#BlogTour: Hope Street by Mike Gayle @mikegayle @HodderBooks @AlainnaGeorgiou #HopeStreet #MikeGayle

Book Synopsis:

The greatest adventure is coming back home.

Lila Metcalfe is a trainee journalist in Derby and she’s very used to being given the stories that no one else wants. So, when her editor tells her that the city’s Cossington Park development is being held up by a solitary resident on Hope Street who is refusing to leave, she knows she is going to be the one sent to find out more. And that’s how she meets Connor.

Twenty-something Connor is the sole resident of Hope Street and he is not at all what Lila is expecting. And he has a very clear reason not to move: he is waiting for his mum to come home.

The uplifting and heartfelt new novel from the author of A Song of Me and You.

My Review:

Hope Street is an absorbing, thought provoking read that manages to be both heart warming and heart breaking at the same time.

The story is told from the point of views of Connor and Lily with flashbacks to Bernie’s life.  I really like all of the three characters and enjoyed learning more about them throughout the book.  My favourite character was definitely Connor though who I wished I could step into the book and give a huge hug to.  He has clearly had a hard life and my heart broke for him as we learn about all the discrimination he has experienced due to his learning difficulties. His friendship with Marcus was lovely to read about and I loved how protective he was of him, standing up for him when needed.  His budding friendship with Lily was also lovely to read about and I enjoyed seeing the two grow closer.

This book covers a couple of thought provoking subjects which were interesting to explore alongside the characters.  The treatment of people with learning difficulties was very emotional to read about at times and I often found myself tearing up as I read about all the horrible things that have happened to Connor.  The redevelopment of towns by investors was also interesting to read about and I found myself getting quite cross at how their greed has been allowed to wreck whole communities.  

Overall, as you can probably tell, I really enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to everyone.  I though the book had a great pace to it and there always seemed to be something happening to keep my interest. Even in the slower moments I found that I was so invested in the character’s lives that I had to keep reading to find out what happened to them.  I enjoyed following Connor and Lily as they try to solve the mystery of what happened to Bernie while going on a journey of discovery themselves as each gain confidence in their abilities.  

Huge thanks to Alainna from Hodder and Stoughton for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book. I think this would make a great book club read as I think there would be lots to discuss.  

About The Author:

Mike Gayle was born and raised in Birmingham. After graduating from Salford University with a degree in Sociology, he moved to London to pursue a career in journalism and worked as a Features Editor and agony uncle. He has written for a variety of publications including The Sunday Times, the Guardian and Cosmopolitan.

Mike became a full time novelist in 1997 following the publication of his Sunday Times top ten bestseller My Legendary Girlfriend, which was hailed by the Independent as ‘Full of belly laughs and painfully acute observations,’ and by The Times as ‘A funny, frank account of a hopeless romantic’. Since then he has written thirteen novels including Mr Commitment, Turning Thirty and The Man I Think I Know. His books have been translated into more than thirty languages.

You can find him online at mikegayle.co.uk and on Twitter @mikegayle.