Everything is Beautiful: 'the most uplifting book of the year' Good Housekeeping cover art

Everything is Beautiful: 'the most uplifting book of the year' Good Housekeeping

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Everything is Beautiful: 'the most uplifting book of the year' Good Housekeeping

By: Eleanor Ray
Narrated by: Eilidh Beaton
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About this listen

When Amy Ashton's world fell apart 11 years ago, she started a collection.

Just a few keepsakes of happier times: some honeysuckle to remind herself of the boy she loved, a chipped china bird, an old terracotta pot.... Things that others might throw away, but to Amy, represent a life that could have been.

Now her house is overflowing with the objects she loves - soon there'll be no room for Amy at all. But when a family move in next door, a chance discovery unearths a mystery, and Amy's carefully curated life begins to unravel. If she can find the courage to face her past, might the future she thought she'd lost still be hers for the taking?

Perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant and The Keeper of Lost Things, this exquisitely told, uplifting novel shows us that however hopeless things might feel, beauty can be found in the most unexpected of places

©2021 Eleanor Ray (P)2021 Hachette Audio UK Clean & Wholesome Fiction Friendship Genre Fiction Literature & Fiction Romance Women's Fiction Comedy Feel-Good

Critic Reviews

"This book took hold of me and wouldn't let me go until I turned the final page." (Beth O'Leary)

"Funny, tender and uplifting." (BBC Radio 4)

"Beautifully written and thought-provoking." (Katie Fforde)

"This is one of those books you just want to gulp down in one." (Good Housekeeping)

All stars
Most relevant
I read don’t know how I feel about this story even right to t he end. I kept flipping between liking it and. Then not liking it and getting extremely frustrated by the main character who is a very sad and pathetic creature. I realize that is the whole premise of the book but I just found myself getting so angry at her. I guess that does mean it is a successful story if it can evoke such reactions but I just still can’t decide if I actually enjoyed it or not. Confounding!

Can’t decide

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This book was a pleasure to listen to.
I was continually struck by the beautiful imagery in this story, it felt like a good dose of mindfulness as well as a beautiful storyline.
It is definitely up there with one of the best audiobooks I've listened to. The storyline is a mix of romance, self help and motivation to help overcome trauma and accept the past to ultimately move forward in life.
The narrator was easy to listen to, unlike others where I easily tune out or don't even finish the book.
I agree with one of the other reviewers, it reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant, though not quite as dark.

Beautiful!

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This is a book about someone who develops the practice of hoarding after a relationship breakup. I can’t agree that it’s incredibly uplifting and beautiful; hoarding is a recognisable psychiatric disorder and it’s hard to hear of the main character’s pain for which she needs professional help. It’s also unrealistic that, even though she gets answers about her partner’s disappearance, she can move through her hoarding without significant therapy and possibly medication but anyway. . . it is fiction! A good read all round - I had to get to the end to hear what happened!

An enjoyable listen

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way to many she said /he said/ he replied/she replied, for my likings, poorly written in that sense.
Storyline was very straightforward.

she said

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