I’ve enjoyed the author’s previous novels and this is another warm and fun read.
As Daphne celebrates her 70th birthday she joins a social club for older people held at the local community centre. When the centre is threatened with closure Daphne and her fellow attendees join with another community group to save the centre.
I loved the relatable characters and the relationships between them. The author portrays the older characters with real warmth and empathy and so avoids any stereotyping.
An enjoyable and humorous read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.
3.5 stars.

First book I've read by this author and I love it. A laugh out loud heartwarming read. I didn't want the book to end once I started it.

Clare Pooley is a magician. You just want to disappear into the lives of her characters for as long as possible. I absolutely loved this book. Such a good plot, the writing flows well. I didn’t want it to end. Thanks so much #netgalley, definitely recommend!

I love Clare Pooley’s writing and she goes from strength to strength with each novel. I loved the heroine of her last novel and thought we should all be more Iona, now she’s stepped it up a notch and we should all be more Daphne; a feisty septuagenarian with. A hidden past who decides it’s time to put herself out there socially. She joins a seniors club, in the local community centre. At the first meeting the roof collapses, leading to a lot of unexpected events unfolding, not least for the leader of the group, Lydia. As a woman of a certain age myself, I felt a real affinity for Lydia and her menopausal trials and tribulations- there should be more writing for invisible women in society.
Above all, this book is very, very funny, but it’s also sweet and moving and a bit inspirational. Really wonderful

Daphne has been in her own for a long while. No friends or family but in her 70th birthday she decides to join a Senior Citizen Social Club. And there the fun begins. Do many lovely characters - a failed actor turned shop lifter; a serial yarn bomber and the chair of the club finds her husband is cheating on her. Fabulous storyline there. Then there’s Ziggy who’s got to look after his baby after a quickie in a cupboard! And the mum doesn’t want to know. He’s into something dodgy stuff but good old Daphne helps him out. In fact she helps everyone. Which causes problems for her as she’s not who she seems. Wonderful twist in the tale

What a fun read, I really enjoyed this book and it did what few others have managed and actually made me laugh out loud. Glorious!
A motley crew of characters from an 8 month old baby to several rather unique senior citizens not forgetting the dog.
The chapters gave the POV of some of the different characters and some of the back stories but the main issue was the saving of the community centre, mainly led by Daphne who was truly a force to be reckoned with.

“I wanted to create older characters who are bossing it.” Well Clare Pooley has well and truly nailed it! This is an absolute gem of a book. I’ve had so much fun with Lydia and her senior citizens gang, along with Ziggy and Kylie and her friends at the day nursery; I’m going to really miss them! From the very beginning you just knew that everyone on the minibus had a back story and it was so much fun uncovering their secrets and stories. Go Lydia! You deserve to be seen. Keep kicking ass Daphne! What a hoot and I think my favourite character. I hope I’m still causing as much mischief and mayhem in my seventies! It’s such a clever, well written book that leaves you with a big smile and makes you want to tell everyone to go read it too, now, so they can see just how much fun a group of OAPs, a bunch of toddlers and a dog can have. Definitely my hug in a book read of the summer.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Random House Uk, Transworld for an arc in exchange for a review.

When the local community centre that hosts daycare, senior club and threatens to shut down, Daphne and her new gang band together to help save the community.

This book was absolutely fabulous. Each character came to life more and more with every page, and I loved learning their stories. Daphne is fantastic and I really enjoyed her development and the final story.
So much warmth, heart and utter wholesomeness, I can't wait to pick up a physical copy of this.
I really enjoy older characters in books, and this showed age is truly just a number.
Thank you so much Netgalley and RandomHouseUK for an advance ecopy in exchange for an honest review.

This was the second book I have read by Clare Pooley. I love the way she brings a mixture of characters of all ages (and a dog) together. I would have given 5 stars but I thought there was a couple of places in the middle where it dragged a bit. But aside from that, this is a really fun book with some heartache along the way. The characters are all really believable and as the story is written through the perspective of a few of the characters it adds depth to the book and we see things from different points of view. The ending was great and quite unexpected. A very enjoyable book

If you have read Clare Pooley's previous books, you will know how well she writes feel-good books featuring a truly eclectic cast of characters - and i she delivers once again! It is a book that will make you smile, make you laugh - and as a woman of a certain age it definitely hit a chord for me!

It is the story of generations coming together to save their local community centre which hosts everything from a pre-school to a senior citizens club. There are some fabulous characters, from the downtrodden Lydia who is seeking to find herself as a recent empty-nester, to the delightful Daphne. I guarantee you will fall in love with the characters and their often hilarious antics - and as someone a little in denial about ageing, I loved the older generation’s refusal to conform to expectations and the reminder that it’s never too late to step out of your comfort zone.

It’s fun, it’s funny and for me Pooley’s best book yet - if you are looking for a feel good read then it’s one I’d wholeheartedly recommend.

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley

At the age of 70, Daphne decides to re-engage with the world after 15 years of rarely leaving her apartment. She joins a seniors group and her and the other members try to save the community centre which is threatened with closure, with surprising and often hilarious results. But Daphne is hiding a secret and time is running out.

Clare Pooley just gets better and better - I absolutely loved this book, one of my favourites of the year! I laughed, I cried, I nodded vigorously to all the stereotype-busting and loved every minute of it... and you will too! Then I read the acknowledgements and loved the author even more. Very VERY highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Absolutely adored this book. The characters were so fun, especially Daphne, of course. I really enjoyed the multiple characters, strangers mixing with each other and wondered how they'd become a cohesive team. I loved the twists and turns and laughed so much.

I enjoy Clare Pooley books - they are such feel-good, heartwarming stories and this one is no exception.

How to Age Disgracefully is a story about lonely seniors who meet when they sign up for a local senior citizens club. The club meets in a community center that is slated for closure to make way for luxury apartments. The seniors band together to save the building.

The story is told from the point of view of three of these seniors. Each character has their own story and distinct personalities and quirks. They are a joy to read about and to see how they come to become found family and find their happiness again while refusing to age gracefully or as society expects. Throw in a cheating husband, a dynamic, sharp-tongued woman with a past, a young teen father and his eight month baby, and a lovable dog called Maggie Thatcher, and you have a delightful read! I really enjoy novels that focus on older characters.

If you want a fun, quick read that will make you feel good and warm your heart, then make sure to pick up this (and any Clare Pooley) book!

Thanks to @bantambooksuk @randomhouse @transworldbooks for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

Clare Pooley - How to Age Disgracefully.

Lydia’s new job running a social club for the elderly, should, in theory, be a gentle affair of tea and cake, with a few relaxed card games thrown in.
How wrong she was!
Ir would appear that there is a lot of life and mischief left in these senior citizens.
This invisible generation has secrets to share, and they aren’t quite ready to sit quietly and sip tea just yet.

When the community centre where they meet is threatened with closure, the feisty pensioners join forces with an army of little helpers and prepare to fight the battle of their lives by any means necessary

Once again Clare Pooley has pulled together an eclectic bunch of characters, who are all incredibly well thought out and are presented with quirky and unique style.

I’ve enjoyed all her books. Each one has stood out to me for being individual and unlike anything else that I have read.

#HowToSgeDisgracefully is quite simply a delight. From start to finish I was completely invested in the lives and struggles of this glorious bunch of characters.

This story sails through a range of emotions. It’s a powerful and poignant read. It’s funny, sweet and utterly unputdownable.

Clare Pooley goes from strength to strength with every book that she creates.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a delightful and unique read! I loved How to Age Disgracefully, and its cast of quirky, earnest, snarky and loving characters.

It has a similar feel to Anxious People by Fredrick Backman, which I loved. Art and Daphne’s spiky natures quickly became endearing, and I loved the way the group worked together to help each other find their voice. Except for poor Pauline I guess…

The authors comments around aging, invisibility, mastery and the representation of older people in fiction were so on point. I love the way this book celebrated people of all ages, and played with the idea of that invisibility that comes with age being a strength or secret weapon. The prose was engaging, immersive and laugh out loud funny, and I’d recommend this for anyone looking for a light read with a deceptive amount of heart.

Thank you Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for a copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

This latest book by Clare Pooley was so much fun to read. I loved the gang of unlikely characters that come together to try and save a social club. Combine a 70 year old feisty, opinionated woman (Daphne) with a similar aged man (Art). Then there is Lydia who suspects something is going on with her husband Jeremy. There's a teen dad (Ziggy) who is trying to do the best for his daughter with a mishap or two along the way. Plus a few other sweet characters. It all made for a delightful read.

A warm and hilarious story refuting the expectations that older people just want to sit quietly. No, these members of the older generation are here to challenge your expectations!

Daphne has been alone a long time, and thats the way she likes it. It helps keep her chequered past hidden… When faced with a 70th birthday alone however, she decides to attend a new Senior Citizens Social Club. Horrified by the expectation of sitting quietly doing crafts, she soon rallies her members into trying to save the community centre when under threat of closure. The council have most definitely underestimated this group of pensioners…

This is a fun read, full of vivacious characters full of depth and flaws and everything that makes them jump off the page. Daphne is smart and deliciously blunt, not feeling any need to hedge her comments with politeness or fake concern. She merely gets straight to the point. I love her! The dynamic between her and unknown actor Art is particularly compelling, banter flying between them with ease.

I also enjoyed the character development throughout. Despite not changing her blunt demeanour, Daphne does warm to teenage father Ziggy and his daughter, and takes to them like a grandparent. This shows her what her life has been missing when spending all these years alone.

Timid leader of the group Lydia represents another rarely seen demographic in literature, that of the middle aged woman. Ignored and under appreciated by her husband, children having flown the nest, Lydia takes on a new job at the community centre, but ends up learning more from her attendees instead.

The plot to keep the community centre open is far fetched and yet somehow believable. Hoping that old dog Margaret Thatcher(!) can perform new tricks to win a tv show is just the sort of thing us Brits would adore.

A truly entertaining story bursting with wonderful characters!

How To Age Disgracefully is out today! Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for the early access.

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley will not disappoint fans of her previous novels. This is a wonderful intergenerational story with some great characters and a plot to keep you guessing. United in their need to keep the local community centre open, Lydia, Art, Anna, Daphne, Ruby and Ziggy pull together with some unintended consequences. Thoroughly entertaining!
With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

While this one didn’t grab my attention immediately from the very beginning, once I got into it, it was a fun read and I did really enjoy it!

All the characters are so much fun and I love all of the separate story lines that link up together - the whole vibe of this book is very ensemble cast and it makes it a lot more interesting following the different characters and how they all mingle with each other.

The book itself is such an easy read and one you can definitely curl up on the sofa with.

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Clare Pooley’s books are a joy to read and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one.

It’s lovely to see older characters in the story and reading about their past lives, was beautifully written.

There are different topics covered, as well as different stories. There was also some moments that made you laugh.

I highly recommend this book.