Grace was married to Frank for forty six years and when he suddenly dies of a heart attack and her world falls apart and on the anniversary of his passing Grace knows she has to get on with life without him and she has no idea how? Frank was an avid reader, the house is full of his books and her daughter Rosie and grandson Jude suggest she should join her late husband’s book club.

Grace arrives at the Book En Parade, the bookshop where Frank held his meetings and it’s not at all what she’s expecting. The members are a variety of ages and they start reading for an hour, it’s a silent club and everyone picks something different. She feels out of place, the quietness is odd and what it's like being home on her own and she decides to leave and Annie asks her to stay and she's happy to meet Frank’s Gracie and so are the others. Grace and group decide they want to ensure Frank’s love of reading and legacy lives on, boost the numbers which have dwindled since he passed away and all the need is to come up with a plan and they do.

I received a copy of The Forgotten Book Club by Kate Storey from Avon Books UK and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The narrative includes two of the things I love, reading and books and despite being an avid reader I find the thought of joining a book club daunting, and many people do for various reasons and obviously I’m not the only one.

A story full of diverse characters and age groups, and about loss and grief, friends and forming new relationships, second chances and helping others and giving them a hand up and it covers topics such as depression, anxiety and ADHD and Grace discovering what she's capable of and she's more than she imagined.

The perfect choice for readers and book lovers and I've added a few to my long want to read list as many are mentioned throughout and why Frank read and recommended them and five stars from me.

A story full of diverse characters and age groups, and about loss and grief, friends and forming new relationships, second chances and helping others and giving them a hand up and it covers topics such as depression, anxiety and ADHD and Grace discovering what she's capable of and she's more than she imagined.

The perfect choice for readers and book lovers and I've added a few to my long want to read list as many are mentioned throughout and why Frank read and recommended them and five stars from me.

A simple and heart-warming story of discovering joy and friendships after loss, with added themes of loneliness and mental health this story touches on the very heart of human emotion and how unexpected life can be, with a beautiful message of community and how the simple act of reading can change your whole view on life.

i loved everything about The Forgotten Book Club, it's heartbreakingly beautiful with a steady gentleness which melts the heart. The characters are wonderful, an eclectic mix of personalities which bring their own magic to the story, I adore the simplistic story of how Grace finds life again after the death of her husband by joining a book club, a decision that opens her heart and her eyes to possibilities and adds love and firm friendship to her life once more, it's a truly gorgeous story and I can't recommend this enough and will definitely be re-read many times!

I was hooked from the beginning!!
It was amazing and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.

Grace has been a widow for a year. Encouraged by her daughter and grandson, Grace finally has the courage to enter the study that her husband Frank had spent many hours reading. Surrounded by his books, journals and notes, she remembers that Frank loved going to a book club.

Grace decides to join the book club and soon discovers the book club is a silent book club, where members read in silence and spend a short time discussing what they are reading. Gradually, Grace starts to make new friends, who help her discover the love of reading.

This was about grief, ADHD, secrets and reading. I loved the descriptions of books and authors throughout the novel and the way Grace discovers her husband’s secret.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher Avon a Division of HarperCollins for a chance to review this E-Book. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

I really enjoyed this book. The story of loss and moving forward was very well written. I liked the inclusion of ADHD but did feel it was over emphasised in some places and took a bit away from the story. Overall a lovely read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins | Avon for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Kate Storey. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Grace is mourning the sudden loss of her beloved husband, Frank, and one year later is still struggling. Her daughter and grandson encourage her to get out and suggest that she attend the book club that Frank started. But this is no ordinary book club - it's a silent book club that is respectful of the fact that not everyone has the time to read or wants to talk. Grace soon finds herself wanting to help build up this small group as a tribute to Frank.

I loved this author's previous book, The Memory Library, and once again we find relatable characters dealing with issues, but finding support and love through community. This is definitely another love letter to books, and I found myself making notes of books to add to my never-ending TBR list and considering what my Desert Island Reads would be. There's also lots of discussion on ADHD and neurodivergent issues, all handled respectfully and informatively. The characters are great and I became emotionally attached to their journeys. Another fabulous book!

This is one of the best books I have read this year. The characters are totally believable the book tackles loneliness, bereavement andADHD

The further you get into the book the more you realise that this tackles things which go on in everyday life and through the bookclub lasting friendships are forged through a range of diverse characters. I want to read another book by this author.

This book was slow to start but ultimately I enjoyed it. A lovely story about the journey grief takes you on.

Book clubs are a source of joy for many, but Grace never understood her husband’s connection to his club. After he passes away, Grace finds answers in a journal her husband left behind. I found that the book got off to a slow start but became more interesting when Grace begins attending the book club and discovers why her late husband felt so connected to this community of readers.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this eCopy to review

The Forgotten Book Club by Kate Storey is a heart warming and uplifting story about love, loss, and the power of books to bring people together.

The novel follows Grace, a widow who has spent years supporting her late husband Frank’s passion for books, despite not being much of a reader herself. After Frank’s passing, Grace feels adrift, her home filled with books that now echo with memories. When her grandson suggests she join Frank’s old book club to feel closer to him, Grace reluctantly agrees. However, this isn’t your typical book club—members gather for an hour of silent reading, which initially leaves Grace feeling disconnected and disappointed.

But as Grace begins to connect with fellow member Annie, she finds herself determined to breathe new life into the group. Together, they transform the club into a vibrant community, rediscovering the joy of shared stories and forging new friendships. Along the way, Grace embarks on her own journey of healing and self-discovery, proving that it’s never too late to start a new chapter in life.

The Forgotten Book Club is a beautifully written celebration of books, community, and second chances. The emotional depth and tender moments made it a truly memorable read.

What a lovely portrayal of human connection this is - through Grace, struggling through the treacle that is grief we get to know a disparate group of people who are all part of a rather special book club with a difference. It covers some of lives most significant trials but also celebrates difference, acceptance and what it is to be human. Chuck in a love of reading as well and I couldn't help but enjoy this rather gorgeous book.

The Forgotten Book Club is not a book I soon forgot:) Most readers will really enjoy the many, many references to books, as I did. The insights to Grace's grief are spot on. Her family and the secondary characters are all enjoyable to read about. I agree with some others that while I didn't mind reading so much about ADHD, I did sort of wonder why it was emphasized so often.. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Summary: A really interesting entry into the sub-genre of books about books, this cosy story stood out for me because of its underlying focus on ADHD, neurodivergence and mental health. It was nice reading from the perspective of an older character, Grace, who is grieving the loss of her husband and gains a new lease of life when she joins the book club he started.

The first half of The Forgotten Book Club was stronger overall - I warmed to Grace very quickly as our POV character, empathising with her in her loneliness following the death of her husband Frank. Grace’s struggle to understand her grandson’s ADHD was extremely interesting at first, but by the end of the book I felt it had been oversimplified into just “well, I was wrong”.

Grace’s friendship with Annie, whom she meets at the book club, feels very genuine and sweet, like she’s found a light in the darkness. Annie and all the other characters are all fairly well-realised and fleshed out, with distinct personalities and backstories that don’t take over the main narrative, but still make them feel real.

By the end I think the “happily ever after” narrative had gotten a bit cliched and everything fell into place a little new neatly to be believable, but this was still a really enjoyable and thought-provoking book even if for me it didn’t quite stick the landing.

Recently widowed Grace had spent most of her married life supporting her husband Frank's intense joy of all things books, despite not being a book lover herself. Frank's study had become his own home library, the shelves bursting with his favourite books. Grace, still in the full throes of grief, had not found the courage to enter this room in the twelve months since he died. In an attempt to help Grace come to terms with Frank's death, grandson Jude suggests she join the Book Club Frank had set up some years previously. This is no ordinary book club: no chosen book for everyone to read and subsequently discuss, but a Silent Book Club where each member reads a book of their own choosing, in silence, for one hour. Unable to cope with even more solitude Grace initially rushes out, however is persuaded by one of the members to give it another try. Gradually Grace starts to find solace with this eclectic group of people and comes up with a plan to expand the Silent Book Club in Frank's memory.

Any plot involving books, libraries, book clubs or book shops always piques my interest and 'The Forgotten Book Club' did not disappoint. A heartwarming, flowing story about community and what can be achieved when a group of people work together for a common goal. Mental health, including ADHD, depression and the journey through grief are explored in a thoughtful way. Despite the sorrow that grief and mental health bring, this is a joyous and easy read. There are some delightful nuggets of wisdom, my favourite being the analogy to Russian dolls - each new experience adds another layer to a person, the experiences slot inside each other making you the person you are.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my advanced reader copy in return for my honest and unbiased review.

I adored this book. Kate Storey has a wonder way of writing such brilliant characters and I fell in love with Grace and the bookclub members from the very start.
Covering topics of grief, neurodiversity and depression, this is so much more than a light read about books. Handled so sensitively, these topics are covered with love and compassion.
The grief Grace was feeling was totally consuming, but to see her find confidence in herself again was beautiful with the help of Annie, Crush and the others, and I loved how Frank’s books and journals were able to help her on this emotional journey and memories.

Kate Storey´s books always leave an impact and her latest The Forgotten Book Club does not disappoint. When I write a review for one of Kate Storeys´ books I never feel like I have the words to describe how wonderful it is and how it stays with me long after I have finished it. This is a book of loss, grief, and the power of community. Grace has lost her husband Frank and has felt lost without him. Its been a year and she still has not gone into his beloved library. She decides its time to enter his library and discovers a side of her husband she did not know, at first she is devastated. Grace thought after a lifetime together she knew everything about her Frank and she is so sad he never confided in her. This is when she starts attending the book club Frank started and meets the community he created.
This book addresses issues and made me aware of so many elements of mental health and grief. I absolutely loved this book its beautifully written and her characters are wonderful. Storeys´ books are never what I anticipate them to be and they always send me down a path of true reflection.

Grace has been struggling after the death of her beloved Frank so when her grandson Jude suggests going along to the book club that Frank ran she wasn’t too sure, but to appease Jude she went. To say that it wasn’t like most book clubs was no exaggeration. They didn’t have a book that they all read, instead they had silent reading time where people could feel free to read what ever they liked (sharing if they did at the chat at the beginning of each session. Grace was sure it wasn’t for her , that is until the had of friendship came from fellow member Annie. Then when Jude suggested that he came along with her to the next one she decided she would.

I felt Grace learnt more about Frank after this than she actually knew before.. it also taught her things about herself and her family. Read in one sitting . I loved the book recommendations, I’ve taken a note of some. Look forward to May this author.

This novel by Kate Storey is a beautiful read .it's about recently widowed Grace who is convinced by her grandson and daughter to join a book club her husband Frank started.
She had become a bit of a recluse over the 12 months since her husband suddenly died and the book club takes her on a journey of discovery about her family and the ADHD they have but had kept from her to protect her.
The characters are beautifully written and I really enjoyed seeing how Grace develops.
Definitely recommend

This wasn’t as deep and emotional as The Memory Library. I found the plot shallow esp its treatment of ADHD. Grace skepticism was heavy handed, her narrative made it sound like it’s a chronic and contagious disease the way she’s going on about it, overthinking it, and feeling a certain way about being “normal” compared to her “quirky” family.

All this being said, I did enjoy the relationships between the characters and the sense of community Frank’s Silent Book Club fostered amongst its members. I love the emphasis on the importance of reading and how it brings people together, and teaches empathy. I love Grace’s relationship with her family, and how reading helped her heal from Frank’s death and helped her foster new and lasting relationships.


Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7431238409
Fable: https://fable.co/review/374d47b3-30c8-4b2c-8777-b0b2d6562cdc/share

Recently widowed, Grace is convinced by her grandson to join a book club her husband Frank started. Deeply saddened by his passing 18-month prior, Grace has become a bit of a recluse. When she goes to the book club, she finds that it is not like a traditional book club. All of the members are reading a different book for part of the meeting, and discussing them at the end.

This silent book club makes Grace uncomfortable at first, but leads her to finally enter Frank's untouched library. As she rummages through his books, she begins to find journals about what he has read, his desire to bring awareness to mental health, and to revitalize the book club he started. As Grace strives to help achieve his goals, she starts to find a purpose in her life again.

This is my second book and second 4-star review of a book by Kate Storey. I really enjoy how shes is able to weave together such heartwarming stories around the impact of books in a person's life. I felt an instant connection to the diverse characters in this book and how reading was able to touch each one. And books about books/reading always seem to find a place in my heart. This book was an absolute hit for me and I look forward to reading more books from Kate Storey.

If doing a book challenge and you are looking for books that are mentioned in other books, this would be a great book to find them. Some, but not all, include:

Anxious People
The Year of Magical Thinking
All Quiet on the Western Front
Demon Copperhead
Gulliver's Travels
The Complete Sherlock Holmes
Charlotte's Web
Rebecca
The Tempest
One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest

Thank you to Avon Books UK, NetGalley, and Kate Storey for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.