This book starts really well. I love the idea of a book based around a train commute.

There are so many wonderful characters on public transport and I think this book is spot on. I love learning more about certain characters lives.

I love Iona's character, she's really relatable and she's brilliantly written.

I adore Sanjay, he's such a lovely character and I think if I ever had bad news or difficulties I'd want him to talk to me. He's so personable and so kind.

The acknowledgements by the author are so interesting that she also commuted, its a great insight.

This book was funny, sad, happy, brilliant and interesting, loved it.

I loved The Authenticity Project and I was thrilled to get an early peak at this novel. I enjoyed this book immensely and it may actually be my new favourite book by Claire Pooley. Fabulous characters and a modern storyline

This book follows Iona, who works at a magazine writing an advice column. She travels on the same train with her dog Lulu every day on her commute and even has her own spot.

Iona knows the unwritten rule is not to speak to strangers on the train, but when a man starts to choke this rule is broken.

From this moment Iona starts to speak to more and more of the regular commuters, which develops into something none of them would have expected.

How will the commuters’ opinions of each other change? What will develop between them?

This book is amazing not only is it heart-warming, but it shows you not to judge people before getting to know them.

The unexpected bond that develops between the people is lovely to read, and the way each chapter goes between the characters is great as you get to see from everyone’s point of view.

I did find it funny some of the nicknames they had for each other when they were all strangers, as I know that is something I would be likely to do too.

Overall, a heart-warming story about friendship and not judging before you really know someone.

I received an E-ARC with a request for my honest review.

I am a big fan of Clare Pooley's writing so I had a feeling that this would be a book that I would enjoy. I was hooked from the first chapter. I really wanted to know how all the people on the train between Hampton Court and Waterloo would interact.

It is an absolutely beautiful book and I adored all the story lines. I may even have had wet eyes at the end.

Thank you for approving this title for me, but I'm sorry my review cannot be as glaring and foul of praise as all the others I've seen. All five reviews I've looked at talk about how wonderful Iona is and I don't understand. I found I couldn't engage with the characters and that I actually didn't want to. They are caricatures and not very good ones. The writing style is naive, to the point of being utterly unconvincing. I don't quite understand why I've not liked it and why I've disliked it to the this extent but The People On Platform 5 is not one I would recommend.

Thank you Clare Pooley for writing another fabulous book! I loved the Authenticity Project so I jumped at a chance to read an ARC of The People On Platform 5.

It definitely did not disappoint. Filled with a cast of characters that are absolutely characters, whilst also being so believable, relatable and fun to read about.

I enjoyed the Authenticity Project a bit more to be truthful, but this book is also an enjoyable light hearted read that packs in some important things to think about along the way. The author’s note got me very emotional because I can so clearly see her passion in her writing and it’s inspiring to be part of that.

1st class train journey with great characters and Iona who is delightful.
A wonderful feel-good read I enjoyed so much.

This was my first book by this author, and what a lovely read it was. We meet some travellers on a local commuter train. Iona is a weird and wacky older lady who is an ‘agony aunt’ for a magazine; Sanjay is a nurse; Piers is a stockbroker; Emmie works in marketing and Martha is a schoolgirl. They all travel on the same train into London and recognise each other by sight, but when different circumstances get them talking, unlikely friendships begin to emerge.

I must admit, this book wasn’t what I expected it to be, but I absolutely loved it! It’s told from the viewpoints of all the different characters and whilst they all look like they have well ordered, happy lives, they are anything but that. Each of them seems to be hiding some kind of secret, some are only small (but really important to that individual character), others are huge great big life-changing secrets. I loved Iona’s character! She’s completely wacky, to the point of eccentric, but tells things how they are. My favourite however, had to be Piers, and I couldn’t believe the difference in him by the end of the book.

The storyline flows along very well, introducing the characters one by one. I loved their individual storylines and was hooked into each one. Some parts of their stories made me laugh but many of them made me cry – how amazing a nurse was Sanjay, yet his storyline was heart-breaking! The author took you straight in to the heart of each character and left you there long after the book was finished. It’s a heart-warming read and was filled with such emotion. There were lots of sensitive subjects, but all were wonderfully dealt with. Filled with lovable characters who perfectly interwove with each other. It was nothing short of fabulous! Would recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this in advance of publication. The People on Platform 5 is a feel-good read, reminding us of the need to interact and engage with others and to recognise that we don’t always see the truth behind the act given in public.
A group of commuters, of varying ages, regularly get the same train and sit in the same carriage. They have names for each other, but it is not until one of their number almost chokes on a grape that they break down the social barriers and take the time to get to know one another.
While in reality this might seem very weird, it lent a sense of boldness to the book. The characters are all quite different, and it is in their determination to find a common strand that I feel the strength of this book lies.

enjoyed every minute of this marvellous story. Thanks to Piers, a group of commuters who always catch the same train but never even so much as acknowledge each other are thrown together by a dramatic occurrence. Supporting each other they are able to overcome all sorts of challenges and firm friendships are created. Thoroughly entertaining and completely addictive read. The people on platform 5 are fabulous

The People On Platform 5 by Clare Pooley ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Blurb
Nobody speaks to strangers on the train. But what would happen if they did?

Every day at 8:05, Iona Iverson boards the train to go to work. Every day, she sees the same people and makes assumptions about them, even giving them nicknames. But they never speak. Obviously.

Then, one morning, Smart-but-Sexist-Surbiton chokes on a grape right in front of Iona. Suspiciously-Nice-New Malden steps up to help and saves his life, and this one event sparks a chain reaction.

With nothing in common but their commute, an eclectic group of people learn that their assumptions about each other don't match reality. But when Iona's life begins to fall apart, will her new friends be there when she needs them most?

Oh my, this book is an absolute joy and you are going to fall in love with all of the characters, especially the formidable Orla

I really enjoy ‘found family’ stories and would highly recommend to anyone who has read and enjoyed the likes of All The Lonely People, The Reading List and One Good Thing

We follow 6 people who regularly spot each other on the same train but never speak until an incident that means they do, we follow these characters as they form friendships and help and support each other in aspects of their lives.

I really enjoyed this book, it was a great story and you could really connect to each character, at times I almost wished I could be one of the train gang.

One thing I specifically loved was that I recognised the places mentioned in the book, this never happens to me but one of the places I've visited a few times so I was able to picture it clearly.

Another thing I loved was the author notes at the back of the book where the author explains the inspiration behind some of the characters and the name behind one of the main characters. That was a nice touch.

I'll definitely be recommending this to several people.

Well this did not disappoint, the second from this author and it was just as good as the first.
Iona and Lulu are the starting point for this book about the various people you see on a train commute, but they are not the only ones we hear from. A whole host of characters give their perspectives and we learn about their lives and hor Iona is the linchpin of it all.
Gosh I loved Iona as a character, she was candid and slightly crafty in her dealings with the other characters, but that is what was needed as her job as magazine therapist (don't call her an agony aunt)
This book covered so many themes, amongst them ageism, homophobia, cancer, bullying and depression/suicidal thoughts but each was worked into the story so well and weaved into each of the characters that I had to just keep turning the pages.
A brilliant piece of uplifting fiction.

The People on Platform 5 by Clare Pooley

Every morning Iona and her dog Lulu travel by train to her job as a magazine columnist. Although she has nicknames for all the regular passengers they never speak until one morning a man chokes on a grape and is saved by Sanjay, an oncology nurse. Iona, Piers, Sanjay, Emmie, Martha, Jake and David become train friends and soon find themselves helping with each other's problems.

Clare Pooley does it again! This book is so wonderful, I've just read it in one huge gulp. What a fabulous cast of characters - it's almost enough to make me want to commute again! A feel-good page-turner with real heart whilst dealing with some very important themes, not least how society treats women in their final act. I'm now inspired to "be more Iona"! Very VERY highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

What a super book!

This novel is the perfect mix of uplifting without being too sweet, and moving without being overly emotional.
The author has created a great cast of characters and you find yourself being drawn into their lives on their daily commute.
I love a book that will give me a character to remember and Iona is exactly that!
It's also a smart and funny read, and even though it tackles some weighty subjects, the overall take, is joyous and optimistic.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Random House Uk, Transworld Publishers for the opportunity to read this advanced copy

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Strangers meet on platform 5 for the train to Waterloo. All of them have their own unique story. Throughout we learn about each of them and how they all support each other.

Iona is the main character with her dog Lulu.

Lots of difficult issues tackled throughout for each character.

I loved The Authenticity Project so was really looking forward to Clare Pooley's next book and this didn't disappoint. The cast of characters are interwoven seamlessly as their interactions and (wrong) assumptions about each other are introduced one by one.
The premise of strangers on a daily commute eventually doing that most painful thing for the British of actually speaking to each other is a clever tool by which the author not only tackles some real issues - ageism, bullying, emotional abuse - but also creates real laugh out loud moments, thoughtful dialogue and some anguish.
It's uplifting, thought provoking, warm but not saccharine. Iona is a brilliant protagonist who you are rooting for from the first time you meet her.
Highly recommend.

The warmest, most uplifting novel I’ve read lately – and I loved it!

Each morning, Iona boards the train to the city and spots the same fellow-travellers; she has noticed them so often that she has coined her own names for them all but, naturally, would never dream of speaking to any of them. After all, that’s the law of commuting, isn’t it? Then one morning ‘Smart-but-Sexist Surbiton’ chokes right in front of her and, as he turns blue in the face, Iona stands up and with a booming voice appeals for medical help. Life on the 8.05 to London is never quite the same again . . .

This is my first encounter with Clare Pooley’s work but, based on this one, I have already added her previous novel, The Authenticity Project, to my wishlist. This is such a marvellous read; a fabulous array of characters coping with the vagaries of everyday life and, as a collective, showing warmth, humour and love for their fellow man (and woman). The author created such a wonderful story that I really didn’t want it to end and found myself continually trying to set it aside to make it last, then failing to leave it alone as I was enjoying it so much! Absolutely terrific all the way through – every single detail has been well considered and adds to the overall delight that this delicious novel delivers; if you pack books for your holiday, then please don’t leave this one out! There is no doubt that this is a five star read – it is worth each and every one along with my recommendation!

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

"The faces surrounding Piers all wore various shades of glum. It occurred to him that they were each individual spokes of a wheel, but Iona was the centre, the axis, and without her, the group of them had no purpose at all, and very little in common."

Present day London and formidable, middle-aged, 'magazine therapist' (agony aunt) Iona travels by train for work. Despite her years of experience, eccentric Iona she is bullied at work by younger colleagues for being 'a dinosaur', so she decides to enlist the help of regular train passengers (whom she has given funny names, like 'Smart-but-sexist-Surbiton') after one of them has a near death experience in their carriage one day. With nothing in common but their commute, they begin to get to know one another. Meeting nurse Sanjay, PR advisor Emmie, school pupil Martha, banker Piers and solicitor David opens each of their eyes to their assumptions about one another. All of them are struggling with imposter syndrome and all of them turn to inspiring Iona for help. Will she turn to them when she needs help too?

As with The Authenticity Project, this is a wonderfully uplifting novel about the power of friendship and community when times are tough. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know each of the characters through their perspectives (although I was concerned Iona's wife Bea didn't have her own narrative). All of the main characters are well drawn, with their own lives and Iona, in particular will stay with me #WhatWouldIonaDo This is a warm, funny and poignant tale that makes for a great read.

"'When I'm feeling unsure about anything,' said Martha, 'I just ask myself, what would Iona do?' 'Me too,' said David. 'Who'd have thought I'd end up basing my life choices on an eccentric lesbian? But it seems to work.'"

We meet a cast of characters who commute on a train from the Hampton Court area into London and gradually find out about them as they find out about each other and themselves. There’s love, heartbreak, loss, protection, support and life changes to come through the book, and several of the characters aren’t quite as they seem …

I really liked how Pooley introduced the characters one by one, and the way we triangulated them by their names for each other, Iona, the sort of linchpin of the group, with her bright clothes and uncompromising attitudes being Magic Handbag Woman to one, Rainbow Lady to another. The cast is diverse, of different sexualties and ethnicities without it seeming like a box-ticking exercise, and kindness is prized above all other qualities. Everyone has an Achilles heel or what they see as a weakness, and I found nurse Sanjay’s panic attacks particularly moving.

There are a few hard-hitting themes confronted here: sexist bullying at school, toxic masculinity, ageism and coercive control, but again they’re all woven into the plot in a natural way. The plots are resolved nicely, not everything fully finished off but enough positivity and hope to make it a relaxing and reassuring read.

My blog review here (out Thursday 12 May) https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2022/05/12/book-review-clare-pooley-the-people-on-platform-5/