Published By: Sourcebooks Landmark
Pages: 384
Released On: 31/03/2026
As a new resident of Golden Grove, an independent living community for active seniors, Sally wants to do everything in her power to start off on the right foot. But between navigating unspoken social rules of the community and leaving two struggling adult children back at home, fitting in becomes harder than she expected. So when she sees flyers advertising the Scrabble Club, she thinks she might as well give it a try. She quickly realizes her faux pas when she walks into the library to find just one man, Walter Kretzer, who has a reputation for being “a bit intense.”
Walter has taken his Scrabble club a pinch too seriously in the past, but when he meets Sally, with her golden-flecked eyes and sensible style, and discovers she is something of a prodigy at the game, he can’t help but feel his fate is about to change. As he draws Sally into the world of high-stakes Scrabble tournaments, his feelings for her grow and inspire him to take a hard look at his life. When the truth about Sally’s reasons for moving to Golden Grove are suddenly exposed, Walter finds himself with the gumption to make his last chapter in life the best yet.
*****
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
Before I’d even opened it, this reminded me of Samuel Burr’s The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers. It just had that same feeling about it, and it was just as comforting to read.
The cover was very pretty and eye-catching.
I love stories where the protagonists are older people but they’re front and centre. There’s little I dislike more than authors putting in old people just to tick a box, or only having them in the background. But Cammie has been sensitive about it and our two main characters – whilst over 70 and thought of as old – are as cool and as fascinating as anyone half their age and I loved them both.
It flits between Sally and Walter’s POVs which was delightful. I love reading stories across multiple voices, but if there’s too many then it gets confusing. So just sticking to the two of them really helped elevate the story.
I loved this relationship between the two of them. I won’t spoil it by saying if it is just a friendship or if the relationship turns into something romantic, you’ll have to find out for yourself – but they were so wonderful together, and individually. They brought out the best and the worst of each other and I couldn’t stop smiling at them.
There’s a big emphasis on Scrabble. Now I will hold my hand up and say I don’t think I’ve ever played Scrabble before, or if I have it was many, many years ago. And so I have effectively no knowledge of it and can’t say it was ever a game I felt thrilled about. And whilst it is a key part of this story, it somehow blurs into the background, becoming a stage for Sally and Walter to stand upon. So if you’re not a Scrabble fan and think that means this book won’t be for you, you are mistaken.
It is slightly repetitive in the middle and maybe that could have been slimmed down, but overall it’s a great pace. It’s not a 100mph fast-paced, action-packed story. It’s very gentle and calming and relaxing and so easy to read.
It was sadder than I thought it’d be. I won’t spoil it by saying what happens and to whom, that’s for you to find out, but it is really very moving, and not necessarily because it’s sad. Seeing these older characters rediscover joy was beautiful.
I read the first half in bed one evening and finished it over breakfast, it was so addictive.
Books By Your Bedside 