I’ve enjoyed Catherine Isaac’s previous books (both under this name and Jane Costello) so when I saw this on NetGalley I requested an advance review copy and was lucky enough to be granted my wish!

Here’s the blurb:

“The dazzling new novel from Richard & Judy book club author Catherine Isaac, The World at my Feet is a story about the transforming power of love, as one woman journeys to uncover the past and reshape her future.
The secrets that bind us can also tear us apart…
1990. Harriet is a journalist. Her job takes her to dangerous places, where she asks questions and tries to make a difference. But when she is sent to Romania, to the state orphanages the world is only just learning about, she is forced to rethink her most important rule.
2018. Ellie is a gardener. Her garden is her sanctuary, her pride and joy. But, though she spends long days outdoors, she hasn’t set foot beyond her gate for far too long. Now someone enters her life who could finally be the reason she needs to overcome her fears.
From post-revolution Romania to the idyllic English countryside, The World at My Feet is the story of two women, two worlds, and a journey of self-discovery that spans a lifetime.”

Now, I read a spoiler – accidentally in a NetGalley review – and that really altered my reading of the book. It didn’t ruin it – but it did mean I was waiting for a certain thing to be uncovered – so I would 100% recommend NOT reading any spoilers (why do people do that? It’s soooooo annoying!)

The book intertwines two timelines and two people’s story – Harriet and Ellie. Both are really well written and I wanted to learn more about both time periods.

I remember the press coverage of the situation in Romania in the 1980s when I was a child – so I could really imagine these sections of the book. The descriptions of the orphanages are really graphic in a disturbing – but necessarily so – way.

The ‘current’ timeline centres on Ellie who is a gardening influencer and agoraphobic and how she tries to manage her fears.

The relationships between the women – but also Ellie with her sister Lucy, her hunky new yoga teacher bloke, her friendly garden centre delivery man, and the cleaner’s son are all beautifully described and explored.

There are so many layers to the book – its really lovely and escapist. The ending in particular was wonderful.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance review copy.

Beautifully written. Worthy of a 5 star review for how well it covers the 2 tough topics and for making the reader feel a part of the book with the level of description and such a beautiful ending which gave me goosebumps!

1990. Harriet is a journalist. Her job takes her to dangerous places, where she asks questions and tries to make a difference. But when she is sent to Romania, to the state orphanages the world is only just learning about, she is forced to rethink her most important rule. 2018. Ellie is a gardener. Her garden is her sanctuary, her pride and joy. But, though she spends long days outdoors, she hasn’t set foot beyond her gate for far too long. Now someone enters her life who could finally be the reason she needs to overcome her fears. From post-revolution Romania to the idyllic English countryside, The World at My Feet is the story of two women, two worlds, and a journey of self-discovery that spans a lifetime.

This is a really moving, beautifully written book. I guessed the connection between Harriet and Ellie from the description but I will not specify it just in case. From the beginning, I found myself invested in this story, I was keen to get stuck in, get to know the characters and follow them as the past meets the present.

I was engrossed in this read and thoroughly enjoyed it, however it is worth saying Isaac writes about some extremely sensitive, difficult topics and they did make for hard reading. Isaac writes sensitively and powerfully and it is absolutely central to the plot. Nevertheless, it does make for emotive reading and so it should. Ellie's life in the present day also involves a sensitive subject matter and again Isaac writes about it with aplomb. I was completely immersed in the pain and emotion on every page, but do not worry for there is an abundance of hope in this as well.

The plot is very powerful and I just adored reading it and discovering more as I read. The characters are sensational as well, very well crafted, very likeable and easy to read about. The more I read about the characters the more I wanted to continue with the read. Isaac ensures the reader cares deeply about them. This is a highly emotional read and the characters are the perfect match.

'The World At My Feet' is a difficult read at times however it is also very powerful and a joy to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for an advance copy.

Catherine Isaac always brings tears to my eyes with her wonderful and emotional stories and her beautiful and relatable characters.

Her newest novel, The World At My Feet, is set between England and Romania and the protagonists are two incredible women. Ellie is an Instagram influencer with thousands and thousands of followers who are drawn and inspired by her beautiful pictures of her garden. But, behind the scenes, Ellie’s life is far from perfect. In the 1990s, Harriet is a journalist who travels around the world to report on breaking news. Her article on orphanages in Romania opens the eyes of the world to the dramatic and horrible conditions of the children there and it will change her life for good.

The World At My Feet is a compelling story of family and I especially enjoyed Ellie’s close relationship with her sister Lucy. It’s also a story of friendship. I found the relationship that Ellie develops with five-year-old Oscar adorable and heartwarming. Romance is present and complicated, but it’s not at the center of the story. At the center of the story there is Ellie, her journey of self-discovery, facing her past and her ghosts, her fears and anxieties. I really liked the character of Ellie and I really felt for her and her struggles. I also liked the character of Harriet, a mother who has to revisit her past to help her daughter heal.

The Worlds At My Feet is a poignant and beautiful story, it is enjoyable, but it’s not always an easy read. There are themes of mental health and trauma and the descriptions of the children in the orphanage are heartbreaking. Overall, The World At My Feet is a wonderful and engaging story, with some humour, some tears to shed, and a perfect ending!

Wow is the most prominent word I can think of when I start this review. I could not put this book down. Such a strong and important story of Ellie facing her past to allow herself a future. I found this book just so powerful and totally unpredictable which I loved. I don't want to spoil this for anyone who reads it but you will really not be disappointed. The last few chapters of closure physically had me in tears! Just amazing!

What a wonderful book

Ellie became a character who quickly intrigued and inspired me, her passion for gardening and kind nature had me rooting for her from the beginning!

Ellie is an influencer, specialising in all things green in her stunning garden sandwiched between her parents’ house and her own little annex.
Battling chronic anxiety, Ellie grows into herself beautifully in this novel, nudged along by her family, a kind new stranger and a very muscled yoga instructor.

I loved the way we learnt about Ellie’s past through her mother’s work, bringing the story of Ellie’s childhood into present day beautifully.

I implore people to pick this book up, you’ll be inspired.

Firstly, thank you for my advance copy of this book.
I loved this book it's beautifully written and addresses emotional issues sensitively and carefully. I was hoping for a good ending and it didn't disappoint. Would recommend to friends and family.

What can I say, I loved this!!!! I wasn't expecting a lot of what happened In this story, but so much happened, with no confusions
It was a real feel good story. And the ending was so so happy, not your standard love story happy ending, but something more meaningful and personal
I could relate to some of Ellie's problems as well and the way she overcame so much through the story

When I started University in 1989, the world was changing quickly. The Berlin Wall fell and many of the former Communist countries finally allowed Western journalists to visit. I remember seeing the stories about the Romanian orphanages and feeling profoundly sad that children were abandoned in this way. So I was intrigued to see how this story would unfold.

I am a fan of Catherine’s writing and I’m pleased to see that the lockdown/ global pandemic hasn’t changed her storytelling style. I quickly became invested in the stories of Harriet and Ellie, two women who had their lives changed after a chance encounter in Romania.

I enjoyed both threads of the story, the trips back in time with Harriet and the more recent time with Ellie. Ellie has become trapped in her home/garden by agrophobia, but has stayed in touch with the outside world by becoming a gardening Instagrammer, passing on hints and tips, and sharing her passion for gardening. She knows she needs to get out, to live her life more fully but needs help to conquer her fears.

I quickly became hooked by the story, desperate to see if Ellie could make some changes and how the story about Harriet would link to Ellie’s. The well written characters came to life and on a cold January day, it was lovely to imagine being in Ellie’s beautiful garden.

I’m trying hard to not give away any spoilers, so I’m sorry if this sounds rather vague but I don’t want to spoil the storytelling. My advice is to order a copy and enjoyed watching the story unfold. Thank you Catherine Isaac for another lovely book.

Thank you NetGalley for my advance copy of this book. I loved this book, beautifully written and which addresses very emotive issues sensitively and carefully. I was absolutely rooting for the main character throughout and was so moved by the end of the story. Loved it. Thank you Catherine Isaac.

Catherine has a lovely style of writing which I enjoy emensly.
This follows the story of Ellie. She suffers with agoraphobia although she does tend to her garden for her Instagram followers but can't go further than her gate. She meets an old school friend who delivers her plants. He starts to help her overcome her fear but then there is a setback.
We also go back to Ellie's childhood.
Harriet is Ellie's mother and we hear her story from the horrendous orphanages in Romania to the present day.
This is quite a journey and very thought provoking.
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon &Schuster uk for the ARC

Oooof. I'll admit that from the cover – and from the fact that I hadn't read the blurb for a long time before reading – I was expecting a light-hearted, comforting read. This is my first of the author's books so I don't know how naive a thought that was. Anyway I found a far more powerful read than that.

Ellie is an Instagram star. Her feed shows the perfectly curated lifestyle of an English gardening influencer... and completely avoids the fact that due to severe agoraphobia she hasn't left her property for years.

There is some important real-world history from the 1980s-90s touched upon here, which I'm kind of ashamed to say that I knew pretty much nothing of and will be doing some research on. 

As Ellie's story unfolds, I realised with the benefit of hindsight that there are some fairly big clues about there being more to her background than we're initially lead to believe, however it was done with an excellent level of subtlety, leaving the story to develop for the reader naturally.

This is a book about trauma, about anxiety, about recovery (and relapse), about family, and about love. I felt so deeply for so many of the characters, and I think they will stay with me for a while.

Up until 20% I was wondering where this was going. It seemed a light rom-com style book, something that if made into a film Katherine Heigle would star in, you know the kind of thing. Witty, well written but not much substance. Then… it suddenly becomes something else. I don’t want to spoil it but it tackles a subject that is dark, traumatic and sadly very real. I was very moved at the end.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5

An absolutely brilliant book and a pleasure to read. I was drawn in from the start and read it in pretty much one sitting. Loved it!

Written from two perspectives Harriet’s and her daughter Ellie’s. Harriet is a journalist who covers breaking news around the world. Ellie is a Instagram influencer who adds pictures and tips about gardening .

I didn’t read anything about this book before I started this book , I chose it because of the beautiful cover . I can see this will be tender story . Ellie is agoraphobic woman that lives in her family annex ( back garden ), the story is told from first person narrative, I like Ellie's voice.

The writing is very rewarding and beautiful writing, I like how it shows sensitivity to the character, I never heard of agoraphobia , but it was handled with sensitivity. . There is reason for this and we discovered that the more we read the book.
I really liked Ellie and her mum , also I liked the style of writing, the only thing is I didn’t like is the back story, I really just wanted to stay with Lucy and not go back to past events.

This was funny and sad story .

So so good, this book was so touching. A soon as I started reading I couldn’t put it down and am going to be tired for the rest of the day with this story in my head, you know it's a good book when it doesn't leave you straight away. I loved all the characters, this book does have some light fluffy moments but it is multilayered with so much depth it. I felt my heart breaking for Ellie. Her agoraphobia is portrayed so realistically. This is a must read!

Gardener Ellie has a problem.

Reading a new book by a favourite author is always a terrifying concept. What if I don't like it? I didn't like The World At My Feet. I loved it!

Whilst The World At My Feet had all the beautiful, descriptive and humane writing I have come to expect from a Catherine Isaac novel, this time there was an added extra. It's somewhat difficult to articulate, but I felt as if the author had somehow invested more of herself in the narrative and as a result I felt even more personally affected. There's not only Ellie's agoraphobia that is so well researched and realistically conveyed, but the Romanian historical details are rich, deep and authoritative, making for a story that penetrates the reader's mind and leaves them thinking about the narrative long after the book is closed. Indeed, after I'd finished reading the story and being entertained, I found The World At My Feet kept creeping back into my mind.

There's a wonderful depth to the writing in The World At My Feet. Catherine Isaac's ability to appeal to all the senses is glorious. The descriptions of Ellie's garden lifted my spirits and it is no exaggeration to say that I was compelled to go out into my own garden as a result of my reading, so that it had a positive effect on my own emotional well-being, because I experienced the same lift from nature as does Ellie.

I loved meeting Ellie. She is such a complete human being who is battling an awful condition. She illustrates so effectively how we are affected by our past, even when we try to block it out and how metal illness is equally as life changing as physical illness. The World At My Feet conveys through Ellie the importance of love, of nature, family and friends which I think has enormous resonance in recent times. She had my sympathy and my empathy even when her realistic, flawed persona made her behave in ways I wanted her to reconsider, making her feel like a metaphor for life. I cared about her completely and she got right under my skin. It would spoil the story to say how and why her relationships with Guy and Jamie made me feel as they did, but I can say they had a visceral and profound impact on me, causing me to shout at the characters and to weep tears of joy and sadness at some of the outcomes.

Although I always profess that I'm not keen on dual timelines or multiple perspectives in books, I found Harriet's story equally as engaging as Ellie's. It might sound ridiculous, but because The World At My Feet is based in real events that I remember, I completely forgot that Harriet and Ellie are fictional characters. I think it's the authority behind the writing that created such an effect.

Alongside the wonderful characters and perfectly balanced plotting are themes that elevate The World At My Feet beyond a beautifully told love story - a love story not just romantically, but within families too. Catherine Isaac explores identity - of culture, of place, and of our real and social media personas so that reading The World At My Feet gave an insight into how we construct ourselves for others. Loyalty and trust, true friendship and responsibility also underpin the story, adding layers to uncover, but it was the realistic portrayal of Ellie's situation that held my attention so completely. I think reading The World At My Feet might just be life changing for some, giving them hope at difficult times.

I'm aware that I haven't really done justice to The World At My Feet. If readers are looking for a light, fluffy diversion they may be disappointed. If, however, they want a book that explores humanity, is romantic, is transporting and is an utterly brilliant multi-layered read then Catherine Isaac's The World At My Feet is exactly what they are looking for.

This book is written from two perspectives, Harriet’s and her daughter Ellie’s. Harriet is as successful journalist who has travelled the world working on breaking news stories such as the appalling conditions of the Romanian orphanages in the 90’s.
Ellie is a Instagram influencer who specialises in gardening. Although she’s always out in the fresh air working hard in her happy place, she never sets foot through her gate. Her life is lived out online.
Then she starts chatting to yoga instructor Guy on one of her Instagram posts and they hit it off immediately. Could he be the one to help her overcome the deep seated issues from her past?
This book was so touching! A soon as I started reading I couldn’t put it down. I loved all the characters and was surprised how in depth it was. I felt my heart breaking for Ellie. Her agoraphobia is portrayed so realistically. I remember when Romanian orphanages were featured on Challenge Anneka in the nineties, I’ll never forget those horrific and heart wrenching scenes as long as I live.
I went through a range of feelings when reading this, an emotional rollercoaster!
A triumph in the face of adversity, uplifting read which will stay with me for a very long time!

This is a deeply thoughtful and moving book. The two main characters, mother Harriet, and daughter Ellie, are so very clevely described. Each one has a story, emotional and poignant.
Harriet as a War correspondent, in and out of danger, visits the harrowing Romanian orphanages, a visit that will change her life.
Ellie's story is set 20 years later. Suffering from agoraphobia, she is nevertheless an avid gardener, and her Social media presence is fulfilling her life. The garden descriptions are lovely.
Catehrine Isaacs makes mention of a wonderful Charity called Hope and Hpmes for Children. I was honoured to meet the founders many years ago and have supported the work, so this book meant a lot to me.
Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book.. It is one I shan't forget.

A thoroughly enjoyable read. I was possibly expecting a predictable romance novel (which I do enjoy, by the way!) but was so surprised and enchanted by the depth of the story and how real historical events were so beautifully woven into a fictional tale. Highly recommended,