It was very heartwarming. I almost cried at the end. This book tells about redemption of people who once found themselves lost and hopeless. There are friends along the way that will remind us of the good things in life. This book did just that. It was like a comforting hug.

Narrated by Imogen Church
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Story by Izzy Bromley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

At first I did not like the MC which I'm hoping was Izzy Bromley's intent, but my gosh did I love listening to her grown and change throughout the book with her new friends. Really beautiful book.

What an absolutely sweet lovely listen. Abbie has lost her way. Her work life was her identity and when that was gone she was feeling so very lost and she started to question everything and everyone. Anxiety, self doubt and self judgments stopping her in her tracks and making her question just about everything in her life. Were her friends really her friends? Was the man she recently started dating, but who left for a job 500 miles away the one she let get away? Who was she and who could she be? In the local market she bravely sat at the community table and surprisingly met an eclectic group of people that are very different from anyone who has she has known or let in her life. Then she started to ask herself if different is a bad thing and this wonderful group of people all let themselves help each other and along the way themselves. Their journey together from start to finish was lovely to listen to. The narration was terrific. A feel good story that left me with a big smile. Would have rated 4.5 stars if half stars available.

When Abbie Finch is fired from her job, she finds she is all alone not knowing what to do with her life. She goes to a cafe where they have a table for people to sit that want to talk to other people. It means they are open to making a friendly neighborhood connection.

This is where she meets some of the most unlikely friends.

There is Ethel, she is a cut above the rest in terms of class! Bob, trying to build himself back up after his tools were stolen and he ends up homeless. Dawn who has no filter and Viraj who just moved to the area. They come up with the idea to try and make some money for the homeless shelter that Bob had to go to when he was down on his luck and this adventure changes Abbie's world for the better.

I loved it. The quirky characters and the beautiful story of never giving up no matter how bad it gets. These people all come from different backgrounds but they all found something in their friendships with each other. They all build something new with the support of other people who are all lonely too.

I really connected with this book. It really was one of the best womens fictions Ive ever read.

5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book!

I loved this book!!! Wow! What a great ready! This was a first for me by this author but willl not be my last! I recommend this book!!

Table for Five by Izzy Bromley is a wonderful story about finding friendship in the most unlikely of places. The community table at the local cafe is a place for anyone to sit who wants to make friends. When Abigail loses her job, she finds herself drawn to the table and changing her preconceived notions of anyone who may sit there. When the group of unlikely friends decides to start fundraising for the homeless, they will discover just how alike they truly are. A delightful read. One of my favorites so far this year.

Excellent narration! This story will resonate with fans of Sara Nisha Adams, Phaedra Patrick, and Lucy Gilmore, with the cozy atmosphere and growing family element. A warm read that will likely uplift readers and get you out of a reading slump.

The audiobook narrator did a fantastic job! The multiple voices she used for the different characters were spot on! (Narrator - Imogen Church - gets 5 stars!)

It took me to about 25% before I was really hooked with Table for Five, then I fell in love with it. I thought that I figured out the ending about here ... but I was completely wrong (which actually pleased me!).

A very heartwarming story about five folks who meet at a community table. Loved that the story was told from a single point of view; from Abbey's POV ... who recently lost her high profile marketing position.

Many thanks to Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the advance review copy of Table for Five in exchange for an honest review. Publication date is June 25, 2024. Audio is 10hr 49 min. Between 4 & 5 stars. Rounding down ... probably because it did take me a while to get into Table for Five.

Table for Five was a joy to read! I became so involved and was rooting for each character so much that when it ended I realized that I will actually miss each character.

Abbie finch has given up everything to rise to success in her career. When she loses her job suddenly, she does not know what to do with herself. She begins going to a café each morning and sees that there is a community table for lonely people to make friends. She has lost all of her friends because she chose her job over relationships and realizes she needs a friend. Abbie makes the courageous move to sit at the table for lonely people. This causes a chain reaction of unlikely friendships and heroic deeds for a small community.

The narrator was a delightful actor and I enjoyed listening to this book on audio. This book made me incredibly happy.

Thank you Brilliance Publishing and Net Galley for the wonderful Advanced Reader Copy. I will be researching whether Izzy Bromley has other books to read right away. #NetGalley #TableForFive

Thank you Netgalley for the audiobook ARC.

Table for Five by Izzy Bromley was an amusing adult fiction read. The story centers around Abbie Finch, a single 30 year old from Britian who loses her job at her big ritzy marketing company. Abbie is filled with anxiety as she navigates this new unwanted realtity. She quickly discovers that her friendships and family relationships aren't healthy or what she expect them to be. She feels uncomfortable letting the people she thought were close know about her job loss. Lonely, Abbie takes the plunge and sits a her local cafe's community table where she strikes up new friendships with the most unlikely people. This story explores Abbie as she learns how judemental she can be and works to change that, how to find your personal identity that is not dependent on your work, and how friendships are a two way street.

The audiobook was fantastically done. The narrator did a phenomenal job bringing to life Abbie's anxiety, doubts, judgements, and passing thoughts. The tone and way the narrator read brought this book to life in a way that made you feel like Abbie was a friend you were chatting with. It was very entertaining to listen to.

As for the plot, it was very predictable. This is more of a character journey story than a conflict/resolution. It's a cozy read with a sprinkle of romance that brought me more frustration (miscommunication trope) than enjoyment. The story felt real and readers will be quick to connect with Abbie in many different ways. It made me feel, I connected to it, and it made me laugh. Good story about friendship and growth.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book and the development they faced throughout the book. Wholesome and uplifting.

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing audio

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I loved this story and the five characters that the story is centred around and they all come together and help each other through tough times. The main character Abbie is a very likeable character and centred around her getting her life together but weather she knows it not she end ups needing friends then she realizes.

Overall this story was well developed and the five characters had a a lot development throughout the story.

Overall really great read

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the advanced copy of this audiobook. I loved so much about this book. The group of 5 characters that the story is centered around are all developed well and you end up caring about each one. The main character has her character arc and comes around but it really was done sometimes in a preachy way. It brings misfortune and judgement to light and gives pause to think. The development between the 5 characters makes this an enjoyable read.

Starting over after a breakup is a profound journey of resilience. It's about navigating through emotional turmoil, rediscovering oneself, and finding new paths forward. This journey requires courage, self-reflection, and the support of loved ones. It's a testament to the human spirit's ability to heal and grow, turning pain into opportunities for personal renewal and eventual happiness.

Entertaining, escapist and expertly narrated. A recommended purchase in all formats for collections where lighter women's fiction is popular.

🎧4.25⭐️

A new author to me, I was tempted with this contemporary fiction as the narrator is Imogen Church, who is very entertaining in this production adding to the books appeal.

A cafe has a community table for those seeking company. The narrator and one of the group is Abbie, who has just lost her job, finding herself lost and lonely having lost touch with friends investing everything into her work.
Abbie decides to look for company at the community table.

The group known as the tablers are a cross section of society, Ethel is the older prim and proper matriach, Bob is down on his luck, Dawn who doesn’t have a label but would seem to be on the neurodiversity spectrum, and Viraj who is newly relocated. The group gel together well. As a group they decide to stage a fundraising event for the homeless.

The tone of the book is light and easy even though some of their circumstances are sad. The characters are likeable. It has a heartwarming feel good vibe. A good beach read or listen, I really enjoyed it.