Eva Rice is a go to author for me so I knew I wanted to read this. It didn’t disappoint. February Kingdom has lost her parents and her sister and she struggles to move on with the help of a little yellow bird! I loved this story and the music vibes just added to the story!

This book is set in the 1990s. It is an emotional and heart wrenching read. It is a great coming of age story about loss and love

At first I found This could be everything quite engrossing, and as a child of the 80s, teenager in the early 90s I particularly enjoyed all the cultural references. I think they created a sense of nostalgia which worked well to reflect the nostalgia February felt for her old life following the loss of her sister (and her parents before that). The novel is centred around February’s tentative steps (literally in places) back into the world after this loss, with the support of our aunt and uncle, a new friend Theo and some canaries.

However as the novel went on the symbolisn became too obvious, the inner monologue felt a bit self-obsessed and much less enjoyable -again this perhaps matches the plot and themes, but I was forcing myself to finish it - never a good sign!

This could be everything is a beautifully written novel containing relatable characters you quickly become invested in and an engaging storyline. February Kingdom is 19 years old and it is 1990. After suffering several family tragedies she is struggling with life until a canary flies into her kitchen and everything changes.
I have enjoyed all of Eva Rice’s novels and feel she is a talented writer who is able to cover difficult topics with sensitivity. You never quite know where this book is leading you but I couldn’t help but route for all of the characters despite their flaws.

My favourite kind of book is a coming of age story. I just love the elements of it. Having Eva Rice - one of my safety authors - releasing a coming of age story is like a dream for me. This Could Be Everything is more than a coming of age story though. It is a story of loss, of grief, of insecurities that all centres around February and her formative years.

February is dealing with a lot of loss and the things that have happened to her have make her develop agrophobia. Through a chance meeting with a boy and a yellow canary February's journey of self discovery starts.

I would be lying if I said this was my favourite Eva Rice novel but I did enjoy it. I enjoyed the randomness of the storyline and I was genuinely kept on my toes. I didn't know how it was going to end.

This Could Be Everything is definitely worth a read.

This Could Be Everything by Eva Rice is available now.

For more information regarding Simon & Schuster (@SimonBooks) please visit www.simonschuster.com.

I loved it!
I read Eva Rice’s The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets years ago as a teen and it stayed with me. This one is very different but at its heart has a similar feel - the strong links to music, the author’s skill in encapsulating a moment and zeitgeist, the humanness of it all…

It’s a spring day in 1990 when 19 year old February Kingdom finds a canary in the kitchen.
It’s a turning point for her, having recently lost her twin sister Diana, and their parents a few years before. Living with their aunt and uncle in London since their parents died in a tragic tube station fire, the Kingdom twins religiously follow the Top 40 every Sunday, read Smash Hits cover to cover, and have their in-jokes and unique twin bond. While Diana is the more outgoing and popular twin, five years into her modelling career, February is more conscientious and a tennis ace to boot.
But Diana’s death is like losing half of a whole and February retreats into herself and her room, the Top 40 becoming even more important and ritualistic.

Until the day she finds the canary, or it finds her, and from that little piece of the outside world coming in, bit by bit February starts to open up again.

I didn’t want this book to end, and even if I have largely forgotten the plot of The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets, I remember the feelings it gave me, and even though this one takes place some 40 years later it gave me the same warmth and wonder, so I think I’m due a reread of it soon!

I adored the character of Theo, and also Ann, February’s aunt. No one is without their flaws, and that’s what makes Rice’s writing so compelling - her characters are realistic, relatable and genuine.
February’s narration takes us back into moments in the past shared with Diana, and her parents, and lets us into her grief-addled brain, as well as sharing her present whims and fleeting thoughts. At times she directly addresses the reader and we could be right there with her, Walkman in hand, sequin leggings on, in a London pub in 1990 waiting for the next big thing in music to take to the stage.

A book that deals with grief, but also love, life and hope.

I was a nineties kid myself although I was only just born in the year this was set (to put it in a way February would understand, when Madonna’s Vogue was Number One!) and so some things were familiar to me while others just before my time, but it felt like a breath of fresh air and a beautiful dose of nostalgia! I recommend it to any 80s/90s babies but also anyone else who loves a good character-driven read.

The book has an accompanying Spotify playlist to really get you into the 90s mood, check it out too!

Set in the 1990s this book follows February after the death of her twin sister, of how she is coping (she's not) and how she interacts (she isnt) with her aunt and uncle.
One day a canary flies into her house and starts to draw her out of her shell, helps to start to heal the grief she is experiencing as well as possibly helping her in new relationships/friendships too.
The book is a homage to the 90s, music mainly, so if you remember recording the chart show on a Sunday or buying smash hits so you could figure out the lyrics then this one is for you. It also covers grief and coming out the other side after the death of a loved one. It is told with empathy and February's personality comes through.
A lovely book that I would definitely recommend.

I was lured in by it being referred to as the next 'me before you'. It was not the next me before you. However, it was the next 'one day' - too long, in need of a good edit, and with characters that could be likeable but for some reason just aren't. Not for me I'm afraid

From the very first page of this book, I was stunned, mesmerised. Written with a ferocious passion that'll knock the wind out of you!

A beautifully written story that took me right back to 1990. A simpler time in many ways, but as we get to know 19 year old February Kingdom, we realise her small world is built on foundations of much tragedy and loss. She was one of the most likeable main characters I have read for a while, and I was hoping that she would be able to find some peace and joy.
I always enjoy books that are set over a short period, with astute observations of the minutiae of life along with reflections of what is happening in the wider world. References to Princess Diana, Kate Moss and a chance encounter with Michael Hutchence grounded the book in it's time and place, and gave an insight into Feb's experiences. It was so well done.
This was no first Eva Rice book, but it won't be my last. This is a perfect book club read and I will definitely be recommending it.
Five stars from me!


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Set in Notting Hill in the mid—90s, this comforting read is filled with musical references from that time, a coming-of-age tale that deals with hope and grief.

Published today, This Could Be Everything is a coming of age novel set in 1990 about an agoraphobic young woman mired in grief and anxiety. It is a nostalgic read if, like me, you were an avid reader of Smash Hits and obsessed with pop music, though I found the story pretty weak.

February Kingdom’s parents died tragically in a fire, and a few years later, she lost her twin sister Diana in a car accident. Living with her aunt and uncle, Feb finds herself unable to leave the house, spending most of the time in her room listening obsessively to Bruno Brookes and the UK Top 40.

One day a canary flies into the house which leads Feb to a nearby pet shop to reunite it with its owner. She meets pet shop boy (geddit?) Theo who helps her overcome her agoraphobia and navigate goings-on at home where her aunt is having a mid life crisis.

There’s nothing wrong with this book per se, it was just too YA/new adult for my taste. The pacing is slow and I never felt very invested in Feb’s story despite the tragic circumstances. I was more interested in the aunt’s midlife crisis (more my life stage perhaps 😅). Some of the twists and turns the story took in the last third were daft. At 432 pages, it could have done with a good edit.

The best bit about the book was easily the pop music references. Adamski, Neneh Cherry, Brother Beyond, the Pasadenas, Jesus Jones, Happy Mondays - so many tunes from my youth are referenced and I loved that!

If you came of age in the early 90s, this is an easy read that will have you looking up 1990 playlists on Spotify. I’ll share some reviews of others who loved it. 2.5/5⭐️

*Many thanks to @simonschusteruk for the arc via @netgalley. As always, this is an honest review.*

When I was a new adult, there weren't many books that felt just right... The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets was my favourite book because it hit that sweet spot of being older, but not too old, if you get my drift. I have always kept an eye out for anything Eva Rice, and was so glad to see This Could Be Everything - requested it straight away and kept my fingers and toes crossed that I would be accepted.

It's a lovely book that is very enjoyable to read. I love Eva Rice's writing style - and the themes of loss and grief, as well as the protagonist (February - great name!) 's mental health issues are dealt with sensitively and with depth. It is definitely a coming of age story, that has a number of characters finding themselves as the book progresses. Fab character development - and for some reason, it made me feel like it was summer when I was reading it - despite the snow on the ground...! A perfect holiday book.

As a huge fan of Eva Rice I was delighted to see she has a new novel coming out. This Could be Everything did not disappoint. Set in the west London of the 1990s we first meet the fabulously named February Kingdom as she is reeling from the death of her twin sister. This is not the only loss she has to bear as she has moved from the Texas of her childhood to Oxford, then to west London to live with her Aunt and Uncle following the death of her parents in the King's Cross fire, The loss of family and familiarity are too much to bear and Feb experiences crippling anxiety, what she refers to as the Trench Effect, which renders her unable to leave the house. The novel shows her gradual recovery through a chance meeting courtesy of a canary called Yellow., and by way of the Top Ten cart singles. Highly recommended.

Eva Rice writes wonderfully comforting books such as her best-known novel, The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets, and I was actively seeking a comfort-read whilst going through a stressful house move. This book didn’t disappoint – it’s set in the Notting Hill of the mid—90s, just before it became cool, and is filled with musical references from that time (Michael Hutchence makes a cameo!). It’s a coming-of-age tale infused with grief and ultimately hope. If you remember trying to record Bruno Brookes announcing the top 40 on a Sunday afternoon, you’ll probably like this book.

I was utterly absorbed by Eva Rice's fantastic story. February Kingdom has survived the absolute worst that life can throw at anyone, and understandably she is keeping herself safe -she stays in all day and has a very small safe life. She slowly, bravely, starts to reach out a little, engrossing herself in 1990s London, and all that it has to offer. I loved the real-life details, they sparked lots of lovely memories of my teen years, what a time to be alive!

Watching February slowly emerge from her self-imposed exile was wonderful and moving. She is such a great character who has had to handle such tragedy, but giving herself permission to be herself was beautiful to witness.

Eva Rice doesn't rush the storytelling but allows it to unfold at its own pace- a bit like February herself. A treat to read, thank you so much for letting me join you on the journey!

This book was full of so much nostalgia for me. I absolutely love the 90’s. The book is set in 1990, I was 15/16 at this time and it totally took me back to my teenage years.

February Kingdom, (such an amazing name 😍) or Feb as she prefers to be called, is just 19 and she has gone through a lot of tragedy in her young life. She doesn’t leave the house and stays inside listening to Bruno Brookes and the Top 40 on repeat.

This story isn’t just a sad read. It is a beautiful story. Yes it had me in tears in places. But there is humour and hope too. It has taken me a couple of days after finishing to write my review. I’m not sure I can write a review that does justice to the greatness of this book.

This is the first novel I’ve read by this author and it definitely won’t be the last. If you decide to give this a read let me know what you think.

Thank you to Anne of Random Things Tours and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to join the blog tour and a digital review copy for This Could Be Everything by Eva Rice, a new author for me.

This beautiful and emotional book should be bought (or borrowed from a library) with a pack of tissues because Eva Rice is going to make you weep. February has experienced two tragedies in her young life and is currently feeling unable to leave home.

I loved how this story evolved from finding a small yellow bird in her kitchen leading to her making small steps to start living her life again. Feb is carrying a huge amount of guilt and needs help from family and new friends to move forward.

Feb is also noticing that her aunt is changing, emotionally and physically. The two threads of the story intertwine beautifully and I found myself desperate to know what happened next to Feb, Ann and Robert.

I loved being back in 1990 – I was the same age as February then (studying at University in Yorkshire). Happy to recommend this emotional read and I look forward to reading more by Eva Rice in the future.

Such a wonderful coming of age story set in London in 1990 after a family tragedy. Full of warmth, humour and nostalgia tinged with sadness and grief. Loved the extra touch of the playlist!

A delightful and brilliant story of a coming of age and discovering what really matters. Nostalgia, humour, emotions, great characters.
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last as I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine