Hey Readers,

How’s it going? Read any great books lately? Feel free to shoot me some of your recent faves in the comments!

I’m still in the thick of the grad school semester, and there are projects every week! It’s seriously driving me nuts that both of my classes have all these little projects that keep taking up all my time.

Anyways, today’s book review is all about The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan.

I’m not gonna lie, contemporary is one of my least favorite genres. Contemporary fiction is known for being set in today’s world and usually involves confronting personal demons,  growing up, or other social issues.

I prefer to read as a means of escape from this world, so to be dragged back into a realistic setting is not my idea of a good time. I also feel like contemporary novels lack in plot based on the blurbs I’ve read for some. That being said, I’ve been wrong recently in judging genres, so I dove right into this read, albeit begrudgingly.

Onward with the book review!

Blurb

A charming, clever, and quietly moving debut novel of of endless possibilities and joyful discoveries that explores the promises we make and break, losing and finding ourselves, the objects that hold magic and meaning for our lives, and the surprising connections that bind us.

Lime green plastic flower-shaped hair bobbles—Found, on the playing field, Derrywood Park, 2nd September.

Bone china cup and saucer—Found, on a bench in Riveria Public Gardens, 31st October.

Anthony Peardew is the keeper of lost things. Forty years ago, he carelessly lost a keepsake from his beloved fiancée, Therese. That very same day, she died unexpectedly. Brokenhearted, Anthony sought consolation in rescuing lost objects—the things others have dropped, misplaced, or accidentally left behind—and writing stories about them. Now, in the twilight of his life, Anthony worries that he has not fully discharged his duty to reconcile all the lost things with their owners. As the end nears, he bequeaths his secret life’s mission to his unsuspecting assistant, Laura, leaving her his house and all its lost treasures, including an irritable ghost.

Recovering from a bad divorce, Laura, in some ways, is one of Anthony’s lost things. But when the lonely woman moves into his mansion, her life begins to change. She finds a new friend in the neighbor’s quirky daughter, Sunshine, and a welcome distraction in Freddy, the rugged gardener. As the dark cloud engulfing her lifts, Laura, accompanied by her new companions, sets out to realize Anthony’s last wish: reuniting his cherished lost objects with their owners.

Long ago, Eunice found a trinket on the London pavement and kept it through the years. Now, with her own end drawing near, she has lost something precious—a tragic twist of fate that forces her to break a promise she once made.

As the Keeper of Lost Objects, Laura holds the key to Anthony and Eunice’s redemption. But can she unlock the past and make the connections that will lay their spirits to rest?

Full of character, wit, and wisdom, The Keeper of Lost Things is heartwarming tale that will enchant fans of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, Garden Spells, Mrs Queen Takes the Train, and The Silver Linings Playbook.

GoodReads

Amazon

***Brief disclosure***

I am an Amazon affiliate and earn a tiny commission for purchases made through the Amazon links in this post at no cost to you. It’s a great way to help me keep things running on my blog if you’re already intrigued enough to make a purchase. 

The Review

I greatly disliked this novel, enough that I had to cool down before writing this review. Contemporary is not a genre I thought I would like, and in this case my gut instinct was correct.

This novel centers on a man named Anthony Peardew. He’s a strange fellow that collects miscellaneous discarded things lying around as he goes about his day. Laura has been cleaning Anthony’s house for some time, but when Anthony dies she is shocked to learn that he has willed her his house on one condition. She must try to reunite the lost objects with the owners.

There were a few things I did enjoy about this novel.

The premise was intriguing starting out, and Anthony’s narrative did pull me in before he died. I also liked the diversity of all the characters. Very inclusive. There is a supernatural element to this book, and those few moments I found the most entertaining.

That being said, I wanted a bit more depth from the characters. We do get to know them from their interactions, but much of that is just surface-level observations. There was some romance and that was somewhat enjoyable, but I wanted more from it.

The plot was sorely lacking. After Anthony dies and makes his special request clear to Laura through his will, she took so long getting around to the task at hand that I wondered why she wasn’t moving faster on it.

Finally, around the halfway point of the book she actually starts to form a plan around finding the owners, but shortly after there’s yet another long pause. About three quarters through the book the plan is finally carried out, but by that point I was extremely upset with Laura. Her taking so long to do this task made her seem very self-centered as if she had all the time in the world to get around to it. And everything between these plot points was just a bunch of filler. It was a struggle to keep reading.

In the end, I just couldn’t bring myself to care about these stale characters, and I doubt I’ll be giving contemporary fiction another try in the near future. If you love contemporary fiction, find a book with an actual plot, not this one!

That’s A Wrap!

Well that’s it for this book review. I hope you enjoyed it!

Have you read this book? Are there other similar books you’ve read that you simply have to gush about? Feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to start a conversation!

Have a great day!

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