I read Ericka’s novel in a day because I simply loved being in the presence of these lovable and contrasting characters. As I met each one I could see the impact they could have on each other’s lives. As the author takes us inside their everyday lives, their inner worlds and their pasts she looks at family dynamics, sisters, mothers and daughters, but also the whole question of being a woman in the 20th and 21st Century. In fact there was a point when I was reminded of America Ferrara’s speech in the film Barbie. It addresses the choices we make, the expectations placed on us within our families, by other women and by society at large. She takes us into that contrast of who we are, how we compare that to our internal and learned ideas of what the word ‘woman’ means. Birdie, our central character, is a elderly woman living alone in Brighton with her little dog Audrey. She lost her sister Rose and husband Arthur several years ago. She is stunned when tests at hospital confirm she has cancer, but before the doctor can give her more information and make a plan Birdie has walked out. Her oncologist Ada recognises that determined walk and the lift of Birdie’s chin. She realises that Birdie is going to face this alone and she worries that she will struggle without the help that can be offered. In fact Ada realises that Birdie lives on her street, so takes to walking past and checking for telltale signs that Birdie is struggling. Ada is also lonely after relocating to Britain from Poland. Used to life on an isolated farm and a very different society, Brighton can be a lot to take on. Despite friendly overtures from her secretary Denise and Connie in the WRVS cafe Ada is solitary, except for the time she spends helping Aleksey and Lech in the Polski Sklep. When a new intern starts on her team Ada’s teamwork skills will be tested, not to mention her social skills. Finally, there’s Jane and her daughter Frankie who have recently moved in next to Birdie from Bristol. Jane is struggling with the guilt of moving away from her mother Min, although her sister Suki is out in Asia just living her life as she chooses. They used to be so close, but now all she gets are emojis. Her daughter Frankie’s bluntness and practical nature might seem like a hindrance when forming new connections, it certainly gets Jane called into school enough, but could her lack of inhibitions and tact actually help them make friends?

There are two mysteries in the novel and I enjoyed watching them slowly unravel. There’s the mystery of what has happened to Birdie’s husband and sister, Arthur and Rose. At first I wondered if they’d run away together but Birdie’s guilt seems to have lasted for decades. The other mystery is what has broken the relationship between Jane and her sister Suki? Suki is distant and even when she rings to speak to Min, she’s very quick to end the call if Jane is present. Jane tries hard, sending her sister funny videos, memories of their childhood and information about Min but only gets emojis or a thumbs up in return. Each of the women have a sister and their relationships with them are fascinating. Birdie always felt responsible for Rose as she had rheumatoid arthritis. When she met Arthur and fell in love she hadn’t imagine she might have to make a choice, so when Arthur asks her to marry him she hesitates. What about Rose? Luckily Arthur had realised that the two sisters were a package deal. Birdie felt guilty that Rose wouldn’t have the same choices in life and whether there was something she did wrong, before they were born, that led to her sister’s disability. Birdie worried that she’d somehow pushed herself forward in the womb and take more than her share. Now Rose was ill as a result. Jane and Suki’s rift seems to date back to when the sisters went travelling together. Jane returned from Thailand with Frankie and moved back in with Min, but Suki stayed. They are very different women, with contrasting life choices but that shouldn’t stop them being sisters. Ada has a sister called Ania, but she has chosen a very different life. While Ada is saving lives in a different country, Ania lives close to their parents and is married with children.

I’ve never had a sister, but it seems as if they provide an instant comparison; they are the mirror in which your own life is reflected. Ada feels like the ‘bad’ sister, the one who followed her own dreams rather than staying to work the family farm. This choice has cut her off from the family in a way. She knows they sacrificed a lot for her education, so she sends part of her salary home every month and when she visits takes them gifts. She wants to show them that their sacrifice was worth it and she is doing well. However, this changes her standing in the family and while there’s no red carpet for Ania, when Ada comes home she is treated like a guest, placed in the best room and given the special soap saved for visitors. She feels like a stranger in her childhood home. She would be happy to throw on jeans and help with the animals but they won’t let her. It’s hard for her to accept these two sides of herself; the Ada who would happily muck out the cows and the Ada who wears a suit and saves lives. She thinks that her parents value Ania more because she made the ‘right’ choices and is still part of the community. Whereas Ada’s life is outside their experience and difficult to understand, her ambitions are perhaps unnatural as opposed to motherhood. Similarly, Jane had wanted to have children, a revelation that took her by surprise, whereas Suki knew she didn’t want motherhood. Could there misunderstanding be explained by this difference? Could Suki feel guilty or even selfish for not having children and making life choices based on what she wants? However, just because you’re childless, it doesn’t mean you can’t ‘mother’ people. There’s also a generational difference in the way they mother, with Min’s tactless and sometimes hurtful words seeming like they belong in another century. There’s a way in which Min and Frankie are very similar in character, but now everything has to have a label. Jane wonders why Frankie has to be pigeon-holed and defined in some way. Why is it always Frankie that’s in the wrong? She has a much softer way of mothering that ironically Frankie often sees as fussing and she much prefers the more practical attitude of grandmother Min.

Where Waller really moved me, was where these quirks of character benefitted someone else. Where even those aspects that you’d struggle to call positive found their place in the world. Frankie has no inhibitions and Jane is called into school when she gives a classmate a frank assessment of her braces, including the trapped cabbage. She doesn’t understand why the things she says are wrong when they’re true. When Birdie has a short stay in hospital and has the realisation that she might be in her final days it’s not medical professionals Jane or Ada that she needs. At first it’s Frankie who goes in and decides to help, making Birdie comfortable and making her some lunch. The two rub along nicely together, probably because there’s no fuss with Frankie and I understood that need for someone who isn’t flowery, overly chatty or phased by her illness. Similarly Min is the perfect carer for Birdie, she suggests that being of the same generation might make Birdie feel more comfortable and even Ada has to agree that their dynamic works. Min and Frankie’s help reminded me of how Ada’s parents would help their neighbours out. On her visit to family in Poland, Ada noticed how her mother’s farmhouse provided a quiet place for people to get away, like the neighbour who comes in on Saturday mornings to read his paper. This communal way of living is echoed by Aleksey and Lech who happily feed Ada; their fondness is shown in a practical way. Ada’s secretary Denise is stunned when, after years of finding her a bit of a cold fish, Ada offers her a home after the split from her husband. It shows we should accept people as they are, because we all show emotion and affection in different ways.

I felt like this was another book about connection, both with others and with ourselves. It’s a subject I find fascinating and I’m picking it up a lot lately in fiction. I wonder whether this is an unconscious response to the isolation of the pandemic. The author is brilliant at depicting those little inhibitions and we hear them in each woman’s narration. Jane hovers on the edge of a ‘huddle’ at work because she doesn’t know if she’ll be welcome or not. Ada doesn’t knock on Birdie’s door for professional reasons but also because she doesn’t want to impose. They all have to learn how to connect with who they are. Jane needs to learn to assert herself more, to accept her life choices and explore why she’s spent years of her life as a single woman. Suki’s guilt over the choices that were right for her stop her having a relationship with Jane and Frankie, but it was the right choice. As Ada compares herself with Ania she needs to see that it was right for Ania to stay near family and become a mum, but that moving away and using her skills to help others was the right choice for her. Even Birdie, who is the central character around which these interesting women revolve but she too has a lot of acceptance to do. She must accept this new vulnerability and need for help from others, as well as accepting she deserves it. Mostly she needs to forgive herself, for something that wasn’t even her fault. She has punished herself for years and it is the lovely Connie (whose collection of innuendo laden mugs rivals my own) in the hospital’s WRVS café who helps her see that while she still has time this is her time. While we still have life, we must live it. Whether we have months, days or hours left, we must live them.

Another wonderful read from Ericka Waller. What a lovely book about family, friendship, love and living your best life.

I adore books that include found family and this one does exactly that with some beautiful characters and a story line which is emotional yet uplifting. Very quickly I was invested in each of the unique characters, all of them dealing with challenges and changes within their lives. Told from the characters' viewpoints it all weaves itself together to tell a story of friendship, love and community. I also appreciated the diversity of the characters, a spread of ages, nationalities and experiences which I thought enriched the story.

There are some really emotional parts to this book and the ending for me was perfect. There are some difficult themes discussed which I felt was done with sensitivity and kindness.

What made this a truly unique reading experience was the ability of the author to set up early on what was going to happen and although as a reader you know this is going to be an emotional journey, you feel the humanness of the characters and their love for each other which enriches the feelings at the end of the book.

I knew I was going to love this book and I will be putting in my paperback pre-order very soon so that I can keep a copy on my shelves to re-read whenever I want.

A wonderful story of friends and found family.

What a delightful story. I really enjoyed the three main characters: Birdie, Jane and Ada and their various dilemmas in their lives. They all have their various issues and Waller writes with emotion and sincerity.

Birdie Greenwing has been at a loose end ever since her beloved twin sister and husband passed away. However, being too proud and stubborn to admit she is lonely, means her world has shrunk. All this could be about to change though when she gets new neighbours in the form of nurse Jane and her daughter Frankie. Also living close by is Doctor Ada Kowalski who has just had to deliver some awful news to Birdie. When a series of incidents brings their lives crashing together, the three find that there is always more to a person than meets the eyes and remember that great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave and impossible to forget ...

Firstly, read this book, don’t hesitate, just go out and get this as soon as you can! Yes there’s hype around it but it’s ALL deserved. I honestly can’t fault this beautiful story in any way, this is a story that will make you laugh, make you cry and be grateful for all the relationships in your life. Told in Ericka’s beautiful writing style, I feel like a long lost friend is telling me the story, this is the unique skill she has to involve you fully in the story as you turn the pages.

You can’t help but think about this book, long after reading the final word and I know it is one that will stay with me for a very long time. I don’t have the words to justify just how special this story is, it is one that needs to be shared with everyone. I’m so grateful for the time I spent with Birdie, thank you Ericka❤️

“We honour the dead by living. We grieve by getting up, carrying on, walking wounded as we may be. We love by letting go”

"Outside, the moon is on the move, the stars are all aligned. A breeze whisper through the leaves on the trees. Under their feet the earth is turning. Sands are shifting in the deepest abyss beneath the sea. A change is coming. None of the people on Shrublands Road have any idea that tomorrow is hurtling towards them like a comet. Best let them get some rest while they can.

Set in present day Brighton, we meet neighbours elderly and lonely widow Birdie, mother and daughter nurse Jane and autistic Frankie and Polish doctor Ada and discover that life's challanges are better faced together.

Having loved the author's debut novel, Dog Days, I was pleased to be given access to an advanced copy of her second. Resoundingly focused on strong women, some of whom go on a journey to unearth their strength, themes of grief, sisterhood and sociotropy resonated with me. I willed grieving Birdie, people-pleaser Jane and shy Ada to admit what they wanted from life, to be inspired by determined Min and authentic Frankie. Beautifully written and with a plot and characters that carries readers along for the ride, I was keen to know how their lives connect and what is in-store for them. This is an emotional and poignant read full of hope and joy.

⭐️ 5 ⭐️

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

It's been a few weeks since I finished Goodbye Birdie Greenwing. I’ve been putting off writing this review because I know that my words just won’t do it the justice it deserves. But here goes…
 
I discovered the lovely Ericka Waller a couple of years ago after reading her debut novel, Dog Days. A firm favourite and such a wonderful read, I still think about it even now (if you haven't read it yet, put it on your list; you can thank me later!). 
 
Ericka has such a magical way with words. Her beautiful, lyrical prose and perfectly painted metaphors make you think, hit a nerve or two, warm your heart, and touch your soul.
 
The characters are all so well drawn and fully fleshed out that they almost jump from the page. The story features a whole bunch of strong, independent women with huge personalities. It was a joy getting to know each and every one of them and the relationships they shared with each other. 
 
Goodbye Birdie Greenwing is a bittersweet story of love, family, and friendship. It's uplifting and hilariously funny in parts, but it also made me cry buckets — I had to reread pages of it because the words went for a swirly swim in my tears.
 
I'm afraid I still haven’t done this book or Ericka the justice they deserve. Why are reviews for books you love so much harder to write?
 
Anyway, all I can say is: Read it. You won’t be disappointed!

I loved it. I’d seen so much about this book that I was worried it wasn’t going to live up to the hype, but it did, in spades! It’s a very emotional book about the wonderful Birdie Greenwing who has just been told she has terminal cancer. Birdie is a lonely woman who has been living alone and grieving since the death of her husband and her twin sister. But things are about to change… This is so well written that what should have been a very sad book really isn’t.

Briefly, Birdie is given her diagnosis by Dr. Ada Kowalski with neither of them knowing they live near each other. Jane and her daughter Frankie move in next door to Birdie, single mother Jane had to get away from her controlling mother Min. Within a short time their paths cross and soon their lives become wonderfully intertwined. So much more I could say and so many more amazing characters I haven’t mentioned but I want you to discover them yourself.

A very character driven novel and what a fabulous bunch of characters they are. I loved them all for different reasons. My favourite is Frankie, a beautiful person, neurodivergent she says what she thinks and has some strange interests but she is the first one that really breaks through Birdie’s reserve. When she said “no she’s my friend” I almost bawled! A wonderful emotional read about people coming together and supporting each other when most needed, it was just a fabulous read and deserves all of the stars.

This is a wonderful book, telling the stories of three women and their journey through loneliness and self-doubt.
Ada, Jane and Birdie are neighbours, although none of them know each other at the start of the book.
Birdie is diagnosed with terminal cancer and from that point the three women and their families lives get woven together.
Smart, funny and clever. A must-read.
Thank you to the publishers for this ARC in return for an honest review.

I’ve read a few books with a similar storyline recently. Lonely person, finds new friend who helps them out of a solitary hole. Each one has been slightly different, and all just as enjoyable. I love to read a success story and I hate to think of old people being in their own. Lovely book - will definitely recommend it to people who like this genre.

What a fantastic book. I became totally invested in all the characters. Single mum nurse who has moved away from her home town and feels guilty that she left her mum behind.
Oncologist who feels as if she only gives out bad news.
Birdie who received bad news at the start of the book. Neighbours who haven't really met but circumstances bring them together and they enrich each others lives in unexpected ways.
Inspiring right to the end.

Goodbye Birdie Greenwing by Ericka Waller
I give this book 4.5 stars.

Birdie Greenwing has been at a loose end ever since her beloved twin sister and husband passed away. Jane has come to Brighton with her daughter Frankie to get away from her mother Min. And Ada Kowalski has come to England to follow her dreams.
When a series of incidents brings their lives crashing together, the three find that there is always more to a person than meets the eye …

A beautifully told story of loss and loneliness,small acts of kindness ,a touch of humour and hope where there’s healing. We follow Birdie,Jane and Ada’s difficult but captivating journeys individually and then jointly once their lives connect.I love this authors descriptive style of writing and the depth she brings to her credible storytelling,there is great characterisation and I really felt like I knew them and was included into their lives.This book is all about encountering friendships and is heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal measures. I can highly recommend it and Dog Days if you haven’t already read it.
With thanks to Netgalley,Ericka Waller and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Doubleday for my chance to read and review this book.

I was fortunate enough to read Ericka Waller’s debut novel Dog Days and was delighted to be offered the opportunity to read her second - Goodbye Birdie Greenwing. I can honestly say that this is even better than her first, which definitely takes some doing, and I was utterly entranced with Birdie, Frankie, Jane, Ada and Min’s stories from start to end.

Set in Brighton, Walker introduces a cast of seemingly disparate, unrelated characters, all of whom are struggling with their own problems and troubles, weighing down on them so heavily that they can’t see past their own lives. However, through a series of events they come together as a family and the results are beautiful, funny, sad and joyous.

Once again Waller’s insight into humanity, behaviours, characteristics are utilised to craft a multi faceted tapestry of a story, bringing these very distinct characters to life in such a believable and empathetic manner. Birdie Greenwing isn’t just a lonely old lady, Ada isn’t a stuck up Doctor, Frankie is neurodiverse, and so much more! Waller doesn’t try to put her characters in boxes, she gives them the freedom to be who they are, the good bits and the not so great, and in doing so she sets them free to bring their stories to life.

Once again, Waller takes what could be a truly depressing and devastating topic and crafts it into an optimistic, hopeful and joyous read. If you’re looking for your next read and want to explore human nature, family and emotional relationships, or just want to feel uplifted and have your faith restored in humanity, or just want a great read pick this one up!

There has been a lot of hype about this book on social media channels from fellow bloggers, so I was really pleased to get an ARC from the publisher in exchange for my review. I was so keen to read a story that everyone had been raving about. Thank you Doubleday.

Is it worth the hype? Yes, without a doubt!

A plethora of well rounded, likeable characters all finding their way in life. The story, as the title might suggest, centres round Birdie Greenwing, a lady who let grief consume her in the years following the death of her husband and sister. As the book progresses, Birdie get to know all her neighbours and starts to love her life again. All the central characters are female, which I always enjoy. The story focuses on these fantastic women as they navigate through life and there are some moments of real sadness but a lot of laughs too.

I especially like the fact that the women feel so real, like you could bump into any one of them in the street, they become much more than props to push a story along, you feel like you know them. I was so invested in their lives and what was happening to them. I think my favourite of them all was Ada, but I liked them all, even Min, who is a bit of a battle axe

This is my first read of Ericka's work, but it won't be the last! A thoroughly captivating read.

Every so often you find a novel with the most wonderful characters who leave you feeling a good bit better about the world. This is one of them. It's sad in parts and certainly promises tears but it's also full of kindness, human connection and joy.

Great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave and impossible to forget - never has a soundbite better described a book or reflected my own feelings about it so accurately.

Five big fat stars.

People living on the same street who haven’t met.
Ada, a seemingly formidable Polish doctor.
Birdie, a lonely widow, diagnosed with cancer.
And Jane, a nurse, and her outspoken, neurodivergent daughter Frankie.
So much they all have in common: loss, secrets and loneliness.
A lovely and heartwarming story of how their worlds collide and what happens next.
Waller writes with warmth and humour and the novel is sweet without being saccharine or mawkish.
Recommended: heartwarming and funny.,

Thanks for Netgalley for the early copy of this book.

A brilliant read, absolutely stole my heart. I loved all the characters, there was laughter and there were tears. Will definitely be recommending this one.

Thank you to the author, publishers DoubleDay and NetGalley UK for access to this as an advance reader’s ebook. This is an honest and voluntary review.

Jane, Ada and Birdie all have loneliness in common. But, a series of incidents after Birdie is diagnosed with terminal breast cancer helps bring these neighbours out from behind their doors and find hope in the face of death.

Too many tissues.

Heartwarming, heartbreaking, life-affirming. Another excellent novel from Ericka Waller.

Each of the women featured feel so real it is impossible not to get caught up in their inner lives. To hope that they see all they have to offer. To shed a tear for their successes and losses.

99.9% of books I enjoy are about the plotting. Great characters yes, but in scary, tense or magical situations. Ericka Waller is one of the handful of writers who can make stories about people just living their lives feel just as gripping to me. Brilliant stuff.

This is the first novel I’ve read by the author and I adored it.
It focuses on 4 characters on a Brighton street; Birdie who is lonely and grieving for her husband and sister, Jane and her daughter Frankie, recently arrived from Bristol and Ada a doctor from Poland. I loved all of the characters and the author portrays them with such insight, depth and compassion that I felt I knew them. This is such a beautifully written book, it made me laugh and cry and I felt bereft when I’d finished it.
Recommended.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.
4.5 stars

Initially there were a lot of characters to wrap my head around and recall between each point of view chapter, but I soon adjusted and found them just so well developed and interesting to get to know. As a parent of a neurodivergent child I felt especially connected to Jane and Frankie, their relationship was beautiful to read. The trappings of loneliness that the characters all shared in many variations is a theme often explored recently in fiction, and I think because it's so indicative of how our society has evolved it's important to see this covered well. I felt uplifted and hopeful reading this book and then sad that it was over.

This is everything and more in a book, it was funny and dark and heartwarming and gritty and emotional in parts. I absolutely loved it, I couldn’t put it down and raced through it wanting to know how it needed! I wasn’t do so though I wish I’d not read it so fast and savoured it more! A must read 5 stars!!