I have been a huge fan of Mike Gayle for many years so was absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Museum of Ordinary People. Thank you NetGalley and Hodder&Stoughton. I always find his characters so relatable. Once I started this book I could not put it down, there was laughter and there were tears. The theme is love and loss weaved through a fabulous story which just draws you in from the beginning. I loved the idea of the museum of items which had sentimental value. A place where memories could be shared and live on. Overall a brilliant story which I highly recommend.

I have loved all of Mike Gayle's novels since his debut many years ago and The Museum of Ordinary People was no exception.
Jess is grieving for her mother and facing the challenging task of emptying her childhood home.
As ever Gayle writes beautifully with real warmth and empathy. He covers relatable subjects that will be familiar to many of us- grief, loss and family memories and secrets- and writes a gentle but powerful novel. He has a real skill for characterisation, and I loved the character of Jess.
A recommended read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

It started with Encyclopaedias. Jess and guy are treading water through their relationship. Jess and her best friend can see this so why can’t Guy. Question is will Jess do anything about it. The story charts Jess’s discovery of the museum and addresses the death of her mother and the mysteries left behind.

I’m a good fan of Mike Gayle and this book is sure to be another hit.

I’m fast becoming a fan of Mike Gayle, I love the well-rounded characters, community feel and glimpses into everyday life.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I have read a lot of Mike Gayle’s books and this one did not disappoint.
He has the ability to write about triggering subjects such as grief in such a beautiful way.

Highly recommended.

Celebrates the 'ordinary' that makes us all 'extra'. The power of grief, friendship and memory.

Every Mike Gayle tends to have its lump-in-throat moment. Or two. Boy does he know how to get you. You don't even see it coming.

I thought I knew mostly where this was going, but I was blindsided (don't worry - no spoilers). A museum-trained secretary, who gave up on her ambitions to take care of her ill mother - this is Jess. She's got a fab best friend in Lucy, a job that pays the bills, a committed boyfriend who likes modern décor and is pushing for them to buy a home together... it could be a lot worse. We open with Jess still grieving for her mum, whose house she has cleared after her death nearly a year ago.

In the process of emptying her childhood home out, Jess finds her much-loved and cherished set of encyclopaedias her mum bought for her, wanting her to learn, to aim high, to follow her dreams. Guy won't want them in his chic apartment... she can't throw them away...

By chance Jess learns of a quirky place that surely can't be real... the Museum of Ordinary People, where treasured possessions are given a home rather than be thrown away. And of course this is where the story real begins.

Readers will straightaway see a few of the upcoming plot points, and there are the usual possible romantic interests, mysterious men, comic relief side characters, adversities and histories and moments of emotion.

There's also, surprisingly, a very unexpected and wonderful love of museums and cherishing the past cultivated throughout. Some wonderful characters are brought to life, grief is well-explored by more than one character.

And like me, I bet you end up getting sentimental about treasured family mementoes you would never throw away but that would never make it to the British Museum - we've all got something that holds precious memories for us. That's what this is all about.

Jess could be any of us: "I'd been lost in thought about my future. Wondering whether I'd left it too late... (to do) something that might give me the sense of purpose I'm looking for, something that might make me feel like I'm not just here on this planet to take up space or make up the numbers." Within her own existential crisis is a relationship one, a professional one, and a personal, death-related one. There's a lot to unpick.

Skilfully bringing characters and plotlines together, Gayle gives us another emotionally-wringing but uplifting book that you'll love. Another winner.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

This book was such an easy read even though it dealt with potentially triggering topics such as grief. This is the first book I have read of Mike Gayles and I am sure I will be reading many more!

You know where you stand with Mike Gayle, he has consistently produced enjoyable novels for as long as I can remember and this is no exception

Mike Gayle has done it again with another thought provoking read. The book has a host of great characters and plot. A heart warming novel!

There is no denying that Mike Gayle is a wonderful storyteller. They pull on your heart strings and they usually give you a different perspective on something and food for thought. The Museum of Ordinary People was no different.
Jess’s mum died suddenly and she has to empty her family home. She doesn’t have a lot of space in her flat but she wants to keep the set of Encyclopaedia’s her mum gifted her. Her boyfriend wants her to bin them when she luckily hears about a museum that takes items that people can’t bear to throw away. Jess always wanted to be a museum curator and she feels this is her sign to take over the small museum which is set to close. Whilst trying to save it many secrets are uncovered and it leaves Jess questioning everything she knows.
I loved the quirky idea of the museum. The characters that Gayle created are endearing. I rooted for them all. However, the last quarter of the book felt a bit jumbled to me and there were things that were added to the story which I didn’t feel we needed. Despite this, it was still a wholesome read, full of normal people which we come to expect from Gayle.

Another fabulous book by Mike Gayle. If you haven’t read anything by this author before then give him a try! I even ended up crying at one part sat on my sunlounger on holiday by the pool, whoops! I always manage to really visualise his characters and their stories sit with me after the book has finished too.

Being a huge Mike Gayle fan, I had huge expectations for this read, and I am delighted to confirm that 'The Museum of Ordinary People' exceeded them all! I loved, loved, loved this read. Everything about it is masterly created; the plot, the characters, the conclusion. I read this within 24 hours.

Despite the subject's sensitive nature around this storyline, there were clear signs of hope. Jess is a flawless main character, and her struggles to deal with her grief after losing her Mum hits hard, as expected with stories by this author. His writing ability to transport you into the world of the characters is superb.

This book is a must-read for fans of this author or genre - I can not recommend this enough!

A sweet and uplifting book about the power of memories and everyday objects, as Jess has to clear out her late mother's possessions. Emotional and charming, I enjoyed reading it

“While it might be true that some things are thrown away with good reason, it’s equally true that some things are saved for a purpose.”

Still reeling from the sudden death of her mother, Jess is about to do the hardest thing she’s ever done: empty her childhood home so that it can be sold. But when, in the process, Jess stumbles across the mysterious Alex, together they become custodians of a strange archive of letters, photographs, curios and collections known as The Museum of Ordinary People.

As they begin to delve into the history of the objects in their care, Alex and Jess not only unravel heart-breaking stories that span generations and continents, but also unearth long buried secrets that lie much closer to home.

The premise of the museum as a place to hold memories is beautiful. Objects that could be worthless in monetary value but hold stories that are invaluable in emotional worth are rescued from abandonment and given a safe home. In some ways this book reminds me of the @museumofmaterialmemory: a digital repository of material culture and memory.

Be it Alex’s history or Jess’s struggle with being unable to let go, they find a purpose in the museum of ordinary people. The author’s writing tugs at your heartstrings. He makes it seem so real and personal, turning the ordinary into something unique and special.

A poignant and thoughtful story of grief, of love for the memories we hold, and of loss for the things we leave behind. I know I will always cherish this book and the immensely emotional experience of reading it.

This ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton.

Having been supported by her single mother to go to University, Jess is devasted when her Mum dies suddenly. Her life is drifting and, when she clears her Mum's house, she finds it hard to let go. She is told about the Museum of Ordinary People, a place where treasured memories can be kept so she goes to investigate. Fired up to make the Museum a success Jess had to reevaluate where her life is going and finds out more about her past.
There is nothing like a Mike Gayle book to read in Summer. He is a genius at writing feel-good, emotive tales about normal(ish) people that make the reader think. This is no exception. We all have things that we keep for purely sentimental reasons, things that remind us of people we have lost, and this book takes that idea and runs with it. I loved every page and the final epilogue had me in tears - it was that good.

The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle is an extraordinarily beautiful read that will stay with me for a long time to come. A thought provoking and poignant story, it is a beautiful tale of love, loss, memory and the things we leave behind.

In the process of emptying her childhood home after the sudden and devastating death of her mother, Jess realises that there are some things that mean far too much to her to ever be able to throw them away. With nowhere to keep them in the modest home she shares with her boyfriend, the search for a solution leads her to the mysterious Alex and his Museum of Ordinary Things. So when an opportunity arises for her to take on her dream job as a museum curator, a job she thought had slipped out of her grasp a long time ago, Jess takes the biggest risk of her life and jumps at the chance.

Together Jess and Alex begin to delve into the history behind the objects in their care. Objects that once meant the world to someone: from the old armchair that belonged to a much loved grandad to a violin that Jess feels has a story to tell. But as they begin to unravel the heartbreaking stories of ordinary people, they also begin to reveal long buried secrets that are much closer to home…

I adored this book from the very first page. I have a fascination with family history and the objects, pictures and memories people leave behind, so The Museum of Ordinary People spoke to me on a personal level, touching my heart and making me feel so many different emotions as I lost myself within its pages. Jess and Alex are characters I couldn’t help but fall in love with, both of them lost in their own way, with The Museum of Ordinary People connecting them in ways they never would have thought possible.

The Museum of Ordinary People is a pure delight from beginning to end. It will make you laugh and it will make you cry. It will at times break your heart, but will also make it soar higher than the sky. Mike Gayle’s writing is so beautiful and full of heart, taking you on a simply unforgettable journey that will stay with you long after the final page has been turned. A very real and human story, with larger than life characters who you can’t help but fall in love with, I honestly felt bereft as I turned the final page.

What can I say? Mike Gayle has done it again. I absolutely adored this book! Easily one of my favourite read of the year. Pure perfection from beginning to end.

Highly recommended.

Really enjoyed this book….an easy but interesting read on a somewhat strange idea. ….there’s a touch of dress in it as well as romantic thread. It’s a good read.

THE MUSEUM OF ORDINARY PEOPLE
BY
MIKE GAYLE.

A year has passed since her beloved mother’s death and Jess’s boyfriend Guy is keen for Jess to get rid of the items that she has kept from her mother. He wants the flat cleared and ready to sell.
Jess doesn’t want to part with the things that mean so much to her, but her friend Luce may just have the solution…
The Museum Of Ordinary People. There, everyday items that once belonged to and meant so much to ordinary people are displayed.
Jess is mesmerised by the museum and persuades Alex, it’s owner to allow her to curate this quirky Aladin’s cave and open up for the public to enjoy.

This is a mesmerising story that will capture your heart.
Mike Gayle’s writing is effortlessly beautiful and like so many of his other books, The Museum Of Ordinary People is something quite special.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

With thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for a digital arc of this title.

Available now in hardback, ebook
and audiobook.
Paperback release: 2/2/23

Mike Gayle takes my heart again.

Half a World Away was my first novel by this author and I didn’t think any of his novels would top that one. However, I think this one has won!

In this novel we meet Jess, who has recently lost her mother and tries to attempt to live without her. My heart was broken at this point and I knew that I was set for a tearjerker! Jess begins to clear her mum’s belongings and estate and quickly realises that there are some objects that she can really not part with, but neither has the room to keep.
Telling her best friend Lucy about the objects, Lucy finds the “museum of ordinary people” which does just want Jess wants.

Having visited the museum, Jess starts on her own project, to being the museum to life. However, Jess has to make some sacrifices and learn some secrets, whilst she learns to live without her mum, and make her life her own again.

The book was just magnificent. It made me laugh, angry, cry, woop and gave me a fair few hours of escapism from the real world. I couldn’t believe the hatred that I had for one of the characters, mentioning no name.

The author tackles so many subjects in this novel, but somehow it does not feel overloaded. Each subject is handled sensitively and in a way that I enjoyed reading.

I also watched the author on Vick Hope’s show this morning and had even more love for the novel after hearing him speak about it.

Hugely recommended and I am now on the way to work my way through the author’s back catalogue.

I feel awful only giving this book three stars but I did promise an honest review and whilst the core of the story is a gentle read it seemed too sentimental for me. Perhaps I’m just not sentimental enough to appreciate what lots of others readers seem to have felt from reading it and if that is so then it’s not the book’s fault so go ahead and read it. You may enjoy a good old wallow.