This happens every single time! The publishers pitch the book as “perfect for readers of…” and I immediately fall for it, especially when they reference it to «Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine», which was my favorite book of 2018.
Will the readers of «Eleanor Oliphant» find similarities and love «Saving Missy» just as much?
My answer is No. BUT! (there is always a “but”, isn’t there?) «Saving Missy» has the same feeling of warmth and wholesomeness as «Eleanor Oliphant» did. So if you loved it because of how attached you grew to the character and how much you wanted her to do well, «Saving Missy» will be perfect! However, don’t expect any mysteries or funny moments.
goodreads blurb:
Boy meets girl. Girl meets boy. Woman meets dog…
The world has changed around Missy Carmichael. At seventy-nine, she’s estranged from her daughter, her son and only grandson live across the world in Australia, and her great love is gone. Missy spends her days with a sip of sherry, scrubbing the kitchen in her big empty house and reliving her past–though it’s her mistakes, and secrets, that she allows to shine brightest. The last thing Missy expects is for two perfect strangers and one spirited dog to break through her prickly exterior and show Missy just how much love she still has to give. Filled with wry laughter and deep insights into the stories we tell ourselves, The Love Story of Missy Carmichael shows us it’s never too late to teach an old dog new tricks. It’s never too late to love.
GOODREADS | AMAZON UK – US | BOOKDEPOSITORY | AUTHOR’S WEBSITE
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own and not influenced by the company or its affiliates in any way.
Milicent Charmichael is seventy-nine years old. She lives alone in her big house that once was filled with running children and her dear husband Leo. But they are long gone to the life of their own, and Missy is left in the stillness of old walls and creaky floors.
«Saving Missy» is essentially a character study, a tale of life, love, mistakes, and forgiveness.
WHAT I LIKED:
1 – I’m so glad that I requested this book on NetGalley and it was approved! Otherwise, I would never have read such a heartwarming and filled with hope story! It’s true that I had to be in the right mood for it and almost ended up DNFing this book just a few chapters in. However, I persevered and grew to love Missy!
This is not a book for everyone, and I can see why some people might find it boring. But for me it was such a delight to get to know Missy as a seventy-nine years old lady, living alone in her big cottage, and also as the student in Cambridge, as the mother of two and as the wife of a famous professor, to whom she gave all of her heart, and also as the friend, the grandma and the luckiest dog-owner in the world.
2 – «Saving Missy» is a tale of life in a mere 380 pages. Even though it did have a lot of unnecessary details that I skimmed through, somehow Beth Morrey was able to fit a life story in such a short book.
Yes, I’m guilty of skimming, but in this case it only helped me to get through this book without boring myself with some irrelevant details. Afterall, this book is all about feelings, and I got plenty of them!
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKED:
1 – As I mentioned above, there were a lot of unnecessary moments that I skipped and didn’t have any issues understanding what was going on. Big chunks of this book could be cut out and it would only improve the reading experience.
2 – But my biggest issue was the age of the main protagonist. Missy was seventy-nine years old! This is perfect for the older audience, but for me, in my twenties, it was very difficult to connect with her. Also, I didn’t want to connect with her because of how miserable and lonely her life was at the beginning of the story.
I know children eventually grow up and leave the nest. That our friends will also leave us in the future if we don’t leave before them. But seeing this loneliness portrayed so vividly, I couldn’t avoid thinking what if it will be me?!
My Rating:
★★★★☆
Overall, «Saving Missy» was a great, heartfelt story that might appeal more to older readers. I’m very curious to see what else Beth Morrey comes up with in the future and will definitely keep an eye on her upcoming books.
Have you read «Eleanor Oliphant»? Do you often fall for the marketing trick of comparing new releases to other popular books?
Let me know in the comments below!
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WhimsyPages 
This sounds really appealing. I quite like reading about older protagonists because of the depth of backstory that has to be created to make these characters feel authentic. Great review Alex :)))
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If you ever pick up this book, let me know how you like it 🙂 The character development was very interesting (at times sad…).
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Will do ❤
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Great review! This book sounds pretty interesting.
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It’s very heartwarming by the end 🙂 and interesting how we can change our lives if we stop being afraid of new things.
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Great review, Alex! This sounds like an interesting read although a little depressing at the start? I don’t think I’ve read many books with an older protagonist but I don’t know if I’d necessarily “mind” it if there’s something in the story (maybe not even their characters specifically) that I can connect with. I definitely see how you’d have to be in the right mood to read this though! Will keep an eye out for it if ever I’m in the mood 🙂
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Yeah, I kept thinking about how I didn’t want to ever be in Missy’s position, but at the same time, it also felt like something unavoidable. I think the light tone of the book and many funny bits made it a bit easier to read.
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