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Reasons To Go Outside: a feel-good and warm hearted novel about unexpected friendship and learning to be brave
THE HOPEFUL AND BIG HEARTED NOVEL YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS SUMMER
'The heartwarming and uplifting book we all need right now, a celebration of the power of connection and kindness' HOLLY MILLER
'The characters are endearing and the journey for each of them is as sweet as one of Pearl's Victoria sponges' DAILY MAIL
*****
Pearl Winter hasn't been outside in forty-three years.
Since she arrived on Dartmoor as a girl, an isolated family cottage has been her whole world. A place of safety. But now fifty-nine-year-old Pearl is utterly alone - except for the postman, the local crows, and memories of the summer of 1976.
Teenager Connor Matthews feels like a stranger in his own home.
Since his mother's death he's been adrift from his remaining family, troubled by the reality of moving on, and unable to see a future ahead. But when Connor begins a summer job as Pearl's gardener, an unexpected friendship opens the door to a fresh start for them both. If only Pearl and Connor can take the first steps . . .
*****
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'A book that will stay with you long after you've finished it'
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'With a few tears and lots of smiles, I loved this story from the very start'
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'One of my top favourite heart-warming reads'
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'A beautiful book inside and out'
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'The message of hope is conveyed brilliantly'
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- GenresFictionContemporary
343 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2022
31 people are currently reading
539 people want to read
About the author
Esme King
1 book6 followersEsme King is an author, former news journalist, and award-winning short film writer and director.
She was inspired to write the novel 'Reasons to Go Outside' after interviewing a woman with agoraphobia. The meeting had such a profound effect on her she went home immediately and began writing a novel where the principal character has spent a lifetime living only indoors and never stepping through her own front door.
Esme lives in Devon with her husband, two children and rescue dog, Milo.
She was inspired to write the novel 'Reasons to Go Outside' after interviewing a woman with agoraphobia. The meeting had such a profound effect on her she went home immediately and began writing a novel where the principal character has spent a lifetime living only indoors and never stepping through her own front door.
Esme lives in Devon with her husband, two children and rescue dog, Milo.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
April 15, 2022
A teenage Pearl Winters and her mother Lana move to Dartmoor in Devon with Ray Johnson in the 1970’s. The isolated house Highview has a beautiful cottage garden, you can see the moors in the distance and Pearl feels safe here. Pearl is now fifty nine, she hasn’t been able to go outside for forty three years and her only contact with the world is through the postman and her old telephone.
Since Ray and Lana passed away no one has touched the garden, the grass has reached the height of the windows and Pearl needs to hire a gardener. Connor Matthews wants to find a job for the summer before he leaves for university and he likes working outside. He contacts Pearl, she asks him to come for an interview and she conducts this through a partially opened door. Connor is pleased when he gets the job, it will keep his mind of his troubles and he feels unwanted in his own home. Since Connors mother passed away, his father Donald is busy at work and his new girlfriend is taking over his mother’s house.
Connor and Pearl friendship starts slowly, she notices how hard the young man works, she starts inviting him inside for a cup of tea and a slice of cake. Two lost souls find each other, Connor introduces Pearl to his friends and she starts to come out of her shell. The main issue is she still refuses to go outside, when Connor finds some old letters in the loft, it triggers a chain of events and Pearl has to overcome her agoraphobia to help Connor and find her lost love Nate Williams.
I received a copy of Reasons To Go Outside by Esme King from NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton in exchange for an honest review. It’s a heart-warming and uplifting story about overcoming fear and grief, the lasting effects of trauma, unlikely friendships, gaining the strength and courage to leave the house and rediscovering love. If you’re a fan of Catherine Ryan Hyde, I recommend reading this book and four stars from me.
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Since Ray and Lana passed away no one has touched the garden, the grass has reached the height of the windows and Pearl needs to hire a gardener. Connor Matthews wants to find a job for the summer before he leaves for university and he likes working outside. He contacts Pearl, she asks him to come for an interview and she conducts this through a partially opened door. Connor is pleased when he gets the job, it will keep his mind of his troubles and he feels unwanted in his own home. Since Connors mother passed away, his father Donald is busy at work and his new girlfriend is taking over his mother’s house.
Connor and Pearl friendship starts slowly, she notices how hard the young man works, she starts inviting him inside for a cup of tea and a slice of cake. Two lost souls find each other, Connor introduces Pearl to his friends and she starts to come out of her shell. The main issue is she still refuses to go outside, when Connor finds some old letters in the loft, it triggers a chain of events and Pearl has to overcome her agoraphobia to help Connor and find her lost love Nate Williams.
I received a copy of Reasons To Go Outside by Esme King from NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton in exchange for an honest review. It’s a heart-warming and uplifting story about overcoming fear and grief, the lasting effects of trauma, unlikely friendships, gaining the strength and courage to leave the house and rediscovering love. If you’re a fan of Catherine Ryan Hyde, I recommend reading this book and four stars from me.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KarrenReadsH...
May 26, 2022
Pearl may have a decade on me but her and I are the same. You see I am also trapped inside my house, but thankfully only between October and April and for a very different reason. So I knew this was a book I just had to read.
It begins with the record breaking heatwave of 1976 and sixteen year old Pearl fleeing to a new home in Devon with her mother Lana and her mother’s partner Ray. That new home becomes Pearl’s prison of her own fear.
With a dual timeline we skip forward to present day and Pearl is now alone after their deaths. With only some boiled egg eating crows for company until she hires young Connor to tackle her overgrown garden.
There is also another story running parallel of a gentleman called Nate who has just been made redundant. After a little plea from his neighbour Anila, he finally gets out of his pyjamas and starts to volunteer at the Happy Tails Rescue Centre.
Captivating, that is my choice of word for this rather wonderful book. It was not only the mystery of what happened in the summer of ‘76 that completely captivated me, it was everything. I felt like one of her crows sitting in a tree and watching everything start to come to life again as Connor took his first bite of Pearl’s Victoria Sponge cake.
Esme has that rare gift where every word feels almost musical and transportive. One minute she makes the walls close in around you, the next she brings the freedom of nature and makes the garden seem as big as any universe.
She took characters that are bowed down with the weight of the world on their shoulders but managed to make them feel as if they had the power to grow wings and soar. Every single character including the smaller ones, shout out to Derek who was one of my favourites, became a part of the story and my joyous little soul.
While there may be many reasons to go outside this book is one that is worth staying in for. I recommend a comfy chair, a large cup of tea and making yourself comfortable as once you start you aren’t going to want to go anywhere.
It begins with the record breaking heatwave of 1976 and sixteen year old Pearl fleeing to a new home in Devon with her mother Lana and her mother’s partner Ray. That new home becomes Pearl’s prison of her own fear.
With a dual timeline we skip forward to present day and Pearl is now alone after their deaths. With only some boiled egg eating crows for company until she hires young Connor to tackle her overgrown garden.
There is also another story running parallel of a gentleman called Nate who has just been made redundant. After a little plea from his neighbour Anila, he finally gets out of his pyjamas and starts to volunteer at the Happy Tails Rescue Centre.
Captivating, that is my choice of word for this rather wonderful book. It was not only the mystery of what happened in the summer of ‘76 that completely captivated me, it was everything. I felt like one of her crows sitting in a tree and watching everything start to come to life again as Connor took his first bite of Pearl’s Victoria Sponge cake.
Esme has that rare gift where every word feels almost musical and transportive. One minute she makes the walls close in around you, the next she brings the freedom of nature and makes the garden seem as big as any universe.
She took characters that are bowed down with the weight of the world on their shoulders but managed to make them feel as if they had the power to grow wings and soar. Every single character including the smaller ones, shout out to Derek who was one of my favourites, became a part of the story and my joyous little soul.
While there may be many reasons to go outside this book is one that is worth staying in for. I recommend a comfy chair, a large cup of tea and making yourself comfortable as once you start you aren’t going to want to go anywhere.
July 20, 2022
Oh my goodness my heart feels so full after reading this book. It was just so beautiful, uplifting and a real hug in a book!
Adored every single thing about this story, the setting, the descriptions, the pacing, the characters (they were all so lovely I feel like I’d love these people in my life🥺).
I really liked the way it was written with different POV - Pearl, Connor and Nate and a few chapters that went back to the past to give the reader that insight and build up as to why Pearl didn’t go outside and also an insight as to how Nate knew Pearl.
If you want a beautiful uplifting story about friendship, love and hope then this is the one to read! I devoured this over a couple of days and can honestly say it was just stunning.
Adored every single thing about this story, the setting, the descriptions, the pacing, the characters (they were all so lovely I feel like I’d love these people in my life🥺).
I really liked the way it was written with different POV - Pearl, Connor and Nate and a few chapters that went back to the past to give the reader that insight and build up as to why Pearl didn’t go outside and also an insight as to how Nate knew Pearl.
If you want a beautiful uplifting story about friendship, love and hope then this is the one to read! I devoured this over a couple of days and can honestly say it was just stunning.
May 7, 2024
One of my favourite reads of the year so far- a real feel good one! I finished it over a week ago & should have reviewed it at the time as have forgotten some of the detail but loved all the characters & how all the loose ends were tied.
October 15, 2022
I received an invitation to read this novel so that’s how it got on my radar but I was doing just fine reading my backlist so I declined the offer. It didn’t let me go however and I kept thinking about it because the main character’s agoraphobia intrigued me, so I ended up buying an ecopy anyway.
The novel starts in August 1976 with 16 year old Pearl, her mother Lana and stepfather Ray in a car, arriving at their new home Highview. Pearl then already struggles to get from the car to the front door, she knows she won’t step a foot outside after their arrival and unbelievably so, her resolution becomes true.
Jumping to the present, Pearl is 60 years old. She spends her days cleaning, reading, feeding the crows from a distance, and as for exercise she walks the stairs up and down. But her parents have passed away and now the garden really needs tending. 18 year-old Connor answers her ad because he loves the outdoors and gardening and soon enough he comes inside and she feeds him cake, they start talking and even with the major age gap a warm friendship starts to develop between them. Sometimes all you need is for someone not to judge right? In other chapters there’s Nate who was made redundant at the insurance company after 30 years of loyalty. He finds himself making new friends too at the Happy Tails Rescue Centre, with the four-legged ones and others.
I loved how Pearl and Nate’s characters grew and found happiness, they each have a set of wonderful side characters. Unfortunately it doesn’t change Pearl into going outside or Nate from wanting to be on his own. In flashbacks I learned how Pearl and Nate knew each other quite well when they were teenagers. It was a mystery why they hadn’t stayed in touch because they still think about each other after all this time and there’s a longing that is quite endearing. You have to imagine though that times were different when she left, the means to stay in touch were not the same as nowadays, there was no mobile phone or internet, and it’s not that her parents didn’t seek help for Pearl’s conditions but the professional help back then was not at all what it would be today, so she didn’t get the help she needed basically.
I believed Nate would be the one to get her to go outside again, if only they could find each other again. But I was surprised that it is someone else who for the very first time gives her an incentive to want to venture outside. I’m not telling more but there is definitely a nasty turn of events that ultimately has a positive effect too. I also finally received an answer to the question I had been asking myself from the start, which is what had happened that made her this way. It all made sense suddenly and it made me feel quite sad for Pearl so there’s definitely not only happy but also some sad moments to be found in this novel.
Summing this novel up I’d say it’s a heart-warming and uplifting novel of friendship and love!
The novel starts in August 1976 with 16 year old Pearl, her mother Lana and stepfather Ray in a car, arriving at their new home Highview. Pearl then already struggles to get from the car to the front door, she knows she won’t step a foot outside after their arrival and unbelievably so, her resolution becomes true.
Jumping to the present, Pearl is 60 years old. She spends her days cleaning, reading, feeding the crows from a distance, and as for exercise she walks the stairs up and down. But her parents have passed away and now the garden really needs tending. 18 year-old Connor answers her ad because he loves the outdoors and gardening and soon enough he comes inside and she feeds him cake, they start talking and even with the major age gap a warm friendship starts to develop between them. Sometimes all you need is for someone not to judge right? In other chapters there’s Nate who was made redundant at the insurance company after 30 years of loyalty. He finds himself making new friends too at the Happy Tails Rescue Centre, with the four-legged ones and others.
I loved how Pearl and Nate’s characters grew and found happiness, they each have a set of wonderful side characters. Unfortunately it doesn’t change Pearl into going outside or Nate from wanting to be on his own. In flashbacks I learned how Pearl and Nate knew each other quite well when they were teenagers. It was a mystery why they hadn’t stayed in touch because they still think about each other after all this time and there’s a longing that is quite endearing. You have to imagine though that times were different when she left, the means to stay in touch were not the same as nowadays, there was no mobile phone or internet, and it’s not that her parents didn’t seek help for Pearl’s conditions but the professional help back then was not at all what it would be today, so she didn’t get the help she needed basically.
I believed Nate would be the one to get her to go outside again, if only they could find each other again. But I was surprised that it is someone else who for the very first time gives her an incentive to want to venture outside. I’m not telling more but there is definitely a nasty turn of events that ultimately has a positive effect too. I also finally received an answer to the question I had been asking myself from the start, which is what had happened that made her this way. It all made sense suddenly and it made me feel quite sad for Pearl so there’s definitely not only happy but also some sad moments to be found in this novel.
Summing this novel up I’d say it’s a heart-warming and uplifting novel of friendship and love!
May 22, 2022
As a result of COVID lockdowns, we are all way too familiar with our horizons beginning and ending at the front doors of our homes, but 59 year old Pearl Winter hasn’t been outside in forty-three years. Since moving to Dartmoor as a girl with her Mum and Ray, her Mum's partner, the isolated family cottage has been her whole world. But now Pearl is completely alone – except for the postman, the local crows, and memories of the summer of 1976.
18 year old Connor Matthews feels like a stranger in his own home, with his Dad's new girlfriend making her mark decorating the house now she has moved in . Connor and his Dad have become distant since his mother died, and he is also dreading the prospect of university and the career that is mapped out for him in the family legal firm.
In Godalming, 60 year old Nate also lives alone, and has only his memories and his volunteering at Happy Tails Animal Rescue Centre to sustain him, once he is made redundant after 43 years with the same company.
All 3 characters are linked by the same story, and when Connor begins a summer job as Pearl’s gardener, an unexpected friendship opens the door to a fresh start for all of them....
Reasons to Go Outside really is the loveliest of stories.
Firstly there is a wonderful cast of engaging characters who are all well-realised and well-drawn - not just the 3 main ones, but also their family, friends and colleagues as well as the fellow volunteers at Happy Tails. By the end of the novel you feel you know them all personally, and there are many you would love to have as your own friends!
And then there are the connected stories of Pearl, Nate and Connor. They have all suffered trauma, loss, loneliness and grief, but their respective histories are handled with so much care, sensitivity and empathy by Esme King, as well as a lovely, gentle humour.
As the threads which link these 3 characters are delicately and skilfully knitted together, what starts out as an exploration of sadness, loss and trauma, becomes a story of hope, friendship, kindness, community and love. And when I say love, I mean love in a variety of forms and expressed in so many different ways. It is a novel which really touches your heart, and in light of COVID and the Ukraine invasion, if ever there was a time for a story such as this, it's surely now.
If you are looking for a gentle, hopeful, uplifting, beautifully written story then this is the one for you! Highly recommended.
Huge thanks to Esme King and her publisher Hodder Books for sending me a copy to read in advance of publication day in exchange for an honest and impartial review.
18 year old Connor Matthews feels like a stranger in his own home, with his Dad's new girlfriend making her mark decorating the house now she has moved in . Connor and his Dad have become distant since his mother died, and he is also dreading the prospect of university and the career that is mapped out for him in the family legal firm.
In Godalming, 60 year old Nate also lives alone, and has only his memories and his volunteering at Happy Tails Animal Rescue Centre to sustain him, once he is made redundant after 43 years with the same company.
All 3 characters are linked by the same story, and when Connor begins a summer job as Pearl’s gardener, an unexpected friendship opens the door to a fresh start for all of them....
Reasons to Go Outside really is the loveliest of stories.
Firstly there is a wonderful cast of engaging characters who are all well-realised and well-drawn - not just the 3 main ones, but also their family, friends and colleagues as well as the fellow volunteers at Happy Tails. By the end of the novel you feel you know them all personally, and there are many you would love to have as your own friends!
And then there are the connected stories of Pearl, Nate and Connor. They have all suffered trauma, loss, loneliness and grief, but their respective histories are handled with so much care, sensitivity and empathy by Esme King, as well as a lovely, gentle humour.
As the threads which link these 3 characters are delicately and skilfully knitted together, what starts out as an exploration of sadness, loss and trauma, becomes a story of hope, friendship, kindness, community and love. And when I say love, I mean love in a variety of forms and expressed in so many different ways. It is a novel which really touches your heart, and in light of COVID and the Ukraine invasion, if ever there was a time for a story such as this, it's surely now.
If you are looking for a gentle, hopeful, uplifting, beautifully written story then this is the one for you! Highly recommended.
Huge thanks to Esme King and her publisher Hodder Books for sending me a copy to read in advance of publication day in exchange for an honest and impartial review.
July 30, 2022
Brilliant, heartwarming and such a emphasis on human kindness.
This book is told in multiple POV’s from very gripping characters. Pearl is a agoraphobic and haven’t left her house in 43 years. Connor feels pushed to go to university when he doesn’t feel like that is his path. Nate is just being run down by life at this point.
This story places so much emphasis on friendship, sadness and mental health. It was handled so beautifully and respectfully. A massive tear-jerker.
Such a beautiful book that was an absolute pleasure to read.
This book is told in multiple POV’s from very gripping characters. Pearl is a agoraphobic and haven’t left her house in 43 years. Connor feels pushed to go to university when he doesn’t feel like that is his path. Nate is just being run down by life at this point.
This story places so much emphasis on friendship, sadness and mental health. It was handled so beautifully and respectfully. A massive tear-jerker.
Such a beautiful book that was an absolute pleasure to read.
June 1, 2022
⭐️ 4.5 ⭐️
Reasons to Go Outside is an absolute corker of a debut novel and one I easily devoured in two sittings.
Beautifully written, featuring a stellar cast of characters — and what a thoroughly delightful, quirky, motley crew they are; relatable, well-crafted characters with big hearts and personalities to match.
With an interesting, intriguing storyline, I was thoroughly invested from beginning to end. I laughed and I cried alongside Pearl, Nate, Connor, and the rest of the gang.
A wonderful story of friendship, love and hope. It’s extremely poignant (sometimes heart-wrenching) but it’s also an uplifting, life-affirming read. A ginormous, joyful, hug-in-a-book.
Many thanks to Esme King and Hodder & Stoughton for my finished copy, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Reasons to Go Outside is an absolute corker of a debut novel and one I easily devoured in two sittings.
Beautifully written, featuring a stellar cast of characters — and what a thoroughly delightful, quirky, motley crew they are; relatable, well-crafted characters with big hearts and personalities to match.
With an interesting, intriguing storyline, I was thoroughly invested from beginning to end. I laughed and I cried alongside Pearl, Nate, Connor, and the rest of the gang.
A wonderful story of friendship, love and hope. It’s extremely poignant (sometimes heart-wrenching) but it’s also an uplifting, life-affirming read. A ginormous, joyful, hug-in-a-book.
Many thanks to Esme King and Hodder & Stoughton for my finished copy, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
October 28, 2022
**Spoilers**
The concept behind the plot is intriguing, but I feel like it could have been executed better. A lot of the description felt like filler because very little happened and otherwise each chapter would be a page long, but then where there should have been description there wasn't any: a character enters the hospital for the first time and somehow knows their way around and there's nothing about their thoughts of the unfamiliar surroundings. It really makes the book lack realism.
A bit more research would have helped with the realism too. E.g. A character is in the hospital and weeks after the accident that got them brought in they're described as being in the emergency department. The most I know of hospitals is from watching Holby City and Casualty as a kid but the character would be in the ICU, not A&E. It's mentioned that A-level and GCSE results come out on the same day, which is just wrong as they're a week apart.
The timeline felt rushed and confused, everyone is best friends of a level I'd expect from life long friends within what I assume is a few weeks of meeting, but then for a story set in August/beginning of September a character worries about frost on the road? Is it actually November? I have no idea. I think some better editing would have improved this book tremendously.
Maybe I'm not built for heartwarming stories, but everything was so easy for the main characters: a conflict that seemed like a main focus of one of the characters was resolved in a barely 2 page conversation where the other character admitted he was wrong, he understood how his son was feeling and he'd do better; there were a few attempts described where Pearl couldn't cross the threshold but then when she did there was no deep dive into her thoughts and mental struggle behind it, just a few lines of "one foot in front of the other" type of encouragement; what seems like the entire town turns up to cheer Pearl on to walk to her front gate - really?
Not an awful book, and it was a nice easy read, but it fell at some basic hurdles for me.
The concept behind the plot is intriguing, but I feel like it could have been executed better. A lot of the description felt like filler because very little happened and otherwise each chapter would be a page long, but then where there should have been description there wasn't any: a character enters the hospital for the first time and somehow knows their way around and there's nothing about their thoughts of the unfamiliar surroundings. It really makes the book lack realism.
A bit more research would have helped with the realism too. E.g. A character is in the hospital and weeks after the accident that got them brought in they're described as being in the emergency department. The most I know of hospitals is from watching Holby City and Casualty as a kid but the character would be in the ICU, not A&E. It's mentioned that A-level and GCSE results come out on the same day, which is just wrong as they're a week apart.
The timeline felt rushed and confused, everyone is best friends of a level I'd expect from life long friends within what I assume is a few weeks of meeting, but then for a story set in August/beginning of September a character worries about frost on the road? Is it actually November? I have no idea. I think some better editing would have improved this book tremendously.
Maybe I'm not built for heartwarming stories, but everything was so easy for the main characters: a conflict that seemed like a main focus of one of the characters was resolved in a barely 2 page conversation where the other character admitted he was wrong, he understood how his son was feeling and he'd do better; there were a few attempts described where Pearl couldn't cross the threshold but then when she did there was no deep dive into her thoughts and mental struggle behind it, just a few lines of "one foot in front of the other" type of encouragement; what seems like the entire town turns up to cheer Pearl on to walk to her front gate - really?
Not an awful book, and it was a nice easy read, but it fell at some basic hurdles for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 30, 2022
Where do I start? What a beautiful book!
Three main characters and a story that spans over 40 years.
Pearl is a woman in her late 50s, gripped by the hands of aggressive agoraphobia, with not a soul to reach out to or the ability to help herself.
Connor is an 18-year-old with a big life change ahead of him. Something he is not entirely sure he should be doing. and his own dreams which are being squashed to fulfil those of another.
Nate is a 60 something man with not much but memories to keep him going after being made redundant.
All three have a story that ties them together.
It is a story that has its roots in an awful tragedy, but as it grows, and with love and nurture, it bears the fruit of love, friendship, and reconciliation.
I truly loved all three of these characters, and I feel they will stay with me for a long while. And the cast who support them is equally memorable. There is a lot of goodness in this book, which I think the world needs right now.
A story filled with loss, hope, determination and, above all, friendship in the most unlikely of places.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Three main characters and a story that spans over 40 years.
Pearl is a woman in her late 50s, gripped by the hands of aggressive agoraphobia, with not a soul to reach out to or the ability to help herself.
Connor is an 18-year-old with a big life change ahead of him. Something he is not entirely sure he should be doing. and his own dreams which are being squashed to fulfil those of another.
Nate is a 60 something man with not much but memories to keep him going after being made redundant.
All three have a story that ties them together.
It is a story that has its roots in an awful tragedy, but as it grows, and with love and nurture, it bears the fruit of love, friendship, and reconciliation.
I truly loved all three of these characters, and I feel they will stay with me for a long while. And the cast who support them is equally memorable. There is a lot of goodness in this book, which I think the world needs right now.
A story filled with loss, hope, determination and, above all, friendship in the most unlikely of places.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 31, 2022
This is without a doubt, one of my top reads of the year so far.
An absolute pearl of a book (due to the woman herself!) and so rich in vivid, real characters and good hearts.
I've never read a book about agoraphobia before, and the insight this provides, pinpoints the fear exactly. I'm sure this can resonate with so many people as we are trying to find normality after multiple lockdowns.
Pearl is adorable and I was itching to know the backstory which pieces this all together.
Connor- yes for a more positive teenage representation and his strength of character. He is so patient and thoughtful towards Pearl which makes him even more lovely.
I wanted to give all these main characters a hug and sit and have a natter with them as they are just so brilliant.
Warm, thought provoking, poignant. Get it on your TBR immediately.
An absolute pearl of a book (due to the woman herself!) and so rich in vivid, real characters and good hearts.
I've never read a book about agoraphobia before, and the insight this provides, pinpoints the fear exactly. I'm sure this can resonate with so many people as we are trying to find normality after multiple lockdowns.
Pearl is adorable and I was itching to know the backstory which pieces this all together.
Connor- yes for a more positive teenage representation and his strength of character. He is so patient and thoughtful towards Pearl which makes him even more lovely.
I wanted to give all these main characters a hug and sit and have a natter with them as they are just so brilliant.
Warm, thought provoking, poignant. Get it on your TBR immediately.
October 15, 2025
It's been forty-three years since Pearl Winter stepped foot outside. She's never ventured into her cottage garden, past the garden gate nor climbed the moors surrounding her isolated cottage. Now at age fifty-nine, Pearl is unable to conquer 'The Fear' and things have gone disarrayed. The garden has overgrown, the cottage needs repairs, and Pearl remains inside, secure, awaiting a letter that has never arrived.
Pearl is about to meet Connor. The eighteen-year-old lives in town with his solicitor Dad, Donald and his girlfriend, Yvo. Father and son used to be close, but since the death of his wife, they've become estranged. Connor desperately misses his mum and the changes to his life are scaring him. In a few weeks, Connor is expected to start uni in a new city, obtaining a degree that he isn't interested in.
This summer, Pearl will employ Connor on a part-time basis to tidy up her home. What started as a simple summer job will eventually turn into an unexpected friendship. One where they will both learn and lean on each other to achieve their hopes and dreams.
Theh there's Nate, in his sixties, divorced, lonely, and has just been made redundant. Nothing is inspiring beyond his tiny flat- or so he thinks. A volunteer opportunity at the local animal rescue centre will place him on the road to contentment... and eventually much, much more. It may seem that Nate has no connection to Pearl or Connor at first, but his story eventually intertwines perfectly.
We are given insight into Pearl's past and the circumstances that led to her agoraphobia. To be honest, it was quite heartbreaking to read. Essentially, Pearl has led an isolated, sheltered life with only her mum and stepdad for company. No friends, partner, children or job. No hobbies bar reading, rewatching her favourite show on VHS, 'Travel Tuesday' or feeding the crows each morning. Despite keeping herself occupied with little routines, Pearl is lonely, even more so with the recent deaths of her parents.
Reasons to Go Outside was such a simple, splendid story. I can't praise it enough. The characters, pacing and setting were absolutely lovely. In a world that can be especially harsh at times, it serves as a gentle reminder of all the good things out there. Friendship and found family. Compassion and kindness. New beginnings and finding joy in little ways.
I do hope Esme King writes another novel soon. She's one to watch in contemporary, feel-good fiction.
5 🌟
Pearl is about to meet Connor. The eighteen-year-old lives in town with his solicitor Dad, Donald and his girlfriend, Yvo. Father and son used to be close, but since the death of his wife, they've become estranged. Connor desperately misses his mum and the changes to his life are scaring him. In a few weeks, Connor is expected to start uni in a new city, obtaining a degree that he isn't interested in.
This summer, Pearl will employ Connor on a part-time basis to tidy up her home. What started as a simple summer job will eventually turn into an unexpected friendship. One where they will both learn and lean on each other to achieve their hopes and dreams.
Theh there's Nate, in his sixties, divorced, lonely, and has just been made redundant. Nothing is inspiring beyond his tiny flat- or so he thinks. A volunteer opportunity at the local animal rescue centre will place him on the road to contentment... and eventually much, much more. It may seem that Nate has no connection to Pearl or Connor at first, but his story eventually intertwines perfectly.
We are given insight into Pearl's past and the circumstances that led to her agoraphobia. To be honest, it was quite heartbreaking to read. Essentially, Pearl has led an isolated, sheltered life with only her mum and stepdad for company. No friends, partner, children or job. No hobbies bar reading, rewatching her favourite show on VHS, 'Travel Tuesday' or feeding the crows each morning. Despite keeping herself occupied with little routines, Pearl is lonely, even more so with the recent deaths of her parents.
Reasons to Go Outside was such a simple, splendid story. I can't praise it enough. The characters, pacing and setting were absolutely lovely. In a world that can be especially harsh at times, it serves as a gentle reminder of all the good things out there. Friendship and found family. Compassion and kindness. New beginnings and finding joy in little ways.
I do hope Esme King writes another novel soon. She's one to watch in contemporary, feel-good fiction.
5 🌟
June 30, 2022
Reasons To Go Outside is everything I want in a book. Superb writing, a cast of wonderful characters and a message of hope.
Pearl lives alone, in a house on Dartmoor. It's idyllic, but it is also a prison. For Pearl has not stepped outside her house for forty three years.
Placing an advert by telephone for a gardener seemed innocuous. But that simple act is to change everything. Connor, a local lad of 18, takes the job and he is also a lost soul. Over time, Pearl and Connor form a beautiful friendship and the kindness they show one another moved me to tears. They save one another. And as Connor learns more about Pearl's life, he begins to share more of his. His friends become her friends, and suddenly Pearl is no longer alone.
But there is one main reason for Pearl to go outside, and that story takes us back to the summer of 1976. The summer she fell in love. And the summer that ended in tragedy.
But perhaps, the story is not over.
Reasons To Go Outside has incredibly sad moments. But it also has joy and hope and love. It is a book that restores faith and lifts a weary soul.
Pearl lives alone, in a house on Dartmoor. It's idyllic, but it is also a prison. For Pearl has not stepped outside her house for forty three years.
Placing an advert by telephone for a gardener seemed innocuous. But that simple act is to change everything. Connor, a local lad of 18, takes the job and he is also a lost soul. Over time, Pearl and Connor form a beautiful friendship and the kindness they show one another moved me to tears. They save one another. And as Connor learns more about Pearl's life, he begins to share more of his. His friends become her friends, and suddenly Pearl is no longer alone.
But there is one main reason for Pearl to go outside, and that story takes us back to the summer of 1976. The summer she fell in love. And the summer that ended in tragedy.
But perhaps, the story is not over.
Reasons To Go Outside has incredibly sad moments. But it also has joy and hope and love. It is a book that restores faith and lifts a weary soul.
November 30, 2022
Uplifting, engaging and surprising
After an opening chapter full of mystery, the reader learns that Pearl has not been outside her house for over 40 years because of her agoraphobia. Connor has a love of plants, but a dislike of his father’s girlfriend and feels like his life is speeding in a direction he doesn’t want. Nate is facing a massive life change after 42 years in his job.
3 main characters, 3 life stories, a hint of mystery, friendships and helping out. This is a wonderful story of change (with help from others), and moving from on from being hemmed in by life’s problems to getting out and thriving. A gentle story that flowed well and kept me reading to find out what happened next.
Without any noticeable long descriptive passages I really felt I was there in every scene. These seem like real people that Esme King has brought into my world. I could take you round Pearl’s garden, explore Connor’s house and smile at the changes taking place there, and tell you all about how Nate spends his days.
Yes! A feel good book, with substance, mystery and a few shocks and surprises. Loved it!
After an opening chapter full of mystery, the reader learns that Pearl has not been outside her house for over 40 years because of her agoraphobia. Connor has a love of plants, but a dislike of his father’s girlfriend and feels like his life is speeding in a direction he doesn’t want. Nate is facing a massive life change after 42 years in his job.
3 main characters, 3 life stories, a hint of mystery, friendships and helping out. This is a wonderful story of change (with help from others), and moving from on from being hemmed in by life’s problems to getting out and thriving. A gentle story that flowed well and kept me reading to find out what happened next.
Without any noticeable long descriptive passages I really felt I was there in every scene. These seem like real people that Esme King has brought into my world. I could take you round Pearl’s garden, explore Connor’s house and smile at the changes taking place there, and tell you all about how Nate spends his days.
Yes! A feel good book, with substance, mystery and a few shocks and surprises. Loved it!
May 2, 2022
This is such a lovely story. It features Pearl who has agoraphobia and hasn't left her house in 43 years, Connor who is 18 and feeling pushed out of home and into university when he doesn't want to go and Nate who is down on his luck. The story of these 3 comes together beautifully and is a real tear jerker. Its a story about hope and friendship but Pearl's story also has plenty of sadness - but Connor and Nate also have their share. Overall though it's a heart warming tale.
All the characters in this book are lovely! This story has short chapters from multiple perspectives so has great pace and is difficult to put down. This is a lovely read that really pulls on the heart strings!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley with no promise of a favourable review.
All the characters in this book are lovely! This story has short chapters from multiple perspectives so has great pace and is difficult to put down. This is a lovely read that really pulls on the heart strings!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley with no promise of a favourable review.
June 18, 2022
Thank you to Esme for my copy! I am so grateful!
I loved this book! Nate and Pearl are the cutest! I'm so glad that she answered the door to Connor and how their friendship blossomed. I wondered at first why Pearl didn't want to venture outside and my heart broke when it was explained. Poor Pearl. So glad she has a loving support bubble to help her along her journey. Friendship is the key to a lot of things!
I would recommend this book to anyone as it has a real heartfelt moral and storyline not to be missed!
There should totally be a sequel!
I loved this book! Nate and Pearl are the cutest! I'm so glad that she answered the door to Connor and how their friendship blossomed. I wondered at first why Pearl didn't want to venture outside and my heart broke when it was explained. Poor Pearl. So glad she has a loving support bubble to help her along her journey. Friendship is the key to a lot of things!
I would recommend this book to anyone as it has a real heartfelt moral and storyline not to be missed!
There should totally be a sequel!
April 13, 2022
Such a beautiful book that was a pleasure to read. Likeable characters and a story that has so much. Love, friendship, sadness and joy. Looking forward to more books by this author.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.
July 11, 2022
Reasons To Go Outside follows Pearl, Connor and Nate.
Pearl hasn’t been outside in 43 years.
Connor is about to go to university to study for a degree he does not want to do.
Nate has just been made redundant and is at a loss with what to do with himself.
Heartwarming and uplifting, Esme King has created characters who are so real, so relatable and whose lives are about to get tangled up in the best possible way.
Pearl hasn’t been outside in 43 years.
Connor is about to go to university to study for a degree he does not want to do.
Nate has just been made redundant and is at a loss with what to do with himself.
Heartwarming and uplifting, Esme King has created characters who are so real, so relatable and whose lives are about to get tangled up in the best possible way.
May 9, 2024
A heartwarming read I would definitely recommend 🥰
June 28, 2022
4.5 ⭐️
The wonderful characters were the best thing for me about Reasons to Go Outside. The type of characters that you are instantly rooting for from the very beginning.
I loved the themes of kindness, community and care throughout. This is a real comfort read.
A gorgeous book filled with gorgeous characters. It’s both heart-warming and life-affirming. It’s one of those books where you’ll wish all the characters were your friends. A charming story about overcoming fear and tragedy and making the best kind of long-lasting friendships.
The wonderful characters were the best thing for me about Reasons to Go Outside. The type of characters that you are instantly rooting for from the very beginning.
I loved the themes of kindness, community and care throughout. This is a real comfort read.
A gorgeous book filled with gorgeous characters. It’s both heart-warming and life-affirming. It’s one of those books where you’ll wish all the characters were your friends. A charming story about overcoming fear and tragedy and making the best kind of long-lasting friendships.
May 19, 2022
A really wonderful and sad at times but heartwarming story about love, friendship, overcoming challenges in life and loneliness.
Reclusive Pearl and Connor her new gardener and friend who meet and their worlds open up together and intertwine so beautifully. The story is told from three different rent perspectives. Pearl, Connor and Nate who we find out more about within the story.
The characters are very well written and thought out and I found I was easily turning the pages as I was enjoying the book so much. I read it in 2 sittings!
Very highly recommended and I shall definitely seek out more from the author Esme King in the future.
Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton publishers and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
Reclusive Pearl and Connor her new gardener and friend who meet and their worlds open up together and intertwine so beautifully. The story is told from three different rent perspectives. Pearl, Connor and Nate who we find out more about within the story.
The characters are very well written and thought out and I found I was easily turning the pages as I was enjoying the book so much. I read it in 2 sittings!
Very highly recommended and I shall definitely seek out more from the author Esme King in the future.
Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton publishers and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
February 3, 2022
I was really excited to read this debut novel by Esme King after reading the book description. My initial thoughts would be that I would be introduced to the next Eleanor Oliphant or Harold Fry, those fictitious characters that stay in your heart: and Pearl Winter may well be in that category.
The story is based around Pearl, Connor and Nate and how life can throw you disappointments and challenges and how they can be overcome with resilience and taking opportunities. The gentle writing and great characters, whom I liked immediately ensured I did not want to put the book down.
It has been described as uplifting and heart warming and I can see why; it is about finding friendship in the unlikeliest places and facing your fears................needless to say, I loved this book and would not be surprised to see in this year’s bestsellers list!
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher Hodder & Stoughton and Esme King for allowing me to read this ebook advance review copy.
The story is based around Pearl, Connor and Nate and how life can throw you disappointments and challenges and how they can be overcome with resilience and taking opportunities. The gentle writing and great characters, whom I liked immediately ensured I did not want to put the book down.
It has been described as uplifting and heart warming and I can see why; it is about finding friendship in the unlikeliest places and facing your fears................needless to say, I loved this book and would not be surprised to see in this year’s bestsellers list!
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher Hodder & Stoughton and Esme King for allowing me to read this ebook advance review copy.
May 24, 2023
This was a comforting warm bath of a read! The nitty gritty of life was swept under the carpet. The characters were people you'd like to meet; the book well written and the plot kept you wanting to to turn the pages. It might not be entirely true to life - but you don't always want that. I could see a rom-com developing from this!
August 19, 2024
DNFing this halfway through, honestly probably a heartwarming story but I feel like nothing is really happening I am getting to know the characters but there is no plot, I’m sure there would be if I kept reading but I just can’t!
August 27, 2022
This is an unusual one. You might notice that I claim to have read this book 2 years before it was published. I did! Hachette publishers ran a project called Secret Readers where you would be offered a choice of 5 books from time to time, some of which hadn't been published. This was one of the September '20 choices. I read it, I loved it, and I searched everywhere for the published book but never found it. I've just discovered that back then it had a different title and a different author name (obviously a pseudonym). I've often wondered if that book was ever published because it was so good, yet until just this week Aug 2022 I never managed to find it. Then browsing through some books on Jill's Book Cafe book blog I spotted the blurb - I'd know that blurb anywhere and am just so pleased that the book was eventually published. So after that little story here's my review from back then:
There seems to be a growing number of books based on this kind of story line – intergenerational relationships form where the boldness of the young help out the more mature character and in turn the wisdom of those who have ‘lived’ help out the young. Yes it’s been done before in a similar vein to Ruby Hummingbird, Beth Morrey with Saving Missy, and Phaedra Patrick to name but a few. But I absolutely love them. Such a gentle and heartwarming read, it’s like wrapping yourself up in a cosy blanket and being reminded that there are good, kind people out there who can find themselves stuck in a rut and very lonely through no fault of their own.
So the story revolves around Pearl, now in her late 50’s Pearl has lived on Dartmoor in an isolated house with her mother and step-father since moving there as a teenager. We never find out until almost the end of the book why Pearl’s parents fled there in the summer of 1976 but Pearl has come to more or less accept her life as it is.
When her parents both die within a short time of each other, Pearl finds herself living alone and isolated. She decides to advertise for a gardener to attend to her now, very much overgrown and neglected garden. 18 year old Connor applies for the job.
Connor lives with his father and step-mother. Since the death of Connor’s beloved mother to cancer and after the re-marriage of his father to a woman who makes no disguise of the fact that Connor is in the way and she wants rid, Connor wants to earn some money so he can get away from his now miserable existence at home.
There are lots of supporting characters in the book to make it always entertaining. Connor’s best friend Derek who has aspirations to become trainee manager at the co-op where he works. As well as Derek’s family and other friends.
Running parallel is the story of Nate. He’s also fast approaching 60 and single. After being made redundant he volunteers at an animal rescue charity. Here he meets some new friends. It helps to take him out of himself but there is much more to Nate’s story than just his friendships at the animal sanctuary.
I really enjoyed the book. It has many different story threads running through, with all the characters connected in one way or another, but each with their own very different problems and stories to tell.
I cannot for the life of me now remember the ending, but it was such a lovely book I might just buy it and read it again because it was so enjoyable.
There seems to be a growing number of books based on this kind of story line – intergenerational relationships form where the boldness of the young help out the more mature character and in turn the wisdom of those who have ‘lived’ help out the young. Yes it’s been done before in a similar vein to Ruby Hummingbird, Beth Morrey with Saving Missy, and Phaedra Patrick to name but a few. But I absolutely love them. Such a gentle and heartwarming read, it’s like wrapping yourself up in a cosy blanket and being reminded that there are good, kind people out there who can find themselves stuck in a rut and very lonely through no fault of their own.
So the story revolves around Pearl, now in her late 50’s Pearl has lived on Dartmoor in an isolated house with her mother and step-father since moving there as a teenager. We never find out until almost the end of the book why Pearl’s parents fled there in the summer of 1976 but Pearl has come to more or less accept her life as it is.
When her parents both die within a short time of each other, Pearl finds herself living alone and isolated. She decides to advertise for a gardener to attend to her now, very much overgrown and neglected garden. 18 year old Connor applies for the job.
Connor lives with his father and step-mother. Since the death of Connor’s beloved mother to cancer and after the re-marriage of his father to a woman who makes no disguise of the fact that Connor is in the way and she wants rid, Connor wants to earn some money so he can get away from his now miserable existence at home.
There are lots of supporting characters in the book to make it always entertaining. Connor’s best friend Derek who has aspirations to become trainee manager at the co-op where he works. As well as Derek’s family and other friends.
Running parallel is the story of Nate. He’s also fast approaching 60 and single. After being made redundant he volunteers at an animal rescue charity. Here he meets some new friends. It helps to take him out of himself but there is much more to Nate’s story than just his friendships at the animal sanctuary.
I really enjoyed the book. It has many different story threads running through, with all the characters connected in one way or another, but each with their own very different problems and stories to tell.
I cannot for the life of me now remember the ending, but it was such a lovely book I might just buy it and read it again because it was so enjoyable.
June 19, 2022
This is a story that alternates between three characters, Pearl, Nate and Connor. Pearl hasn’t set foot outside of her house for forty three years. I couldn’t imagine not even going outside into the garden or feeling the sun on my face and I found I had so much empathy for her. Something has happened in her past which has brought on her fear of going outside and it isn’t until she meets Connor whose friendship ignites something in her that has her wanting to make changes.
Connor is only a young lad. He is waiting for his exam results and has taken a summer job on which is how he meets Pearl. The friendship between these two characters was so lovely and heart-warming. Connor is struggling with things in his own personal life and I loved seeing how the friendship between both him and Pearl brought so much positivity. I felt my maternal instinct kick in when it came to this young man and many a time I wished I could reach out and give him a hug.
Nate is another lovely character. He is single after becoming divorced and lives on his own in a flat. A change in circumstances leaves him in a bit of a slump until his friend and neighbour gets him involved in volunteering at the local animal shelter. Well of course this was just another side to this story that held such charm for me as well as Nate’s personality. The author has created such likeable characters that readers will take into their hearts.
Reasons To Go Outside is a wonderful story of the best types of friendships. It’s such a gentle and lovely read which wholly captivated me. I fell in love with Pearl, Nate and Connor and felt bereft when I had to say goodbye as I had really enjoyed getting to know them all. They are the type of characters that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page. A beautiful novel that will steal a part of your heart!
My thanks to the author and Hodder & Stoughton for a readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
Connor is only a young lad. He is waiting for his exam results and has taken a summer job on which is how he meets Pearl. The friendship between these two characters was so lovely and heart-warming. Connor is struggling with things in his own personal life and I loved seeing how the friendship between both him and Pearl brought so much positivity. I felt my maternal instinct kick in when it came to this young man and many a time I wished I could reach out and give him a hug.
Nate is another lovely character. He is single after becoming divorced and lives on his own in a flat. A change in circumstances leaves him in a bit of a slump until his friend and neighbour gets him involved in volunteering at the local animal shelter. Well of course this was just another side to this story that held such charm for me as well as Nate’s personality. The author has created such likeable characters that readers will take into their hearts.
Reasons To Go Outside is a wonderful story of the best types of friendships. It’s such a gentle and lovely read which wholly captivated me. I fell in love with Pearl, Nate and Connor and felt bereft when I had to say goodbye as I had really enjoyed getting to know them all. They are the type of characters that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page. A beautiful novel that will steal a part of your heart!
My thanks to the author and Hodder & Stoughton for a readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
August 3, 2022
My first time reading Esme King and wow, what a utterly powerful story, and one that will stay with me.
Pearl Winter moved to Dartmoor with her mum and stepdad Ray, as a young teenager, They needed to escape from the painful memories of the summer of 1976, events that in an instant had turned Pearl into an isolated and troubled girl. Their isolated family cottage stands high up on Dartmoor, a safe haven, where Pearl never had to step outside again.
At 59 and living alone, Pearl hasn't stepped a foot outside foot out if the door for 43 years. Totally alone apart from the postman and the supermarket delivery. Pearl dwells on what could have been. The house is showing signs of its age and the garden once tended passionately by Ray is now overgrown and derelict. Pearl wonders .... could she let a gardener into her world to sort it out, then at least she could look out on its beauty once again?
Connor Matthews has never been given chance to grieve the loss of his mother, in the 2 years that have passed his dad has never talked to Connor about her death and he seems to be moving on. After his dad moves his new girlfriend in, who seems to want to change everything about Connors home, he feels lost and like he no longer belongs. Off to university after the summer to study law and follow in his father's footsteps, Connor is dreading it, its the last thing he wants to do. Desperate to get out of the house, he spots a summer job as a gardener and can't believe his luck.
As the unlikely friendship blossoms, can Pearl start to put the past behind her or us it too late?
Esme tackles difficult issues sensitively to develop the story.
A beautiful, heartwarming story of a friendship that bridges generations and makes you feel like you've been on a journey with the characters. Definitely one to curl up with and get stuck in.
Pearl Winter moved to Dartmoor with her mum and stepdad Ray, as a young teenager, They needed to escape from the painful memories of the summer of 1976, events that in an instant had turned Pearl into an isolated and troubled girl. Their isolated family cottage stands high up on Dartmoor, a safe haven, where Pearl never had to step outside again.
At 59 and living alone, Pearl hasn't stepped a foot outside foot out if the door for 43 years. Totally alone apart from the postman and the supermarket delivery. Pearl dwells on what could have been. The house is showing signs of its age and the garden once tended passionately by Ray is now overgrown and derelict. Pearl wonders .... could she let a gardener into her world to sort it out, then at least she could look out on its beauty once again?
Connor Matthews has never been given chance to grieve the loss of his mother, in the 2 years that have passed his dad has never talked to Connor about her death and he seems to be moving on. After his dad moves his new girlfriend in, who seems to want to change everything about Connors home, he feels lost and like he no longer belongs. Off to university after the summer to study law and follow in his father's footsteps, Connor is dreading it, its the last thing he wants to do. Desperate to get out of the house, he spots a summer job as a gardener and can't believe his luck.
As the unlikely friendship blossoms, can Pearl start to put the past behind her or us it too late?
Esme tackles difficult issues sensitively to develop the story.
A beautiful, heartwarming story of a friendship that bridges generations and makes you feel like you've been on a journey with the characters. Definitely one to curl up with and get stuck in.
June 11, 2022
Pearl Winter hasn’t left her house for 43 years,arriving as a girl, it has been her place of safety, her whole world. She is lonely, except for the crows, the postman and the memories of what happened that summer in 1976.
Connor Matthews has been drifting since his mothers death, unable to speak to his father and struggling with what the future holds. But when he begins a summer job as Pearls Gardner, friendship blooms and opens the door to a fresh start for them both.
‘The simplest of things. Cake, a cup of tea, and a conversation. The conversation that helps him more than Connor can say.’
This book just squeezed my heart, gorgeous, gently funny and down right wonderful. I was welling up with tears by page 50, these two people Pearl and Connor have an unexpected relationship and are just superb characters to read.
‘I am so sorry, more than I can say, but I know that I can’t go out the door and walk along the path, and I don’t think I ever will.’
I try to find as many reasons as I can to go outside, the thought of not being able to do this is unimaginable but it happens to people. This book so carefully explores several themes including friendship, courage, loneliness and agoraphobia, dealing with them in a very sensitive way, it is very moving and I was welling up by the end of this too!
‘You need a reason…to go outside. That’s the thing.’
The book is quietly, gently uplifting, not in your face at all. It is a simply gorgeous read for a late spring afternoon, always with a cup of tea and a big slice of cake!
Connor Matthews has been drifting since his mothers death, unable to speak to his father and struggling with what the future holds. But when he begins a summer job as Pearls Gardner, friendship blooms and opens the door to a fresh start for them both.
‘The simplest of things. Cake, a cup of tea, and a conversation. The conversation that helps him more than Connor can say.’
This book just squeezed my heart, gorgeous, gently funny and down right wonderful. I was welling up with tears by page 50, these two people Pearl and Connor have an unexpected relationship and are just superb characters to read.
‘I am so sorry, more than I can say, but I know that I can’t go out the door and walk along the path, and I don’t think I ever will.’
I try to find as many reasons as I can to go outside, the thought of not being able to do this is unimaginable but it happens to people. This book so carefully explores several themes including friendship, courage, loneliness and agoraphobia, dealing with them in a very sensitive way, it is very moving and I was welling up by the end of this too!
‘You need a reason…to go outside. That’s the thing.’
The book is quietly, gently uplifting, not in your face at all. It is a simply gorgeous read for a late spring afternoon, always with a cup of tea and a big slice of cake!
January 24, 2023
Pearl Winter hasn’t set foot outside her front door for 43 years. Home is an isolated cottage on Dartmoor which she shared with her parents but they have both died in recent years and the birds and an occasional visit from the postman are her only company. With her 60th birthday looming, Pearl often reflects on what might have been, what her life might have looked like if she had not developed this inability to go outside the confines of her own four walls. When Connor, a troubled teenager comes along to tackle the garden jungle as a summer job, a friendship develops between the two of them, tentative at first but with the potential for life changing repercussions for both of them.
This is a lovely book which manages to be gentle and heartwarming without being sickly sweet. The portrayal of the characters is superb and they all seem so real and plausible. They are also likeable. In particular I found myself rooting for Pearl every step of the way as she begins to find her way out of agoraphobia and back into the outside world. It is also a very easy read with a good storyline. It is to the author’s credit that the book is both tender and uplifting yet never becomes cloying or over sentimental.
I can find nothing negative to say about this book. I am writing this review quite a while after I finished the book and, if anything it has grown on me over time. In fact I have upgraded it to 5* from an initial 4* rating.
I would whole-heartedly recommend this book to pretty much anyone.
This is a lovely book which manages to be gentle and heartwarming without being sickly sweet. The portrayal of the characters is superb and they all seem so real and plausible. They are also likeable. In particular I found myself rooting for Pearl every step of the way as she begins to find her way out of agoraphobia and back into the outside world. It is also a very easy read with a good storyline. It is to the author’s credit that the book is both tender and uplifting yet never becomes cloying or over sentimental.
I can find nothing negative to say about this book. I am writing this review quite a while after I finished the book and, if anything it has grown on me over time. In fact I have upgraded it to 5* from an initial 4* rating.
I would whole-heartedly recommend this book to pretty much anyone.
June 24, 2022
Oh what a BEAUTIFUL story! I am so so grateful to @esmekingauthor for offering to send me a copy as this is without a doubt one of my favourites of the year - and I highly recommend you all pick it up for some serious warm fuzzies!
Pearl hasn’t left her house in 43 years, ever since she arrived in Dartmoor after a heartbreaking trauma. But with her parents now dead, she needs someone to take care of her once beautiful garden - and Connor, a teenager who no longer feels at home in his own house, needs an escape every day. Miles away in Godalming, Nate has just been made redundant and begins volunteering at a dog shelter, finally finding some joy of his own after years of heartache. But these three characters are about to make all the difference to each other…
I cannot even begin to tell you how much joy this story brought me - three absolutely wonderful characters, beautiful landscapes and HELLO, dogs, dogs and more dogs! Pearl’s home and garden in gorgeous Dartmoor felt like a character in itself and I can’t deny I was straight on Rightmove trying to find my own slice of peace and quiet 🤣
But as well as being incredibly heartwarming, this also tackles some really emotional topics like loss, heartbreak, trauma and agoraphobia, and there were a few chapters that had me sobbing away! But it’s so worth it for the happy parts of the story - one scene in particular felt like something out of a film which gave me goosebumps and had me ugly crying with joy!
Just order yourself a copy - I promise you won’t regret it 💛
Pearl hasn’t left her house in 43 years, ever since she arrived in Dartmoor after a heartbreaking trauma. But with her parents now dead, she needs someone to take care of her once beautiful garden - and Connor, a teenager who no longer feels at home in his own house, needs an escape every day. Miles away in Godalming, Nate has just been made redundant and begins volunteering at a dog shelter, finally finding some joy of his own after years of heartache. But these three characters are about to make all the difference to each other…
I cannot even begin to tell you how much joy this story brought me - three absolutely wonderful characters, beautiful landscapes and HELLO, dogs, dogs and more dogs! Pearl’s home and garden in gorgeous Dartmoor felt like a character in itself and I can’t deny I was straight on Rightmove trying to find my own slice of peace and quiet 🤣
But as well as being incredibly heartwarming, this also tackles some really emotional topics like loss, heartbreak, trauma and agoraphobia, and there were a few chapters that had me sobbing away! But it’s so worth it for the happy parts of the story - one scene in particular felt like something out of a film which gave me goosebumps and had me ugly crying with joy!
Just order yourself a copy - I promise you won’t regret it 💛
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