Mike Gayle has written a beautiful masterpiece yet again.

A totally wonderful read.

Developers are buying all.the properties on Hope Streer, Conner is the last one standing and will go to all lengths to save his home.

I absolutely love love Mike Gayles writing I really don't know how he pulls another cracker of a read out the bag,

A must read and my book of the year.

This is my first book by this author, I will look out for his books in future. I really enjoyed this story, told from multiple POVs and with characters I could really warm to. The central character Connor is finely drawn, and I would think most of us have met in our lives, such a vulnerable young man or woman.
Reading the ups and downs of Connor’s life is sad, infuriating but also happy and full of hope, because he is such a likeable young man that he inspires real loyalty in his friends. Reading about the bullying Connor endured at school, and still endures, makes this reader sad, but it was ever thus. The bullying types who take advantage of and exploit weaker mortals will always be amongst us. Thankfully in this case, their nastiness is outweighed by the people who care about Connor.
Lila’s career and romantic dilemmas were realistically described, and interesting to follow. Will she/ won’t she, and who will she finally choose, kept me hooked.
Ultimately this book is about love. The love of Connor for his dear Mum, Bernie’s enduring love for her son, despite all the difficulties of being a single mum to a child with special needs, who then becomes a grown man.
The love of friends and colleagues whose lives are intertwined with Connor and his fight for his home in Hope Street, all give the reader hope that the good people in this tough old world, outweigh the other sort. Love will prevail.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this delightful book. I look forward to more from this author.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book and thought it had great potential. Unfortunately this book did not grab me in the way I hoped. I liked the writing style and the idea of the storyline but the execution did not have me on the edge of my seat wanting more. I definitely think other readers will love this but for me it slightly missed the mark. However I think this author has great promise and I will definitely look for her future books to give them a read

(3.5 rounded up to 4) I really enjoyed this multi-person narrative about the remaining resident of Hope Street and his refusal to move because he must wait for his mother to return home. Connor's Mum went missing 3 years earlier and with the council having plans to demolish his estate to make way for a new housing development, Connor tries everything to stay in the house.

He befriends a journalist, Lila, who interviews him for a local paper and ends up helping him try to track down his Mum. His childhood friend, Marcus (son of his Mum' best friend) also helps, resulting in an unlikely trio banding together on the hunt for answers and justice.

It's an emotional story without being twee and the three narrators are all likeable, particularly Connor, who Whilst tracking down Connor's Mum is prevalent to the story, the author is keen to highlight the abomination and callous behaviour that some local councils have towards the less needy.

One downside - I felt the Adele story arc was unnecessary - I can see why the author wanted to include it but the story was strong enough on its own to highlight Connor's plight.

All in all a captivating read.

I absolutely adored this book. It was full of wonderful characters who came to life as soon as I met them. Mike Gayle certainly knows how to write a heartwarming and heart breaking novel all rolled into one! I couldn’t put it down.
When Lila, a journalist on a local newspaper in Derby, is asked to look into a man who is refusing to leave his council home despite a new development being planned on his street and the offer of better accommodation, she meets Connor.
Connor is a young man with learning difficulties who works in a DIY store and the reason he is not prepared to move from his home is that his mother with whom he lived, walked out 3 years previously and never came back. She has been declared missing and he fears that if he leaves she will not be able to find him when she returns.
Most of the people he knows fear she is dead, including his best friend Marcus, son of his mother’s oldest friend, Marcus and his mother help Connor knowing how difficult it is for him on his own and fearing his vulnerability.
Lila is captivated by this story and promises to run an article in her newspaper, ultimately agreeing to try and find Bernie, his mother.
This is such a great read- it is certainly my favourite book of 2025 so far- yes I know it’s only January but other novels will have to go some to be better than this!
I really enjoyed the story- it was such a clever plot and even the romance amidst the heartache was enjoyable and lightened the mood.
The book is told from Connor’s point of view- I loved the way he saw the world- and Lila’s too as she helps Connor and navigates her own personal life. Mike Gayle certainly made both characters come to life and I felt nothing but sympathy for Connor’s predicament and the way he had been treated most of his life. It is certainly a book that made me think and it will stay with me long after I have read the last page.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.

Usual Mike Gayle full of wonderful characters that you care for. 20 something Connor is vulnerable with learning difficulties. He lives alone on Hope Street - the only resident left. Hope Street has been earmarked by the council for demolition. All the other occupants have left but not Connor - he is refusing to leave. Lila works for the local newspaper and her editor sends her to interview Connor. She gets drawn into his story because the reason he won’t move is that he is waiting for his mum to come home. Three years previous she walked out and never came back. He won’t move because when she comes back, how will she find him? We see his back story, the love his mum, Bernie, has for him. We see her story as well. The other characters just leap off the page. Alan, who works with Connor, Marcus who grew up with Connor and is his best friend, Adele who was thgirl who made Connor’s life a misery when he was at school. Connor is someone whose side you are on, you are drawn to him and the author sends you on an emotional rollercoaster. We even have romance. A lovely story and a true Mike Gayle.

Hope Street by Mike Gayle

The council have some big plans to develop the area of Cossington Park, Derby but these plans are put on hold because the last resident of Hope Street refuses to move out.

When Lila, a reporter from The Derby Echo, goes to investigate she meets Connor, the resident refusing to leave. He tells Lila the heartbreaking story of how his mother left one day three years ago and never came home. He is afraid if he leaves when she eventually returns, she won’t be able to find him.

Sensing a big story and with the help of Marcus, Connor’s friend, Lila agrees to do all she can to help track down his mother. Through their efforts wonderful friendships are formed, love blossoms and a real sense of community is created.

Connor finds some of the most normal situations difficult and life was so much easier when his mum was around. Their relationship was so strong and now she is gone there is a huge gaping hole in his heart. He has kindness and compassion in abundance and always brings out the best in people. His positivity and hope never falter even at the worst times. It is heartbreaking when he is treated so cruelly, especially when he tries to understand why people act in this way.

Another beautiful character-driven novel by the exceptional Mr Gayle. He is always guaranteed to create the most loveable personalities and produce a story that makes you shed a tear at how cruel but also how wonderful life can be.

An emotional and poignant story dealing with love and loss, sadness and despair but also friendship, joy and primarily hope. A very enjoyable read and one that will have you reaching for the tissues.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

I absolutely loved this book. A poignant uplifting heartfelt emotional read. I couldn’t put it down.
Lila metcalfe is a trainee journalist her is sent to interview Connor McLaughlin, the sole resident of Hope Street. Connor is waiting for his mum Bernie to come home, she left three years ago and hasn’t returned. Lila agrees to help Connor find his mum.
A brilliant story of friendship, loss. hope, love, community spirit and never giving up. It’s told through three different POV’s - Lila, Connor and Bernie.
It’s beautifully written with such depth, empathy and warmth. The characters are written in such a way that you really care about them. They are so likeable and very real.
I loved the authors writing style with the engaging storyline that tugs at your heart and brings tears to your eyes. It just keeps you turning the pages.
Definitely recommend if you enjoy this genre, you’ll enjoy this one. I look forward to reading what @mikegaylethenovelist writes next.
With thanks to #NetGallery #HodderAndStoughton for an arc of #HopeStreet in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 6 February 2025.

Beautifully written with real, likeable characters that I invested in. This was a wonderful story of friendship and hope, of family and never giving up. I just loved it.

Another wonderful and beautifully written story by Mike Gayle.

Lila is a local journalist in Derby who is trying to get herself a new job on a national paper in London so she can live with her long-distance boyfriend Gabe. Lila picks up the story of Connor, the only resident left on Hope Street which is going to be demolished to make way for a new development. What Lila finds is a heartbreaking story of a son who is wanting to stay put so when his mum returns after being missing for 3 years, she will know where to find him.

I loved this book from start to finish, enjoyed getting to know all of the characters and found it moving and funny in equal measure. Mike Gayle writes fully developed characters that leap off the page.

I loved this book, I have enjoyed every book by this author and this did not disappoint. I felt so much affection for and almost protective of the main character, the story is just so heartwarming and really makes you think about what is important in life.

Gayle’s Hope Street is a poignant and beautifully written novel that captures the complexities of love, loss, and rediscovery. Both heartbreaking and uplifting, Gayle explores how far people will go for their loved ones.

What makes Hope Street, and Mike `Gayle's writing so compelling is his ability to create characters that feel so authentic and relatable. Through the tough topics of the novel, mood is still lightened by wholesome moments and quirky characters.

I believe 'Hope Street' strikes a real balance between nostalgia and forward momentum, helping the story to feel both rooted and dynamic.

It’s always interesting to read - what is essentially a romance - written by a man, and what a well-written romance it is too. The male characters are well-depicted and interesting, rather than the tendency to assume they are idiots as some fiction does. I like the story, it drew me in and although it was an easy read it was complex enough to keep my brain from rotting. I will definitely look out for some more of his books and thanks to NetGalley for the early copy.

@currentlyreading__
Book 3 of 2025

When I received the upcoming Mike Gayle via @NetGalley I jumped for joy as Gayle is a must-read author for me. I’ve been reading his books since the 90s and they never fail to make me experience a whole gamut of emotions but that’s what reading is all about for me - the human experience and being able to really feel both joy and sadness within the flicking of a few pages. If you’ve read anything by this author (and if not, errrr… where have you been?!?) you’ll know exactly what I mean.

‘Hope Street’ follows twenty-something Connor, a vulnerable young man with learning difficulties, who is the only resident of Hope Street after Derby council implement a compulsory purchase order. Connor lives amongst all of the boarded up houses and he has good reason for doing so. He’s waiting for his mum who disappeared over three years ago. Connor goes to work each day at DIY Depot and when it’s his mum’s birthday, he buys her a gift and puts it with all of the others he’s bought her in her room.

Then he meets Lila, a journalist, who wants to find out all about Connor’s predicament and why he’s refusing to accept the council’s offer. The mystery of Connor’s mum Bernie looms large for her and she goes into investigative mode. Throw a few curveballs along the wall and Lila moving to London, Connor remains hopeful but Lila needs more than hope - she needs a miracle.

As always with Gayle, we have a really varied cast of characters who are so thoughtfully written, they are tangible. From Adele, the bully who made Connor scared to go to school, his best friend Marcus who looks out for him, Alan, his colleague at DIY Depot and through flashback, the young struggling single mum Bernie McLoughlin. Hope is writ large throughout this book and if you want a book to really give you that rollercoaster of emotions, this is for you. Thank you Mike for another brilliant read. I look forward (with hope!) to the next one.

Out: 6th February 2015

#bookworm #iamreading #bookreview #kindle #bookreviews #bibliophile #bookreview #mustread #bookobsessed #bookrecommendations #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #netgalley #mikegayle #hopestreet #mustread

Another great book by Mike Gayle!

The story centres around Connor a young man who has learning/mental health challenges and those closest to him who look out for him and help him live independently.

His mum went missing 3 years previously, his house is due to be taken by the council as part of a development scheme and he is clinging on to stay there so his mum knows where to come back to.

A local journalist sets about helping him to first of all stay in his house by covering the story, but then this develops into helping him find his mum.

This was a lovely human interest story with all the feels, a ‘different’ type of story with an interesting plot, but not mushy - plenty going on. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

This is a beautifully written story, full of vivid characters, tragedy, change, sadness and hope.
Connor is an amazing character. Brought up by his single mum he was an easy target for bullies at school and even picked on by some adult customers at work. The bond between Connor and his mum was especially strong so when she disappeared three years ago he never gave up hope that she would return. When his home is listed for demolition, he refuses to move as he believes his mum will still return.
Lila, a reporter for the local newspaper becomes involved and promises to help to find Bernie, Connor’s mum.
I loved the way the characters developed; some not in the way I expected.. it was difficult not to become involved in Connor’s journey and to share in his hopes and determination.
A great read and certainly a recommended read.

Beautifully written and very well-rounded characters.
I am filled with 'Hope' after reading.
As usual, Mike Gayle has pulled it out of the hat again.
Thank you, Netgalley, for my review copy. I look forward to getting my hardback copy soon.

This is the 4th book by Mike Gayle that I've read, and yet again he hasn't disappointed. The heart and warmth in this book is there right from the beginning. He has a way of writing characters that you really care about and are rooting for. I really cared about Connor and Bernie and wanted there to be a happy ending. There were so many tense moments too. I can't wait to see what story he brings to life next.

An story that is easy to read and follow. The trajectory of the characters is very easy to predict. It has a very modern feel, dealing with disintegrating communities, different personalities, missing people, positive and negative friendships. It examines how hard it is to let people into your life and to trust them, especially when it is very easy to take them for granted or for them to manipulate .
Overall a feel good novel.

Another winner from Mike Gayle. Heartwarming, genuine and full of care and compassion.
Hope Street is told from three points of view : Connor, Lila and Bernie. Connor is a young, vulnerable man with learning difficulties trying to navigate through life with the support of some lovely supportive people following the mysterious disappearance of his Mum three years previously. Lila is a journalist on the local newspaper who meets Connor when she is sent to investigate a story of how the council are trying to force Connor out of his flat as they want to knock the block down. Connor doesn't want to leave as he believes his Mum will return and if he moves she won't know where to find him.
Bernie's disappearance remains something of a mystery until near the end of the book when her story is finally revealed.
Mike Gayle draws you into the lives of his characters with ease and has you rooting for them from start to finish.
A charming read.
I am grateful to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this lovely book.