Esther is a reclusive octogenarian who lives alone in her home on the hill. No one in the village really knows her, but everyone has ideas. She was involved in a scandal several decades ago, and has been hiding ever since. She has decided she needs to learn about "The Online" and her neighbour places an ad at the library to hire someone who can help her. Bruno, an eighteen-year-old local boy and self-starter, takes the ad off the board and heads to Esther's house to apply for the job. Esther hires him and a friendship begins. Bruno has secrets of his own, one of which is what he wants to do with the money he has earned. Esther and Bruno are so different from one another, except that they both have secrets that are keeping them "locked away" and not living their best life.

When I first started this book, I wasn't sure if it was for me or not. It was a bit slow, but I wanted to learn more about Bruno and Esther. Well, I am glad I stuck with it because The Locked-Away Life turned out to be a wonderful story. I love multi-generational friendships and this was a great one. Esther is a bit of a curmudgeon, who easily gets angry and several time kicks Bruno out of her home. Bruno helps her to move forward in her life and reconcile with her past. Bruno is hiding something. He is a great kid, but has been bullied at school and has no friends. Esther sees beyond the friendly facade and forces him to be honest with himself. The story is told in dual points of view, so we get both of their stories from more than one perspective. Esther is a fiesty, independent character that would rub most people the wrong way, but lets Bruno, his father Filip and Dominic her supplier of marijuana see the real Esther. Physically, she is dealing with some mobility issues, a lot of pain and recovering from a stroke, but that doesn't seem to stop her. Although this story had a slower plot, there are some wonderful adventurous moments, some humour, and some heartbreak. The characters in the story are all well written, even the secondary ones and they all moved the story forward. There are two epilogues, one for Esther and one for Bruno, that lets us know what happens after the story ends, which gave me closure. Overall, this was an uplifting story that I recommend if you enjoy multi-generational stories, coming of age, and new beginnings.

This is a generous and compelling book focused on two characters- a teenager, anxious about money and his future, and an older woman whose past is shrouded in mystery and not wanting to engage with the demons that lurk there.

Their friendship was a beautiful part of this book, which read like a heartwarming film- the two characters showing up for each other the only ways they knew how.

It was a delightful start to my summer break, and just the kind of pleasure read with edge that I needed.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

‘Life should not be dampened with regret but nourished with hopes and dreams.’

Heartwarming, thoughtful and refreshingly different. Esther (an octogenarian)-Bruno (a teenager) bonding is so endearing. Beautiful, engaging writing style. A very good read!

Esther is a recluse living in the house on the hill all alone for decades. & nobody seems to know why. Bruno is 18 trying to save money so that he can attend what he believes to be an inspirational camp where he can learn to better himself and change his "mindset". Bruno has his own window cleaning business to come up with the money for this camp but it just isn't enough. So he finds himself answering an ad to teach someone how to use the internet.

Two worlds collide, Bruno meets Esther at the house on the hill and at first I feel as if he's just confused about this old lady but over time they build a bond in which they end up really needing one another. In the beginning I wasn't quite sure how I was going to end the book feeling but I'm honestly glad that I powered through because the relationship built between this pair was something amazing because it taught them both so many things about themselves that they may not have discovered had the other person not come into their life.

Bruno, 18, decides to take some time to decide what he wants to do after school, because he wants to help his family, but not by working in the warehouses as the rest of the men in town, and there's also the possibility of attending uni in the background. But before he can take any decision, he feels he has to figure out something about himself, and for that he needs money. Enter Esther, recluse extraordinaire, 82, who wants internet lessons for her own reasons.

What follows is a heartwarming, bitter-sweet novel where both Bruno and Esther make an effort to break their routines and go out of their way to interact, understand and help each other despite their differences, each drawing from their own experience, having to work against how society dictates you must behave, whether you're 18 or 82, to find their own paths.

I enjoyed the story a great deal, not only its plot and how the author chose to tell it, but also how the characters had all their distinct voices, and that we learnt about their pasts with subtly hints here and there, rather than with a jump in time or a huge flashback. I'll definitely be picking other works by this author.

PS: It somehow reminded me of the Lord of the Rings quote:

"The Road goes ever on and on,
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can..."

A lonely soul is on the verge of giving up. Can the kindness of a young stranger save her?



Esther has shut away herself in her vine-covered manor house on the top of a hill for as long as she can remember. Everyone in the village whispers about the scandal that broke her heart. She has cut herself off from the world – until now. Now, she needs help uncovering the mystery that has plagued her for decades…



On a sunny spring day, eighteen-year-old Bruno is in the local library when he spots an advert. The old lady on the hill is looking for internet lessons, and Bruno sees his chance. Forever the outsider, he can’t wait to escape the sleepy village – the paid position could be his ticket out of there.



Esther and Bruno have nothing in common, except that they are both in hiding, and their secrets are stopping them from truly living… Esther must come to terms with her past, and Bruno needs to figure out his future. Can these two strangers save one another?

This is a heartbreaking heartwarming story that had me smiling, laughing and crying at the same time. I can't recommend this enough, a thoroughly enjoyable read. Thank you netgalley and bookouture for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
#netgalley #thelockedawaylife

My heart is.so full of love for Bruno and Esther after reading The Locked Away Life. These two people who couldn't be more different and who were to an extent outcasts, finding solace and friendship with each other. It.was so beautiful to see the friendship unfold during the book and seeing the effect they had on one another's lives. There's some seriously moving moments as well as some laugh out loud ones (Esther and her soap was a particular favourite of mine). The epilogues really got me, they just filled me with such joy. I will be definitely checking out more books by Drew Davies.

I will always gravitate towards stories that feature inter-generational relationships, so "The Locked-Away Life" was a perfect fit for me.

I liked Esther and Bruno immensely and was thoroughly invested in where this story was taking me. The story moved quite slowly at first, but continued to hold my interest.

Beneath the outward story of two socially isolated people befriending each other, this novel held the more hidden themes of living with regrets, conversion-therapy, lost love, parenting, antisemitism, aging with dignity, and being true to yourself.

This story brings the reader along for a ride full of charm, wit and heart, as well as quite the emotional roller-coaster. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Oh what a gorgeous book this is! I’ve been a fan Drew Davies’s books for a while now, and I was very much looking forward to reading this new one. I honestly think it’s his best yet, I just loved it so much.

There’s quite an arresting prologue, and then it settles into the story itself. I loved the unlikely friendship between Esther and Bruno, and I loved both of the characters.

There’s so much to this story, it touches on many topics such as loneliness, mental health, societal pressure, acceptance, aging and many more, but in a wonderfully sensitive and positive way. I won’t say too much about what Bruno is going through, for fear of spoiling the plot, but it’s heartbreaking that he feels the way he does. Esther is coming into her golden years, but she’s got so many regrets from the past that have prevented her from living in the present.

With some genuinely funny and light-hearted moments, this book manages to combine serious matters with some beautifully heart-warming elements.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which I felt was perfect from start to finish. One of those books that you feel totally bereft when it has to come to an end. I’d really recommend this book, it’s just gorgeous.

A story that celebrates unlikely friendships and in many ways life itself!

Thanks NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC! What a pleasure it has been to read this book!

As I always mention, books with older protagonists attract me and this was certainly one such.

Synopsis –

Esther, an octogenarian has been a recluse all her life. In order to escape the ruckus of a scandal all those years ago, she chose to live aloof from the world. But the real mystery of her past is nagging at her and she needs technology to help her uncover it. That’s when she meets 18-year-old Bruno, who, seeing her notice for a paid internet tutor, takes his chance to make some extra money to help himself get away from his village. Soon, unbeknownst to themselves, their lives are set to change forever.

Review –

The book’s opening is a shocker that sets the perfect stage for what is to come. It instantly hooked me and I just had to know the reason behind it. The narrative alternates between Esther and Bruno’s perspectives and at first, I knew to take Esther’s views with a pinch of salt.

Coming across as a cantankerous, curmudgeonly 80-year-old, impossibly attached to her isolated house on the hill and her possessions, it does take some time to warm up to her. But soon after her internet lessons with Bruno begin, her mask seems to shed slowly and I just came to love the real person that was Esther – a real feminist at heart, her zeal to learn and be independent at her age were awe inspiring!

Bruno is portrayed with such delicacy and tenderness, that he just wins you over in no time– I could really feel and empathize with his dilemmas, worries about the future and the struggle with his sexuality.

Once Bruno and Esther become a real “team” nothing seemed to stop them. Saving each other at the just right times from harm’s way, the friendship and love they come to share was simply unlike any other!

It is amazing how Drew handles the journey of self-discovery of two people at very different junctures of their lives – past for one and future for the other. As Esther comes to terms with the mystery from her past and Bruno finds acceptance of who he is and his love for his family, the twists and turns their lives take was just like a rollercoaster I couldn’t get enough of!

The Locked Away Life is a beautiful book that considers the hardships of both adolescence and senescence, but ultimately, it’s a tale that manages to touch our hearts, uplifting and restoring our faith and hope in life.

I can’t recommend this enough! Please do yourself a favor and read it. I am now onto With or Without You by the author!

This book was really good! I loved the characters and how it all came together . To be honest I did not expect this book to Hit all my emotions as much as it did ! Please do yourself a favor and read this book asap!

In this touching story by Drew Davies, an unlikely couple form an alliance. They are octogenarian Esther and eighteen-year-old Bruno. One day while at the library Bruno spots an advertisement for internet lessons. There’s an older lady that wants to learn all about the internet. Of course, when he goes to her home in response to her ad, and tells her what he’s there for, they are definitely not speaking the same language. However, Bruno is more than patient. He is able to ascertain what it is that will end up helping Esther the most.

As the story develops, readers are going to see that Esther is working on secrets of her past, while Bruno‘s secrets will affect his future. How her past and his future ties together is what brings this delightful read to life. In fact, they are both hiding from something. Can their secrets be the catalyst that brings them both together?

Esther slowly unravels the secrets of her past, and the independence that she shows reflect the strong person that she is. Something happened in her life that caused her to become a recluse, and that was what slowly unravels in this story. Meanwhile, we see how sensitive Bruno is, from the relationship that he has with his ailing father, his siblings, and a neighborhood friend from school named Dominic. We also see another relationship in the story, and that is Esther’s relationship with her daughter Jane. Although this book touched on some serious subjects, the story is laced with humor, especially when Esther is trying to learn all the lingo that goes along with the great worldwide web.

While the story is developing, Bruno’s secret leads him to a situation that present danger, and that changed the direction of the story when it came to his relationship with Esther and the whole reason for him working with her. This wonderful story proves that strong friendships can be formed despite a major age difference. Meanwhile, the author did not shy away from dealing with a very tough subject in this book, that of conversion therapy and its dangers. Interestingly, this book had two prologues just as it had two epilogues. This played into the fact that there were two powerful stories being told in this most engaging and emotional read by Drew Davies.

This was an utterly compelling story that made it very easy to connect with both characters. They were more than relatable which made it easy to root for both of them. The title of this book, The Locked Away Life, and it’s beautiful cover, showed how each of our characters were locked within the confines of their lives but yet they were able to find their way out. This gave this book relevance while delivering a beautiful message of hope.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/HHIivYKe55w

I received an ARC of this book from NetGlley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this book, but I didn't love it. It was heartwarming in places, and very emotional in a good way, but I struggled to connect to the book in some places.

Every so often you start reading a book and a few pages in you know you're reading something special, this was that book for me.

A beautifully written, emotional read of friendship, the most unlikely of friendships, a friendship that will warm your heart and evoke emotions that you didn't know existed.

The unlikely friendship between octogenarian Esther and young Bruno was beautiful. Both hiding their secrets locked away from the world, finding solace in each other and forging new beginnings.

I absolutely loved this book and definitely want to invest in the authors previous publications.

Many thanks to Bookouture for my tour spot.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thanks #netgalley, #bookouture for letting me read this interesting, sad and inspiring story. Loved it.
Bruno and Esther are awesome characters and their journeys are sad, funny and complicated.

DNF

Will try to reread later. I am a mood reader and I just could not get into at the moment. But I did want to at least give a decent rating and to thank Netgally, the publishers, and Drew Davies for allowing me to receive and read this book. I am terribly sorry I was unable to read it at the moment, but if in the future I do read it I will adjust this review to fit accordingly.

I love emotional reads, and this book has all the sadness, the heartbreaking moments, but also the healing. Esther and Bruno create an odd friendship that I want. I wish I had an Esther in my life to guide me through all the perils we face in this world.
Touching and so much different from many books I've read, The Locked-Away Life is certainly a must read.

I've long been a fan of novels that feature inter-generational relationships, so "The Locked-Away Life" really struck a chord with me.

I liked both protagonists immensely and was thoroughly invested in the novel's outcome. The story moved quite slowly at first, but continued to hold my interest.

Beneath the outward story of two socially isolated people befriending each other, this novel held the more hidden themes of living with regrets, conversion-therapy, lost love, parenting, antisemitism, aging with dignity, and being true to yourself.

Fans of 'UpLit' will appreciate this charming and emotional story. The epilogues added much to my feelings about the characters and provided some closure that I valued.

Esther is an 82-year-old recluse living alone in a grand house in a sleepy village. She places an ad (or rather Mary, her neighbour, does it for her) seeking paid help to teach her digital skills.

Bruno, who is 18, replies to the ad. He is a bit lost in life, he isn’t sure what he’d would like to do with his future. However, he is needing money, and he does many jobs: window cleaning and helping his mum in her hair salon.

Bruno is of Romani heritage and suffered bullying at school. His dad, Filip, has cancer and can’t work. Bruno also has two younger sisters, Megan and Daphne.

When he knocks on Esther’s door, he isn’t sure what to expect. Esther is somewhat a local legend in the village shrouded in a cloud of mystery. He finds her direct, but charming.

He agrees to give Esther lessons on how to get online. One day she asks him to search for someone, a man called Thackeray Conroy James, but then she quickly changes her mind. Who was this man?

Soon, Bruno and Esther become friends, but Esther’s directness will result in Bruno making a rather harsh decision. Is his life in danger?

You’ll have to read this book for yourselves to find out.

I loved this tale of the unlikely friendship between an elderly person and a teenager. Both Esther and Bruno led ‘locked-away’ lives, but by being there for each other, a change slowly began to happen.

I loved Esther as a character, she was stubborn and could be difficult at times. I felt sorry when sometimes she didn’t know how to connect to her daughter, Jane, but thanks to meeting Bruno, she was trying to change her relationship with her daughter.

I was shocked and angry when Bruno went away to camp and I discovered the treatment he received there. Places like these shouldn’t exist.

This is a heart-warming, but heart-wrenching tale. It teaches us that it’s never too late to change things and that we should appreciate things we have in life.

18 year old Bruno and 82 year old Ester become friends when he sees and advertisement to help her learn how to internet. They are both lonely and filled with secrets. It is haunting how they both are a little lost. Bruno is trying to find his place in a world he doesn’t thinks he fits in and Esther is trying to maintain a place in the world as she ages. And as their relationship grows, they learn so much from each other.

The characters are complex, flawed and yet still lovable. The story is a deep one and will hit on some triggers for some, can I say conversion camp? I loved the supporting cast almost as much as Bruno and Esther. I hope to have her spunk when I reach her age.

I smiled and even shed a tear as I watched them grow and find their places in the world.