As usual, it was a pleasure to read Joanna Nell's latest book. She has a knack for creating relatable, real characters, and turning everyday settings into something more. For this adventure, we get to know two very different individuals, Hattie and Walter, both of whom have ended up at the Woodlands Nursing Home, and both of whom want to escape. An unlikely friendship ensues, plans are hatched, a mini-bus is taken for a spin, and final wishes and changes of the heart come together for a book that will leave you with a smile on your face. There are antics, laughter, and tears, but also a good read to be had. Highly recommended.

Subversion, rebellion and intrigue in a nursing home is the humorous basis for Joanna Nell’s wonderful novel – “The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home”. The book is sensitive and intelligent with delightful and appealing characters, particularly Hattie, Murray and Sister Bronwyn. I enjoyed immersing myself in the back stories and present-day dilemmas of the residents and staff at the Woodlands Nursing Home. I loved descriptive phrases like “flannelette and velour revolution” and the plan developed to return Sister Bronwyn to her rightful place. The plan entailed some of the residents pretending (or otherwise) to be scatty, confused and ‘invisible’ to ‘fly under the radar’. What a great read – highly recommended.

The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home by Joanna Nell

As soon as I saw the cover for this one I knew I had to pick it up and when I read the synopsis I knew I had to read it! There is something about the antics of the elderly that always make for an enjoyable read. I really enjoyed the alternating POVs in this one. I always find it makes for more captivating read when you can hear from more than one character.

This book was full of humour and vibrant characters that you couldn’t help but fall in love with. Joanna Nell's writing style incorporates the perfect blend of humour but also seriousness, weaving sad and real moments between the hilarious ones.

A heartwarming novel for readers who love to laugh but also shed a tear or two!

Joanna Nell never fails - everything she writes is always hilarious. Who doesn't love old people getting up to mischeif?!

The Great Escape From Woodlands Nursing Home is the third novel by Joanna Nell. I have enjoyed all three of Joanna's books but this one is definitely my favourite. Set in a nursing home, this story contains a wonderful cast of characters especially, 89 year old Hattie Bloom and Queenie the smelly dog. Thanks to NetGalley for my digital copy.

What a fun read. Joana Nell is a great author and I have loved her other books and this one was no disappointment.

3.5★
“ ‘Mum said you ran over the OT’s foot.’ James smirked.

Walter harrumphed.
‘People’s feet are too big these days. They used to be much smaller.’

Walter Clements is a new widower whose daughter has moved him into the home. She and grandson James visit often, but young teenager James spends his visits fooling around on his phone.

“Apparently it was all messages and photographs now. What would these kids reminisce about when they were old? Would they show their grandchildren the photo of their breakfast, or of themselves pouting into a bathroom mirror when they talked about the good old days?”

This visit, however, James is impressed with the Tesla, Grandpa’s racy scooter he’s trying to get permission to drive. The foot incident above is only one of the mishaps from his first attempt. Another was knocking over Miss Hattie Bloom. Hattie is there to recover from a fall.

“Ladders and hips alike. Both rotten and crumbling with age.”

She’s been desperately trying to save the big angophora tree which is home to some owls in her garden. New neighbours want to lop an overhanging branch, and she was protesting.

So she’s admitted to the home to convalesce. There Hattie meets the DON, Director of Nursing, who is always referred to as the DON, a sinister Mafia title, but she is, in fact, a decent woman who does her best to be upbeat.

Rooms at the Woodlands Nursing Home are named after Monopoly board game properties, also to be upbeat and lighthearted, but it seems to me more appropriate for a primary school than a nursing home.

“Depending on how you landed on this particular Monopoly square, the foyer and reception area represented either IN JAIL or JUST VISITING.”

It reminded me of a nursing home a friend of mine was in which was a series of hallways connected by circular ‘lounge-dining’ areas that branched off into more hallways leading to more circular areas, like a complicated system of arteries and capillaries. We were always completely lost when we visited, so if you weren’t confused when you moved in, they made sure you would be eventually. But I digress.

Walter and Hattie alternate chapters, headed with their first names. In life, however, they are always addressed as Mr Clements and Miss Bloom by each other and the other residents. But everyone is doing what they can to keep the residents happy and entertained – during the day.

“‘Morning, Walter.’ It was the activities coordinator with a clipboard. ‘Shall I put you down for the bus trip? The alternative is Twenty Questions at ten-thirty.’

‘It’s a veritable choose-your-own-adventure in here, isn’t it?’

The lifestyle coordinator, a softly spoken man in his sixties, clapped him on the shoulder. ‘That’s the spirit,’ he said.

Nights are another matter. Only one sister seems to understand that old people seldom sleep well all night. People wake up to use the bathroom and may have trouble falling asleep again. Aches, stiffness, memories, new wounds, homesickness. Most of us have been there at some time.

“The system” seems designed to keep people in their beds for uninterrupted hours all night long. Yeah, right. The “maverick night nurse”, as the author calls her, has ideas of her own for a Night Owls social club.

Let the fun begin!

It’s an entertaining read with some predictably poignant moments, but the idea of the Night Owls was new to me, and I love them! Somebody should start a protest movement in nursing homes and retirement villages for all the people who don’t want to be locked up in bed all night. In our own homes, we can fall asleep in front of TV if we want to or go outside and admire the moon and stars. Why not in our last homes?

Thanks To NetGalley and Hachette Australia for the preview copy from which I’ve quoted. (Some quotes may have changed, but I try to choose those that I enjoy and think share the spirit of the author’s writing.)

Yes!!! All the yes!! I began my journey with this author in Jacaranda and simply adored it!! This one nearly topped it. So so so good. Once again all the yes!! Read it people!

Hattie Bloom, she’s nearly ninety, and following a fall she finds herself in a nursing home which she is ever so desperate to escape, she just wants to return to her home and her garden full of birds as she has always preferred the company of birds to people.

Walter Clements is another reluctant “inmate” who would rather be back in his own home than stuck in his current situation.

Hattie and Walter meet officially at a clandestine club called The Night Owls. First at odds with one another they decide to join forces and unexpected friendships are forged and the shenanigans begin!

I really loved this story, the main characters are just delightful and the banter between them is often amusing. I liked how the friendships grew between them.

This story certainly has all the feels, I found it hard initially to read only as my own grandmother has dementia and is in a nursing home and I am struggling with seeing her decline, but I am so glad that didn’t stop my reading this book as I would have totally missed out on a wonderful read.

A big heartfelt thank you to Netgalley for so kindly gifting me this book.

In The Great Escape from Woodland Nursing Home, Joanna Nell has created a great cast of characters. Hattie has always lived alone and prefers birds to people. Seeking to protect an owl’s nest, she injures herself and is put in a nursing home against her wishes. Here she meets an unlikely band of characters who will become her friends. At first, preoccupied with her own predicament, she begins to learn empathy for her fellow residents as well as her feathered friends. It’s a great story told with humour and genuine insights into the realities of life in a nursing home. There is a real understanding of the inherent tension between ensuring the smooth running of an institution and the needs of a diverse group of adults who have lived full lives and find themselves thrown together in such close proximity.
I would love to have know more of the backstory of Hattie, Murray or the enigmatic Fanny. A great read with some laugh-out-loud moments.

What a wonderful book this is! It’s warm, empathetic, at times laugh-out-loud funny and at times it made me cry but overall it filled me with a sense of hope for humanity. I’d love to think there are nursing homes like Woodlands dotted around the country.
The key characters in this story are 89 yeear-old Hattie Bloom, a naturalist with a great love for and knowledge of birds, and 90 year-old Walter Clements, a former driving instructor. As the story opens neither wants to be at Woodlands. As Hattie says, “There’s nothing wrong with Woodlands as a nursing home. It just isn’t my home.” Walter feels the same. He resents the loss of freedom and spends much of the story plotting his escape. These two are fabulous characters and even though I sympathised with Hattie’s initial assessment of Walter as a loud, brash man I couldn’t help but really feel for both of them. There are three other characters who feature strongly in this story. Walter’s friend Murray is dying of cancer, but these two have wonderful chats which help us to see a warmer and more genuine side to Walter. Sister Bronwyn and her dog Queenie are the night shift and between them they organise fabulous overnight entertainment for those residents who suffer from insomnia. Then there is the elusive Fanny, always seen in the background wearing her red bobble hat and with the latest item she has pilfered tucked under her arm.
This is a story to immerse yourself in. If you’re younger you’ll find this an eye-opening and accurate look at the older generation. If you’re in you sunset years you’ll understand so much about what motivates these wonderful characters. The story took me through the full gamut of emotions but at the end it left me with a strong sense of satisfaction over a story well read.

The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home is a charming novel proving you’re never too old for a fresh start from Joanna Nell.

After 89-year-old Miss (never Mrs or Ms) Hattie Bloom breaks her hip from a fall in her backyard, she is dismayed to be told she must spend four to six weeks convalescing at the Woodlands Nursing Home. A recluse, far more more comfortable with birds than people, she is desperate return to the sandstone cottage she was born in, particularly concerned for the welfare of a pair of nesting owls in a tree her new neighbours are threatening to fell. When an ill-timed escape attempt is frustrated by a traffic jam, Hattie resigns herself to the temporary encroachments on her privacy and independence, agreeing to repairs on her home that might let her leave her sooner.

Ninety-year-old Walter Clements, recovering from a car accident, is also determined to return to his suburban home sooner rather than later. To that end, the former driver instructor agrees to humour his daughter and the DON (Director of Nursing) and undertake an assessment to show he is capable of safely managing a mobility scooter. Walter is outraged when a few small mistakes, which includes running over his examiner’s foot, destroying an antique table, and knocking over newcomer, Miss Hattie Bloom, scuppers his chances.

It’s not the most auspicious start to a relationship but nevertheless a friendship slowly blossoms between Hattie and Walter, despite their oppositional temperaments. Where Hattie is reserved and aloof, Walter is loud and gregarious, they actually remind me a little of my own grandparents (and coincidentally my grandfather was also named Walter). Both are well-developed characters, depicted with authenticity and warmth. Hattie, a naturalist and author, who has spent almost her entire life alone by choice, slowly opens up as she becomes enmeshed in the fabric of Woodlands. Walter is occasionally inappropriate, a little bewildered by today’s mores, fond of a glass or three of whiskey, and an incurable optimist, though not without regrets. Though he hopes to go home, he is making the best of his time in Woodlands.

Nell draws on her experience as a GP visiting nursing homes, to provide some insight into the routines, successes and failures of institutional care. Woodlands certainly seems better than many which have made news headlines due to abuse and neglect, however it’s still an institution and as such rules and regulations often override common sense practice. This is evident when night nurse Bronwyn is fired after her aged black lab Queenie, accidentally knocks over and injures one of the residents. Bronwyn is a favourite of many of the Home’s residents, not the least because of her unofficial night time ‘club’, the Night Owls, that provides and encourages activities for the sleepless.

Hattie and Walter’s antics are delightful, though not without a hint of poignancy. They bond over their plan to have Bronwyn reinstated, assisted by Murray, another resident who has become a close friend of Walter (men are severely outnumbered in Woodlands) but is bedridden. Nell doesn’t shy away from portraying the difficult realities of ageing, and Murray’s approaching demise, and his desire to go home one last time, is treated sensitively.

The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home is a witty, charming, and heartwarming novel, recommended for the old, and not so old alike.

Hattie Bloom is hoot (pun intended). Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Australia for the opportunity to be introduced to Joanna Nell.

This is a humorous read which, although never having worked in a nursing home, rang true to me. My grandmother would often comment on the residents of her nursing home and I “saw” many of those characters portrayed in this book.

What struck me the most was the feeling the residents have of being forgotten, or being treated as though they are children who are unable to make decisions for themselves and despite knowing themselves are encouraged to participate in activities they would rather not. I also enjoyed the backstories of the residents, the stories of their glory days, their achievements, their careers, their loves, their past times, which will all be lost to time on their passing.

This is such a lovely, and devastating, story.

This is a sweet story set in the Woodlands Nursing Home.
Told in alternating chapters through the two main characters, Hattie Bloom and Walter Clements.
Hattie has kept to herself for most of her life, a single child, never married and no children. She loves birds and nature, and is disappointed to lose her independence after a fall sees her sent to the nursing home for recovery.
Walter also wants to escape the nursing home. After his wife passed away, his daughter made the decision to send him to the home.
The larrakin meets Hattie on night when insomnia finds him wandering the halls and into the fun activities of 'The Night Owls', a secret club put on by one of the nurses. The two become friends and slowly begin to plan their escape. But is life on the outside really more promising and entertaining than in Woodlands?

EXCERPT: Hattie

Never one to dwell on the past, Hattie Bloom hurried from hers - the last few days of it, at least - and headed for the waiting taxi. She wouldn't look back, determined to put the whole unfortunate episode behind her. There were only so many sing-alongs, only so many games of carpet bowls and bingo that a sane person could endure. Legs eleven? She'd settle for two that actually worked.

The taxi driver held the small plastic bag of Hattie's belongings and her walking stick while she wrestled her unyielding limbs into the back seat. He was in his fifties, or perhaps forties after a hard life, and smelled strongly of onions. With his sweat-stained shirt and open- mouthed breathing, he wouldn't have been her first choice, but Hattie couldn't afford to be picky when it came to getaway drivers. This was, after all, her one and only chance to escape from Woodlands Nursing Home.

ABOUT 'THE GREAT ESCAPE FROM WOODLANDS NURSING HOME ': At nearly ninety, retired nature writer Hattie Bloom prefers the company of birds to people, but when a fall lands her in a nursing home she struggles to cope with the loss of independence and privacy. From the confines of her 'room with a view' of the carpark, she dreams of escape.

Fellow 'inmate', the gregarious, would-be comedian Walter Clements also plans on returning home as soon as he is fit and able to take charge of his mobility scooter.

When Hattie and Walter officially meet at The Night Owls, a clandestine club run by Sister Bronwyn and her dog, Queenie, they seem at odds. But when Sister Bronwyn is dismissed over her unconventional approach to aged care, they must join forces -- and very slowly an unlikely, unexpected friendship begins to grow.

MY THOUGHTS: Joanna Nell writes with her usual wit and warmth about the perils, pitfalls and joys of old age. Her books are proof that just because you may have lost the use of your legs, your mind hasn't necessarily accompanied them.

To Hattie, eighty-nine, reclusive retired ornithologist, human behaviour is a mystery. So when she finds herself in a residential 'care' home following a fall from a ladder while trying to save a family of endangered owls, she is like a fish out of water and can think only of escaping back to her dilapidated but comfortable home where all is quiet and peaceful, apart from those pesky new neighbours. She has nothing in common with the other residents (prisoners), who are either loud and gregarious, or somnolent zombies. But that's before she meets Sister Bronwyn, the night nurse who puts the 'life' back into assisted living, and who shows her that there is far more to her fellow 'inmates' than she could possibly guess.

If, like me, you have ever dreaded ending your days 'in care,' where you may feel like you're 'out of sight, out of mind', this may give you another perspective. It is a reminder that these people have not always been frail of body and/or mind; that they have lived full and productive lives, that they have stories to tell if we only take the time to listen, and that while they are still breathing, there's always time for one more adventure.

Like all of Joanna Nell's books, The Great Escape From Woodlands Nursing Home is written with warmth, wit and empathy about people who could be us in a few years time. I found it very easy to relate to Hattie, and I could quite imagine one of my brothers as the golf mad, cheesy, loud, Walter. I laughed, cried and laughed some more, and as I closed the cover of this delightful read for the final time, I wondered what the author has in store for us next.

⭐⭐⭐.9

#TheGreatEscapeFromWoodlandsNursingHome #NetGalley

'What's the point of having his stomach stapled shut if his mouth still opens?'

'However old you feel, tomorrow it will seem young.'

THE AUTHOR: Joanna Nell is a UK born writer and doctor. Her short fiction has won multiple awards and has been published in various journals and literary anthologies. In 2016 she was awarded a residency at The Bundanon Trust. Her bestselling debut novel The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village was published by Hachette Australia and Hodder & Stoughton (UK) in 2018.
A former ship's doctor, Joanna now works as a GP with a passion for women's health and care of the elderly. She writes character-driven stories for women in their prime, creating young-at-heart characters who are not afraid to break the rules and defy society's expectations of ageing.
Joanna lives on Sydney's Northern Beaches, and as the mother of teenagers enjoys long walks with her dog and talking to herself.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Hachette Australia for providing a digital ARC of The Great Escape From Woodlands Nursing Home by Joanna Nell for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

Hattie Bloom’s fall broke the almost ninety-year old’s hip, which found her recuperating in the Woodlands Nursing Home alongside other frail and elderly people. She desperately wanted to go home, back to her birds and the endangered owl which nested in the tree outside her home. Her meeting of Walter Clements, elderly, out-there, lover of food and his hidden stash of alcohol, wasn’t promising – Hattie decided to keep to herself…

Not many of the elderly folk slept at night – Sister Bronwyn ran the night shift with nurse Sameera, and The Night Owls meant Hattie and Walter had something to do to pass the long hours of darkness. Sister Bronwyn’s Labrador Queenie was a fan – treats – and they all loved Queenie. But unexpectedly Sister Bronwyn was dismissed, and nights were back to the way they were expected to be. Hattie and Walter hatched a plan, but would it work? After all, the elderly didn’t have much of a say in their final days, did they?

The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home by Aussie author Joanna Nell is heartwarming, realistic, at times sad, at times laugh out loud funny, a story of life – not in the fast lane (as Walter would have it) – for our elderly who are placed into nursing homes and often forgotten. Poignant and very readable, The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home is one I recommend.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

As a fan of Joanna Nell I could not wait to see what crazy aged care adventure I would be taken on this time and let me just say The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home did not disappoint.

In this novel we are introduced to Miss Bloom is an 89 year old bird lover who is not a fan of people and just wants to get home, Murray a 90 year old retiree geography teacher, with a wife who bakes constantly and Walter the 90 year old ex driving instructor and would be comedian trying to get his scooter license. Hattie Bloom, Walter Clements and Murray are the likable residents of the nursing home who develop a bond that carries through the entire novel.

Along with some other wacky residents and dedicated and not so dedicated staff The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home is a delightful read that makes you think about getting older and the changes it brings.

‘My grandson told me there’s something called an app on it that ages your face
and makes you look old.’ ‘There’s one of those in the bathroom,’ chuckled Murray. ‘It’s called a mirror.’

The Great Escape From Woodlands Nursing Home is the third novel by Australian author, Joanna Nell and is another winning delve into aged care adventures. Having read Joanna’s previous two novels, I continue to be impressed how she shines the spotlight on this age bracket, achieving a balance between whimsical and enlightening.

‘That’s my point. We’re all past our use-by date in here.’ ‘I prefer to think of it as a “best before” date.’ Miss Bloom looked as surprised as anyone to hear her words spoken aloud.’

If you have ever had any dealings with ‘Seniors’ then you will surely find something to relate to in Joanna’s stories. This time around she shines the light on Nursing Homes (pre COVID) presenting a clever take on the escapades of some of the residents. The array of typical characters jump off the page with their witty dialogue and reflective moments. If you have ever been to an aged care home you will undoubtedly recognise not only the resident types but also their carers and the health and safety standards that often rule these lodgings. It is the backstories of some of these characters that prove memorable and force you to recall that they were young once, active and independent.

‘It’s hard to make yourself vulnerable, isn’t it? Feels wrong, I imagine. When you’ve been so independent all your life. Look at me. I was head of department at a high school. I am a justice of the peace, a father of two accomplished women and a grandfather. Now I need a twenty year old to wipe my backside.’

To counterbalance this, Joanna also details the heartfelt sorrows with a realistic portrayal of how some of our elderly spend their final days. It is here that Joanna truly makes her statement in a most empathetic manner with a message that is powerful and I hope heard by many. She ventures into the more serious themes of loss of independence in all its many forms and no longer being responsible for your own life decisions. With routine often being the cornerstone of such accommodations, it is the freedom and individuality that is often sadly lost. I adored Joana’s thoughts on the ‘Night Owls’ club and think that sometimes these ‘rules’ need bending.

‘The doors at the main entrance were locked, as was to be expected after hours, preventing the outside from getting in and the inside from getting out ... In theory, loved ones were free to visit at any time with permission of the nurse in charge. After-hours visits were not encouraged. Nor were after-hours excursions. Tonight, however, Hattie wanted to see the stars, if only for the reassurance that the universe was still infinite. Woodlands was crushing her, squeezing her chest like a pair of giant hands around her lungs. She had to hold on to the idea that life would return to normal, that one day all this would be behind her. She would get home, not just for the owls, but for her own sake.’

I applaud Joanna for continuing to highlight Seniors/retirees/elderly particularly after the disaster to this sector during the pandemic. This genre is anything but boring when you consider what these precious people have lived through. I love old people. Joanna offers all her knowledge and experience to bring not only humour to this category but also a real sense of realism and purpose. I call on people to read Joanna’s books which just keep getting better and better and remember that, even though ageing may be a harsh reality, it does not have to be at the cost of loss of character.

‘Everyone spoke affectionately, nostalgically, about their day, some elusive time they would only recognise when looking back in years to come. For most, it was when they were too young or carefree to realise that this was as good as it got and to enjoy it. But what if her day wasn’t already behind her? What if today was Hattie Bloom’s day?



This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Joanna Nell brings us another enjoyable romp through life in a retirement home with more than its fair share of outrageous characters. There is a staff member who organises night time revels, a subversive resident who puts detergent in the water fountain and even the budgie is an entertaining individual.

Beneath the humour though is an underlying story of this final, often unavoidable, stage of life, where failing health causes someone to enter a nursing home but still with hope of being able to return home later. Then comes the inevitable acceptance of how things must be and the need to make the best of it. I felt very sad for Hattie and Walter. 89 and 90 are not the best ages for such a huge change.

This is a very funny book with larger than life characters but it still has a lot of truths at its core. In some nursing homes the food is not good, there are staff who do not care and when you end up living in just one room there is not going to be enough room for all your books! So I laughed but felt a little uncomfortable at the same time.

What a wonderful book!

Hattie and Walter have both arrived unwillingly at Woodlands Nursing Home. Hattie recovering from a broken hip, Walter struggling over his beloved Sylvia’s death. Both anxious to return to their own homes.

Walter, ex driving instructor, desperately wants to be allowed to drive his new mobility scooter, but first he has to pass a driving test. Chaos results!

Sister Bronwyn knows what the residents want and need. She and her overweight Labrador Queenie provide it at the Night Owls; until an accident puts a resident in hospital and Sister Bronwyn out of a job.

Meanwhile someone has turned the aquarium water red, there are bubbles in the fountain, the residents are chanting they want pineapple with their gammon and what is the story with Derek Baker and Sister Who?

Will Hattie and Walter come up with a workable plan to get Sister Bronwyn back? Can they find a way to help their dying friend Murray see his garden one more time?
Will Hattie finally discover that humans, not just birds, are interesting?
Answers to these and other questions can be found as you enjoy Nell’s eloquent and often humourous book about life in a nursing home.

Many thanks to Better Reading for the opportunity to read and review The Great Escape From Woodlands Nursing Home