This was such a fun book. It's exactly what I needed to read, it made me laugh out loud in places, but it also makes you think. It's a story about a group of women of a certain age, who prove that actually, age is just a number and they can still 'boss' it better than anyone! I have a feeling that the author enjoyed writing this, you can almost feel the love coming from the pages as you read. After I finished read it, I immediately went to order The Authenticity Project - the best compliment I can give on finishing any book.
Thank you to the author and publisher for my advance reading copy.

AMAZING!!!!

I adored the authenticity project so i was really looking forward to this, i was so excited when i got the approval from Netgalley & the publisher, thankyou so much!

How to age disgracefully was so heartwarming & so funny. I think its been my fave book of 2024 so far! Perfect book to cheer you up or pull you out of a reading slump. I loved all the characters and would love to hang out with them all.

I cant wait to read the people on platform 5!

How to Age Disgracefully is a heartwarming book by the author who also wrote 'The People on Platform 5' (which I enjoyed very much). There's is even a small easter egg in 'How to Age Disgracefully' which links back to 'The People on Platform 5'.
Clare Pooley has a great way of creating recognizable characters who form unlikely friendships.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for the digital advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

As the author herself said, her characters are just bossing it in this novel.
An unlikely group of septuagenarians, children, and everything else in between navigate life as it comes with varying degrees of success.
The novel starts out strong and keeps at it chapter after chapter. There wasn't a single character I wasn't interested in, nor events I scoffed at however unlikely (perhaps actually all the more entertaining because of their ridiculousness).
Considering this was my first attempt at this author's work, I find myself now wanting to explore her other novels

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Lydia is a 50 something mum whose older children have flown the nest. She takes a new job running an over 70s social club. But her plans of what they’ll get up to go out the window once she meets Art, William, Daphne, Ruby, Anna, and the others. They aren’t ready to sit doing jigsaws. They want real fun. And Lydia will have to go along for the ride.

This is another heart warming page turner from this author. The characters are excellently written, as we’ve come to expect from this author. They gelled together so well, and it just makes the story more believable. This story features many current topics, such as estranged families, single parents, drug dealing, and marital issues. A laugh out loud, heartwarming story. I would highly recommend.

How to age disgracefully is the heartwarming new book from Clare Pooley.

You’ll meet the new members of the Senior Citizen’s Social Club, an unlikely group of people who eventually become friends as they unite, despite their differences, to try and save their local community center.

The story is told from multiple viewpoints, giving readers the opportunity to experience the feelings of each character. Daphne is hiding a secret from her past, but that doesn’t stop her from finally taking a chance to encourage her new friends to find their own voice and stand up for themselves.

You’ll discover that some friends can become family, you’re never too old to step outside your comfort zone, and it’s never too late to make a difference.

I loved How to Age Disgracefully! It's a wholesome read and has characters of all ages that I'd love to spend time with! Some moments made me laugh out loud, and the community spirit warmed my heart. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a lighthearted and fun read.

Thank you to Clare Pooley, NetGalley and the publishers for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

How absolutely wonderful and refreshing this story is, The mix of characters, their ages, personalities and backgrounds are so diverse that just about every reader could identify with one or more of them. Daphne is really the main attraction and an inspiration. I get so annoyed when people, including some authors, (thankfully Clare Pooley isn't one of them), assume that everyone over the age of sixty is an old, out of touch fuddy duddy shuffling around in fluffy slippers and a shawl! Not this group of pensioners though. Vibrant, funny, lively and totally on the ball, they are much more representative of today's older generation. Also in the mix is a young, single father and a dog called Maggie Thatcher. Pulling together to save their local community centre these friends provide many hilarious moments as well as some very poignant ones. I was giggling from the first page and I grew to love these characters so much that I am actually missing them now that I've finished the book. This gets a glittering, set of five stars from me. Truly delightful. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a pre release copy in exchange for my honest review.

I seem to be the odd one out here but after loving this authors 1st and 2nd book this all fell a bit flat for me.
Similar concept with unusual characters meeting at one central location. The prologue seemed more than chaotic which switched me off, and then I wasn't as bought into the characters as I usually am. It would have been nice to see this author do something different. It was about 60% in where it got interesting for me.

Nice to see a Dylan Thomas quote and sentiment.

‘Where’s the fun in ageing gracefully?’ said Daphne. ‘Personally, I intend to age as disgracefully as possible.’

On the day of Daphne's 70th birthday she decides that somethings have got to change. Having spent most of the last 15 years living a very low-profile lifestyle with very few social connections. She decides she wants to make friends and to find love, so off she goes to buy a mobile phone and a whiteboard for making lists.

On one of her outings she spots a notice which read, "Are you over seventy? Would you like to make some new friends? Why not join the Senior Citizens Social Club at the Mandel Community Centre?". And so, Daphne finds herself among an eccletic group of senior citizens lead by the club organiser, Lydia.

Over the course of the story, Daphne develops new relationships, sets new goals and finds her new self.

Daphne is not the only main character in this story but she stole the show for me. We also meet the lovely Lydia, Art and Ziggy and I grew to love each and every one of them.

This story is one of companionship, camaraderie, cracking dating apps, and of a group coming together to save a community. I was captivated by each character's story and genuinely found myself missing them since I finished the book.

The writing is truly hilarious! I recently read another novel with characters of a similar age and How to Age Disgracefully had ALL the humour that I was looking for in that book. So many laugh out loud moments like the following:

‘Mmm. To lose one husband is unfortunate. But to lose five could be considered careless. If not criminal,’

as well as some thought-provoking phrases:

How lovely it must be to be an age at which you wanted to add quarters rather than subtract decades.

I really adored this book. If you're looking to laugh out loud and fall in love with a whole host of characters, this is the book for you!

With thanks to NetGalley, the author and Bantam Books/Random House/Penguin Books for the opportunity to honestly review this book.

Daphne and Art are two single septuagenarians living in London. When they happen to meet on the street they get off on the wrong foot but they have a lot more in common than they realise, particularly a deep loneliness.

They both decide to join a senior citizens club at their local community centre which is run by Lydia, a middle-aged mother and wife struggling with an empty nest, low self esteem and an awful husband. The community centre also houses a nursery attended by Ziggy’s daughter, as a single teenage dad he relies heavily on the centre’s care. So when urgent repairs threaten the demolition of the community centre, the characters pull together in an attempt keep what they have going.

I absolutely loved this, it was the perfect novel to accompany me on my holiday. It was witty, heartwarming and fun. I laughed out loud a good few times and became really invested in the characters’ individual stories and the overall plot. There’s a lot that goes on in this book as each chapter alternates between these four characters, but it remains easy to follow and touches on a few emotional topics in a clever way.

Reading about a cool, powerful 70 year old who doesn’t let her age or peoples’ perceptions of her age stop her was refreshing and uplifting.

A very comforting, wacky read and definitely one for you if you love the Thursday Murder Club characters!

I’ve now added The Authenticity Project and The People on Platform 5 to my TBR.

How to Age Disgracefully
by Clare Pooley

A fabulously well written book. The story centres around the main characters were all great bunch eccentric Septuagenarians, secrets abound there’s a kleptomaniac actor ,a daredevil on a mobility scooter with a number husbands dying mysteriously, a former paparazzi photographer, a secret knitting bomber to name but a few.

There are very poignant moments that will have you chocking back a tear or two and humour that has holding your sides in laughter all trying to save their sadly neglected community centre by fair means or fowl. To save the nursery ,AA as well as the senior citizens club meeting place. I want to grow up to be like that!

A brilliant read a page turner from start to finish wondering who the police are looking for.

I loved it! I was torn between devouring it and keeping it for as long as possible. I think I was caught at the very interesting prologue. Then as the story started to unfold I got to love nearly all the characters. I love reading about senior characters and this motley crew of the members of this senior citizens' social club are something else. The author chose some characters and in turns followed their storyline. These mature people are not your stereotypical pensioners. A gerilla knitter, a retired truck driver lady, etc.The main character is Daphne, a mysterious lady who becomes the leader of the group.They have a mission: to save the community centre which houses their social club among others. During the events you cannot but admire their gumption.
I loved every page of this book and was really sorry to say goodbye to the people in it. Clare Pooley is an excellent writer. I also loved Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting by her.
I can recommend this book to everyone. You are in for a treat.

How to age disgracefully by Clare Pooley is a very entertaining and engaging story about a senior citizens’ centre and a daycare centre that inhabit the same building.
Lydia takes a job running a senior citizen’s centre three times a week and imagines it would be really easy and rewarding.
The members of the Senior Citizens Social Club have their own agenda rather than Lydia’s.
The result is a healthy chaos where all the clubs that meet up combine their resources to keep the club going by one way or another.
A very entertaining, funny and very humorous look at all of the varying characters involved.
Highly recommended

Lydia, an empty nester, opens an over 70’s social club at the Mandel Community Centre. Daphne who has just had a big birthday is on a mission to make new friends and decides to join the group. On day one, the roof collapses killing one of the members, leaving her dog, Maggie Thatcher, ownerless. When the council threaten to close the community centre because of the collapse, this group of over 70’s (Art, William, Anna and Ruby) masterminded by Daphne, hatch a plan to save the centre, roping in the nursery, AA and other groups that use the centre too.

An absolutely brilliant, laugh out loud read, literally from page one when the mini bus is pulled over. Viva Daphne!!!!’

I loved this book - I could not put it down - it was delightful!

The Mandel Social Centre needs to be saved. The recently established Senior Citizen’s group set up by Lydia is determined to raise the funds to save it. Each brings their own talents to the enterprise with hilarious results. They are organised by Daphne - who is more than she seems. She is determined to resolve this crisis as well as Lydia’s marital woes and set the teenage father of one of the nursery children on the right track as well as finding herself friends and a purpose!

Working together their unorthodox methods might work as long as they can keep ahead of the authorities.

A lovely heartwarming read about the value of friendships, loyalty and positive thinking.

To be recommended.

Everything you'd expect from Clare Pooley. Funny, comforting and full of characters I adored. It did take me a few chapters to settle into the story. but once I did I loved every page.

This is one of those books you're sorry to finish. Pooley is so clever the way she writes about a group of people, all different ages and from different backgrounds, yet somehow they become friends. There's humour, but there are also some poignant moments. A great read. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Funny, lighthearted, emotional and creative… this book takes a mish mash of characters old and young, throws them together and let’s wacky hijinks ensue. I loved Pooley’s earlier book The People on Platform Five, and it was great to see Iona Iverson’s advice column from that book get a mention here. If you love feisty characters and slice of life stories that tie everything together so we see characters come together and grow, you’ll love this. And who among us doesn’t want to be Daphne when we grow up?!

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

This was a delightful read, full of memorable characters that were so fun to read about. I raced through this book in 2 days, fun and touching, it was a fantastic read.