The Choir on Hope Street
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4.7 • 12 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
‘I loved every minute of this fantastic story!’ Christie Barlow
It’s time to face the music…
Natalie’s husband has just dropped a bombshell she never expected. Six little words no women ever wants to hear – ‘I don’t love you anymore’ – and her whole world has been turned upside-down.
Caroline’s difficult mother has been kicked out of her nursing home! And with no one else able to take her in, she’s going to have to put the past behind her and invite her to stay.
Nat and Caroline might live just a few doors away from each other but the two neighbours couldn’t be more different! Yet when the beloved Hope Street community hall is threatened with closure, only the community choir can save the day – if they can just find the perfect song in time…
A gorgeously uplifting romantic comedy to make your heart sing! Perfect for fans of Debbie Johnson and Kat French.
Praise for The Choir on Hope Street:
‘An absolute gem of a book… I loved every minute of this fantastic story.’ Christie Barlow
‘Wonderful! Uplifting! Delightful! A must read!’ Mandy Baggot
‘A must read this spring!’ Laurie Ellingham
‘An utterly beautiful, feel-good story.’ Holly Martin
‘A fantastic read.’ Crafty Marie (top 500 reviewer)
‘Emotional and heartwarming in equal measure!’ Rae Reads
Reviews
‘Wonderful! Uplifting! Delightful! A must read!’ – Mandy Baggot
‘A must read this spring!!’ – Laurie Ellingham
‘A story to make your soul sing.’ – Samantha Tonge
‘The Choir on Hope Street is an uplifting book, guaranteed to brighten up a horrible day. It is an enjoyable story and one I didn't really want to finish.’ – Rachel Gilbey
‘It is just the most adorable, consuming read you’ll read all year!’ – Guilt Free Twenty-Something on THE CHOIR ON HOPE STREET
‘A wonderful escape into a story that will leave you smiling.’ – I am Indeed on THE CHOIR ON HOPE STREET
About the author
Having worked in the worlds of book selling and publishing, Annie Lyons decided to have a go at book writing. Following a creative writing course, lots of reading and an extraordinary amount of coffee, she produced Not Quite Perfect, which went on to become a number one bestseller. Her latest book, The Choir on Hope Street, is a story of power ballads, community, cake and hope. She tries to write stories which make people laugh and cry, although hopefully not at the same time.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Snuggle down into a comfy sofa. Switch your phone onto silent mode for a few hours. You’re now in the ideal state to enjoy Annie Lyon’s quietly uplifting fourth novel. We follow Nat and Caroline, two women dealing with heartache and family trauma. As an escape, they commit themselves to a local choir, and a seemingly hopeless bid to save the local community hall. We were chuckling one moment and weeping the next as the pair set about their mission, all while considering signing up to our local choir.
Customer Reviews
Great fun read
Easy to enjoy….every page
A wonderful escape into a story that will leave you smiling.
Hope Street is a small neighborhood, like so many in the world, where many of the residents can exist quite neatly within the small area. An aging community center becomes the catalyst for the story, as a developer’s interest may result in changes to the neighborhood, unwelcome changes. We start the story with Natalie: a children’s book author with a husband, son and gay best friend who is also responsible for bringing her books to life. Things are busy, but good and comfortable, at least until Nat’s husband announces he doesn’t love her anymore. Nat’s world is, understandably, upended, and when she is wandering sightlessly in traffic after walking her son to school, she is hit by Caroline, the original “too busy appearing perfectly put together and in control” woman with little patience or liking for those who don’t meet her rather impossible standards. Naturally, Natalie dissolves into an emotional mess much to Caroline’s discomfort, but she has a plan. Well, a plan that is less about Natalie and more about her zealous determination to create a committee to save the Community Center.
Oh this was fun, as Natalie went through a series of emotional moments from barely hanging on to the plot right over into her fun-loving, never quite allow things to get you down wonderful self, she was certainly the easiest to understand. Caroline is that mean girl who can’t abide deep emotion, preferring to compartmentalize her life, her interactions and her friendships are superficial at best, mean girl at worst. Caroline is DESPERATE to be needed, but only in positions where she feels there is some sort of control and admiration for her work. And, the Community Center, with the brilliant idea of starting a choir to compete for a prize that will not only help them to raise much needed funds BUT also get them publicity – she’s all in.
And the community comes together: people from all walks of life who were, at first, simple acquaintances become friends of the best sort: supportive, encouraging and helpful: whether for a quick sitter requirement or a shoulder and a hug. Never a dull moment as they sing, learn and discover, even as lives and trials go on. Most importantly, both Natalie and Caroline come to grow and change. Natalie starts to make changes and become more settled in her own life, with her husband at loose ends. And Caroline, from ignoring and shunting her mother off to a care home to discovering long-held family secrets and finding a new appreciation for her mother, her life and her newly found friends in the community, the story has one memorable moment after another.
Exactly what you’d want from a story about a community banding together, with characters that grow, change and develop in front of your eyes as the story unfolds. A wonderful escape into a story that will leave you smiling.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.