I have always enjoyed Pearson's books, but Shelley might be my new favourite. Brilliant characters, believable writing and storyline, sensitive coverage of a difficult topic and a plot that kept me guessing all the way to the end.

I raced through this book and was trying to work out what had happened (unsuccessfully) which made it even better. A fabulous read.

Thank you so much for this early copy.

The last thing Shelley Woodhouse can remember, after waking from a coma, is being attacked by her violent husband, David.

But, as it turns out, there's quite a lot Shelley has forgotten...

As her memories of her life gradually return, we learn more about how she's ended up where she is.

This was a hugely engaging and often powerful read about the damage wrought by domestic violence, and the difficulties - and rewards - of breaking free. Pub landlady Shelley never thought she'd live the life her mother did, but somehow that's how things turned out.

(Incidentally, this might just be the first novel I've ever read where the protagonist was a pub landlady - I loved that. More diversity in characters' jobs is very welcome!)

Thanks for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

An enjoyable read, albeit about domestic abuse, but written sensitively.

Shelley wakes up in hospital from a coma and doesn't remember too much, apart from the fact that her husband hurt her. But she still can't remember anything else, and people seem very reluctant to tell her anything, the reason for which becomes apparent as the story goes on.

The story flicks back and forth to Shelley's earlier life, both when she was younger and living at home with her Mum and Gran, and also to about 7 years ago, along with her life today, still in the hospital slowly remembering the missing parts of her her memory. We also find out how Shelley has got to this point in her life, and find her Mum was abused by her partner, and Shelley has followed the same pattern in her life.

The lovely Matt, a 'hospital visitor' kept visiting her though, and Shelley slowly start to remember that Matt is more than just a visitor to her, but it just takes time.

Quite heartbreaking in parts, but ultimately with a happy ending.

I was drawn in by the concept of woman waking up in a hospital with memory loss. That is a great foundation for me to look forward to seeing how it would all unravel.

I enjoyed the storytelling, exploring the past as well as present. The exploration of domestic violence was sensitively approached. I found that the role of pub landlady was very much a huge part of character identity which was a little inrelatable for me, but I liked seeing personal growth beyond what felt like a fixed point.

The ending was satisfying, not a twisty one, but a slow emergence of reality.

Dealing with the difficult subject matter of domestic abuse this novel is full of hope and compassion. A page turner from page one the author explores family relationships and friendships with some wonderful (and some dreadful) well-drawn characters. As Shelley’s memory returns the reader experiences the horrors and the joys along with her. A remarkable novel that I fully recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

Thank you Netgalley & Boldwood Books for an eARC ♥️

Shelley's story drew me in from the get-go - waking up in the hospital with no memory, piecing together her past, and uncovering dark family secrets. The way the author weaves together past and present is masterful! You'll meet amazing characters like Granny Rose, Dee, and Matt, who bring light to balance the heavy moments. Warning: the timeline gets a bit twisty near the end, but stick with it - it's worth it! Pearson handles tough topics with care and sensitivity, and you'll be rooting for Shelley the whole way♥️

TRIGGER WARNING:

Violent relationship, hospital stay

I’ve had a lot of hospital stays in my life, and the hospital scenes were so realistic. I felt Shelley’s concern over her health and what she felt while in hospital was sensitively portrayed.

Regarding Shelley’s home life, I really liked Granny Rose and her mother, until secrets came out. The way they were woven in was so natural and made a real impact.

The alternate “Then” and “Now” chapters are perfect for the kind of story this is. I was glad that Shelley had Annabelle and Dee. I liked Angela a lot and found Matt great too.

Despite some hard parts and hard issues, The Day Shelley Woodhouse Woke Up is feelgood, hopeful and enjoyable.

Thanks to Laura Pearson, Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

5 stars

What a wonderful, sensitive story of survival and love!
I cannot stop thinking about this novel. It is just that good!
Told in dual timelines, it brings a well detailed account of Shelley's life from the time she is a child and her early battles, through to present day and all she is now!
It is certainly difficult at times to read and provoked many emotions between anger, horror and sadness.
Yet- it is so real and well done. I know I could not stop reading and the deeper into the pages I got, the quicker I had to read to learn of the conclusions for this brave young woman!
Thank you to @ NetGalley and to @Boldwood Books for this ARC and allowing me to read and provide my own review!
Laura Pearson has created a masterpiece.

This was an engaging, thought provoking and excellent read. The subject of domestic violence is not an easy one but this book deals with it with compassion and understanding. I have no doubt this will be a best seller, it is well written and compelling. @theboldbookclub #Netgalley

The Day Shelley Woodhouse Woke Up

An interesting way of telling a familiar story -of an abusive relationship cycle. I was easily hooked into the storyline and celebrated the highs with Shelley, while knowing that an upcoming flashback would relate another low.

I felt that all the characters were well drawn and believable. I guessed the main plot twist early on but it didn’t spoil it for me. I was just glad to know there was a good destination for the book.

My thanks to NetGalley, Laura Pearson, and the publisher for an ARC. I thoroughly recommend this book and author.

I have read all of Laura Pearsons books and she has never disappointed and this book is no different. I was invested from chapter 1 and was rooting for Shelley to remember her own story. Her relationship with her grandma was heartfelt and true, unlike the one that she ended up having with her mum when she was a young adult. Her marriage was unfortunately a story of a lot of peoples and was a difficult read. Her friendship with Dee was one that we all want with our best friend. This book was funny, sad, heartwarming, heartbreaking, a typical page turner from Laura.

This talented author has written a cannot put down novel. Realistic characters keep the story moving quickly. I enjoyed the now more than the then. That being said, I liked this book. It kept me guessing. Red herrings…secrets…what really happened? Enjoy this story…it is somewhat different. Thanks Netgalley.

Thanks to NetGalley, Laura Pearson, and Boldwood Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of The Day Shelley Woodhouse Woke Up in the return of an honest review. I received an advanced reader copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The story started right away with great intrigue. It sort of fizzled for me at about the halfway point. It did get more interesting towards the end, but it did take a while to get back into it. The subject of domestic abuse is a tough one to handle. I feel the author did a good job of having it be the main discussion. It just became too much and too dragged out. The chapters go back and forth between the past and present. The subject matter is dealt with in both timelines. Good writing. A bit too forced though.

This was my first book by Laura Pearson, although I'd already purchased The Last List of Mabel Beaumont (which I've now started!) From the very first page, I knew this was my kind of book. I loved the writer's style and there were so many clues to unravel and shocks around the corner. The book deals with some hard-hitting themes, but they are dealt with in a very sensitive manner, and your heart goes out not just to the characters involved, but to those people who are their supporting cast. I absolutely loved Matt's role in this story. Everyone needs a Matt in their life. It also shows that families aren't perfect and come in all shapes and sizes. I read it in just a couple of days and I know the author has just released Missing Pieces too, so I'm so glad I have that to look forward to, too. Definitely a recommended read from me.

Shelley wakes up in the hospital. Everyone keeps telling her that she is safe. Why is everyone acting so weird? No one is visiting her. She isn't even sure of what happened in this "accident". No one will tell her anything. The nurses come and go. Some man comes and visits her. He only visits people that have no visitors. The one day, Dee finally shows up. But even her best friend doesn't answer all of her questions. Then one day, as she walks through the hospital looking for the man who only visits the visitor-less patients, she comes across the date..... 2024. How did it get to be 2024? It was just 2017.
The Day Shelley Woodhouse Woke Up by Laura Pearson is the cutest story about Shelley's life. It follows her from the past to the present time switching back and forth between the chapters, which are clearly labeled. *Warning* Shelley's past does have a fair amount of domestic violence in it.* I loved reading about Shelley's life and how she figured out what happened with us along for the ride. The characters are the sweetest and the Shelley's relationship with Matt will make your heart happy. My only complaint, is at the end of the book, the last few chapters the timeline was so close that it all kind of came together and got confusing. I couldn't decipher what was the past and what was happening currently. But that wouldn't stop me from recommending this book to all my book reading friends. This is my first read by Laura Pearson but I would love to read her other work and future work she has yet to write. Special thanks to NetGalley, Laura Pearson, and Boldwood Books for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 4 stars for me.

Upon awakening from a coma in the hospital, Shelley Woodhouse asserts that her husband must be arrested, holding him responsible for her current state. As memories flood back, including fragments of her childhood, Shelley grapples with the challenge of trusting these recollections and those around her. A mysterious hospital volunteer adds a touch of warmth to her confusing situation, prompting Shelley to question her past and search for a future.

The narrative unfolds with Shelley as the engaging narrator, alternating between her childhood tale and her hospital experiences. The story initially captivates as it unravels the mystery behind Shelley's attack and the reluctance of those in the hospital to involve the police. However, as the plot progresses, author Laura Pearson, though skillful in her writing, appears to transition from storytelling to a more didactic stance on a social issue. The characters, aside from Shelley, lack depth and nuance, particularly the male figures, leaving an impression of missed potential. The opportunity to blend a compelling story with raising awareness about abuse seems overshadowed by a heavy-handed approach.

Gratitude to Netgalley and Boldworld Books for providing this book.

Laura Pearson has written another winner. 'The Day Shelley Woodhouse Woke Up' is a novel which handles abusive relationships in a sensitive manner. Told in a series of flashbacks allowing us to gradually piece everything together it is an intriguing storyline that drew me in from the first sentence. I liked the writing style and felt the main characters were well rounded and believable. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an ARC.

Shelley Woodhouse wakes up in hospital in intensive care. How did she get there and when? Shelley can’t remember.

This book was a revelation, both to Shelley and to me. I really enjoyed piecing together Shelley’s story just as she did, with the story being told in the the present and then interspersed with flashbacks of her life prior to being in hospital.

This book handles the topic of domestic violence really well, including handling how Shelley builds her life back up to break the cycle. I also loved the friendship between Shelley and Dee in the book.

Will be looking forward to reading more by Laura now.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review,

This book definitely intrigued me and had me hooked immediately, I read it very quickly and felt so many emotions, a great read overall.

Intriguing, moving and full of compassion, The Day Shelley Woodhouse Woke Up, will stay with me for a long time to come.
In Shelley, Pearson has created a character who represents abused women as so much more than the victims of their abuser. Shelley is funny and brave, she’s a friend, a business owner, a daughter, a partner.
Her strength shines through from the very first page and I loved piecing together Shelley’s memories alongside this original, thoroughly relatable woman.
Part mystery, part emotional drama and entirely engrossing, I highly recommend you read this book.