The Imperfect Art of Caring by Jessica Ryn

After 14 years away, Violet Strong returns to the village she was brought up in and where bad things happened, becoming a carer for her mum, Glenys. She gets to know her neighbours and a group of carers in the village and together they support each other.

Oh wow, I absolutely LOVED this book! One of my favourites of 2021 (and I'm currently on my 70th!). This is the book we all need right now - a wonderful story of overcoming loneliness, moving on from grief, supporting each other, friendship, community..... and a compelling storyline with fabulous characters. VERY highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Jessica has done it again.

This is such a heart-warming story.

Filled with loveable, quirky characters, The Imperfect Art of Caring is a tale that really makes you feel and care!

If you haven't read Jess's previous novel then you must and if you have then you will definitely enjoy this one.

Family, friends and frustrations arise and as truths are spoken, lives change for the better.

A novel to make you think, to make you want to help someone, anyone.

100% recommended.

This book is very different from my usual read, and I wasn’t sure it was for me. I’m glad I persevered with it as it was a lovely, gentle read, with a meaningful message.

Violet is an independent woman, living an uneventful life in Manchester. She gets a visit from her sister Jodie, whom she has not seen since she left her home village many years before. Due to family circumstances, it’s up to Violet to step in and look after their mother, who needs a full time carer.

Needless to say there are trials and tribulations along the way before everything comes to fruition. The storyline is predictable, but enjoyable.

This book is a good feeling story, it’s only drawback being that it’s a bit meandering and to much is made of Bad News!

Thank you NetGalley.

I loved Jessica Ryn’s The Extraordinary Hope of Dawn Brightside, so was really looking forward to reading her follow up. And it was fantastic.

Violet is such a wonderfully complex and relatable character. She has built a life for herself that is small but secure. She has a job, a small place that she calls home and her beloved books.

Her world is turned upside down when her sister turns up and says Violet has to go back to her childhood home and look after her estranged mother. Their large home has been divided into apartments and she is also going to have to evict her tenants and sell the property.

Violet is caring and resilient, friendly and honest. As she starts to get know the residents and confronts the ghosts of her past, Violet begins to find a new community and fulfil long forgotten ambitions.

The relationships in this book are such a joy.

Tammy in particular is wonderful character, someone who is both vulnerable and courageous. As Violet gets to know Tammy and their friendship develops she starts to believe that maybe there is a place back her in the local community. She may find romance woth her childhood sweetheart, Adam, who finds himself in a similar position.

The book highlights the challenges and loneliness that carers can face when they do not have wider support systems. Just small actions and acts of kindness can make huge impact on people.

This book will make you laugh and cry and inspire and restore your faith in humankind.

Thank you to HQ and Netgalley for mybgifted copy of The Imperfect Art Of Caring

I found this book different to the ones I usually read and it was enjoyable. Violet lives her life keeping everyone at a distance, with everyone saying she is bad news and that bad things tend to follow her. This is until she has to go home and care for her estranged mother. This leads to Violet creating a friendship group and support network along the way.

I found this book special in the way it gives you the point of view of the carer and the being cared for and it shows how tough this can be. It also gives you a feeling of how important the community can be and how it can help you. All in all, this is a lovely book and I really did enjoy it.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book as an eARC in exchange for an honest review

I thoroughly enjoyed reading. The main character, Violet, had to return to her mother to look after her. Her mother was not the easiest to look after and Violet didn’t really want to stick around - at first. A lovely story involving caters, past lives and friendship.

I would like to say thank you to the publisher the author and that Dali for allowing me to have access to this book as I love watching authors grow and to read books and to have a real connection with the author and publisher to show my appreciation of my feedback.

I think this was a great romcom book as I very much enjoy it and I think that this does appear to me a real life situation and I think that it’s very intriguing and draws you in and keep your drawn into the book I read this in a few hours I absolutely adore this book and I could not put it down

Such important topics in this wonderful book. Being a carer the ups and downs, loneliness, mental health, abuse, vulnerability and friendship.

Violet Strong returns back to her hometown in Sussex to care for her elderly mum whom she hasn't seen for 14 years after staying away because of a tragedy that happened in the family. One that Violet blames herself for.
But once settled back in her home town Violets life changes as she realises that she has a much bigger purpose than the life she's been living. She realises the importance of a carer and how lonely it can be and how the person who is being cared for is also feeling guilty and helpless for the person looking after them. I have a lot of respect for carers they sacrifice so much just to care for someone they love. Also showing kindness to those around us makes a huge difference.
I loved how Violets character developed and how she became confident in herself. We all go through times when we have no faith in our self but Violet shows us that if we have people around us then anything is possible.
If your after a happy ending then this book is for you. Thank you netgalley for letting me having a review copy for an honest review.

I didnt know what to expect from this book but it really impressed and suprised me. I think i expected it to be a quick and easy read that i read and then that was that but in actual fact although it was a quick and easy read it left me thinking about it long after I stopped reading. It dealt with some hard hitting issues in a beauitfully sensitive way and in some parts it was simply breathtaking. A really enjoyable read

This book was unexpectedly beautiful. It covered such important topics in a very clever and sensitive way making them accessible to all yet raising awareness. The characters were lovable and engaging and the plot was so well thought out that I couldn’t put it down, I just needed to know more. Thank you netgalley for access to this book.

When her sister, Jodie, relocates to New Zealand with her husband, Violet is forced to return home to care for her mother. After a tragic incident, she left home 14 years ago and hasn't been back since. She reconnects with her childhood sweetheart, Adam, who is also caring for his dad. Violet is tasked with the responsibility of selling her mother's house and asking the tenants to leave. However, when she gets to know everyone, will this still be possible?

I really liked the way the author has carefully woven in the failings of the care system- waiting lists for help urgently needed and filling in all thse forms for PIP and carer's allowance. The support group Violet sets up- Helping hands- would actually be a great charity. How wonderful ti have a helping hands group for carers to support each other in every town.

I thought the character, Tammy, was particulary well illustrated with her vulnerabilities and inexperience of the world outside her flat. I felt completely immersed in the life of the village and invested in the characters and their journey.

Thanks indeed to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I have never read anything by this author before but I was enjoyable and I will make sure that I do again. Well done.

A gentle insight into the world of carers. It's not a world which is well covered and certainly not one most people would like to find themselves in but this is a hopeful, uplifting story about a community coming together to lift each other up, each person finding what they need as well as giving to others. I really enjoyed this and finished it with a smile on my face.

What a wonderful gift author Jessica Ryn has, for creating those wonderful, hapless characters, who you can't help but fall in love with. Dawn Brightside was a highlight of my year last year, and I was extremely excited to be able to read her newest offering, The Imperfect Art of Caring.
Within these pages, we are, again, introduced to a main character who has a lot going on, in her mind.
Violet Strong is a woman who has learned to keep everyone at a distance from her - for good reason, She is Bad News. Ever since she can remember, bad things happen, and they always come back to her.
Estranging herself from her family and friends, she ends up near Manchester, with a cleaning job, and a wonderful blog where she reviews books.
Things are fine until her sister drops a bombshell on her: She's leaving the country, and Violet has to come back home, to help look after her mother, and facilitate a house sale, so her mother can be put into care.
My heart went out to Violet, especially as I got to know her, and realised exactly how wrong her own opinion of herself was. She only wants to help, and sheer coincidence meant that so many awful things happened in her life, that really had nothing to do with her, yet, she had carried the burden of guilt on her own shoulders.
The cast of characters introduced through the story are wonderful, including Tammy, one of the residents in the flats her mother's house have been turned into, who has a learning disability, but no one to help her learn how to live independently, to Mrs R, the grumpy resident, who is, in fact, a rather lonely woman. To top it off, there is Adam, Violet's childhood best friend, and first love, who makes up half of the occupants in the third flat, alongside his father, Bill.
The book looks at the often lonely job of carers. What is expected of them, what they have to deal with on a regular basis, as well as the lives of those being cared for.
I was truly touched when reading this beautiful book.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was thought provoking and a wonderful look at what it means to be a career which is something that hits close to home for me. It did a wonderful portrayal of loneliness as well which is something I relate to so much. Jessica was a wonderful writer and I can’t wait to see what more they do in the future!

This book really is here for unrepresented world of carers. The concept of a support group I hope people will see as a good idea and make this a reality. Tammy is a truly lovely character and I love how she develops. She's thoughtful, and doesn't always get it right which makes her all the more endearing. Again, great to see a learning disabilities character thrive as this is rarely portrayed. Violet's story is an interesting one and as the past unravels, even more so. The sense of community beaming out this book is uplifting, and heart warming at a time where it feels like its needed most. Adorable, emotional and I'm jealous I can't have a cuppa with these gorgeous characters.

What a beautiful book, such a lovely read, lots of wonderful charecters who were easy to get to know, I loved every single page, a great story told well and cane to such a satisfying conclusion

Another perfectly balanced uplifting book from Jessica Ryn!
Violet moved away from home 14 years ago following some unnamed incident and has never looked back, convinced that everything she does only brings bad luck and misfortune. She has made a cosy safe life for herself, cleaning in the daytime and book blogging at night, with some acquaintances but happy to keep them all at arm's length.
She is suddenly called back to her home village in Sussex to care for her estranged mother and help her sell her house to move into a care home. Moving back is every bit as hard as she thought, with awkward relationships and sad memories everywhere, Violet's convinced people won't let her forget her past mistakes. And her ex-boyfriend/ best friend is still in town - yikes!
She starts to build relationships- and although you know where the story is going to go, the journey there is a lovely one and made me think more about loneliness and carers.
I recently read The Switch by Beth O'Leary and this has a similar feel to it.
Definitely recommended

It took me a while to get into this book as the characters didn't gel with me at first. As I read on though I did enjoy them as the story unfolded. It showed how everyone remembers things differently and there is always two sides to each story - we just don't always see the other side.

I loved this book. The characters were all well-written. I felt a lot of empathy for Violet. Loved the set up of the house and its tenants. The fact the book tackled life as a carer, as well as showing how the ones being cared for felt, was refreshing: I'm glad such issues were addressed. There was a little romance too, which was sweet. Pace was just right. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.