I loved this book!!!! Meredith, Alone is a captivating, raw glimpse into what it means to be resilient & brave. Meredith hasn’t left her home in 1,214 days.
We discover, through a timeline that ebbs and flows between past and present events, that Meredith works from home, is estranged from her mother and sister, has a cat named Fred, exercises and bakes daily and is a huge fan of books and puzzles.

Thrown into the mix of this story, is a support cast of characters who become intricate players in the life of our main protagonist, Meredith Maggs. There is Tom McDermott, a volunteer from Holding Hands, a befriending charity, who becomes steady force in her solitary life; Sadie, her childhood friend who is a nurse, divorced with kids & has been her rock; and lastly there is her newest friend Celeste, who she met through an online community. Each of these individuals play a significant role in shaping the character of Meredith, who, through these friendships & therapy is slowly healing (from traumatic events) and finding a way out of her solitary life.

Author Clair Alexander has given us a gift with this book; one that exposes us to resilience, trust, mental health and what it means to literally put yourself out there.
I found Meredith to be such an engaging character and one that I would befriend; she’s well read, sensitive, compassionate and at times snarky (who doesn’t love a bit of snark). I enjoyed pulling back those layers, even if some of it was difficult to read (the book touches upon suicide, rape, spousal and mental abuse) of her personality & getting a glimpse behind the curtain into her world.

Many thanks to Claire Alexander, Grand Central Publishing and #NetGalley for a digital copy of this novel.
This book is scheduled to be released on November 1, 2022.

“Diane, my therapist, tells me to stick with it, that it has to become a habit to have an impact. I told her that I didn’t think affirmations were supposed to be lies, which led to a long conversation about self-sabotaging behaviours.”

Meredith Maggs might just end up being my favorite character this year.

I was curious how Alexander was going to tackle panic disorder and agoraphobia and she did an astounding job. I enjoyed the writing style- wit and humor is my preferred delivery for heavy subject matters.

Meredith, Alone is such a wonderful character driven book touching on mental health, trauma, healing, and friendship.

“If mama taught me anything, it was that what other people think is of paramount importance.”

Out now in the UK and coming to the US in November 2022. Thank you @netgalley and @grandcentralpub for the eARC.

A good story about a young woman with depression issues that tells the story honestly and helps explain agoraphobia. Maybe not in enough detail to really understand how awful it can be, but it adresses the need for help and the hope of recovery.

Claire Alexander has written a heartfelt story that is full of emotions.

Meredith is a woman who has not left her house for over three years. Her job is remote, grocery deliveries and internet shopping has allowed this continue. Fred, her rescue cat, is her only companion beside her best friend who regularly visits.

This story is told in multiple timelines. Very slowly Alexander reveals more and more of Meredith's story. Things are not always as they might first appear and Alexander proves this in Meredith's story.

This is a story that will tug at your heartstrings and also make you laugh. Alexander was not afraid to tackle some deep topics and handled them with care.

I will anxiously be waiting for more releases from Claire Alexander.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

✏️ ARC ALERT! ✏️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📚88/100
Meredith, Alone by Claire Alexander
Format: 📱 (@netgalley )

Fans of Eleanor Oliphant- get ready for this one coming October 31! I truly loved this and didn’t feel weighed down by it, even with the presence of some heavy topics. A very balanced and quick read, it brings to light the fact that not all traumas and not all trauma responses are the same. I also enjoyed the lack of a romantic interest for the lead! It was really about her journey, and not just her journey to someone else.

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*Spoiler Free Summary*

Meredith never leaves home. Not as in “is an introvert”- she quite literally hasn’t left home in years. A remote job, her cat Fred, and grocery delivery services contribute to her life of solitude- but beyond that, what is REALLY keeping Meredith inside? A hard upbringing and difficult familial relationships, a hastily ended relationship, and mental health difficulties are just a few contributing factors.

#bookstagram #bookreview #womenslit #readersofinstagram #booksta #4starreview #netgalley #noshelfcontrol #bookish #bookishlove #bookstagrammer #bookworm

Isolation by choice conjures up the variations: physical disfigurement, mental illness, trauma, and others. This story slowly explains why the main character has been isolated almost wholly inside her house for 3 years by her choice due to accumulating traumas and abusive relationships. She works at home exclusively and orders all groceries and necessities online.
The world doesn't allow people with this condition: many times city/county/state social services agencies somehow discover the anomaly and insert a person or more to bring the isolated person back into society. Wise, good intentions? The author offers her ideas about bringing an isolated person back into a people-centric existence, for better or worst depending on the people who intersect.
My personal recommendation is for young adults but anyone can benefit from this carefully crafted story.

A beautifully written story. I couldn’t put it down. Meredith hasn’t left her house in 1,214 days. We find out that she’s had lots of trauma in her life and we journey with her to try to rejoin the outside world. Along the way we drink lots of tea and meet her best friend Sadie, her sister Fee, and friends Tom and Celeste— all great characters.

Oh Mer - you and I are so much alike that it's scary. This was a highly emotional read for me and it really hit home on so many things. I don't have a phobia about leaving my home. However, due to the pandemic and my already high proclivity to wanting to be by myself and never ever venture into the world if I don't have to, it's become a challenge for me to walk out that door. Meredith had her reason(s) though, but she's a tough cookie and fights her way back slowly but surely. And Tom is probably my favorite character in this whole story. He's just a good man with a good heart, and I want him to be my best friend. All in all, I really enjoyed this one, even if it hit a bit too close to home for me.

This book had similar vibes, but I think I liked it less than, “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine,” (which I liked less than “A Man Called Ove”).

In some ways, it’s a less extreme version. Meredith is socially unconventional, but less so than Eleanor. Her mother’s a monster but not like **** **** ***** **** monstrous. They’re both medium-long books set in Glasgow.

But it’s also doing a lot and it definitely veered on the side of “trauma porn” in some places. It had elements I liked - I vibed with her jigsaw puzzle and calligraphy hobbies, I always love a sweet ensemble, and I was very pleasantly surprised that they didn’t try to pair her romantically with somebody I worried they would and felt uncomfortable about. But still, it was just more of a bummer than I was looking for, with not enough redeeming qualities to make it worth it.

Meredith Alone is the story of a sweet yet lonely woman who has agrophobia. The book delves into her childhood and that plus another event described later in the book explain how she became an agrophobic. When the story opens, she has been home-ridden for 3 years. Don't get me wrong, Meredith is extremely productive for someone who never goes anywhere! She works out everyday, cleans and bakes. A "counsler" is sent to her home to help her and eventually they become friends albeit within the confines of her home.
Meredith "meets" another friend online and they encourage each other and soon her goal is to invite Celeste over to her home. Having a goal, getting therapy and talking with Tom the friend/counselor helps Meredith begins looking at the outside world in a different way. Her sister also reaches out to her after having no contact for years. The two sisters reunite and work through their childhood trauma and another horiffic event that involves Meredith and her brother-in-law.
Depression, sucide and rape are all dealth with in the book in such a tender and understanding way.There was no fairy tale ending, but Meredith does finally gets better and the ending of the book is very realistic which I appreciated.
All the characters are well developed and I really loved Meredith, her best friend and Tom especially.

Meredith Maggs hasn't left her house in over 1,000 days - she spends her days reading, completing puzzles, and enjoying the company of her cat, Fred. She belongs to an online forum where she becomes friends with Celeste who is forthcoming from the start but Meredith holds back from discussing her past and present. She is frequently visited by Tom, a volunteer who keeps Meredith company on a weekly basis.

Throughout the book we learn of Meredith's traumatic past and of the relationship she managed with her sister. We explore what may get Meredith to leave the house and what may drive her to spend the rest of her days inside.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read novel!

Not a bad story. It was kind of hard connecting with Meredith. I thought the plot was good. Over all, the book was kind of slow for me. Was hoping it would pick up.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free download.

I liked the mystery that unfolded about why Meredith never leaves her house and her terrible childhood, but Meredith was not engaging as a main character and the story itself felt pretty predictable.

4.5 Stars

** SPOILERS**

A delightful and emotional story of what it can take to make someone want to withdraw from the world, and finding what's out there that might be worth making your world bigger for.

Meredith has not left her house for over 3 years. As we move through the book, Meredith flashes back to scenes from her youth that highlight her family dynamics (older sister, Fiona, who does her best to care for Meredith and shield her from their alcoholic, emotionally abusive mum) and into her 20s and 30s as she maintains the longtime friendship with best gal, Sadie, and splinters from Fiona. The structure is easy to follow and kept me eagerly awaiting more details from both the current story, as Meredith befriends a some new people and negotiates their space in her life, and the past.

I cannot shout from the rooftops enough that I was so pleased this didn't end up being about a journey for Meredith to find love or deeming a romantic partner as the reason that ultimately would get her out the door. She's an intelligent woman who has strength she doesn't see and an enormous amount of heart (and baked goods) to share.

The day count at the beginning of each chapter that occurred in the present is one thing that confused me. I thought it was based on how many days she hadn't left the house but, once she started venturing out - first just to the front path, then her journey to the grocery - I expected them to stop or re-set in some way. Then I thought perhaps it was a count of how many days since she'd seen her mother but... not that either. Would have liked a payoff for that instead of a continued count even on the final chapter.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this advanced copy.

This is a doozy of a book. I loved it. The main character, Meredith, has agoraphobia after a traumatic event a few years prior. The book tells the story of Meredith's present but also tells the story of her past. Every chapter, both current and former, only serves to make the reader understand and feel more for Meredith and what she is going through. There were times that I thought a love interest or a catfish was being introduced, but I really appreciate that the author never took it that way and instead, let Meredith have a fulfilling life even as she continued processing and dealing with her trauma. I think this book portrayed mental illness and PTSD in an excellent way and I think that's uncommon when so many authors want to romanticize things.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grant Central Publishing for sharing this advanced copy.

4.5⭐
Meredith hasn’t left her home in over three years. Panic grips her just at the mere thought. She has her therapist (via zoom) and her childhood friend who’ve been her biggest champion throughout.

What Meredith doesn’t have is the love and support of her family. Her mother and sister haven’t spoken to her in years. They turned their backs when she needed them most.

But Meredith’s tiny world is about to get a bit bigger. Tom has started coming by for weekly visits. He works for an agency to make sure Meredith is alive and well in her secluded life. And as icing on the cake, now she also has Celeste, a friend she met in an online forum. She quickly became a true friend and support.

This was a very poignant read. My heart went out to Meredith. I so wanted to be by her side and help her bravely take that step back into the world.

Told in both present and past timelines we see Meredith’s childhood and her relationship with her mother and sister. The direction her life took after a horrible event, leaving her convinced she had nowhere to turn, except to lock her door tightly shut.

Pour yourself a cup of tea and get comfy on your sofa because once you get to know Meredith you won’t want to leave (this read) either!

A buddy read with Susanne that we both enjoyed!💞

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing

I absolutely loved this book. Meredith hasn't left her house in over 1,000 days. She's tried. Her therapist is giving her homework to help. Her best friend does all her running for her. She has a visitor every week from health services who she enjoys interacting with. And then one day, she takes a few steps outside. Then a few more. This book is about perseverance in the face of adversity. It's about past trauma and how we cope with that. It's about surviving. I loved it so much!

After dealing with emotional abuse from her mother and being raped by her sister’s husband, Meredith has not gone of of her house in nearly three years. She works remotely and has her groceries delivered. Meredith fills her free time with baking and putting jigsaw puzzles together. With an online support group and a weekly visitor to check on her Meredith slowly starts to break down her trauma and barriers to emerge back into the world on her own terms. This book was triggering for me, but it also proves how you can persevere through your anxiety and depression and live a healthy, happy life.

4.5⭐

As the story begins we meet our protagonist Meredith Maggs, a resident of Glasgow, who has not ventured outside her home in over 1214 days. Though somewhat a recluse, she does keep busy. She shops online and is employed full-time in a writing job that allows her to work remotely. She socially interacts with an online support group and communicates virtually with her counselor. Pushing 40, she lives with her cat Fred as a constant companion and fills her free time with books, jigsaw puzzles and baking. She has a fixed set of people with whom she interacts in person - her best friend Sadie and her two children and her grocery delivery boy. Added to this mix are the recent additions of Tom McDermott, a “friend” from the Holding Hands Charity organization, Celeste, one of her online friends, who reaches out to her personally and her 10-year-old neighbor Jacob Alistair Montgomery who knocks on her door and introduces himself. She does have immediate family close by but it’s complicated. It’s not that Meredith does not want to leave the house but her efforts to step outside her safe haven seem to exacerbate her anxiety and cause panic attacks – the reasons for which are gradually disclosed. As the narrative progresses and we jump back and forth between past and present, we learn more about Meredith and the traumatic events that led to her self-imposed isolation. We follow Meredith’s journey as she struggles with anxiety and depression, willing herself to resume control of her life.

Meredith, Alone by Claire Alexander is a beautiful story full of hope and heart. Each of the characters in this novel is well-fleshed out ( even the unlikeable ones). There are dark moments in Meredith's life and her road to recovery is not an easy one – she stumbles and falls but we cheer for her as she does not stop trying to bring about positive change in her life. Everyone in her support system genuinely cares for her and what I liked about each of these characters is that none of them are pushy or overbearing and though they want her to venture out of her home, they give her the space and the time she needs to open herself up to everything life has to offer. The author covers several sensitive topics such as mental health, sexual assault and domestic violence, dysfunctional families and the far-reaching effects of parental neglect on a child’s sense of self-worth with the utmost compassion. The pacing of the novel is on the slower side which suits the central theme and natural progression of the story. I liked the fact that the author did not rush to an impractical, eye-roll-inducing, OTT ending but rather ended the story on a hopeful note – keeping it real and relatable. Meredith is an endearing protagonist. Though her story has its difficult moments it is ultimately one of courage and hope.

Many thanks to Claire Alexander, Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for a digital review copy of this wonderful novel. All expressions expressed in this review are my own. This book is scheduled to be released on November 1, 2022.

This is a hard book to classify. It’s a mostly introspective first-person account of a woman who has reached a crisis point that has kept her housebound for more than three years. Afraid to leave home, she has developed routines and relationships that allow her to survive.

But this book is so much more. It’s about Meredith and her quirks but also the very slow reveal of how she has come to this point. It’s about generationally dysfunctional families, close friends, abusive relationships, survival and how to thrive.

I enjoyed the writing and characters very much. Meredith is a sympathetic character and I was absolutely rooting for her healing and happiness. The pace was a bit off, especially in the last third which dragged for me.

Trigger warnings: rape, child abuse