Published January 18th, 2024 by Simon & Schuster UK
Humorous Fiction, Parody, Literary Fiction
Today I’m sharing my review for the delightful and uplifting Preloved which was one of January’s Squadpod Reviews books. Thank you to Sara at Simon and Schuster UK for the copy of the book.
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SYNOPSIS:
‘Lauren Bravo is one of my very favourite writers.’ Dolly Alderton
Gwen is coasting through life. She’s in her mid-thirties, perpetually single, her friends are busy procreating in the countryside and conversations with her parents seem to revolve entirely around the council’s wheelie-bin timetable.
And she’s lonely. But then, isn’t everyone?
When she’s made redundant from a job she hardly cares about, she takes herself out for a fancy dinner. There she has the best sticky toffee pudding of her life and realises she has no one to tell. She vows to begin living her life fully, reconnect with her friends and family, and finally book that dentist’s appointment.
Gwen decides to start where all things get a second chance: her local charity shop. There, with the help of the weird and wonderful people and donated items bursting with untold stories, Gwen will find a way to move forward with bravery, tenacity, and more regular dental care.
Dazzlingly witty, Preloved is a tale about friendship, loss and being true to yourself no matter the expectations. Lovingly celebrating the enduring power and joy of charity shops.
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MY REVIEW:
I’ve always loved charity shops and so I was sold on this book the moment I read the premise. It opens with a short chapter entitled ‘Gift’ about an item that stands out among other charity shop donations, and my interest was piqued. We are then introduced to our main character, Gwen, who isn’t having a good day. She’s just been made redundant and during a fancy dinner to try and cheer herself up she comes to the realisation that she has isolated herself and has no one to tell about her redundancy or the amazing meal. But instead of wallowing in self pity, Gwen decides to do something about it and makes a list before setting out to make conscious changes to her life.
Lauren Bravo’s fiction debut is a delightful story about loneliness, loss, anxiety, self-discovery and second chances. A story for anyone who has been clueless about where their life is going or what they are doing, it reminds us of the importance of friendship and community. Witty, heartwarming, and moving, this is a ‘slice of life’ story filled with relatable characters and observations that drew me in. Gwen comes across as a little miserable at first but I soon warmed to her. She’s isolated, lonely, struggling with severe anxiety and panic attacks and dealing with trauma, but she’s also funny, candid, trying to figure life out, and feels like someone I could be friends with. I liked that when redundancy provided her with an unwritten future she chose to write a better story for herself by making practical changes in her life, something I think we all could learn a lesson from.
One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was how the charity shop was so deeply woven into the story. It is staffed by an eclectic group who were so much fun to read and I was taken back to my days in retail during many of the scenes, laughing or shaking my head at my memories. But what was most memorable for me was the sections between each chapter that tell the story of some of the items that find their way to the charity shop. These were fascinating and unique, capturing my heart and sparking my imagination.
Entertaining and uplifting, I highly recommend this wonderful debut.
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
Lauren Bravo is a freelance journalist who writes about fashion, popular culture, food, travel and feminism, for titles including Grazia, Stylist, Cosmopolitan and Sunday Times Style. She volunteers in a charity shop once a week (partly to get dibs on all the best clothes).
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BUY THE BOOK:
Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*
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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles xxxx
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