This is a life affirming, positive read. It is very much set in the here and now, referencing COVID and how the pandemic has impacted the livelihoods of so many people. It focuses on a disparate group of women who form an unlikely friendship when they meet at a local food bank. It is about being true to yourself and finding the tribe that you belong to. I would highly recommend it!

This isn’t a romance – but it’s certainly a story of love, unlike anything I’ve read before, beautifully written, powerful and immensely moving, and a testament to the hope and possibilities that can carry us through the darkest of days.

The covid pandemic may be over, but the empty unit on the high street – Jamie’s former innovative travel business, always her dream – is a constant reminder of everything and everyone she’s lost. She now works for minimum wage at an upmarket food outlet, treated appallingly by her employer – and lives with son Bo in a small and mouldy flat, with a landlord whose attentions are becoming increasingly threatening and unwelcome. Bo is special – she’s determined she doesn’t want him labelled, he has an exceptional artistic ability and a wisdom beyond his years, and is the centre of her world with serious health issues that need constant vigilance and care.

Her purse, and her food cupboard, is always empty – but the food bank provides a lifeline, however ashamed she might be by the need to visit. But, in the queue, she finds unexpected support – other women who are also struggling, each for their own reasons, and the strong friendships that develop begin to give her a glimmer of hope and a measure of joy as she faces her future. There’s little help available through official channels – a searing condemnation of the failures of government – but the book becomes a strong testament to the kindness of strangers, as the wonderful Henry and Ruth, facing their own issues in later life, offer Jamie and Bo much needed sanctuary and help her recover her pride and sense of purpose.

Deeply affecting, this book tells a very real story of the strength to be found through friendship and community when the rest of the world lets us down. The writing is simply perfect, the group of individuals and their separate heartbreaking stories, the characterisation quite wonderful – and it’s an emotional read, with situations that made me weep with frustration, but immensely uplifting with its focus on the small kindnesses that can turn people’s lives around. But there’s a considerable amount of joy too – the strong relationships that form, the solutions found to seemingly insurmountable problems, the humour to be found in the direst situations.

This is a book entirely filled with love and hope – a totally unforgettable read that I really loved, and one I’d unreservedly recommend to others.

(Review also copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

Jamie has lost everything, her business, her home, her friend all in one dreadful year. In fact it feels like Jamie is lost, her only constant is her son Bo.

Over qualified to be working in the towns food shop, living in a mould ridden flat, dealing with a son who has asthma as well as other challenges, she finds herself in the queue at the Food Bank.

What she doesn’t expect to find is friendship as well as food parcels. Kath is a nurse, working nights at the hospital, trying to support teenage girls and a husband who goes away to work but when is back seems to gamble all his and Kath’s money away Despite her wage, she still needs the food bank.

Bonnie is not afraid to say what she thinks and tells everyone as it is. Her new hair salon, that she has set up in one of the rundown shops in the small town is called Crap but Cheap. She still needs the food bank.

Amy, a teenager struggling to find her place in the world and with her artistic talent finds a connection with Jamie’s son Bo and how some people see the world.

Circumstances more than the queue at the food bank, drive these women closer and they find themselves encompassed under the umbrella of Ruth and Henry. Who want to help those who cannot help themselves. Ruth’s eccentricity is really the onset of dementia and Henry’s simplistic view of life gives Bo another outlet.

Jamie suddenly finds her life going in a very different path and alongside her are the friendships she has made.

Jamie’s fight for her son, Bo was admirable but there were times, where I felt by not getting the recognition and help she needed for him, he himself was being lost. Though as Jamie’s friendships helped her heal her, they also helped her see what Bo really needed. Not necessarily a label but the right path in life.

This for me was a powerful and sometimes uncomfortable book which reflects the times we are currently living in, with the impact a pandemic had on the stretched classes who falter despite on the surface seemingly have everything. It moved me in places and frustrated me that these people are probably lost in the world somewhere as just about managing. Not bad enough for one thing, not good enough for the other. Added to that was the real struggles with growing older, divorcing, starting again and labelling a child as having a different outlook on life.

A book full of strong friendships and laugh out loud moments and a book very much of it’s time. That time is now and therefore perhaps we need to read about what is really going on.

I absolutely loved Maybe Tomorrow! I love Penny Parkes books and this one was so true to how life is today and what we have and are experiencing. You never know when your life may change, when you may find hope and when your future may change.

Jamie Matson and her son Bo are in the depths of despair, struggling to afford to live. With rent rises, food price increases and just everyday living expenses, life is a huge struggle. Jamie’s son Bo has health issues and due to this Jamie finds it very hard to hold down her job. She is doing the very best she can, but without any support, life is tough, very tough.

And then ... her life changes! By doing something slightly different, her world changes, friendships are formed, she gains a support network, a community and friends she can rely on in times of need. The difference this makes to their lives is immense.

The generosity given to Jamie and her son Bo by the amazing Ruth and Henry turned not only Ruth and Henry lives around but Jamie and Bo's lives completely, and those of others too. Absolutely incredible how Ruth and Henry help so many people. The community is just amazing!

You never know what is going on in people's lives, behind closed doors. Saying one word, Hello to a stranger may just change their life and also yours too - in a small way or a big way.

Maybe Tomorrow is a very special book that will touch your heart, the characters will stay with you for a very long time and make you think about the small differences you may be able to make to your own life, or those of others. So Maybe Tomorrow, you may just make that small change …

A very poignant read - 5 enormous stars!

I cannot wait for Penny Parkes next book!

Review: I feel like this book is the one that no one is writing. This book is real life. This book reflects what happened so quickly and so uncontrollably to so many people as a result of everything that happened in 2020. And yet it is not a depressing book, it is not a book that will bring you down and it doesn’t focus on 2020 it’s the aftermath. This book is uplifting and hopeful and shows what human kindness, hope and spirit can look like. I am a huge fan of this book and I will be pushing it on everyone!
I loved getting to meet Jamie and Bo, hear their story and see Jamie fight so hard to give her son the life he deserves. Jamie and Bo are a single parent family suffering at the hands of the rental market, the minimum wage job market and then the judgement rather than help that they receive from Bo’s school. Jamie had it all but unfortunately a travel company couldn’t survive what happened in 2020 and so she finds herself in this position. She is such a relatable character because she sees how unfair and unjust the world is, especially her little world and yet she doesn’t complain about it because she knows that she has to play the game just to survive. Bo is such a great kid but is so let down by his school. He also suffers from chronic asthma which I also don’t think is talked about enough in books but it is something that affects the lives of so many children like Bo.
Bo’s school is a whole other kettle of fish.I really hope that Penny Parks didn’t write this school from first hand experience because the way that school treats Bo and Jamie is so bad and does not follow the duty of care that schools have. They are also certainly not an inclusive school and I felt so bad about the way they treated poor Bo-I would have loved to have taught a child as thoughtful as he was! Bo is so great and is the antidote to all the negativity in their world. He is artistic and funny and asks all the questions that people are thinking but are too afraid to ask-I loved that about him.
There is a whole cast of characters who are living similar lives to Jamie and Bo and getting along with their lives regardless because they have to. I thought that Jamie’s ‘Village” was well-selected and well-written because everyone who reads this will be able to find someone they can relate to and someone they can empathise with. I can’t go into too much detail about the supporting cast of this novel because to do so would definitely involve spoilers! I was angry at points reading this book but I was also hopeful and joyful and I just loved seeing these characters triumph in the face of adversity. I really loved this book and I hope everyone picks it up because I know you will relate to it as much as I did!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalkey for an early review copy.

This was an interesting read.

A story of how, when Covid happened, it changed things for the people living in a small town.

It’s makes us realise that we all need some assistance to find out where and what we’re supposed to do.

I highly recommend this book.

A reader could expect this to be a depressing read, based in the town of Harnley, where the main street is full of closed down shops and people are struggling to survive day to day.

However it is a story that tells of the resilience of people, how friendship can be the thing to change your life and how there can be a positive from every negative. I loved this heartfelt emotional read and its merry band of characters who are so well written, you can actually imagine meeting them. This is a read that will stay with you well after you finish it.

Jamie Matson is a single mother down on her luck, struggling day-to-day to make ends meet and it's during a weekly visit to a local foodbank that she meets a few people who soon become close friends. Each of these women have their own stories and over time we really get to know each of these characters and see how they support one another in good times and the bad. I loved the friendships that they built up in such a short time and I was championing each of them when they strived to make changes in their lives, whether it was setting up a new business, looking for a new job/home or making a fresh start.

But it's guardian angels in the form of Ruth and Henry who turn up when Jamie is at her lowest, facing homelessness and in a job that she hates, that offer her a lifeline. A job offer with live-in accomodation attached away from the damp that is causing frequent trips to A&E with Bo due to severe Asthma attacks. At first Jamie is wary, this seems like an opportunity too good to be true and she's sure there must be a catch, but what choice does she have. And it's only over time that we see that Ruth and Henry need Jamie and Bo as much as they need them.

Maybe Tomorrow tackles everyday issues that any one of us could face at any time, you never know what is going on behind closed doors and who needs support the most. But although it sounds like a depressing read, it's anything but. It's a story of friendship, support and hope.

Jamie Matson is a struggling single mum to her autistic son Bo (10) and worrying about her finances, debts and how to afford the next weekly shop. She goes to the food bank and meets a whole group of interesting people there, including Kath (an A&E nurse) and Bonnie (a hairdresser) and the wonderful Father Bill. From this, her friendship circle widens and she discovers such lovely people who try to help each other through the difficult times.
I don’t want to give away any more about the story, because it’s a joy to see it all unfold and I recommend you all read it yourselves. It’s a very special book and one I am thoroughly recommending.
Well, I can definitely relate to Jamie! I’m also a single mum to a boy of similar age (who also is on the spectrum and hums!) and struggling with money problems. I got into the book straight away, feeling sympathy for Jamie’s plight and a mutual hate for her entitled, obnoxious boss.
It’s a lovely book. Although it covers issues like poverty and the cost of living crisis in a post-Covid Britain, it’s not a depressing read. The community spirit in the book and all the amazing characters bring the book to life with warmth, humour and friendship.
I have read over forty books so far in 2023 and this beautifully written, sensitive novel is up there amongst the very best.

In Maybe Tomorrow we see Harnley, a small town devastated by the after effects of Covid. A high street which used to be thriving with many local independent shops, now with empty units, bargain stores and, somewhat incongruously, a high end deli. But more than that, we see the effects of the pandemic on one particular individual, Jamie.

Jamie was a successful business woman who had followed her dreams to run a travel business for single parents like herself. With the business unable to survive the pandemic, she was forced to work a minimum wage job with little respect or understanding from her boss and in a small flat plagued by damp and mould. Her son Bo has severe asthma which is exacerbated by their poor living conditions. He has a talent for art and a particular of looking at the world which marks him out as different at school.

The weariness and worry felt by Jamie daily is almost palpable. Here we get a clear view of what life is like for many people nowadays. Living from one payday to the next, always fearing an unexpected expense not budgeted for and at the mercy of unscrupulous landlords and uncaring bosses. Despite working, Jamie frequently has to swallow her pride and visit the local foodbank run by the wonderfully caring Father Bill.

Maybe Tomorrow provides a humbling insight into Foodbank use. People from all walks of life have need of its services including people working several jobs and even people with professional careers such as nurses. I provide occasional cover at the Foodbank that runs out my Church and I can say this is an accurate reflection of foodbanks and their clients.

And yet this is not a bleak read at all. Unexpected opportunities arrive for Jamie, new friends are made, a supportive community forms and bonds. Although Jamie still has hopes and aspirations for the future, her main focus is on her son. As new friendships are made and Jamie finds herself needed and valued again, she realises that even if just for now, her priorities can be smaller until the time is right to think bigger again. “She needed enough money to live on, and she needed a community. Even these hardest of times made easier by a metaphorical village in which to raise her son and keep her sanity.”

Maybe Tomorrow is a timely story whose themes will resonate with many people. There’s a strong sense of hope, that ‘maybe tomorrow‘ things will indeed be brighter. It’s a moving and optimistic story of friendship and community and the difference that even the smallest kindness can make.

Single mother Jamie Matson has fallen on hard times and is living with 10-year-old son Bo in a squalid rented flat and frequently having to rely on the local foodbank. It’s humiliating – but it could also be Jamie’s salvation, for the people she meets there fast become friends, like nurse Kath, hairdresser Bonnie, and Amy, an unemployed teenager. Then elderly Ruth and Henry Waverly offer her and Bo sanctuary in their granny annexe. All Jamie has to do in return is help them around the house.
As Jamie and her foodbank friends are drawn into Ruth and Henry’s life, an unlikely community blooms – one that can reach out and help each other with so much more than material needs.
This is a very thoughtful story, exploring the very real challenges that face so many people in today’s economic climate. It exemplifies that people may need to turn to food banks through no fault of their own, and explores how judgmental we as a society can be.
Jamie is a very strong character, despite being weighed down by her triple worries of no money and no career prospects, Bo’s asthma and his neurodivergence. She is very proud, and always “braced for the worst in people and braced to be let down”. I found that very sad, and for me, it actually made her a less empathetic character. She is kind and loyal and caring, but that prickly exterior keeps you at arms’ length. She’s so afraid of being judged that she judges other people harshly.
With such serious themes, the joy and the humour of this story are to be found in the little things that make up day-to-day life. They’re supplied by the more eccentric characters in the book – Henry, who immediately bonds with Bo; Ruth, whose increasing forgetfulness leads her into scrapes; Amy, who sees no problem in calling her hairdressing salon “Crap But Cheap”; and finally Bo – a truly delightful boy, wise beyond his years in some ways, but in so many others a typical 10-year-old verging on adolescence with all the problems it brings. He sees the best as well as the worst in people, and never allows the challenges of life to bring him down.
You won’t find many laugh-out-loud moments in this story, but there is plenty to warm your heart in the support that the characters offer each other, the friendships that are knitted through hardship and the message of hope that things can get better, if only we open or hearts and minds to the opportunities that come our way.

A thought provoking read about the lives of a group of people in one small town left changed by the Covid pandemic.
A reminder that we all sometimes need help to find our true purpose in life.
Penny Parkes has captured something in her writing that should be shared with politicians and employers. I loved seeing how her characters lives changed.

Maybe Tomorrow is the latest novel by Penny Parkes and it is one that the author should be proud of as it tackles the current financial crisis that many of us are finding crippling since covid and the cost of living crisis reared its ugly head.

Jaime is barely keeping her head above water, after losing her business and a dear friend which also lead to the loss of her home she finds herself in a poorly paid job stacking shelves and renting a less than adequate flat for her and her son Bo which is ridden with mould which triggers poor Bo’s breathing issues.

With not a penny to rub together they rely on the local food bank. One morning rather than getting their early so as not to be seen they arrive in the hustle of it all but this is where their life line comes in the shape of a community and friendship that understand the situation and struggles they face.

Let me start by saying that this is by far Penny Parkes best book by far, it is real, honest and insightful and gets to the heart of so many issues that far too many people all around us are finding ourselves in. Penny Parkes has such a wonderful way of showing the devastating lows that so many are struggling with from losing jobs, homes but also the loss of self belief and confidence too but she manages to do all this without the book feeling really depressing because she uses the support and friendship to lighten the tone and show that there really is light at the end of the tunnel but you need help and support along the way.

I also loved how despite Jaime’s on struggles and worries she still found it in herself to want to help others to succeed and to better themselves which just shows what a big heart this character has. Her son Bo is a breath of fresh air to this storyline and although he has his own battles in life he was a joy to watch as he began to relax and be himself as he found his tribe.

This is a poignant and insightful read that many will relate to in some way and hopefully will bring awareness and hope to its readers.

A lovely story of friendship and adversity. Jamie and Bo are doing their best to make ends meet. Regularly relying on the local food bank, it is here they make some wonderful friends. This book perfectly encapsulates the way the world is today for a lot of people in Britain. People struggling alone to make ends meet as they feel ashamed to reach out for help.
Together Jamie and her new friends enrich each others lives and spur each other on to try and achieve their dreams.
I really enjoyed this book, it was a lovely story and I definitely recommend.

This has hands down been my favourite book this year. Nailing the whole cost of living crisis/pandemic follow up and how a lot of people are falling through the cracks. Well written, poignant and detailing pretty much perfectly how autism can affect not just the child with it but the family as well (I have two autistic children, both adults).

What a joyous and uplifting read. Beautifully written and heart wrenching in places, Maybe Tomorrow is a contemporary tale of hardship,, losing your way and the importance of friendship of all kinds Set shortly after the Covid pandemic in a small town in the UK, and considering some of the repercussions for those who lost jobs, businesses and friends, it is touching, but also funny in places. Bo is a ten year old who is probably neuro=divergent and he is beautifully portrayed. I was left feeling very fond of him.
Ultimately this lovely novel is uplifting and empowering, and I am so happy that I read it. I recommend it to readers of any age, as it will appeal to all - particularly as the cast of interesting characters range from 10 to 80!
Five stars from me!

This is a modern uplifting story of Jamie who had everything a lovely house and a job then suddenly she lost it all and she and her son Bo found themselves in a tiny flat with mould which did not help with Bo's asthma.
Jamie is struggling her job in a local store looking after Bo and trying to make ends meet, I really felt sorry for what Jamie was going through and I could understand her reluctance to attend the local food bank but when she does she finds friends who become a life saver.
This book highlights the problems people are going through and how if you reach out and let friends help you can become stronger and find your way such a uplifting story that made me sad in places but such a powerful and honest book.
Thanks to NetGalley & Simon and Schuster UK, for a ARC for a honest review.

Such an uplifting powerful portrayal showcasing the wonderful value of friendship so poignantly applicable today as we see the increasing rise in the cost of everything and the increased reliance in food banks and charities!
Maybe tomorrow illustrates so realistically the everyday struggles so many families are experiencing, from the single mum, married couple, young adults and business owners, the one thing they all had in common was the support of each other and a little bit of luck/ being in the right place at the right time!
A great read that will resonate with you long after you have read it!
Thank-you net galley for this early read

Maybe Tomorrow highlights just how difficult life is for so many as we navigate life post Covid, while giving hope that maybe tomorrow things can indeed get better.
Jamie and her son live hand to mouth and day to day, with Jamie, having lost her successful business and her best friend through the pandemic. Forced to rely on the local food bank, Jamie's initial embarrassment eventually becomes her strength and support as she meets and becomes friends with, some of the women in the queue.
Initially, a bleak snapshot of lives turned upside down by the events of the last three years, Penny Parkes' novel is in fact one of, friendship, generosity optimism and joy, as the friends join together to find a way to navigate today's world towards that better tomorrow.

in this book we meet Jamie Matson and just like all of us the pandemic was a really hard time and like so many Jamie lost soooo much due to it. Her travel business, her best friend, her home, and she worried endless that her son who had breathing problems was going to get really poorly.

Now Jamie is just trying to make ends meet. She is stuck in a job she absolutely hates, making minimum wage and having to deal with a nasty piece of work as a manager. Her son's Bo's breathing problems are getting worse and she is needing to pay out money she doesn't have on expensive Uber rides to get him to his appointments which also means that she is missing hours at work. With raising credit card debt, Jamie is really struggling to make ends meet and can only feed herself and Bo thanks to the help of the local food bank. Jamie feels that the world is completely against her.

One day running out of time and desperately needing food Jamie and Bo go to the food bank where they see the lovely nurse Kath who had been helping Bo, and also a lovely lady called Kath who is also struggling to make ends meet and who is desperately trying to make her dreams come true of opening up her own hair salon. With their friendship Jamie begins to realise that the world isn't against her but instead the world is a really hard place to live in at the moment and lots of people are in the same space as her.

This book really highlights how hard the events of the past few years have been on everybody. But for some it has been much harder than others. It also shows that although we are coming out of the worst that this pandemic brought with it, it still isn't over yet and lots of people are still struggling and still trying to come to terms with the after effects.

It is also a story about hope. It's a story about friendship. It's a story that tells us if we open up to people that they could perhaps help change our lives for the better. It also has a message that things are going to get better and we all just have to keep going and keep holding on as we will come out of these hard times.