Tilda has returned to her mother's house after her mother had died. While her relationship with her mother was ‘difficult ‘, this is a very emotional time for Tilda.

The story is told from two perspectives, that of the young Tilly and as Tilda as an adult.

Tilly and her mother find them selves living at the Paradise Hotel and thanks to the marvellous Queenie, such a great character, they find a little peace that had been missing from their lives.

There are no twists, no mysteries, this is a book of family, relationships and touches on mental health issues in a kind and sympathetic way. The author has created wonderfully alive and vibrant characters with their odd little quirks, which add a sense of reality to the story. A real, easy to read, feel good tale and I loved it.


#QueenieMalonesParadiseHotel #NetGalley

A gem of a book, full of pathos, humour and great characters. I laughed out loud, I cried and I thoroughly enjoyed a remarkable story.
Ruth Hogan has the ability to make you live her stories and really identify with the characters.

What an utterly FANDABBIEDOZIE book
I laughed and cried this is a Truely magical book I can highly recommend this book it deserves more * than I can give
Thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest review

Tilly and Tilda, the same woman seperated only by time, a stunning evocative novel that had me reaching for the tissues. I read this In one sitting. The writing is heart-breakingly beautiful and left me craving for more.

As an adult, Ruth Hogan's books remind me of the way I used to feel about Enid Blyton as a child; a warmheartedness as I read her opening lines. Ruth is a master storyteller, weaving words and imagery like a magician, making her settings and characters immediately compelling and addictive. She casts a spell on me as a reader and keeps me engrossed and then thoroughly disappoints when her wonderful characters fade off the last page.

This is a brave book which tackles childhood, mental health and relationships in a raw but beautiful way. You need tissues and lots of them; it's an emotional journey to say the least but worth every page. The way Ruth tackles mental health is respectful, tasteful and harrowing; expertly and beautifully done.

Ruth's characters as usual are compelling , crafted with real care and original. Her characters jump out of the page and you feel as if they live next door and hope you bump into them in the supermarket or the pub!I found each character complex and moving. I really enjoyed the different points of view and how Ruth alternated between first and third person as if she were making a movie and drawing us into the story, then distancing us, then drawing us in. Brilliant! The writing is hauntingly beautiful -almost soulful -exploring and exposing her characters motivations and thoughts to propel the story forwards like a roller coaster ride. There's a rich texture and depth to this novel that I found in the 'keeper of lost things' and 'Sally red shoes,' but this book is very different from the others; a standalone, more character driven than plot this time. The book is like pandora's box, just as you think you've got through the layers, you find something else; another angle or a twist or a turn or a revelation here or there that takes your breath away and makes you 'ugly cry.'

In fact, I'd bet my Christmas pudding Richard and Judy will get their hands on this very soon ! It's a perfect Winter read and I would highly recommend.

Next one, Ruth please!

Thank you to the publisher, the author and Net Galley for an ARC of this book.

Another wonderful read by Ruth, some gorgeous characters and a lovely story, loved it as much as her others

Another absolute triumph from Ruth Hogan, who has now secured a space on my laminated list of Favourite Authors. Queenie Malone, her Paradise Hotel and the wonderful innocence of Tilly will stay with me forever. I’ll never think of Bermondsey the same way again...

I really enjoyed this book. Tilda has returned to Brighton after her mother's death. They weren't close - Tilda has never forgiven her mother for sending her away from Paradise Hotel where they lived with Queenie and an array of other colourful characters, to a boarding school that she hated. But now she has found her mother's diaries, and she discovers some of the secrets of her childhood. Told in 2 time frames, the story unfolds. I found it amusing and moving, and full of great characters. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

I struggled to stay focused with this book and found it quite a muddled storyline. The characters were well written but the timelines and general story just didn't quite follow for me.

I have read both Ruth Hogan's previous books but this for me was the weakest. I did not connect with the adult Tilly. Why could she see ghosts? Why did people not find it strange? Too many unanswered questions.

The young Tilly was a joy and many times I smiled at her misinterpretations of what she thought she heard.

At first I wasn't at all sure about this book, the dual timeline stories seemed to be very disjointed but as I read on I as drawn in more and more.
This is a book about families, memory and secrets and the damage and pleasure they all can cause. It is also nice to see a character struggling with some aspects of metal ill health not find a magical cure nor equally being treated harshly and with a tragic outcome.

This book was truly a fun read. I laughed out loud at Tilly's religious thoughts. It was touching and sometimes sad, but in the end it was wonderful

Loved this book - it absorbed me and I felt for Tilda growing up she felt unloved by her mother and abandoned by her father. It is only after her mother’s death that she can come to understand her through her diaries. She realises that her mother was ill and made decisions which she felt were best for her daughter. Tilda - a very different young lady - has to seek to understand her back story so she can move forward to make real attachments in her own life.

Life affirming and beautifully written.

As is my custom, I will not regurgitate the plot for those who haven't read it yet - there are plenty of reviews along those lines out there!

I loved this book. I'm guessing from references within the book that the period of Tilly's childhood coincided with my own. I recognised similar characters from my own neighbourhood, and the writing was so evocative that it triggered memories from my own childhood, both happy and sad.

The characters and plot work beautifully put together, each in their place with the whole thing becoming a type of jigsaw - only at the end do we find the last missing piece so that we can see the full picture.

This is the my first book by Ruth Hogan - but I will now seek out her other works, I think I'll be in for a treat!

A very enjoyable read. My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for my honest review.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the book in exchange for an honest review.
I found this a glorious read which made you laugh and made you cry, it was absolutely fascinating.
The parts I found hilarious were the references to religion, especially when Tilly put her own interpretation onto prayers and hymns. Bermondsey instead of Purgatory will stay in my mind and make me smile for some time. It also reminded me of my own catholic upbringing and how serious it seemed as a child.
I would definitely recommend reading this book.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book.
Ruth Hogan knows how to write that's for sure. She creates such quirky, likeable characters who you just want to get to know.
A thoroughly good read.

I found this book a bit difficult to follow because I wasn't sure, until the end, who Queenie was. The story follows Tilda's story and her childhood story as Tilly. The theme explores the complex relationship between mothers and daughter. Lots of descriptive writing but I preferred Ruth Hogan's other books which are worth a read. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

Yet another delight from the BRILLIANT Ruth Hogan. If you liked her first two books you'll love this one too.

A quirky read but quite engaging and compelling. Written from a child's perspective (Tilly) and her later adult self. (Tilda). Tilly has a somewhat unconventional upbringing and is able to see both alive and dead people equally and is unable to distinguish between them, and sometimes throughout the book, the reader is also left wondering too. Tilly, as is common with a lot of young children, mishears and misunderstands words which is quite delightful and adds a touch of humour to the whole story.

She had an extremely complex relationship with her mother and it is only after her mother's death she finds out, by reading diaries, the other side of her bizarre childhood. The characters are wonderfully depicted and Tilly's/Tilda's relationship with them. There is an undercurrent of Tilda's modern life and the character's within who keep her grounded.

I have enjoyed Ruth Hogan's previous books and they always make the reader wonder where the story is going. This latest offering is a perfect mix of fun with a touch darkness and all the jigsaw pieces fitting together perfectly at the end. I look forward to reading more from this author.

A quirky, warm and uplifting book with a charm of its own

Tilly is an chameleon child, funny and loving but needing her rituals to keep her safe from her unstable mother. She also sees dead people (and a dog). Queenie Malone's Hotel is where she spent a few brief, idyllic months, the best time of her life.

Grown up Tilda, grieving for her mother, is hidebound by her rituals and reclusive until she meets cafe owner Daniel and begins to fall for him. Through her mother's diaries, she also begins to see her childhood in a different light and understand both her troubled mother and herself.

An enchanting, whimsical book, full of humour and hope after bereavement. Tilly's childhood voice is vivid and really draws you in. Her adult voice changes from frightened and withdrawn to more amusing and confident as her life changes for the better. If you enjoyed Ruth's previous books, The Keeper of Lost Things and The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes, you'll love this.