Published By: Simon and Schuster
Pages: 368
Released On: 26/05/2022
Daniel isn’t used to living life in the slow lane. So when he finds himself unexpectedly jobless and back in his old Cornish hometown, he can’t sit still.
Hazel used to be adventurous too. But now widowed and in her eighties, she barely leaves the house. When she sees an advert for Daniel’s new walking club, she grabs at the chance of some excitement.
Daniel’s heart sinks when he sees that the only person who’s turned up for his walking club is the crazy old lady from two doors down. But what he doesn’t expect is to discover that Hazel is one of the most fascinating people he’s ever met . . .
A gorgeous, warm and uplifting story about friendship, community, adventure and the joy of walking.
*****
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
I hadn’t heard of Rosa Temple before reading this book but I’m glad I’ve come across her now as her writing is just so uplifting.
Even before I started reading it, it reminded me of The Cancer Ladies’ Running Cub by Josie Lloyd in that it just screamed uplifting, warmth and comfort right from the off.
On a side note, I’m loving the amount of books set in Cornwall at the moment. It’s such a beautiful place of the country that I love that it’s getting so much recognition, and it almost becomes a character in its own right.
I wasn’t a big fan of Daniel to begin with, I felt he was too entitled, too self absorbed, too childish, but he soon endeared himself to me once he started bouncing off some of the other characters. I really liked Hazel from her first introduction, she reminded me of a very dear family friend we lost a couple of years ago aged 97, so that was a nice touch for me. I also like how Hazel is not just the token old character, she is a well rounded character in herself and the introduction to her husband was lovely (I won’t say too much on that point). Some characters were bigger than others, more in depth whilst some stayed in the background but they all have some kind of influence over Daniel’s decisions which I enjoyed.
It is a gentle, easy read that fills you with so much joy and warmth throughout. It’s completely uplifting, gives you a great sense of community, and really shows you how your friends can become your family.
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