So good! I’m a big fan of Catherine Isaac and this new novel did not disappoint. I was invested in Ellie’s character from the outset and loved the heartwarming feel on finishing. Highly recommend.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is the first of Catherine Isaacs books I've read and I'll definitely be looking out for her name again.
Most 80's 90's and 00's children know about and have a presence on Instagram and I thought it was a great idea to have it set around something so popular.
We meet Ellie, a gardener with a high following on instagram, through her posts we see how happy she is. But with like all social media it unfortunately covers up what people really feel. We find out quite quickly that Ellie is agoraphobic and how easy it is to post what you want people to see.
Without spoiling it for others, it is also really interesting (and sad) especially if you grew up seeing the news in the 90's. It really hits home.
Thank you Catherine for a beautiful read, it is informative as well as emotive.

Firstly a big thank you to the fabulous team at Simon and Schuster for my copy to review on netgalley. I am a huge fan of this authors writing both under this name and her previous. However ones written as Catherine just have that extra emotive side.

This is a fantastic tale written in different timelines for different women.

It explores mental illness in a relatable genuine way . With each chapter the reader goes on a journey with Ellie of self discovery and growth.

Heartwarming and uplifting this is a great 2021 spring read.

As Ellies world grows more so does those around her.

Emotional and beautifully captures the human trials and tribulations and how to be brave and face our fears.

Published 18th March

Oh I loved this book, it completely drew me in. It is sad, uplifting and hopeful all at the same time. Really well written and a captivating story which had tears in my eyes at the end. Recommend.

Another fantastic book from Catherine Isaac. For me, Catherine is not an author that shies away from difficult or emotional topics & this book is no exception. A beautifuly written story, moving and totally uplifting.I heartily recommend reading this book for yourselves.

Such a wonderful read!

The World at My Feet tells the story of Harriet, a foreign correspondent and Ellie, a gardener with a huge social media following. Based in both 1990’s Romania and present day England we follow their moving story in which both characters face their fears and realise that good things can come from love and nurture.
I absolutely loved this book, it’s filled with great characters and a heartbreaking back story, which is told so well, while covering traumatic subjects.
Highly recommended, add it to your reading list.

The World at My Feet alternates between the 90s & current day... the story of Ellie an Instagram influencer (Gardener) and Harriet her mother a news correspondent ..There are some very tough subjects explored however it’s a touching story. & I would recommend it.

This is the first book I have read by this author, I look forward to reading some more from her back catalogue.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Moving between the present day and and the 1990’s. This book tells the story of Ellie, who is a gardener and instagrammer, and her mother Harriet who journalistic career takes her to the state run orphanages of Romania during the fall of Ceausescu. To tell more would give the story away. Just know that this is a beautifully written book, that covers such diverse and difficult topics.

I always enjoy Catherine Isaac books and The World at My Feet was no exception. The dual mother and daughter narratives were interesting and in contrast with one another, and you couldn’t fail to be moved by the plight of the orphanages - a dark time in history.

Ellie was a flawed and therefore intriguing character, as were the challenges in her life and her love of gardening, although I didn’t warm to her in the same way as I have other characters in this author’s previous books. I loved the descriptions of the gardens, plants and flowers and the use of Instagram entwined with the story, and it added some much needed escapism to my life.

The writing was, as usual, high quality and very easy to read.

The only reason this was not a five star was because I didn’t love it as much as I adoredMessy Wonderful Us, and the ending felt a little underwhelming. However, still a great book and I’ll definitely be reading Catherine’s books in the future.

With thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed this book, liking the characters while also getting frustrated with them! The book uncovered a second story to explain the behaviour of the main character and was moving as to what have been experienced. I hoped for a happy ending but won't spoil it!

The story is about a gardener and instagrammer, Ellie and her mum who is a journalist.

This book brings up a lot of things that I do believe many people will relate to. Ellie's mum was sent to cover a story on orphanages in Romania, and now we hear of her life in the present day.

This is such a lovely book, with sad moments and heartwarming moments. You will love it!

Thanks to Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in return for an honest review.

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.

Firstly, this book is wonderfully written. Absolute credit to the author for producing a moving, heart warming and emotional read. I always think the sign of a good book is when you are still thinking about it after you have read it, I finished this book last week and it has remained in the forefront of my mind.

Ellie is an Instagram influencer through her garden and she sees this as her connection to the outside world. Her Insta feed sounds delightful one that I would definitely follow.

I don't want to give anything about the book anyway however: the book focuses on events that I can clearly remember happening and it is written in such a sensitive way, like I say all credit to the author.

I have already started recommending this book to friends, a wonderfully written book.

Ellie Heathcote is a gardener, instagrammer (influencer) and daughter to an award winning war correspondent. She has it all. Apart from her freedom – Ellie is agoraphobic and cant set foot outside of her garden gate.

I really loved this book and found myself hooked from the first chapter. The story jumps between Ellie and her mother, Harriet, who is a well known war correspondent (the character was inspired by Kate Adie), with Ellie’s story often being led by her instagram posts as she engages with her 50k+ followers. We learn that Ellie suffers from terrible nightmares and is haunted by the image of a little girl at the side of her bed who then jumps out of the window. Ellie has been to see a therapist but stopped going 2 years ago after she struggled to talk about her past.

Harriet’s story tells of her times in war torn countries, how she comes to meet her husband (Colin) and the story of their marriage, her pregnancy and them becoming parents. Ellie’s parents are a lovely, supportive couple and they don’t ever push Ellie to just “man up and get over it” which I really liked. They respect their daughter’s mental health issues and want to help her in any way they can – something that would have been easy to write differently for people of their generation.

Catherine writes Ellie’s panic attacks brilliantly. You really feel the pain that Ellie is going through. As someone who used to suffer panic attacks in my teens, they felt very real. I also saw a therapist who told my mum is was just teenage hormones (in my case, it really was). Despite her circumstances, Ellie forms relationships with others and we see her slowly growing in strength and confidence – will she overcome her biggest fear?

I also loved how Catherine writes about Harriet’s visit to the Romanian orphanages of the 1990s – I vaguely remember the news at the time and I have seen the harrowing images of emaciated children, chained to bed, living in filth and squalor. The book made me want to look into this more and educate myself about what happened and what is happening now.

I’ve mentioned this before but so often the ‘women’s fiction’ genre is brushed off as ‘easy reading’ or ‘fluffy’, ‘light hearted’ etc but this book is far from that. I think it would be an insult to call this ‘just another romance book’ or an ‘easy beach read’ when it covers to many deep topics. It was a book I devoured in a day but that doesn’t make it an easy read – it makes it unputdownable.

This is probably one of the best books I’ve read by Catherine Isaac (formerly writing as Jane Costello) and must have taken some researching – the mental health aspect, the historical news snippets, the Romanian orphanages, instagram/influencers etc. I thoroughly recommend it – I cried throughout and there was even a moment where I gasped out loud with surprise! (No spoilers though)

I absolutely loved this book. It drew me in from the very first page.

The book moves between the present day where Ellie is a gardener who interacts with the world via her Instagram account showcasing her beautiful garden, and the early 90s when journalist Harriet is sent to Romania to cover the fall of Ceausescu and the discovery of the state-run orphanges.

The descriptions of Ellie's garden are captivating and made me want to rush outside and redesign my entire garden! Even in January. Harriet's time spent in Romania is hard to read. I remember the orphanges being opened up to the world and the shock and sadness felt by so many. You are drawn into the world these children lived in, and also in to the world Ellie inhabits in her beautiful garden. I was desperate to find out what happened next and must admit to being a bit choked up by the end. It's also very funny in parts, especially when young Oscar comes on the scene!

If you want a book that will make you think, affect you and that is ultimately uplifting, read The World at My Feet - you won't regret it.

After the year we have had with all the lockdowns I think many of us will understand the feeling of being unable to leave the house.

Catherine Isaac has written a beautiful and moving tale of how and why her heroine, Ellie, decides she really does need to overcome her agoraphobia.

This book made me laugh and it made me cry and but most of all it filled my heart with love and hope.

The world at my feet is a touching story about Ellie and her mother Harriet. In the present day, Ellie is an Instagram influencer and agoraphobic. Her mother is a news reporter and in the 1990’s, covered some of the world’s biggest stories, including the appalling treatment of Romanian orphans.
The book covers some quite difficult issues, but has the overall message that with the right love and support, we can find the strength to overcome our obstacles. It blends a very modern tale of mental health issues and romance, with real historical events in a sensitive and authentic way.

I have loved this authors other 2 books and this one is no exception. I shall definitely be buying it in book form when it’s published.
Loved it !
9/10

Catherine Isaac's brilliant writing shines through in this thought provoking book. Her research and attention to detail is second to none and her ability to bring to life the harrowing images of the Romanian orphanages, which shocked the world in the 1990's, onto the pages of this book is astounding.
After Ellie's horrific start in life, she is given a wonderful upbringing with her adoptive parents and a new baby sister in England. However, to expect a child to be unaffected by 8 years of neglect and abuse in her formative years would be foolish. Adult Ellie's struggles with her mental health and the people who help her to overcome her agoraphobia make this story come to life in a challenging but beautiful way.
Anyone who has ever struggled with mental health issues would be inspired by reading this story.

Wow what a book I can see this being a bestseller of 2021 and would recommend everyone reads this amazing book, This book tells the story of Ellie Heathcote, gardener, Social Media Blogger and her mum Harriet.

The story is wonderful and amazing and giving me so much to think about what going on in the world .

This story will stay with me for a long time , I have recommended this book to all my friends to read when it comes out.

Thank you Simon & Schuster & Netgalley for the arc of this amazing book.

This book is beautifully written and well researched.
I love the way the author talks really serious topics in such an easy and respectful way.
At "The world at my feet" we got the story of Ellie an orphan girl from Romania that was adopted by an English couple, who suffers from agoraphobia but at the same time she is a successful instagram influencer.
We will follow Ellie with her ups and downs, how she tries to feel better with her mental health as well as her journey to reunite with her past is a way to understand why she was suffering from agoraphobia. Is so well written that you can feel in your own skin Ellie's panic attacks like is you in that situation.
Another topic that is really well presented in this book is the impact of the social media in people.

Also we will follow Harriet, Ellie's mom through her career and we will understand more about the orphans in Romania through her, since she was a war journalist.

Summarizing this is a beautiful story about second chances and family. Of course we will have a pinch of romance but is not the main subject in this story.