Why do we hold onto what we have? Be it books, papers, photos, or antiques - these pieces of our lives tell a story.

Keep is a beautiful novel which tells the story of Harriet, an elderly poet whose house is about to be boxed up and staged so that her son can sell the home and move her into a nursing home. Harriet has dementia, and author Jenny Haysom shares Harriet’s point of view with compassion, tenderness and whimsy.

Eleanor and Jacob are the home stagers assigned to Harriet’s house, and both have a lot going on in their lives. We learn of Eleanor’s marriage, her relationship with her three daughters and how she feels about where life has taken her. She is a care giver who has lost some of herself along the way. Jacob tried to establish himself in Ottawa, only to discover there are problems in his relationship with his boyfriend Yves. Jacob and Eleanor are an unlikely duo, but they compliment one another in their ways of working and approach.

Even though they weren’t as heavily featured, I fully understood the secondary characters - like Harriet’s son Alan, Sheila the neighbour and Barbara, the real estate agent. I really enjoyed this novel and how these characters were woven together. This novel was delicate and warm, and will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and House of Anansi for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Jenny Haysom’s Keep is a deeply moving exploration of memory, loss, and the significance of the things we surround ourselves with. This debut novel beautifully weaves together the lives of Eleanor and Jacob, two homestagers tasked with clearing out the house of Harriet, an elderly poet diagnosed with dementia. As they work through Harriet’s belongings, they confront not only her past but also the disarray in their own lives.

The concept was great as was the intertwining of the stories. It makes you think about what you keep and why and gives the reader insight into dementia.However, it took me a while to finish as it moved rather slowly, and I had a hard time connecting to the characters- especially Eleanor.

Definitely a book that makes you reflect on what is truly important.

Many thanks to NetGalley and House of Anansi Press for gifting me a digital ARC of the debut novel by Jenny Haysom. All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 5 stars!

Home stagers Eleanor and Jacob are hired to clear out the home of Harriet, an elderly poet who has been diagnosed with dementia and whose son is planning to move her to a facility. They are overwhelmed at the amount of work to be done in a very short period of time, and both their own lives are in disarray as well.

I adored this book – from the cover to the characters and to the words of wisdom running throughout. It’s a story of things – how the things that we surround ourselves with can take on more meaning than they should. It’s the people and community around us that are important. It’s also about memory and how our things reflect those moments in our lives that hold such meaning for us. These characters are wonderful, and they felt like friends as I was reading. I raced through this book and was sorry when it was over. I’m thinking the universe is talking to me through this book as well as a friend who is doing Swedish Death Cleaning. I need to listen! Highly recommended – wonderful book and I can’t wait to read more from this author!

"Home staging is an art of erasure. But in some cases—no matter how much clutter you remove, or how many coats of white paint you apply—stains bleed through, and memories rise from the walls like ghosts. Harriet, an elderly poet whose eccentricities have been compounded by years of living alone, must sell her beloved house. Having been recently diagnosed with dementia, she is being moved into a care facility against her wishes. When stagers Eleanor and Jacob are hired for the job, they quickly find themselves immersed in Harriet’s brimming and mysterious world, but as they struggle to help her, their own lives are unravelling."

Jenny Haysom’s first novel was a great read. From the beginning, you are entrenched in the lives of Jacob and Eleanor, as they to navigate life and their job. Haysom did a wonderful job engaging the reader, making this book a pleasure to read. Filled with themes of love, loss and grief. What do we do when we get older and start losing the things that we value the most?

Great debut novel and a book people will enjoy!

Thanks to @netgalley and @houseofanansi for the ARC.

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A digital copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher. All thoughts and comments are my own.

The description of this book really spoke to me as someone who grew up with parents who loved to keep things. My baby clothes, toys, and books were kept for my children. While I tend to connect less with material things, I know that the generation before me often ties “things” to people and the memories they share with them.

“Keep” tells the story of Harriet, a poet who has been diagnosed with dementia and is preparing to move into a care home at the insistence of her absent son. Jacob and Eleanor are home stagers who work for the real estate agent selling Harriet’s home. The novel dives into all of their personal lives; Harriet dealing with feeling out of control in her own head, Eleanor struggling in motherhood and her career, and Jacob trying to avoid the breakdown of his relationship and move back in with his parents.

The novel truly makes you think about the things we keep and why, and does a beautiful job of expressing the frustration that comes with a dementia diagnosis. The characters are lovable and multi-faceted, and you want them to succeed and grow from their trials.

I do wish the novel was a bit longer, and that we got to hear more from Harriet’s point of view. I found myself wishing that the last chapter from her point of view wasn’t actually the last, and that we would get to hear more about her poetry, her marriage, and her connections with the things in the house. Overall, this was a light and enjoyable read that made me think, smile, and want to go home to declutter.

Thank you to the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately, I stopped reading this book at 40%. While the premise was intriguing, I did not find the writing or plot engaging. The pace was too slow for me and not holding my attention. I was intrigued by the characters and would have stuck it out had the prose captivated me more. Sadly this one was just not for me.

One need not be a chamber—to be Haunted—
One need not be a House—
The Brain—has Corridors surpassing
Material Place—
— Emily Dickinson

There is a quietness that exists in the space between this book and me now that I've finished it. I want to fill it with a cozy blanket and a cup of tea, or maybe a hug. With 'Keep', you may arrive out of curiosity about the plot of home stagers in an elderly woman's home, but you will stay for its three main characters, each precious and devastating in their own right.

This book is a slow burn, a dabble book. A chapter here and there. You don't burn through this book; in fact, somehow this book burns through you. Quiet and yet so very loud. 'Keep' feels like taking a dip in the pool via the stairs, slowly sinking in, not realizing your head is mostly underwater until your eyes are all watery and burning.

Your hosts are Eleanor, Jacob, and Harriet, the two former of whom are the home stagers, and the latter of whom suffers from dementia and owns the home being staged and sold. Haysom's greatest achievement here is in somehow making each of these characters lovable, if not always likable. I couldn't help but adore the friendships found within.

Eleanor, unfortunately, served as a mirror to my own life so many times that I may have to do a little soul searching.
We must protect Jacob at all costs.
Harriet, frankly, is the character I believe was the most let down by the narrative. Her battle with dementia was depicted poignantly, though I would have liked to see her receiving more compassion from start to finish.

"It was as if her mind were unhooked from her body, as if she were trapped on the wrong side of the mirror."

What a beautiful story of opposites. Mass-produced and limited edition. Lonely and connected. Beginnings and ends. Unlikely pairings. Sigh. I would definitely read another novel by Jenny Haysom.

Thank you, Netgalley and the team from House of Anansi Press Inc., for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

The cover drew me in, and I'm glad it did. It reminds me of the saying that we don't know the paths others walk, and that we're all fighting a battle.
Eleanor and Jacob work for a local realtor, who has them declutter and stage homes before they are shown. Harriet Baird, a well known poet, is being sent to a senior home by her son, and they are literally decluttering around her. Eleanor faces her own problems: too many bills for the money, her children, and her marriage. Jacob, is in a relationship that seems to be imploding, leaving him without knowing which direction he can go. The characters are so real, and one favorite I wouldn't have expected was a neighbor who initially seems like a grumpy know it all. Once you start feeling their lives and choices, you are looking into the lives of so many of us in different stages. I don't think I can tell you how much this book touched my heart. I'm still thinking about it and missing the characters two days later.
Thank you to House of Anansi Press and NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

An exploration of life’s transitions and the complexities of relationships. Eleanor and Jacob, professionals who clean out homes for the market, cross paths with Mrs. Harriet Baird, an elderly woman desperate to stay in the home where her last memories of her loved ones linger. Despite Harriet’s wishes, her son is determined to move her into a retirement home, setting the stage for a heart-wrenching tale. Eleanor is feeling unappreciated in her marriage, while Jacob faces heartbreak as his boyfriend leaves him for someone else. These characters find comfort in their friendship, regardless of the years between them. A reminder that change is inevitable and that friendships and memories should be cherished.