The Woman Who Kept Everything

The Lady in the Van meets The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry in this uplifting, funny and moving debut novel about a 79-year-old hoarder who is convinced the world is against her. 79-year-old Gloria Frensham is a hoarder. She lives amongst piles of magazines, cardboard boxes and endless knick-knacks that are stacked into every room of her home, and teeter in piles along the landing and up the stairs. She hasn't left the house in years, but when a sudden smell of burning signifies real danger, she is forced to make a sudden departure and leave behind her beloved possessions. Determined she's not ready for a care home, Gloria sets out to discover what life still has to offer her. It's time to navigate the outside world on her own, one step at a time, with just one very small suitcase in tow... Heart-warming and poignant in equal measure, this is a story about the loneliness of life, the struggles of growing old, the power of kindness, and the bravery it takes to leave our comfort zones. ** Praise from NetGalley reviewers ** `This book has to be in my top best loved books of 2018. I enjoyed every single page. There was never a dull moment.' `Without a doubt, readers will be charmed by the many colourful characters and their relationships with each other, as well as where life takes Gloria next.' `This delightful book will enchant any reader who has a soul.' `Fans of A Man Called Ove and Three Things About Elsie will find comfortable, enjoyable ground here.' `It would make a great and inspired book club read.' `A beautiful, charming, witty story' `This is a novel that perhaps we all need to read. It is a realistic look into aging with humour and some sadness, that all too many often forget to see.' `A lesson on how to live life!' `Oh Gloria Frensham, what a fabulous ride you gave us on your adventures in this book. I suspect this will turn out to be a film and very much on a par with Lady in the Van.'