Blog Tour - The Forgotten Guide to Happiness by Sophie Jenkins

Today I am pleased to welcome Sophie Jenkins to my blog to celebrate the publication of her debut novel 'The Forgotten Guide to Happiness'. 

Twenty-eight-year-old Lana Green has never been good at making friends. She's perfectly happy to be left alone with her books. Or at least, that's what she tells herself.

Nancy Ellis Hall was once a celebrated writer. Now eighty, she lives alone in her North London house, and thinks she's doing just fine. But dementia is loosening Nancy's grip on the world.

When Lana and Nancy become unconventional house mates, their lives will change in ways they never expected. But can an unusual friendship rescue two women who don't realise they need to be saved?

An irresistible story of love, memory and the power of friendship that readers of The Keeper of Lost Things and The Lido will adore.

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN: 9780008281809 

I really enjoyed Sophie's debut novel, it was an easy read that I devoured in a weekend. It is one of those books that makes you laugh out loud and the cast of characters are all believable and ones which I could identify as being part of my circle of friends. I really liked the writing class scenes, giving me an insight into the literary world. I am already looking forward to Sophie's next book.

The publishers, Avon Books, have given me an extract to share with my blog readers …...

Heading towards Camden Town, I decided to avoid the markets and the tourists by calling in the York and Albany for a drink. If you feel drunk and you drink, it makes you feel less drunk, like homeopathy. But I realised it was exactly the kind of place that Kitty might be going to for lunch. A bit further on, just off Delancey Street, is the Edinboro Castle, a place she would never set foot in, so I walked on and went into the bar, swinging my heavy Tesco bag. It was so dark it was like being momentarily blinded.

I took my wine out into the glare of the beer garden and sat at a table all to myself under a silver birch where I could think up a plan with no distractions.

A shadow fell over me. ‘Is this seat taken?’

‘Yes,’ I said automatically. Looking up, I saw a guy wearing a bright orange Nike sweatshirt and faded jeans. He had messy dark hair but, despite being unshaven, he had a friendly, open face with straight dark eyebrows and clear grey eyes. Realising I was being ‘difficult’, as my parents liked to put it, I quickly apologised. ‘Sorry, that was rude.’ Suddenly, having company wasn’t such a bad idea, even if it was with a stranger. ‘No. Help yourself.’

‘Cheers.’ He smiled, sat down and put his lager in front of him.

His smile looked like the smile of a man who has had an easy life, which is a good foundation for a warm character. People who have an easy life assume the best and tend to be generous and optimistic – I haven’t Googled this or anything; it’s just my opinion, based on experience.

Thank you to Avon Books for inviting me to take part in the blog tour in return for an honest review.