Loved loved loved this book!

What a fabulous set of characters, full of flaws and secrets but able to help each other out.

Loved how Lydia grew with help from the others. Lots of laugh out loud moments in this uplifting book.

I’m a big fan of Clare Pooley’s books so I jumped at the chance to read her latest novel. The plot focuses on a group of senior citizens who attend a social group at the local community centre. The characters aren’t typical OAPs and we are given a glimpse into Daphne’s mysterious background, Art’s mediocre acting career and poor old Lydia’s attempts to keep some semblance of order. A satisfying and fun read!

This is not my usual genre but I absolutely loved it! This is down to the quality of Clare Pooley’s writing and ability to bring such wonderful characters to life.
If you’re looking for a lighter read this is definitely one for you.

I adored this book. It made me laugh out loud at times with the antics of especially Daphne.

Daphne has been more or less housebound for years but she decides she needs to get out more and make some friends. She joins a senior citizens' club at the local community centre and the fun begins.

The club isn't exactly well populated, There's Lydia who has just taken on the part time job of managing the club, Art, an actor who isn't one hundredth as famous as he thinks he is, Ruby who yarn bombs all over town and Anna who used to drive a lorry and has had five husbands. Each and every one of them is well drawn. I sometimes claim not to like books with too many characters because I get them mixed up. Turns out they're just not well developed. There are quite a few characters here but you have no trouble distinguishing one from the other here. My favourite (apart from the wonderful Daphne) was Ziggy, the teenage single parent.

Loved this book. It's feel good without being in the least bit sentimental and I'm now off to look for more of Clare Pooley's books. Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC.

A few random seniors meet at a community centre to socialise in a newly founded group initiative. After a lot of bickering among each other, faced by adversities, they eventually form sincere and deep friendships and have utterly hilarious adventures together. Clare Pooley‘s humorous writing style makes this book a veritable gem, I did not want it to end!

This is my third Clare Pooley and was just as fun and moving as her previous novels. I really enjoy how this author explores all the points of view of the characters and adds intrigue into the mundane day to day of life by pealing back the curtain on what goes on in someone else's mind.

I read this book with my Husband and it was fun to discuss our ideas of where it was going together, he even wrote his own review which I will share below.

Husbands thoughts:

It almost felt a little strange starting the booking virtually at the end of the story but that was the clever part.. you’re almost guessing from the beginning what crimes had been committed and by whom! The clever style of writing of introducing the main characters on an individual basis left you waiting with intent.. was it this person?? You can’t help but like the main character, a proper personality let’s say.. not a book I would normally pick up but I was more than impressed with the way the author told the story.. if you like loveable characters and a little intrigue with a proper feel good factor then this book is definitely for you.

Reading this book was a complete joy and can't praise it enough. Would thoroughly recommend this to anyone looking to uplift their spirits.

Well what can I say other than when I reach the state of geriatric greatness I wouldn't wish to age any way but disgracefully indeed!

A laugh out loud story about the members of the Mandel community center seniors club (nursery, AA meetings, karate club and expectant mothers)

Each character brings us something different into the mix, told through different points of view as the story unfolds back to the prologue at the beginning.

I loved how each character developed and how their relationships formed and grew as the book progressed.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

"Do not go gentle into that good night, old age should burn and rave at close of day."

I would like to inform you that I am going to follow the author's work from now on, and I am planning to buy a signed copy of this book. I want to express my gratitude to the editorial team and the author for providing me access to this wonderful book. This book is full of life and energy, and it was a delight to read. Sometimes, you just need a warm and engaging book with well-developed characters that can bring joy and a sense of raw power. I loved this book. It made me laugh, think about it throughout the day, and even shed a few tears. What else can you expect from a book? This book had everything I was looking for.

I loved The People on Platform 5 by the same author so I was excited to have the opportunity to read How to Age Disgracefully.

Clare Pooley excels at bringing together an ensemble cast of diverse characters and telling their story from multiple points of view. Her characters are so authentic that surely they must exist in reality and we should all aspire to be “more Daphne”. This unlikely bunch of characters form even more unlikely friendships, working together to save the local community centre, but the real depth of the story is delivered through carefully handled themes of loneliness, addiction, grief, self-esteem, gang culture and the challenging of stereotypes.

The story has so many funny moments, I loved Yarnsy’s creations and the idea of a 70 year old who has a whiteboard in her bedroom. This is a genuine feel-good book, full of hope, friendship and energy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for the ARC

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first novel by Clare Pooley that I have read and I was not disappointed. It is such a wholesome and fun book to read, I don't this I disliked a single character and they were all so well written. I was actually sad to finish this book!

5* Funniest book I've read in ages.

Books are often described as hilarious – they rarely are, at best raising a quiet chuckle from me. Usually I'm disappointed.

From the opening page of How to Age Disgracefully I was completely hooked. This is deliciously funny, written from multiple POVs, frequently demonstrating what someone says is not what they're thinking.

I could mention some of my favourite scenes in the book, but there are far too many. It's not all hilarity and farce, there are some very serious moments amongst the chaos.
Seldom do I finish a book and consider immediately reading it again. This is one such book.

eARC generously supplied by Random House UK and NetGalley, this review is my personal, unbiased opinion.

Fantastic read! Put together an old community centre madcap pensioners and a crèche what could possibly go wrong?
Daphne has reached the ripe old age of 80 but she’s got no friends and spends her days within the walls of her stylish flat. She comes across an article for a senior citizen’s social club and decides to join. She meets a prolific shoplifter a yarn bomber and an aged lady trucker who still terrorises with her mobility scooter. There’s also a teenage single dad and a beautiful boy who doesn’t speak.
They all have secrets and when the hall is in danger of being closed they enter a talent contest to try and save it.
Brilliant funny and just the book for a curl up and lose yourself session.

This is the 2nd Clare Pooley book that I’ve read and like her 1st it didn’t disappoint. The characters came across as real people, I identified with Lydia as a 53 year old mother of 2 in a very unhappy marriage, loved Daphne as she is who I want to be in 20 years, I felt sorry for Art and was rooting for Ziggy. I loved how they became friends and looked out for each other and added value to each other’s lives. The shared cause of saving the community centre was the golden thread that brought them together. A really good feel good story.

What a lovely, funny and hopeful book this is. Filled with characters who you root for from the very start, this is a feel-good novel which focuses on older people with plenty of life in them. I enjoyed it immensley.

This book was SOOOOO GOOOOD!

Not very eloquently put, but really sums up this book. I am becoming a big fan of Clare Pooley, she writes an ensemble cast really well, making you love and care for all of them equally, with the multiple POVs you never get bored of any of them and are invested in all of their stories.

The standout character is obviously Daphne, who is mysterious, smart and very secretly cares about everyone. I loved getting to know her, and watching her flourish, It is refreshing to read a book about older characters and gives me hope that life isn't over until you say it is over!

It was paced well, and had me laughing and crying in equal measure. Will be a book I recommend to everyone!

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley

A joy to read. I rarely laugh out loud when reading a book , even when it's rated as hilarious , but this one had me laughing along because it really is very funny.
Would totally recommend.

This is a funny book about a group of old people who join a club at the local community centre run by Lydia. They all get much more out of it that they expected! The story is told from the perspective of Lydia, Daphne and Art, members of Lydia's club, and Ziggy, a young single father. They all try to save the community centre from closing and to help each other improve their lives. Daphne is fierce! A lovely uplifting read. Recommended.

4.5* How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley is a rare gem - a book of genuine warmth and laugh out loud moments, with surprises along the way and a heart-lifting ending (and I say that as someone with a relatively concrete heart).

Lydia's daughters have gone off to University and her husband is cold and fussy. When Lydia secures a job to set up a social club for older people at the local community centre, she could never imagine that the 7 people who respond to her advert could get up to such high-jinx and become a closely bonded group. Throw in the nursery who also use the centre, the threat of demolition and teenage single dad Ziggy who is struggling to stay away from local drugs gangs and you have a mish-mash of the most wonderful characters who blend together brilliantly.

This is one of those books where the author does an incredible amount of heavy lifting with the prose, in that it is effortless to read but you have to marvel at how well it is written and that there isn't a wasted word. The dialogue sings off the page and there is sufficient intrigue and peril to keep the pages turning at speed. I absolutely loved it and I'll now be reading the author's other books.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Oh this was an hilarious ride. Best start to a book I’ve ever read, had me giggling away to myself. Loved every moment I spent reading How to age disgracefully By Clare Pooley. I’ve already preordered my own copy!