Everything and nothing happens in this book. It’s a slice of life. Historical fiction starting in the 1980s. A group of friends living life together.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book UK for this ARC.

Amber, a paramedic, and Stevie, a police officer, are newly married and have just bought 4 Grimaldi Square, an old place that has seen better days but is their first home together. Unfortunately, there is a teeny tiny problem - the former owner, a lady in her eighties called Dorothy, has no intention of leaving. She's very charming about it and soon starts cooking delicious meals for them all, but nothing seems to be able to dislodge her.

As soon as I saw author and title (friends of Dorothy being a euphemism for gay people), I knew this story would have a LGBTQIA+ setting, and there is indeed good representation, from Stevie and Amber to Jack the camp bartender, Arun the shy builder and Agnes the pub landlady. Just to warn you, with this comes representation of homophobia and transphobia, in a few minor and one major incident. So if you think this is just about an old lady charmingly bossing people about, you would only be half right, because that happens but not exclusively.

Dorothy has secrets about why she is not leaving her old house, what's in the suitcase she's carrying around with her and who it is she's anxiously waiting for. And why is the pub called The Price of Onions? She can't stop meddling in other people's business, and while the people around her are (growing) fond of her, they are also often furious with her, as she is wont to do things in the name of "I just wanted to help".

There is a great set of supporting characters, including Jack, Arun, Bobby the builder with the unfortunate last name but a very enlightened attitude, Dorothy's green-fingered friend Birdie who is Jack's nana, and Mrs Haggerston from next door who doesn't seem to have a first name and is a pain in the proverbial but also owner of the most splendid Notre Dame bird feeder. There are also various parents and their not always so nice reactions to their offspring's gayness. (The Christmas visit comes to mind!)

The sense of togetherness is strong though, and this is a very enjoyable, smart and wise story of how to make your own family (logical not biological) and not let hatred win, and I was here for that. If your parents disappoint you, surround yourself with people who don't.

I really like Sandi Toksvig's writing style. It drew me in so much that I finished the book in one sitting. The ending is fantastic and I was happy with how Dorothy's secrets were dealt with, all the loose ends were tied up and everyone got exactly what they deserved. This is funny, witty and warm and I heartily recommend it!

I haven't read any of Sandi Toksvig's writing before, and I enjoyed her style. This was an enjoyable, fun story that was perfect for my holiday reading. The central idea, of an elderly lady refusing to leave her house after it is sold manages to be both tragic and, with Sandi's writing, very funny. I really liked Dorothy, and I was intrigued as to what was going on and how Amber and Stevie were going to manage the situation.

We're introduced to a good range of characters, all of whom are interesting in different ways, and have their own little stories along the way. I was intrigued throughout as to what Dorothy's story was going to be, but I wasn't sure that it evolved as I would have liked it to, so that was a little disappointing. Things do get wrapped up nicely, but I think I had just been hoping for a different rounding out of Dorothy and what was happening to her.

But there were lots of little moments that I really enjoyed - especially the builders who come to work on the house, and the extremely painful parental Christmas visit (and I was very happy about Stevie's mum at the end!)