Valencia and Valentine by Suzy Krause is a charming story which, while a little predictable, will still leave you guessing on a few things until the end. This story alternates chapters focusing on two different women: Valencia, a woman plagued with severe OCD caught in the loneliness and redundancy of her daily routine and Mrs. Valentine, an elderly woman looking for anyone that she can share her stories with. There is a strong focus on mental illness in this book and I didn’t feel like it was done in an exploitative way, something I’ve noticed happening in more and more contemporary novels. There was a lot of heart behind the struggles that Valencia faces because of her illness, and I ached for her believing that she deserved the life that she was living because of something she had done when she as younger.

This isn’t a romance, but there IS some romance in the book, as Mrs. Valentine tells the story of meeting her late husband to her new housekeeper and Valencia tries to overcome her fears of opening up and being with someone. It also isn’t a mystery, but there is also the question of how these two stories are going to intertwine that will plague you and might surprise you some even after you’ve figured it all out.

There were some slower moments here, and probably my biggest gripe is that I am not a fan of unreliable narrators, and there is definitely some of that going on. Also, it’s more than a little sad—just a warning if that’s not your cup of tea. But overall I found it a very sweet read that warmed my heart.

*Thanks to the publisher for a digital copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

A nice debut about two women- each with their own issues, to put it gently. Yes this is quirky but it's not twee. It's also not Elinor Oliphant which isn't a criticism but a note that readers looking for a replication of that won't find it here. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

A quirky and interesting read, which was quite sad and emotional at times. It gave you a lot to think about.

I also love the cover of the book.

A quirky read a book that drew me in to the characters not your every day people.A debut novel an author to follow. Thanks #netgalley #lakeunionpublishing,

“Valencia and Valentine” is such a quirky little book. It is also Suzy Krause’s debut novel. One thing I must say is that I absolutely loved Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. The book blurb compared this book to that one. I think that that’s a tad unfair. Suzy Krase is Suzy Krase and she is to be celebrated in her own light. When these comparisons happen, I go in already anticipating what a book is going to be like and may feel disappointed when that is not the case. But this does not mean it was not good.
This novel was charming and as I mentioned earlier, quirky. It was a relatively easy read. It was a little difficult to connect with the characters and some things were a little left field. I would read more from this author in the future.

* I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

This wasn't as light as I was expecting. It took me a few chapters to get into the characters, but I ended up really enjoying it -- a very quirky and unexpected read!

This book was wonderful- a 4.5 possibly a 5 as I think about it more. This was a unique premise that I figured out fairly quickly but found delightful. This is the kind of book that only gets better with multiple reads. Despite being more character than plot driven, the characters are so compelling that it keeps the reader going. I highly recommend this book. The book was also free from explicit content and crude language which makes for a much more enjoyable read.

Trigger warnings: OCD, depression, suicide

Suzy Krause weaves the stories of unique characters in an unusual format. It took me a bit to see where she was taking me, but once I caught on, I enjoyed the delightfully complicated characters and Krause’s insightful view into the lives of those experiencing extreme loneliness, shedding new light on other-ness. Her vivid descriptions of Canadian settings made me want to plan a trip.

You’ll root for these ladies after you’ve finished the book. While you’re at it, check out Krause’s Valencia and Valentine playlist.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am not sure if 'quirky' is the right word to describe this novel. Valencia and Valentie is much more than that. It was able to describe the inner turmoil and daily struggles of a person who suffers from OCD without portraying the main character as off-putting or annoying. Yes, it can be sad and depressing to dive deep into the daily and seemingly never-ending struggles of people with mental disorders. Yet, Yet, I found a lot of humour and a whole lot of love in this novel. It can also be uplifting to see how one can overcome these obstacles in life. I hope other readers will not be deterred from reading this book, because it didn't fit into their meaning of quirkiness.

I have this book 3 stars out of 5. The writing style is not what I'm used to and I was a little confused with the storyline itself. I didn't see how Valencia and Mrs. Valentine's lives were connected. I was hoping to see the connection later in the story but not literally at the end. The timeline of Mrs. valentines life story was confusing but made sense at the end.

I’m not entirely sure what I just read. Valencia and Valentine is such an...odd book. It meanders into your heart, cautiously, afraid. “Will I like it here? Will you like me here?” I can’t say I adore the book, but nor do I dislike it. It’s like an everyday day, not exciting, not necessarily boring, but existing. Still living. You go through your normal daily life, and then, at the end, you’re surprised that the day is gone. It’s inevitable, but somewhat jilting. And then you go to sleep and repeat the next day. I’m not even making any sense here, I just don’t know how to describe this book.

Valencia and Mrs. Valentine are two women, 50 years apart in age, seemingly worlds apart in lifestyle and personality. Valencia is 35 and worried and terrified of everything. Flying, highways, germs. Literally every thought she has is something like this: “Did I turn off the stove? I need to check. I just got to work, but I need to go back home and check.” Valentine is 86, or 87?, and isn’t scared, and has lived an exciting life traveling. While reading, I knew they would eventually connect. And I knew how. Sometime, the two women’s stories would collide and it would all make sense. And it did, and slightly anti-climatically. But also interestingly. Mr. Valentine’s role at the end was actually quite surprising. And Mrs. Valentines’s true nature was endearing, and sad. And Valencia’s story at the end was hopeful, and sad.

I found myself connecting at some levels with Valencia. When I set an alarm for the morning, I have to stare at it for several minutes right before I go to sleep to make sure it’s on and set at the right time. Valencia fees that, but with everything, and she feels so anxious about it that it dictates how she lives her life. Which isn’t actually living, because she’s scared of everything.

So, read this book if you want to get into someone’s mind that has severe OCD. Read it if you want an interesting, slow read. I found myself liking it a little more after reading the end, so if it seems to be slow or boring, just push through to the end and decide after how you feel about it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy to review!

Thank you, Netgalley, and Lake Union Publishing for handing me a free e-book in exchange of an honest review. This debut novel certainly was a rollercoaster. Suzy Krause, your poetic metaphors made me crave for more.

Valencia is an unhappy debt collector, struggling with OCD. Her past is damaging her future, and her therapist advises her to overcome two of her fears: travelling by airplane and accepting becoming 35. After finding romance through the telephone, she might just do that. But what happens when her mind is playing tricks on her?
Mrs. Valentine is a senior woman, who’s in desperate want of conversation. When a new cleaning lady comes over, she might have found the perfect opportunity to tell the heart-wrenching story about how her husband disappeared over 35 years ago.
Both stories are about loss, growth, and finding the purpose to live, but what really relates these women?

Unfortunately, I had a serious lack of reading time this week, but I feel like this could easily be read in one day. Krause had a really fluent way of writing, and I just kept marking beautiful quotes throughout the story. While she wrote in metaphors, it was never hard to understand them. To me, it was hard to believe this was her debut novel, and I’m certainly looking forward to more.

“Even before I could consciously decide, I felt the familiar pitch of the earth beneath my feet.”

Valencia stayed rooted to her country, while Mrs Valentine described traveling all over the world. It was mesmerizing, and I found myself looking up specific spots or traditions she described. An example is a wall with enveloped fastened on it. It was meant as a social experiment, where anyone could add a small introduction to his/ her envelope. On the cover, you’d write some lyrics that speaks to you. Bystanders who related to the lyrics could read the introduction and add one themselves. This sounded intriguing to me, and I would love to find out if it’s true.

This could also be a great read for people with OCD. The chapters with Valencia’s therapist were insightful, and made clear that thinking more or differently than other people does not change who you are or what you deserve. Please note that this can also be triggering, since breakdowns are well described. Yet, the realistic and human interpretation of OCD definitely earns recognition.

“But maybe he could think of her as quirky or fascinating, like a character in a movie who had the cute kind of OCD, who liked things to be straight and counted steps and kept a clean kitchen. It was adorable Hollywood mental illness”. And helpful too. They could marry, and he’d never have to worry about crooked pictures hanging on their walls. But that kind of OCD only lasted 90 minutes, 120 at most.”

This book starts rather slowly, but starting from the middle, you’ll find it sensational. Sure, the ending was a bit predictable, but that does not mean other plot points didn’t leave me shocked. I was constantly rooting for Valencia, and I just wanted to hug her. I expected her friendship with Grace to go completely different, and she turned out to be the best friend anyone with mental issues could ask for?

Granted, I give it 3,5 stars. There was a dark presence looming over the plot. I rarely cry over books, but this one had me close. Every happy moment was followed by a sad one. I expected something lighter, and despite the adorably romantic love story of Mr. and Mrs. Valentine made a little up for it, it was hard for me to read further sometimes.
Yet, it was a great build-up for Mrs. Valentine’s ending. She survived, even though the worst part had already happened. Sometimes, surviving is the best part of living.

I’d recommend this to people who want to know more about OCD, who are dealing with loss, or just are in desperate need of a book that will leave them shook.

I was curious about this book because it is Suzy Krause's first novel. I was intrigued by a title with a Spanish city name in it. I quickly learn that Valencia is not a destination. She is a 34-year-old woman who considers death, a lot. She also thinks she has murdered someone. She suffers from OCD and works in a call center, as a debt collector and hides from almost everyone except by telephone. I guess the author must know a lot about this topic, it is very detailed and I learned a great deal about this condition.

There are enough quirky characters in this novel to keep the story flowing, but the content focuses on the two main characters and their situation. The second character is the lonely Mrs Valentine. She is 87 and thinks a lot about death too. She reveals her adventurous love story about the former Mr Valentine, to her cleaning lady. Which is beautiful relief from reading about Valencia’s fears and phobias and her telephone relationship with a man in debt. The story takes enough unexpected twists and turns to keep the reader turning the pages, but it is not a light-hearted read.

I'm speechless. I know this story will be predictable for many (and I did predict some of the events) but after reading this, I'm left in awe and I'm feeling all of the feels.

Before I get into this review, I do want to mention that this novel heavily focuses on a character with OCD and in accompaniment the anxiety and depression that often follows with that diagnosis. Although I don't personally have OCD and therefore can't attest to the representation, I do have some medical and experiential knowledge and think that the author did an amazing job at portraying a character with OCD and the severe impact it can have on someone. It really made me emotional for this character and all of the struggles that she had, especially when you realize a major plot point down the line (no spoilers here). Also, as the author did an amazing job at capturing OCD, I do want to mention that this novel could unintentionally be triggering. It's a catch-22 because I think this novel is very important and could be helpful for those with OCD but at the same time, it could be a trigger. Know that before going into this novel.

It's hard to review this novel because it's one of those that could be easily spoiled so I will tread carefully.

I really enjoyed the two different character perspectives that this story was told from. Technically, there is three perspectives if Anna's is being counted but she only had a few chapters to herself. But all of these perspectives really built up the story and allowed for me to become more and more invested in these characters. As well, there is such a vast age difference between the two perspectives, from one being in their mid-thirties to the other approaching their nineties capturing a lifetime of struggles between both of them.

This was a quick and relatively short read but I found myself having difficulty putting this book down. It had me laughing and then had me on the brink of tears. I read it in less than a day and when that happens the book is generally a really good one. Even though I liked the whole of this novel, I think what really brought it to another level was the last quarter or third of the story. The explanation made this story so much more powerful and so much more emotional. I will be thinking about these characters and that ending for quite some time.

***Thank you to the publisher for supplying me with a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

Valencia is a debt collector in her thirties. She is unhappy with her job, suffers from OCD and is afraid of so many things, it keeps her from living a fulfilling life.
Mrs. Valentine is an offbeat old lady in her eighties, leading a lonely life. She strikes up conversations with everyone she meets. She hires a cleaning lady who turns out to be and excellent listener, and regales her with amusing chronicles about her husband and their travels around the world before his baffling disappearance.
The story alternates between the past and present, and the two viewpoints, until we find out how they converge at the end.
As I read, I wasn't sure what I thought. I was expecting a lighthearted, whimsical tale and instead it was darker and more intense, with serious mental health issues.
But toward the end, as it all came together, it became quite moving and emotional.
Overall, I ended up being charmed by this unconventional story.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Favorite Quotes:

She’s not dying, technically, but she’s old enough that if she keeps living, it’ll start surprising people. She’s eighty-seven years old—but she’s a young eighty-seven. She’s more like an eighty-six.

Everyone has ulterior motives. When an evil person has ulterior motives, it’s called scheming. When a good person has ulterior motives, it’s called planning. Mrs. Valentine is planning.

When I was your age, Anna, I always said I’d do everything later. I can’t tell you what an odd day that was, when I woke up and realized it was later. And now I’m living in the part that comes after. There’s a part after later, where almost everyone else is dead and you’re just killing time, and it’s … odd.

This was a drastic leap in logic, but Valencia was very good at this kind of leaping; it was her only claim to athleticism.

That’s how it is when you’re in your thirties; birthdays aren’t important anymore because everyone has gotten over the initial excitement of your basic existence. You’re old news.

Time had never done anything but crawl for Valencia; it had never even walked before (she had, at points, wondered if it had lain down and died). This new speed was exhilarating.

“It’s kind of a dumb hobby, but you need a good, dumb, eccentric hobby, I think. I heard somewhere that eccentric people live longer.” “Okay,” said Valencia, picturing her own life stretching on and on ahead of her, even more vast and endless than she had previously supposed. I’m so eccentric I might be immortal, she thought miserably.

My Review:

It took me several chapters to settle into this tale, as it was oddly paced and at times a bit tedious when minutely detailing Valencia’s irrational, delusional and catastrophic fears and beliefs as she spiraled into panic attacks which involved worse case scenarios and epic disasters. However, that was merely setting the stage for the cleverness and well-crafted storylines to come. Ms. Krause’s writing was often bitingly witty and profoundly insightful with frequent lashings of brilliance. I had four solid pages of highlights and favorite quotes and it was rather painful to pare them down. But what staggered and astounded me was the realization that this wryly written and cleverly conjured book was the author’s debut. Impressive!

𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗸. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺. 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁.

Suzy Krause’s debut is a quirky little gem. This is the story of Valencia, 35 A lonely debt collector who suffers from OCD. And Mrs. Valentine, 87 a lonely elderly lady who will talk to anyone telemarketers, funeral organizers, the lady who cleans her house. As both of these ladies’ stories unfold you will wonder what could possibly tie these tales together? This is such a character driven story, so full of quirk, charm, and heart. This is another book that is compared to Eleanor. While I can see how they came to this comparison I’d really like to see them stop doing this. Seriously books are still being compared to “Gone Girl”! So here is my comparison... this book is more like Eleanor then it is GG!

When I finish this book I said out loud (to nobody) damn that was good! This was a book that got better and better as the story progressed. I was more and more invested in Valencia and Mrs. Valentine’s lives as I turn the pages. Valencia had a very busy mind and we got a lot of her inner dialogue throughout this book. I really just wanted to reach through the pages give her a hug and tell her it’s all gonna be OK! Mrs. Valentine was so endearing and seem to have lead such a colorful life. Or did she? That was part of the charm of the story with both these narratives I was never quite sure what was truth, what was a lie, and what was a figment of the characters imagination. Reading this book really was like putting a puzzle together. It really didn’t make much sense and you couldn’t see the beauty of it until it was all pieced together.

A lovely tale you need to read with an open mind. The beginning of the story is a little convoluted, a little muddled.. But these characters are so endearing, so engaging, you can’t help but fall in love with them and want to know what happens in their lives. A delightful debut looking forward to what’s next from Suzy Krause.

*** many thanks to Lake Union for my copy of this book ***

Thank you to NetGalley, Suzy Krause and Lake Union Publishing for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Valencia is a debt collector with intense OCD and is fearful of everything, mostly flying and turning 35. Her therapist suggests flying anywhere to deal with her fears before her birthday. She begins a telephone relationship with a man from New York and suddenly she has a destination in mind. But does this man actually exist? Mrs Valentine is an eccentric old woman desperate for any sort of company. So she is thrilled when a new cleaning lady lends an ear for her life story – a tale of love and incredible adventures around the world with her husband.

I was so excited to read a book by a Canadian author that I didn’t even read what this book was about. I was excited to see how these ladies lives connected and how different their lives seemed from one another. I flew through most of this novel reading about each different life the women were leading and how different their problems seemed from one another. I really enjoyed reading this one and how you see so many real life issues in both women. I loved both women and I wanted to be friends with both of them and I would have loved to listen to Mrs Valentine’s love stories. I was shocked by the ending and I loved every minute of it! I am so glad this one was chosen for the book club! I definitely would recommend this one as a great palate cleanser.

Out now!

Valencia is 35 and works as a debt collector. She also has OCD and an abnormal obsession with death and dying. She has few friends until she starts talking to a very handsome male colleague, followed by a phone relationship with a man in New York, and then a girl who takes a short term job as a debt collector whilst she is engaged.

We then meet Mrs Valentine. She is 87, and lived close to her friend Mrs Davies. When Mrs Davies Granddaughter comes to help her in the flat, she cant help but regale her with stories of her past.

The story switched back and forth between the two, finally connecting the stories together, although most will have guessed the connection before.

This could have been an amazing story, but just fell a little flat for me.

This is a quirky, yet easy read. It started slow for me yet picked up and I was able to finish it rather quickly. However, it left me feeling a little unsettled, for lack of a better word. It’s an enjoyable read yet I never connected with the characters. I absolutely love quirky characters but I had a hard time with these. The writing is fine, the book is fine, but I can’t quite put my finger on what it was that stopped me from loving this. Others have loved this so I’m going to chalk it up to just not being the book for me. Thank you to the publisher for this advance reader in exchange for my honest review.