Tender

by Eve Ainsworth

Touching on mental health, family, friendship and the pressures that teenage carers face, as author Cat Clarke says, TENDER is "a compassionate, compelling and unflinching novel". Marty and Daisy spend their lives pretending. Marty pretends his mum's grip on reality isn't slipping by the day. Daisy pretends her parents aren't exhausting themselves while they look after her incurably ill brother. They both pretend they're fine. But the thing about pretending is, at some point, it has to stop. And then what?

Genres: Mental Health, Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction

298 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2018

About the author

Author of Seven Days & Crush
Scholastic
www.eveainsworth.com

http://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/eve-ains...

I have also self published an adult comedy - The Blog of Maisy Malone.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blog-Maisy-Ma...

I love reading, long walks, hot baths, eighties music and tea.

Please follow me on Twitter

https://twitter.com/EveAinsworth

Or find me on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/eveainsworthn...

Reviews

[Olga Kowalska (WielkiBuk) · Rating 3 out of 5]

„Troska. Jak bardzo ci zależy?” to nie jest łatwa, ani przyjemna lektura chociaż napisana w lekkim, wciągającym stylu. To życie w całej swojej okazałości z przepoconymi prześcieradłami, z zawilgoconymi ścianami, z niedopranymi ubraniami, z worami pod oczami, z porankami, kiedy nikomu nie chce się już wstawać, by rozpoczynać nowy dzień. To te chwile, o których najbardziej pragniemy zapomnieć, kiedy jest już po wszystkim, a które zagnieżdżają się w sercach na zawsze i kształtują charakter. To smutek wielkich tragedii i rodzin, które nie umieją sobie z nim radzić. Eve Ainsworth pokazuje, że to wszystko dzieje się od zawsze i warto mieć oczy otwarte, bo czasami, zakręceni we własnym świecie, nie zauważymy, że ktoś blisko potrzebuje naszego wsparcia. Ot, choćby dobrego słowa. Zwyczajnej troski.

„Troska” to ten rodzaj prozy, który poruszy serca zarówno młodszych czytelników, dla których jest przeznaczony, jak i dorosłych, którzy szukają odpowiedzi, jak pomóc komuś, kto tej pomocy naprawdę potrzebuje.

[za_pomniane · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐
Bardzo dobra książka i dałabym 4 gwiazdki gdybym nie miała problemy z wgryźieniem się w historię.

Ps. "Troska" jest już drugą książką tej autorki i tak sobie nad tym myślałam i doszłam do wniosku, że coś w stylu autorki mi niepodpasowuje i dlatego mam problem z wciągnieńciem się w fabułę.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story about the reality of life and the challenge of friendship. Both Marty and Daisy have challenges going on at home. Marty’s mum is falling apart, which Daisy is constantly worried for her brother. Marty feels alone, like no one understands what he is going through. Daisy is surrounded by girls who are too interested in boys and have no care for real world problems.

When these two meet, everything changes.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was an easy read, but challenges you with what friendship really means. It makes you question who is there for you and who will be there for you when things get rough. Would definitely recommend!

[Genevieve · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine but more juvenile that I was expecting so it didn't really impact me at all. The ending was quite abrupt and i feel like there should have been more?

[Audrey Lévesque · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!
Je pensais lire une petite histoire douce et légère sans vraiment penser « embarquer » plus que ça dans un brouahah d’émotions.

J’ai bien aimé les personnages de Daisy🌸, une jeune fille invisible et de Marty, SURTOUT Marty🧩, un gars qui semble dur, mais qui, en réalité est un gentleman. Les deux m’ont fait sourire autant qu’ils m’ont choqués.🫶

Les deux jeunes s’emmitouflent autour de sujets difficiles, mais toutefois très bien tricoté tout au long du roman.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tender is a touching story about two young carers and the trials of their difficult home lives. Eve Ainsworth perfectly contrasts these difficulties against the everyday ‘norm’ for other young people their age: the homework worries, boy trouble etc. Things like that just aren’t a big deal for Marty or Daisy, who have much more going on behind closed doors than others realise. But this is not a story of difficulty and gloom, there are plenty of light moments and some touching scenes between the two lead characters as they come to realise that they have finally found someone they can lean on. I was sobbing by the end of this book – some of the tears from distress and sorrow, but a lot of them from hope. Hope that other young carers will read this book and somehow feel less alone in the world.

I adored the characters and really enjoyed that this book was told from a dual POV. I particularly liked the fact that Eve Ainsworth chose two carers with completely different home lives. This perfectly demonstrated the complex world of young carers and it’s quite possible that some readers won’t have even realised what a young carer really is and who they can be.

Marty is known as a bit of a loner at his new school after rumours of what happened at his last school start to surface. Little do people know just what Marty is trying to hide from everyone: a mother who is becoming increasingly more ill with her mental health. I was desperate for Marty to finally ask for some help and support for himself but could also empathise with why he couldn’t. Alongside his ill mother, Marty is also dealing with some complex grief and taking on a whole lot of responsibility. The situation he is in is certainly not an easy one and I was really glad when he found Daisy.

Daisy’s situation is completely opposite to Marty’s. She lives with both of her loving parents and her younger brother. The difference being that her young brother is terminally ill and is going to die t some point, they just don’t know when. Daisy’s situation was absolutely heartbreaking for me and I cried multiple times whilst reading her chapters for reasons close to my heart. Daisy’s family face a completely different kind of challenge to Marty’s and it was so sad when Daisy was feeling that she couldn’t turn to her family as she didn’t want to burden them, but at the same time her friends can’t possibly understand.

Both Daisy and Marty feel stuck in their own little worlds and it was delightful to see them cautiously getting o know one another and breaking down their barriers bit by bit. I’d actually really love to see a second book about these characters just to see more about their friendship and relationship. I’d like to think that they are saving one another, in their own way. Although their circumstances may be very different, there is a unique mutual understanding between the two of just how it feels to be in their position. A position that most young people never have to think about, let alone face as a reality.

Tender is full of moments that made me gasp, made me cry but also made my heart lighten with hope. Seeing the group for Young Carers being represented as such a positive safe haven for them to go was really positive and I loved the range of people that were shown to be carers. I absolutely could not put this book down once I had started it. It is a compelling and emotional read that I would love to spread far and wide. Stories like this are important because more often than not they are forgotten.

I work with plenty of people who are young carers and they honestly astound me every day. I don’t think they are a group who get anywhere near enough praise and thought as others do and these young people are living in varied situations but have one thing in common: they have to be the adult in some capacity. I am so thankful to Eve Ainsworth for writing a book that focuses on this particular group of young people – this is definitely a book I recommend for teachers, anyone who works with young people/carers, school libraries and so on. This book can give you a glimpse into just why sometimes that piece of homework really isn’t a big deal. Thank you, Eve.

[Brittany Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I could give it 3.5 stars I would. It was a story that hooked me in and yes I enjoyed it very much!
There were a couple things that let me down though (hence the 3). The first was the ending was quite abrupt and that’s that. I was hoping for a bit more or even an epilogue to tie loose ends and close the stories nicely. The other was, though each character has a sad tale there is no real tragedy. I know it sounds cold and callous of me but I feel like if there was a poignant OMG moment then the story would have been pulled together a bit more.

Having said that I did enjoy the book, the characters were well thought out and I was rooting for particular ones. It was a quick and easy read and I am glad to have read it. I look forward to reading another book from the same author as I feel that it does deal with real life in a realistic way.

[Katie Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed at: http://www.queenofteenfiction.co.uk/2...

This story deals with two incredibly difficult living situations for teenagers, Daisy and Marty. Whilst one must deal with the physical battles her family has to face with her brother's muscle wasting disease, the other has to cope with the mental health issues his mother deals with every day. The two contrasting families fight very different things, but somehow Daisy and Marty manage to find common ground in the position their lives have put them both in.

The two main characters are so interesting to read about. Though it's difficult to see them bury their thoughts and feelings away, I'm glad that as readers, we get to see them finally able to share their worries with each other, and eventually open up to those around them as well. So many younger people like Daisy and Marty are facing situations where they have to give up large parts of their lives to care for those around them.

This story, although aimed at teenagers, is also an important tool for showing everyone what young carers have to go through. Both Daisy and Marty feel as though they have to hide their own difficulties because they don't want to make a fuss or cause more problems. I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like for people genuinely facing situations like this. I'm so glad that this story was able to show the characters realising that it's okay to think about themselves as well.

Daisy and Marty find comfort in each other throughout the story and the small amount of romance between them is sweet and refreshing. Ainsworth manages to perfectly capture the butterfly-filled feelings that spark between them. I also adored the scenes that took place in the group for young carers. If there had been more time within the story, I'd have loved to have gotten to know the characters within the group a little more.

Despite the difficult situations that Tender revolves around, it leaves readers with positive messages that everyone should think about. As the characters learn, we definitely need to start living for the right now because we never know what's going to happen tomorrow. I'm always pleased whenever books include useful information links at the back relating to the subjects covered within the story, which this one did. It's a simple way to provide support and comfort for the readers who might pick up the book whilst struggling with similar situations.

[Ezra · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
TW: przemoc, problemy rodzinne, nieradzenie sobie z żałobą, ciężka choroba, problemy psychiczne, nękanie

Wydaje mi się, że jest to najlepsza książka autorki. Każde jej dzieło porusza inny problem wśród młodzieży i uważam, że jest to fantastyczne posunięcie z jej strony.

W tej ukazuje radzenie sobie oraz stan dziewczyny, której brat jest chory na stwardnienie rozsiane. Starszej siostrze ciężko pogodzić się z faktem, że jej brat może umrzeć w każdej chwili. Cierpi również z braku uwagi poświęcanej przez rodziców. Jednak nie jest sama, która przeżywa tragedię rodzinną.
Jej rówieśnik zmaga się z żałobą po śmierci ojca. Na dodatek zajmuje się całym domem i problemami finansowymi, iż jego matka nie jest w stanie z powodu choroby i problemów psychicznych. Chłopak nienawidzi chodzić do szkoły (czuje, że tam nie przynależy i wszyscy go nienawidzą) oraz uporczywie próbuje walczyć z nachodzącą go opieką społeczną.
Dwójkę nastolatków łączy więź przyjaźni i zrozumienia, która z czasem przeobraża się w coś większego.

Polecam przeczytać jeśli tematyka książki nie sprawi wam problemu.

Ig. @gosia.reads

[Karen Barber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, Eve Ainsworth takes a tough issue and presents it to us in a way that we can’t help but be affected by.
In this novel Ainsworth focuses on young carers and the effect their role can have on them. We have Marty, whose mum is depressed and refusing help, and we have Daisy, whose younger brother has a condition which is gradually weakening his body and which impacts on every aspect of family life.
Both characters share some traits. They try to bear their issues alone, and try not to burden people.
Told from alternating perspectives we see how caring for someone can impact on you, and we gain an insight into the experience. We also see how others deal with such circumstances.
Some tough moments, but our key characters were lovely to see together. It was a little short, but it felt just right for the target audience.

[doma. · Rating 3 out of 5]

To jest ukojenie dla ludzi w potrzebie. Dla innych osób, które potrzebują przekonania, że nie są same.

Nie jest to powieść do pokochania, nie jest "dobra". Ale daje poczucie gdzieś tam środku: "hej, jesteśmy z tobą"

Przeczytajcie i sami poczujecie. Są to indywidualne emocje nie do opisania.

[Goska Majewska · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-!

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5/5

[Tanczacazksiazkami7 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.9

[cert4inlynotlel4 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75/5 ⭐

[Michelle Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I've read by this author, and she has a way of taking complex situations, and making them approachable for young people. In Tender, Eve looks at the important subject of young carers - Marty has been living with his mum's deteriorating mental health since the death of his father, whilst Daisy has a severely ill younger brother, and exhausted parents trying to cope in their own way.

Both of these teenagers are trying to persuade everyone else that everything is fine, and Marty in particular is so adamant that he doesn't need help from anyone, even though we can see he's close to destroying himself.

They meet at a young carers group, when Marty is forced there by social services. They form an acceptance of each other, and help each other to understand their situations. This does develop into a romance, which I personally felt wasn't needed.. their friendship would have been enough for me.

Marty and Daisy so easily found their way into my heart, and so their experiences can be difficult to read about, but this is an important subject well handled, with an overlying message of support and hope.

[Crimelpoint · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jedna z lepszych książek od tej autorki.

[Kornelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

[Georgie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book blew my mind. Like literally well figurative. It was so heart-breaking to just think about what these characters where going through. I would of rated it 5 stars however, I HATED how Daisy and Marty did not kiss. Like all that drama and all the walks to school and back were pointless. So I rate this book 4 stars.

[Reuben Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

'...All in all, Tender is a wonderful book. A really faithful representation of what life can be like for young carers, with a sweet, subtle hint of romance, and a look at social class, family dynamics, and teenage friendships. A perfect introduction to some heavy topics, I feel like Tender would be a great book to incorporate into PSHE lessons to support teaching on social issues for younger teens, but also an enjoyable book in its own right for anyone who reads YA.'

Full review here: http://jessiebellafreckle.tumblr.com/...

[Ashleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really quick but engaging read. It's just a tiny snippet of two teenagers' complicated lives, but it really is an eye-opener. It'll make you think twice before you judge others in future, and prompt you to consider what might be going on behind closed doors that might be making someone behave the way they are.
It also does a great job of encouraging young people to seek help should they need it, from social services or similar, rather than carrying the weight of it all on their own shoulders. It's a short but really effective story that I enjoyed.

[Anna DIN0033 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this book was a very good book although it did have some very sad parts in it. This book was written to spread awareness for families and children who suffer from family problems and it spreads awareness for children to open up to trusted adults about their problems so adults are able to help. Some parts to this book I could relate to and I would recommend this book to children my age, but I would warn them that there are some very upsetting parts in the story.

[Kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a thoughtful read. Eve just keeps getting better and better

[Alyce Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tender tells the story of two young carers, Marty and Daisy. The novel illuminates the similarities and differences between their lives: Marty, whose mum is on the verge of having a breakdown following the death of his father, and Daisy, whose brother Harry has muscular dystrophy and is certain to die before his time.

Attending the same young carers group, the two quickly become friends. But with so much to deal with will their relationship have the chance to develop into something more?

Tender is the only Eve Ainsworth novel that has blown me away. There isn’t a single aspect that can be faulted. It’s perfect.

I can’t think of another book that focuses on the lives of young carers, and that’s part of the reason that Tender is such a success. By featuring two contrasting experiences Ainsworth introduces the reader to two kinds of carers, showing that the definition is not always clear-cut and that people from all kinds of backgrounds can be carers. She makes it easier to understand exactly what caring entails, and because it’s underrepresented in YA fiction this is a necessity that educates the general population.

But that’s not the only reason that Tender is so remarkable. Marty and Daisy are both strong, three-dimensional characters, and they really do come alive on the page. The contrast between their two voices makes it impossible to get lost between their alternating chapters, and Daisy’s weak optimism contrasts sharply with Marty’s overly pessimistic point of view.

As well as that, the plot is simple yet utterly effective. It’s pretty obvious that Marty and Daisy are going to get closer as they attend more group meetings, but because of the respective crises in their lives it seems impossible that they’re going to be able to develop their relationship into anything more serious. However, the will-they-won’t-they nature of their relationship fades into the background in favour of the plots surrounding Marty’s mother and Daisy’s brother respectively. You find yourself almost caring about their stories more than the two narrators!

Tender is Eve Ainsworth’s best novel by far. If you’ve read any of her other novels and have been unimpressed, take a chance and give Tender a go: I promise you won’t regret it.

This review was originally posted on The Bumbling Blogger.

[Liam · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's okay.
I'm fine.
Everything is alright.

These feel like such little lies at times, the kind of thing you say to be polite, or to avoid awkward or personal conversations. I know I use them, probably more than I should.

For Marty and Daisy, in Tender, however, they become a way of life.

Marty is sixteen years old, and caring for his mother through what I think is depression. She has days when she never leaves her bed and then manic phases. His dad is dead and his mother's boyfriend is a complete waste of space. He doesn't want help, he just wants the Social Services people and the school, to leave them alone, until his mum gets better. He hates going to school. He hates coming home.

Daisy initially looks like the complete opposite of Marty. Where he's a bad boy with an attitude and a history of trouble that no one wants to get close to, she likes school, does well and has friends there. Marty barely has enough money to eat and his clothes are falling apart. Daisy lives in a nice house in the posh end of town. But Daisy's problems are very similar to Marty's. Her young brother has muscular dystrophy and she knows that he isn't going to get better. Her mum is stressed and exhausted. Her dad is putting in extra hours at work, leading to more tensions at home. Daisy tries to get by as best as she can, tries not to add to their stresses, tries not to be a bother.

Tender is a heartbreaking book, and a very tough read. I cried a lot while I was reading it, though I did also laugh in places.

It is very beautifully written though. Eve really picks out what makes Marty and Daisy's situations so different, but also what connects them, their shared pain and their mutual understanding. The characters are very engaging and their relationship feels very natural and real, without ever straying into the cliched territory of the nice girl falling for the bad boy.

I feel like Tender is also a very important novel. It opened my eyes to the struggles of young carers, particularly around their reluctance to ask for help for themselves. It also presented the support available to these young people in a very positive light, from the carers' club where they can relax for a bit with peers and youth workers, to the intervention of the emergency services.

I highly recommend Tender, though brace yourself for an emotional journey before reading it.

[Chrissi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is heart-breaking but so very necessary. I have enjoyed reading Eve Ainsworth’s books because they tend to be about tough subjects written in a raw and real way. I think it’s so important that young adults have material like this out there to read. Her books do often come with a warning that it has sensitive content within the story- so if you feel like it might trigger you then I don’t necessarily recommend reading them. However, if you can manage to read the tough content then I think you’re in for quite the read. Eve Ainsworth clearly understands teenagers/young adults and their emotions. With every book, I think she nails the emotions needed.

Tender centres around two young carers, Marty and Daisy. Marty’s mum is suffering with her mental health after her husband died. Daisy is living with parents who are falling to pieces due to her brother’s life-threatening, incurable disease. Heart-break. The story follows Marty and Daisy’s journey as they find each other and learn about each other’s lives.

I absolutely loved Marty and Daisy. It was tough to read about them hiding their feelings as they didn’t want to burden their family. I loved it when they found one another and were able to open up and feel better through talking to each other. I have known a few young carers throughout my teaching career so far and quite often they just need to know that someone cares about them.

I loved that this book wasn’t centred around romance. Sure, there’s feelings there, but it’s not the focus of the story. The focus of the story is to think about the now, because we never know what is around the corner. I think that’s such an important message to send out. Eve Ainsworth does it with ease and left me feeling incredibly reflective.

[Leila Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tender is a young adult/teen fiction which touches on the lives of fictional characters Daisy and Marty. The chapters alternate between Daisy's point of view and Marty's point of view, they are both first person narratives. The book shows the life of Daisy, a 15 year old girl who is an A* student, quite popular and never in trouble but behind all of this her 5 year old brother Harry is struggling to fight a terminal disease called Muscular Dystrophy, on the other side of town is Marty, a 16 year old boy who lets rumours define him and spends a lot of his time getting away from the house where his mum is slowly losing it after the loss of his dad. This book shows the two teenagers coming together due to their similar lives through friendship and love. What I really liked about this book is the insight you get to what life is like when you are a young carer or just living with someone who needs constant help, I also love the purity of the teenage relationship, how you feel the strong passionate feelings that they have for each other, but mostly I love the raw emotion that is portrayed by Marty's character you feel like you are there thinking every thought crying every tear that he does, the way Ainsworth unfolds his character is beautiful every page you learn more and more about why he is the way he is and how the pain of his past has changed him. The only problem I have with this book is the ending, she could've done so much more, the build up of the story made the ending seem so dull. Overall this book is one of the most heart-wrenching and heart-warming books I have ever read, parts of it made me scream in excitement and parts of it made my heart drop. The way that this book zones in on what Daisy and Marty's lives are like is so touching and moving.

[Eve L-A Witherington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marty lives with his mum who's depression has worsened since his dad's sudden tragic death. His dad's friend J moved in but really only looks out for himself as he often disappears down to the pub.



Daisy is dealing with her worn out mum, hard working dad and little brother whom suffers with muscular dystrophy.



The pair meet randomly at a Christmas market and later properly at a young carers meeting Marty is new to and from there see each other in school too after realizing that they both go to the same one.



As their own lives progress with Marty watching his mum decline whilst trying to keep the social workers away, Daisy tries to get closer to him as she feels invisible and insignificant at home, only her younger brother having time for her and even then her mum limits that in fear of her hurting him.



As they watch things in their families deteriorate they come back to each other and realise they are lucky to have each other and it's good to have someone else to lean on. A true life lesson there as we all need to share things sometimes with someone with an outsiders perspective to help us. I liked that the book shows families both from a richer and poorer scale without it mattering as it doesn't but often the social divide works that way and in this book shows illness can effect anyone regardless of cash flow etc.

The way the pair came to meet was sweet and by chance and definitely fitting with a Christmas time setting. The way they dealt with each other's situations bankers maturity even if it was shocking to them. A well thought out thrilling book again by Eve!

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eve has done it again. She really knows how to write such a gripping book that will pull on your heartstrings and always is to do with something that we need more off in YA. She isn't afraid to take chances and this is possibly my favourite book by Eve.

This book is about young careers. I was excited to see that she was writing a book about young careers because my auntie works with young careers and when I was younger I was always with her to help out and we would take them out on fun days so it was something just for them and I got to know these kids and their lives as young careers so, I really enjoyed this book and they reminded me of some of the kids I know. They are some of the strongest people I know and she really shows that in this book.

Marty and Daisy have something in common. Marty has a mother whose grip on reality is slowly fading, he's missing school and is just trying his best to keep his home life going. Daisy has a little brother who isn't well. She knows it's hard on her parents and it's hard on her too but, she wants to make everything okay. They're both pretending their fine, they're not telling people the whole truth.

Marty and Daisy are wonderful characters. I really enjoyed reading about them and each of their home lives. As teens they have the weight of the world on their shoulders but, coming together they can confide in each other and even though times get tough for them they both get through it and they come out stronger than before.

A brilliant novel from Eve that everyone needs to read and look into the lives of these young wonderful people.

[CherryCarrot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never really connected with Eve Ainsworth's books before (perhaps because they are at the younger end of YA, and feel a bit like Jacqueline Wilson aged up) but Tender struck a chord with me, especially in relation to the innevitability of Harry's condition, and I felt genuinely upset and tearful close to the end because the turn of events at home for both protagonists was so awful. I am rarely moved like that by books so that was an achievement - although my tearfulness may also have been because I read while cripplingly tired!

I felt for both Daisy and Marty as protagonists and wanted things to go well for them, and I liked getting an insight into both their emotions. Their budding friendship and romance was sweet.

My only big annoyance was the ending felt very abrupt - there was space for perhaps 15% more to be added onto the end, especially, I felt, looking at Marty and his mum, which felt less resolved than Daisy's side of the story.