Kelly also comes up with the idea of a ‘book pharmacy’, prescribing books to help people as they deal with problems, whether or not related to the pandemic. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Everything Stephanie Butland wrote about about that period was so relatable, even though the story was set in York - thank you. There is love, family, loneliness, grief, loss, illness, joy, all facets of the human experience told with such heart. My only negative is that it is perhaps a bit repetitive with the letters and the book lists as my enjoyment lies in the characters that you follow through.

It’s the state of mind and heart of the person reading it that will make the book grow into something greater than the words printed in it. At times there is humour although not as much as in the last book which is understandable given the serious nature of the times. The author provides the list of recommended books and "Questions for Book-sharers" at the end of the novel.It made me laugh, it made me cry and left me with a feeling of community spirit - I will definitely be recommending this to others, it is a fantastic read' ? There are lots of interesting characters in the book and it is surprising just how many different characters appear so that took a little bit of getting used to. I know I couldn’t have listened to it if it had been published earlier, so the timing has been perfect for me. These vignettes truly capture the tone of 2020 with loneliness, fear and grief being juxtaposed with community, joy and love.

We follow their life-long love story from when they first meet and theirs is a really poignant part of the book. It is not one I could recommend to everyone without explaining the triggers of which there are a lot.The idea about the book pharmacy and using books to fill the void whether we’re in a pandemic or just feeling a little lost in the world.

Thank-you Netgalley and Headline books for approving my ARC request, it was an absolute pleasure to read. This is a wonderful idea for a novel and the creation of a book pharmacy during the Covid pandemic works so well to introduce so many different characters, each with their stories and needs.

It was heartbreaking to hear their stories, especially as I was pretty sure they would be based on true accounts. I would recommend this if you like issue-laden contemporary women’s fiction and don’t mind a large number of book recommendations.