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Making Space
Miriam is twenty-nine: temping, living with a flatmate who is no longer a friend, and still trying to find her place in life. She falls in love with Erik after he employs her to clear out his paper-packed home. They are worlds apart: he is forty-five, a successful photographer and artist and an obsessive hoarder still haunted by the end of his marriage. Miriam has an unsuccessful love life and has just got rid of most of her belongings. Somehow, they must find a way to reach each other.
- GenresRomance
280 pages, Paperback
First published April 20, 2017
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193 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 22, 2017
There isn't a single thing about this book which isn't beautiful. It's terribly sad in parts but you can only sit back and enjoy the elegance of the author's writing.
We read this story from the perspective of Miriam, a young woman whose life isn't where she thought or hoped it would be at 29.
After a bad day at her temp job, Miriam throws out almost all of her sparse worldly goods so she can build a new identity. Trouble is, she doesn't know who she wants to be.
The following Monday, she visits the house of Erik for work - a 45 year old man who is just starting to admit to himself that he has a hoarding problem. They're on the opposite sides of the spectrum when it comes to their living habits, but they're both lost souls who need a connection, in whatever form that might take.
You need to read this book for yourself to find out the story and pick up on the nuances, but the parts that I enjoyed the most were the conflicts between the two characters who desperately need to connect but can't understand how the other half lives, so to speak.
The beautiful writing is what lifts this story up to a 5 star review for me, it's so hopeful and moving. I'm not normally one for the mushy stuff but this was too wonderful to pass up on.
We read this story from the perspective of Miriam, a young woman whose life isn't where she thought or hoped it would be at 29.
After a bad day at her temp job, Miriam throws out almost all of her sparse worldly goods so she can build a new identity. Trouble is, she doesn't know who she wants to be.
The following Monday, she visits the house of Erik for work - a 45 year old man who is just starting to admit to himself that he has a hoarding problem. They're on the opposite sides of the spectrum when it comes to their living habits, but they're both lost souls who need a connection, in whatever form that might take.
You need to read this book for yourself to find out the story and pick up on the nuances, but the parts that I enjoyed the most were the conflicts between the two characters who desperately need to connect but can't understand how the other half lives, so to speak.
The beautiful writing is what lifts this story up to a 5 star review for me, it's so hopeful and moving. I'm not normally one for the mushy stuff but this was too wonderful to pass up on.
April 28, 2017
I was privileged to be able to read this in proof form. I found it superb. It's a book that slowly and without ostentation draws the reader into a seemingly ordinary situation and infuses it with menace, sadness and humanity. Very assured writing with a careful, precise handling of language and tone, and deceptively powerful. Highly recommended.
August 12, 2017
There's one thing for certain - Sarah Tierney is a good writer. You get right inside the main character's head and understand how she thinks and feels. I did find it rather depressing though and there seemed to be little respite from the gloom. Also a bit creepy. Wasn't keen on the male protagonist. Great idea though. There can't be many books about hoarders. Well worth a read.
November 20, 2020
Buddy read with Jo
May 1, 2021
I went to a book event in Blackburn where Sarah Tierney was speaking about the book. I was Sceptical about the motives, as she explained it of Erik, a compulsive hoarder in the novel. Non the less I bought the book and was very glad I did.
Basically it is a girl meets boy ,loses boy plot.
Miriam is drifting in her life and work when she is employed to help de-clutter Erik's home before his daughter comes to live with him. There is so much more to it as Tierney fleshes out the two main characters and you just want to know more about Miriam and Erik.
Miriam who unlike Erik has no difficulty of getting rid of stuff. The action takes place in a Manchester I easily recognise and even takes a detour to a Morecambe hotel a lot of people will know but isn't named.
Tierney shows an empathy towards hoarders and without giving too much away it would have been easy to show Erik being cured of his hoarding habits but thankfully she didn't but there is hope at the end as Erik starts to learn to manage his hoarding habit and what was the cause of it.
Basically it is a girl meets boy ,loses boy plot.
Miriam is drifting in her life and work when she is employed to help de-clutter Erik's home before his daughter comes to live with him. There is so much more to it as Tierney fleshes out the two main characters and you just want to know more about Miriam and Erik.
Miriam who unlike Erik has no difficulty of getting rid of stuff. The action takes place in a Manchester I easily recognise and even takes a detour to a Morecambe hotel a lot of people will know but isn't named.
Tierney shows an empathy towards hoarders and without giving too much away it would have been easy to show Erik being cured of his hoarding habits but thankfully she didn't but there is hope at the end as Erik starts to learn to manage his hoarding habit and what was the cause of it.
January 23, 2024
This book tells the story of Miriam who is a temp and on her first day at the company she is temping at CBS which is like an answering service she receives a call from Erik, an artist and professional photographer, who is looking to hire their services in helping clear out his home. CBS is a company where businesses who do not have an office outsource their calls to make it seem like they are a big company (I should know this as I worked for a similar company 20+ years ago). It took me back in time!
The next day Miriam goes with the office manager, Natalie to Erik's house and realises he is the man she spoke to at Barnado's when she took all her personal possessions to give away. He was shocked that she was giving away all her things without a backward turn. Turns out he was a hoarder of books and magazines. His daughter Chloe was moving in with him in 8 weeks and he needed to get her room ready for her to move in. He needed to actually get the house ready as all living spaces in the house were filled to the brim with books and magazines.
They start off with taking a carload of stuff to the recycling place and Miriam's plan was for them to do more loads in the car but Erik got a skip to fill in everything he was getting rid of. They only managed to clear out Chloe's bedroom. The end up giving into their attraction and spending a night in a hotel in Morecambe after an afternoon spent at the seaside.
Unfortunately, Erik finds the photographs Miriam found in the skip of his late wife when they go to a restaurantfor dinner. He throws them into the fire at the restaurant then drives Miriam to her home. When she goes round he tells her that they can't continue their relationship and her working for him. He pays her for the days she had worked and that's the last she sees him.
She tries to move on after her flatmate Jessica moves out of their flatshare after trying to get Miriam to move out so she and her boyfriend Gareth could live in the flat. Miriam gets her temping job again at CBS since Natalie has left and they urgently needed someone. Miriam befriends Annie from Barnado's Charity Shop and they go out to bars and parties.
Miriam is drawn back into Erik's life when she gets a call from Caitlin (Chloe's aunt) asking her if she knows where Erik is as she can't reach him. Miriam goes round to his house, breaks the glass on the door and gets inside. She finds him up in the attic bedroom which surprisingly is empty. She convinces him to prepare the room for Chloe but he doesn't want to. Turns out Chloe doesn't want to stay in that room. It must be something about her late mum and that room that has bad memories for them both.
Miriam leaves and doesn't get back in touch with Erik. He tries to call her but she doesn't answer. He sends her a Christmas card and the postcard from her Dad which he found in one of the books she gave to charity which he had bought. In the meantime Miriam is contacted by Lisa who is a client of CBS and is offered a job as a personal assistant. She takes on the job. This is the person whose details she had previously passed on to Erik to hire to clear out his house.
Erik turns up at her flat and they have a conversation about why she hasn't returned his calls and what they have both been up to. He seems to be making progress on the housefront and decluttering. It's good that they have found each other again at the end and hopefully no longer two lonely people.
Thank you to Bloodhound Books for the ARC of this book. Loved it!
The next day Miriam goes with the office manager, Natalie to Erik's house and realises he is the man she spoke to at Barnado's when she took all her personal possessions to give away. He was shocked that she was giving away all her things without a backward turn. Turns out he was a hoarder of books and magazines. His daughter Chloe was moving in with him in 8 weeks and he needed to get her room ready for her to move in. He needed to actually get the house ready as all living spaces in the house were filled to the brim with books and magazines.
They start off with taking a carload of stuff to the recycling place and Miriam's plan was for them to do more loads in the car but Erik got a skip to fill in everything he was getting rid of. They only managed to clear out Chloe's bedroom. The end up giving into their attraction and spending a night in a hotel in Morecambe after an afternoon spent at the seaside.
Unfortunately, Erik finds the photographs Miriam found in the skip of his late wife when they go to a restaurantfor dinner. He throws them into the fire at the restaurant then drives Miriam to her home. When she goes round he tells her that they can't continue their relationship and her working for him. He pays her for the days she had worked and that's the last she sees him.
She tries to move on after her flatmate Jessica moves out of their flatshare after trying to get Miriam to move out so she and her boyfriend Gareth could live in the flat. Miriam gets her temping job again at CBS since Natalie has left and they urgently needed someone. Miriam befriends Annie from Barnado's Charity Shop and they go out to bars and parties.
Miriam is drawn back into Erik's life when she gets a call from Caitlin (Chloe's aunt) asking her if she knows where Erik is as she can't reach him. Miriam goes round to his house, breaks the glass on the door and gets inside. She finds him up in the attic bedroom which surprisingly is empty. She convinces him to prepare the room for Chloe but he doesn't want to. Turns out Chloe doesn't want to stay in that room. It must be something about her late mum and that room that has bad memories for them both.
Miriam leaves and doesn't get back in touch with Erik. He tries to call her but she doesn't answer. He sends her a Christmas card and the postcard from her Dad which he found in one of the books she gave to charity which he had bought. In the meantime Miriam is contacted by Lisa who is a client of CBS and is offered a job as a personal assistant. She takes on the job. This is the person whose details she had previously passed on to Erik to hire to clear out his house.
Erik turns up at her flat and they have a conversation about why she hasn't returned his calls and what they have both been up to. He seems to be making progress on the housefront and decluttering. It's good that they have found each other again at the end and hopefully no longer two lonely people.
Thank you to Bloodhound Books for the ARC of this book. Loved it!
May 25, 2017
Miriam seems to be a lost soul, struggling to live her life to her full potential. She lives with a flat mate she doesn't like very much and who seems to treat Miriam with complete disregard. Miriam's unsatisfactory work life leaves her feeling even more bereft, that is, until she comes into contact with Erik, a man who is as lost as she is, and who is struggling with his own problems which, at times, seem insurmountable.
This was a really astute look into the way we behave as human beings. How circumstances can affect the way we act, and of the coping mechanisms we choose to protect us from further hurt and pain. There is an acute realism to the narrative which is both bittersweet and tender and which gives such a sensitive look at life and love and which reiterates that we can only control our lives to a certain point, after which fate takes over.
I loved both Miriam and Erik from the start and felt both their isolation and their uniqueness, which comes across in the shrewd attention to detail and in the gentle way the author allows their combined stories to unfold.
I particularly enjoyed the Manchester ❤ references, a proud city I know and love, and of course, Morecambe fish and chips, who can resist that!
Making Space is undoubtedly a very confident and beautifully written first novel by a talented writer who I look forward to reading more from in the future.
This was a really astute look into the way we behave as human beings. How circumstances can affect the way we act, and of the coping mechanisms we choose to protect us from further hurt and pain. There is an acute realism to the narrative which is both bittersweet and tender and which gives such a sensitive look at life and love and which reiterates that we can only control our lives to a certain point, after which fate takes over.
I loved both Miriam and Erik from the start and felt both their isolation and their uniqueness, which comes across in the shrewd attention to detail and in the gentle way the author allows their combined stories to unfold.
I particularly enjoyed the Manchester ❤ references, a proud city I know and love, and of course, Morecambe fish and chips, who can resist that!
Making Space is undoubtedly a very confident and beautifully written first novel by a talented writer who I look forward to reading more from in the future.
January 4, 2024
Miriam and Erik meet originally in the charity shop where she has taken the majority of her worldly goods to declutter her sad and lonely life.
When Miriam takes a temp job with City Business Services, she is despatched to help a client organise some paperwork in his home.
The client turns out to be none other than Erik, her brief encounter in the charity shop. She then discovers the organisation of paperwork is the understatement of the century. Erik's home is overflowing with thousands of books, magazines, flyers, and pamphlets on every subject under the sun.
It becomes clearer and clearer as the book progresses that Erik's hoarding is related to his mental health and depression and nothing Miriam can do is helping.
An age difference of younger female and older male added to the depressing mix makes this an uncomfortable storyline.
Can't say I enjoyed it immensely, and if you're looking for an uplifting read, then leave well alone!
When Miriam takes a temp job with City Business Services, she is despatched to help a client organise some paperwork in his home.
The client turns out to be none other than Erik, her brief encounter in the charity shop. She then discovers the organisation of paperwork is the understatement of the century. Erik's home is overflowing with thousands of books, magazines, flyers, and pamphlets on every subject under the sun.
It becomes clearer and clearer as the book progresses that Erik's hoarding is related to his mental health and depression and nothing Miriam can do is helping.
An age difference of younger female and older male added to the depressing mix makes this an uncomfortable storyline.
Can't say I enjoyed it immensely, and if you're looking for an uplifting read, then leave well alone!
December 2, 2017
It is extremely rare for me to find the time to read a book in just 2 days. I didn't plan to, but I did it, I loved it,I don't feel guilty about the ironing, dishes or dust bunnies. This book was recommended by a friend when. They explained how unusual and sensitive the story was whilst being based in the mundane world we can all relate to. Sarah Tierney manages to shine in some beauty and I would like to recommend this to anyone that wants to read something that is insightful and sensitive whilst fresh and different.
January 30, 2024
As someone who could do with clearing out & ‘making space’, I chose this book hoping that I would resonate with the characters but unfortunately that wasn’t the case and I found it hard to even like Miriam let alone find resonance. I liked the concept of the story & it was a cute book. However, I feel like there was a lot more which could be explored for the characters, especially Miriam’s own mental health issues. The story was somewhat slow throughout then the ending seemed rushed & predictable to me.
July 25, 2017
This is a brilliant debut, compelling, darkly funny, exquisitely written, and tenderly candid about the realities of being a single woman in her late twenties living in a big city.There’s something very special about Tierney’s ability to draw you into a life, the reader of Making Space finds themselves both wanting to revel in the careful prose and dry humour, all the while compelled to addictively turn the pages to find out Miriam’s fate.
January 12, 2020
A beautifully written debut novel. I found Miriam very relatable as a character and I think most 20-somethings would too, especially with her frustrations around work and identity. I loved the big reveal about why Erik is holding on to so many things and it made me think about why people hold onto material things and my own possessions. Overall this is an engaging, insightful and often beautifully sad novel that should not be overlooked. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
January 31, 2024
Miriam, about to turn 30, is unhappy with her lot in life gives away almost all her possessions to a charity store as a way to make some changes. Erik, is a 45 year old photographer and an obsessive hoarder who cannot part with anything. Both come together to try and change Erik’s situation but it’s not as easy as it sounds. A very special relationship ensues and made for a very touching story. I thank Bloodhound Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
July 22, 2017
I was pleased to have won this book in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
Different to what i would usually read, but i really did enjoy this book. Am now going to pass this on to my eldest granddaughter whom i feel will enjoy it just as much as myself. Whilst i rarely write what a story is about for fear of spoiling for others, i do recommend.
Different to what i would usually read, but i really did enjoy this book. Am now going to pass this on to my eldest granddaughter whom i feel will enjoy it just as much as myself. Whilst i rarely write what a story is about for fear of spoiling for others, i do recommend.
March 28, 2021
I liked the idea of this book but I found it hard to get into and the central concept of a young woman falling for an older man who is a compulsive hoarder difficult to believe. It's an interesting tale and well written, but I couldn't get enthusiastic about what was happening and struggled to finish it.
November 3, 2018
This review was originally posted on my blog: https://rathertoofondofbooks.com/
I was thrilled when I was offered a copy of Making Space to review because it sounded like exactly my type of book. Regular readers of my blog will know I love books, both fiction and non-fiction, about dealing with clutter so you can imagine how excited I was about reading this novel!
Making Space is about Miriam and Erik. Miriam is in her late twenties, single and still flat-sharing with her friend from uni. Erik is in his forties and struggles to deal with all the stuff he’s collected to use in his art. His daughter wants to move in with him so he urgently needs to at least clear out a bedroom for her. Miriam is sent to help re-organise Erik’s papers as part of her new office job, and the relationship that builds between these characters is fascinating to read. Both have issues that on the surface seem not at all alike but as we get to know more about these two people it becomes apparent that they have more in common than we see at first.
Erik sees himself as a collector, which is interesting because seeing his house through Miriam’s eyes we know very quickly that he is a hoarder, that he cannot bear to let things go. Once I knew this about him I was intrigued – I wanted to know if he genuinely felt he was collecting things or if he knew he had a problem but just didn’t want to face up to it. It made me feel claustrophobic as Miriam explores Erik’s home for the first time – all those books, magazines and cuttings stacked up everywhere with barely any room to walk through. It also made me remember how I have been in the past. I grew up with a family member who collected newspapers and books – it was confined to one room and as a child it felt like a treasure trove but as an adult it was stifling. My own ‘collecting tendencies’ have been a bit much in the past but as I always spread my books through the house, and so it never seemed so bad.
‘The answer wasn’t rational, I knew that. He collected because he had to. It was a compulsion not a choice.’
Miriam seems to be the polar opposite of Erik – she is renting a tiny flat with a friend and has ended up with the smallest room and yet her friend still manages to make her feel like she’s a guest in her own home. Miriam decides on a whim to pack up nearly all of her belongings and take them to the charity shop with barely a backwards glance. Her reason was that she felt like it.
‘I didn’t want what they stood for anymore […]. I was just sick of it. I was sick of myself’.
There is a real poignancy running throughout this novel and I loved that. I soon came to feel that Erik’s hoarding was likely a reaction to what his childhood had been like, and that made me understand him more. Later we find out that it’s more complex than that and that just adds to the depth of his character. Then there are moments when Miriam has so few clothes left that she’s having to put the washing machine on most days, and when her flatmate comments about the electric bill Miriam laughingly retorts to her that ‘You have a boyfriend. I have my washing’ before realising how tragic that sounds. Miriam is lonely, she is trying to get by in life unable to find the thing that will make her happy. Miriam and Erik are each protecting themselves by either having too much stuff around them, or too little – it feels like comfort and safety but in reality it’s dragging you down when you’re either imprisoned by your belongings or untethered by your lack of things. They both need to find some middle ground.
The further you get into this book the more the title begins to gain meaning. Miriam is making space in her room but actually it’s more about her trying to find herself and her place in the world. Clearing out all of her belongings leads her to things that she might otherwise have not done but it also makes her feel cast adrift and a bit lost for a while. Erik needs to make space in his home for his daughter but his problem is more to do with him needing space in his head. Miriam’s need to get back a postcard that her father had sent her when she was little, and what she does with it towards the end of the book was so moving to me. Her realisation about her need for space, but also her need to let people into her life makes for a really fascinating read. As space is made, or in some cases un-made, by each of these characters, the more they become able to allow people and opportunities into their lives.
This is such a beautiful novel about how we can’t help but bring the pain of our past into the present. It’s about finding your place in the world in whatever way you can. It’s about learning to be okay with who you are. It’s about letting go of the endings and making space for new beginnings.
When I was offered this book I knew I was going to enjoy it, but I didn’t realise just how moving the book would be, and how much it would come to hold a place in my heart. I loved every minute that I spent reading Making Space and it’s one of my favourite books of this year so far.
I highly recommend making space on your bookcase for Making Space. It’s out now and the ebook is currently on offer this week for just £1, which is an absolute bargain for such a wonderful novel.
I was thrilled when I was offered a copy of Making Space to review because it sounded like exactly my type of book. Regular readers of my blog will know I love books, both fiction and non-fiction, about dealing with clutter so you can imagine how excited I was about reading this novel!
Making Space is about Miriam and Erik. Miriam is in her late twenties, single and still flat-sharing with her friend from uni. Erik is in his forties and struggles to deal with all the stuff he’s collected to use in his art. His daughter wants to move in with him so he urgently needs to at least clear out a bedroom for her. Miriam is sent to help re-organise Erik’s papers as part of her new office job, and the relationship that builds between these characters is fascinating to read. Both have issues that on the surface seem not at all alike but as we get to know more about these two people it becomes apparent that they have more in common than we see at first.
Erik sees himself as a collector, which is interesting because seeing his house through Miriam’s eyes we know very quickly that he is a hoarder, that he cannot bear to let things go. Once I knew this about him I was intrigued – I wanted to know if he genuinely felt he was collecting things or if he knew he had a problem but just didn’t want to face up to it. It made me feel claustrophobic as Miriam explores Erik’s home for the first time – all those books, magazines and cuttings stacked up everywhere with barely any room to walk through. It also made me remember how I have been in the past. I grew up with a family member who collected newspapers and books – it was confined to one room and as a child it felt like a treasure trove but as an adult it was stifling. My own ‘collecting tendencies’ have been a bit much in the past but as I always spread my books through the house, and so it never seemed so bad.
‘The answer wasn’t rational, I knew that. He collected because he had to. It was a compulsion not a choice.’
Miriam seems to be the polar opposite of Erik – she is renting a tiny flat with a friend and has ended up with the smallest room and yet her friend still manages to make her feel like she’s a guest in her own home. Miriam decides on a whim to pack up nearly all of her belongings and take them to the charity shop with barely a backwards glance. Her reason was that she felt like it.
‘I didn’t want what they stood for anymore […]. I was just sick of it. I was sick of myself’.
There is a real poignancy running throughout this novel and I loved that. I soon came to feel that Erik’s hoarding was likely a reaction to what his childhood had been like, and that made me understand him more. Later we find out that it’s more complex than that and that just adds to the depth of his character. Then there are moments when Miriam has so few clothes left that she’s having to put the washing machine on most days, and when her flatmate comments about the electric bill Miriam laughingly retorts to her that ‘You have a boyfriend. I have my washing’ before realising how tragic that sounds. Miriam is lonely, she is trying to get by in life unable to find the thing that will make her happy. Miriam and Erik are each protecting themselves by either having too much stuff around them, or too little – it feels like comfort and safety but in reality it’s dragging you down when you’re either imprisoned by your belongings or untethered by your lack of things. They both need to find some middle ground.
The further you get into this book the more the title begins to gain meaning. Miriam is making space in her room but actually it’s more about her trying to find herself and her place in the world. Clearing out all of her belongings leads her to things that she might otherwise have not done but it also makes her feel cast adrift and a bit lost for a while. Erik needs to make space in his home for his daughter but his problem is more to do with him needing space in his head. Miriam’s need to get back a postcard that her father had sent her when she was little, and what she does with it towards the end of the book was so moving to me. Her realisation about her need for space, but also her need to let people into her life makes for a really fascinating read. As space is made, or in some cases un-made, by each of these characters, the more they become able to allow people and opportunities into their lives.
This is such a beautiful novel about how we can’t help but bring the pain of our past into the present. It’s about finding your place in the world in whatever way you can. It’s about learning to be okay with who you are. It’s about letting go of the endings and making space for new beginnings.
When I was offered this book I knew I was going to enjoy it, but I didn’t realise just how moving the book would be, and how much it would come to hold a place in my heart. I loved every minute that I spent reading Making Space and it’s one of my favourite books of this year so far.
I highly recommend making space on your bookcase for Making Space. It’s out now and the ebook is currently on offer this week for just £1, which is an absolute bargain for such a wonderful novel.
September 1, 2020
I really enjoyed this story. It was an easy read and enjoyable. As a professional organiser myself it was good to see the industry represented by a professional character and some insight given into the emotional challenge of decluttering a home.
December 24, 2023
This is an easy read on the surface but it’s real messages are deep and so much is inferred but not written. A really good book in which I willed for Erik and Miriam to do and say the things I knew would help them. It’s one I will keep thinking about long after finishing reading it I think.
January 13, 2024
A nice straightforward romance. Well written and flowed really well. Nothing challenging, a few small surprises but they fit in to the story well. Did make me think about possessions and what we actually need in our lives.
I read an ARC from Bloodhound books.
I read an ARC from Bloodhound books.
January 28, 2024
I received this book for free from Bloodhound Books.
This book was beautifully written. The writing was very descriptive and made me feel like I was there.
It really made me feel what a hoarder goes through.
I would definitely read more by this author.
This book was beautifully written. The writing was very descriptive and made me feel like I was there.
It really made me feel what a hoarder goes through.
I would definitely read more by this author.
June 20, 2017
a really good read! you'll enjoy it.
December 12, 2018
My favourite thing about this book was that it was set in Manchester. I don’t have much to say about it other than that.
March 21, 2021
This another very pleasant surprise sale purchase from Sandstone Press. Involving, Nowhere near as insubstantial as I feared, with intriguing characters and a thought-provoking plot.
August 20, 2023
Actually quite a good book. Thought provoking, and the characters remain true throughout.
December 29, 2023
3 1/2 stars
January 24, 2024
The relationship between two flawed characters, Miriam and Erik. He is a hoarder, she a minimalist, twenty years his junior. At times touching and poignant, at times sad.
January 31, 2024
An absolutely beautiful book that takes you through a whole range of emotions. Couldn’t put it down
November 23, 2017
An exploration of our relationship with stuff, and its origins in attachment issues, framed by a May-to-September romance.
Full review
Women taking stock: Mirror, Shoulder, Signal & Making Space via @Annecdotist
http://annegoodwin.weebly.com/annecdo...
Full review
Women taking stock: Mirror, Shoulder, Signal & Making Space via @Annecdotist
http://annegoodwin.weebly.com/annecdo...
January 24, 2024
This was a beautiful poignant read and highly thought provoking and the content covered was done so in a very sensitive way. This book really makes you think about how making space in your home helps you to create space in your heart and how it impacts on the rest of your life and how sometimes we just need to make that leap and let go.
January 9, 2024
I was drawn to Making Space as it sounded quite unusual and I couldn’t pass up the chance of reading an ARC. I am so pleased that I did as it is so beautifully written and the characters are so real. At times I found it so hard to have a first row seat as Miriam’s life was played out before me. Her life had reached such a turning point that she felt that she needed a massive clear out of her life, including all her possessions. All well and good until she finds herself with only three sets of clothes and no books or DVDs to fill her free time whilst cooped up in her tiny room in a flat shared with a friend, Jessica, who she unsurprisingly no longer gets on with. Miriam doesn’t feel that she can use the rest of the flat as Jessica has moved Miriam’s ex boyfriend, Gareth into her life and bedroom. Miriam immediately got all my sympathy.
When Miriam finds that one of her first jobs as a temp with City Business Services is to help Erik, a 40 something artist with a hoarding problem, it’s clear that she will have her work cut out.
What I never expected in this book was a moving love story between two people who both needed to be loved and accepted for who they are portrayed so vividly and with such sensitivity. Does it work out for them in the end? I recommend you to read this book and find out. My favourite book of the year so far and one that will stay with me for a very long time.
Thank you to the author and Bloodhound Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
When Miriam finds that one of her first jobs as a temp with City Business Services is to help Erik, a 40 something artist with a hoarding problem, it’s clear that she will have her work cut out.
What I never expected in this book was a moving love story between two people who both needed to be loved and accepted for who they are portrayed so vividly and with such sensitivity. Does it work out for them in the end? I recommend you to read this book and find out. My favourite book of the year so far and one that will stay with me for a very long time.
Thank you to the author and Bloodhound Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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