I have received a copy of this book in audio format from the author in exchange for an honest review.
From all the residents Leo French is the one who has lived the longest at Cover house, a place where residents end up when their parents, families and loved ones cannot care for them. Leo’s life is monotone but not unpleasant, until the day Julie Sykes arrives. Something in her will make Leo break all the possible rules at Clover House and maybe find love.
I have read Cuthbertson’s previous book ‘Fiestas and Siestas’ and I have to say that ‘Clover House’ theme caught me completely by surprise. I had not read the blurb before starting the book and was expecting some kind of light memoir again. I liked ‘Fiestas and Siestas’ but I have to say that I absolutely loved ‘Clover House’.
The characters are the residents and people in charge of Clover House. Leo and Julie are the main characters, and the most developed ones, but on hindsight, it is amazing how Cuthbertson has depicted them so well but hiding other aspects at the same time, in a way in which the reader does not even suspect that there is something missing.
The book is full of funny scenes where Leo is breaking the rules for Julie, and many of them brought a smile to my face. There were though, a couple of events that I found hard to believe, and in a way, that would have affected my overall experience, but after reading the final twist everything fell into place and made sense. I am not going to give any spoilers since this twist is what makes this book especially charming.
Gaynor M. Kelly did a good job with the narration and expressing the character’s emotions. I had the impression though, that she was smiling while narrating, and sometimes during not so happy scenes. It felt like she was doing a narration for kids. Even like that I think the tone was the adequate to the story, and she made clear differences between characters. There is a loud noise just at the end of chapter fifteen, something that should have been edited out.
This is a sad story, but one in which there are small moments of happiness. It is a book to smile, to laugh, but also to cry and think. I treasure books that move me, and this is one of them.
Available at Amazon/Audible
My name is Elena. Since I was a little child I loved science fiction and fantasy, and I can’t resist a good novel. In 2015, while wait I started to listen to audiobooks and I discovered the pleasure in being able to read while doing my daily tasks, so there’s always an audiobook playing on my phone. If you see me with my Bluetooth headphones on, please be gentle, I get easily startled.
I live with my boyfriend, which I met during my six-year stay in Belgium, four cockatiels, eight lovebirds, and a hamster in Madrid, Spain; and I like to spend my free time knitting and sewing while listening to audiobooks.
