I read this back in September 2022. Apologies for sending this review in so late.

My review from Instagram:

A beautiful story of a man who spent 60 years traveling on the 88 bus searching for a woman he met and fell in love with on that bus. She gave him her number and he lost the ticket with her number on it. He spent the next 60 years trying to find her.

A young woman who had just been dumped by her boyfriend finds herself on the 88, talking to this old man. She learns of his story and decides to help him find this woman before it's too late. He suffers from dementia and may be placed in a home soon. He wants to find this woman before he forgets her.

This is such a heartwarming story about love, family, hope, and new beginnings. You might cry, so make sure you have some tissues on hand.

A delightful story about senior citizen Frank, who has been looking for decades for a woman that he met on London bus 88 in the 1960's, whose free, independent spirit encouraged him to make substantive changes in his own life and outlook. He meets Libby, a young woman dealing with a broken relationship, and she and his caregiver try to help Frank with his quest. What ensues is a lovely tale of found family, friendships discovered, mistakes made (but then rectified), and life renewing. This would be a great read for book clubs, with a story that is not too deep or dark but full of discussable points, meaningful characters, and valuable insights into interpersonal relationships. For fans of the work of Rachel Joyce and Fredrik Backman - it's a joy to read. 4 1/2 stars.

A fun novel by Sampson about the ways we are connected with others.

Years ago, Frank met a girl on the bus and they made plans to meet. Frank lost his ticket and was never able to find her again. Years later, Libby meets Frank on the bus and is intrigued by his story. She enlists the help of several people to try to find the girl on the bus. A timeless story of how people can come together to make dreams come true and what friendship and love are really about.

Thoroughly sweet and heartfelt, but a little sad and flat in places. Having read The Last Chance Library, I had ideas about how I would feel about this book and it was pretty much as expected. The book is very heartwarming and bittersweet, but in some places is very slow and in others has too much going on. I liked the characters but felt they could have been a bit more fleshed out. The overarching plot of the lost ticket was wonderfully timed, but other subplots felt rushed and thrown in to try to check as many boxes as possible. I did appreciate the representation of those suffering with Alzheimer’s and dementia to be very accurate and moving. Overall, a cute book with touching moments.

After having liked Freya Simpson's last book, I thought I'd give this one a go but unfortunately had a hard time with this one. Perhaps I'm not the right reader for this author.

This heartfelt, sweet and poignant novel was a perfect book club pick to discuss with friends! It explores themes of friendship, grief, parenthood and finding one's passion in life. I loved all the characters and found myself so moved by the conclusion.


Thank you Berkley Pub and Netgalley for my copy.

Freya Sampson's stories are always heartfelt and wonderful. All the giddy feels. The connections are clear and real and poignant, you wish you were friends with them IRL. I can't wait for her next!

I absolutely LOVED this book!!
I adored the plot, the characters, the setting - everything, It's utterly heartwarming and full of warmth and hope with a beautiful message of friendship and never judging on appearances alone. Honestly, this book has everything, I loved it from the first page and couldn't put it down until the last word.
I particularly enjoyed the setting, the bus 88 of London, it's so refreshing and relatable, as someone who needs a bus to get anywhere the coming together of strangers and becoming friends on the bus journey really spoke to me.
On the surface, this is a simple light-hearted story, but don't be fooled there is so much depth to this, there is a lot going on which is beautifully entwined together to create a compelling and adorable story.
I cannot fully express how much I adored this book, and the author's easy and beautiful, writing style and I will definitely be reading more from Freya Simpson!

I thought this book was pleasantly heart-warming and made me feel so fondly towards Libby and Frank. As someone who has family that has been affected by dementia, this book really felt personal and maybe that's why I feel so strongly about this book. I love how the community came together to help Frank and I think this novel showed everything good about mankind.

This was fun, but overall underwhelming. In a crowded market, there are much better things to read than this

What an absolutely charming and delightful book.
Although the premise of the book is what grabbed me, this story is so much more than the hook on the back cover.
First, I loved the diversity of characters. Although the characters all present as white, we get a found family of a confused single woman on the cusp of turning thirty, a literal London punk, an elderly man whose time is running out to find the woman who changed his life 60 years ago, and a twenty something woman who has Downs Syndrome.
In all the years I've been reading, I think this is the first book I've ever read that features an adult character with Downs Syndrome who is written as a person and not a diagnosis. I hope to see more of this in the books I pick up.
I loved the depth of emotion in this book, the coming together of found family, and breaking of stereotypes in the differing ages, experiences, and abilities of the main characters.
The only reason this wasn't a 5 star read for me is that I felt a bit too much drama was piled on for drama's sake. That wasn't enough to stop me from loving the book but it did make me feel the hand of the author turning up the conflict when I didn't think it was necessary to add more hurdles.
It's a delightful read and I'll definitely be reading more from this author.

“Fate” is a common subtext across many genres. Romance asks readers to believe two people are meant to be together; sci-fi explores parallel universes in the belief that every action and decision has meaningful consequences. In real life, we tell ourselves that things will work out if they are supposed to, that “everything happens for a reason.” As we grow older, we look back on our lives and wonder how things might have turned out differently if we’d chosen another school, job, or partner.

In The Lost Ticket, British author Freya Sampson’s latest book, an elderly London man named Frank has spent the past 60 years riding the number 88 bus, hoping for a glimpse of the red-haired artist he fell in love with but never saw again after he lost the bus ticket with her phone number. He never even got her name!

For the rest of the review, click on the link below.

What a lovely read! I so enjoyed the author's first book (The Last Chance Library), and I might have liked this one even more. I love London, and reading this put me right back there. Looking forward to recommending this to library patrons! 🇬🇧

Strangers on a London bus unite to help an elderly man find his missed love connection in this heartwarming new novel by Freya Sampson, author of The Last Chance Library.

I really loved this tender love story, which was so perfect for the season. I found myself completely engaged in the storyline of finding connection in humanity, and the relationships we have with others. I loved that each character had their own flaws that made them relatable, and overall it was a really great book!

*many thanks to Berkley for the gifted copy for review

I loved this book so much. Everything just worked and I truly couldn't put it down. Its such a wonderful story. I smiled. I sobbed. I cheered. I gasped. I felt all the feels and I can't say enough that I recommend this beautiful book. 4.5 stars rounded up.

what a touching book about loss and hope, love in less than perfect circumstances, learning to trust in yourself, boundaries, and simple kindnesses. i loved both libby and frank’s stories and their joint quest. This definitely qualifies as a quirky contemporary fiction with a cast of lovable characters. I loved how all the characters interacted with each other and how their relationships developed over time. if you’re looking for a heartwarming, cozy read, add this to your list!

side note: as an obstetrician, i find it very hard not to judge the truth of dramatic births in non-hospital settings scenes but i had to let this one slide lol.

Sweet and charming. But just not for me.
I am in the minority as most other reviewers loved it. Perhaps it was just bad timing.🤷🏻‍♀️

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing.

When Libby Nicolls’ boyfriend breaks up with her and kicks her out of their shared house, she is forced to stay with her older sister in London, filling in as a glorified nanny to her nephew. On the 88 bus, she meets an older man named Frank, who enthralls her with his story of his dream girl he met forty years ago on the very same bus. Libby decides to help Frank reconnect with the girl of his dreams by finding her. She works with Franks’ caregiver, Dylan, whose mohawk and goth demeanor contrasts with his inner “softie” personality. In helping Frank and spending time with Dylan, Libby just might find some meaning in her life and the courage to seek out her own dreams.

The Lost Ticket is an engaging, thoroughly enjoyable novel about relationships. It delves into the complicated but rich connections that humans make through their lives, with relatives, lovers, even acquaintances that may initially start out as casual, but become in strange ways, integral to their lives. There are touching and bittersweet moments in this quick moving narrative that will stay with readers. Libby shows a lot of growth and becomes more comfortable in her skin as she involves herself in the quest to help Frank and finds new friendships along the way. The romance between Libby and Dylan progresses in an authentic, perfectly paced way. Dylan is a sweetheart with flaws that make him more endearing. Although the suspense near the end felt a little contrived, The Lost Ticket delivers a very satisfying read that will leave a smile on the reader’s face.

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Format: Audio

4🌟 - I liked it!

Thank you @prhaudio for the complimentary audiobook and @netgalley and @berkleypub for an E-ARC.

This book was so cute! This definitely fits the bill for quirky contemporary fiction full of lovable characters, charm, heartbreak, and deeper reflections upon life and the choices we make.

Libby and Frank had the sweetest dynamic, and I loved how all the characters interacted with one another throughout the book.

If you’re looking for an easy and heartwarming read, this is one you need to check out!

If you enjoyed this one I would recommend Adult Assembly Here and I’ve seen comparisons to Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting (TBR).

I wasn’t sure I’d like this story and I ended up loving it. You will get wrapped up in being on Bus 88 and meeting all the wonderful characters that help Libby and Dylan find Frank’s mystery woman. Libby makes some tough life decisions along the way as this book deals with family, friends and ex-boyfriend struggles. Can’t wait to recommend this!