When I saw this title on NetGalley how could I say no to a book that is about an author trying to write a book? This is my fifth book by Samantha Tonge and she never disappoints! The Memory of You has a truly unique premise and is beautifully written from the heart. It really affected me personally as my family has been touched by Alzheimer's and dementia. My granddad and mother-in-law had Alzheimer's and my aunt suffers from early-onset dementia. I learned a lot about birds, menopause and the diseases affecting the employees of The Wrong Order Cafe reading this book and the story isn't as sad as one might think with such difficult subject matter...In fact, the book was surprisingly funny at times. Such a poignant piece of writing that shows how illness affects loved ones as well as the person afflicted. The book is greatly researched and based on the author's experience of a loved one with dementia, and she writes this story sensitively and with much compassion.

What I took away from the book was the fact that it's the little things in life that matter. It isn't your job or money that makes you a happy person, it's how you treat others and what good you can do that matters most, one little thing at a time. I did not like the main character, Alex, at first. She was a little stuck up but working in the cafe taught her some important life lessons and I loved how much she changed and grew as a person. There is a little surprise at the end of the book, one that I did not see coming but loved. All. The. Stars.

I will never ask a bird "Who's a pretty boy?" ever again.

Wabi-sabi.

I didn’t initially take to Alex, she was too hard, cold and prickly for me. Then the Wrong Order Cafe starts to work it’s magic and a very moving story enfolds. This is a unique book, with dementia being a main character. It is an emotional, uplifting story of hope, friendship and new beginnings. I highly recommend this book.

I was pleasantly surprised to read this poignant and creative story! Samantha Tonge's personal experience and extensive research are evident in the plot lines and character development, especially of Alex. I want to visit a real-life Wrong Order Cafe as a supporter and for its novelty!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

My mum has dementia so reading this book brought it all home to me.
I really enjoyed it. Thanks for the opportunity to read & review it.

I love this author as she writes about real people and real issues. This was a story of life’s ups and downs and what can become of second chances and how sometimes life can take an unexpected turn and that sometimes these turns can surprise you and work out better than anticipated.

This was also a touching read as it covered the topic of Alzheimer’s in a very sensitive and caring way and I think every town needs a wrong order cafe and you could see how the author has drawn on her own experiences and research into the illness to make this story so relatable and moving. It was such a poignant read that had me shedding tears one minute and also smiling the next with the joy that the workers and visitors to the wrong order cafe were bringing to the pages of the book.

I also love how this author also writes multi generational characters in their books. Loved the antidotes from the resident parrot.

Looking forward to what this author writes next

Wow, I was blown away by this book. It brings to the fore an illness which has devastating effects on not only the sufferer, but their family and friend circles. I haven’t experienced this myself, but I have seen the effects on friends. I take my hat off to the author for writing about this in such a sympathetic yet realistic way.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy.

First and foremost, I express my gratitude to Boldwoed Books and author Samantha Tenge for granting me access to the cherished memory of reading this book. As I proceed with my review, I want to clarify that my opinions are entirely unbiased, regardless of the access I received. It's essential to note that I have not been compensated for this review, and I uphold honesty in all my critiques.

Alex perceives herself as a woman who has it all, or so she wants others, and herself, to believe. However, the reality is far from perfect. She is on the brink of losing her home, her once-promising writing career is in shambles, her ex is distant, and her mother is no longer with her. But then, a chance encounter with a stranger named Hope presents her with a golden opportunity. In a casual jest, Hope suggests that Alex could take over her job at a cafe while she travels.

At that moment, it seems like the solution to all of Alex's problems. She convinces Hope to let her step into her shoes for a month, brushing aside Hope's attempts to explain about the cafe, and instead demanding to know more about the owner, Tom. However, little does Alex know that the 'Wrong Order Café' is unlike any place she has ever experienced before, and her life is about to take an unforeseen turn.

This book was so lovely to read and had a powerful message. I recommend this to all readers

“The Memory of You” is a beautifully written, well researched story. It covers the devastation of loss in it’s many forms and ways that people can cope with the resulting changes. It feels like a hug in book form, an interesting story, quirky setting with ultimately lovable characters, whose layers of personality peep out as the story progresses. I thoroughly recommend this book.

The losses the main character, Alex, experienced prior to the start of the story are the death of her Mother and breakdown of her marriage. When we first meet Alex she is a successful and very driven woman, she hides behind fame and the glitz & glamour it brings but no longer has any true relationships with people, no emotional ties. She is scarred by her past bitter & resentful and her softer side is never visible.

The interesting premise of the story being what results when Alex takes on a “job” swap with Hope, a woman she meets in a pub, when they are both at a low moment and they encourage each other to try something new. We are then swept up into her very business like & negative mind set as she enters the cafe where she will be working for the next few weeks. We see it through her eyes until things become clearer to us. The “Wrong Order Cafe” is a place where people with dementia can work and feel useful, a place where people feel safe and at home. Quirky and very special. Alex hadn’t listened when Hope tried to explain it was no high end coffee shop!

I loved reading this book it is so well researched. The warmth and understanding of those suffering after a diagnosis of any kind is there to see in the pages of the story with hope and compassion for anyone struggling not just with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis but other conditions that change how you need to live your life. When I read, I didn’t want to leave the cafe, the fun, fellowship and safety within held me as a reader.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers Boldwood Books for the ARC

It's never too late to remember who you are.
And memory of you by the author is outstanding from start to finish.

Best selling author Alex Butler is meeting her agent Miranda in Market Street Piccadilly Gardens Manchester,
when she clashes with Hope a book reader who has a bribing daughter Leah wanting her to travel for five weeks, and is thinking of her job and boss Tom Wilson, fate has brought them together and Alex agrees to do her job for her, at the Wrong Order Cafe, getting to know Tom's volunteer workers, this place having servers with Dementia, Alex see's it as a challenging journey for both her and them.
It's a place of haven with cheeky parrot Caption Beaky, really what has she let herself in for, but then gets to know Tom better than she though.

A powerful strong story that will pull into your heart and soul, It's one story that a lot of readers will understand holding memories of their own, I do recommend this to all readers.

This is my first exposure to this author, and I was deeply touched by this poignant story exploring the manifestations of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and the ripple effect on family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. It is a timely look at a devastating condition that is too often ignored in our contemporary culture.

Alex Butler’s career and life are teetering on the verge of collapse. Having left a secure position in the banking industry, she established herself as a writer with the meteoritic success of two romance novels only to have the third one bomb in sales due to a critical blog review. Now her publisher has denied the renewal of her contract, leaving her in financial and emotional straits. All this on the heels of losing her mother to cancer and the end of her twenty-year marriage.

By chance, she encounters Hope, a woman struggling to step out of her routine and accompany her daughter on an extensive trip abroad. While commiserating over their respective plights, Alex and Hope develop a plan for Alex to assume Hope’s duties as a server during her travels. The next morning Alex arrives at the Wrong Order Café to discover that several of the other servers have been diagnosed with dementia and frequently mix up the customers’ orders. As the weeks unfold, Alex begins to realize what is truly important in life, becoming more open and vulnerable as she discovers friendships and the possibility of love.

In the first few chapters, I found Alex abrasive and unlikeable as a protagonist. She came across as superficial, rude, and uncaring. However, part of the enjoyment of reading this novel is the experience of seeing the source of her antisocial behavior and her subsequent transformation. The supporting characters are relatable and provide dimension and insight to this remarkable story. I particularly enjoyed Captain Beaky, a raucous, cheeky parrot who adds a bit of levity.

Overall, this wonderful book, based on both the author’s personal experience of losing someone to dementia and her in-depth research on the topic, is engaging, informative and deeply touching. It is one I will want to read again in the future.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

This was a beautiful and thoughtful read which encompasses some very relevant subjects including dementia and perimenopause whilst giving women’s fiction the positive shout out it deserves. Alex is a great main character as she’s quite damaged but doesn’t really seem to realise that as she’s built a shield around herself since her divorce. The concept of the wrong order cafe was fantastic and good to see how customers responded in the main too, it certainly offered an interesting perspective to early stage dementia and also how it impacts on those who suffer with it as well as their families. Although the events that led Alex to work at the cafe were unlikely it was good to see the cafe through her eyes and observe her reluctant acceptance of protecting Hope’s job. Overall this is a very warm and uplifting read with the bonus addition of a cheeky parrot thrown in! 9/10