‘Lila is a journalist in Derby and being a trainee, she is used to covering the stories that nobody else wants. When her boss tells her that the city’s new Cossington Park development is being held up by a solitary resident on Hope Street who is refusing to leave, she knows she’ll be tasked with finding out why.

Connor is the last resident of Hope Street. He has lived there all his life and has a very clear reason not to move: he is waiting for his mum to come home. His mum who disappeared without a trace four years ago.’

This is the first book I’ve read from Mike Gayle. The blurb intrigued me and drew me in instantly so I was thrilled to receive an eARC from Net Galley courtesy of Hodder & Stoughton.

This was a 5 ⭐️ read for me. It made me emotional. I connected with the characters so much. I’m genuinely sad to have finished the book as I will miss Lila, Marcus and Connor. Mike Gayle has written a beautiful, uplifting and personal novel in Hope Street. It is filled with love, friendship, triumphs and trials and I know I will think about this book for a long time. I don’t want to give too much away about the plot so I urge you to read this when it’s released on the 6th Feb 2025. You truly won’t regret it ❤️

I have read and loved many a Mike Gayle book and I'd say that the bones of this book were reminiscent of those books, but I didn't feel like it entirely hit the spot.

There were a few bits that teetered on tell don't show. A few events that were 'and then we had a lovely time and then a month had gone by..." or something similar. Marcus' mum's birthday party was an example. It was meant to develop the relationship between Lila and Marcus but was more of a summary of the event and then never mentioned again. Maybe this is just because it's an ARC.

The whole Adele plot had a massive build up and was super dramatic and then just never went anywhere or really had any impact. If that whole plot was removed, the book would be the same. I didn't enjoy it.

Marcus felt undeveloped for me too. What was the story with his ex? I feel like it was hinted that she was Orla but I don't know if this was ever confirmed? Again, it was raised but then fizzled out a bit and then Marcus felt like he existed just to progress Connor and Lila's stories. It felt quite promising with his Dad as a backstory, his support of Connor and that pressure, Lila...

Having said that, there were some elements that I did enjoy. I liked that some of the plots twisted in an unexpected way. The main plot, I'm really glad that it wasn't a twee happy ending. The ending was way more hard hitting because of that. The supporting characters were quirky. The friendship between Lila and Connor was genuinely lovely. The way Connor fought for his mum was emotional.

Considering there is a tidal wave of 5 stars, I think maybe this was on me, swimming against the current.

This ticks all the boxes of what you want and hope a Mike Gayle book will be.
He never let's you down.
I'm always left with that warm fuzzy feel good vibe at the end.
Characters you can warm to, situations you can empathise with and possibly a bad guy or two to boo at.
It's always a happy day when a new Gayle book lands.

I wish Mike Gayle could write all of our life stories because, no matter what, things are better at the end.
Connor is living alone on Hope Street, with every other house around him empty and waiting to be demolished by the council but he won't leave; his mother went missing and, if he leaves, how will she know where to find him again. This book is just the most intimate and beautiful story of love, friendship, the family you're born with and the family you choose; it's hope against hopelessness and it's harnessing our inner strength when we feel insecure and it's the exact book we need to be reading when the world out there is so bleak. I was genuinely sorry to reach the end and have to rejoin the real world.
Mike Gayle writes to our hearts and he does it better than anyone else I've read. I just want to live in his world forever.

Hope Street by Mike Gayle is one of his more uplifting stories, which can make the reader laugh,cry and cheer the characters on at various stages of the book.
Lila Metcalfe is a trainee journalist in Derby and is given a story to cover which will have repercussions for many of the characters that become involved in the story.
Her editor asks her to interview the solitary resident left on Hope Street that is holding up a new development, the city’s Cossington Park development.
So Lila meets Connor, the twenty something who is the sole resident for holding up the new development.
He is not what Lila was expecting and he has a reason for not wanting to move, he is waiting for his mother to come home.
A wonderful moving story, with eccentric characters and an unexpected ending.
Highly recommended

Lila is a journalist in Derby when she receives a puzzling job of a man who is refusing to leave his house in Hope street he’s the last one standing as the council plan to demolish and rebuild. Lila goes to speak to the man Connor but his story is more than she ever thought and starts her and Connor on a journey of belief.
Fantastic read with funny and heartwarming moments that just keep you reading I finished this beautiful story in one sitting loved it.

An emotional rollercoaster and a heartwarming exploration of friendships and relationships, set against the backdrop of everyday life that makes all Mike Gayle's books so wonderfully credible. Another really great read

Oh Connor… what a beautiful human being! A wonderful story of hope, love, resilience, strength and happy endings. Another beautiful book from Mike Gayle. My heart swelled!

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

Hope Street introduces us to Lila Metcalfe, a trainee journalist in Derby who often finds herself covering the stories no one else wants. So when her editor sends her to investigate a city development being held up by a single resident on Hope Street, she knows it's another thankless task. But that all changes when she meets Connor.

Connor, a twenty-something man, is the last remaining resident of Hope Street. Far from what Lila expected, he has one very simple reason for refusing to leave: he is waiting for his mum to come home. What unfolds is not just a story about a redevelopment project, but a poignant tale of resilience, hope, and heartache. The issue of redevelopment is handled with sensitivity, reflecting the real-life impact of such projects on communities, as neighbourhoods are uprooted in the name of progress.

The emotional depth of the story is remarkable, as Connor's fight to stay becomes increasingly desperate, and the toll it takes is heartbreaking. The book powerfully portrays the human cost of such battles, making it an incredibly moving and thought-provoking read. The way the redevelopment issue intertwines with Connor’s personal story is compelling and truly tugs at the heartstrings.

I highly recommend Hope Street for its insightful exploration of both personal and societal struggles and for its ability to engage readers on an emotional level.

Read more at The Secret Bookreview.

This was a wonderful read with such great characters, most especially Connor who is refusing to leave his home which is earmarked for demolition for a very heartbreaking reason. Local journalist Lila gets asked to report on Connors story and when she hears about how he is waiting for his mum to come home despite being missing for three years now she not only wants to tell his story but help him to try find out what happened to his mum.

Connor is so well represented in this and whilst his learning difficulties do come across it’s a very positive reputation of him as a person both in terms of his fight to find his mum and how he lives his life. Lila has a genuine desire to help Connor but this is balanced out well with events in her own life and I loved how Connor’s friend and support Marcus slotted so well into the story. There’s some really bittersweet moments in this and whilst it’s an uplifting read it’s not all sunshine and roses and I think that’s actually the strength of this book along with the characters themselves which combine to make this a very beautiful story indeed.

I can easily imagine the author having fun writing this book, feeling like a magician making all the themes and storylines come together.

The characters are unique and feel like real-life, some long-time and also several unexpected new friends, some kind from the beginning, some not so kind, and some surprising like bossy people who turn not to be Mussobloody-lini in the end. All set against the backdrop of things normal people have been (Covid) and are dealing with on a daily basis.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.

Another brilliant and heart warming story from the author. The subject matter was sensitively handled and I'm pleased there was a conclusion to the novel although part of it was somewhat sad .

What a book! Right from the get go the story of Bernie, Connor and Lila had me hooked.

Written from the three main characters points of view I was taken on a true rollercoaster of a journey and let me tell you, there were tears. I really liked how Lila came into Connors life and helped him. So far every book I’ve read by this amazing author has had me pulling out the tissues. I loved Connor. As the parent of a nine year old with additional needs I could certainly see things from Bernie’s Point of view and Connor’s likes, dislikes and routines definitely reminded me of some of the things around my house.

I highly recommend this book and I already have, my mum has it preordered after I told her how much I loved it and at that point I was only half way through.

I'm a huge fan of Mike Gayle - his type of books are exactly what the world needs right now - heart-warming, cozy, human, feel-good. Just like his others, Hope Street ticked all these boxes. I didn't' take to the characters as much as some of his other novels but I enjoyed it thoroughly nonetheless because I knew it was going to be a lovely ending. It's great to see different types of people being reflected in novels today as well.

Mike Gayle is the master of human emotion with the book running you from gentle amusement through sorrow and desperation toward hope!
Every single character in the book is fantastically depicted and their relationships fit so well that they step off the pages.
Hope street and the utter dereliction and desolation that Connor is living in is heartbreaking and his desperation to stay is palpable. Lila is a great journalist character and I was really pleased that she followed her dreams instead of being the one to give it all up for some man!
I read in one sitting as I could not bear to not find out if Connor is successful in his bid to stay home until his mum comes home.

I really enjoyed this novel by Mike Gayle - I have enjoyed each book I have read by him and this certainly did not disappoint.

Lila Metcalfe - a local journalist based in Derby is sent to investigate a local story where one resident is stopping the city’s Cossington Park development. She meets Connor who refuses to move as he is waiting for his mum, Bernie, to come home. She left 3 years previously and has not been seen since. Lila finds herself touched by his story and decides to investigate.

Connor finds life tough - he finds it difficult to read people and consequently taken advantage of. He also has real friends who look out for him and Lila becomes one of these.

This is a story of love, friendship and loyalty. There is also the myself of what happened to Bernie at the centre.

A beautifully written book - it is so easy to feel empathy with the characters.

One which will stay with me for some time.

Another great Mike Gayle book, he’s fast becoming one of my favourites for heartwarming, life-affirming tales. I really felt everything along with all the characters and was rooting for my favourites

Lila Metcalf is a journalist with the Derby Echo and has aspirations for a job with a major London news outlet. When her boss sends her to 121 Hope Street, Cossington Park in Derby to interview Connor McLaughlin, maybe she’s got her big break. The council have big redevelopment plans for the street and area, but Connor is holding them up by refusing to move out. In fact, he is the last man standing. Why won’t he leave like all the other former residents? It’s very simple, he can’t leave until he finds out what has happened to his mother lovely mum Bernie. One morning, three years ago, she leaves Hope Street on an errand and hasn’t been seen since. Lila knows there is potential here for a great story, she just has to get her investigative nose to the ground, try to find Bernie and of course, write a great story.

I just love Mike Gayles’s books as he writes with such empathy and care for his characters and he makes his readers care too. Here he makes my heart go out to lovely Connor, whose life has been far from easy even before his mum disappears. Not only is Connor a character you grow to really care about but those that surround Connor with kindness, understanding and genuine friendship are very likeable and all feel authentic. Connor finds situations difficult and there are some people who take advantage of that and these can only be described as despicable.

The storyline following the redevelopment issue is a good one as this is a real problem too as communities are lost in the name of progress. Following how that develops is a really emotional read and the desperate lengths that are the outcome of the fight breaks my heart.

This is a story of love, not just between Connor and Bernie but elsewhere too, it’s also a story of friendship and all is infused with the mystery of what happens to Bernie. It’s an emotional read being poignant and sad times but it’s also really heartwarming. I expect nothing less than an emotional read from this author!

This is another good character driven novel from a must read author which clearly I enjoy very much.

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

Another fantastic book by Mike Gayle......written in a very poignant and real way.

Lila is a journalist who is just making her way through the many ups and downs of life on a small newspaper. Where her job is not groundbreaking, she enjoys it on the whole.
When she gets sent out to do a story on a new housing development , shes senses the story is much bigger than anyone thinks......especially when you throw in the only resident who still lives on Hope Street, - Connor, a vulnerable young man with learning difficulties who has his reasons for wanting to stay put in a derelict street.
As Lila digs a bit further, she is overcome with sympathy and empathy for Connor and sets about to do what she can to help solve his problem.

This is a book that shows the best of people and the difference that love and community can make to an individual.

Absolutely loved it.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I had forgotten quite how much I like Mike Gayle's writing but having read the Museum of Ordinary People recently I was delighted to be given a chance to read Hope Street.

Lila Metcalfe is a reporter given a story of the man who doesn't want to leave his home in Hope Street to cover. I really don't want to say too much about the story of Lila and Connor but I absolutely loved this! Brilliant.