If you are looking for a book similar to The Thursday Murder Club, this one is for you. Full of humour, vibes and deceit, this book has it all. It was lovely to get to know all the characters, particularly Daphne and her very bizarre ways.

I like the way in which we were introduced to the characters separately, so we could build our own opinions of them. This is an extremely character driven book, similar to her others, so do bare this in mind when delving in. I like how the book explored day to day topics and relatable situations,

I enjoyed this read, but it didn't really resonate with me in the way I wanted it to, hence the 3 star review.

There are not enough stars to give this book. Having read Clare Pooley's previous novels I knew I was in for a treat but didn't believe she could top the other stories: I was wrong. This book was so funny throughout it's entirety. Yet it dealt with issues such as how to break the poverty cycle as a teen parent, how to face up to a far from ideal relationship once your children have flown the nest, as well as how to fight against being stereotyped as an older person.

I read the book with Netgalley and also in the company of fellow readers on Pigeonhole. It was an utter delight.

📖 Book Review

How To Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley
Bantam, 20th June 2024

When a group of strangers join a social club for senior citizens to meet people and make friends, they expect bingo and cups of tea. So, when they begin to interact and get to know each other, imagine their surprise when they find themselves in downright hilarious situations!

This book is a lightheaded, riotous frolic that often made me laugh out loud at the characters' antics. The characterisations are wonderful, with the various people becoming very real for me. Such an enjoyable read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Bantam and Clare Pooley for the ARC provided via NetGalley; this is my unbiased review.

#HowToAgeDisgracefully #ClarePooley #Bantam #BantamBooks #NetGalley #ARCReview #Bookstagram #HumorousRead #FabFiction

Oh, what a fabulous book this one was. After a few weeks of reading mainly crime novels, I decided to pick this one up. While it is not a crime, it does have crime within!

This book starts with a minibus of elderly citizens, a baby, a teenager, a dog and young children being pulled over on the motorway by the police. They are looking to arrest someone. The problem is... well some on the bus are all too ready to confess to their misdemeanours!

Lydia is a married woman, in her 50s and feeling sad about her life, she is struggling with menopause, her children are growing up and her husband doesn't see her anymore. Her companions are those at the local community centre who are senior citizens, not exactly the life and soul of the party. But, she soon discovers there is more to them than meets the eye, especially when they get the bit between their dentures over an announcement that they might be losing the centre.

If there was ever a book about growing old disgracefully, this one must be on your list. It is a fun story that takes on the most interesting and unexpected turns. From a ceiling collapsing, to yarn-bombing, covert investigations, dodgy dealings and some very fun events, mishaps and shenanigans. This book seems to have a huge amount covered.

While this is a fun story, there are also some serious aspects to it. You don't get through life being squeaky clean and there are going to be some things that you have done that may not be exactly proper. Luckily for us, the reader has decided that her characters have had some interesting lives, there are years of experience, wisdom and dodgy advice to be had.

I really enjoyed this book, it was a mix of contemporary fiction, with a mystery threaded lightly through, some very good humour and laughs and an adventurous group who appear to be more than willing to be led astray.

If you are looking for a fun read then have a look at this one. I enjoyed it and hope you do too. I would happily recommend it for a lighthearted read.

Absolutely fabulous. Highly funny and very relatable which just makes it funnier. I could see myself in these situations and laughed out loud so many times.

Similarily to The People on Platform 5, this book is a lovely, witty, found-family comedy (picture The Thursday Murder Club but without the murder!).

The story follows a few different characters as they navigate the perils of aging and relationships, but the standout for me was Daphne. Clever, resourceful Daphne sets out from the start of the story to make herself some friends and end her self-enforced years-long isolation (with the help of a whiteboard plan, which I found very relatable!) and somehow ends up very competently solving everyone’s problems with straying husbands, gang peer pressure, estranged family, kleptomania and elective mutism (to name just a few).

Oh, and they also have to save the local community centre, of course!

Daphne’s abrasive approach to human contact is both funny and sad, but it is when all of the characters come together as a group that the story achieves chaotic, comedic perfection.

I loved reading every minute of this and found myself wanting to be back in the story after I had finished it. And, as I loved The People on Platform 5 so much as well, I will clearly need to add Clare Pooley to my must-read author list for the future.

This book was hilarious. This is exactly what I want to do, age disgracefully. Life is too short for what ifs.

I absolutely lovely Daphne she is fabulous and funny and a bit of a devil. What a brilliant book.

I also really loved Ziggy's character, life has thrown him a bad hand and he's just trying to make a good life for his little girl. The friendship that builds with him and Daphne is so heartwarming.

I love that the dog they inherit is called Maggie Thatcher, absolutely brilliant name for a dog.

I was laughing my head off throughout this book and devoured it.

I loved The People on Platform 5 so I was hopeful that this book would be as brilliant, and I was not disappointed

This is the 3rd book I’ve read by Clare Pooley and the 3rd I’ve loved! There’s nothing Clare could write that I wouldn’t read!

Absolutely adored this book and can’t wait for more.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Yet another glorious and hilarious read by the wonderful Clare Pooley; I loved both her previous books and didn't think The People on Platform 5 could be bettered, but I really think this one was her best yet. The most fabulous characters - I adored them all - especially Daphne of course but also Art, William, Lydia and Ziggy. I love the way she writes and brings all the generations together so beautifully. Utterly brilliant.

I absolutely loved this book. It made me laugh and smile a lot.
I enjoyed all the different characters, which were very believable. I hope that when I get to that age I have as much gumph in me.
Definitely well worth a read.

Thoroughly enjoyable
A group of widely disparate people (and a dog) band together to save their local community centre (and, quite incidentally, themselves). They are led, or maybe pushed, by an elderly woman with a dark and disgraceful past.
There’s a lively and entertaining plot, some well handled sadness and the characters (including an abused wife and a teenage, single father)fit together well and develop just enough to give the story an extra kick.
It was a light read but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Clare Pooley is a writer who brings characters to life. I've read The Authenticity Project and The People on Platform 5 also by Pooley, and I've loved them all ❤️ so there's no surprises when I'll tell you I absolutely loved How To Age Disgracefully as well 🥳

There's never a central character as such in Pooley's books. It's more to do with a whole group of people that are poles apart. But Pooley brings them together in such a way that it just fills your heart.

Here, the Mandel Community Centre is being shut down by the council. So, the community comes together to try and raise the £80k that is needed. Pooley breaks down all your stereotypical characters and shines a light on the fact that people are different and should be celebrated for that fact ❤️

If you've not read a book by Clare Pooley yet. Then what are you waiting for.... I'll be here waiting to hear what you think and you can thank me later 😊

This was a much needed fun-break from a series of bad thrillers.

I don’t usually read books in this genre but I’m glad I did. And yes, it does start a bit slow but eventually picks-up the tempo.

It’s an easy, quirky, and just a perfect read for the long summer days.

This book had me laughing, wanting to cry and reflecting all at one time.

The characters were so so easy to fall in love with and it gave me Thursday murder club vibes - can’t beat it!

Another huge win from Clare pooney

As the title indicates it’s mainly about a group of older people, who belong to a community centre, and their various pasts and quirky exploits.
A gentle and humorous read

On her 70th birthday Daphne feels that life is passing her by so she decides to join a local club. There she meets a disparate group of pensioners and is witness to a sudden death. Invigorated Daphne works alongside her new friends to support a single teenage father, to help their leader escape from her marriage and to plot to save their community centre. However as Daphne revels in her new life, her old one threatens it all.
This is a delightful but lightweight novel. It's great fun and passes a couple of hours pleasantly however, it's not great literature and it's not in the slightest bit challenging. Having said that, if the reader is in need of a little light relief it is great!

I absolutely loved this book! Not quite sure at the beginning, but as I got further and further into the story, it became more and more mesmerising, and extremely difficult to put down.
It was a shame when the book was over, but a glorious ending. Go Daphne!

An enjoyable, delightful treat of a novel featuring a fantastic cast of characters including Maggie the dog. I loved every minute, the quirky humour and the non stereotypical personalities.

Thanks to #Netgalley and publishers for an #ARC of #HowtoAgeDisgracefully.

Thus is a funny, feel good book that can really make you feel better about people. Enjoyable read, highly recommend.

Another lovely read from Clare Pooley with a cast of colourful, multi-generational characters and a dog called Maggie Thatcher, what's not to like? Like Clare's previous books, this one gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling as Daphne and the others try to save the community centre. I have to admit that I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first two (People on Platform Five is one of my favourite books ever) but it's still 5 stars from me, as I'd have given the other two 6 or 7 stars if that had been allowed!