A heartwarming story of Hattie and Walter who forge an unlikely friendship when they are both recovering in Woodlands Nursing Home. They soon realise that they can still have a little fun with the Night Owls -a "club" run by Sister Bronwyn during the night for those residents who are unable to sleep. When Sister Bronwyn is sacked, Hattie and Walter hatch a plan to get her reinstated.

This is a lovely story that proves you are never too old to break a few rules and have fun doing it.

This lovely novel tells us about the older generation the end up in care. The things that they would love to be able to do and do it. Yes it deals with death but in a natural way so as not to spoil the reading of this. I would like to think that I could get away with living as these older people have managed so as to enjoy life as much as possible. Very well written, I am sure everyone will enjoy this and it will bring some laughter into your world. 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

This book was so cosy and exciting. I absolutely loved it. I liked that the story was told from two people’s perspectives. It really helped us to get a rounded view of events. Hattie is fun and mischievous and Walter knows his own mind. They both want to escape Woodlands for different reasons but find themselves working together to achieve their goal. They make friends along the way and show us the real perks and drawbacks of care. I loved Sister Bronwyn’s character. All care homes need a woman like her. Not afraid to end the rules for the sake of her patient’s livelihoods. We want our older ones to enjoy life not just to count down the days until they die and this is exactly what she did. I really enjoyed the character development that we see from the two main characters. I loved Murray’s character too. He was soft and gentle but he was such a good friend to Walter. I would recommend this book to everyone. It made me laugh so many times.

Hattie has lived alone quite happily. She prefers the company of birds to people, so it comes as a great shock when she is sent to Woodlands Nursing Home after a fall. The idea of Carpet Bowls, Bingo & sing-alongs fill her with horror! Walter Clements is also not particularly happy. Ex driving instructor, would be comic, he is determined to go home once he is allowed to use his mobility scooter! Woodlands seems to be hidebound by Health & Safety rules but night nurse Sr Bronwyn has other ideas. Hattie finds that The Night Owls activities organised by Sr Bronwyn & Queenie, her dog make things a bit more bearable.

This was a lovely book. It was very funny in places & very sad in others. The characters were great! It reminds us that you are never to old to try new things or to get up to mischief. Even though you have passed the 'three score years & ten' milestone there's still a lot of living to do. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

I loved this book so much! I loved the characters and Hatties journey in finding true friendship for the first time in her life, the crazy adventures they get up to in the nursing home and it really got me in the feels!

I love stories like this where each character has their own life story with the elderly being unashamedly honest. This book was a little slow to begin with but I fully expect it to be with this kind of story, I got some Thursday Murder Club vibes with the sleuthing and detective work that Hattie and Walter got up to. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone as I found it such an adorable and heartwarming read!

I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this warm and light hearted read. This story put a smile on my face and I even had a few chuckles too. Hattie and Walter are in their late 80's and live in the Nursing home, they meet at 'Night Owls' where they get up to all sorts of things in the middle of the night when they cannot sleep. I have not read any books that are set in a care home and I found it sad but uplifting to read about their lives. Some of what they get up to is very amusing though and reminded me of my grandparents. We see a friendship emerge between Hattie and Walter which was lovely to see and they plan to escape from the Nursing home. There are some right characters that bring this book to life. I would love to read more about them.

I was given a copy of The Great Escape From Woodlands Nursing home by Joanna Neil by the publisher in exchange for a honest review.
The book is set in a nursing home the story is told in alternate chapters by 2 of its residents Walter and Hattie. Walter has to stay at the nursing home after losing his wife then being involved in a car accident. Walter wants to pass his test to drive his mobility scooter then escape from the home. Hattie lives alone, after breaking her hip she is placed at the home while she recovers then wants to return home. This is a very entertaining book, funny and a well told story. It also looks at how the elderly are cared for and how they feel in their later years. A really enjoyable read.

Old age, infirmity and death are explored in the most humorous and sympathetic fashion in this wonderful story.

Escape may be the premise, but the overriding message is one of hope, making the best of things, and friendship. There are so many layers to this story, but the one I loved the most was how uplifting it was.

Can't praise it enough.

This is the first book that I have read by this Author, and I really enjoyed it. I will definitely look out for more books by her.
Set in a private and expensive Nursing home, and features Hattie and Walter who unexpectedly became friends.
This book is poignant and heartwarming, but it also has plenty of amusing moments. It reminds you of how elderly people are often dismissed and not taken any notice of, but they are still very much a part of society.
I found this book a little slow to start with, but then I was drawn into it, and wanted to find out if Hattie and Walter's plan worked.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

When Hattie finds herself recovering from a fall at Woodlands Nursing Home, she wishes she could escape to go back to her run-down cottage. Fiercely independent, Hattie likes it best when she is on her own observing birds.

All fellow resident Walter wants, is to pass his test for the 'Tesla', his shiny mobility scooter. It is unfortunate that Walter stops both Hattie and him in their efforts when he knocks her over at the end of his test.

Sister Bronwyn runs The Night Owls, together with Nurse Sameera and her dog Queenie. But when another accident with Walter at the centre has Sister Bronwyn dismissed, Hattie and Walter find common ground to bring Sister Hattie back and make life at Woodlands Nursing Home better for all residents.

The chapters alternate between Hattie and Walter, which makes for a nice pace of the story. But also for 2 great perspective from which we see life at the nursing home. Getting older does not mean life gets boring, on the contrary, and the residents show that life is always full of fun.

After having read ‘The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village’, I was looking forward to another book by Joanna Nell. The book had me laugh out loud and was just what I needed considering where we are with the pandemic.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for my eARC in return for my honest review.

I didn't find it as interesting as the title suggests. While the premise is interesting (albeit not exactly new), the writing gets a little tedious to read after a bit. It's funny, sure, but, in my opinion, could have been a lot better if it were a little shorter.

At nearly ninety, retired nature writer Hattie Bloom prefers the company of birds to people. But when a fall lands her in a nursing home, she struggles to cope with loosing her independance and privacy. She dreams of escaping.

Fellow resident Walter Clements also plans on returning home as soon as he's fit to take charge of his mobility scooter. Hattie and wattie met at The Night Owls, a clandestine club run by Sister Bronwyn and her dog Queenie, for people with insomnia.

What a joy this book is to read. You will love all the characters who will make you laugh out loud, but they will also make you cry. The story is told from Hattie and Wattie's points of view in alternate chapters. This is a well writen book and i loved readindg about the antics the residents got themselves into.

I wouold like to thank #NetGalley, #Hodder&Stoughton and the author #JoannaNell for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Having read and enjoyed The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village, I've been looking forward to this one!

Hattie Bloom is dismayed to be forced to convalesce after a fall; she has lived in her cottage surrounded by wildlife all her life and really doesn't fancy being stuck in a nursing home and dreams of 'breaking out'. Walter Clements is already a resident in the home and all that stops him from returning home is the red tape preventing him from using his mobility scooter. When they meet Sister Bronwyn's and Queenie, her dog, at the unconventional club, The Night Owls, Hattie and Walter don't really get on but when Bronwyn loses her job, they need to work together and a friendship takes it's first tentative steps.

As with her previous novel, Joanna Nell reminds us all that getting older doesn't mean stopping living and there is never a dull moment! A great story, packed with memorable characters and beautifully written, this is a book which will also prod at the conscience of anyone who regards the elderly as having nothing to offer in today's world. This is such good fun but with an undertone of reality throughout. There are some very poignant moments, adding up to a very good read and one I'm happy to give four stars.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Read in two days.

After a fall broke Hattie Bloom’s (whose ninety), hip, she’s now recuperating in the Woodlands Nursing Home as are other frail, elderly people.
But she so desperately wants to go home, to her birds and endangered species.

Walter, whose an elderly, a food lover and keeps a hidden stash of alcohol, meets Hattie who doesn’t think much of him, but she doesn’t tell him that.

When Sister Bronwyn who runs the night shift with nurse Sameera,and The Night Owls, this was something for Hattie and Walter to do to pass the long hours of darkness.

Sister Bronwyn has a Labrador Queenie, a big fan of - treats. The residents all loved Queenie.

Unexpectedly, Sister Bronwyn was dismissed, meaning that the nights were back to the way they are expected to be.

So then, Hattie and Walter hatch a plan, but the big question is WILL IT WORK??

Joanna’s book I found was heartwarming, sad and LoL at times, but a realistic read of life in a nursing home for the elderly .Those that are put there and very often forgotten.

Recommend it.

I was so looking forward to reading this book, it sounded like it was going to be tons of fun, and I liked the idea of rebellious old folk. I was so disappointed when I didn't really like the characters. I even put the book down twice and tried to read it on another day. I don't have to like the characters, and maybe it was just me .Looking at most of the other reviews I seem to be out of step and other readers do like the characters, and I am fine with that. I am somewhat puzzled that they were not my cup of tea. I would still like to read other books by this author, and thought the idea of the story was terrific. so I can only hope it was just me and other readers love it.

This was the first of this authors books I have read and most certainly won’t be my last. This was one of my favourite reads of 2020 and once I had started it I couldn’t put it down. It was so poignant and beautifully written and sensitive topics were dealt with in a very realistic and compassionate way.

The residents of woodlands nursing home all have their own quirks and impeccable individual charms which makes this book such a delight to read as I warmed to each and every one of them. Sister bronwyn is a fabulous character and every nursing home should have a night owls club in her honour.

This book made me laugh and cry in equal measure. This is a must read book for all

Older people rarely feature highly in books but Joanna Nell seems to have made them her niche, perhaps drawing on her own experiences of working with the elderly? I've enjoyed her other books so I was looking forward to this one.
The story follows the residents of Woodlands Nursing Home as they grapple with accepting the limitations that age inflicts upon them. Walter is a retired driving instructor struggling to accept that he has failed his mobility scooter test. Hattie has always lived alone. Adjusting to communal living where the routines and rhythms are imposed by the home's management is a huge challenge. She longs to go home.
The story is poignant and warm. It brings the characters to life and reminds us to see older people for who they once were rather than what they have been reduced to by the ravages of ageing. It's full of comedy and humour and is an overall heartwarming read.

Miss Hattie Bloom is nearly ninety and fiercely independent, having enjoyed her life as a nature writer, living alone and feeling more comfortable with birds than people. Hattie has lived in her home all her life, the house was once surrounded by beautiful open fields, and was home to large varieties of birds and other wildlife. Over the years the land has been developed and more homes built, each one having an impact on the environment. When Hattie’s new neighbours decide to cut down the overhanging branches from a huge tree in Hattie’s garden. So incensed by the wanton destruction of the home of fledgling owls, that Hattie decides to climb a ladder to check on the owls’ nest, disaster hits and she falls breaking her hip. As she is alone with no family, Hattie is sent to Woodlands care home to recouperate, and so begins the plot to escape.
Woodlands is a care facility with a mixture of respite patients and residents. One evening whilst attempting to sleep the lovely night nurse Bronwyn invites her to join the ‘night owls’, a rather alternative approach to geriatric care. Despite preferring her own company Hattie begins to realise that other people can be as fascinating as birds. When the ‘Night Owls’ are caught and sister Bronwyn fired, Hattie and her new friend Walter decide something is amiss. Together with their mutual friend Murray, plot to get Bronwyn re-instated and ‘Sister Who’ removed.
Once again Joanna Nell has written a wonderful, light hearted read that had me hooked from page one.

I love Joanna Nell's books for their quirky originality and focus on characters more senior in their years than many protagonists.
The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home is both hilarious and heart-warming. It is also touching and tender, poignant and possibly perfect!
Hattie Bloom, 89, and Walter Clements, 90 are the stars of the show, ably assisted by cancer riddled Murray from his bed and red bobble hatted, paperclip wearing Fanny Olsen. They all reside in the 5 star nursing home in rooms that are named after the properties on a Monopoly board. Some residents are more willing to be there than others, reminding us all that just because bodies become weary , minds can still be active and intelligent with great wisdom and experience to impart, or simply still plenty of pranks to dream up and participate in.
This book is a sheer joy to read and will have you chuckling a lot and surreptitiously wiping away a tear or two. The characters are a dream to live with through the pages and their personal plights handled with humour but great sensitivity and realism too.
For Hattie, desperate to be reunited with the wild birds that she has studied all her life, particularly the owls in the tree next to Angorphora Cottage where she once lived alone, and Walter who loves a drink or three and who is never more at home than behind a wheel, the nighttime hours are long and boring. Hence their membership of The Night Owls, a rather unconventional nightly social meeting of selected individuals designed to spice up the hours after bedtime, headed up by the maverick Sister Bronwyn and her aged therapy dog Queenie.
Join them all in their funny battles to be heard, to retain their dignity and individuality and, in Walter's case, pass his driving test in The Tesla, aka his electric mobility scooter gathering dust in the corner of his room.
You are never too old to find new friends, fall in love and enjoy plenty of second chances. Even if you are Icarus the budgerigar!
One of my favourite reads of this year.

In a world where nursing homes, care homes and the like are very much dominant in the news, this delightful book forgets all our current circumstances and plunges us into Woodlands Nursing Home and some of it's interesting residents.

Hattie Bloom, determinedly single, a lover of all things ornithological and certainly not human finds herself in this nursing home. Constrained by rules and regulations, it is Hattie's wish to escape back to her own home. Like a nesting bird that is where she feels most safe surrounded by what she knows.

Walter Clement has been a resident for a while and is determined to keep his love of the open road going and pass his ability test to be able to use his scooter. Sadly the open road is going to be closed for a bit longer than anticipated.

Sister Bronwyn is the night sister, she has quite a way with all the residents and it seems that once she has worked you out, Sister Bronwyn will introduce to the Night Owls. A secret little group that keeps the residents entertained overnight and relies on what they know and so they can feel like they can belong. I think Sister Bronwyn is onto something with her particular choices of activities for the residents.

However it seems that the Night Owls are about to be extinguished.

The residents of the Woodlands Nursing Home put their wits against the management, the medical profession and the police to escape the monotony of the world they finds themselves incarcerated in.

Who will gain the upper hand?

Somehow Joanna Nell has encompassed the continual life these residents live, by naming all their rooms by Monopoly Board squares, it felt like they were all continually going round that board until the point one of them couldn't pass go anymore. Her experience as a GP clearly comes through in the book with the writing and there is a part of me that hopes that some of the little incidents are perhaps gleaned from real life. When you get to them in the book - you will know! 

This is a delightful heart warming novel which will bring you tears of laughter, joy and sadness. You stop and think about the life you have lead, the life you still have left to lead and what those who are nearing their end of their lives really want from those final days.

If you enjoy slow books that are packed with so much, you have to savour every moment, then this is the book for you. It reminds me of Rachel Joyce novels. The main topics perhaps are maudlin and you don't think would make for easy or pleasant reading but this is book is a celebration of lives lived and lives lost. Celebrate by reading it.