Thank you to NetGalley for gifting this book in exchange for an honest review.

Meredith, Alone by Claire Alexander is a beautifully crafted novel that dives deep into the life of a woman who hasn't left her house in years. The story centers around Meredith, a character who is both intriguing and relatable in her complexity. Her struggles with mental health are portrayed with sensitivity and realism, making her journey feel authentic and deeply moving.

One of the aspects I appreciated most about this book was the realistic depiction of Meredith's complicated relationships with her mother and sister. The emotional depth of these relationships adds layers to the story, making it feel rich and multifaceted. The way Alexander explores family dynamics, particularly the lingering effects of past traumas, is both heartbreaking and thought-provoking.

The narrative is unlike anything I’ve read before, blending humor, sadness, and hope in a way that makes you root for Meredith from start to finish. It's a story that stays with you, prompting reflection on the importance of human connection and the courage it takes to face one’s fears.

Content Warning: This book contains depictions of sexual assault and self-harm, which may be triggering for some readers.

I was immediately captivated by reclusive Meredith, seemingly content with jigsaw puzzles, her beloved cat, and insular life. MEREDITH, ALONE by Claire Alexander is like no other book I've read, chronicling the years of living alone, not venturing out into the world until some unexpected connections combine to get her down the garden path and into interacting with a world and people she's only known from the safe distance of on-line. Wonderfully written, densely peopled with believable and moving characters, this book depicts brutal and tender with the same measured, beautiful grace as Meredith herself. I deeply enjoyed this book and will recommend it widely. I received a copy of this book and these thoughts are my own, unbiased opinions.

This book had me so captivated from the very beginning. You would think a book about a person that hasn’t left their house in years might have the potential to be boring…what could the author possibly have to write about if the main character doesn’t leave her house?!

Well I’m here to tell you, this book is everything. The main character is quirky and interesting. She kept us on edge with her trauma the entire book which was so good. I think the author set the tone and pace of this book very intelligently. The back and forth with the timelines was a great way to keep the reader invested- and I sure was!

Mental health is huge and the author did a spectacular job at writing about the many aspects of mental health. She was gentle and considerate with the many topics she touched on in this novel. I loved Meredith and her strength to go on in life after the trauma she endured. Definitely a 5 star read for me!

This is a novel of healing and relationship, from Meredith's relationship with Tom, Celeste, or Fiona -- friend, mentee in a way, sister. You will cheer for Meredith all along the way! We need more books that handle agoraphobia, anxiety, depression, and trauma with the grace, compassion, and realism of this book.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

Meredith is a character living with crippling anxiety, that confined her to her house.
I enjoyed Meredith and the daily routines she relishes in and the slow pace of her life. I liked the friendships she has and the new ones she makes. I liked watching them help her feel more herself again and find a way to get out of the house again.
This is a slow moving story, but it's a really beautiful one.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Meredith, Alone by Claire Alexander is a beautiful story full of hope and heart. Each of the characters in this novel is well-fleshed out ( even the unlikeable ones). There are dark moments in Meredith's life and her road to recovery is not an easy one – she stumbles and falls but we cheer for her as she does not stop trying to bring about positive change in her life.

I really like Meredith - she is complex, sometimes her decisions baffle you but then you realize you don’t have her problems. Her condition, her reclusion is done extremely well and you really root for her. There are some very good supporting characters in Sadie, who is the epitome of a loyal and fantastic friend, Tom from the charity Holding Hands who dives happily into Meredith excellent baking and her new friend Celeste.

The pacing of the novel is on the slower side which suits the central theme and natural progression of the story. Meredith is an endearing protagonist. Though her story has its difficult moments it is ultimately one of courage and hope.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

This was such a sweet and touching read read. I loved FMC character a lot.

Thank you to netgalley for an opportunity to read this book.

This one was a strong, strong tug on my heartstrings! Meredith was a character I cannot soon forget and though I don’t share in her life’s traumas, I related so much to how she found sanctuary in her own cozy home. These characters were so deeply written and felt and I loved the melancholic tone with such a hopeful ending. I can’t wait to see what Claire Alexander does next!

I was given the NetGalley access to this after I had already read it via the library. I really enjoyed the pace of this book and how the character’s past was slowly revealed. This book would be enjoyed by anyone who liked Where in the world is Bernadette? And Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine.

This book blew me away. It’s in the vein of A Man Called Ove or The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett, but more realistic, and therefore more satisfying to me (both of those novels are excellent and I do recommend them).
Meredith suffers from panic attacks and hasn’t left the house in three years. She has experienced trauma that she is working to deal with as she makes goals to venture outside. That trauma and her story is revealed slowly over the book, and the pacing is perfection.
Cliches are avoided, and Meredith feels like a real person who I’d love to meet and try her amazing baking. She’s full of pain but also full of love, and her story broke my heart and also filled me with hope.
I highly recommend this book to all adult readers! Thank you to Grand Central publishing for the complimentary ebook.

I’ve read 90 books so far this year and this is my favorite one. Such a sweet and touching story of a woman who has been through a lot. Explores family relationships, friendships and the strength we need to overcome being broken. I love this book. Didn’t want it to end.

Meredith has what she considers a full life - a job, friends, a cat, an online community and her jigsaw puzzles - the catch is she hasn't left her house in over 3 years. She's had a difficult childhood and a traumatic experience has kept her isolated but it all changes when she makes new friends, one from her online community and another from "Helping Hands" a support group for homebound people. She's a truly lovable character and her transition and re-entry into the outside world kept me rooting for her throughout. A feel good book for sure.

WOW. I went into this story blindly and was so pleasantly surprised! It’s such a bittersweet story that immediately pulls the reader in. Meredith hasn’t left her apartment in more than 1,200 days. She’s got a best friend, an online support group, and a faithful companion in the form of her cat Fred for connections, and work and jigsaw puzzles to keep her busy…but she’s a recluse and afraid to go out her front door. As the story constantly shifts between the present timeline and years in the past, we learn of a childhood with a narcissistic abusive mother and a major trauma can lead to something like this. This story also shows the power when you have a support system that believes in you, even if it’s one step.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. This is out now.

I had a bit of a struggle with this book. Meredith was an interesting character with a lovely best friend. Her family are a different topic entirely. That mom of hers was a real piece of something. Meredith actually seems like someone I would like to be friends with myself. However….something just didn’t click for me. There were some pretty hard topics covered but I really struggled through the talk about miscarriages and loss of babies. I couldn’t finish it after about 40% through.

Where to begin!? This was such a cute, warm & fuzzy story. Meredith was such a dynamic character, and it was a true pleasure to go in her recovery journey with her. The moments of witty banter throughout her road to recovery kept the light-hearted tone of the story alive even in the darker moments. This is story is a true example of the fact that recovery isn’t linear, but those you meet along the way make the decision to push through worthwhile.

This book was beautiful.

Meredith's journey is so raw and powerful. I'm not usually a big fan of time jumps, but reliving the past with Meredith helped me to understand her pain. I could easily see myself befriending her in real-life.
Everything about this book spoke to me. I honestly did not expect to love it so much. I am so glad I picked this one up!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read it in exchange for an honest review.

Meredith hasn't left her home in 1214 days. She shops online, gets her groceries delivered, and works a remote job. Her cat, Fred, keeps her company and she spends her free time either reading, baking, or working on jigsaw puzzles. Meredith interacts online with an online social group and slowly starts becoming closer to one of the woman on the forum, Celeste.

Meredith only interacts physically with a select few people - the grocery delivery man, her best friend Sadie, Celeste, a 10-year-old neighbor (Jacob), and Tom, a member of an organization that comes to keep her company and makes sure she is doing okay. She has family near by but it is complicated.

Meredith was not always like this, but traumatic events in her life changed her completely. Now, even the thought of leaving her safe haven, her home, makes her anxiety sky rocket and even triggers panic attacks. We follow Meredith's journey through dealing with depression, trauma, and anxiety.

This book was beautiful. Meredith is a sweet and likable woman. The dual timeline allows us to really get to know all that she has been through and get a sense of the kind of person she is. I love how we progressively start seeing how Meredith allows new people to enter her life and open up to them. The side characters are just amazing and so supportive, which is exactly what someone with depression needs.

The pace of this novel is on the slower side but it is appreciated because anything else would've been too rushed. The author did an amazing job covering sensitive topics like mental health, sexual assault, the life-long affect's of verbal abuse and neglect on a child, and domestic violence. If you need a book that will touch your heart and have you cheering for a fictional characters growth and healing journey, pick this one up.

Thank you so much Netgalley, Grand Central Publishing, and the author for this ARC.
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I really enjoyed this one! I was able to get the audiobook from @librofm and I flew through it. Such a great read with great writing and message. Highly recommend!

*Thank you @grandcentralpub and @librofm for the #gifted egalley and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.*