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Braver
Hazel has never felt normal. Struggling with OCD and anxiety, she isolates herself from others and sticks to rigid routines in order to cope with everyday life. But when she forms an unlikely friendship with Virginia, a church minister, Hazel begins to venture outside her comfort zone.
Having rebuilt her own life after a traumatic loss, Virginia has become the backbone of her community, caring for those in need and mentoring disadvantaged young people. Yet a shocking accusation threatens to unravel everything she has worked for.
Told with warmth, compassion and gentle humour, Braver is an uplifting story about the strength that can be drawn from friendship and community.
Fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and The Rosie Project will love this heartwarming tale.
Deborah Jenkins is a primary teacher who has worked in schools in the UK and in Ankara, Turkey. Her short fiction has appeared in magazines and anthologies, and she has also published a novella, The Evenness of Things. She lives in Sussex and enjoys reading, walking, gardening, travelling and good coffee.
Having rebuilt her own life after a traumatic loss, Virginia has become the backbone of her community, caring for those in need and mentoring disadvantaged young people. Yet a shocking accusation threatens to unravel everything she has worked for.
Told with warmth, compassion and gentle humour, Braver is an uplifting story about the strength that can be drawn from friendship and community.
Fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and The Rosie Project will love this heartwarming tale.
Deborah Jenkins is a primary teacher who has worked in schools in the UK and in Ankara, Turkey. Her short fiction has appeared in magazines and anthologies, and she has also published a novella, The Evenness of Things. She lives in Sussex and enjoys reading, walking, gardening, travelling and good coffee.
- GenresFiction
Audible Audio
Published May 17, 2023
8 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Jenkins
4 books12 followersI’m a freelance writer and teacher with interests in education, mental health and community. I write educational articles, textbooks, short stories and longer fiction. My debut novel, Braver, was published by Fairlight Books in June 2022 and (incredibly) was shortlisted for the Writers' Guild Best First Novel 2023 and the Society of Authors' ADCI Literary Prize 2023.
Winter Lights is a collection of short stories for the festive season. It explores the mixed emotions the time of year can bring, based in a small town in the run-up to Christmas. It is published in November 2023
Then there's my novella, The Evenness of Things, available as an amazon e-book and paperback. It’s the story of what happens when a woman buys a house without telling her husband. Intrigued? When I had the idea, I was! But then I had to make up a story to go with it. This was my first attempt at a longer piece of fiction and, although I wrote it nearly 10 years ago, I'm still fond of it.
I blog at stillwonderinghere.net about everyday life, hope and the silly, incongruous things that shape us and make us who we are. If you fancy a giggle and a ponder, grab a coffee and hop over there. I'd love to meet you :)
Winter Lights is a collection of short stories for the festive season. It explores the mixed emotions the time of year can bring, based in a small town in the run-up to Christmas. It is published in November 2023
Then there's my novella, The Evenness of Things, available as an amazon e-book and paperback. It’s the story of what happens when a woman buys a house without telling her husband. Intrigued? When I had the idea, I was! But then I had to make up a story to go with it. This was my first attempt at a longer piece of fiction and, although I wrote it nearly 10 years ago, I'm still fond of it.
I blog at stillwonderinghere.net about everyday life, hope and the silly, incongruous things that shape us and make us who we are. If you fancy a giggle and a ponder, grab a coffee and hop over there. I'd love to meet you :)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
November 4, 2022
More............doing a little bit more
Life rarely asks us to perform big acts of courage. It mostly asks us for the small acts and in doing those we become greater, bigger, braver.
Sometimes the smallest things require the greatest of effort. Raising your head and saying good morning in the street, answering the door and letting someone in need come in.
I really enjoyed this one. Fairlight Books continue to satisfy.
An ARC kindly provided by author/publishers via Netgalley.
Life rarely asks us to perform big acts of courage. It mostly asks us for the small acts and in doing those we become greater, bigger, braver.
Sometimes the smallest things require the greatest of effort. Raising your head and saying good morning in the street, answering the door and letting someone in need come in.
I really enjoyed this one. Fairlight Books continue to satisfy.
An ARC kindly provided by author/publishers via Netgalley.
June 30, 2022
I loved this uplifting, emotional and profoundly moving book. Deborah Jenkins has created characters with great depth and authenticity. Hazel is a loner; she has always found life difficult and found it hard to ‘get’ other people. People have generally avoided her, and with a difficult past and a domineering mother, she has struggled through life. But things change when she meets Virginia, her local vicar, and some of the people who go to her church. Hazel finds herself unexpectedly welcomed into and swept up in community, something she’s never had before.
Hazel is so believable as an awkward, lonely woman with OCD, with her obsessive habits and rituals that get her through the day. Her friendship with the others, especially young Harry, who lives with an alcoholic, neglectful mother and faces bullying at school, is well-drawn and heart-warming. When Virginia faces a false accusation of abuse, her community gather around her to support her, with Hazel and Harry swept up in the love and friendship offered by this diverse community.
The author writes beautifully, I wanted to go back and read so many moments she’d captured in such great poetic prose. She has a knack of seeing deep into the human condition and taking the reader there with her – there are moments of recognition when you realise that she is articulating something that can’t quite be articulated. This is a book full of heart, honesty, and ultimately, hope, and I enjoyed every minute.
Hazel is so believable as an awkward, lonely woman with OCD, with her obsessive habits and rituals that get her through the day. Her friendship with the others, especially young Harry, who lives with an alcoholic, neglectful mother and faces bullying at school, is well-drawn and heart-warming. When Virginia faces a false accusation of abuse, her community gather around her to support her, with Hazel and Harry swept up in the love and friendship offered by this diverse community.
The author writes beautifully, I wanted to go back and read so many moments she’d captured in such great poetic prose. She has a knack of seeing deep into the human condition and taking the reader there with her – there are moments of recognition when you realise that she is articulating something that can’t quite be articulated. This is a book full of heart, honesty, and ultimately, hope, and I enjoyed every minute.
April 10, 2022
Ever since I first came across Deborah Jenkins's writing, I have basked in its elegant, pellucid style. I loved her novella, "The Evenness of Things" and I follow her blog, delighting in the beautiful descriptiveness of her writing. When I heard she was writing a novel, I could hardly wait to get my hands on it. I wasn't disappointed. "Braver" is wonderful. I have fallen in love with Virginia, Hazel and Harry and I didn't want their stories to end. Several times, I was on the edge of my seat, willing them to do the right thing or escape from a perilous situation. The author's use of language is stunning. One phrase in particular made me gasp with joy and read it four or five times until the words sank in. I wish I'd written it. "The Thames curls behind them, a fat ribbon dipped in glitter." So elegant, so pleasing, so beautiful.
It's hard to weave faith into a narrative, Many try and fail, but this author has a light touch and has succeeded in writing about church, belief and community in a way which is never preachy or dull. This is the kind of book which will become an old friend, being reached down from its shelf, read and reread, recommended to friends until it is wrinkly and tea-stained, just as a good book should be. I loved it. Truly. And that this is a debut novel makes it all the more astounding. I recommend it to you, hand on heart. I was given an ARC copy but was under no obligation to provide a favourable review.
It's hard to weave faith into a narrative, Many try and fail, but this author has a light touch and has succeeded in writing about church, belief and community in a way which is never preachy or dull. This is the kind of book which will become an old friend, being reached down from its shelf, read and reread, recommended to friends until it is wrinkly and tea-stained, just as a good book should be. I loved it. Truly. And that this is a debut novel makes it all the more astounding. I recommend it to you, hand on heart. I was given an ARC copy but was under no obligation to provide a favourable review.
February 19, 2024
Every time I read (listen to) a Fairlight Books novel, I’m always blown away by the quality of the writing and the storytelling. I’ve now read, contemporary, sci-fi, fantasy, and historic Fairlight novels, all of which beautifully blur their way into other genres. Deborah Jenkin’s Braver is a worthy and wonderful addition to this list.
The characters in Braver are beautifully and effortlessly bought to life. I felt like I knew them within a few lines, and they continued to become richer and more charming. I loved being involved in the ups and downs of this group of troubled souls. It’s excruciating when their hard-earned piece of mind is rocked by outside forces, and in turn, it’s comforting to see people who have every reason to be fearful of the world finding the strength in friendship to be a few degrees braver.
A beautiful life affirming story, which surrounds you with warmth and wisdom. I very much recommend it.
The characters in Braver are beautifully and effortlessly bought to life. I felt like I knew them within a few lines, and they continued to become richer and more charming. I loved being involved in the ups and downs of this group of troubled souls. It’s excruciating when their hard-earned piece of mind is rocked by outside forces, and in turn, it’s comforting to see people who have every reason to be fearful of the world finding the strength in friendship to be a few degrees braver.
A beautiful life affirming story, which surrounds you with warmth and wisdom. I very much recommend it.
June 13, 2022
I have been eagerly awaiting a novel from Deborah Jenkins ever since reading her novella, The Evenness Of Things. Braver did not disappoint. Deborah Jenkins is a masterful writer, whose gradual revealing of a rich plot keeps you eagerly turning the pages, only to be stopped in your tracks to savour astonishingly beautiful bits of prose such as 'and sadness, pale as milk, takes a slow sip of her' or 'Trees are knitted on scribbles of pink'.
This is a gorgeous, cosy story about community, friendship and courage, with a flavour of Fredrik Backman and the gentler bits of Nick Hornby. Highly recommended.
This is a gorgeous, cosy story about community, friendship and courage, with a flavour of Fredrik Backman and the gentler bits of Nick Hornby. Highly recommended.
September 3, 2022
I loved this book. I put dinner in the oven one evening and thought, "I'll just read the first couple of pages to get a taster of it," half an hour later the timer on the oven went off and I was annoyed it was pulling me away from the pages. The moment I started reading it was like the words picked me up and carried me into the story. The plot is tense and knotty and the characters have to live with some serious issues but Jenkins' style is so light and uplifting, it's a dream to read.
I have read some good books lately but each one has raised hard-hitting issues that drain energy from you (even if, by the end of the book, they are resolved). It was such a relief to read a book that raises the same level of challenges but lets you feel safe in the pages. It is an energy-giving book rather than energy-draining.
Strong recommend.
I have read some good books lately but each one has raised hard-hitting issues that drain energy from you (even if, by the end of the book, they are resolved). It was such a relief to read a book that raises the same level of challenges but lets you feel safe in the pages. It is an energy-giving book rather than energy-draining.
Strong recommend.
March 24, 2022
GIFTED BY A PUBLISHER
This book follows Hazel, who struggles with OCD and anxiety and the unlikely friendship she forms with Virginia, a church minister. Virginia has become the backbone of the community, having rebuilt her own life after a traumatic loss but a shock accusation threatens to unravel all she has worked for. I wasn’t sure whether I’d like Hazel as a character, from the blurb, she sounded an Eleanor Oliphant type (a character I could not warm too), however, although odd and awkward, Hazel was fundamentally a really nice character so I found myself warming to her fairly quickly. Her character development throughout was particularly enjoyable, we got to watch her grow throughout the book and shake off the shackles that she’d allow to hold her back both within her personal and professional life. I also really enjoyed Virginia as a character, with her being a church minister, religion is focused on quite a lot but more the community side of it and I really got the sense that the church was one big family which was heartwarming. I also enjoyed reading Virginia’s tragic backstory, it gave a really good insight into why she chose to follow the path she did. It’s hard to say too much without spoiling, for a short book, it’s filled with a lot of plot, but all relevant to the story with plenty to draw you in and make you want to keep reading. It’s a really lovely book and I’d highly recommend. It’s out in June 2022 and well worth buying!
This book follows Hazel, who struggles with OCD and anxiety and the unlikely friendship she forms with Virginia, a church minister. Virginia has become the backbone of the community, having rebuilt her own life after a traumatic loss but a shock accusation threatens to unravel all she has worked for. I wasn’t sure whether I’d like Hazel as a character, from the blurb, she sounded an Eleanor Oliphant type (a character I could not warm too), however, although odd and awkward, Hazel was fundamentally a really nice character so I found myself warming to her fairly quickly. Her character development throughout was particularly enjoyable, we got to watch her grow throughout the book and shake off the shackles that she’d allow to hold her back both within her personal and professional life. I also really enjoyed Virginia as a character, with her being a church minister, religion is focused on quite a lot but more the community side of it and I really got the sense that the church was one big family which was heartwarming. I also enjoyed reading Virginia’s tragic backstory, it gave a really good insight into why she chose to follow the path she did. It’s hard to say too much without spoiling, for a short book, it’s filled with a lot of plot, but all relevant to the story with plenty to draw you in and make you want to keep reading. It’s a really lovely book and I’d highly recommend. It’s out in June 2022 and well worth buying!
April 3, 2022
Hazel is a Teaching Assistant who struggles with anxiety, OCD and is on the autistic spectrum. Virginia is a church minister who gives her life to help other people and as a result of not following safeguarding rules carefully enough, is falsely accused of abusing a young person. Harry is a teenage boy navigating the challenging waters of having an alcoholic, manipulative mum to deal with at home and bullies at school. All three characters find themselves mixed up in Virginia's accusation in one way or another, along with a delightfully rag tag bunch of unique individuals from Virginia's local church who all pull together in a brilliant way to support Virginia at her lowest point.
I absolutely loved this novel. The characterization is so rich, the characters so empathetic and lovable, and the journeys that our three protagonists go on are so emotionally satisfying. In addition, the values of bravery, love and acceptance leave you with a warm feeling on the inside. Jenkins doesn't shy away from tackling difficult issues, but does so in such a hope-filled, honest way. You come away from the book feeling ready to take on your own giants!
I absolutely loved this novel. The characterization is so rich, the characters so empathetic and lovable, and the journeys that our three protagonists go on are so emotionally satisfying. In addition, the values of bravery, love and acceptance leave you with a warm feeling on the inside. Jenkins doesn't shy away from tackling difficult issues, but does so in such a hope-filled, honest way. You come away from the book feeling ready to take on your own giants!
May 10, 2022
Set in the leafy suburbs, this engaging and inspiring story is neither sleepy nor ordinary, but delightfully heartwarming and surprising in equal measure.
The well observed characters feel like the sorts of people you'd bump into at a bus stop or in the supermarket queue, striking-up a conversation and exchanging pleasantries and jokes about the weather, while discovering little of the real struggles, complex challenges and pain so many of us carry behind the smiles.
As the story begins to unfold the power of community and of genuine friendship as a force for good is brought wonderfully into focus as we learn about the motivations, fears, and actions of the characters both past and present, who interact on the page with authenticity and life.
An absolutely joy to read, this book uncynically captures the beauty of how a diverse group of flawed individuals can unexpectedly come together to become a genuine source of strength, identify and belonging, showing there's hope for us all if we just be that little bit braver.
An uplifting read . 10/10. Thoroughly recommend.
The well observed characters feel like the sorts of people you'd bump into at a bus stop or in the supermarket queue, striking-up a conversation and exchanging pleasantries and jokes about the weather, while discovering little of the real struggles, complex challenges and pain so many of us carry behind the smiles.
As the story begins to unfold the power of community and of genuine friendship as a force for good is brought wonderfully into focus as we learn about the motivations, fears, and actions of the characters both past and present, who interact on the page with authenticity and life.
An absolutely joy to read, this book uncynically captures the beauty of how a diverse group of flawed individuals can unexpectedly come together to become a genuine source of strength, identify and belonging, showing there's hope for us all if we just be that little bit braver.
An uplifting read . 10/10. Thoroughly recommend.
June 23, 2022
Thank you to Fairlight for my copy of Braver. I loved this book. It explored OCD and alcoholism brilliantly. I enjoyed Hazel's character, she was so well portrayed and I was so invested in her. The characters have such rich and well explored backgrounds so you as the reader, really engage with them all.
On the outside the book looks light but the topics are quite heavy. This book creates a sense of community and family which was so well written. It also discusses the topics of religion without being too explicit.
Braver is full of positive messages about a myriad of illnesses and situations that I think it will appeal to many. I found it sad in places but also heartwarming and inspiring.
On the outside the book looks light but the topics are quite heavy. This book creates a sense of community and family which was so well written. It also discusses the topics of religion without being too explicit.
Braver is full of positive messages about a myriad of illnesses and situations that I think it will appeal to many. I found it sad in places but also heartwarming and inspiring.
May 11, 2022
Braver explores the real lives and struggles of everyday people, and does so in a way that makes the reader care about what happens to them.
The world that Braver describes is powerfully real; a breath of fresh air in a time when social media is often used to make life always look perfect.
A story of bravery, loss, courage, pain and hope. Deborah Jenkins stirs many emotions in the reader as we are privileged to walk part of her characters' paths through life with them.
The world that Braver describes is powerfully real; a breath of fresh air in a time when social media is often used to make life always look perfect.
A story of bravery, loss, courage, pain and hope. Deborah Jenkins stirs many emotions in the reader as we are privileged to walk part of her characters' paths through life with them.
February 9, 2024
This is lovely, gritty novel, focusing on characters who experience tough circumstances and difficult lives. It is well written, switching between the stories of the three main characters, whose lives interconnect, each written in a distinctive voice.
This book is great reminder that at the heart of a local Church is a community - an eclectic mix of individuals who are thrown together, to share life, with its ups and downs. A family. A place of safety and kindness, where those who find that they have to be so brave just to face the world each day, can find refuge. That is what our churches need to be like.
This book shows how broken people can be broken free by the love of Jesus, shown through everyday people. Life is tough, with everyone carrying baggage of some sort. The characters here are not exceptional, with the issues they face being mirrored in the communities around us all. Sometimes the sufferers are just very good at hiding in plain sight. But these people are around us and need us to reach out to them.
The passages written from the point of view of a character suffering from high anxiety and OCD, I found especially insightful. Some clever writing that brings the reader straight in to an understanding of the way the character's mind is working. This character also has a line that for some reason really tickled me … "Hazel is ambivalent about marmite."
It really is a heartwarming story of everyday life.
It is worth noting for some readers that it does come with a language warning. In the passages where there is dialogue between the teenage lads, there is the occasional graphic swear word. In my view it is in context and realistic, but I know some Christian readers prefer to be warned about it.
Read more reviews of Christian books at https://www.robseabrook.com/category/...
This book is great reminder that at the heart of a local Church is a community - an eclectic mix of individuals who are thrown together, to share life, with its ups and downs. A family. A place of safety and kindness, where those who find that they have to be so brave just to face the world each day, can find refuge. That is what our churches need to be like.
This book shows how broken people can be broken free by the love of Jesus, shown through everyday people. Life is tough, with everyone carrying baggage of some sort. The characters here are not exceptional, with the issues they face being mirrored in the communities around us all. Sometimes the sufferers are just very good at hiding in plain sight. But these people are around us and need us to reach out to them.
The passages written from the point of view of a character suffering from high anxiety and OCD, I found especially insightful. Some clever writing that brings the reader straight in to an understanding of the way the character's mind is working. This character also has a line that for some reason really tickled me … "Hazel is ambivalent about marmite."
It really is a heartwarming story of everyday life.
It is worth noting for some readers that it does come with a language warning. In the passages where there is dialogue between the teenage lads, there is the occasional graphic swear word. In my view it is in context and realistic, but I know some Christian readers prefer to be warned about it.
Read more reviews of Christian books at https://www.robseabrook.com/category/...
November 10, 2023
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Braver by Deborah Jenkins
I picked this book up with my bestie (Beca - who lives in Auz) when she visited the UK not so long ago. We wanted to get something we could buddy read and talk about when she flew back home. We randomly chose this book after being so indecisive and overwhelmed in Foyles that we went to a small section of the shop and was only allowed to pick from there. 🤣 AND I am so glad we did. This was a beautiful book!
It’s so uplifting and the characters are so realistic. Deborah has created such depth to the characters that I was in awe of every single one of them. Me and Beca are constantly voice noting each other about how we are doing and we always go into great detail about how we feel mentally. We support each other and that’s why I cherish our friendship so much because even though we are thousands of miles away I know a simple voice note will make my day.❤
Braver gives a similar sentiment about how a small kind gesture can have a massive impact on someone’s day. The issues all these characters face behind closed doors are all different, they create proper friendships that help all of them with their own struggles was beautiful to read. Hazel was the main character and reading about how her mind works with dealing with anxiety and OCD really pulled at my heartstrings. As a lovable character who has often felt like an outsider, Hazel discovers a sense of normalcy and visibility when, breaking from her routine, she encounters individuals who make her feel accepted.
A heartwarming read that I will recommend to everyone.
Braver by Deborah Jenkins
I picked this book up with my bestie (Beca - who lives in Auz) when she visited the UK not so long ago. We wanted to get something we could buddy read and talk about when she flew back home. We randomly chose this book after being so indecisive and overwhelmed in Foyles that we went to a small section of the shop and was only allowed to pick from there. 🤣 AND I am so glad we did. This was a beautiful book!
It’s so uplifting and the characters are so realistic. Deborah has created such depth to the characters that I was in awe of every single one of them. Me and Beca are constantly voice noting each other about how we are doing and we always go into great detail about how we feel mentally. We support each other and that’s why I cherish our friendship so much because even though we are thousands of miles away I know a simple voice note will make my day.❤
Braver gives a similar sentiment about how a small kind gesture can have a massive impact on someone’s day. The issues all these characters face behind closed doors are all different, they create proper friendships that help all of them with their own struggles was beautiful to read. Hazel was the main character and reading about how her mind works with dealing with anxiety and OCD really pulled at my heartstrings. As a lovable character who has often felt like an outsider, Hazel discovers a sense of normalcy and visibility when, breaking from her routine, she encounters individuals who make her feel accepted.
A heartwarming read that I will recommend to everyone.
August 2, 2023
This inspiring story about people who, at first glance, are far from remarkable, is surprisingly suspenseful and engaging from start to finish. The well-observed characters hide a myriad of stories, fears, hopes, generosities and pains in themselves but as a reader, you only get to know this gradually, through conversations and thoughts on the page, much like we get to know strangers through their words and actions in real life.
The story quietly and convincingly emphasises the importance of community, genuine friendships and even faith, which is rarely done well in literature. By the end, the characters felt like people from real life, like my neighbours down the street. A wonderful, uplifting read with beautifully descriptive language and passages I returned to several times to read them out loud to enjoy their beauty.
The story quietly and convincingly emphasises the importance of community, genuine friendships and even faith, which is rarely done well in literature. By the end, the characters felt like people from real life, like my neighbours down the street. A wonderful, uplifting read with beautifully descriptive language and passages I returned to several times to read them out loud to enjoy their beauty.
April 29, 2022
I loved Braver, right from the start I was drawn into the lives of the three main characters:
Virginia a minister who is dealing with major grief and has been accused of a safeguarding issue with a youth she is supporting
Hazel a teaching assistant who suffers with anxiety and OCD
Harry who is being bullied at school and has an alcoholic mother.
One early morning a single incident throws their lives together and within all their personal difficulties and problems, friendship grows. This is a story about the power of community and how hope can be found within the messiness of life. A compelling read!
April 17, 2022
Braver by Deborah Jenkins
I enjoyed this story with a neurodiverse protagonist, Hazel, and the community around her. It felt like a slice of British life told warmly and engagingly, with the church being a welcoming place for misfits not only to belong but to contribute. With the label of 'misfit', of course, applying to us all.
Hazel's relationship with her parents was heartbreaking and heartwarming in turns, and I felt like I really got to know her as a character. The vicar Virginia seemed a bit chaotic but warm. I appreciated the other characters too.
My only quibble was with the emphasis on class as a defining feature of their lives. Maybe as one who has made her home in Britain I'm more sensitive to this issue? It felt constraining.
One to read and savour.
I enjoyed this story with a neurodiverse protagonist, Hazel, and the community around her. It felt like a slice of British life told warmly and engagingly, with the church being a welcoming place for misfits not only to belong but to contribute. With the label of 'misfit', of course, applying to us all.
Hazel's relationship with her parents was heartbreaking and heartwarming in turns, and I felt like I really got to know her as a character. The vicar Virginia seemed a bit chaotic but warm. I appreciated the other characters too.
My only quibble was with the emphasis on class as a defining feature of their lives. Maybe as one who has made her home in Britain I'm more sensitive to this issue? It felt constraining.
One to read and savour.
April 2, 2022
Set in London in recent times, this novel's clear, unpretentious style draws the reader in. Small moments of felicitous expression, often about quite ordinary things, bring the setting to vibrant life.
The principals - Harry, Hazel and Virginia, three very different people - are presented with acute understanding and empathy. As also with the minor characters, there is no flinching from the real darknesses and pain in people's lives, past and present, nor from current crises; but over all there is heart and hope, loyalty, sympathy, generosity and encouragement. This story is a tribute to the liberating power of kindness and friendship, and a delightful read.
The principals - Harry, Hazel and Virginia, three very different people - are presented with acute understanding and empathy. As also with the minor characters, there is no flinching from the real darknesses and pain in people's lives, past and present, nor from current crises; but over all there is heart and hope, loyalty, sympathy, generosity and encouragement. This story is a tribute to the liberating power of kindness and friendship, and a delightful read.
August 3, 2022
I really enjoyed the compassion and thoughtfulness with which shone through this book.
An unlikely cast of characters (but it works), this is written from three points of view. There's Hazel, the OCD bundle of anxieties, trying to keep her life ordered, quiet and manageable. This is disturbed when sixteen-year-old Harry careers into her on his bike. His household is embedded in chaos – the consequence of a mother who is trying to escape the brutal realities of her life through a cocktail of alcohol and drug abuse. Harry tries to hold it all together, taking on responsibility way beyond his years while trying to work out what his life is really all about. He finds refuge with Veronica, the local vicar, who is herself coming to terms with the loss of both a son and a husband in deeply distressing circumstances. It's Veronica who picks Hazel up, dusts her down, invites both her and Harry in and sets Hazel on a path from which she will meet a local community of very ordinary people, including some other 'misfits', all trying to get to grips with the challenge of life.
Into all of this comes a serious accusation against Veronica which suspends all the work she's done and the bridges she's made with troubled youngsters. Hazel is asked by the school where she works to start a garden project, the challenge of which threatens to overwhelm her; and Harry, who also has to cope with a bunch of bullies, decides he needs to simply leave home for good.
Deborah Jenkins weaves her threads together beautifully, hinting at faith without preaching, drawing her characters with a warmth which draws in the reader and invites us to engage with the community. Each character shows themselves braver by the end of the narrative, but each has found the source of much of their courage in one another.
Well worth a read.
An unlikely cast of characters (but it works), this is written from three points of view. There's Hazel, the OCD bundle of anxieties, trying to keep her life ordered, quiet and manageable. This is disturbed when sixteen-year-old Harry careers into her on his bike. His household is embedded in chaos – the consequence of a mother who is trying to escape the brutal realities of her life through a cocktail of alcohol and drug abuse. Harry tries to hold it all together, taking on responsibility way beyond his years while trying to work out what his life is really all about. He finds refuge with Veronica, the local vicar, who is herself coming to terms with the loss of both a son and a husband in deeply distressing circumstances. It's Veronica who picks Hazel up, dusts her down, invites both her and Harry in and sets Hazel on a path from which she will meet a local community of very ordinary people, including some other 'misfits', all trying to get to grips with the challenge of life.
Into all of this comes a serious accusation against Veronica which suspends all the work she's done and the bridges she's made with troubled youngsters. Hazel is asked by the school where she works to start a garden project, the challenge of which threatens to overwhelm her; and Harry, who also has to cope with a bunch of bullies, decides he needs to simply leave home for good.
Deborah Jenkins weaves her threads together beautifully, hinting at faith without preaching, drawing her characters with a warmth which draws in the reader and invites us to engage with the community. Each character shows themselves braver by the end of the narrative, but each has found the source of much of their courage in one another.
Well worth a read.
April 11, 2022
Hazel is a young woman with a lot of problems. She is fearful of a world she doesn’t understand, a world full of people who don’t like her, and situations that will show up her inadequacies. She protects herself as best she can with chocolate and box sets and routines, and does her best to ignore the loneliness.
What she doesn’t realise is that other people are struggling just as much, in their own way, even the ones who seem so strong and confident. Virginia and Harry and Jas and Foxy and others… all with issues from the past and problems in the present.
The author’s skill is shown by the easy, natural way in which these characters are introduced to us, and to Hazel. There are no clumsy information dumps, just a weaving together of lives, of stories, into a community, a family, of people who are there for each other.
To hold together under the pressures that life throws at them sometimes needs courage - but we see what Hazel learns: that together, we can be braver.
Beautifully written, ‘Braver’ is realistic about the dark side of life, but brings hope into the darkness. Jenkins does this with a deep understanding of people and how they interact with each other, as well as a wry and well informed view of how institutions like churches and schools actually work. Or sometimes, don’t!
She also has a smooth flow of words and an often lyrical turn of phrase which add a poetic beauty to the narrative. London, for instance, ‘throbs with life, its steady pulse invigorated by caffeine and the desire to arrive’ . Or the description of a bus ‘at the junction quivering with impatience’.
Overall, a gently powerful book which was both a joy and an encouragement to read. Highly recommended.
What she doesn’t realise is that other people are struggling just as much, in their own way, even the ones who seem so strong and confident. Virginia and Harry and Jas and Foxy and others… all with issues from the past and problems in the present.
The author’s skill is shown by the easy, natural way in which these characters are introduced to us, and to Hazel. There are no clumsy information dumps, just a weaving together of lives, of stories, into a community, a family, of people who are there for each other.
To hold together under the pressures that life throws at them sometimes needs courage - but we see what Hazel learns: that together, we can be braver.
Beautifully written, ‘Braver’ is realistic about the dark side of life, but brings hope into the darkness. Jenkins does this with a deep understanding of people and how they interact with each other, as well as a wry and well informed view of how institutions like churches and schools actually work. Or sometimes, don’t!
She also has a smooth flow of words and an often lyrical turn of phrase which add a poetic beauty to the narrative. London, for instance, ‘throbs with life, its steady pulse invigorated by caffeine and the desire to arrive’ . Or the description of a bus ‘at the junction quivering with impatience’.
Overall, a gently powerful book which was both a joy and an encouragement to read. Highly recommended.
April 14, 2022
'Braver' is compelling reading right from the start, with its exploration of the impact of a misconduct accusation against a minister. Drawn in by precise, evocative prose, and intriguing, complex characters, I read it through in a day, wanting to know how it would turn out, and again a few days later, slower, in order to enjoy it.
Although Deborah's writing has a poetic beauty at times, and her depictions of the impact of grief and bullying, and of the struggle to deal with mental issues such as OCD, are descriptive and insightful, it is her finely-drawn, unusual characters and their struggles, who make the novel so powerful. Virginia is a minister of a successful, inclusive church in outer London, whose passion to help the lonely, vulnerable and lost is threatened by the unexpected accusation. The impact spreads to affect a young lad, Harry, as he struggles against bullies and an appalling home. But it is Hazel, a young teaching assistant who is drawn into the situation, who is the most memorable character. Her struggles to deal with her difficulties (OCD, slight autism, mental issues) are told with calm precision in an empathetic but unsentimental voice, giving an insight into another, unknown, life – which is what the best fiction does.
The novel is threaded through with acute observations of the world and beautiful descriptions . I particularly loved the line "there's an eyelash of the moon as if God (if there is one) is having a lie-in". But one of Deborah's strengths is describing how it feels to be broken. There is absolute honesty here, with no evangelical sugar-coating and no easy answers. With its themes of grief, brokenness, bullying, fear and bravery, and the redemptive potential of friendship and community, I highly recommend this book.
Although Deborah's writing has a poetic beauty at times, and her depictions of the impact of grief and bullying, and of the struggle to deal with mental issues such as OCD, are descriptive and insightful, it is her finely-drawn, unusual characters and their struggles, who make the novel so powerful. Virginia is a minister of a successful, inclusive church in outer London, whose passion to help the lonely, vulnerable and lost is threatened by the unexpected accusation. The impact spreads to affect a young lad, Harry, as he struggles against bullies and an appalling home. But it is Hazel, a young teaching assistant who is drawn into the situation, who is the most memorable character. Her struggles to deal with her difficulties (OCD, slight autism, mental issues) are told with calm precision in an empathetic but unsentimental voice, giving an insight into another, unknown, life – which is what the best fiction does.
The novel is threaded through with acute observations of the world and beautiful descriptions . I particularly loved the line "there's an eyelash of the moon as if God (if there is one) is having a lie-in". But one of Deborah's strengths is describing how it feels to be broken. There is absolute honesty here, with no evangelical sugar-coating and no easy answers. With its themes of grief, brokenness, bullying, fear and bravery, and the redemptive potential of friendship and community, I highly recommend this book.
May 18, 2022
Braver tells the story of three main characters whose lives intertwine to form the most unlikely friendship.
Hazel is a teaching assistant, suffering with OCD and anxiety and struggling to find her place in the world.
Harry is a teenager, neglected by his alcoholic mother and bullied at school.
And Virginia is the local church minister, accused of taking advantage of the young people who need her help the most.
As the three characters’ lives intertwine, they support each other through some of life’s darker moments and learn that friendship and being part of a community (albeit an unusual one) is the key to happiness.
I loved all three characters but particularly warmed to Hazel. She gave me ‘Eleanor Oliphant’ vibes but was so much more likeable. Vulnerable and unapologetically honest, Hazel discovers that true friends will accept you for who you are and can ultimately make you that much ‘braver.’
Jenkin’s writing style is lyrical yet easy to read. With its short, alternating chapters, I flew through this one and came to feel like I was part of the community myself.
I feel that Braver should come with a trigger warning for alcoholism as there were parts of this storyline that I personally found difficult to read, however the complex issues that were involved have been written with sensitivity and accuracy.
As someone who suffers from mental health issues myself, this quote will stick me:
‘𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙤𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙤𝙛 𝙘𝙤𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙚, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙠 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩: 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙤𝙣𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙪𝙥 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙣.’
Hazel is a teaching assistant, suffering with OCD and anxiety and struggling to find her place in the world.
Harry is a teenager, neglected by his alcoholic mother and bullied at school.
And Virginia is the local church minister, accused of taking advantage of the young people who need her help the most.
As the three characters’ lives intertwine, they support each other through some of life’s darker moments and learn that friendship and being part of a community (albeit an unusual one) is the key to happiness.
I loved all three characters but particularly warmed to Hazel. She gave me ‘Eleanor Oliphant’ vibes but was so much more likeable. Vulnerable and unapologetically honest, Hazel discovers that true friends will accept you for who you are and can ultimately make you that much ‘braver.’
Jenkin’s writing style is lyrical yet easy to read. With its short, alternating chapters, I flew through this one and came to feel like I was part of the community myself.
I feel that Braver should come with a trigger warning for alcoholism as there were parts of this storyline that I personally found difficult to read, however the complex issues that were involved have been written with sensitivity and accuracy.
As someone who suffers from mental health issues myself, this quote will stick me:
‘𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙤𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙤𝙛 𝙘𝙤𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙚, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙠 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩: 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙤𝙣𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙪𝙥 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙣.’
April 22, 2022
“If you are sensitive and life mainly overwhelms rather than energises you, you feel everything so deeply that you cannot extract yourself from the potential tragedy of things.”
Braver is a wholesome, heart-warming and cosy read. Deborah Jenkins’ writing is spectacular: her ability to evoke feelings of inspiration and joy is beautiful. Centred around three loveable characters: Hazel, Virginia, and Harry, Braver portrays how they develop unlikely but wonderful friendships amongst themselves. Hazel is a primary school teacher struggling with anxiety and OCD, Virginia, a church minister with a difficult past, and Harry, a 16 year old trying to deal with his education, bullies and home life.
My heart went out for all of the characters but there was a special place for Hazel. Being an anxious person myself, it was reassuring and uplifting to see the way that her brain processes everyday life, it made me feel seen and ‘normal’ - whatever ‘normal’ is. Through Hazel’s eyes, the world around her is filled with worry and terror, yet as the novel progresses we see her perception of the world flourish into a place of love and acceptance. Jenkins depicts Hazel’s struggles with warmth and realness. I deeply wished I could’ve reached into the page and gave Hazel a hug. Her characters are crafted with such depth that you feel as though they’re as real as friends in your everyday life.
Braver is a glorious story that emphasises the importance and beauty of friendship and community. Jenkins is able to show how the seemingly mundane things in life are magnificently significant in their own ways. If you’re a lover of heartening stories that are character focused, then I can guarantee this will be your cup of tea.
Jenkins’ storytelling is gorgeous - I can’t believe this is only her debut!
Thank you to Fairlight Books for sending me a proof copy!
Braver is a wholesome, heart-warming and cosy read. Deborah Jenkins’ writing is spectacular: her ability to evoke feelings of inspiration and joy is beautiful. Centred around three loveable characters: Hazel, Virginia, and Harry, Braver portrays how they develop unlikely but wonderful friendships amongst themselves. Hazel is a primary school teacher struggling with anxiety and OCD, Virginia, a church minister with a difficult past, and Harry, a 16 year old trying to deal with his education, bullies and home life.
My heart went out for all of the characters but there was a special place for Hazel. Being an anxious person myself, it was reassuring and uplifting to see the way that her brain processes everyday life, it made me feel seen and ‘normal’ - whatever ‘normal’ is. Through Hazel’s eyes, the world around her is filled with worry and terror, yet as the novel progresses we see her perception of the world flourish into a place of love and acceptance. Jenkins depicts Hazel’s struggles with warmth and realness. I deeply wished I could’ve reached into the page and gave Hazel a hug. Her characters are crafted with such depth that you feel as though they’re as real as friends in your everyday life.
Braver is a glorious story that emphasises the importance and beauty of friendship and community. Jenkins is able to show how the seemingly mundane things in life are magnificently significant in their own ways. If you’re a lover of heartening stories that are character focused, then I can guarantee this will be your cup of tea.
Jenkins’ storytelling is gorgeous - I can’t believe this is only her debut!
Thank you to Fairlight Books for sending me a proof copy!
May 19, 2022
Hazel is a neurologically diverse young woman with anxiety and OCD, struggling to hold down her job as a teaching assistant before returning to her lonely flat each night to binge on chocolate and Netflix. Then one day she stumbles, literally, into Virginia, a local minister and one of her proteges, 15-year-old Harry, and her life begins to change. Slowly Hazel discovers that not everyone has the straightforward, happy life she imagines them to lead.
Virginia, Harry and the other friends she gradually makes all have their own life challenges. With an alcoholic mother, the odds are stacked against Harry, and Virginia, in particular, must face her own demons when confronted with a dreadful charge against her.
What an inspiring and heart-warming story! The characters are the lynchpin of the narrative and you'll instantly warm to Hazel, Virginia and Harry, each all the more appealing for their flaws. The tension of Virginia and Harry;s situations move the plot along at a perfect pace,
As the title suggest, the theme here is bravery. In a life already blighted by tragedy, Virginia must find the courage to pick herself up once more, while Harry needs to find the strength to stand up to his mother.
But it's Hazel you'll be cheering on most as she battles to be brave in a world that truly frightens her.
The perfect read for fans of Eleanor Oliphant and Hope Nicely, this is a book that will make you laugh through your tears and leave you with a warm glow in your heart. I loved it.
Virginia, Harry and the other friends she gradually makes all have their own life challenges. With an alcoholic mother, the odds are stacked against Harry, and Virginia, in particular, must face her own demons when confronted with a dreadful charge against her.
What an inspiring and heart-warming story! The characters are the lynchpin of the narrative and you'll instantly warm to Hazel, Virginia and Harry, each all the more appealing for their flaws. The tension of Virginia and Harry;s situations move the plot along at a perfect pace,
As the title suggest, the theme here is bravery. In a life already blighted by tragedy, Virginia must find the courage to pick herself up once more, while Harry needs to find the strength to stand up to his mother.
But it's Hazel you'll be cheering on most as she battles to be brave in a world that truly frightens her.
The perfect read for fans of Eleanor Oliphant and Hope Nicely, this is a book that will make you laugh through your tears and leave you with a warm glow in your heart. I loved it.
October 29, 2025
This was a great read. I like the way Deborah has created characters who are ordinary people with flaws and self-doubt. None of them are beautiful or perfect or glamorous. There are no cliches here. She has also managed to craft a faith-based story without being didactic about it. Faith in God is demonstrated through the actions of her Christian characters, all of whom are ordinary people with differing struggles in life. The fictional parish she has created in a suburb of London is a warm and welcoming place that embraces strangers and helps them to heal. The central character, Hazel, is a young woman with OCD and a lack of self-belief that restricts her life and shrinks her day-to-day world. A small accident at the start of the book brings her into a world of kind and caring people who help her to see herself and her life differently. There is also a teenage boy with a broken home, and a female vicar with a tragic past. The story centres around the vicar being falsely accused of wrong behaviour towards a minor, and unfolds as the incident is investigated, although we are never actually told what she is supposed to have done wrong. The novel is not only a good story, but it demonstrates how everyday miracles can occur when people extend kindness and friendship to each other. I would have liked more physical descriptions of the characters, as I couldn't visualise what Hazel and Virginia actually looked like. But the book kept me interested and engaged right up to its satisfying end. A very good debut novel.
June 14, 2022
‘It’s a drab day with a sky the colour of lead and the kind of spring chill that makes you sulk. Of course it is.’
I read Braver as a review copy, keeping an open mind as this is not a genre I would normally choose. Braver, however, has turned this around, demonstrating the power of a simple story involving seemingly unremarkable people. It’s told with a powerful intelligence and absolute conviction of people’s inner strengths and had me hooked from the start.
The story revolves around three ordinary individuals, for whom everyday life is compromised by traumatic events and lingering fears: Hazel’s acute anxiety, Harry’s home and school life, and Virginia’s struggles with her past and burdens of the present.
The characters are deftly crafted, evolving as the novel progresses from the roots of their differing pasts. Each is treated with empathy and respect, and without judgement, letting them speak for themselves.
Hazel’s anxiety is particularly well handled, especially considering such a complex range of difficulties. However, all the characters stand out as engaging and beautifully human individuals.
Deborah Jenkins writes with a light touch, illuminating the story and characters through moments of brilliant imagery. Through her skill and elevated prose she roots the reader in the tender reality of the everyday.
A study in humanity, Braver is an unadulterated joy to read.
I read Braver as a review copy, keeping an open mind as this is not a genre I would normally choose. Braver, however, has turned this around, demonstrating the power of a simple story involving seemingly unremarkable people. It’s told with a powerful intelligence and absolute conviction of people’s inner strengths and had me hooked from the start.
The story revolves around three ordinary individuals, for whom everyday life is compromised by traumatic events and lingering fears: Hazel’s acute anxiety, Harry’s home and school life, and Virginia’s struggles with her past and burdens of the present.
The characters are deftly crafted, evolving as the novel progresses from the roots of their differing pasts. Each is treated with empathy and respect, and without judgement, letting them speak for themselves.
Hazel’s anxiety is particularly well handled, especially considering such a complex range of difficulties. However, all the characters stand out as engaging and beautifully human individuals.
Deborah Jenkins writes with a light touch, illuminating the story and characters through moments of brilliant imagery. Through her skill and elevated prose she roots the reader in the tender reality of the everyday.
A study in humanity, Braver is an unadulterated joy to read.
June 13, 2022
⭐️Hazel - A young woman with OCD and anxiety who feel odd and awkward around other people and struggles with unpredictability of life.
⭐️Harry - A vulnerable teenager with an alcoholic mother, who is bullied at school.
⭐️Virginia- A vicar with a kind heart and traumatic past, who is currently under an investigation due to a false accusation.
📚This is a story about their unlikely friendship and the relationships they form with people in their community. I am a sucker for books about the power of human connections with a found family theme. This book ticked all the boxes for me, and I truly enjoyed it.
✍️ Debora Jenkins’s writing is wonderful and warm. Very masterful with her acute observation of the mundane everyday moments. It was so effective with Hazel’s character development in particular. Daily moments that are nothing to other people can quickly turn into scary moments with creeping anxiety for her. And small pleasures and delightful moments that don’t make significant impressions on other people can be HUGE encouragement and a powerful source of happiness for her. I think this is my first book with a MC with OCD, but I understood and felt what it was like for Hazel. My heart ached for her.
I loved other characters, too. All of them. Loved seeing such genuine kindness and understanding from Virginia to Hazel because of Virginia’s sad past that is revealed gradually. And Harry and everyone else in the community that Hazel meets are so warm and open-hearted that opens Hazel up gradually. And Hazel understands Harry’s angst and anxiety as a victim of bullying. It was wonderful to see Hazel overcoming her fear little by little, making genuine connections with these wonderful people, and to see her helping others, being part of the community.
This book feels like a good balance of ‘Eleanor Oliphant Is Doing Just Fine’ and ‘Small Pleasures’ (but this book has a nicer ending). So if you read and liked either of these books, I think you’ll enjoy this, too!
June 28, 2022
This is a beautiful and masterfully crafted novel, warm, gentle, encouraging, a joy to read on so many levels. And if you do have any insecurities about life, it really could help you be that bit braver. It has me.
Initially I was so gripped by the opening passage which hinted at many contrasting possibilities that I was tempted to speed read just to find out what happened but the first lines of the next chapter brought me up short. "There's a curious symmetry to the rhythm of suburban mornings: ..." Read it out loud and you will discover the poetic rhythm of Deboarah Jenkin's prose. The narrative skips along lightly, but, like a painting that draws your eye in and holds your attention, you want to linger, enjoy, read and reread the words and details which evoke heart warming pictures of people's everyday lives.
We love to know each others' stories and there are stories aplenty here. Our sympathies for each of the disparate set of characters are soon engaged. As telling fragments of their back stories are carefully dropped in here and there we want to know, will they be all right, will they recover? There are moments of humour, poignancy, pain and fear all woven into one exquisite tapestry of lives brought together. You will soon be rooting for them all. Read this book for yourself to find out who gets to be braver.
Initially I was so gripped by the opening passage which hinted at many contrasting possibilities that I was tempted to speed read just to find out what happened but the first lines of the next chapter brought me up short. "There's a curious symmetry to the rhythm of suburban mornings: ..." Read it out loud and you will discover the poetic rhythm of Deboarah Jenkin's prose. The narrative skips along lightly, but, like a painting that draws your eye in and holds your attention, you want to linger, enjoy, read and reread the words and details which evoke heart warming pictures of people's everyday lives.
We love to know each others' stories and there are stories aplenty here. Our sympathies for each of the disparate set of characters are soon engaged. As telling fragments of their back stories are carefully dropped in here and there we want to know, will they be all right, will they recover? There are moments of humour, poignancy, pain and fear all woven into one exquisite tapestry of lives brought together. You will soon be rooting for them all. Read this book for yourself to find out who gets to be braver.
April 12, 2022
The novel ‘Braver’ is like a luxury hot chocolate for the soul – something you want to keep drinking, and which warms your heart and nourishes you with hope.
Hazel is a minister with problems in the present, and a past Jenkins skilfully introduces in intriguing chunks at the right moments. Hazel is a Primary School TA, juggling a variety of challenges alone until she literally bumps into Hazel’s community. Harry is a troubled teen brilliantly portrayed and with a background that makes us all want to care for him, as Hazel does. The stories interact so seamlessly and effortlessly.
Jenkins is a masterful storyteller AND an ingenious creator of characters. I have read so many stories where one is sacrificed for the other; here both plot and characterisation are expertly handled making this a read I didn’t want to put down. When the final page appeared, I didn’t want to read it as I wanted to dwell with the characters for longer and not have to face the fact that I had finished this incredible read. I want more novels from Jenkins and I want more about these characters’ lives.
Jenkins writing itself is beautiful, with some striking turns of phrase that have you gasping with the sheer creativity of her imagination. What a stunning debut novel – go and buy it immediately!
Hazel is a minister with problems in the present, and a past Jenkins skilfully introduces in intriguing chunks at the right moments. Hazel is a Primary School TA, juggling a variety of challenges alone until she literally bumps into Hazel’s community. Harry is a troubled teen brilliantly portrayed and with a background that makes us all want to care for him, as Hazel does. The stories interact so seamlessly and effortlessly.
Jenkins is a masterful storyteller AND an ingenious creator of characters. I have read so many stories where one is sacrificed for the other; here both plot and characterisation are expertly handled making this a read I didn’t want to put down. When the final page appeared, I didn’t want to read it as I wanted to dwell with the characters for longer and not have to face the fact that I had finished this incredible read. I want more novels from Jenkins and I want more about these characters’ lives.
Jenkins writing itself is beautiful, with some striking turns of phrase that have you gasping with the sheer creativity of her imagination. What a stunning debut novel – go and buy it immediately!
July 31, 2023
The title of this book had me curious from the start: Braver than what? Braver than whom? Braver than when? The obvious and only way to find out what the title referred to was to read the book.
The narrative deals with many issues familiar to most of us today particularly bullying, insecurity and loss. The story is set in south suburbia and centres round three principle characters: Virginia, a church minister with a tragic past; Hazel, a young lady with anxiety issues; and a teenager called Harry who has domestic problems. There is a supporting cast of varied characters, all of whom are interesting and some, we learn, have their own stories. As the story progresses we learn that friendship can combat any adversity.
I think the story is exceptionally well written and the characters were brought vividly to life. By the end I had not only got to know them all but to like them (the nice ones, anyway). The main tenor of the book is friendship, understanding and acceptance and it reinforces the maxim that with true friends you can overcome anything.
I received this book as a gift from a friend who thought I would enjoy it. I did, very much; and I very much hope there will be a sequel. A wonderfully uplifting story, I recommend ‘Braver’ unreservedly.
The narrative deals with many issues familiar to most of us today particularly bullying, insecurity and loss. The story is set in south suburbia and centres round three principle characters: Virginia, a church minister with a tragic past; Hazel, a young lady with anxiety issues; and a teenager called Harry who has domestic problems. There is a supporting cast of varied characters, all of whom are interesting and some, we learn, have their own stories. As the story progresses we learn that friendship can combat any adversity.
I think the story is exceptionally well written and the characters were brought vividly to life. By the end I had not only got to know them all but to like them (the nice ones, anyway). The main tenor of the book is friendship, understanding and acceptance and it reinforces the maxim that with true friends you can overcome anything.
I received this book as a gift from a friend who thought I would enjoy it. I did, very much; and I very much hope there will be a sequel. A wonderfully uplifting story, I recommend ‘Braver’ unreservedly.
July 28, 2022
This is a story about heroes.
Hazel, a teaching assistant, has OCD and suffers from a dreadful self-image, the legacy of her childhood. Virginia, a parish priest, has come late to ministry, and loves it – but will her vocation be snatched away by an allegation of abuse? Teenager Harry is wrestling both with his choice of friends and with the baleful influence of his alcoholic mother.
In Deborah Jenkins’ capable hands, each of the three characters spring vividly to life. Each has a strong interior narrative, a credible backstory and a flinching yet immediate awareness. Each is flawed, buffeted by events, but the real and precious friendship that develops between them is a pathway towards redemption. Each discovers a capacity for truth, kindness, and courage.
Candidly, I loved this book and couldn’t stop reading. The author is entirely aware of the fears, jealousies and pettiness which can mar us all, but she sees past the surface blemishes to the inner core of her characters, and the potential that resides there. The book’s particular gift is that, as you reach the last page, you feel more optimistic about the human condition.
Hazel, a teaching assistant, has OCD and suffers from a dreadful self-image, the legacy of her childhood. Virginia, a parish priest, has come late to ministry, and loves it – but will her vocation be snatched away by an allegation of abuse? Teenager Harry is wrestling both with his choice of friends and with the baleful influence of his alcoholic mother.
In Deborah Jenkins’ capable hands, each of the three characters spring vividly to life. Each has a strong interior narrative, a credible backstory and a flinching yet immediate awareness. Each is flawed, buffeted by events, but the real and precious friendship that develops between them is a pathway towards redemption. Each discovers a capacity for truth, kindness, and courage.
Candidly, I loved this book and couldn’t stop reading. The author is entirely aware of the fears, jealousies and pettiness which can mar us all, but she sees past the surface blemishes to the inner core of her characters, and the potential that resides there. The book’s particular gift is that, as you reach the last page, you feel more optimistic about the human condition.
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