***advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
A very good book, which I really enjoyed. Fans of character driven novels such as anything by Fredrik Backman will surely enjoy this. So many well rounded and interesting characters, it felt a very honest story that touches on a number of big topics with sensitivity and care. I feel that I’ll be thinking about this book for a while.

If you love books about found family, make sure you add “Virginia Lane is not a hero” to your TBR pile immediately.
I really enjoyed this book and the plot grabbed hold of me straight away. With one notable exception, the characters in this book are amazing. You know, the type where you feel you’ve befriended them as you read and come to care for them deeply. My heart was broken and warmed in equal measures by the events of the book and I did not want to stop reading. I’ll definitely read other books by this writer. I’d certainly recommend it to fans of Claire Pooley, Liane Moriarty and Jesse Sutanto.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a chance to review an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Virginia has recently lost her husband and her only son lives in Australia. Feeling very alone she cannot find a reason to go on and is contemplating ending her life.
However, things change when she suspects her neighbour Cate and little girl Ocean are being abused by her new boyfriend.
She decides to do whatever it takes to protect them and when Cate begs her to keep Ocean safe, she flees to her flat in Margate without a plan of what to do next.
Living in the flat below is Jackson, Noah and their ‘Panna’ who are facing challenges of their own.
They become friends and along with Virginia’s friend Annie, they hatch a plan to rescue Cate and reunite her with her little girl.
The book tackled some sensitive issues - loneliness, domestic abuse, racism and dying.
However, I couldn’t quite believe the last third of the book and this is reflected in my rating.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"I didn't want to kidnap that baby, and if I could have helped her any other way I would have."
What a beginning to a fantastic book that will have your emotions in a spin. Virginia is 70, very recently widowed and contemplating ending her life. She has concerns that the mother and baby next door are being abused and offers to help. Meanwhile in Margate 18 year old Jackson and younger brother Noah are living with their terminally ill grandmother. Along with Annie from Oban this unlikely 'gang' are ready to help save baby Ocean. Rosalind Stopps does not shy away from some very difficult and emotional subjects which she skillfully incorporates into the story. It's a book that will have you smiling one minute and perhaps shedding a tear the next but it's also one that you'll be glad you've read. Highly recommend. Thank you to netgalley, the author and publisher for an early read.

A fabulous read, quirky but solid, with great characters and a compelling plot. Loved the boys, Jackson and Noah best but everyone plays their part in this sad, funny, heart wrenching tale of the power of friends and love.

Virginia has just lost her husband and is lonely then she observes a mother and new baby Ocean two doors down, but something doesn`t seem right to her even after talking to the mother and one day the mother asks Virginia tom take Ocean away from harm.
So Virginia takes her to her flat in Margate where she is befriended by the family downstairs and the help her with the baby.
The family is a great help and I just love Noah and his magical way with people and his attitude.
It`s a great read.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC and I give my honest review.

A moving story about Virginia, an elderly widow, who, after losing her husband, contemplates suicide. Her life changes when she suspects her neighbor's baby, Ocean, is being abused. Determined to protect Ocean, Virginia takes brave steps to keep her safe.
Despite its dark themes, the book is engaging and
is the perfect read for those who enjoy emotional, character-driven stories about everyday heroism and resilience. Highly recommended!!!

I liked the premise and the dark topics the novel tackles. However, the slow narrative pace meant I struggled with the story. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Great concept, great book, marvellous characters! A little far fetched at times but also incredibly real at others. I laughed a bit and cried a lot. I really want to know what happens next in the lives of these characters. Highly recommended

Grieving the loss of her husband, Virginia Lane has decided that life holds nothing for her, she's counting down the days until she can join him. When she spots the change in behaviour of the neighbour's smiley baby she decides to investigate and this gives Virginia a new focus on life.

Virginia Lane Is Not A Hero is very true, she's not, but what she does do is one of those things that many of us wish we had the courage to carry out. Rosalind Stopps has created a protagonist who, having nothing left to live for, stands up to a bully and is willing to risk everything for the safety and well-being of a young child.

Virginia lives a lonely life in London. Her only child lives in Australia and until recently her life revolved around her husband, Jed. His recent death has left Virginia feeling that there's nothing left for her. Virginia is a pragmatist, she's aware that grief is overwhelming her emotions, so sets a date seven weeks in the future on which she'll take the hoard of pills she's collected if things don't change (and she's no reason to believe they will). At the moment, the only thing that brightens her day is a wave from the baby that lives on the same street.

Virginia notices a change in the behaviour of the baby and its mother. As she digs deeper she becomes concerned that they are victims of domestic abuse. You can feel the turmoil Virginia is in regarding what to do. Jed would have been her sounding board, now she has no one to turn to for advice. When the mother secretly asks Virginia to keep the baby safe she sees her only option is to flee to her bolthole in Margate.

In Margate, Virginia is fortunate enough to get help from another family who are dealing with their own issues. Initially, I felt that the author may have tried to encompass too many issues, but there's a deftness of touch in the writing so that none of the topics overwhelm others. The fact that the characters all have their own problems reminds us not to judge people "until we've walked in their shoes" and to always try and show kindness.

You cannot help but cheer on the characters, they have so many redeemable qualities (although I found Noah a bit too pretentious). There are times when the story will have you railing against some of the obstacles they face. Compassion, conscience and friendship all play a huge part in the decisions they make. The ending is bittersweet, rather than a fairy-tale one, and I'm so pleased Rosalind Stopps opted for something realistic. It would be wonderful to believe there was a little bit of "hero" in all of us.

This reviewer is not often stumped for something to say about a book, but having read through the night to finish this one, all my superlatives are not enough! Virginia is an older woman, recently widowed and lonely and depressed when she begins to suspect that the beautiful baby of her neighbour is being abused. This suspicion sets off a chain of extraordinary events and introduces a cast of wonderful people who help Virginia in her determination to save the child - it also introduces the abuser and the book tackles some really thorny issues and does so with compassion, good sense and an occasional dose of humour. but never glosses over the really nasty bits. I loved this book from the first word to the last in spite of the harrowing parts. Virginia Lane is most certainly a hero, even if she will never believe it herself.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for this ARC.

Virginia's husband Jet has died, her son William lives overseas, she is lonely and sunken in grief. In fact, she plans to kill herself in three months' time.

Then she realises all is not well in the life of her neighbour Cate and her baby daughter Ocean. She lives with an aggressive, gaslighting, coercive controlling man, and Ocean's life is clearly in danger.

"I didn’t want to kidnap that baby, and if I could have helped her any other way I would have."

With this opening sentence begins one of the tensest stories I have read in a long time. Part I takes place in London, and Virginia's first person narrative is very powerful, describing her growing sense of unease at her neighbour's situation. Part II shifts completely to introduce us to Jackson, 18, Noah, 11 and their terminally ill Grandma "Panna", who are living together in Margate. Jackson and Noah's family life is a hard one - their mother is in a mental hospital, they suffer racism for being black in a white seaside town, and instead of studying, Jackson looks after Panna and homeschools Noah. The fact that Noah liberates a small ill-treated dog from his cruel owner tells us that despite all that, they are like Virginia - always looking out for vulnerable people/animals.

So when Virginia in part III arrives in Margate with Ocean in tow to stay in her seaside flat in the same building, they get on like a house on fire - even or especially after Virginia tells them the truth about Ocean. Together, and with the help of Virginia's friend Annie who travels all the way from Oban, they try to keep Ocean safe and rescue her mother too.

This is a heartbreaking novel with many dark elements, but humour too. My favourite character is probably wise beyond his years Noah. What these ordinary people do is nothing short of extraordinary - inmidst all the horror they are the light that keeps on shining. Undoubtedly, Virginia Lane IS a hero.

What annoyed me most are the social workers and police officers who dismiss Virginia's valid concerns as that of an old busybody who needs to get a hobby instead of tattling on innocent neighbours. That Virginia doesn't give up shows us what a strong person she is. She is deep in grief but still able to feel for others, and stand her ground against bullies, despite the danger to herself. As is Annie, whose background story will break your heart, and Jackson who dreams of university but selflessly gives it up for his grandma and younger brother, while dealing with a lot of casual racism. Those are the real heroes in society, not people in authority whose job it is to help but who don't.

It is a hard book to read at times but it is beautifully written and will restore your sense of justice, with a satisfying ending. What a fantastic, heartwarming book, full of courage, wisdom and hope. Highly recommended.

Recently widowed Virginia is lonely, missing her beloved Jed and thinking life has come to an end for her. With her only son William in Australia, Virginia is determined not to be a burden and doesn’t confide in how she is feeling. Her only pleasure is watching the world go by through her window . Hoping to see baby Ocean, a young neighbour’s daughter, she is upset to see how the young mother and her baby have have changed since she last saw them. No longer smiley and happy, they both seem wary and troubled. Determined to find out what’s causing their sadness, Virginia decides to pay them a visit. Big mistake!!

From the first sentence this was a slow, gentle start to a story. The death of Jed, and Virginia’s subsequent withdrawal is poignant and heartfelt. The plot following the rescue of Ocean, plus the introduction of Annie, Panna and the boys is superb. At times joyful, then utter sadness.

A tough, dark, difficult subject. The handling of which is first class. The very best of mankind versus the very worst.

Virginia Lane IS a hero!

Thank you to the author for writing such a sadly beautiful story.

Thank you NetGalley and HQ.

Virginia Lane is for me an absolute hero in this book which I absolutely loved from the descriptively tense actions, depth of the characters and brilliant storyline.
After her husband dies Virginia prepares to end her life, losing contact with her previous friends whilst nursing her husband and a son that
has his own life in Australia there is little point to her life.
One of the highlights though when nursing her husband was to see a new baby called Ocean arrive across the road and watch her starting to grow. Gradually she saw a complete change in mother and child, the mother looking sad and unkempt the child no longer smiling and happy. The new partner of this young mother is extremely aggressive, Virginia offers to help mother and child which is refused until one day Ocean is on her doorstep with a note from the mother asking her to take Ocean to a place of safety and she will collect her when she can.
The story takes a dramatic turn introducing new characters who are a joy. They live in a flat in Margate below where Virginia has taken Ocean to.
It’s a storyline that does not shy away from child neglect and the authorities that often ignore and miss warning signs.
The ending is exciting and heartbreaking but satisfying, my only quibble which is entirely personal I would of loved an epilogue to see into the future of the other main characters .
My thanks to netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

A beautiful, heartbreaking, full-of-hope novel. The balance between humour, despair and the darkest side of human nature is spot on. Noah is adorable and the unlikely friendships within the eclectic group is wonderful. I will definitely read more from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is okay book it deals with some very dark themes with care and manages to use humour in places however I found the writing style and pace boring, whilst I found the main character unique from others in the type of book something didn't click for me. Sorry to say but comparisons to Kate Atkinson are unfounded, there is nothing to compare the two. I think book jacket is misleading also it's don't match the contents of the novel at all. I admire how the writer has used an elderly character as the heart of the plot and how she has wrote with care when addressing the darker themes in the novel but I have no say the title is correct Virginia Lane is not a hero

An outstanding read - 5 stars from me.

Virginia wants to be left alone and to choose the time of her death. She is grieving the loss of her husband and feels no connection to life until she notices Ocean and her mother. She becomes aware that something is not right in their household and tries to intervene - but with no success. Determined to leave well alone she decides she will die in 3 months.

However she returns home to find Ocean has been left by her mother for her to keep safe. The adventure then begins and brings her into contact with a group of ordinary people determined to do extraordinary things to do right by this child.

The themes of child cruelty, coercive control and violence are all dealt with sensitively. The novel has its elements of light and dark, humour and tears but ultimately hope.

Virginia is undoubtedly a hero!

Virginia has lost her beloved partner Jed, and wants solitude while still grieving his loss, but she cannot because there is a pressing matter: her neighbour Ocean’s safety and well being.
Acting with a human instinct, Virginia Lane can observe that the little girl is in distress and not feeling safe.
Then Ocean’s mother’s remarks prove Virginia’s instincts right.
Told from the POV of Virginia, but interestingly, because Ocean is very little, Virginia’s compassion for Ocean, and her descriptions of the wee pet give us Ocean’s POV to some extent.
How much should V intervene? Not at all? Is she a hero? Can she help save this girl?
Virginia, Annie, and Ocean are terrific characters. It won’t be wrong to say that they saved each other.
This is a tender thriller with touching themes, a powerful prose, dark humour and lovely characters. V’s voice is gripping.
I am not rating this 5 stars, out of personal tastes - if this were 15-20 % shorter, the pacing and the coherence of the plot would have been ideal for me however I anticipate that this will be a popular, 5 star read, enjoyed by many, and it deserves it and I recommend the book.
The balance of the themes and tones and how both the author and Virginia as a character dealt with the themes were amazing.

"I didn't want to kidnap that baby, and if I could have helped her any other way I would have." An arresting first line to what was a really excellent read, if harrowing at times.

The eponymous Virginia, recently widowed at the age of seventy, doesn't see much left to live for - indeed, she has determined to put an end to it all if nothing changes, and has even set a date to do so. Everything does change, though, when she becomes deeply concerned for Ocean, the baby girl who lives nearby with her mother Cate and, latterly, her mother's new boyfriend. Virginia knows for sure that something is badly wrong, but nobody wants to listen, all too ready to write her off as an interfering old woman dealing poorly with her own grief by imagining problems where there are none.

Meanwhile, in Margate, eighteen-year-old Jackson and his young brother Noah are living with their terminally ill grandmother - the marvellous "Panna" - dealing with everyday care needs and casual racism. They, too, put themselves in danger to help another when Noah rescues a mistreated dog from its owner.

This unlikely group ultimately join forces, along with Annie from Oban, determined to protect vulnerable Ocean - an adorable little character - from what will befall her if she returns home. It's a gripping story with a host of memorable characters (and one all out villain). Serious themes of abuse, racism and ageism are lightened by the dialogue and the overall theme of the difference good people can make, with courage and caring.

There were a couple of things left unanswered at the end, but this was an excellent read which I would highly recommend.

Virginia is deeply grieving the loss of her beloved husband Jed and all she wants is to be left alone with her memories. However, every time she sees her little neighbour Ocean, her heart melts. She’s so sweet and cute, but Virginia becomes increasingly concerned as she just knows deep in her heart that something is very wrong in that household. Virginia tries to help but meets hostility and her son Will advises her to get on with her life as you can’t always help those who need it. She can’t, she simply can’t as every time she sees Ocean, she gets more and more worried. She asks for help and advice and gets nowhere, in fact, she’s stonewalled. One day to her shock. Ocean’s mother Cate is at her door asking her to take her daughter somewhere safe. Well, what would you do? Maybe you would do the same as Virginia who is determined to do the right thing as she’s in way more danger than she first appreciated. Sometimes ordinary people like Virginia can do extraordinary things because they have big hearts. A hero? That’s up to you to decide.

Rosalind Stopps Is a born storyteller with a gift of balancing the gritty and dark with humour and the novel never loses sight of humanity despite what occurs. This is all about adorable Ocean and what’s best for her and it’s amazing what bravery people can summon up when push comes to shove.

What makes this such a wonderful read of the amazing characters that the author has created here. Much is from Virginia’s perspective and it’s as if she’s talking to us, sharing the confidences, her honesty, the ups and downs and letting her personality shine through. There are a host of characters who rise to the occasion to help her when she flees to Margate. There’s Annie, whose backstory will make you weep but she’s the most wonderful and warm hearted human being. There’s fantastic but deeply anxious Jackson and his younger brother Noah and their grandma ‘Panna’ who are all equally fabulous. I fall in love with Noah who is utterly gorgeous and wise beyond his years. Out of the mouths of babes and a laugh for two comes out of mine. The racism these two face is a disgrace.

This is a terrific, well plotted tale of dark and light and the balance between the two is spot-on. It makes you want to cry, but equally it makes you laugh. There are moments of such tension and fear that it is palpable and then the author lightens the mood to highlight the awfulness of one, versus the kindness of others. It has a great ending, it’s very suspenseful and dramatic which feels just right.

Virginia doesn’t think she’s a hero, she’s so is and are all of her new friends. This is a blooming marvellous page turner which I highly recommend.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.