional book. I would recommend to all.

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review -
Esther is 82 and lives in a house far away from people after a tragic affair with the love of her life.
She advertises for someone to teach her to use the internet and Bruno comes to apply.
They have a unique relationship which was much needed for each of them to begin living again when all they felt like was giving up.
What an intriguing book that will make you laugh and cry and enjoy.

"You couldn’t understand – at your age everything is a possibility. It’s a paralysis of choice. When you get to my age, those choices start to fade, which is annoying at first, then sad, but soon it becomes a matter of survival…"

I am blown away by this warm embrace of a book. It has everything! All the characters are so well written that the reader will instantly fall in love with them. It is, at times, a coming-of-age story. Other times, it is an experience intensive story of an old woman who has lived an eccentric life.

The story begins when Esther and Bruno’s paths are crossed. Esther is an old lady living as a recluse in a manor up the hill. She has subjected herself to a self-exile after a scandalous event that broke her heart. Bruno is an 18-year-old boy who is on a path of self-discovery while holding back a secret that might alter his life forever. Esther has secrets of her own and wants to unravel a mystery from her past that has plagued her for years.

After seeing a HELP WANTED advert, Bruno ends up at Esther’s doorstep to offer his services by helping Esther become digitally literate. Bruno teaches her all about the Internet and teaches her how to use a phone. Thus begins a heartbreaking yet endearing journey of Bruno coming to terms with his secret and allowing himself to live life to the fullest. Esther also embarks the journey of getting closure of a love that was long lost.

This book will make you tear up and smile all at once. I don’t know if this is a thing, but intergenerational friendships SHOULD be a genre of its own.

This book has the potential to be the next 'A Man Called Ove'! There, I said it!

Overall rating: A solid 4/5

There was just something about the blurb of The Locked-Away Life that intrigued me immediately. It probably had a lot to do with the promise of an older main character as well as two completely different characters becoming unlikely friends... I tend to enjoy both in a story, and I fully expected to have a great time with this contemporary. Somehow I ended up having mixed thoughts instead, although I still can't put my finger exactly on the why. It might simply not have been the right time for me to read this story, but the fact remains that I didn't enjoy this story as much as I thought I would.

I still like the premise of The Locked-Away Life as well as the idea behind the two main characters Esther and Bruno. Both have their own struggles and secrets and it was interesting to see the two meet up, slowly get to know each other and help each other grow. The small town setting was great, and I liked the dept of the story with multiple elements incorporated into the plot. The story itself is told with the help of a dual POV structure, switching between Esther and Bruno to help give us a full picture of both their lives.

Why didn't this story work that well for me personally then? I'm still struggling to point out the exact reason, but it probably has a lot to do with the fact that I found the pace to be considerably slow. I know that this story is mostly character driven, and this type of story tends to be slower in general... But there were certain parts that dragged considerably, and it took me a lot longer than usual to finish this story. I also never warmed up completely to the main characters; I somehow liked the idea behind their characters and what they represent more than the actual characters themselves. I know I'm in the minority with these feelings though, because most people do seem to love them. That said, I did think that the reason behind Esther shutting herself away for all those years was a bit of a cliche as well as an overreaction on her part.

All in all I suspect this story simply wasn't a right fit for me despite the fact that I usually do enjoy contemporaries with an older main character and a focus on unlikely friends. I still love the premise though, and I think most people who enjoy the genre will have a better experience reading The Locked-Away Life. Definitely don't give up on my account!

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed this book, it was very different to what I thought it would be but I will be recommending it.

Drew did it again; he wrote a beautiful story that I loved reading!! His characters are so sweet and fun to read about. I loved seeing Ethel and Bruno’s friendship blossom and how they spoke to each other at times with such brutal

I received an ARC of, The Locked-Away Life, by Drew Davies. This is a sweet story about loneliness and the unlikeliest of friendships. Esther and Bruno, are good characters, going through the hardships of like together, despite the age difference.

A very touching and moving read. The characters were all lovingly written and the story wrapped up well in the end. Surprisingly satisfying.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Bookouture and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

A story full of heartache (have the tissues ready), laughter and promise.

I really enjoyed this book! Esther is such a great character and I loved watching her relationship with Bruno grow. This book is heartbreakingly beautiful. One that I’ll be thinking of for awhile! Add this to your tbr list!

Look for this book August 4, 2022

Thank you to NetGalley and Drew Davies for this arc!

“Dear Heart” I enjoyed this book especially Esther. I kept thinking I want to be spunky and quick witted when I grow older like her. She in a lot of ways reminded me of my great grandmother who was ironically named Esther. I loved the relationship that Esther and Bruno formed. An unbreakable bond. This book was heartbreaking, heartwarming, and add a little humor there especially from Esther. One of my favorite parts was her learning technology it was quite hilarious.

Thank you NetGalley and Drew Davies for being allowed the ARC as I enjoyed it.