Amazon.co.uk:Customer reviews: The Keeper of Stories: NEW for 2022, the most charming and uplifting novel you will read this year!

Top positive review

Affirming everyday life

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 March 2022

This is a life-affirming book in which ordinary people each have their own story that will resonate with the reader. These ordinary stories are not usually heard but here they are told with such empathy and understanding that you feel you really know the characters and become absorbed in their lives and what happens to them. I have read this book three times now and I find new insights on each reading. I recommend this book highly and look forward to further books by this author.

70 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

A novel about history, friendship and generational relationship.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 April 2022

The Keeper of Stories is a novel about a woman named Janice, who is a cleaner, and befriends one of her clients, and bit by bit is told stories which reveals the history and life of the 'posh' old woman. This client relationship soon becomes a friendship between the two ladies.
I enjoyed reading this book although I struggled with the plot.i have had a lot on my mind, so the problem may not be the plot of the novel, it may just be me. Although, I think I were to read it again I would enjoy it a little more and perhaps garner more from the story.
One thing I must say is that the characters are real and vivid, and the old woman reminded me of the manipulative old woman in '' Away irh the Penfuins''. I am rating this book 3 out of 5 stars, although I would not be surprised if a reread would result in a higher rating.

34 people found this helpful

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Lauren Jade

Enjoyed it more than I thought!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 July 2022

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This is a lovely read. A nice break if you are used to reading thriller or crime novels. I loved Janice right away and was hooked straight away with this book. I loved the relationship between Janice and Mrs B. It is a book that takes you to an unexpected place and there are lots of layers to the story. The only thing that I didn't like was the story about 'becky sharp' ? I had no idea what this was but found out after reading the book and looking at reviews, that she is a character in a book called Vanity Fair? That went over my head and to be honest it could be taken out the plot and make no difference at all. The storyline can be a bit odd at times, ie talking dog, but the ending is absolutely lovely and feels 'worth it'
Four stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

2 people found this helpful

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Merle Casey

Great easy read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 July 2022

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This book was a slow to start off with but I found myself enjoying reading it none the less.

I struggled at first to really see where the story was going and how it would all link up at the end but it did and I was glad I stuck it out!

The book is based around Janice who is ultimately unhappy in her life, she is a cleaner who’s husband is always putting her down and thinks little of her because of her occupation (he’s also completely delusional) and her only escape really is going to clean peoples houses. She collects stories that they happen to tell her while she cleans but doesn’t believe she has a story of her own, or at least not one she would like to share.

I really loved the Mrs B character in this book and the relationship she and Janice have. She gave her confidence and even though she came across as hard work she has Janices best interests at heart. The main character Janice I will admit I didn’t really get too attached too - I found her too self-pitying.

3.75 / 5 because of the slow build up. But really is worth an easy read. 😊

2 people found this helpful

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Madonbooks

Lovely story

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 March 2022

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This is a really lovely, gentle story that doesn’t lack depth or intrigue.
Janice is a cleaner that likes to collect stories. One per person, filed away in her mind to be revisited whenever she wants. Her clients provide the basis for many of these, and there is a wonderful mix of characters, each very different and each bringing another layer to the themes of the book.
It’s very much about the relationships we have with others and what they bring to our lives. How the stories we tell ourselves, are quite different to how others would tell our story. Janice uses her love of other peoples lives, to distract her from not really living her own. I particularly loved the character of Mrs B, a formidable woman in her 90’s with a fascinating life, who brings something out of Janice that has long been buried.
I really liked the writing, it’s hard to believe it’s a debut as the whole structure and flow felt really accomplished. It was a pleasure to read. I’d definitely recommend this book, it covers some quite hard hitting topics in such a sensitive and thought provoking way. I came away inspired to start collecting stories of my own.

One person found this helpful

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Christine Langton

A story memories pop to the services like bubbles

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 March 2022

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You think at first she is a cleaner and listened to stories make up names for the occupants she works for but her past is mostly her story with the a small wire hair 5344834 wi

A story of stories within stories hope a cleaner with high standards and the homes she works for an makes up names for the owners as one has a small dog with Roman name takes for walks and next is a small boy with a tragic event to cope with the dog helps and a 90 year who live in part of college her husband was part of her son owns the dog but hope has more to reveal

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Diane Harris

Very gentle, slow story. Glad I read it.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 August 2022

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This is such a different style to my usual choice of book, which are usually detective murder mysteries. It gently starts with the introduction of all Janices clients as she goes about her daily life, and we are told their life stories. Janice is very kind, and has a very analytical mind,. She sees parallels to her own life, and tries to understand their motivations and reactions. I struggled with the pace of the book, but it suddenly picks up pace and caught my interest just as I was losing interest in any of it!!

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Sean

Heart-warming

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 August 2022

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Not normally the type of book I would pick up but fancied a change. What a lovely, heart-warming story. Special moments sprinkled intermittently throughout! I imagined Mrs B to be Miriam Margolyes in my head, their characters are very similar. It's a brilliant page turner, an easy read and thoroughly enjoyable. Only 4 stars instead of 5 as the time line is slightly clunky and the referral to the 'National Treasure' who is quite clearly based on Olivia Coleman was a bit annoying and repetitive.

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jennetttwo

Enjoyable and different.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 June 2022

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I really liked this book. My only criticism concerns the last quarter of the story which felt rushed and a bit too good to be to be plausible. The characterization was excellent but the turn of the plot at the end, felt hurried and as if the author was in a rush to get it done and dusted. Over all though. a good read which I have recommended to friends.

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Kindle Customer

Better as two books

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 June 2022

Verified Purchase

The first half of this had me gripped, really enjoyed it and thought it was a refreshing new story. I liked the characters and their relationships, but when Janice’s guilt story took over I wasn’t so keen. From a refreshing lovely story, it turned into another story about pain of the past. In my opinion, it would have been better as two books.

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Sue Laing

Give it a chance ……..

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 May 2022

Verified Purchase

Initially couldn’t get into this book and almost gave it up but the reviews were all so positive that I gave it another shot. So glad I did I couldn’t put it down once i’d figured out what it was about and things fell into place. I really enjoyed the book and disappointment when I got to the end - I do hope there will be a sequel some day.

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Iris wilson

Loved it

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 July 2022

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I’m recovering from a knee replacement operation and haven’t got much concentration. I’m also finding it difficult to follow anything with to many characters or a complicated plot. This book was ideal, I loved the characters, and it was an easy , satisfying, enjoyable read.

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