This had me gripped from the off. Claire Alexander does a wonderful job of drawing us into the life of Meredith an agoraphobic who hasn’t left the house in 3 years. This is a character driven book about a young woman who is trying to live with and overcome deep seated issues from her past. I really became invested in the lovable Meredith and was rooting for her to overcome her past and break free. A great debut!

I’ll start saying that this is a powerful and bitter read; sad but empowering. Slow paced but with interesting characters, it’s impossible to not want to hug Meredith and cheer her for how brave she is.
Since I started reading this book I was glued; I wanted to know more about Meredith and why she has been living for the last 3 years of her life inside her home. She tells everyone that she is “fine”, but she knows that she is not, she only doesn’t know how to change it.
We’ll read this story in first voice, with flashbacks from Meredith’s past and childhood and how everything collided in the moment she is. I don’t think there’s just one thing that made Meredith stay at home, a bunch of little things that made her one day impossible to step outside and stay within the walls.
We’ll not only meet Meredith’s story but a few other characters that will start being part of her life; all will bring their own little grain to Meredith’s character and try to help her. Will they be successful on their path to help Meredith? You’ll have to read the story to know the answer!
This is a brave book; talks about rape, depression, abuse and mental health without taboos or prejudices. A fresh way to show the reader that having a mental health illness is not something we should be ashamed of, we should be able to talk about it and never be bullied or discarded for it. We all in one moment or other in our life struggle and need help, it’s time we are open about it.
Are you ready to meet “Meredith, Alone”?

Heart warming and quirky, touching on a lot of issues - mental health, abuse, friendship, family. Likeable protagonist, you can't not root for her!

i can’t describe how much happiness this book gave me. i absolutely LIVE for books with mental health rep and i’m so grateful for the amazing (and realistic) representation of agoraphobia in this novel. there are ups and downs in recovery and it’s never linear and to see that rep made my mentally ill heart so so happy. meredith felt like a real friend to me by the end of this and i felt genuinely so proud of her for all she’d achieved. i would highly highly recommend this book for mental health rep & if you need an inspiring & motivating novel. it was beautiful.

I really enjoyed this book which kept me reading right through. Meredith isn't your typical protagonist, and Claire Alexander does a great job of making a compelling story when much of it has to take place inside Meredith's house. Interweaving flashbacks to her childhood, we gradually unravel her story, finding out just how she has reached the point where she hasn't left her house for three years.
This is a positive book. Despite the trauma in Meredith's past, we see her making slow progress towards having friends, reconnecting with family, and eventually achieving a fuller life outside her four walls. Well worth reading.

A brilliant debut by Claire Alexander. I can see this being a bestseller over the summer! Absolutely loved the characters and the way the story unravelled.

I will update the review with a link to our blog closer to publication date.
I'd like to thank the publisher Penguin Michael Joseph UK and netgalley for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

A lovely book which I have devoured in 2days. Meredith is such a lovely character who you instantly warm to and are rooting for. This story flits between past and present as we learn the reason why meredith hasn't left the house for 3 years.
Definitely recommend thank you for the advanced copy netgalley

Loved it, the next Eleanor Oliphant! Touching on real, painful issues with sensitivity yet at the same time uplifting, moving, optimistic. A great read.

An engrossing read as we find out exactly what has driven Meredith to stay in her house for over three years, and what happened to cause her to become alienated from her family. Along the way she makes two new friends who have some issues of their own, although these issues are barely explored. Tom and Celeste actually seem far more well adjusted than I might have expected in the circumstances, but they support Meredith and propel her story forward.
Meredith, Alone is in the same genre as Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and A Man Called Ove. All are linear stories following characters who have deeply personal issues to resolve, as they form new relationships along the way and change through the course of the story.
Meredith is a really sympathetic character, so proactive in her self-care and very likeable, while supportive of others. The little stories of her care for the boy across the road are genuinely touching moments.
All the cooking and baking is very on trend; with so many people learning new skills as they move away from eating processed food and takeaways. I imagine the dishes Meredith makes and the items she bakes will inspire readers. It certainly makes for a cosy read. The food, the cups of tea and the cat. Perfect.
There is one aspect of the story that could have been much darker, which could have changed the path of the story as it moved forward in the present time, but the author chose not to go there. As I read I questioned how realistic this aspect was; many women are not so lucky as to go forward without future altercations, threats and attempts at further control. Meredith, Alone is about family, friends and emotional support. It’s a very good read. I predict it is going to be one of the hit books of the year.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Meredith Alone was a really engaging read, which touches on some very dark and distressing subjects, but with enough lightness mixed in that it never feels like too much.

It's told by Meredith Maggs, who hasn't left her home in a very long time. She's functioning not too bad though - she's working at home, she has her best friend Sadie and Sadie's kids visiting regularly, she has all her systems in place to survive without ever going outside. Gradually, we learn more about Meredith and how her life has ended up like this.... and whether there's any possibility of change.

I liked that it was set in Glasgow, although we don't see much of the city (since Meredith never goes out).

I've noticed a lot of new novels set in 2019 recently, presumably to avoid having to grapple with You Know What. It did strike me as ironic that Meredith's self-imposed isolation might be succeeded by a more externally imposed one, come 2020... At least she's used to it, I guess.

An excellent read.

What causes people to make the choices they do? Meredith has chosen to not talk to her family or leave her home. She is able to work and functions quite well but this story explores the why and how she starts to rebuild her life.

There have been very few books where I have been rooting for the protagonist more than this one.

Meredith lives alone and has not left her house for 1214 days. I think what I love most about this book is that reclusiveness is something that very few of us have ever dealt with and it is difficult to imagine a life lived indoors for such a long period of time.

I think the author does a great job of portraying Meredith's loneliness and solitude but also her spirit and kindness for others. The story is told in the present day but also tells the back story of Meredith's life growing up as we come to realise why she has never left the house in so long.

Whilst there are triggers for a number of issues (which I won't list as they will technically be spoilers) it is a heart-warming book which will make you laugh, cry and everything in between.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Absolutely loved this quirky read that I could totally relate to. A brilliant snap shot of social phobia and post pandemic I think even more people will identify with the issues that Meridith experiences having locked herself away for so long. Extremely well written and thoroughly enjoyed following her journey.

Meredith can not leave her home. You really want her to have the courage to leave.
life is safe indoors and protected from everything that is keeping her secret.
Life is coming and its going to knock on the door. Lets hope Meredith has the courage to walk out and live it.

This is a really emotional read so make sure that you have those tissues to hand. You really take Meridith and her story into your heart. It's beautiful

Meredith as a character is beautifully written and the story deals with her past circumstances and present life very sensitively. She comes across as a wholly believable person and her story of how she came to be alone and housebound is told via her interactions with her very limited social circle.
As she expands both her social circle and her horizons you feel pride in her, as if she were one of your friends!

This is not my usual type of book but I was intrigued by the ‘blurb’. Initially I found Meredith to be annoying and self-absorbed but gradually, as the book wore on, I warmed to her and her coping mechanisms and her friends. By the end, I realised how cleverly Claire Alexander had built Meredith’s story and this made me examine my preconceptions. The novel ends in late 2019 and I keep wondering how Meredith would cope with COVID….

Quite an emotional story. Meredith who hasn’t left her home for about 3 years.
A story of trauma and recovery, fear and hope.

This was a very different read from my usual psychological thrillers and what a great read it was, so heartwarming and I just loved the story of Meredith as more of the story line unfolded.

I found it to be a well written book with good descriptive characters and I can definitely recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph for allowing me to read this thought provoking book.